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I'm biased towards America's coasts. Chi is great but isolated and you already get the city experience in NYC.
How is Chicago isolated? Especially compared to the Pacific Northwest?
You've got Seattle and Portland basically by themselves out there, over 600 miles north of San Francisco, a nine hour drive, and no major cities to the East for miles and miles. Sure, you've got Vancouver across the border, but that's still nothing compared to Chicago's location;
Less then 100 miles to Milwaukee, Less then 300 miles to St. Louis, Less then 300 miles to Detroit, 350 miles from Cleveland, 400 miles from Minneapolis, and closer to Toronto then Portland is to SF.
the bigger point being we live in an era of discount airlines and airports in every city - take advantage of it!! Chicago might be that many miles from those cities, but with two airports and dozens of airlines, you can quite easily fly anywhere in our country these days within a few hours. I mean if you're flying an hour from one point to another or 3 hours you're talking the difference of a thousand miles and yet only a few hours. I've easily had an early breakfast in DC and lunch in Chicago or lunch in Chicago and dinner in New Orleans before.
Isolated doesn't mean much these days if you have some cash and want to see the world. For better or worse.
Is it really feasible to do enough in America in one long summer trip to walk away feeling like you've "done it all?"
Of course not. I'm not sure I'll be able to do it all even if I live to be a hundred. But two months should be more than enough time to get a good idea and scratch that itch for awhile. Between planes, trains and buses they'll be able to cover plenty of ground and they should know which mode is best when they look into details. (In general, trains/buses in the northeast and west coast, buses in certain short stretches of the south and midwest, planes for everything else) Definitely gonna be a great opportunity. Maybe Jetblue will offer an all-you-can-fly ticket again.
1. New York City (The BIG city like she's never seen it)
2. Washington DC (Just cause it's the capital)
3. New Orleans (Unique southern city)
4. Las Vegas (EVERYBODY should experience Vegas, and her first time in a desert)
5. Los Angeles (it's Hollywood. Taste of SoCal)
6. Miami (Taste of Florida)
7. San Francisco (Unique. Taste of NoCal)
8. Seattle (Pacific NW)
9. Chicago (I guess to see a Great Lakes city)
10. Denver (Told her to get into the mountains, like drive to Vail, or Breckenridge)
I think that's a very good list! Except I don't really consider Denver "must see". I'd probably replace it with Boston, although that would be a very coastal list.
1. NYC
2. DC
3. Chicago
4. New Orleans
5. San Francisco
6. LA
7. Boston
The should see:
8. St. Louis (because I'm biased, and it does have the tallest monument in the US)
9. Boulder, CO (a college town at the foothills of the Rockies? A quintessential American experience!)
10. Seattle/Miami depending on your preference.
I'd say there are about five cities that are absolute must-sees: NYC, DC, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco.
1. Boston (US history, good first stop)
2. NYC (capital of the West, its only peer is London)
3. Philadelphia (more American history, also it's a very easy stop between NYC and DC)
4. DC (beautiful urban environment and obviously it's the capital city)
*. Atlanta (you said that was in the plan)
5. Miami (Caribbean-American culture plus the craziest display of American hugeness and excess outside of Texas)
6. New Orleans (Cajun, Gulf Coast, pretty architecture and amazing food)
7. St. Louis (quintessential American Midwestern city, the Arch is probably the most famous monument in the US outside of DC and other than Mt. Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty)
8. Chicago (the second city, tons and tons and tons to do)
9. LA (visual media center of basically the world)
10. San Francisco (beautiful architecture and a beautiful setting)
If you really hate the idea of St. Louis, I guess you could take your pick from Memphis or Nashville (Upper Southern culture, great gritty music scenes), Denver or Minneapolis (shiny new and very livable cities with major outdoorsy vibe), or Seattle or Portland (PNW climate and culture).
What 10 cities in America do you consider the standard of cities to visit for a traveler?
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Originally Posted by Psykomonkee
What are those 10 cities that you feel make up that list for America (MAINLAND America).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psykomonkee
Obviously, she's already planning to visit NYC (she hasn't said how many days in each. I don't know any of that info. All she knows is that next spring, she wants to travel all across America and is asking me where are the first time around, MUST SEE places...
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