Where to for USA holiday?

My daughter wants to holiday in America this Christmas so we will fly probably fly into New York and catch the train across to Seattle doing some stops along the way. From there drive down to Los Angeles and fly out.

This seems to be the appropriate place to get hot tips for what to see. We want to do some of the big parks but I believe Yellow Stone may be too out of the way (and buried too deep in snow) so we were thinking Yosemite and that California strip of parks.

My daugther doesn't like cities or big crowds, so smaller places that are pretty and interesting, Salem size maybe? sort of places. We like snow.

We would probably do three or four stops on the train across. One of the Amtrak passes caters for four legs.

All other ideas appreciated and are we being too ambitious for a three week holiday? Bearing in mind I drove 2000 klm return for a funeral a few weeks ago and used to long distances.

I am sure I should know this, but where are you coming from??

I am from the northern midwest and it sort of depends on what you want to see and if you like snow and cold.

Keeping this in mind - perhaps you would want to aim for the southern part of the country and work your way to LA? I'm just thinking that there isn't a whole lot going on during winter in the north...we all sort of hibernate and avoid the outdoors (well unless you like skiing or snowmobiling). I'm just thinking the temps are more mild and there might be more things to do farther south. I know the "fun things" to do and see around here tend to be open from May to September and that's the only reason I suggest going south.

I can give ideas, but it sort of depends on what route you are planning to take across the country.

I'm an Ozzie Pen.

Yep we like snow. With temps in the high range (35c), have no idea what that is in f, all this summer and same expected next summer, it will be nice to have a complete change of scenery.

Would the tour buses still be operating in Yosemite at that time of the year? or would they be snow buses? The Redwood Park sounds good too.

Has anyone taken the Amtrak from New York/Chicago to Seattle during winter? Pretty? I think we could do Niagra as a side trip. Is it over-crowded in winter too?

Or would we be better doing the southern track which I think stops in Denver and do the Rocky Mountains Park as a stop? The Hoover Dam is miles off these routes I think?

The northern route...my guess would be miles of snowy farm land - pretty but boring. Or if no snow - miles of brown land. I suppose it would have it's charm but wouldn't be my personal preference.

I've never done the Amtrak but my vote would be to go the southern route through Denver and the Rocky Mountains. Denver is always very pretty (I have family in that state) but I am biased. Colorado Springs is an hour or so south and has some gorgeous parks and other areas of interest. This would be what I would opt for but others may have an idea of what's to do off the northern route.

I have to ask

Anna and I have done the Amtrak sleeper car from St. Paul/Minneapolis to Chicago five times (during the day, if you can believe that). Very spendy! Just curious what it would cost to go coast to coast in a sleeper car.

I can't imagine doing such a trip in coach.

Becky has done Amtrak from Minnesota to Montana. Maybe she will post about it.

Cheryl

Chicago to the Twin Cities and to the western part of North Dakota would be lots of small towns and fields. Lots of fields!

Cheryl

My son and I have taken the northern US Amtrak route several times, both from Montana to Minnesota and from Montana to Spokane, Washington. We traveled on Amtrak from approx. 1986 through 2002.

One highlight of the trip is going through Glacier Park in northwestern Montana. It's breathtakingly beautiful. However, if I remember correctly, it is usually dark when Amtrak goes through Glacier Park--the schedule may have changed since then.

The rest of the trip is wide open prairies and rolling hills through North Dakota and eastern Montana.

Whatever route you choose, I'm sure you will have a relaxing and enjoyable time.

Becky

I know nothing about train trips. My only concern is bad weather affecting the tracks. Perhaps you should check to see how Amtrack handles snowstorms? Just an idea!

£eslie

You could venture into Canada. About six years ago I flew to Sydney from Vancouver. Plenty of snow there.

Ok. So what's your favourite place in America? If you had a week off where would you go?

Santa Fe

All the museums and historical sites in Washington, DC; the Rocky Mountains in Colorado through Montana; Yellowstone National Park; Glacier National Park; Nashville, TN.

Becky

Howdy I guess it depends on how you wish to spend your holiday.

If you want family time, then by all means take the train across the northern states, east to west. As stated above, you will lots of fields as that section of the USA feeds the world - not totally but a LOT. So you will have MANY hours to sit and visit with family along for the ride with nothing to do.

If you wish to see my beautiful country, I suggest you fly into Seattle and take a three week trip down the west coast. Seattle itself if amazing. A brief train ride and you are in Protland, one f the unsung gems of the USA - a magnificent bookstore that I could spend days in. It is also the City of Roses and lives up to its name - but not too much to see in the winter. A brief trip south and you are in the Golden State - California.

A day wandering through the Redwood Forests of the northern coasts. A day in Paradise-Chico looking into teh many lovely antique shops (and a great meal with me and mine at Ravenhurst) Down to visit Sacramento and see the lovely Capitol - a great tour there. A couple of days in San Francisco - you will be surprised at what a small town The City really is ... only 750,000 actually live in the 7 by 7 mile city limits. Golden Gate Park, The Castro, the wharf, Haight-Ashbury, the zoo, theater ... so much to see and do ... and it really feels small city / town.

Then drive down the absolutely breath taking Highway 1 ... all along the Pacific Coast. Monterey with sea otters, whale watching, and a fantastic aquarium ... the Hearst Castle set amidst vineyards and rolling hillsides of green pastures (in the winter they are green) and then on south.

So many quaint and lovely places along the highway.

Skip LA. We'll come back there for your flight ....

But head south of LA to San Diego ... another true gem of the USA. Its zoo is worth a full day or two all by itself. Plus San Diego has perfect climate and is a lovely place just to be.

Now back to Los Angeles ... but on the way check out Laguna Beach - a real hideaway of a town with fun shopping, restaurants, and scenery. In Los Angeles itself? I have fun there but have no idea what a family would do in THAT city. anyone help us out? Disney Land? Get lost on the freeways? Venice Beach (in the winter?) I really have no advice on LA.

But for three weeks to "see the USA" please remember we go fromt he Atlantic to the Pacific and are a large geographical country (like Australia). For a fun three week holiday, I would slice off on coast or section and really take a liesurely look.

If the West Coast is notto your liking, then the East Coast or the South is just as enchanting.

I am deeply in love with the physical beauty of this land ... I second the vote for Denver and environs.

But ask all your family that is coming along ... do you really, really, really want to be cooped up in a railroad car for three weeks? If so, then have had it. If you all need a bit of breathing room, please consider the Seattle-Portland-California option.

Washington DC is a great place to visit.
Niagra Falls is lovely to see. Pictures don't do it justice.
If you like history, my favorite place to vacation is Williamsburg, Virginia

The East Coast? Magnificent!

Fly into NYC and hop over to Boston ... walk in the steps of history wherever you go.

Over to Niagra Falls and the finger Lakes ... so beautiful!

Down to Pennsylvannia with the Amish Counties - drive slow and stop often.

Quick trip to Philadelphia - the Franklin Museum, Indedendence Hall, nice city.

Drive down Delaware (lovely diamond of a state) to the Bay Bridge and cross to Annapolis. Our Naval Academy and a breath taking bay.

Over to Baltimore for the Inner Harbor and the National Aquarium.

Down to Washignton DC. the Smithsonian Institution - art, First Lady exhibit, so MUCH to see there, The White House tour, and especially the Holocaust Museum and the National Archives. Original Constitution and orginal Declaration of Independence. Plus fascinting exhibits there.

Change countries and drive to the Old South - my birthplace and the Capitol of the confederacy - Virginia. The first successful English colony of Jamestown, colonial Williamsburg, tripping over history wherever you go in Virginia.

Down to North Carolina ... Cape Hatteras on the Atlanitic or the absolutely breath taking Blude Ridge Mountains. Love Ashville and Hendersonville at any time of teh year.

Down to Colombian SC for lunch - see the Capitol with bronze stars proudly marking where the dam* Yankees hit our Capitol with cannon balls. LOL

The real jewel of teh State is Charleston - walk the Battery and look out over Fort Sumpter. the old Slave Market and the old Market ... fascinating and lovely.

Down to Savannah Georgia for some Southern hospitality and up to Hotlanta errr I mean Atlanta. Fly out from there.

For more fun - significant time in Florida .... Orlando with Disney World and orange groves, Miami, the Atlantic Coast Beaches, the mellow gulf Coast, and of course Key West. I especially enjoyed walking in the footsteps fo Pnce de Leon in his search for the fountian of Youth.

Yes, three week tour of the East Coast would be fun, relaxing, and fascinating. MUCH more so than the incredible beuty of our Northern Plains with mile after mile after mile of the fertile Plains.

I lvoe the USA and am so very fortunate to have visited so much of it.

Ah Richard, your posts are so marvelous. Makes me want to go see it all.

But oh, the woe of living (comparatively speaking!) in the boring upper Midwest.

Fields, fields, and more fields!

Well, at least we have 10,000 lakes to brag about.

Thanks for sharing!

Cheryl

If you do the East Coast, do not leave out the best beach in the nation -- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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On the West Coast, Yosemite National Park is a must see. I may be biased, though, since I used to work there. I have not been back, since I was layed off in November of 1995; so some things may have changed, from what I remember (nor have I had steady work since then).

The Yosemite Valley does have crowds all year long, though somewhat less in the winter. The Valley Floor Tour is conducted in enclosed buses during the winter, rather than the Open Air Trams of the summer. Curry Villege has an Outdoor Skating Rink that is only open during the winter time; Snowshoe or cross-country ski rentals are also availiable.

Besides the Yosemite Valley, there is also the Badger Pass Ski area (take the shuttle bus). Many of the other areas of the park tend to close for the winter, such as Wawona (though Wawona may open briefly for the Christmas season), Glacier Point, or the Tioga Pass area.

The Ahwahnee Hotel has the fancy Christmas dinner performance of the Bracebridge Singers. It is very spendy and hard to get tickets for. There are more people that want to see it, than there are tickets availiable; so they have a lottery type drawing for tickets.

Yosemite Valley does have a medical clinic on the road between Yosemite Villege and The Ahwahnee Hotel. They even have a doctor on call for after-hours emergencies (like the night when I had to take my roommate there for shots for her migraine).

Great info!! Thanks. Will print it all out and make some sort plan. Probably (this will change daily till we book) will fly into New York (for Christmas day) do some of East Coast by car then, train/plane over to West Coast and do Yosemite (definite) and up to Seattle or down from Seattle to Los Angeles to fly out.

If I can ever return the favour for Australia/New Zealand please anytime.

Your right Cheryl about the prices of the sleepers on the trains. Bit high.

The only advantage of m's etc that I have ever found is that I HATE shopping. Can't stand flouros. Will happily drag couches outside to wash them or repair anthing and everything to avoid shops. Consequently it does mean we can travel occassionaly from the savings even if everything in the house is ancient!! LOL

I am not a super experienced Amtrak traveler since I've only gone from St. Paul to Chicago. But here are my impressions.

Going coach is ok, but I can't imagine doing it for more than a day. Most people are traveling coach. I noticed the coach cars get very smelly (think bathroom smell). I think the smell is actually coming from the bathrooms in each car. Poor ventilation! To get to any food car, you have to walk through the coach cars, and the smell always made me sick.

It is not easy walking on the train if you have any condition that makes you wobbly. Especially going from car to car. I can't imagine senior citizens doing it, but they do.

Sleeper cars are great because you get your privacy. Less people using those bathrooms also. They have showers. We once did a family sleeper car, and it was so nice and big, comparatively speaking. There are cars for the disabled, and they have a bathroom in the car. If we ever go again on Amtrak, I would try and book such a car because Anna has problems walking on the trains (she is legally disabled).

I feel Amtrak employees are very helpful. I have always been impressed by that. Anna always received any assistance she needed. Very, very friendly, and they don't treat everyone like potential terrorists. Security is relaxed.

When you rent the sleeper car, you are "first class." You get special treatment. You get to go in the better lounges at the train stations/depots, get to board first, you can have your meals brought to you in the car, and so on. It is worth the money, if you can afford it. Especially if you are sick.

Very bad thing about Amtrak in a enclosed train station like Chicago--the noise of the trains and the smell of diesel. Huge triggers for Anna.

Cheryl

The US has so much to see, I wouldn't know where to start you. I haven't seen half of it myself. I do know that if we could never leave this country, there would be plenty to see and do for a lifetime. I hope you can map out the most for your short time.

And of course, THE place to see on the West Coast is Ravenhurst - LOL. Seriously, if you can fly into Sacramento or San Francsico, we can propbably pick you up and share our lovely home with you in the fruit basket of the world - the Valley of California.

I would LOVE to visit Aurstralia and New Zealand ... one day ...

It's only a plane ride away!! Thanks Richard will let you know closer our plan of attack and you can all pick it apart.

Chicago has nice museums and an aquarium. If you drive out to San Diego on I-40, you can stop and visit some of the caves along the way, the Meteor Crater in Arizona, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon. I'm not sure how these are in the winter, you should call ahead. Yosemite would be nice, but it might have snow also. Once in California, do drive up Hi-way 1 along the coast. Besides all that has been mentioned, you can visit some light houses and Point Reyes National Seashore just north of San Francisco. In Arkansas they have a diamond pit you can dig in to find your own diamonds. It is south of Fort Smith, I think. Once you drive north to Seattle, then fly home from there. Crater Lake in Washington is nice also. Check out maps and call ahead to the places you want to see before you leave. Not to scare you, but Oklahoma has tornados this time of year. If you are interested in seeing one, they have tours or you may get lucky on your own. Yes, they really do have a couple of companies that chase tornados and take people along for a fee. Bring your camera. I used to do alot of tornado chasing, but not so much anymore. I took my kids with everytime. They have a very large nature park where you can see Buffalo heards roaming wild. If you come this way, let me know and I will give you more details.

Lots of choices.

Hal

Tornado chasing!! Now that had really never crossed my mind Hal. What a wild idea! Will present it to the committee.