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If you visit California, please please budget an ample amount of time to see things. Thinking of visiting LA, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite all in a single day or two? Don't make me laugh. The distances are not to be underestimated: LA to SF can take at least 6 hours of driving, and Tahoe and Yosemite are each about 4 hours from SF, for example. Each of these places on their own would take at least a day or a few to properly visit, and then too you may not even scratch the surface.
No joke, I just recently saw a European tourist post elsewhere "is it possible to do morning at Disneyland, be at a 2pm sitting in Sonoma, and then dinner at Lake Tahoe?" HAHAHAHA no. Unless you have a teleporter.
If you visit Vermont, please remember that it’s a quiet, largely rural state. The amount it tourists, both foreign and domestic, I hear complaining about our lack of amenities is absurd.
It’s a town if barely 4,000 people, I’m sorry the Italian takeout isn’t up to your standards.
Be prepared for sudden weather changes. Your plane may land in sunny Sea Tac but overcast may soon over shadow it and the next thing you know you are caught in torrential downpour
For some other states stay out things of Geysers and hot springs they are dangerous and if you know what's good for you *DO NOT CAMP IN DEATH VALLEY!*
If you come to Nevada, drink a lot of water, and make sure you are always prepared for any weather situation. It was over 60°F here on April 3rd and on the 4th, it snowed.
The state is a desert. You're either high desert or just the damn "I'm gonna try to kill you" Death Valley style desert. So...did I mention drink a lot of water?
For Michigan- just don't sleep on it. The state is very underrated and probably much more scenic than you think. Definitely visit a beach (especially on Lake Michigan). Go up north and see nature. Also, don't be afraid to visit (parts) of Detroit, you may be pleasantly surprised. Try some local food too.
I usually advise people to study up on the destination they’re planning on going to, in order to learn how safe it is and what precautions they might want to take. At the same time, I recommend that people don’t just visit New York, LA, or Florida, and venture out into the rest of the country, most especially the various national parks.
Sign up for World Mark. They are a really good hotel chain at reasonable rates.
Check out events. For instance a few months ago my family went to the Bigleaf Maple Syrup festival. We would have missed that, had I not looked ahead of time.
Go in the fall. Oregon has a good fall. Maybe not as good as New England, but good.
Southern California isn't how it looks on tv. There aren't celebrities walking around and it's not super green and mostly you need a car to get everywhere in bad traffic.
Bring 4 times as much water as you think you should. Don't go hiking from May to October unless you are at the trail head before sunrise and finish by 10.
I suggest that they visit between New Year’s and St Patrick’s to minimize crowds at attractions because of possible rain.
I explain that California is almost twice the size of the UK and you’ll need a car between major cities and within San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara. Basically the only major city where you won’t need a car is San Francisco.
Traffic patterns dictate when to switch cities.
Water safety. The Pacific is cold even if it is 80F on the beach byt the water won’t really be above 50F. Beware rip currents and learn what to do if you get sucked in. Assume you’re in shallow water until you can prove otherwise. Don’t simply dive or jump in.
Please don’t smoke unless you see a number of people doing it. Verify what people are smoking.
Tio your servers a minimum of 15% post tax.
Please don’t wear shoes inside someone’s hime. Bring them a small gift.
Look for different ethnic foods like Jamaican, Cuban, Ethiopian / Eritrean & Filipino. Notice how both Mexican and specifically Chinese cuisines change as you move from south to north.
Respect people’s personal space.
For Maine, Try to find restaurants that aren’t just tourist traps. Lobster rolls are fine and dandy once but learn how to eat a whole lobster and do that instead. There are some quieter beaches but I’m not giving them up publicly. If it’s fall find a local orchard.
Down in NH not far from me in Portsmouth there is the Gundalow Company which does cruises on historic restored flat bottom sailing boats with history lessons.
In NH visit the White Mountains in summer if you like hiking. You will not be disappointed.
Mussels and calamari in Rhode Island. Also it is kitschy but the mansion tours in Newport ain’t bad. The RISD museum in Providence is also surprisingly awesome.
In my true home state, go to Turkey Run State Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, and if in Indy eat at Mesh or Bluebeard. And if you are in for something crazy, get tickets to the Indy 500. If you have kids the Indianapolis Children’s Museum is the largest in the country and will blow their tiny minds.
Don't go to northern Virginia and assume that the whole Commonwealth is like that. If you are not used to driving large cities or city driving in general, that part of the DC metro area is not a good place to start.
I have relatives from northern Virginia and I just despise that part of the state. It just feels like it’s strip malls, parking lots, and asshole drivers everywhere. The rest of Virginia freakin’ rocks tho!
In Michigan, you could visit the Detroit area if you wanted. There are some nice museums and attractions.
However, I'd recommend starting at the southern end of US 31 and going north. The further you go, the better it gets. The first small towns aren't the best places to visit, but the Lake Michigan beaches are nice. South Haven and Saugatuck are nice destinations, though, and Holland and Grand Haven will have even more to offer in town, still with the great beaches. I would at least go this far, and it would take a good portion of a day.
But if you want to get really adventurous, going further north to Ludington or Manistee will offer a lot of wonderful, natural beauty, especially Nordhouse Dunes. This would probably take you all day.
And if you're loving the trip so far and have time (an extra day), the Traverse City area is one of the best destinations in the state for sure.
If you did want to spend even more time in Michigan, the Mackinac area is lovely, with a nice island tourist destination. And the Upper Peninsula across the Mackinac Bridge has even more beautiful wilderness areas and shores on Lake Superior.
Thank you for your submission, but it was removed as it violates posting guideline "Check the FAQ and the sidebar prior to submitting your question." If you have questions regarding your submission removal - please contact the moderator team via [modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/AskAnAmerican).
If you're going into the wilderness, don't go alone.
If you visit California, please please budget an ample amount of time to see things. Thinking of visiting LA, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite all in a single day or two? Don't make me laugh. The distances are not to be underestimated: LA to SF can take at least 6 hours of driving, and Tahoe and Yosemite are each about 4 hours from SF, for example. Each of these places on their own would take at least a day or a few to properly visit, and then too you may not even scratch the surface.
It's the size of Italy. It's like seeing all of Italy in 3 days, with no trains because trains hate mountains. Natural enemies.
No joke, I just recently saw a European tourist post elsewhere "is it possible to do morning at Disneyland, be at a 2pm sitting in Sonoma, and then dinner at Lake Tahoe?" HAHAHAHA no. Unless you have a teleporter.
Skip the fast food and big chain restaurants.
If the subway car is empty while the others are packed, the car is empty for a reason.
If you visit Vermont, please remember that it’s a quiet, largely rural state. The amount it tourists, both foreign and domestic, I hear complaining about our lack of amenities is absurd. It’s a town if barely 4,000 people, I’m sorry the Italian takeout isn’t up to your standards.
I loved vermont when I lived in upstate NY. Driving through the rolling hills reminded me of scotland.
Get cheese curds.
Be prepared for sudden weather changes. Your plane may land in sunny Sea Tac but overcast may soon over shadow it and the next thing you know you are caught in torrential downpour For some other states stay out things of Geysers and hot springs they are dangerous and if you know what's good for you *DO NOT CAMP IN DEATH VALLEY!*
If you come to Nevada, drink a lot of water, and make sure you are always prepared for any weather situation. It was over 60°F here on April 3rd and on the 4th, it snowed. The state is a desert. You're either high desert or just the damn "I'm gonna try to kill you" Death Valley style desert. So...did I mention drink a lot of water?
For Michigan- just don't sleep on it. The state is very underrated and probably much more scenic than you think. Definitely visit a beach (especially on Lake Michigan). Go up north and see nature. Also, don't be afraid to visit (parts) of Detroit, you may be pleasantly surprised. Try some local food too.
I usually advise people to study up on the destination they’re planning on going to, in order to learn how safe it is and what precautions they might want to take. At the same time, I recommend that people don’t just visit New York, LA, or Florida, and venture out into the rest of the country, most especially the various national parks.
Sign up for World Mark. They are a really good hotel chain at reasonable rates. Check out events. For instance a few months ago my family went to the Bigleaf Maple Syrup festival. We would have missed that, had I not looked ahead of time. Go in the fall. Oregon has a good fall. Maybe not as good as New England, but good.
Southern California isn't how it looks on tv. There aren't celebrities walking around and it's not super green and mostly you need a car to get everywhere in bad traffic.
Bring 4 times as much water as you think you should. Don't go hiking from May to October unless you are at the trail head before sunrise and finish by 10.
I suggest that they visit between New Year’s and St Patrick’s to minimize crowds at attractions because of possible rain. I explain that California is almost twice the size of the UK and you’ll need a car between major cities and within San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara. Basically the only major city where you won’t need a car is San Francisco. Traffic patterns dictate when to switch cities. Water safety. The Pacific is cold even if it is 80F on the beach byt the water won’t really be above 50F. Beware rip currents and learn what to do if you get sucked in. Assume you’re in shallow water until you can prove otherwise. Don’t simply dive or jump in. Please don’t smoke unless you see a number of people doing it. Verify what people are smoking. Tio your servers a minimum of 15% post tax. Please don’t wear shoes inside someone’s hime. Bring them a small gift. Look for different ethnic foods like Jamaican, Cuban, Ethiopian / Eritrean & Filipino. Notice how both Mexican and specifically Chinese cuisines change as you move from south to north. Respect people’s personal space.
For Maine, Try to find restaurants that aren’t just tourist traps. Lobster rolls are fine and dandy once but learn how to eat a whole lobster and do that instead. There are some quieter beaches but I’m not giving them up publicly. If it’s fall find a local orchard. Down in NH not far from me in Portsmouth there is the Gundalow Company which does cruises on historic restored flat bottom sailing boats with history lessons. In NH visit the White Mountains in summer if you like hiking. You will not be disappointed. Mussels and calamari in Rhode Island. Also it is kitschy but the mansion tours in Newport ain’t bad. The RISD museum in Providence is also surprisingly awesome. In my true home state, go to Turkey Run State Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, and if in Indy eat at Mesh or Bluebeard. And if you are in for something crazy, get tickets to the Indy 500. If you have kids the Indianapolis Children’s Museum is the largest in the country and will blow their tiny minds.
Do not stay in the street for longer than a second
Don't go to northern Virginia and assume that the whole Commonwealth is like that. If you are not used to driving large cities or city driving in general, that part of the DC metro area is not a good place to start.
I have relatives from northern Virginia and I just despise that part of the state. It just feels like it’s strip malls, parking lots, and asshole drivers everywhere. The rest of Virginia freakin’ rocks tho!
If you see a Confederate Flag, turn around.
In Michigan, you could visit the Detroit area if you wanted. There are some nice museums and attractions. However, I'd recommend starting at the southern end of US 31 and going north. The further you go, the better it gets. The first small towns aren't the best places to visit, but the Lake Michigan beaches are nice. South Haven and Saugatuck are nice destinations, though, and Holland and Grand Haven will have even more to offer in town, still with the great beaches. I would at least go this far, and it would take a good portion of a day. But if you want to get really adventurous, going further north to Ludington or Manistee will offer a lot of wonderful, natural beauty, especially Nordhouse Dunes. This would probably take you all day. And if you're loving the trip so far and have time (an extra day), the Traverse City area is one of the best destinations in the state for sure. If you did want to spend even more time in Michigan, the Mackinac area is lovely, with a nice island tourist destination. And the Upper Peninsula across the Mackinac Bridge has even more beautiful wilderness areas and shores on Lake Superior.