more detail about America

[mrsbrown]

Here's what I posted about Going to America in July/august next year.

Based on what happens with flights, I'm starting to see the shape of this trip something like this:

Mel - San Francisco - spend a few days in SF
SF to New York/Boston/Montreal
Drive around, finish with a week at Pennsic
Fly home from Pittsburgh.

And here's the map with places I'm inclined to visit.   Realistically, I think the two in the middle will be abandoned, for a trip centred around San Francisco and New York State/Pennsylvania. (We'll just hide the PEI visit)

I should also investigate trains.

Advice solicited!

Also, It appears that one of my holiday actiivities is to lie in bed dreaming about other holidays.

Comments

[enrobso]

Since you already plan to be in NYC, you absolutely have to set aside a day to visit The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art's medieval annex in Fort Tryon Park. It's quite a hike uptown, but within an easy stroll of Dyckman Street Station on the A Subway Line. You will absolutely love it.

I say "set aside a day" because like most of NYC's major museums, its collection is huge and really can't be seen in less than about four hours.

I also highly recommend a visit to The Morgan Library and The Strand Bookstore.

[anarqueso]

Or if you like dead animals and cultures, go to NYC's Museum of Natural History. Swoon.

Of course, I favor SF. The touristy stuff is great here, but a lot of cool places aren't even on the tourist maps. My neighborhood, for instance, has a plethora of Central American food, murals, and the secret curviest street in SF - it has fewer turns than Lombard, but they're way loopier. We've also got the Pirate Store.

[tikiwanderer.livejournal.com]

I loved SF. Interesting weather, but it won't seem too unusual being from Melbourne. The Modern Art museum-gallery-thing was fun and easy to find (IIRC). Relatively easy to get around and get to interesting places in SF overall.

Trains: the Amtrak train across the mountains from Cal to Denver is gorgeous. I've ridden the Amtrak a few times though not in recent years. My mother and brother did it in 2007 and said they hit the prettiest bits when it was dark and then had a long day of long empty boring. So check travelling times. I enjoyed going by train and seeing the scenery, but it is a long trip depending on where you go. I also crossed the country (SF to Pennsylvania) by Greyhound which wasn't too bad either - less comfortable, but cheaper.