Where is the USA.....

[Cambridgeskip]

Now then

 

First of all forgive me if this is in the wrong part of the forum but there did not seem to be an obvious place for it but I wanted to pick some American brains.

 

This June myself and the lovely Mrs CambridgeSkip have a week off and are pondering a trip trans Atlantic. Weve only been to USA once before to New York and if we come again (were also pondering Russia so dont get too excited!) would like to go somewhere completely different.

 

So where on the Eastern side of the country (we don't really have the time or inclination this time round to get over West Coast jet lag) would you recommend where we can get to with a direct flight from the UK and why?

 

[Cambridgeskip]

Forgive the typo in the title, should have been "in" not "is".

 

Sorry.

[moosetracker]

Possibly the Boston area, would interest you.. What we have for interest is history, sceanery and Ocean fronts.

 

You have the large city of Boston, which has historic interest (Ironside, Faniel Hall, Salem Ma (witch hunts), Freedom Trail) as well as big city interest.. But you are a few hours away from getting to more quiet sceanic country area.

 

You can go south for the Cape (seaside area, Nantucket Island or Martha Vineyard.) Or go North for New Hampshire (also some nice seashores, some more historic sites, then just quiet country areas.)

[NJEaglemom]

I agree with Boston. Very walkable and a great place to visit.

 

An alternative could be Washington, DC. It would give you the history, the Virginia Countryside is lovely, but, just rivers, no ocean.

 

Philadelphia could be an option: History and Lancaster for scenery (Amish area,). The Ocean would be about an hour away in Atlantic City or a bit farther would get you to Cape May, which is right on the Ocean and full of Victorian Bed and Breakfast places.

[Eagle92]

What would you like to do?

[Tampa Turtle]

We have many of you brits come to Pinellas County for the beaches...they really are QUITE good. Quite a few Germans as well of late...and you know they know a good deal! Pass-a-grille is very nice in an old time way and Clearwater has *ahem* better scenery of fulsome pulchritude.

 

The mountains of North Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee are nice that time of year . A bit cooler, some hills, and if you plan it right you can do some pretty nice day hikes.

 

Miami is good (if expensive)if you want the international/Caribbean thing. New Orleans is nice too.

 

I have done some very nice road trips up AIA and the East Coast: Kennedy Space Center-St Augustine-Savanna-Charleston-Brookgreen Gardens.

 

Beachfort, South Carolina is VERY nice if you like small southern beach towns. A lot of movies have been filmed there. I would fly into Atlanta for that.

 

I married a southern girl so I am a bit biased.

 

Russia sounds cool, I have heard Poland and the Ukraine are pretty interesting.

 

But what do I know I want to go the UK next year?

[Eamonn]

Hi Skip,

Americans are strange. Really nice, but still strange.

They are very proud, which is something I like and admire about them.

A good many when they meet someone from England take great pleasure in going on about how they kicked the English out back in the 1700's.

Some know all the details and expect someone from England to know what they know.

I've never been to India and I don't know if the people in India have the same expectations?

Some Americans just don't get that English history covers a much longer time period and that what happened in America is for most kids in England learning history covered in very little detail and really isn't seen as being that important.

 

A friend of mine is married to a French girl, they live near Washington D.C. His In-Laws were coming over on a two week visit. He put together a nice schedule which was mainly around the D.C Area. When his Mother-In-Law arrived she had a list of where see wanted to go and what she wanted to see. The list included the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and Disney World.

It does seem from what you ask that you know how very big this country is.

 

A pal of mine retired from the Metropolitan Police a few years back and took his trip of a lifetime to the USA.

He flew into New York, spent a few days visiting places like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, took the helicopter ride over Manhattan. Rented a car and drove down to meet me and mine in Colonial Williamsburg, where we spent a few days eating some nice food and sampling some good wine. Then we spent a couple of days at the beach in Virginia. We then spent a few days in home in PA. Till he drove back to New York taking a scenic route staying at B&B's.

Ea.

[OldGreyEagle]

A small diversion...

 

Hey Tampa what is that smell? Downtown St Pete smells like a COuncil Fire

[Eagledad]

If by chance you take a wrong turn and end up near Oklahoma City, visit the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

 

Then give me a call, I would enjoy taking you and Mrs CambridgeSkip out to dinner.

 

Barry

[Basementdweller]

I think it boils down to trip expectations.

 

As Eamon pointed out, the country is very large and the trip from the East Coast to the middle of the country is multiple days on 4 lane highways as is the trip from the North to the south.

 

Do you want to see natural features? Maine, vermont and New hampshire are very nice. Urban type of trip? New York, Philidelphia, DC, Miami, Boston, Charleston, are nice choices.

 

Beaches the outer banks in the carolinas or of course Most of the Beaches in florida.

 

 

Just depends on what you experience........

[Eagle92]

Eamonn reminded me of conversations I had once upon a time.

 

A Finn I was working with in the UK said she was coming to the US the next summer and wanted to know where I live to visit. I asked where they were going, they said New York City, but they would rent a car and drive to New Orleans. Didn't have the heart to tell her it was 21 hour drive.

 

Also I remember talking to a camp staffer from the sister camp in Oxford. He was telling me how he had a long drive to staff the event we were having, and had a long drive home. It was 1.5 hours one way. That's how far my camp was from the council office back home, without rush hour. Heck I was driving and hour one way at one point for a job.

 

As you can guess the USA has a multitude of different environments based upon what you are looking for. We are so huge, that I know of many Americans who have never traveled outside the USA b/c they didn't need to to do what they wanted.

[SeattlePioneer]

If you visit Washington DC you'll surely visit the White House and US Capitol --- both BURNED by the Redcoats in 1814...

 

A visit to Montreal, Canada might be in order. Visit the Americans who remained loyal and didn't fob off excuses for revolt in that ridiculous Declaration of Independence. Very useful and loyal in fighting the Germans in 1914 and 1939 too, rather than 1917 and 12/7/1941.

 

 

Too bad that George Washington proved to be a slippery character and in league with those **** French!

[qwazse]

Cambridge,

 

Did you know that rumor has it when JRR Tolkien visited Tennessee and Kentucky he took a great interest in many of the family names in the hills? Names like Brandybuck and Proudfoot that eventually made their way into his Trilogy.

 

Anyway, I would suggest you nail down the week that you are coming and find out which little town's festivals and county fairs are happening. They are scattered throughout Appalachia, and a few do start as early as June.

 

Most really nice "bed and Breakfast" inns are within a day's drive of major international airports.

[packsaddle]

I think Eamonn has the best outlook on this, him being an ex-pat and all. If time is limited, you could land almost anywhere on the East coast and fill your time nicely. When I bring newbies to NYC, I tell them about the tours I give: The eating tour, the shopping tour, the ethnic tours, the show tours, etc. etc. Or with enough time, combine that with a drive up the coast going past some of the old seaports, seeing some of New England and then end in the Boston area where you can do all those same tours...again...just with a different Yankee accent. It's all good.

 

But if you REALLY want a treat, come to Charleston, SC during the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds. Nothing like it anywhere.

 

Ahem, if you decide to do Russia, fly to St. Petersburg and begin there. For me it would be a tough choice.

[Oak Tree]

Depends on what you mean by "completely different" from New York.

 

Boston has history, DC has the government - both are very tourist-friendly places. If you want to see something less urban, North Carolina has the Outer Banks and the highest mountains in the east and is again tourist-friendly (you can fly direct to Raleigh or Charlotte). Visiting Florida is almost like an entirely different world - the flora and fauna are very different from the rest of the country, distinctly tropical.