Travelling :)

Ok, i wanna go see as much as i can in the 4 weeks i have after i finish and i found a great trekking program involving camping and stuff but i realised i can't do that with my suitcase & laptop lol so basically i need to be in hotels, anyway...

I have no clue where to start and as a lot of you have been on the program before could u help us out?

I wanna use this thread for people to post sites and information about travelling and places to visit.

I know Miami or New York would probz be the best destinations cos there not too far and you can stop off en-route, but i need some help!

Like hotel suggestions and train sites etc. please help? x

 

Greyhound is usually pretty fairly priced if you want to take a bus anywhere. Def cheaper than flying. www.greyhound.com

I'm not sure about trains, I've never been on one in the states.
Keep an eye out for seat sales for flying, sometimes they go very very low. I guess it depends where you're going and when.
I'm sure you'll meet some room mates who will want to travel after as well, and keep in mind you'll be working with a ton of American college students, you may end up wanting to visit their homes and they can put you up in their house

 

I would say "jazz on south beach" in miami, dead cheap and right on the beach

in new york i stayed in the gershwin hotel which is dead cheap and its really nice, theres also "jazz on times square" too which is really good

also you can get a shuttle from orlando to miami for $35

 

Trains are awesome in the US and dead easy - www.amtrak.com
Flights - book early and use www.expedia.com
Hostels - waaay cheaper than hotels plus you'll meet loads of people to hang out with; www.hostelworld.com

Top tips from me; Chicago (Art Institute is amazing), Washington DC (My fave city in the US), Vegas (obviously), San Francisco and San Diego (awesome nightlife). From SD you can then get across the border in Mexico if you fancy experiencing the messiest night EVER in Tijuana.

 

well i'll be there August 20th til September 17th and my bf is coming over on 20th, theres loadsa places i wanna visit i'd love to c niagra falls but obv where ever i go has gotta be from Orlando, that shuttle bus sounds good

and bare in mind i'm only 19 so clubbing is out of the question, some serious birthday celebrations need to be done tho i'm 20 on August 27th and my bfs 22 on September 1st lol fun times

 

I'd recommend going up the East Coast and stopping off in Washington DC and New York (and a couple more places on the way!). Washington DC can be expensive though, so I'd recommend staying outside the city. I did a tour round North America last summer and stayed in a really nice Howard Johnston hotel in Cheverly, MD. They bus you too and from the nearest train/metro station free of charge and the prices where low since your not central. Took maybe 20/30 to get into the city.

New York I stayed in a nice place up on 97th (between 7th and 8th) and while basic, was clean, comfy and i felt safe (which was always good cause I was travelling on my own!)

If anyone's going to New York bear in mind that some of the shows offer a "Student Rush" ticket for abt $30. Really good seats as well I got to see the Little Mermaid for that price. All you have to do is get your ticket on the day from the box office http://www.playbill.com/celebritybu...-Rush-Lottery-and-Standing-Room-Only-Policies

Also this website

http://www.schooltix.com/

I booked Avenue Q tickets through them. Didnt have to show any id or anything, just the card I booked with. Cant recommend Avenue Q highly enough if you want a good laugh.

Also (for those of you with a love for american tv programs/films) my favourite website ever

http://www.onlocationvacations.com/

I got to watch Law and Order SVU filming last year and met the some of the actors! So much fun, always makes me want to be back in the states though!

Hope someone finds these websites useful!

 

ps. Niagara Falls where amazing Dont plan on spending too long there though, if you do go, as most of it can be done in a day or two.

 

@Mhairi
DC can be cheap - I stayed at the Hostelling International, central location right by a Metro stop for £10 a night.
Niagara, easily do it in a day. Go from Toronto as the Canadian side of it is spectacular, the American side so-so. Go for a day trip with Magic Bus, they're good fund.

@Sofi
You can club/drink etc if you go into Mexico, that's why it's (Tijuana) full of American kids at the weekend. Or get a fake ID.

 

lol im actually not too fussed about drinking i'd rather see sights i have freshers week when i get back anyway

and do u think its best to arrange all my travelling over there? cos i'd like to stay in florida for the 1st week and 4th cos im flying home from there and i don't know any florida hotels but im guessing i will know more when im out there x

 

Yeah, I was looking at Hotels more than hostels unless they had a single room cause I was travelling by myself and just felt a little safer that way.

Totally agree on the Niagara thing. I saw the 4th July fireworks there last summer, did the maid of the mist and all the other little bits in abt a day

Sofi

It might be a good idea to start looking into things before you go just so you have some idea of whats out there, how you'd get from Orlando to where you want to go, where you want to go! and price things.

I'd imagine that for the 1st week out of your 4 you could use your Disney discount and get a cheap resort room. For the 4th week try and book as far in advance as possible cause its usually cheaper.

 

yeh its not so much the 4th week i just need a night in orlando for the 4th week so i can fly home and i want to use my discount be4 its over so i can show my bf disney

I have a pretty good idea of what i wanna see, in the 2-3 weeks i wanna g2 new york and around that area like washington dc, philadelphia, niagra etc. i just know how to get there like fly or train it or whatever the thing im stuck with now is what to do when i get there lol like how to get from place to place and obv what hotels are near stations etc,

i found a fantastic tour i wanna do which is from new york camping in different locations for 14 days but i realised i wouldn't know what to do with my laptop and suitcase gutted cos i was well up for it too x

 

Independent travel is super easy in America, don't stress it.
Amtrak is by far the most reliable train service I've ever used and the majority of stations are in city centres so easy to get to/from. Don't organise hotels around these locations though as most tend to be grotty and over priced. Don't fear hostelling either - they're cheap, safe, clean and a great way to meet like minded people.
Internal flights are also easy with most airports in easy reach.

 

what are internal flights? and do u think it would be save to organize travel but then just check in to hotels the days u get there, like spontanious so u'd know exatcly where u were staying x

 

Internal Flights = Flying domestically rather than internationally (IE: Bristol to Newcastle, or in this case, Orlando to Seattle).
I'd look to start booking things closer to when you want to travel. There's so much choice in America that providing you're not expecting to travel at the last minute on 4th July (for example), you'll be fine.
Check out the sites I previously linked to; Amtrak, Expedia and Hostelworld.

 

Amtrak are really good, much more comfy and spacious than UK trains!
(Unless you travel 1st class in the UK, they're not quite that good!
Travelling is fun though, I have ten days and NO idea what I will do, except that I will end up in Chicago for a couple of days!
xx

 

Check out the AmTrak routes - you can go pretty much in a straight line from New Orleans > Memphis > Chicago.
I did the overnight train to Chi from Memphis and got a private room (with bed & shower) for less than the price of a flight. Try getting that service here in England!

 

Ooh - I will have to look into that! Sleeper train would def save me time - more places I can visit!
xx

 

Hey- I cant wait to a bit of travelling!! Yea greyhound busses are soo cheap and to fly aorund america is retty cheap its self!! Im pretty much just going to stay in hostels!! Jazz on south beach is great super cheap and everyone sooo nice and theres an amazing ymca hostel in ny next to central park thts amazing!! xxxx

 

anyone know what the Pennsylvania Hotel in NYC is like? x

I'm proper interested in the location and look of this hotel, ive reasearched around and ive seen hostels for £500 for the week for 2 of us but ive got a real good quote on this hotel including flights so let me know if u know anything x

 

Just wondering if you guys think its better to book hotels and such now or later when I'm already in the US....I'm gonna go to NYC after the program for like a week and then I'm gonna fly back from there. I'm looking at hotels atm and they're so expensive but I guess its not gonna get any cheaper, is it? So is it best and cheapest to book now?