CANCELLED 16/07/21 Third attempt.. California, Arizona, Nevada.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

We started small and built up.. NY, train to Washington, flight into Orlando. I guess that the boys were around 4 and 8
From there we grew it. The Boston one in my signature is my favourite .. so far.

Top tip. It is pretty safe to plan pretty much anything in the USA as there are no cultural or language issues. I always book in bits and have buffers to allow for travel delays, spending a couple of nights in each destination if flights are involved.

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I am always surprised when people call my trips adventures. The US is so easy. I think my favourite trip was built around catching up with various friends for concerts . Booked really last minute flew into Baltimore, stayed with friends in Maryland and visited Amish country in Pa (sadly the VIP trip to the White House where my friend’s husband works had to be cancelled due in an incoming hurricane meaning I had to leave early or not leave at all) , I flew out early to Phoenix and landed to find the entire eastern seaboard had closed whilst I was in the air ) and then onto Vancouver before flying home indirect. Flights with a few miles and a United credit for the whole thing was under £300 . It was too cheap and interesting not to go . They were all new destinations and ones I want to return to.
Going to just one destination now is a rare thing !

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by duchy

I am always surprised when people call my trips adventures. The US is so easy. I think my favourite trip was built around catching up with various friends for concerts . Booked really last minute flew into Baltimore, stayed with friends in Maryland and visited Amish country in Pa (sadly the VIP trip to the White House where my friend’s husband works had to be cancelled due in an incoming hurricane meaning I had to leave early or not leave at all) , I flew out early to Phoenix and landed to find the entire eastern seaboard had closed whilst I was in the air ) and then onto Vancouver before flying home indirect. Flights with a few miles and a United credit for the whole thing was under £300 . It was too cheap and interesting not to go . They were all new destinations and ones I want to return to.
Going to just one destination now is a rare thing !

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Likewise. The commonest thing said at work is “You will need a holiday after that”.
Air travel is cheap, car hire reasonable and the options huge. Everything works the same way and if you get a snag, you only need to ask.
When we first visited Florida (you could actually call it Disney) in 2005, I would have split my sides laughing if anybody had said that I would soon be going most years to the USA and effectively sticking pins in a map to do it. At that time, I was a lazy vacationer who used packages and favoured beaches.
Even Florida has been a massive eye opener once you think beyond Orlando with Pensacola, Destin, Venice, Naples, Everglades, Keys, Cocoa & Daytona Beaches, Dunellon etc. The deeper you research, the more you see and hence, visit.

Already we have 3 further USA trips in rather detailed planning with as yet, no dates.

[snowbelle]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

Likewise. The commonest thing said at work is “You will need a holiday after that”.
Air travel is cheap, car hire reasonable and the options huge. Everything works the same way and if you get a snag, you only need to ask.
When we first visited Florida (you could actually call it Disney) in 2005, I would have split my sides laughing if anybody had said that I would soon be going most years to the USA and effectively sticking pins in a map to do it. At that time, I was a lazy vacationer who used packages and favoured beaches.
Even Florida has been a massive eye opener once you think beyond Orlando with Pensacola, Destin, Venice, Naples, Everglades, Keys, Cocoa & Daytona Beaches, Dunellon etc. The deeper you research, the more you see and hence, visit.

Already we have 3 further USA trips in rather detailed planning with as yet, no dates.

See more...

This is why I love reading your latest plans, I understand that for some the thought of DIY would fill them with dread and prefer the relative 'safety' of a TA

I remember years ago a work colleague was telling me about the joys of Orlando and I could think of nothing worse than the USA then I went in 2003 alone and with friends in consequent years and then with DH for the last 18+ trips

I spent many DIY trips in the Far East , Australia and new Zealand and I am glad to say we love the big wide spaces of the US now .

If you ever get chance to go to Texas and to a little town called Fredericksburg up from San Antonio the museum of the Pacific War is well worth a detour
pacificwarmuseum/

And you will love the Grand Canyon !

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by snowbelle

This is why I love reading your latest plans, I understand that for some the thought of DIY would fill them with dread and prefer the relative 'safety' of a TA

I remember years ago a work colleague was telling me about the joys of Orlando and I could think of nothing worse than the USA then I went in 2003 alone and with friends in consequent years and then with DH for the last 18+ trips

I spent many DIY trips in the Far East , Australia and new Zealand and I am glad to say we love the big wide spaces of the US now .

If you ever get chance to go to Texas and to a little town called Fredericksburg up from San Antonio the museum of the Pacific War is well worth a detour
pacificwarmuseum/

And you will love the Grand Canyon !

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Strangely, one of my planned 3 is a revisit to San Diego (love it), then a flight to Houston and then onwards by car to Destin via San Jacinto, New Orleans, Pensacola etc. I will be looking now at San Antonio as it is just a little west of Houston and might be a better start point for the long drive upon landing. Thankyou.

[enjibenji]

I have always got one road trip in the back of my head when we are planning the current one. My husband wants to do a road trip on a Harley, we were going to do europe on his but he said no USA. But the problem is where, would love to discover more of Arizona, would love to go to Utah, hes happy going down to Key West and staying in Florida, theres just so many places to see and things to do. We are seeing some new places this year Lake Tahoe and San Diego and are returning to some we have been to and would like to spend time there again. Its exciting to plan and the driving is a major part of our holidays. Also I find that now I have medical conditions I am quite happy to sit in the car and watch the world go by. My dh loved beach holidays but now he gets bored by the afternoon, so road trips have ruined us. Lets all hope now we can get there 🤞

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by enjibenji

I have always got one road trip in the back of my head when we are planning the current one. My husband wants to do a road trip on a Harley, we were going to do europe on his but he said no USA. But the problem is where, would love to discover more of Arizona, would love to go to Utah, hes happy going down to Key West and staying in Florida, theres just so many places to see and things to do. We are seeing some new places this year Lake Tahoe and San Diego and are returning to some we have been to and would like to spend time there again. Its exciting to plan and the driving is a major part of our holidays. Also I find that now I have medical conditions I am quite happy to sit in the car and watch the world go by. My dh loved beach holidays but now he gets bored by the afternoon, so road trips have ruined us. Lets all hope now we can get there 🤞

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We are very much like minds... other than the Harley bit. I have trouble enough keeping a car on the road and at an early age realised that a Motorbike would inevitably lead to my demise. I have never ridden one.

[snowbelle]

Definitely take in San Antonio for the Alamo and the missions if nothing else. Well worth a side trip . We are hoping to do Dallas & Fort Worth this year probably won’t have time to fit in Austin .

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by duchy

I am always surprised when people call my trips adventures. The US is so easy. I think my favourite trip was built around catching up with various friends for concerts . Booked really last minute flew into Baltimore, stayed with friends in Maryland and visited Amish country in Pa (sadly the VIP trip to the White House where my friend’s husband works had to be cancelled due in an incoming hurricane meaning I had to leave early or not leave at all) , I flew out early to Phoenix and landed to find the entire eastern seaboard had closed whilst I was in the air ) and then onto Vancouver before flying home indirect. Flights with a few miles and a United credit for the whole thing was under £300 . It was too cheap and interesting not to go . They were all new destinations and ones I want to return to.
Going to just one destination now is a rare thing !

See more...

Couldn’t agree more, we have visited 26 States and even did this pre internet (of when internet was in its infancy, not widely available and only a few people / places had a dial up modem). I remember going to the local college to get access to their internet as it was the only place that had it to research some hotels once. We have also amended trips on the fly. Once due to poor weather in Texas we diverted to Louisiana and stayed in Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Not many Brits made it to Lafayette or Baton Rouge then and we got a tour of the governors mansion.
We were also once in LA and it was 60 degrees in May, so decided to just head to Phoenix where we drove across the dessert and stayed in many great places.

[sijen]

Wow! Just found this! Looks amazing. I've seen your posts about the Keys. We were planing 2 weeks in Disney ( I'm not fed up of it yet!) then 7 days doing Miami and Keys next March. We are now thinking of the standard 2 weeks then home...
THEN back out for our 30th anniversary... in June... wondering about the last bit of the Route 66 trip ending in LA then flying to Miami for a week in the Keys... saving like mad!

Jen x

[tocpe321]

Originally Posted by sijen

Wow! Just found this! Looks amazing. I've seen your posts about the Keys. We were planing 2 weeks in Disney ( I'm not fed up of it yet!) then 7 days doing Miami and Keys next March. We are now thinking of the standard 2 weeks then home...
THEN back out for our 30th anniversary... in June... wondering about the last bit of the Route 66 trip ending in LA then flying to Miami for a week in the Keys... saving like mad!

Jen x

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We love the Keys. We haven't been back since we had kids.

We used to fly into Miami, spend a few nights there at the Beach, then head down to spend a while in Key West, via time in Key Largo.

Lovely relaxing and beautiful drive especially Seven Miles Bridge.

Happy memories!