Best City in the US to Vacation in..

[Johnnie D]

Originally Posted by Flames09

Okay I along with a few friends want too plan a trip to the States (only 1 destination for 6 days). We're having trouble picking where we want too go, so I wanted to know what are your personal favorites???? I dont want to go and lay on a beach but go sightseeing and shopping (lots of shopping). Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Anaheim, California.

[Ice]

If you're going to So Cal, you're going to want to rent a car, for at least part of the time. In Anaheim, there's Disneyland and California adventure. Most hotels in the area have shuttles so you won't have any problems getting to and from the parks from your hotel. If you don't come down often you might as well get a park hopper ticket so you can go to both Disneyland and California Adventure. They require separate admissions.

It won't be as easy to get a cab to the beach. So you'll want a car for that. If you play hockey, plan to take a look at Hockey Giant (in Anaheim)while your down and stock up, you won't beat the price. There are lots of outlet malls for shopping, they're legitmate stores, not like a swap meet. Universal Studios and City Walk can take up an entire day and is easier on your wallet than Disneyland. If its roller coasters you like, you're going to want to go to Magic Mountain up in Valencia. Its not as tidy as Disneyland but the rides are some of the best/biggest/fastest in the world. Its not nearly as busy as Disneyland if you go mid-week.

San Diego is a nice trip too. Its about a two hour drive or so from Anaheim and Sea World, San Diego Zoo, and more inland, the San Diego Wild Animal Park are nice attractions. San Diego is a lot cooler than Orange County so if its really warm its nice to head south.

Tijuana is a dump, there is nothing there worth making that trip, IMO. Its a filthy border town with aggressive beggars and high crime.

There are other less touristy things to do down here also. It won't be hard to find a way to entertain yourself while you're here.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

If you're not renting a vehicle, a suggestion I haven't seen is Boston. Great city for sightseeing that you don't need a vehicle to get around in.

Boston is a great city.

I live in San Francisco and have to say this area has a lot going on. Great restaurants, culture stuff, boating, surfing, golf, hunting, fishing, sight seeing, GREAT cycling, good sightseeing, and of course 2 hours or less from Napa and Sonoma counties for some great wine drinking.

[Biff]

Quick tip on the Disney park hopper....there is almost no difference in price past 5 day park hopper. The advantage to having additional days is you can pop into the parks for shopping or in non-peak times without worrying about burning one of your 5 full park hopper days. Confused? Let me explain. no ...eeet eeees too much. Let me sum up. Get park hoppers for the entire length of your stay in Anaheim. You can then go to the parks even just for a couple of hours in the evenings.

disclaimer: I am a Disneyholic. We went for 10 days last time and I had 9-day park hoppers. That way I didn't care if my kids slept in and lounged around the pool during the days and only hit the parks for a few hours at a time. Didn't cost hardly anything more for the extra days.

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Boston is a great city.

Not to hijack the thread, but any recommendations for places to go and see in Boston? I have family there and might be going soon to visit. I have always wanted to go there, love the accents.

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by Biff

Quick tip on the Disney park hopper....there is almost no difference in price past 5 day park hopper. The advantage to having additional days is you can pop into the parks for shopping or in non-peak times without worrying about burning one of your 5 full park hopper days. Confused? Let me explain. no ...eeet eeees too much. Let me sum up. Get park hoppers for the entire length of your stay in Anaheim. You can then go to the parks even just for a couple of hours in the evenings.

disclaimer: I am a Disneyholic. We went for 10 days last time and I had 9-day park hoppers. That way I didn't care if my kids slept in and lounged around the pool during the days and only hit the parks for a few hours at a time. Didn't cost hardly anything more for the extra days.

That was the play we're dedicating 1 day to Disneyland and then going in the evenings on other days, because some of our activites end at 6 and there is no point in sitting around.

[getbak]

In Anaheim, I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel (nice place, and close to the parks - can be pretty expensive for the quality); the Hilton (right beside the Convention Center, but the entrance faces away from the Disneyland area, so it isn't as close as you'd hope); the Howard Johnson on Harbor Blvd (across the street from Tomorrowland - view of the Matterhorn - but still a bit of a hike to the parks, and if you get put in the tower, you could have a room directly on the I-5 freeway); and the Castle Inn (it was cheap and the best I could find on short notice when I went to watch the Flames in the playoffs last year - not the nicest place, kind of dark, but relatively close to Disneyland and quiet).

If money is no object, the Grand Californian is actually partly inside the California Adventure park at Disneyland, and it's the shortest walk to Disneyland and Downtown Disney (shopping and entertainment district). I've heard really good things about the Candy Cane Inn, but reservations can be hard to get. There are quite a few hotels right across the street from the main Disneyland pedestrian entrance. The Carrousel Inn looks to be the nicest, but I've never stayed there.

Every hotel that isn't within walking distance to Disneyland is going to offer some sort of shuttle service, either with a stop for the ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) bus or their own hotel shuttle. I prefer to stay within walking distance, so I'm not confined to any shuttle's schedule. Anaheim is a pretty safe place to walk around, even at night, especially if you're close to Disneyland.



For park tickets, AMA usually has the best pre-purchase prices. If no one in your group is a member, I'm sure you can find someone. I believe that Universal has recently started offering a free shuttle to the Studios from the Anaheim area if you buy a full-price ticket. There are other companies (I'm sure your travel agent can help you find them) that also offer shuttles/day trips to Universal, Sea World (San Diego), and Hollywood.

Outside of these tours, it's pretty hard to get around the LA area without a car, and if no one in your group is over 25, you'll have to pay a lot for a rental car (if you can even find a company that'll rent you a car, I think Hertz does, but I think you have to be 21 for that).

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Flames09

That was the play we're dedicating 1 day to Disneyland and then going in the evenings on other days, because some of our activites end at 6 and there is no point in sitting around.

When are you going? If it's during the summer, you'll have the advantage of longer hours, but the disadvantage of larger crowds.

Personally, I'd dedicate at least 2 full days to Disneyland and California Adventure, plus the evening visits, especially if you've never been there.

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by getbak

When are you going? If it's during the summer, you'll have the advantage of longer hours, but the disadvantage of larger crowds.

Personally, I'd dedicate at least 2 full days to Disneyland and California Adventure, plus the evening visits, especially if you've never been there.

We're going in mid-August, and I know we should dedicate two days but no one wants too, I guess we can always just cancel something else if we really want too go another day.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

If you want to minimize your time in lineups at Disneyland, try this - I did and it works surprisingly well:

http://www.ridemax.com/