USA
New York | Los Angeles | Las Vegas | Miami
A massive land mass of 50 states all with their own attractions and culture
With 50 states to choose from all with their own attractions and culture, where do you start when you travel to the USA? Flanked by 2 oceans with a massive land mass in between the options are too great. Those who manage to travel beyond internationally known cities such as New York or Los Angeles will inevitably conclude that this is a country difficult to define or categorize. The U.S. population of nearly 300 million is as diverse as its natural landscapes and attractions, and every visit is almost sure to generate a different impression of what U.S. life is all about. Each of the 50 states possesses its own distinctiveness, from accents to foods to beloved sports pastimes.
The world's third largest country has sights as broad and renowned as the man-made structures of the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge, to the natural wonders of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Despite its refusal to fit within homogeneous confines, the U.S. is an economic and military powerhouse. Its sole superpower status draws a torrent of tourists through its borders every day. Travel to USA and choose to experience the vast plains of Texas, the majestic Rocky mountains, the glittering cities of New York and Las Vegas or the stunning coastline of California, this country has so much to offer the traveller one trip will not do it justice.
And even though for decades Hollywood has served as an international barometer of American values and life, don't believe what you see until you see the U.S. for yourself.
New York
New York is a city of superlatives. Besides being a world financial centre, the urban island of Manhattan teems with world-renowned restaurants, architectural masterpieces and venerable art institutions that makes New York one the world’s greatest cultural cities to travel to.
New York has always been a city of the world and its multinational, multicultural inhabitants infuse its concrete canyons with a buzz that is every bit as energising and electrifying as that depicted in countless films and TV programmes. With over 20,000 eclectic restaurants, 150 world-class museums and more than 10,000 stores brimming with brand names and bargains from across the globe, New York really does have something for every traveller. Away from the mayhem of the 24-hour urban hustle and bustle, New York also boasts the bucolic oasis of Central Park and the breezy park-lined Hudson River.
If you plod dutifully from point to point, nose buried in a guidebook, you'll miss half the fun. When you travel to New York you need to look up at the tops of skyscrapers, and you'll see a riot of mosaics, carvings, and ornaments. Step into the lobby of an architectural landmark and study its features; take a look around to see the real people who work, live, or worship there today.
Peep down side streets, even in crowded midtown, and you may find fountains, greenery, and sudden bursts of flowers. Find a bench or ledge on which to perch and take time just to watch the crowd passing by. New York has so many faces that every visitor can discover a different one.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to New York
Any time of year is a good time in New York although the best time is during the spring and Autumn. New York winters tend to bring cold temperatures but little snow here than to other nearby cities, while summers July to September are hot and muggy.
Special Package - New York Accommodation
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, the USAs second largest city after New York, sprawls along the Pacific coast of southern California.
Much of Los Angeles lives in a bubble - one where it is always sunny and nothing will stop the Angelenos determination to work hard and live a rich life. The city is really a mosaic of diversity with areas known for specific cultures. Looking at a map of sprawling Los Angeles, first-time travellers are sometimes overwhelmed. Where to begin? What to see first? Begin by setting your priorities -- movie and television fans should first head to Hollywood, Universal Studios, and a taping of a television show. Beach lovers and outdoorsy types might travel out to Santa Monica or Venice Beach or Malibu, or spend an afternoon in Griffith Park, one of the largest city parks in the country. Those with a cultural bent should probably make a beeline for the twin Gettys (the centre in Brentwood and the villa near Malibu), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), or the Norton Simon Museum. Family groups would head to Anaheim to visit the theme parks of Disneyland and California Adventure. And urban explorers might begin with downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles has much to offer the traveller, whether its wining and dining, culture, film, theatre, shopping, fun parks, this city has it all.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Los Angeles
The peak season in LA is July/August, when every day is sunny and hot. If you prefer smaller crowds the shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) are a good bet. On average, LA enjoys 292 sunny days each year, cooled by gentle ocean breezes and little rain.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, billed as The Entertainment Capital of the World, has an economy driven by tourism, gaming, and conventions which in turn feed the retail and dining industries.
The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Las Vegas is in an arid basin surrounded by dry mountains around 2030 feet above sea level. As befits a desert, much of the landscape is rocky and dusty. Within the city, however, there are a great deal of lawns, trees, and other greenery.
One of the most visible aspects of Las Vegas' cityscape is its use of dramatic themes. The theming of hotels, casinos, and restaurants has established the city as one of the most popular destinations for travellers. Eighteen of the world's twenty five largest hotels by room count with a total of over 67,000 rooms are located on the world famous Las Vegas Strip making this city one of the top cities for conference groups to travel to. Las Vegas Strip is approximately a 4 mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County and into the unincorporated areas of Paradise and Winchester.
Outdoor lighting displays are everywhere on the Las Vegas Strip and elsewhere in the city. As seen from space, the Las Vegas metropolitan area is the brightest on Earth.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Las Vegas
With about 290 days of sunshine a year and very little rain, anytime is a good time to travel to Las Vegas, Spring and Autumn is the best time to go with warm days and cool evenings. Winter is normally a lot cooler especially in the evenings. Summer is by far the hottest.
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Miami
Miami has always billed itself as a travel destination. Warm weather, sandy beaches and bright sunshine were selling points more than 100 years ago, just as they are today. But Miami's allure extends beyond its shores. People from all over the Caribbean and Latin America have settled in Miami, giving the city its distinctive, lively international character.
The warm-weather fun is still a big attraction, but the biggest draw is the cosmopolitan flavour coupled with all the great restaurants, sports teams (Dolphins, Heat, Hurricanes and Marlins) and upscale sheen. Plus a long list of TV shows that have "Miami" in their titles.
South Beach, with its cheerful, sherbert-coloured art-deco buildings and palm-tree-lined avenues, is the centre of Miami's trendy dining and nightlife scene. Other corners of Miami, including Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, offer their own versions of fine living and colourful happenings.
And don't overlook the natural world—though you may have to drive to the Everglades to get a good view of it.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Miami
Miami boasts great weather year-round with sunny days and breezy nights. The hottest month is August when the average high temperature is 32C. The average low temperature in January, the coldest month, is 15C. The rainy season goes from June to September. The driest months are December, January and February. These months are particularly valued by locals, who consider them the best months of the year to visit Miami.
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San Francisco
San Francisco is the city by the Bay. It is a popular international tourist destination renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also known for its diverse, cosmopolitan population, including large and long-established Asian American and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities.
Union Square is the principal shopping and hotel district. Cable cars carry residents up steep inclines from Market Street to the summit of Nob Hill and down to Fisherman's Wharf. On the way is Russian Hill, a residential neighbourhood with the famously crooked Lombard Street. North Beach is home to the city's Little Italy, and Telegraph Hill features Coit Tower and Chinatown. Haight-Ashbury, famously associated with 1960s hippie culture, is now home to expensive boutiques and a few controversial chain stores, although it still retains some bohemian character.
With world-class wineries, cheese makers and small farms just a short drive away, San Francisco is awash in culinary riches. The quality and quantity of the restaurants here make San Francisco an unparalleled food city.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to San Francisco
March, April and May - Spring, are the most comfortable months to visit. This period is marked by cloudless skies and mild temperatures and is free from showers. Another suitable period are the months of September, October and early November, when the days are warm and sunny and the nights are mild and clear. Rainfall is rare and fog is not as prevalent.
