United States Travel Guide A Vagabond Life
United States Travel Guide
I have travelled in the United tates on numerous occasions and have many friends there. Unfortunately all of the travel was done before I started this blog so I have very few photos (of any quality) and kept no notes.
Below I have listed a brief summary and my thoughts on each place I have visited.
United States is an incredibly diverse and beautiful country and I find the American people one of the most hospitable peoples on the planet.
United States
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Chicago
Lake Tahoe
Carmel-By-The-Sea
Carmel by the Sea is a lovely town with a village feel on the Californian coast about 200 KMs south of San Francisco. Well known for it’s galleries and museum it is a popular stop off point on the LA-San Francisco route. I had a very delicious seafood dish there and meandered through a few galleries.
Chicago
My memory of Chicago is one of deep pan pizza and smokey Blues Clubs, both of which I highly recommend. Chicago sits on the shores of Lake Michigan which has a popular boardwalk. I was in Chicago in May and it was jolly cold so check the weather before going as the climate is extremely varied.
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever been.Set high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake surrounded by mountains. Lake Tahoe is popular in the winter for snow skiing and in the summer water sport along with hiking. Lake Tahoe is about 300KM NE of San Francisco.
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Miami
Las Vegas
Everyone has to see Vegas at least once in their lives, its a very surreal place. I was lucky enough to stay with friends who live in the city and work in the Casinos so I got to see it up close and personal….and then go home to their lovely home a bit out of town to relax away from the madness. Las Vegas is in the Mohave Desert in Nevada about 450 KM east of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles
We visited LA on a road trip from Las Vegas heading toward San Francisco. We stayed in Santa Monica, cruised Rodeo Drive, visited Graumans Chinese theatre and nearly ran out of petrol in the hills of LA. We ate extraordinarily expense sushi and drove down to Laguna Beach. Would I go back – I don’t think so, to me its just a big noisy dirty city.
Miami
I’ve been to Miami a couple of times. The first time I stayed in SoBeach with its stunning beach and cool restaurants and the second time I stayed in Miami on a small island you reached via a bridge. I liked the South American influence in Miami which is evident in the food, drink and music. Miami isalso a good jumping off point to Key West and other islands.
Monterey
Napa Valley
New York City
Monterey
Monterey has a fabulous aquarium which we spend hours exploring and I do remember a pretty cool bar there with stunning views of the ocean. We dined on some excellent seafood while in Monterey. Its a good place to stop when travelling the coastal route to San Francisco.
Napa Valley
The Napa Valley was fun, a group of us hired a limo and travelled in style. We did some of the big wineries. My favourite was the Frances Ford Coppola Winery, perhaps for its stunning setting and grounds but I think mostly for the Star War named sparkling.
New York City
If you only go to 1 place in the United States make it New York. I have been to New York a few times and each time I see something new and different. It really is the city that never sleeps and it really is an incredible city. What else can I say other than go there..
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Seattle
San Francisco
I have visited San Fran 3 times and it is probably my favourite U.S city.
When in San Francisco make sure you;
- Ride the famous cable car, the last manually operated cable car system in the world.
- Visit Fishermans Wharf and indulge in some of the clam chowder or crab.
- Visit The Golden Gate Bridge, and art deco bridge which opened in 1937.
- View The Golden gate Bridge from Golden Gate Park.
- Stroll through Chinatown, the oldest established Chinatown in the U.S.
San Francisco is not cheap so you will need a reasonable budget to visit the city.
Pack a warm sweater – every time I have been there i have been cold.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a busy university town on the central Californian coast backed by the Santa Ynez Mountains. My single memory of Santa Barbara is having way too much fun and sliding off my chair under the table. Pehaps thats another story….
Seattle
Seattle is a pretty city on the Puget Sound in North Western United States. I ate some really good food while in Seattle particularly the salmon which was running while we were there.
While in Seattle make sure you;
- The Space Needle – at 185 metres it offers a great view from the viewing platform.
- Pike St Market – dating back to 1907 The Pike St Market is one of the oldest continually trading markets in the U.S. The market has several restaurants offering local food and seafood.
- The Museum of Pop Culture – a non profit museum showcasing popular culture.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California.
Famous for the giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome Yosemite is well worth a visit.
World Destination Guide
There are 195 countries in the world stretching across seven continents – so there is an awful lot to see.Where to begin? Many people are inspired by a movie they have seen or a story they have heard, or a desire to see the land of their ancestors.
Use the drop-down on the right to explore the world.