I'm planning on taking a two-week vacation starting Aug 1st but still havent decided where to go I'm staying in the US for several reasons including: 1. Estimulate the economy, 2. Europe/Asia, etc are farther away & more expensive, 3. Don't feel like going anywhere in the Caribbean based on # 1, etc, etc.

Currently, my options are: Yellowstone National Park, Puerto Rico & Hawaii, I might even go to all three, but I still would like to consider other options. I've been in Orlando several times when I lived in Miami, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rapid City, LA, and don't remember where else. I've never visited NYC but I guess I'll leave it for later.

What do you think about my options? Are they worth visiting? Comments/Places to visit? Any other places you liked and would recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Come to Australia! Where are you departing from?

There are some good value vacation packages (air, hotel, car) available to PR and HI now through the airlines that fly there or other sites like Travelocity, Expedia, etc.

So, if you want beach, ocean, sand, etc. . . . there you go. Couldn't go wrong with either, but PR will be hot and humid in August. But, if you are on the beach by the pool that helps.

If this is your first trip to HI -- you can really go cheapest by just flying into HNL and staying on Oahu the whole time. Lots to see and do on the island for a first time trip.

Yellowstone is a totally different type of choice. . . incredible beauty, of course.

San Diego/La Jolla is a great vacation, imo. Easy to get around. Lots of hotel choices. Ideal weather in August. Head north up the coast to all the beach towns - Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, etc. Further to San Juan Capistrano - charming, beautiful.

You can even catch Amtrak in downtown SD and the train stops at all those places. Goes up to LA metro and beyond. There is a stop at Anaheim, just right by Disneyland Resort if that is of interest. Easy. Have fun!!!

Las Vegas - great hotel deals right now and a great city to boot.

If you consider Puerto Rico part of the US even though it's in the Caribbean, I say go to the US Virgin Islands, especially St Thomas or St John's. St John's is very expensive, but about as relaxing as it gets, and most of the island is a national park. Hiking, snorkeling, doing-nothing-and-admiring-the-scenery, sailing, tanning, diving, it's all there, and the food's pretty good too.

If you really want to stick to one of your top three selections, I vote for Hawaii if only because there's more to do in two weeks than Puerto Rico or Yellowstone.

Las Vegas is incredibly cheap right now, and even if you're not a gambler, it's a good staging point for places such as Death Valley, Lake Mead, Grand Canyon, etc... Not many places where you can go to such extremes as a nature hike in the morning and fine dining at night without having to pack a suitcase.

If money is your concern, how about BUF and Niagara Falls? BUF is always cheap  

Hi, here's a link to a thread I posted in the non-av forum a few months ago, you will maybe find some great ideas there  
Have fun anyway !

JF
USA Trip Suggestions (by Airtrainer Mar 11 2009 in Non Aviation)

Quoting Mauiman31 (Reply 2): There are some good value vacation packages (air, hotel, car) available to PR and HI now through the airlines that fly there or other sites like Travelocity, Expedia, etc. San Diego/La Jolla is a great vacation, imo. Easy to get around. Lots of hotel choices. Ideal weather in August. Head north up the coast to all the beach towns - Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, etc. Further to San Juan Capistrano - charming, beautiful.

I will check out the packages and San Diego.

Quoting DeltAirlines (Reply 3): Las Vegas - great hotel deals right now and a great city to boot.

That's what I've heard, Allegiant also flies from here, so its a big plus, I will definitely consider it.

Quoting BlueFlyer (Reply 4): If you consider Puerto Rico part of the US even though it's in the Caribbean, I say go to the US Virgin Islands, especially St Thomas or St John's. St John's is very expensive, but about as relaxing as it gets, and most of the island is a national park. Hiking, snorkeling, doing-nothing-and-admiring-the-scenery, sailing, tanning, diving, it's all there, and the food's pretty good too.

If St Thomas/St John's are as you're saying, WOW! must be awesome! One of the reasons I'm considering Hawaii and PR is because I've heard that you can do that kind of activities. I'll have to do some reasearch.

Quoting StarAlliance38 (Reply 5): If money is your concern, how about BUF and Niagara Falls? BUF is always cheap

I've visited Niagara Falls before, long time ago, in '93, but I'd like to know some new places.

I'm not too worried about the money but I dont plan to break the bank either, I will start with my research and should be making a decision soon.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

Wow!

passionately i would suggest Arizona during the fall season. Its amazing to be down in Phoenix, then drive up north to a cooler weather in Sedona and Flag Staff! different geography, different scenery and different weather.

Quoting HAMAD (Reply 8): passionately i would suggest Arizona during the fall season. Its amazing to be down in Phoenix, then drive up north to a cooler weather in Sedona and Flag Staff! different geography, different scenery and different weather.

YES! That would be my choice. It's also relatively close to Las Vegas, so you can drive there as well and stay a night or 2.


I am going to PDX in September and drive around OR. Great scenery.

Not sure where you live AA757MIA but for a vacation in August, as a FL resident, I would head somewhere COOL. I would not go to PR/USVI because I could stay home for that kind of weather. Great places to visit if you want sea/sun/sand/snorkling/diving etc.
My #1, again motivated by weather in August compared to FL. The Pacific Northwest. My Great Circle Route as I refer to it. Fly to SEA. Plan to spend a couple days at the start, or end of your trip in SEA. An awesome city I have visited many times and like SFO, always enjoyable. I rent a car (though you can do it too using buses/ferries/public transport) and use the ferry to go to Port Townsend and Port Angeles for a day or two, ferry to Victoria and drive/ferry on to Vancouver. Drive back to Seattle. Beautiful geography (ocean and mountains) friendly people and delicious food. Nothing is better than Fish and Chips and a cold beer on the floating dock in downtown Victoria watching the floatplanes. Treat yourself to a Beaver floatplane ride. You'll be hooked. Vancouver is an awesome city. Big, bustling and beautiful, nestled on the water at the foot of mountains. Chinatown in YVR rivals SFO and food is abundant, cheap and delicious.
My #2 just not in August. Phoenix/Sedona/Grand Canyon. Sedona is like nothing you've every seen before. Breathtaking countryside. Same obviously for Grand Canyon.
My #3 definitely for August. Fly to SFO or SMF and drive to Lake Tahoe. Again, cool, green mountains and lake. Fun at casinos. Surprisingly not super expensive. The breakfast buffet at Harrah's high above the lake a great way to start your day.
My #4 and last. A more quieter getaway. Vermont. Particularly Stowe. Pick a nice New England Inn in the Green Mountains and kick back. Maybe splurge with a day trip drive to Montreal. You can even shop Duty Free. Eat, relax, unwind. Stroll the small town streets of Burlington and Montpelier and meet some of the nicest people in this country. Good food...the comfort, down home type of good eating.
Good Luck with your plans. Let us know what you decide or how your trip to whereever turns out. I am staying home in the air conditoning until October........
Thomas

sounds like you haven't been to many places in the northeast.

Philadelphia, D.C., and Boston are all great places to go. You could even do all three or two of those cities in one trip.

Quoting PI4EVER (Reply 10): Not sure where you live AA757MIA

Wyoming!   
I like your options though, all the suggestions actually! I thought I had visited many places... WRONG!

Quoting PHLstudent (Reply 11): sounds like you haven't been to many places in the northeast.

I was in Pittsburgh that same year I went to Niagara Falls, but yeah, It was loooong time ago, I definitely have to go back.

Now I dont know where to start my research....    

Thanks guys!

One of my most memorable US trips has been to Colonial Williamsburg in VA. Beautiful. There's also a Busch Gardens close by, if you feel the need for a day trip to a theme park.  

Granted, I don't travel much domestically I'm afraid.

OK Kiddo, you already live in some beautiful geography. Scratch my suggestions of cool, green mountains. You need some sun and fun!
Hawaii. August begins a slight "off peak" period for HI that runs through Sept. Find a travel agency that will give you some tour brochures but do most of the research yourself. Go to individual hotel/resort websites to price the days of your stay. Consider hopping to another island, but for a first-time visitor, Honolulu/Oahu can provide you lots of variety to see and do, and days to just kick back and relax on the beach. You won't need a rental car for your whole stay and you can get around the Waikiki area easy using "The Bus". Food is very reasonable and abundant. One of my favorite hotels is the Hilton Prince Kuhio. Request a high floor facing the ocean for sweeping views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. Their tiny balconies with see-thru railings do have a pucker factor however.
Flying probably via SLC on DL will likely offer the best schedule, but cheap fares may not be available for weekend flights. Check out a cheap fare SFO/LAX or SAN and price HA's service. Their service is very nice, and can offer very reasonable fares if you shop days and book in advance. Pack lightly. Uniform of the day is shorts/T's/flip flops!
Since you have the two weeks, you could consider the NCL 7-day interisland cruise from HNL or OGG, however, it tends to be a bit pricey, even for cheap "down in the bilge" interior cabins and generally is packed. A great way to see all the islands, but I caution you to watch your spending for the cruise, shore excursions and on board purchases like booze. Your "economical" week in the islands can be a budget buster when you get home and you've forgotten how many Mai Tai's you downed on the pool deck...
For me, the "prep" of a trip is as exciting as going on it. I spend time researching everything from seat assignments to looking up images on Google. I find this homework jumpstarts the vacation early, and trips have a tendency to go more stress free with a little research. Check airfare options using the "multi-city" routing tab on their websites for island hopping, or to stopover at mainland cities to/from your flight to HNL.
So now,
make you decision on location soon, and crank up the internet. I doubt you could go wrong with a week or more in Hawaii in August, and beautiful Wyoming is waiting for you when you get home! Comoniwannalaya.
Thomas