What i know about America...

[DaveW]

...really couldn't fill a thimble. Which is smaller than a cup, if you didn't know.

So hypothetically, if i were to take a week's Holiday to the USA, where would be the best place to go? I'm not sure about Florida, because i can't really afford to go to places like Disneyworld and Universal, so i'd want to go somewhere where there's lots of cheap, touristy, fun. I'd be renting a car, so traveling shouldn't be a big issue, but i'd be on a tight budget.

What's a nice state with fairly hot weather? Preferably on the East coast, because a flight to the west coast costs a whole lot more. Unless you can justify it.

Warning: If this turns into a 'My state is better than yours' or a 'southerners are all inbred rednecks' kinda thread then I'll lock it so fast they'll be comparing it to one of Chuck Norris' roundhouse kicks.

-Dave

[Airbozo]

Midwest to west I could help you more.

Depending on the time of year you want to travel, check out Washington DC. The Smithsonian is there as well as the air and space museum and TONS of other cultural things to do. More of a us history tour than anything else. NY is great in the summer and I _hear_ upstate NY is just gorgeous! Long Island is cool to check out and downtown NY is something everyone should see once in their life, but it is just a big city, although very impressive. I hear they have a few polite peeps there too...:redface:

Florida is not that bad in the north. Some cool things to check out and if you make the trip to the Keys you won't be disappointed. I never really found that much to do in Alabama or Louisiana so not too helpful on that one.

[DaveW]

Ah, just realized Washington and Washington DC are different places.

Personally i wouldn't mind New York, but what's the weather like there?

Culture is my cup of Tea but not my Girlfriends. She needs sunshine and low-brow entertainment. ;) I want a place that will keep us both happy!

-Dave

[Airbozo]

Depends on the time of year. Cold and wet right now (although that wetness is probably frozen...). What month are you planning your travels?

Yes, Washington D.C. is not a _real_ state. D.C. = District of Columbia. Must be some legal thing that you can not practice random acts of bull**** and hostility towards your constituents if you are in one of the 50 states...

Low Brow entertainment = New Jersey... Hehe JK, I loved NJ when I was there, until I got turned around in the wrong neighborhood. Reminded me of the bridge scene in Escape From New York! They have a couple of nice Boardwalks there too with the usual wooden coasters (they still there Crimson?), and Carnies...

[DaveW]

Fairgrounds and stuff sounds good.

It would be for a week in Late May, just before the start of June, if i was taking a Holiday.

-Dave

[SgtM]

Northeast Ohio. Not much else here other than me. Weather? Don't like it? Well, wait 5 minutes it'll change. The only thing we have good is Cleveland isn't far away. The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is there, and we have 2 amusement parks close. Geauga Lake (http://www.geaugalake.com/) (1 hour away) and Cedar Point (http://www.cedarpoint.com/) (about 2 hours away). I'll get ya a good deal on a rental car. I used to work for Hertz. Never been to NYC, but it would be cool to go. If nothing else, then to catch lunch with Crimson. Washington DC is cool lots of free stuff to see and do. My favorite BBQ joint is there. I lived there for a year. Florida and Disney World is a fun place, but you need a few days in each park to see everything. Other than that, the west coast is where it's at!

[tybrenis]

I definitely recoemend NYC. I think you'd enjoy seeing a show on broadway - anything you see will be a amazing. They've also got some great food. New York really has entertainment for everyone, there is no way that there's nothing your girlfriend will like in NYC - its got a whole lot to offer.

Then, you could drive down to Philly (only about a 1.5 - 2 hour drive) and we could have that meeting us east coasters have been planning.

[Crimson Sky]

NYCity for sure...there are plenty of bed&breakfast type places that are reasonable if you are staying for a few days. Springtime is just great in the city. NY City is a walking/hiking city--you can cover the entire island in a day's walk, experienceing things like never before. Its the center of the world.

[DaJe]

Florida? Pft. Come to Massachusetts. Maybe visit Boston. And then come visit me!

[Slug Toy]

the oregon coast is very interesting for a drive. its especially interesting for us geologist because of all the fissile rock faces that have a tendency to drop boulders on the traffic. its a rare occurrence, so not too much to worry about. i think they've bolted a lot of the hazard rocks back into the cliff.

the grand canyon and petrified forest are cool too. you're literally looking back millions and even billions of years.

you really need more than a week to see the good stuff. of course... my idea of the good stuff has nothing to do with people... i dont give a damn about places like disneyland... too busy and too cheesy.

another thing i would suggest is checking out canada too, especially BC. its no further than the US to get to. pay a visit to the rockies and the burgess shale, or you can go to the okanagan and fiddle around with rattlesnakes, or you can stick to the coast where i am because there is plenty of stuff in vancouver. i would just advise making the trip in mid summer because theres really no guarantee about the weather around here, but summer gives the best chance of not raining.

just one thing... if you come to BC, specifically vancouver, for god sake stay away from the sea-to-sky highway. so many people kill themselves there every year because its just a bad place for a road. in case you're wondering, that is going to the road to the 2010 winter olympics here... genius. they're fixing the whole thing up right now, but its still just a BAD idea.

[Mitternacht]

New Orleans, maybe? Come over when Mardi Gras starts up; it's Feb. 20th.

[Ironcat]

What's NOT to love about Florida???

Well, yes, we have all the touristy attractions (Disney World, Sea World, Universal, etc) but we also have amazingly kitschy tourist attractions... things like

Monkey Jungle! (http://www.monkeyjungle.com/)

Gatorland! (http://www.gatorland.com/)

Coral Castle! (http://coralcastle.com/)

The oldest city in America! (http://saintaugustine.com/history.html)

The Southernmost point in the US! (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/FLKEYsouthernmost.html)

The singing tower (standing upon the highest point in the state)

The bat tower

City of the mermaids

The only living coral reef in the continental United States!

The only place in the whole friggin' world where alligators and crocodiles live together in the wild!

We produce LOTS more oranges than California

You can go from coniferous forest, to swamp, to 2 different oceans (the Gulf counts dammit!), to scrubland, and back again, all in 1 day!

And by the way... while you lot are all freezing your patooties off, we are having a (brrrrr) cold snap tonight... it might get DOWN to 55 F.

[Zephik]

What's NOT to love about Florida???

Well, yes, we have all the touristy attractions (Disney World, Sea World, Universal, etc) but we also have amazingly kitschy tourist attractions... things like

Monkey Jungle! (http://www.monkeyjungle.com/)

Gatorland! (http://www.gatorland.com/)

Coral Castle! (http://coralcastle.com/)

The oldest city in America! (http://saintaugustine.com/history.html)

The Southernmost point in the US! (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/FLKEYsouthernmost.html)

The singing tower (standing upon the highest point in the state)

The bat tower

City of the mermaids

The only living coral reef in the continental United States!

The only place in the whole friggin' world where alligators and crocodiles live together in the wild!

We produce LOTS more oranges than California

You can go from coniferous forest, to swamp, to 2 different oceans (the Gulf counts dammit!), to scrubland, and back again, all in 1 day!

And by the way... while you lot are all freezing your patooties off, we are having a (brrrrr) cold snap tonight... it might get DOWN to 55 F.

Wow! That almost made me want to pack my things up and take a vacation too! lol


And by the way... while you lot are all freezing your patooties off, we are having a (brrrrr) cold snap tonight... it might get DOWN to 55 F.

i hate you

It's roughly 20 degree's where I am at right now. According to my therm at least.

[SgtM]

me too...
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/local/44446?from=hp_promolocator&lswe=44446&lwsa=Weather36HourVacationPlannerCommand

[Ironcat]

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/weekend/33436?from=36hr_topnav_vacation

Let's see...

What will I do this weekend...

I could go out and mow the lawn... in shorts...

I could go down to the beach and pick up Canadian girls in bikinis...

decisions, decisions...
I guess I better open a window for some fresh air and sleep on it...

[tybrenis]

Nice and toasty here in PA.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/local/18901?lswe=18901&lwsa=Weather36HourVacationPlannerCommand&from=whatwhere

[nil8]

I would recommend MO, but unless you're into hunting and fishing or smaller cities & local history, there's not much here.

NYC is a good place to start, but don't think that represents America. This is a big place with a lot of different people.
If cities are your choice to visit, I would suggest Chicago or Toronto. Both are beautiful in their own way. I personally think most of the eastern seaboard is overrated, except NYC and Philidelphia.

[jaxspades]

I liked Texas when I was there--sunny, has beaches, has several amusement parks and quite a few big cities to get lost in--which isn't bad...you find some of the coolest places when you are lost.

I wouldn't suggest Wisconsin, I live there...........All we have is the Dells, and it's always over-crowded.

Pennsylvania has some great places too, not much (I'm not sure, didn't stay there long...correct me if I'm wrong...) on the Amusement Park end of it, but plenty of great Historical Sites and nice small beautiful towns.....

If you go to New York, don't waste all of your time in the City....if you like nature like I do, then there are plenty of beautiful Lakes in Upstate New York....and there's Niagara Falls.

My suggestion....Road Trip. Go anywhere and everywhere, stop along the way, and just explore the countryside.

[AJ@PR]

Puerto Rico (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico) is always good.

Great weathe (http://www.weather.com/weather/local/00927?lswe=00927&lwsa=WeatherLocalUndeclared&from=whatwhere)r.

There's fun stuff to do. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuleyka_Rivera)
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o196/45NN2121/MissPR1.jpg

:)

[DaveW]

I got this from the Wikipedia about new york.


While the state is best known for New York City's urban atmosphere, especially Manhattan's skyscrapers, most of the state is dominated by farms, forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes. New York's Adirondack State Park is larger than any U.S. National Park outside of Alaska. Niagara Falls, on the Niagara River as it flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, is a popular attraction. The Hudson River begins with Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining Lakes George or Champlain. Lake George empties at its north end into Lake Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the Richelieu and then the St Lawrence Rivers. Four of New York City's five boroughs are on the three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River: Manhattan Island, Staten Island, and Brooklyn and Queens on Long Island.

I think i might be able to convince Kimberley to go now...that sounds like the sort of thing I'd like! Unfortunately I'm limited to a week tops, if i actually have the time for this at all. What's the weather like in New York?

-Dave

[armadilloben]

I got this from the Wikipedia about new york.



I think i might be able to convince Kimberley to go now...that sounds like the sort of thing I'd like! Unfortunately I'm limited to a week tops, if i actually have the time for this at all. What's the weather like in New York?

-Dave

dave i like 20 miles from new york city and i havent seen any place in the upper east coast with a temperture higher then 40 degree Fahrenheit

[DaveW]

Umm...so that's pretty cold then?

-Dave

[SgtM]

Umm...so that's pretty cold then?

-Dave

40 degrees farenheit is about 4 degrees celsius.

http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm

[slytherock]

Rith now it's about -21 celcius here in montreal. -35 with the wind... A good time for OC ;)

[nil8]

If you're coming in summer, it should be pleasant and decently mild. Expect ~30C. Maybe hotter in late summer.

And Minty isn't joking. I've been through Texas dozens of times. It's a damn large state. Best real Mexican food in the US though.

[Slug Toy]

ok then, if you go to new york, be sure to get some free tickets to the daily show. i watch that every night and its awesome. id be going to the filmings if i were in new york. only bummer might be that its VERY popular so who knows... it may be completely booked for months in advance.

[jdbnsn]

If you are going in late may I think you'll find the weather to be pretty nice for adventuring in NYC, and if histry/culture is what you are looking for I would definately recommend NYC and Philadelphia. Easy to get from one to the other by train. However, be cautious and make arrangements/reservations way in advance. NYC is very expensive and it ruined me finalcially in 1 week's time when my plans didn't work out. I wasn't even able to get a hotel in NY or NJ for two days so I had to take a train to conneticuit, then the only open rooms after that were in a hostel in harlem. So as long as you make reservations that are more reliable than staying with friends, I think you'll have a great time there and it is really the seat of American culture and history and you'll have no need for a car there. If you come to Philadelphia, you'll see lots of incredible history as well but the public transportation is not quite as extensive as NYC, so you may want a rental car. And of course there's dinner, my treat!

[DaveW]

If you are going in late may I think you'll find the weather to be pretty nice for adventuring in NYC, and if histry/culture is what you are looking for I would definately recommend NYC and Philadelphia. Easy to get from one to the other by train. However, be cautious and make arrangements/reservations way in advance. NYC is very expensive and it ruined me finalcially in 1 week's time when my plans didn't work out. I wasn't even able to get a hotel in NY or NJ for two days so I had to take a train to conneticuit, then the only open rooms after that were in a hostel in harlem. So as long as you make reservations that are more reliable than staying with friends, I think you'll have a great time there and it is really the seat of American culture and history and you'll have no need for a car there. If you come to Philadelphia, you'll see lots of incredible history as well but the public transportation is not quite as extensive as NYC, so you may want a rental car. And of course there's dinner, my treat!

Heh...thanks for that dude. :)

Well, i had my heart set on New York but Kimberley seems have her heart set on Florida or California. California costs a lot more to get to!

Oh, and not to rub it in, but the pound is worth so much against the dollar at the moment that I'm not really worried about spending money when i get there. :) My current savings equate to nearly $700, and i haven't even started saving for this yet.

-Dave

[SgtM]

If you decide on Cali, let me know. I was stationed in the southern part of the state for a few years. I'll recommend some sites to check out. There's public transportation there too, but I would recommend a rental car.

[jdbnsn]

I have a very close friend in Cali, I wouldn't mind getting away for bit and that is one hell of a fun place to visit. Not so much on the culture or history but the night life is really insane! Maybe I'll meet up with ya for an afternoon.

[Airbozo]

Heh...thanks for that dude. :)

Well, i had my heart set on New York but Kimberley seems have her heart set on Florida or California. California costs a lot more to get to!

Oh, and not to rub it in, but the pound is worth so much against the dollar at the moment that I'm not really worried about spending money when i get there. :) My current savings equate to nearly $700, and i haven't even started saving for this yet.

-Dave

Same thing Minty said about the size of Texas applies to California, except The shape. Northern and southern California Are two different places. Warm ocean water in so-cal and cold water in nor-cal. Different kinds of sights and such too. Southern California is more like Florida in weather _and_ attractions (Disneyland, Hollywood). Northern California is more mountainous and has more forests and such. Nothing like the redwood covered mountains ending in cliffs above a beach where sea lions are resting... Souther California is more like a dessert, central California is dubbed the "salad bowl" of the country due to all the agriculture, and northern California is more rugged and hilly. Lots to do all over the state.

Takes about 2 days of nonstop driving to go from the southern border to the northern border and not hat good of a drive

[Indybird]

California will not be dissapointing, I used to live there about 7 years ago (I now live in Michigan :dead: ) and I just went back for vacation last summer. We took a trip from Los Angeles (Torrance) up to the coast to San Francisco and back to LA thru the valley. If you were to take that trip also you will not be dissatisfied.

[Ironcat]

Southern California is way way different than Florida.
I have lived in Indio, San Diego and L.A. (Long Beach) as well as all over the lovely sunshine state.

Weather is "just about" the same but we don't have pollution... smog is yukky!
Our skies are BLUE!

The ocean in so-cal is NOT a warm water ocean by any stretch of the imagination. Even down in L.A. you need a wetsuit for more than half the year. Here in Florida I got S.C.U.B.A. certified in February wearing just a 2mm shortie. In the summer, our ocean gets up to 85 degrees and better...

If you come to Florida I recommend doing a couple of the tourist traps (just to say you did) but the rest of the time you need to experience the state like a native...
go barefoot...
drink mojitos on the sand bar...
go to Islamorada to watch "Big Dick and the Extenders"...
canoe the rivers...
tube in the springs...
fish in canals for tarpon bigger than you are...
snorkel at the Christ of the Abyss...
window shop Las Olas Blvd...
spend the day at the Swap Shop...
eat fish, rice, and grits... for breakfast!

...you get the idea...

Listen to a few Jimmy Buffet songs and that will put you in the mind for South Florida.

[d_stilgar]

New York is really cool. There is a lot to do. My gf lives an hour north of NYC and you wouldn't think that such a huge metropolis is that close because of how beautiful the rest of the state is. If I were you I would try to go to a museum in NYC and see a broadway show.

I've seen Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Wicked, and Beauty and the Beast (twice). Off broadway I've seen Blue Man Group (in NYC, Las Vegas, and Seattle (1st tour)). If I had to recommend a show it would be Blue Man Group in NYC. That was my favorite venue that I have seen them in and I liked them better than any of the broadway shows. If you really want to see a broadway show, I would say either Wicked or Beauty and the Beast.

The next on my list is Spamalot, which apparently is way way better than the movie, which I find somehow hard and easy to believe at the same time.

Weather in May in NYC would be perfect. Not too hot or too cold. I would stay somewhere north of NYC if you want to see some of the countryside. There is a train that goes into the city and is a pleasant ride. If you do stay in the city, it will also be fun. Manhattan is a way mellow place now. 9/11 and the power outage that happened later brought the city together in amazing ways. That is not to say that you shouldn't have your wits about you or street smarts, but it is not such a scary place now.

PM me if you have any questions or anything.

[DRece]

:)I would definately suggest going to California, I hear so many good things about it and plus that is where silicon valley is I think.:)


I would recommend MO, but unless you're into hunting and fishing or smaller cities & local history, there's not much here.
Ya Nil8 has seen more of Mo than I have. Its all moist grasslands around here, a good place to get some beef at I guess.

[DaveW]

I think Kimberley's coming around to the idea of New York, especially since i pointed out Broadway, Natural History Museum, and all the Natural stuff up north.

Really need to go into a travel agency and sort this out, if i can actually verify a week of my life free...

-Dave

[Omega]

California is pretty nifty, in my opinion.

We have all kinds of different climates, like a cool sort of coastal climate (San Fransisco), a warm inland climate (Sacramento or the entire Central Valley), A big mountain (Several, but I am referring to Shasta, it's way north), and all kinds of forests and beaches and stuff.

I advise staying away from LA, however. It smells bad (no joke) and it's not exactly a friendly place from what I've seen.

California has quite a bit of nice things, and as I said, all sorts of climates and stuff.

If you want a really pretty sight, however, drive from California through Oregon. Oregon is an amazing state that is full of trees and some pretty good food.


Which reminds me, if you visit a state, try and find somebody who knows the really good local resteraunts. May as well eat nice while you're on vacation, eh?


:)I would definately suggest going to California, I hear so many good things about it and plus that is where silicon valley is I think.:)

Indeed, Silicon valley is here.



California will not be dissapointing, I used to live there about 7 years ago (I now live in Michigan :dead: ) and I just went back for vacation last summer. We took a trip from Los Angeles (Torrance) up to the coast to San Francisco and back to LA thru the valley. If you were to take that trip also you will not be dissatisfied.

Oh yeah. One of the best sights I've seen while living in California was a 1027.7 mile trek from my house (Rohnert Park, CA, Northern California) to LA and Back. We took CA-101 to I-580 to I-5 to LA (where we went to I-405, then CA-33), then took CA-101 all the way north.

I-5 Runs in the center of CA, where it's mostly dry grass, straight road, and hot temperatures. Great for a nice drive, but only if you don't mind driving for hours before getting somewhere worthwhile.

CA-101 Runs up and down the coast, which is beautiful. It even goes on El Camino Real for quite a bit, even in San Fransisco. It's a great drive with lots of little towns to stop at and a few big ones too.


Southern California is way way different than Florida.
I have lived in Indio, San Diego and L.A. (Long Beach) as well as all over the lovely sunshine state.

Weather is "just about" the same but we don't have pollution... smog is yukky!
Our skies are BLUE!

The ocean in so-cal is NOT a warm water ocean by any stretch of the imagination. Even down in L.A. you need a wetsuit for more than half the year.



Southern California is also way different than Northern California. In SoCal, it hardly rains (from what I hear) and is pretty warm (it was warm in october when I was there), but in Downtown LA you do have the smog problem. If you're not used to it, you may cough a bit before you adjust, and also if you're sensitive, your eyes will hurt.

[TheGreatSatan]

Come to Belleville, IL minutes from STL then we'll MOD :D

[isunktheship]

Come to California, I have lived on the east coast, so I've seen New York, Florida, all of the New England states, etc. Plus I've been to Texas, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico most of the midwest. I moved to Cali like 7 years ago.. and it's awesome.

Come to San Diego, hit up Sea World, the Wild Animal Parks
Go clubbing down town, great food to eat as well.
Petco park is in San Diego, to if you want to see real baseball, depending on when you visit that's an option.
From San Diego you can go to Catalina island for a day-trip.
Tons of malls in San Diego, and LA.
If you do go to LA for malls, a good side trip is the Ontario mills mall, largest 1-story mall in America this side of the Mississippi.

More places in Cali.. skiing/snowbaording.. Big Bear and Mt. high are in between SD and LA..

if you want to venture further North there is Mammoth mountain (amazing for snow).
San Francisco is up there as well, or you can go and visit some wildlife parks.

Cali is awesome, you can hit the beach and the slops in one day. The weather is nice and warm, about 80 degrees where I live (San Diego + Riverside).

If you do come to America bring an extra bag for computer components. Compy parts out here are about the same in dollars as they are in pounds, so that means 1/2 off!

[DaveW]

If you do come to America bring an extra bag for computer components. Compy parts out here are about the same in dollars as they are in pounds, so that means 1/2 off!

I'm considering it... ;)

Buying a Laptop while i'm there might save me money! Buying one in the summer anyway. Still don't know if i'll have the time to have this holiday at the moment, but i'm looking forward to it anyway!

-Dave

[Airbozo]

Southern California is way way different than Florida.
I have lived in Indio, San Diego and L.A. (Long Beach) as well as all over the lovely sunshine state.

Weather is "just about" the same but we don't have pollution... smog is yukky!
Our skies are BLUE!

The ocean in so-cal is NOT a warm water ocean by any stretch of the imagination. Even down in L.A. you need a wetsuit for more than half the year. Here in Florida I got S.C.U.B.A. certified in February wearing just a 2mm shortie. In the summer, our ocean gets up to 85 degrees and better...

...

Yeah true true. I never really meant that florida and so-cal were the same, just trying to show the difference in weather. The pace in florida is also a little slower (mainly due to the whiteheads?). Californians may be thought of as sprout eating tree huggers, but in fact are a high stress fast paced bunch of type A personalities and it shows on the roads and stores and restaurants. The smog in So-cal is unbearable at times, so if you do choose that part of the country stick south in San Diego. It consistently gets voted cleanest city in America. San Diego also has a killer night scene, just not as famous as LA LA land...
BTW I used to dive and surf in San Diego and Long Beach and never wore anything more than a 2mil shortie The change in the water temperature is not that drastic unless it is an El Nino year. Sand Diego usually stays pretty warm but then again you get used to where you live (my buddy will use a 2mil suit up here in the summer when he surfs at Santa Cruz. Talk about shrinkage!)


I think Kimberley's coming around to the idea of New York, especially since i pointed out Broadway, Natural History Museum, and all the Natural stuff up north.

Really need to go into a travel agency and sort this out, if i can actually verify a week of my life free...

-Dave

For a first trip to the US NY is not a bad place to start. VERY diverse population and lots to do and see. You can even head to Long Island and hit up Jones Beach if the GF wants some beach time. Nice people there too. Don't let anyone sway you with talk of "rude New Yorkers". Not true! There are plenty of great people there (not sucking up Crimson, my in-laws were born and raised there and most of their relatives still live there. My SO is a Long Island native too. Excuse me, Lon GIsland...)

[SgtM]

Come to California, I have lived on the east coast, so I've seen New York, Florida, all of the New England states, etc. Plus I've been to Texas, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico most of the midwest. I moved to Cali like 7 years ago.. and it's awesome.

Come to San Diego, hit up Sea World, the Wild Animal Parks
Go clubbing down town, great food to eat as well.
Petco park is in San Diego, to if you want to see real baseball, depending on when you visit that's an option.
From San Diego you can go to Catalina island for a day-trip.
Tons of malls in San Diego, and LA.
If you do go to LA for malls, a good side trip is the Ontario mills mall, largest 1-story mall in America this side of the Mississippi.

More places in Cali.. skiing/snowbaording.. Big Bear and Mt. high are in between SD and LA..

if you want to venture further North there is Mammoth mountain (amazing for snow).
San Francisco is up there as well, or you can go and visit some wildlife parks.

Cali is awesome, you can hit the beach and the slops in one day. The weather is nice and warm, about 80 degrees where I live (San Diego + Riverside).

If you do come to America bring an extra bag for computer components. Compy parts out here are about the same in dollars as they are in pounds, so that means 1/2 off!

Man, you bring back some memories!! I drove from San Diego back here to NE Ohio last June. I couldn't believe how much the place has grown in the last 8 years! Especially driving up I-15 through Temecula and Ontario. IMO, anywhere South of LA is the place to be.

[Ironcat]

The smog in So-cal is unbearable at times, so if you do choose that part of the country stick south in San Diego. It consistently gets voted cleanest city in America.

LOL! I am all for pride in your home but I LIVED there, remember??? It's pretty, I ain't saying that it ain't... but there's no way in h.e.double hockey stix it's cleanest...

A quick check of the internet to bolster my claim shows that Reader's Digest ranks it 10th while Forbes and/or the American Lung Association don't even have it in their top 25.

[Airbozo]

LOL! I am all for pride in your home but I LIVED there, remember??? It's pretty, I ain't saying that it ain't... but there's no way in h.e.double hockey stix it's cleanest...

A quick check of the internet to bolster my claim shows that Reader's Digest ranks it 10th while Forbes and/or the American Lung Association don't even have it in their top 25.

Hehe I was surprised myself last time I heard they got a "clean" award. Having lived there for 3 years, the only clean part of the town, was the new area they built for hotels and clubs... San Diego has grown quite a bit since I was last there, so I think it would be more on par with Long Beach, just shy of the LA atmosphere... So Cal is not what it used to be. I _hate_ when I have to go anywhere near LA anymore. (BTW met my wife in Long Beach)

[nil8]

The LA hatred is mutual. I've been to LA twice and I never want to go again.
Reminds me of a Tool song...
"One great big festering neon distraction,
I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied.
Learn to swim."