Getting around the USA

[sasha011]

Hi,

We are looking to go to america next year to see the sites. Thinking of going to San Franciso, Los Angeles, New York areas and then onto Hawaii.

We do not want to drive and are thinking of alternatives to going with a coach tour company.

Are there are other ways of getting around America without having to drive!?

[Lakitu]

I believe the internal flights are pretty cheap but if you're on a budget then a bus is the cheapest (slowest) option.

There is a rail network but I checked prices just a couple of weeks ago and it were more expensive than flying.

Taking a bus between SF and LA would be quick enough and cost effective but it really is worth considering taking a pane from the West to the East, it will literally take days to take the bus, which is a bit of a waste of holiday days?

I've never heard of a boat service between Hawaii and the mainland, that's not to say there isn't though, but it's quite a distance too and worth considering taking a plane again.

[Lakitu]

Just checked, a boat trip from LA to Hawaii will take 2 days and between $150 - $200.

I flight takes about 5 hours but I can't give you an indication of the price of flights as I don't know when you're going.

[ChuckFickens]

Lakitu is going to think I'm stalking her soon... I seem to keep answering the same threads :)

The domestic flights are by far the easiest, cheapest and safest option for getting round the states. I was warned about taking buses by several friends that live over there.. their reasons were the buses are used by people who can't afford cars, and you probably don't want to be on a bus with that sort of person!!!

[sasha011]

Thanks,

Do you know if they do any tours around america which you pay for when you are there? and if so any websites i can look at?

[Lakitu]

Your best bet is to go to or call a couple of travel agents and tell them what your budget is, how long you want to stay in each area and what order you want to do it in.

The way you have your question leads me to think you want to go West for 2 Cities, all the way East for 1 City and then all the way back over to Hawaii?? If you did it that way, you're looking at circa 13 hours flying time to SF or LA, then circa 8 hours back to NY and then another 13 hours back to H. That's a lot of flying! LOL

Chuck, it's OK, I'm perfectly used to you stalking me, but would you mind stalking back into my MG question, please??

[Clanad]

Unless you have a month or more to spend, it's best to become familar with the distances involved. I've many friends that come from the U.K.. and Europe that are constantly truly slack-jawed as the immensity of the nation. It's over 2,500 miles from New York to Los angeles, for example. Not only that, but after the first 500 miles or so, the driving scenery gets pretty repetitive. For example, if one were to drive from, say Chicago to Las Angeles in hopes of seeing Yellowstone and much of the wonderful country in my part of the U.S. (the inter-mountain west) one has to travel through Iowa, Nebraska, much of Wyoming and let me tell you, the jackrabbits have to carry their lunch. One can drive 150 miles between towns of any size. Not to mention that gasoline (your petrol) is now averaging $4.00 per gallon. I know, I know, ya'll have been paying more than that for a long time, but it's still a shock since the price rise has occurred over such a short time.

I'd investigate this site: http://www.vacationsbyrail.com/usa/index.html? utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign= usa_rail_tours_general&utm_term=Rail+Tour+Unit ed+States&gclid=CKzwj-u-2ZMCFRTbQAod_E-VZQ (sorry for the long URL. Train travel can be enjoyable. But the best advice I can give you is to select a specific area of the country, such as New England, the west and its myriad National Parks or the West Coast and do a really in depth tour. (My personal favorite is New England, especially Boston on north to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to include New York City, of course. And that;s from a confirmed, dyed in the wool westerner.
Unless air travel is well planned and secured many weeks in advance, it get's real expensive real fast.
But, at any ra

[Clanad]

Hmmm... cut the last part off...
But at any rate, enjoy! And welcome to the U.S.!

[vehelpfulguy]

sasha011, you dont say how long this holiday will be, but if it is say 2 weeks then I think you need to reduce your itinery a bit.

As clanad says, the USA is huge, and even flying from west coast to east coast is a five hour flight.

Also Hawaii is an island, miles off the west coast of the USA, so you will have trouble getting there by coach.

There are 50 states in the USA and you could probably spend a 2 week holiday in each, so you perhaps need to decide what area you want to concentrate on for this holiday, then do another area on your next holiday.

You could do an "east coast" holiday, which includes New York.

Or you could do a "west coast" holiday that includes Las Angeles, San Francisco, Les Vegas etc.

Or a holiday in Hawaii.

Trying to fit in all the areas you want to cover in one holiday is going to be a lot of wasted travelling, a lot of extra money, and take about 5 or 6 weeks.

[janela]

Flying around the usa is by far the quickest but travelling by train is the most fun. You can get a 30 day off peak rail pass for about �180 which covers the eastern half of the country, the same for the western half and about �260 which covers the whole country. Travelling by rail is an education and you will meet some of the oddest (and funniest) people you have every come across in your life. You have to be very open minded and have absolutely no prejudices at all, and be prepared to listen to and sometimes to tell life stores to and from someone you met about 30 seconds ago. We have done this twice, once from East to South, and again from east to west, stopping off at various places on route, maybe taking a car for a few days and getting off the beaten track. It takes a lot of planning, which is part of the fun anyway, but is worth it just for the experience. Don't think the trains go to Hawaii though.