Why do you holiday in the US?
 

This sprung from a conversation I had earlier in the week with a colleague. He holidays solely in the US and has no interest in going anywhere else in the world whereas I would be quite content to only visit San Francisco and New York and nowhere else in the USA. For the avoidance of doubt I have been to the US 20+ times and seen a lot of the country - both coasts, the middle bits, city and countryside. Miles of strips malls, bland food and generic consumer culture just don't move me ;). There simply isn't much in the country that I can't find somewhere cheaper/more culturally rich/closer to home.

So what makes you holiday in the USA? What am I missing?

P.S This is NOT intended to be a Yank baiting thread or start some pointless transtlantic flaming match. I am genuinely interested in what appeals to you and what I might be missing

I am a bit like that...

I've been to other places (Middle East, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Hong Kong etc.) but my favourite places in the World are Vegas (and the whole US West Coast) and Dubai.

I guess I loved seeing the places on TV as a kid and later being able to go there.

As I mentioned in another Thread, I'm a total Petrol Head, so getting a nice, huge and powerful rental car - just cruising down the Highway 1 or blasting through the Death Valley - enjoying the scenery, is simply wonderful.

Vegas as Adults biggest playground, doesn't really need to be commented on: Love it or hate it.

I also like the mentality of most people I meet when traveling there. People are more friendly (even if oftenly superficial) and open minded. I feel it's easier to get to know people in the US, than in other places.

Dubai in some respects a similar experience. Nice people, no language barrier, wonderful beaches and nightclubs - and I'm quite into shopping too.
While I only travel with Handluggage on business trips, I will travel with big bags after a US vacation, boosting their economy through various Mall trips. :D - So I even like the fact that everything is very commercial.

So - West Coast Road Trips all the way for me (last time I did SFO->LAX->SAN->Yuma->PHX->LAS).

I also like the Midwest. While not quite as exciting, again: People are great and it's less touristy.

New York on the other hand was a good experience, but the fact that it's not great to drive around NYC puts me off.

For me, two world-class cities (NYC and San Francisco) and many of the National Parks (Yellowstone is my favourite but some of the scenery in the south-west, particularly in Arizona and Utah is just incredible - on a scale that I struggle to comprehend coming from the UK).

I guess some of the attraction is that it's a long-haul destination with decent weather (time of year/location permitting) and (for the most part) no language barrier. It's an 'easy' option.

I usually go to the US to visit my old man (Ohio) and usuall take a side-trip off from there (this year was Miami Beach and Key West) but despite having visited most of Florida, Philly, Ohio, SF, Vegas and (my favourite) Colorado, there's still a lot more to see and do there. In fact I'm planning a road-trip from LA to Yellowstone for next year or the following year (just watched BBC Yellowstone series and I really want to go there soon).

That said, off with the missus to Hong Kong, Singapore and Maldives in Sept, so I guess we're fairly lucky in that we get to experience more than just one destination.

For me, it's a lot of things. I know different parts of the world have similar experiences to those offered in the US, but the English speaking in the US is a big plus for me.

Other things I love include shopping (US is great for that!!), beaches, beautiful national parks, the Everglades, the deserts, scenery such as that observed on the Big Sur. I also love the American people - so full of life, ambitious and proud of their country. It's a bit cheesy I know but the patriotism most Americans show is something I think we as Brits could do with more of - and not just when the football team plays!

The outdoor lifestyle is also one I love. In the evenings there's so much to do you don't want to vegetate in front of the TV (like I do here). Cycling, walking, running are all things I do all the time when in the US but rarely here.

Shops close at realistic hours which are clearly designed around the customer rather than the needs of the staff as they appear to be in the UK.

And although it's not as good as it once was, the service in the US is much better than the UK.

I'm lucky enough to have visited every continent except Australasia and there are many places I'd like to visit again - Brazil being top of that list. But there are others - such as Dubai - that you couldn't even pay me to go to these days (glad I did it before it became the Middle East Benidorm!).

When the US has so much to offer to lovers of every culture, that'll work for me.

Well iv got to say that the US is quite new to me, with my total experience so far being:
SFO x2, MSY x1, HNL x1 & LAX x1

Of all of them I would visit again apart from Los Angeles which I didn't care for at all.

I do have NYC booked for December health depending!!

After that I think that the next 2 for 1 could well be heading to the Caribbean and then possibly oz availability depending.

As for the US, well iv no desire to visit certain tourist parts for theme parks etc but some parts I think you have got to see at least once, then again I think the same about many parts of the world.

One thing that amazes me all the time is the amount of Brits that regularly travel to America yearly but have never been to Scotland or jersey or Cornwall etc etc etc

cs

I don't recognise the USA you describe. Sure, some areas are not so good, but it's really the whole world in one country.

Generally nice people. Although I get annoyed when drunks insist on talking to me at bars.

Just off there now. Can't wait to get to Portland, which is my favourite US city (so far!). Hardly any chain 'restaurants', lots of micro breweries, and great wine from the Willamette valley. Plus some unbelievable scenery in the surrounding areas.

Then again, I have just spent 8 months on and off in Houston :D

Flying into Las Vegas, but I've been there before and it's not my favourite place, so heading straight out tomorrow.

Cheers,
Rick

Friends!

When you have friends in a place, then shopping malls, food and consumer culture become a lot less important in making the decision whether to go or not.

There you go again, making prejudices against something you've never experienced. Dubai is nothing like Benidorm. Never has been, never will be. If you hate a place based on where some chavvy footballers go then you should equally hate Jamaica and Barbados, which seems to be the new haunt for Rooney and the like.

I think that everyone I spoke to on the Dubai 'do' last week said they liked the place. These were people from all over the world.

Cheers,
Rick

Cheers,
Rick

I have very cheap (i.e. free) accommodation on ACK so that's why I go there, I have friends and relatives in other US places who I could also visit. They speak the same language and it's not that expensive to visit (even ACK). Oh yes and I can switch on the TV and watch the Red Sox playing :D

Nothing!

I used to be hugely pro-American, looking forward to every visit to the USA for a vacation. I've flown into/out of 20+ US airports and visited from coast to coast.

And then I worked there (even owned a very nice property) - and I saw a completely different USA to the one you see as a tourist. It completely changed my view of the country. Beneath the 'have a nice day' veneer I found a country where racial tension simmers just below the surface, people get upset over the most trivial issues, and the same strip malls and bland food that Swanhunter refers to.

Particularly post 9/11 the hassle of getting into the country in the first place (i.e. US Immigration) just turns me off wanting to visit the place. I haven't been there in four years, and if I never visit again it will be too soon - a sentiment shared, I suspect, by DSK. ;)

Like Swanhunter I'm not posting for the sake of 'Yank baiting'; just airing my opinion which, no doubt, many others will disagree with.

But there's another reason not to holiday in the US - there's so many other wonderful places in the world to choose from!

Happy 4th of July! :)

It is a bit though, isn't it! It was lovely but I think it has been changed by the mass development and I can see why some would say for the worst. I can also see that some would love it because of the development. I can also see clear similarities between some of the Coastal areas of southern Spain and Dubai.

With regards the the USA, I love the place. Love the people and the choices within the country for different experiences. I do agree though that the more I go the more sandy some of the cities have become.

We're going this year on our way back from the UK....as long as no DC ICC ticketing cock-up gets in the way that is. As redemption availability from YVR was non existent we are coming back via SEA. Flying on to ORD where we have a few days.....is there anything to see in Chicago?
I've been to the US before but my wife has never been. I have a great desire to see the likes of Yosemite,Yellowstone and Alaska but they'll have to wait for another trip.

I don't! ;)

Ive been to the U.S 30 times now on holiday, i have also visited 24 other countries so i dont let my love of the U.S get in the way of seeing other countries and cultures.

I feel comfortable with the way of life there and agree with the previous comments about shopping and services levels.

I have been going back to the Scottsdale/ Cave creek area for the last 10 years where i hire a house for 2 or 3 weeks and find i can totally relax whilst having everything i need close to hand. A few hours drive will also get you some fantastic scenery.

The houses for hire are just amazing, my partner raves about the kitchens and the houses we hire have a great pool and spa in the back garden.

Once you have been through the airport experience, it feels like things are set up for you, the consumer rather than the shop/business you are dealing with.

There are some great cities, my favourites are SF - large and Savannah - small.

Probably my best travel highlights are not in the U.S, but for a consistently good experience, i go back year after year. This year i have 2 trips coming up, Scottsdale in late sept and SFO in late October.

Ease.

Its a very stress free way of seeing some genuinely amazing scenery (Grand Canyon, Yosemite, New Hampshire, Cape Cod, for a variety of landscapes)

Re- the food, shopping etc, I find it far more varied there than the UK, where many independent outlets still exist, esp in the smaller towns, where they've long since disappeared here.

There's no difference between the average UK high street and US strip malls/ malls these days, bar parking is far, far easier in the US and everything is much cheaper.

All in all, you can pretty much get whatever experience you want in the US, so varied is the landscape, however they speak English, have high levels of service and are in the main very reliable. Not things you can necessary say about the equivalent areas in Continental Europe

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But it's only one (admittedly) big country out of many, so it's hardly the centre of the universe; we actually have more ties pulling us to other places; and the difficulties placed in the way of getting in have made us less inclined to bother going - although to be fair we have been lucky with immigration on the last few occasions we've arrived there.

I am less willing than others to be seduced by the apparent friendliness and openness of people there. As others have said, much of this is superficial veneer, by which I'm not normally impressed. Beneath it, there is the usual mix of different kinds of people and different attitudes.

Lower prices on a LOT of things: does that count? :)

So you love it and I would hate to go now. Why so rude?

In my opinion it DOES resemble Benidorm with all the building work. Thankfully I remember Dubai as a great country with lots of culture, great scenery and few tourists - that's how it was when I went many years ago. (Why are you saying "something you've never experienced"? I've been there when I worked for BCAL and have said so on a few occasions)

I'm under no illusions that lots of people like it. That's their prerogative, as it is mine to hate the thought of travelling to a place that strikes me as an overdeveloped building site (my view, clearly not yours - which is fine).

People are rude and unpleasant about the US - I may not like it (and have commented in the past) but try not to be rude to you about it. :(

PS - I've never been to Barbados actually.

Flights - in winter there are not that many places to go in the world that don't take 24 hrs+ to get there. Egypt - rapacious locals. Caribbean - nice but expensive and small if you want to DO something. CPT - expensive flights long distance.

Last year we went to Gambia, nice but malarial, poor food, poor accommodation, a fair bit of hassle from the 'bumsters'.

The US is not just a country it's a continent and so much to see. Las Vegas I don't care for but from there we went to Utah's canyons which are awesome and don't exist elsewhere in the world.

Always in season - not every part of the US all the time but always somewhere, many places in the world are unvisitable at certain times of year (which might be the times you want to go).

Good infrastructure - no broken roads you can get from A to B in good time again unlike many countries.

Cheap accommodation - well-maintained hotels without frills can be had for under $100 per night.

Cheap transport- car rental is cheaper than say indonesia and the roads
driveable without insane drivers

Safe and secure generally in terms of crime and maintenance

Food is cheaper than the UK

Good for independent travel do what you want no agents needed, no pplanning required.

Plenty to see.

People moan about the immigration but really the overall hassle level is MUCH lower than elsewhere generally

I think I would also have to agree with SRG. I first went to Dubai just over 30 years ago as a child. It was then a relatively small place, unspoilt, not overly supplied with hotels. It was quite possible to meet bedouin on their camels, the urban Emiratis, members of the Al-Maktoum family all within a few minutes of each other. It was a town of some civilisation and an important cultural spot with libraries and educational facilities that served a hinterland of hundreds of miles. There was even a small Jewish community there, somewhat under the radar. Benidorm was also once an unspoilt seaside spot.

Every visit since - and unfortunately I've had to visit Dubai several times a year - has resembled a visit to a tourism spot where the old Dubai and its creek has submerged under a blight of construction and consumerism. It is now quite hard to meet native Dubai people, a wonderful and pragmatic group of people who have almost died out in their own town, along with the camel market and the (impossible to refuse) generous invitations to spend a night out under the stars in bedouin camps.

For me the US has everything you need. Stunning scenery(yellowstone, Hawaii, etc), great beaches, great skiing, great cities, great restaurants and bars. I can't think of anywhere else where you can be lying on a beach but 3 hours later be skiing or shopping in LA. It's a great place

Back to the original question. I like the ease with which you can put together an independent holiday, the knowledge that when you're there the language and the customs are clear, driving is easy and not forgetting the good weather on the Florida Gulf coast early and late in the year (and the MFUs for only 25k miles). Makes for a relaxing holiday on and around the coast.

That said I certainly wouldn't choose that to the exclusion of other locations in the world - travel is one of the few things I spend my hard earned cash on and I like to see different sights. Far too long a list of places still to go to be content with only one country.

My wife and I have gone twice a year for the last decade.

My wife's idea of a holiday is sitting by a pool, reading a book, eating good food and drinking nice cocktails.

My idea of a holiday is go hiking, go fishing, bear watching, etc and generally enjoy the outdoors.

The compromise - we spend the 1st week doing the likes of Yellowstone, Vancouver Island, Grand Canyon and the 2nd week somewhere hot with nice pools, etc - we have found Phoenix or Palm Springs to be ideal for this.

I find myself agreeing with most of the above, in particular with sunrisegirl and meester69, even agreeing that I preferred the old Dubai to today's Dubai.

I've been fortunate one way or another to have visited 37 states. That number has remained static for a while, and Alaska still evades me as do Nebraska, Wyoming and some others. I'm hoping to add New Mexico later this year.

My own favourites are the Pacific NorthWest - Oregon and Washington State are beautiful with a great climate and cultured and welcoming population. (Add British Columbia to that formula.) As for cities, it would have to be New York and Chicago.

The airport 'security' industry is a turn off, especially the public groperama when leaving, and I rarely take domestic flights these days. Having said that, once in it's great.

Exactly, and that explains why many Americans feel they don't need to travel internationally.No need to get on a plane for that. Just stay here and read your Daily Mail. ;)Yes.

I echo quite a few sentiments here, Swanhunter's description of the US is one I don't recognise.

My favourite North American places:

1. Alaska - beautiful scenery, nice folks and wildlife (never seen a bear yet)
2. Entire western coast of North America - Anchorage to LA - just fantastic scenery, people, drink and food.
3. Arizona (Sedona, Prescott, Grand Canyon)

That said, I don't fly directly into the US anymore... TSA, need I say more?

pretty much the same, plus my best friend lives half an hour from the airport and my brother in law half an hour in the opposite direction.

by the time I price up a trip in Europe and paid a fortune for a tiny hotel room its just better value and the easy option. I buy quite a lot of clothes there as my er.. blouse size is a bit disproportionate and I find it easier to buy tops for work.
3 weeks is my limit, after that the price of the fruit and veg, and having the news "presented" to you instead of "read" to you begins to get on my nerves, that and I cant do without decent Indian food much longer :D

I travel the world and the US is no exception. Just spend the last 3 weeks there. The US for me is road trips and wonderful scenery and some exceptional cities. I agree with most of the positive comments that have been made here already. It requires a Mustang convertible though. :) Since they really can't do hotels right in the US I don't bother with 5 star properties anymore. I stay at a Fairfield Inn or Holiday Inn Express and see them as stops along the road. It is a weird 'culture' with little to no taste. I tolerate it for the open roads and the scenery.

Asia is for the relaxing beach hotel holidays. Australia is there for the best cities in the world and the road trips (although a little too big). Africa is there for safaris as well as wonderful scenery. South America I have yet to fully explore but I need better (any :)) Spanish for that I believe. Dubai is Benidorm and I have been there a lot. SRG is right IMHO. Yuck!

Language is not a reason for me to choose the US. I can manage almost anywhere (except South America).

It's the Land of the Weird. Why would you want to go anywhere else?

Supposedly the Indian food over there is far more authentic, which makes sense considering how it has been catered to our tastes here.

Like you though, I much prefer it here (I suspect as its been catered to my tastes), I've yet to go to an Indian their that I like and to be honest I've pretty much given up.

On the other hand, their Americanised Chinese Food is ace, I'd kill for a Crab Rangoon now!

I'm with you on this one, Swanhunter. It's a beautiful country with so many fascinating things to see. But then there are so many more beautiful countries with so much more to see - and better food.

And it's such a bore getting in to the country too, save for San Francisco where ironically it takes less time to enter the country than to leave it.

Like you, not Yank-baiting. Just my opinion.

I'm Canadian and have visited most of the US, and living next door gives a different perspective when saturated by their media. It used to be a friendly place, but not nearly as much anymore after 9/11. I sense a lot more paranoia and suspicion, and I feel distinctly uncomfortable there now.

In many ways Canada is geographically similar to the US, so if I want sweeping vistas of the prairies, I can simply look east from the edge of my city, or if I want the mountains and to go skiing or hiking I can drive an hour west to Banff. Similarly I have benefit of the wide open roads and big cars ( if I want) and reasonably cheap fuel - not as cheap as the US, but still half the cost of the UK. I split my loyaties by driving a Jaguar ( V12 naturally:D) and a Ford truck.

So where is my vacation spot of choice? - The UK! It's friendly, and I've gone every year for the last 5 years now and I've noticed a large shift in things a tourist might use. Prices have come down, helped by the exchange rate, but also in absolute pound terms, restaurant meals are cheaper then they were and with the rise of the gastro pubs I found that the quality has gone up. I found the food fresher, better prepared and just as cheap as at home. In the US most everything is fried food and portion sizes that are impossible to eat. UK portion sizes are realistic. I'd much rather have a plate that is well cooked and I can finish my plate than the "pile it high and sell it cheap" mentality that seems to be everywhere in the US. I find it very hard to eat nutritiously at a restaurant in the US, and relatively easy in the UK. I love the sense of history in Europe, nothing in the western part of North America is much over 100 years old, most is post war. It's amazing to me to see a building built in 1500-something. Culturally, I find the UK much richer, and less homogenious.

Yes, some real bargains can be had in the US for shopping. But the same can be said in the UK too, depending on what you're shopping for. I buy all my suits in the UK for instance, as they are cut for a slimmer man, and everything in the US fits me like a tent. I shop at some of the outlets at Bicester and it's cheaper than anything on this side of the pond for the quality and style I'm getting ( getting the VAT back makes a difference too).

Perhaps its a case of you take what's at home for granted and what is far away is the greener grass on the other side of the fence?

There's a huge difference between someone who visits the U.S. and someone (presumably from the U.K.) who visits the U.S. to the complete exclusion of the rest of the world.

Lots of great reasons to visit the U.S., almost no matter what your tastes.

But there are zero good reasons that I can think of to voluntarily limit yourself to any one country or region in the world. That sounds somewhat sad, in my opinion.

The US has a great amount of variety and great operating hours and the people are rather open -- more so in some locations than others but still not bad overall -- but there are some things that some other parts of the world have that the US does not, like native architectural achievements in urban areas that are more than 600 years old.

Unfortunately foreigners -- like Americans -- have to put up with the "security" stupidity from DHS, TSA and CBP, at the airports.

Phew ... this is going to be a long response!! The OH and I are both ex-Military, so we've seen a fair bit of the World on duty, and both lived in some interesting countries. And we are a bit older than most of you ... :D

I first visited the USA on the International Air Cadet Exchange programme in 1963 ... started in NY, then spent a few weeks in Idaho, finished in DC. I was smitten. Don't ask me why, but I guess at 19 you're easily smitten!

Fast-forward to the early 90s, when I used to participate annually in a major International [military] shooting competition in AR ... travelling via DC, with a day or three stopover each way. We all explored DC, and AR of course.

Anyway, after we had both retired [and were able to get leave at the same time, which was a novelty] I took the OH to DC for a fortnight. She found she liked the country too - or at least the bit she saw. Since then, we started going annually, and now biannually, to the DC area for 3-4 weeks at a time. Spring and Fall, when the weather is nice. Not in the centre/center, but out in the suburbs in Northern Virginia ... at a place that specialises in long-stay apartments, and is extremely well-placed for various major routes out of Greater Washington.

What do we love about DC/NVA? So many things:

• No Brit tourists - in fact not a Brit to be seen anywhere! Just Americans.
• Great weather in May and Sep [summer is hot and steamy, winter is Arctic]
• History, history, history ...
• More Museums and Monuments than you know what to do with.
• Civil War Battlefields everywhere, beautifully set up and maintained. Not everyone's thing, of course.
• Cheap shopping heaven. By UK standards, ridiculously so in the right places.
• Food to die for - if you go to the right places. A good neighbourhood restaurant can be amazing!
• Go 80 miles west and you have the Blue Ridge Mountains. Scenery to die for, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley.
• Go 80 miles east and you have Chesapeake Bay. Seafood heaven, and pretty as anything.
• In NVA, wonderfully friendly people - our "Bar Buddies" exchange emails all year.
• The culture of service with a smile, wherever you go.
• Flying BA in CW at WT+ prices, thanks to MFU.

It's realistically our 2nd home, to the point that the place we stay keeps our box of assorted kitchen equipment ... for those nights when we want to cook and eat in our 800 sq ft suite.
Got back to JER in May, back in Sep, waiting for the August sale to book for May 12. ;)

Not everyone's cuppa, of course, especially for you younger people, but it's amazing how the Capital of the Planet never seems to get a mention as a holiday destination.

I see nothing wrong with limiting yourself to visiting the same place.
At the end of the day it doesn't really matter where it is, the US, Europe,Far East, Skegness even. If it ticks all the boxes to enable you to enjoy your holiday then I can understand why some people return year after year.

I do because there are so many great places to go. It's 50 countries stitched together so somewhere in it, there is bound to be something you like to do, see, take part in or buy! Most of the people I've met have been great, and I've even made some awesome friends as a result of my visits there.

Like others the continuing hassle when entering does put one off. On the plus side, it's helped me broaden my travel horizons by going elsewhere too :D

I quite like it, and want to return at some stage! ;)

Agree ... like I want a holiday in Africa, or Dubai, or Cambodia at my age?
Re-visiting Jamaica in Jan ... I used to live, and was educated, there for a couple of years.
However, a lot also depends on where else in the World you've been in the first place ... Skegness [been there ;)] from cradle to grave may not be everyone's ideal, but if it ticks their boxes, why criticise?
I've been lucky, and lived/worked/holidayed on every Continent except Africa. I'll allow that last option to slip by ;)

Napa and Sonoma, and who can resist coming back to Maui!

Antarctica?

I took my father to Cape Town last year, he is I think of your generation and liked it very much. Great food, scenery, climate, wine, entirely civilised, and the flights on VS (Upper Class) weren't bad too....