The only thing about going to Chicago is that you miss the opportunity to explore the mountains around northern Georgia and North Carolina. If you are not renting a car, its not really an issue though.

Hi all,

Thanks again for the input everyone.

Regarding Josh getting his license, He does have a license at the moment but it is a Probationary licence and it will not expire until end of 2009. I wasn't sure whether this counted as a full licence or not in the USA.

I just read some info about International Drivers Permits and it states "IDP's cannot be issued to holders of Learner Permits Licences or other limited/restricted use licences, issued under the directive of a State Court of Law." So by the sounds of it he may be able to apply for an IDP as he is not on learners but is now on Probationary. Ill look into it more.


Hayley

Have Fun!!!

We went to New Orleans last June and it was fantastic, one of the funnest cities I've been to. If you go, MAKE SURE you get a shrimp po boy and crawfish etouffe at Mothers Restaurant - THE BEST FOOD IN NEW ORLEANS. Honest to God.

As far as your itinerary - I understand the limitations of not having a car in the US, but oh, the camping and National Parks are so amazing here - it's the countryside and wild places that make the US so great, and the south east is so very very pretty. Having said that, trains tend to go through amazing scenery.

Spend more time in the West and less time in the East.

For instance, if you're really going to do the Vegas thing, and the Grand Canyon, it would be criminal not to spend at least a few days driving Southern Utah. It is impossibly beautiful, you're going to be right there, and if you have decent weather you can even camp.

Okay, truthfully I didn't read all the replies. But here's a great tip! Hope it's not a duplicate. In Vegas, after you rent a car, take a day trip and drive north on I-15. Go to the Highway 169 exit and head towards Overton. Keep going out the back side of Overton once you go through it. You will come in the back way to the Lake Meade area. Really great out there. You can also take a road from there to the Valley of Fire State Park. There are lots of places to pull over and just go for a hike. I've seen mountain goats, wild horses, and all sorts of other great things out there. The best thing about the Las Vegas area in my opinion. Hope you get a chance to make it there!!

Thanks everyone.

Our plans have changed a bit though because of the dramatic change in the US dollar for Aussies.
We just found out that Amtrak have changed their passes from unlimited 30 day travel to ‘segment’ type passes. We were originally looking at these because it was only going to cost about $500- $550 each for the 30 days but now that has jumped up to $1070 each!! We just can’t afford it.

So we’re taking on all your feedback and looking into bus/plane/car… everything.


We have purchased our flights (Yay! So exciting!) and we can confirm that we fly into LA on 5th April and fly out of NY on 19th May so during that time we need to get from one city to the other.

Go to San Francisco and the Northwest!

Flights aren’t terribly unreasonable as a substitute to Amtrak. In fact, air travel between major cities is generally cheaper than rail travel in the US!

As far as your Itinerary is concerned, you may consider taking some time to explore around California via ground travel and then get a bus to Las Vegas if that is still somewhere you would like to visit. From Vegas flights are cheap and regular to New Orleans.

New Orleans is definitely somewhere you should see for both the unique culture and the party / music aspect. Having lived in New Orleans for about two years, mostly after Katrina, I can assure you, the places you may be interested in going as a tourist are in as good of shape as they were before the storm. Also, April is the ideal time to visit as it is still relatively cool and not so humid. Don’t get stuck in the Quarter as many tourists do, be sure and check out the bars/ music venues in Faubourg Marigny, the clubs and venues in the Warehouse district, and the dives Uptown. I personally prefer to stay on St. Charles rather than in the Quarter but it really depends on where you want to spend most of your time. You can get to the edge of the French Quarter via the St. Charles street car but you’ll have to catch a cab to get back at night.

From New Orleans you could fly to any number of places but don’t have a lot of options as far as ground transport is concerned (just a train to DC). I would suggest you consider Charleston, SC or Savannah, two of my favorite cities anywhere in the world. Getting to and from Charleston by air would be easier and a less expensive but, in my experience, food and lodging are more expensive than Savannah so keep that in mind if you are on a budget. Both cities are fun to spend a few days in and will offer unique culture, arts, architecture, and great food. They are also two of the most beautiful cities in the US. Especially nice if you happen to be a history buff. From Charleston you could take the train (full day) to DC.

Washington DC is a must see though some people care to spend more time there than others. If you are a museum buff plan for a lengthy stay. If you just want to see the monuments and maybe tour the Capitol you can do so in a couple days. Getting from DC to New York is as easy as it gets. The Chinatown bus is the cheap option and costs $20, takes 4-5hrs.

Hope this helps!

I visited New Orleans in July, and it's one of my favorite cities here! The relaxed nature, the food, and the culture are all so different from the rest of the country! Make sure you visit Magazine Street while there, there's a lot of little shops... Cafe Du Monde in the Quarter is also a must -- beignets! - you also need to try a snoball (a much more delicious version of a snowcone).

Regarding the Nashville/Memphis/Atlanta part of your trip... that may be a waste of time for you guys. There isn't anything special about the landscape. I love Nashville, but there really isn't much to see here as a tourist unless you are a country music fan. There's a few Civil War cites and a life-size replica of the Parthenon, but unless you can catch a Titans game, don't bother!

Atlanta is a mess. It has one redeeming quality: Little Five Points. But even that is only an imitation of Magazine St/Haight-Ashbury. Other than that, it's a mess of overgrown suburbia and concrete.

Go to Chicago or Boston instead.

Enjoy the US!

There is a daily overnight train from New Orleans to Chicago.