First trip overseas - USA

LChrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 12:15
Last edited 28/07/2015 - 12:46

Hi,

I'm planning on going to the USA for my honeymoon in April 2016. Looking at going for 3 weeks to LA, New York and possibly Las Vegas. Just missed on the the cheap flights today.

I was hoping to fly Qantas. What price should I try to hang out for on flights? There is an American expo coming up in Melbourne and my local Flight Centre is also having this in store. Am I likely to get cheap flights here?

Is it better to book through a travel agent or should I just organize it myself?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how long to spend in each city, what sites to visit, ways to do it on the cheap?

Never been overseas before, so it's a bit daunting!

Thanks for any help!

Travel

Comments

  • QW3RTY on 28/07/2015 - 12:19
    +40

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how long to spend in each city

    My personal opinion here, and would love other people's opinions — but I found Los Angeles to be the biggest hole this side of Canberra. Sure it was fun to bum around in for 2-3 days, but I found it far less spectacular and far less appealing than New York City for instance.

    Very difficult to get around without a car, and driving in LA is an experience in itself — one that I would not force on my worst of enemies.

    My advice would be to shift a couple of extra days from LA to New York. More to do and experience in my opinion.

    Las Vegas is great if you want to get up to a few quirky things. See a magic show (Penn & Teller at the Rio for instance), drive a few super cars in the Red Rock Canyon (expensive as hell, but good god I recommend it), or fire a few assault rifles at one of the many gun ranges! Try your luck and see a show in one of the many casinos and just experience the hilarity that is Vegas. Once again, I wouldn't spend more than 4 days here.

    New York is the holy grail of each of my USA trips. There's so much to experience — I've spent 8 days at least each time I've gone. Go see the Brooklyn Nets play, go to one of the many Broadway musicals, check out the plethora of shops and destinations on 5th Avenue, grab lunch at the Boathouse on Central Park, go up the Empire State Building (get an Online Express Pass — more expensive than General Admission, but we avoided 2.5 hours of waiting in lines in December 2014), go get breakfast at the Seinfeld "Tom's Restaurant" and just become a New York hipster for a bit and experience the craziness and uniquness of the city.

    Places I'd recommend

    1. Chicago is pretty awesome, but if you're going in the winter, take a jacket — or 8. Very cool arty and bar scene in places like Wicker Park and the CBD is great for sight seeing. I would recommend going to a Chicago Blackhawks game. First ice hockey experience and it was absolutely incredible to watch.
    2. San Francisco is very pretty too. Plenty of stuff to do with sight-seeing tours or even by just taking the trams up and down the hills and over to the piers. Take a bike ride from the Fishermans Pier to Sausalido (sp?). Rewarding as hell.

    ways to do it on the cheap?

    www.Hostelworld.com
    www.airbnb.com

    ^Those are your best friends in America.

    What price should I try to bang out for on flights?

    It'll depend on whether you get your domestic flights within the USA rolled into the same itinerary as your International. Which I recommend. Details below.

    Is it better to book through a travel agent or should I just organize it myself?

    My recommendation is to figure out where you want to go and get a Travel Agent to book your internal flights around USA on the same itinerary as your international flights. This way you will often obtain your International Luggage allowance transferred onto your domestic flights. This is a huge plus, as domestic airlines (Delta, Virgin, AA) will often charge you additional luggage fees for each leg of your domestic travel. If you have 3 internal flights and 2 bags each — you've just saved $400 right there.

    Damn QW3RTY, thanks for the tips, what else should I know?

    ESTA. Apply for your visa through the ESTA website. Back in 2011 for my first USA boys trip, one of my mates neglected to fill out his ESTA properly and was almost turned away at the LAX Arrivals Gate to be sent back to Australia. Thankfully he managed to call a very hung over version of me at 6am to give the appropriate details and they processed the final changes and let him into the country. Just make sure that you fill out the form on this website once you have all your key travel details.

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 12:53
      +1

      Thanks QW3RTY!
      I've also heard that Loas Angeles isn't great. I only really want to stay there to go to Disneyland and Universal Studios.
      I'm not keen on driving in the U.S. So hoping to just get by with public transport/taxis etc.

      Is it worth going to Las Vegas if you don't gamble? I've heard the outlet shopping there is good and would be interested to see the Grand Canyon.

      New York sounds great. Will try to stay there as long as possible.

      Have you had much experience with airbnb?

      Will go to a travel agent to get pricing on flights. My local one is having a 2 day sale for the America Expo. Do you think it's better seeing them or trying to get flights at the expo?

      Thanks for the information on ETSA.

      Thanks again for all your help!

      • QW3RTY on 28/07/2015 - 13:06
        +2

        My girlfriend lost her mind in Disneyland, and I have got to say I loved it too. Definitely worth 2 days to do the two different parks.

        Outlet Mall Shopping is good in Vegas. You can access both the North and South malls easily on buses that leave from points along the Strip. There's still plenty to do in Vegas if you're not a fan of gambling — but I do recommend just having a single spin of a roulette wheel or one hand of $5 blackjack, just so you can say you've done it!

        You won't be sorry for spending a little extra time in New York, you can rest assured of that! As it's you're honeymoon, I must recommend the gent takes you to "the Modern" — a restaurant set up in the Museum of Modern art. That was our special treat while we were over there.

        The "enjoyability" of Airbnb accomodation is only as good as the host. Make sure you read the reviews and pick a highly accredited host. That way you can rest assured you're getting a decent product. It requires a bit of nouse and research — but once you secure a good place at a good rate with a host that is highly reviewed, you can assure yourself that you'll be insuring yourself against any issues. Just jump on now and have a bit of a look around for what's available at your desired budget across your desired destination.

        • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 14:44

          Thanks.

          I think I would lose my mind in Disneyland too!! Is it worth trying to spend three days in Disneyland?

          Is there any other outlet malls other than in Vegas? Or is Vegas the best ones?

          Will have to look into "the Modern" restaurant.

          I've had a bit of a look at airbnb. I guess if I could find one that had lots of good reviews that would give me more comfort.

        • QW3RTY on 28/07/2015 - 15:00
          +1

          @Chrissy213:
          We did three days, only because my girlfriend is a compelte Disneyphile. That enabled us to pretty much see every show, parade and performance — plus ride all the rides. Definitely got our moneys worth.

          We stuck to the Vegas outlets, because we found it the most convenient set up. Lots of different branded retailers spread across two depots. It just made sense for us to save our shopping up until Vegas, as it was our 2nd last stop on our trip.

          Best of luck with all the booking!

        • DKZ370 on 10/08/2015 - 10:37
          +1

          @Chrissy213:

          I would definitely recommend 3 days as well. Did it in Oct 2014 and absolutely loved it !! Should be able to comfortably see / do everything in 3 days.

      • watts on 28/07/2015 - 13:09
        +3

        Don't be scared about driving in the states. It doesn't take long to get used to the other side and it's generally pretty easy going, especially with GPS. The benefit of driving is it gives you flexibility, convenience and speed, so allowing you to do more in your time there. A can can also be fun….if you get a convertible mustang for instance. Car hire is cheap and so is petrol, so it's not going to break the bank.

        Obviously it depends on where though. A car in NY would be a waste, but in LA it'd be worthwhile.

        If you're going to hire a car then save money by not opting for excess waiver fees, as this can can double the cost. For example, my platinum credit card includes cover for car hire insurance excess up to $2500. Some travel insurance might include similar.

        • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 14:48
          +1

          Is it worth driving to Las Vegas from LA? I'm not the best traveller (often get air sick) so not really looking forward to the plane trips.

          My credit cards don't have travel/rental car hire insurance excess. Would it be worth getting one that does? I've seen some of the ANZ rewards cards which have the annual fee free for the first year.

          For travel insurance on the credit card, do you just have to make all the purchases for the trip on the card? If the card was is my name and I paid for flights through travel agent etc, would that still cover my partner and myself?

        • watts on 28/07/2015 - 15:46
          +1

          @Chrissy213:

          Is it worth driving?…I would guess so (never been to vegas myself). I'd take a 4hr self drive any day over flight + airport hassles + taxi etc. The journey can sometimes be as good as the destination (but not if you fly imo)

          I can't really comment on whether you should get a different credit card. You need to do you own due diligence into whether the insurance offered meets your needs. I've travelled OS a few times now and only had CC included insurance. On paper is seems equivalent to any bought travel insurance, but I haven't need to claim so hard to comment.

          You'd need to make the main purchases at least (flights, accomodation).

          Best to check with bank's insurer whether partners should be covered. De-facto or married sould be.

        • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 15:51
          +2

          @Chrissy213: We drove from Vegas to Anaheim for Disneyland, it's about 4 or 4.5 hours and there's heaps of roadside food joint to stop at. Really easy drive once you get out of LA, and if you leave outside of peak time the LA part is easy too.

        • texanboy on 28/07/2015 - 17:44
          +3

          @Chrissy213: I absolutely love the drive from LA to Vegas - comfortable 4.5 hour drive - mostly three lane highway on the I-15 - red dirt desert mountains along the route make for a very photo-friendly trip. If you are after outlet centres - one of the best in this part of the world is also on this road - at Barstow - some very cheap stores here. You also have the added benefit of seeing signs to the famous town of Zzyzx - famous for its name only! It would take you nearly three hours by the time you do the airport thing at both ends.
          One word of warning - AVOID WEEKENDS on this road. Any time after midday Friday from LA can see your comfortable four hour drive turn into a six to eight hour CRAWL. Same for the return from LV on Sunday PM. It seems half of LA moves to Vegas most weekends!
          Agree with all of QW3RTY's advice re time in LA versus NYC - its good advice. Its a pity you don't have time to visit the great state of Texas - perhaps next time. Have a great honeymoon.

        • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 29/07/2015 - 11:54
          +1

          Actually if getting a car rental I highly recommend getting the loss damage waiver. Waives you of any liability to damages caused to the car.

          American residents typically don't get this because their credit card offers insurance cover to car rentals, but as far as I know (and when I did my research at the time I was planning to go to the US) this cover doesn't apply for Australians.

        • hayne on 29/07/2015 - 17:38
          +1

          @neos: Driving is way better than flying over that distance. One option involves: make your way to the airport, make sure your luggage isn't overweight, brave the crowds, put up with delays (one time we were delayed at a US domestic airport for four hours, waited in line for 2 hours to get to customer service, rebooked on the next available flight - which wasn't until 4 days later because of all the people ahead of us), fight for overhead cabin space (US domestic are allowed bigger bags, often up to 18 kgs as well), and then arrive and find your way to your destination. The other involves picking the car up from the rental office (depending on my travel plans, I'd usually prefer to pick one up as I fly into the US) and then driving straight up to your next stop. You throw your bags in the bag and leave whenever you're ready and you have complete freedom. You can stop over anywhere you find interesting. LA is not a great place to drive (drivers are overly aggressive) but driving outside of major cities in the US is a cinch. The trip to LA to Vegas is easy. Petrol is cheap. Another suggestion - when I did the drive from LA to Vegas to the Grand Canyon, I stopped over at the Hoover Dam. I thought it was possibly going to be a bit boring but it was actually pretty awesome.

          With insurance - the loss damage waiver is an absolute rip-off. Rental car companies make massive profits off that. $25 a day would be pretty standard. I think some motoring clubs (RACV, NRMA?) offer rental excess only insurance if you want to just pick up coverage for rental car excess and use your credit card insurance for everything else. I think the pricing is pretty set so if you only get it for a day, it costs the same as if you get it for two weeks (don't quote me on that though). Just check if it's international, I'm not entirely sure.

          Other suggestions - if you're hiring a car for a prolonged period (e.g. 2 weeks) and you have small kids, buy a child seat off Amazon and get it sent to your first stop. Rather than pay $15 a day for a child seat, you can get reputable brands from $80 - $120. For GPS, you might want to consider taking a secondary smartphone - it can really suck down your battery if you use your primary phone (Google Maps doesn't use a huge amount of data but you'll probably want to get a local SIM card unless you've already activated a global roaming pack).

          Also, if you are doing Amazon shopping, contact your hotels first to make sure they'll receive the package and find out whether they charge. I've stayed at some hotels where they have told me that if you don't include your stay dates, they return the packages to sender. Other ones will charge per package (which is a bit outrageous).

        • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 29/07/2015 - 22:54
          +1

          @hayne:

          Driving is way better than flying over that distance

          Yeah I agree, I'm actually in favour of getting a car rental in the US. I drove from LA to Vegas and it beats flying.

          But I'm pretty sure if you take a car rental in the US without loss damage waiver (ad a non-american), you're pretty much driving uninsured. Actually you're covered for third party damages, but not to the rental car itself. LDW is not actually insurance by the way, it just waives your rights to be held liabile for damages to the rental car. This is a different system to how rentals operate in Australia I believe.

        • SimbaGirl on 30/07/2015 - 12:46
          +3

          @neos:

          Yes, the car rental insurance system in the US is very different to Australia and the "excess cover" of a few thousand dollars in travel insurance policies (including the "free" ones on many Aussie credit cards) won't go far at all in the US if you have an accident. Over there, if you don't take out LDW you are liable for the cost of all repairs, up to and including the ENTIRE cost of the car in the event of a write-off. Another thing to be aware of is that the liability cover in your insurance policy (for damage/injury to other people and property) usually does NOT apply if you are driving a car when it happens - just about all travel insurance policies will have an exclusion in this section about claims "arising from the use of a mechanically propelled vehicle" so you need to take out Additional/Supplementary Liability Insurance (the rental insurance companies usually call it one or the other). Yes, it's expensive, but to be honest, I wouldn't hire a car in the US without taking out at least those two insurances, it's just not worth the risk.

        • MementoMori on 31/07/2015 - 22:23

          @Chrissy213: Yes easy, it's a four hour drive and you get to see a bit more of America. I've done it a few times myself. I would recommend hiring a car with at least a 2.0L engine for the trip (long slow uphills and you'll want the AC on!).

      • ajdlinux on 01/08/2015 - 00:13

        New York is fantastic. I'd also recommend fitting in a visit to Washington DC if you can - it's only a few hours away by Amtrak, and there's a tonne of stuff to see there.

        LA's a hole, though as a Canberran I must object to the GP's characterisation of my fine city. :P

    • [Deactivated] on 28/07/2015 - 20:40
      +1

      My wife and I did almost everything on this list and definitely recommend everything suggested. Particularly the domestic/international flight package -saved us well over $300 last trip and looks like being closer to double that this trip.

      Go mid-week to Vegas and save heaps -
      ++1000 for San Fran over LA any day.

      Leave your jackets at home - too heavy on baggage anyway - buy local weighted jackets from "Ross - Dress for Less" an end of line store that carries brand name gear at 90% off

    • ExpressCoffee on 28/07/2015 - 22:07

      WOW! Thank you for the excellent advice. My girlfriend and I just made a snap decision to join my friends travelling to the USA late november.

      We were just discussing how long to spend in each of the cities (all of which is mentioned except San Fran) and this is a nice guide to plan our travels.

      Our (rough) plan was to do NY for 4 days, LA for 8 days with 2 days for Anaheim theme parks, San Fran for 3 days and Vegas for 4 nights. But now I'm leaning towards shortening the LA experience.

      I am also keen to look up that supercar experience too, thanks!

      • KaTst3R on 29/07/2015 - 19:26
        +1

        Take away days from LA and allocate to NY. There is sooooo much to see in NY seriously (i couldnt even cover enough in 9 days). In LA, you can allocated 2 or 3 days to go theme parks (Disney Califonia Adventure Park, Disneyland, Universal), then choose one day to go to the beach at Santa Monica/Venice Beach, and maybe one or two days to cover Hollywood Boulevard and Beverly Hills. You have covered like 75% of LA in these few places.

        • sparkles on 30/07/2015 - 21:33

          OMG, don't spend 8 days in LA! You will have major regret! Spend one/two days Disney Anaheim, one day Universal Studios, one day LA (see the sign/H'Wood Bvld/El Capitan/Rodeo) then spend the days you save in San Fran and Vegas or my pick, Grand Canyon.

    • Randxyz123 on 28/07/2015 - 23:16

      Thankfully he managed to call a very hung over version of me at 6am to give the appropriate details and they processed the final changes and let him into the country.

      This made me laugh haha

      I agree pretty much with everything QW3RTY has said. You need probably 8 days in New York, It'll be warming up and will be really nice there.

    • SydStrand on 29/07/2015 - 20:37

      New York is the holy grail of each of my USA trips.

      As long as you watch out for the pimps and CHUDs.

  • donga100 on 28/07/2015 - 12:43

    There are usually pretty good airfare deals at the Flight Centre expos. Have a look on Skyscanner before you go to get an idea of exactly how good they are.

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 12:54

      Thanks Donga100. Do you think it would be better to go to my local flight centre? They are having a 2 day sale for the America expo.

      • donga100 on 28/07/2015 - 12:56
        +2

        It should all be the same prices in store compared to at the expo and less crowds to contend with.

  • arislan on 28/07/2015 - 13:03
    +2

    Remember to tip! Always have dollar notes with you. Google for typical tipping rates. Have Fun.

    • QW3RTY on 28/07/2015 - 13:09
      +2

      This is super important.

      All prices that you see are generally exclusive of tax as well, which could mean up to an extra 15%.

      Add another 15-20% tip on top of that for eateries and suddenly that $6 burger doesn't look so cheap any more.

      • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 14:50

        Is it easier to just get some cash out when you arrive in the U.S.?

        Thanks for letting me know about the tax and tips.

        • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 14:52
          +4

          Get the citibank plus account and avoid the ~2% international transaction fee

        • RockyRaccoon on 29/07/2015 - 08:00
          +2

          @meowmeowmeow: Also Citibank ATMS are in 7/11 stores so easy to find

    • ilikeradiohead on 29/07/2015 - 02:29
      +2

      I've found you can pay with cc everywhere you go, and you just add the tip on at the end to the total. Pretty straight forward, no need to carry a wad of 1s around.

      • RockyRaccoon on 29/07/2015 - 07:56
        +2

        absolutely correct even Maccas and Subway accepted cards

        But avoid cards that charge a transaction fee for OS as it can hit hard when a $5 meal is now $10 after the fee is added by your credit card issuer.

        28 Degrees is one way to save on this

        • Gina Rinehart on 29/07/2015 - 23:02

          28 degrees is good, but it's a proper credit card. IMO the Citibank Visa Debit is a much better option, as it works as a credit card, and has the same no international fees - but it's a simple load up the account with cash and don't worry about paying cc, etc.

        • RockyRaccoon on 30/07/2015 - 10:05

          @brezzo: Agree but there are somethings you need it for like car rental and hotel bookings, as they dont always accept debit cards, especially for reservations in advance😀

        • Gina Rinehart on 30/07/2015 - 16:39

          @RockyRaccoon: I've never had a problem using the debit as a credit, I just tell them to ring it as credit and they put the hold on funds or w/e just like a normal cc :)

        • RockyRaccoon on 30/07/2015 - 16:47

          @brezzo: You might be right doing it that way, but I wouldn't risk it as I know others who got stuck without a car because they used the debit card. BTW that would have been wise to advise them before suggesting that strategy.

          Have both which is also a low cost back up in case one fails or is lost etc.

          Personally I think you have more protection witha credit card, and as the 28 degrees costs nothing and they are travelling only for 3 weeks why bother preloading so much of your own cash beforehand.

          But it's a personal choice

    • ilubbargains on 29/07/2015 - 14:39
      +1

      If you're on a tight budget, you can get away with tipping by getting take-away from fast-food outlets such as In-N-Out Burger and Wendy's. Just be wary of the health repercussions.

  • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 13:20
    +2

    You'll want to stay in Anaheim for the Disneyland part of your trip, as it's an hour drive from the middle of LA to Disneyland and nobody wants to do that at 7am and then drive back to LA at midnight. PLUS hotels in Anaheim are cheaper than LA anyway. You can get a supershuttle or similar back to LAX (about 1 hr away) if you are flying to vegas, NYC or whatever and it's only like $30 in the shuttle for two people.

    We stayed at the Hyatt Place Anaheim which was good (free breakfast too), it's very new, maybe a 15 minute walk to the main gate of Disneyland. There's closer hotels so just look at a map and find what is good value, typically the closer the hotel the more expensive but there are exceptions.

    I think they are opening a Harry Potter land in LA soon. Not sure when.

    April will find you at the end of the NBA season, so try and catch a game or two (or 11, like we did, but we like basketball haha). There's the Clippers and Lakers in LA, Knicks and Nets in NY, so you will have a few options anyway.

    I recommend staying in Hollywood if you won't have a car in LA, as theres a train line that will take you to Universal and also to the Staples Centre for the basketball and downtown. After that, the hardest places to get to will be Santa Monica/Venice beach - there's a bus which takes an hour or so, and also Beverly Hills/rodeo drive but thats much closer and theres several buses, or if you do a movie stars homes tour they generally take you to Rodeo drive and around Beverly Hills so that kills two birds with one stone.

    Agree about NYC, spend 7 or 8 days if you can and you still wont get everything done. You need to book your visit to the statue of liberty as early as you can (maybe 4 months ahead, i'm not sure) so look that up and work it out once you have your days set.

    Vegas is just so crazy, you have to go, we dont gamble or drink but we hired a car and drove out to hoover dam and the valley of fire, and we went to the grand canyon, and we went to the outlets, and just walked around the strip which is so cool to see. 4 days would be enough, remember that one day will be grand canyon so that leaves 3 in vegas.

    If you can get your flights on the one booking that would be amazing baggage wise. I'd expect less than $1500 return to LAX, maybe $1200 if you are lucky, and then add on the internal flights and see what's reasonable. Don't miss out just cos you want to save $100, in the scheme of what the trip costs the airfares aren't the biggest issue.

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 14:58

      Shuttle sounds good to Anaheim. Was thinking about flying to LA and spending a few days at Anaheim first before flying to New York. Wanted to break up the flights a bit as the longest flight I have been on is Melbourne to Perth and I get travel sick.

      Would love to see some basketball/baseball or ice hockey while I'm over there.

      Thanks for the tip about booking Statue of Liberty tickets in advance. Is there any other tickets worth booking in advance?

      Four days in Vegas sounds good. Can cut back how many days we spend in LA/Anaheim to make sure we get enough time in New York

      • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 15:08
        +2

        The flight there is long, cos it's normally a daytime flight so it's hard to sleep. That's the worst part though and then way home i find i sleep most of the flight as it's a 10pm flight.

        Spend some time in LA on the way back too if you want to break up the flight, or are you going to do Vegas last and fly from NYC to Vegas?

        Tickets for sports work differently than here. They are generally all season ticket holders so it's a secondary market where the season ticket holders sell the tickets they aren't going to use, and they set their own price. Do some research about it all. NBAtickets.com and http://www.ticketsnow.com/nhl/ are the most legit, followed by stubhub.com. Try and get tickets down the bottom for at least one game if your budget allows, it's just so much better.

        With where you are going, i can't think of other major attractions you need to book in advance, but log on to the tripadvisor forums and read the top questions for each destination and then start reading some of the forum topics. This is a good way to get your head around what there is to do, as other people post their proposed itineraries as well which can give you ideas.

        Spend at least 2 days for Disneyland, it's tiring but amazing. We spend 2.5 days and it was a good amount of time, it depends how many rides you go on and shows you attend. Make sure you catch the parades as that's one of my favourite bits.

        Three weeks is a good amount of time to visit the three places you've listed, so you should be fine.

        • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:34

          Yeah, I was hoping to get a night flight over to LA but looks like most are day time. Normally he travel sick tablets make me a bit drowsy so hoping I might still get some sleep on the way over.

          Thanks for the tips on the basketball tickets!

          I'm thinking maybe to allow 3 days for Disneyland, it's the main reason I want to go to the U.S. so really want to do as much as I can there. I've heard the night fireworks are great to see as well.

        • maximum on 30/07/2015 - 00:01
          +1

          @Chrissy213: we stayed at the hotel ménage in Anaheim. You could walk to Disney (or a $3.50 U.S. Uber ride)and the pool is directly under the fireworks . Magical. It was the secret hotel on wotif so it was cheap too. It also has laundry facilities (what a boring mum thing but great for long trips)
          If you are in New York look at stub hub for a concert at Maddison square garden and Yankees tickets. We were going to go to a Motown show on broadway but ending up seeing Diana Ross instead for half the price. Also put in for tickets to the tonight show with jimmy fallon- guaranteed celebrity spotting. I think you could spend a month in New York and hardly scratch the surface.
          I have flown with United, Qantas and Virgin to the U.S. all in the last year and there really isn't much difference for me.
          Last but not least don't forget travel insurance.

        • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:01

          @maximum: Thanks, I never thought about looking at wotif for hotels

        • maximum on 30/07/2015 - 21:31

          @Chrissy213: we mainly stayed in vrbo and airbnb because we were a big group first time and because it was cheaper. I won the other 2 trips so accomodation was expensive hotels. But last trip we had to extend as my son was ill and couldn't fly. The hotel we were in (downtown la) couldn't match Priceline which does price bidding etc for their room so we just booked a couple of days through Priceline.

          Then I looked at Anaheim for Disney once my son was out of hospital. I matched up the mystery hotel on wotif with hotel ménage which looked good. Only issue was the site then recognised my I pad and put the price up. I booked on my sons iPad at the original lower price.

  • nuchalis on 28/07/2015 - 13:23
    +6

    YMMV, but Qantas isn't what it used to be… I used to fly exclusively with them, even when they crept in fees and baggage-nazism and rule-changes on every turn, until eventually they deleted all my FF points (over $10,000 worth of flights) on a silly technicality (to do with how I manage my business between myself and my wife) and refused to reinstate them… what a giant F-you! To be honest I'll never fly with them again and neither will anyone I employ!

    Just go with the cheapest flight, watch out for hidden baggage charges, and do a quick google to see if it's a horror-company (ie avoid Spirit Air for anything but the shortest no-baggage hops)

    re: USA, consider the national parks, they are astounding.

    Driving in major cities sucks, but elsewhere it's great! You'll love the freedom… I'd totally rent a car.

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 14:59
      +2

      I was only thinking Qantas because I'm not a good flyer. What other airlines would you recommend? Are United any good or Virgin?

      • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 15:11
        +1

        Have flown virgin to USA twice and they are just as good as Qantas. Delta codeshare with Virgin sometimes, and sometimes it's their own plane. United use a super old plane which i wasn't keen on, but maybe they have upgraded it. Hawaiian is an idea if you want a break in the flight, but it might eat up some precious holiday time.

        • Shadowsfury on 28/07/2015 - 16:40
          +1

          United now fly using the new Dreamliners (787-9), when services started in October 2014.

          I did MEL-LAX return in April/June and they were great aircraft. Service was also really good and food delicious - I have no idea why people kept laughing about the service when I mentioned I was flying United.

      • nuchalis on 28/07/2015 - 15:18

        IMHO it's not worth worrying about too much… you'll survive any minor variations, and have a cool holiday.

        That said, Virgin and ANZ are pretty good. (As is qantas, I just got burned). I don't know United.

        • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:38
          +1

          I think Hawaii may eat up too much time.
          Is it generally better to have a long flight with stops? I guess ideally I would have loved a 7 hour flight, an hour or two break then another flight. Most of the Virgin ones look like they just stop in Brisbane or Sydney so not much of an advantage. Air NZ has the stop in NZ but then seem to have nearly as long a flight to LA from there then flying from Melbourne.
          I get a bit fidgety on planes and find I can't read without getting travel sick. Feeling like this is going to be a very long flight for me!

        • nuchalis on 29/07/2015 - 19:02
          +1

          @Chrissy213: it's personal preference… we get uncomfortable too (esp as we are both over 6'2"), AND motion sick… but personally I prefer to just get it over with, always try and get a direct flight :)

          Sleep if you can, avoid the free alcohol, watch the films, get up and walk around a little, consider bringing motion-drugs (my wife likes Kwells, the others knock her out too much), drink water, and on arrival do a little excercise before sleep.

          You'll be fine!

        • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:03
          +1

          @nuchalis: Lucy I'm not as tall as you! I use Kwells as well and they generally work well, except for one flight to QLD.

      • fatwombat on 30/07/2015 - 18:54
        +1

        I have just checked http://www.AA.com . It's $2586 return for 2 passengers on Qantas. AA codeshare with Qantas. This is pretty good to LA. 4 days LA, 3 days LasVegas and 2 weeks New York is good.

      • ajdlinux on 01/08/2015 - 00:14
        +1

        Have flown with Delta, they're not too bad. United has the worst reputation for various reasons though.

    • ilikeradiohead on 29/07/2015 - 02:32
      +2

      I flew with spirit from Houston to Chicago and back. It strongly reminded me of Ryanair haha, but for a 2 hour flight for so little I couldn't complain.

  • Donaldhump on 28/07/2015 - 13:50
    +3

    tip using QFF to book american airlines points, flights cost a $5.60 flat tax.

    was 18000 points to book charlotte to lax (similar distance to nyk to lax) actual flight was $600 as is direct (was a $280 equiv through dallas)
    was 8000 points to book miami to lax (similar distance las vegas to san fran or so infact ) actual flight was about $200

    u can get 40000 points pretty easy on nab c/c

    i book 2 x each of these flights so reckon i saved $1500

    LA is a dump as others have said
    NYC is cool, ran out of time, and i usually get bored easy

    NBA schedule is due out in 3 weeks, as other said catch some of these…+ hockey if still on, gridiron wont be

    driving in states is easy as, get a sat nav…i did the first turn wrong ended up on median strip, but after that was all easy as, except when 3.7 litre dr pepper blew up in my car, as a state trooper pulled me over and i got everything wrong.

    1200 into lax and back is good price IMHO

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 15:01

      Thanks Unclesnake.

      I seem to have trouble getting that many reward points. Thinking about getting a new credit card that has travel insurance and better points. Are there any that don't have annual fees after the first year? Or is it worth paying the annual fees to get the points / travel insurance?

      I

      • Donaldhump on 28/07/2015 - 16:29
        +1

        try this one it has no annual fee first year, just close after 11 months
        https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/partners/card/nab-qanta…

        and you just make a purchase on both the amex and visa card, really simple..

        thats all i got, plus paid lots of bills, which is depressing…

        travel insurance i dont really trust credit card ones, but each to their own.. i use TID or QBE

        have a nice holiday

  • sane on 28/07/2015 - 14:44
    +1

    If it's a honeymoon, have you considered stopping over at Hawaii on the way there? Much more the destination for that sort of thing, and possibly will have to land there anyway. It's a long old flight across the pacific otherwise.

    You will probably end up at LAX, although if you do go via Hawaii you might find more options available to you to get to the CONUS. As others have said, I don't think much of Los Angeles (and you would need a car). San Francisco is a much better bet on the west coast - more to see.

    Las Vegas is a tourist spot, designed to separate you from your money. Up to you, but I'd include a trip out to the Grand Canyon if I were going there.

    New York is a world city (unlike any in Australia) but it was always grubby from my perspective. Don't trust the subway. I kind of preferred Washington DC; at least as many sights and less grubby.

    There are many other areas of course, bear in mind you won't 'see the US' this way.

    Expect to need a car quite often - the yanks don't do public transport.

    Cheap tickets can be searched out by you - give it some time, play around with a decent multi travel site, and you'll spot where the bargains come from. Travel agents often aren't much better, but nothing stopping you from doing the best you can first, then seeing what they can do.

    Wouldn't go via Qantas unless they were the cheapest. Worth checking if there are any 'rover' type deals on for flying round the states.

    • Chrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 15:04

      I haven't considered Hawaii. Not really much of a water person and only have three weeks for travel so thought it might be better spending more time on the mainland.

      Although the idea of shorter flights is tempting.

      Do you need a special drivers license to be able to drive in the U.S.?

      • sane on 28/07/2015 - 15:23

        Not sure where the 'water' thing came from. Sure Hawaii has beaches etc., but a whole lot more besides. More of a party destination than LA say, and plenty to see/do. You'd have to work how the flights worked out, but being able to skip LAX might be a plus as well as two shorter hops.

        Not sure about the driving license in the US situation - probably not. You do need half your brain removed, be able to use an automatic, drive on the other side of the road, and understand right-turn-on-red rules. Nothing taxing.

        Pity you only have three weeks total. I think I might have looked into the round-the-world tickets if slightly longer and looked to keep going east. I've done a RTW in 4 weeks before (and in much shorter durations on work, which is a killer).

      • 01011010 on 29/07/2015 - 15:34

        definitely consider the Hawaii option. Honolulu is a great destination - lots of shopping, some tourist spots, and you dont even need to touch the water.

        lots of good food options and outlets (just as good as las vegas imo).

        If i was you, i'd go MEL- (HNL) HONOLULU - LAX (LA - DISNEYLAND) - JFK (NEW YORK) - MEL (maybe via LAX)

      • 01011010 on 29/07/2015 - 15:36

        and no special drivers license needed.

        just have a passenger in the front seat at all times on highways, you'll find that you naturally drift to the left (and into the middle of the road).
        Its an experience that you'll never forget.. I drove LAS to LAX on a fight weekend - 10 hours that usually should take 4 max.. !!!

        • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:40

          Would Hawaii be a better option than going to Las Vegas? Especially if we were just looking at got to Vegas mainly for the outlets?

        • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 30/07/2015 - 11:35

          you'll find that you naturally drift to the left

          lol I was noticing I was slowly drifting to the left on freeways, and had to constantly readjust. Thought it was just me. Then my wife drove and same thing.

          Glad to know it wasn't just us.

        • 01011010 on 30/07/2015 - 11:57

          @Chrissy213: yeah i think so.

          the sales tax in Hawaii is 4% and in Nevada its 8.1%

          there's plenty to do in Honolulu - check out Ala Moana and Waikele Premium Outlets.

        • 01011010 on 30/07/2015 - 11:59

          @neos:

          haha yeah - i think its got something to do with your natural instinct is to be on the right side of a lane, but as you are on the other side of the car, your brain tells you to go to the left to compensate.

  • brilliantthings on 28/07/2015 - 15:17

    I'm also interested to know when is it too late to get discount flights to US? Two months out? One month out?

  • ols108 on 28/07/2015 - 20:20
    +1

    I went to the US in 2014 and 2013 and going back in March next year, I might be different from most people who have posted, but I liked LA, sure its a little dirty, but its what I expected, I am younger generation that grew up with American LA culture so going to Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Hollywood etc was awesome.
    3 weeks is going to be hard to do everything, if it were me, I would stick to NY-LA-Anaheim-Vegas.

    Don't rule out driving a hire car, its brilliant, both trips I've done a lot of driving (drove from NY-Washington DC- Florida-Dallas-Monument Valley-Vegas-LA on our last family vacation. never had any issues apart from one speeding ticket on our way to the Area-51 Gate.

    Disneyland seriously is my favourite place, we're spending 5 days there next March and staying just across the road at the Anaheim Camelot Inn and Suites which was only $180AUD per night, do this for at least 3 days and spend a full day at Universal studios in Hollywood, as said above Harry Potter World is due to open 26th of March next year and if its anything like we say in Florida its totally brilliant.

    It looks like there is a bunch of great advice in this thread, but take some time to open up googlemaps and trip advisor and do your research.
    Keep an eye out for flights to LAX for around $1000 or less, they seem to come up with AirNZ/Virgin/Qantas pretty regularly.

    Good Lucky :-)

    • meowmeowmeow on 28/07/2015 - 20:39
      +1

      I forgot to write about la. I really liked it too, just gave realistic expectations. There's heaps to do the besides the cliche tourist activies too.

      • hayne on 29/07/2015 - 17:48

        I didn't rate LA the first couple of times I went. The last few times I've gone, I've 1) had a car and 2) had friends to show me around. It's a great city with good food.

        However, would probably agree with other posters above that if it's your first trip and you're trading off SF vs. LA, I'd probably lean towards SF (and Napa).

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:44
      +1

      Great timing if Harry Potter world is opening in March - love the Harry Potter movies. Would one day be enough for Universal Studios?

      Think driving a car might be a good option, especially if it cuts out a flight to Vegas and back. Would much rather drive than fly!

      Is there much accommodation in Vegas that has car parking for the rental car?

      • ols108 on 29/07/2015 - 19:28
        +1

        One day is heaps in Universal Studios Hollywood, I would try a week day, we didn't wait at all in lines both times we went on a Thursday.
        we're a family of 4 so flying place to place just becomes too costly for us, and we all really enjoy the road trip aspect of our trips even though our daughters are only 8 & 11yrs old.
        Vegas is home to the largest hotels in the world and not only is parking free everywhere, valet parking is free (tip required only).

        try myvegas on facebook, its a game that allows you to have free rewards just by playing facebook slots.
        I created a 2nd FB account and so did my wife, we've had 7 nights free accommodation over the last 2 trips at both Aria and MGM Grand and like 5 free buffets for 2. it takes some time, but I enjoy it and cause I am a tight arse it makes it more fun.

        • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:05

          Thanks, I've downloaded myvegas and will try to see how many rewards I can build up

  • RockyRaccoon on 28/07/2015 - 21:45

    It all depends on what you like. East Coast is very hip, but its a long way to travel, and given it's your first trip you can do so much around west coast in 3 weeks. All been mentioned here.

    But the US is built on the car. Sure you can get around without one, and the East Coast is better set up for that, but cost wise Taxi's etc will take a lot out of your budget. Plus you cant save on lower price digs if you are stuck downtown in any of the cities.

    If you like the West Coast then next time go East for some variation. The US is big and you don't want to spend so much time travelling around. You'll never see it all in 1 2 or even 3 trips

    Check the Wiki here on car rental, be sure to get decent cover. Travellers insurance doesnt cover Cars well in the US. For Australia Euriope etc its fine, but the US car rentals are very low on cover we take for granted and compulsory here. You could lose a lot without adequate insurance.

    For Vegas, travel there for stays Mon-Thurs and you will save. Peak rates apply Fri-Sat and sometimes Sun nights. Rates can be 3-4X higher.

    If you like shopping, it's sort of paradise, and outlet shops arent close to downtown (except Vegas). Stores even like Kmart here, can have cheap clothes that you wouldn't want, because you'd run into someone here with same, but when you bring it back to Oz it's unique.

    Likewise their end of season sales are great as its the begining of the season here.

    Sites from Vegas like Bryce canyon, Page - slot canyons - and Zion National park are also great places to visit - there's 3 days of sight seeing alone. Google them to see how great they are. Yosemite NP, San Francisco, Carmel, San Simeon, Hearsts Castle, Monterrey, Santa Cruz, Big Basin, Half Moon bay, Big Sur, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate NP, Napa Valley give you plenty more to see. Then there's Tahoe Reno and Virginia City.

    And south of Anaheim (Disneyland) there's San Diego.

    Then have hubby take you back on another trip to see NY for a second honeymoon

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:48

      Thanks for the tip on staying in Vegas from Monday to Thursday. Will try to work that into our itinerary.

      I do love shopping so would be good to visit the outlets.

      Not sure if we would be able to get back for a second honeymoon, so I'm looking at this at maybe the only time I'll get to the U.S (at least until quote a bit later in life).
      With that in mind, do you think it's worth visiting NY?

      • meowmeowmeow on 29/07/2015 - 19:36
        +1

        Watch out for Vegas weekdays if there is a big conference on. The national association of broadcasters conference is in April every year and drives up prices so look up the dates and avoid that week. Try and book a hotel in the mid strip area too.

        • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:05

          Thanks heaps for the tip on the conference. Would never have know about that.

  • chumlee on 28/07/2015 - 22:31
    +1

    My wife and I visited the states you have listed plus San Diego, San Fran and Chicago. We used public transport in all states and didn't find it an issue to get around. We used Amtrak on the west coast.

  • melindaireneholmes on 28/07/2015 - 22:34

    I lived near SF for 8 yrs -I've been back for 5 yrs. I hated flying United. Look at Slickdeals.net for travel deals, there is Fatwallet but I prefer slick deals. Public holiday weekends are good for shopping. Ross 'shop for less' was my favourite store for brand names cheaper - end of season, store close out stock etc. Slickdeals used to have awesome Vegas strip deals. Coupons are huge there. Last minute tix where good for the shows. Don't forget if you use transport a lot of systems you can use transfers -you can use the ticket for 2 hrs. If you like museums/zoos etc join one that has a lower price membership and the membership allows you to go anywhere nationally. If you have an Aussie membership they are recognised at some U.S. Zoos/museums/science museums etc.

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:49

      Thanks for the coupon tips! I am a member of Melbourne Zoo so thanks for the tip.

  • melindaireneholmes on 28/07/2015 - 22:42
    +2

    Use uber/lyft/sidecar, or (shuttle van companies from airports) rather than taxis around the city-cheaper. Slick deals will have coupons for fast food/attractions/movies etc. list of places with free wifi, coupons for department stores, always check before buying. Look at lifehacker.com tips for cooking in a hotel room to save money on food😂.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/07/2015 - 22:43
    +3

    Watch out for the bloody drop bears.

    • 01011010 on 29/07/2015 - 15:37

      aren't they native to Australia?

      • [Deactivated] on 29/07/2015 - 17:36
        -1

        That's what they want to you think. By the time you realise, its already too late.

  • melindaireneholmes on 29/07/2015 - 00:16
    +1

    Can you get this delivered to the hotel for the cities you are going to visit: http://slickdeals.net/f/8006637-2015-entertainment-books-5-f…

  • [Deactivated] on 29/07/2015 - 05:35

    Congratulations on your engagement!

    What took you so long?

    Should have already got married this year so you could have got an Air New Zealand Deal :-)

    Just kidding, cancel your big wedding plans for here and marry in Vegas instead with just your very closest of people in your life if it is at all feasible because you would save you (and your parents) a boat load of money (even if you have to lost some deposits). Perfect excuse not to invite anyone else.

    It will give better financial security for the rest of your marriage. You've already decided to go to USA anyway you might as well make the most of it. It's not like you're having a Vegas marriage with someone you just met. Worth considering.

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:52

      Haha. He isn't an ozbargain member!

      I tried to convince him to marry in Vegas. I'm not much of the wedding type of person, but he wants to have the wedding. I thought to it would save a fair bit of money and could have enjoyed a better holiday.

      • [Deactivated] on 29/07/2015 - 20:43

        I understand, it totally depends on your family situation and we didn't do Vegas either. For us we needed all our Grandparents to be there because they are important to us, and not all of them would be able to travel, and they were all getting quite old and probably wouldn't get to go to many more family celebrations.

        Pro tip: Have an absolute minimum number of bridesmaids even if some good friends have to miss out.

        • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:07

          Thanks, my grandparents have all passed away but his grandmother is still around and think she would have been very disappointed if we didn't have a local wedding.

          I tried to get away with having no bridesmaids but ended up with three.

  • harkoliar on 29/07/2015 - 08:42
    +2

    Everyone gave great comments. Just one minor but important thing here is to get TSA approved locks!!!

    Those USA random security checks will break your locks if they arent.

    Perfect timing dicksmith is having their everyday (one day sale) :-)

    http://www.dicksmith.com.au/travel-accessories/korjo-tsa-key…
    http://www.dicksmith.com.au/travel-accessories/korjo-tsa-com…

    • meowmeowmeow on 29/07/2015 - 08:44

      Oh yes good point. The TSA seemed very curious about my bags and opened them (leaving me a letter inside, as well as a big mess) almost every time we flew somewhere. So annoying. Even more annoying if you don't have TSA locks as i believe they just cut them!

      • harkoliar on 29/07/2015 - 09:35

        They cut them.my cousin learned that the hard way when they visited for the first time.

        All they had was a string locking their luggage's after for the next few weeks travelling around.

      • Randxyz123 on 29/07/2015 - 10:00
        +1

        One of the first times I went there on a school trip they opened my friend's bag. Then went through his entire suitcase including opening things like shampoo and not closing the cap properly. Needless to say it went bloody everywhere.

        What really annoys me about their checks is that they just rummage through your bag messing up your shirts if they are ironed etc.

        When I was last there they just left a massive mess in my bag with all my clothes crumpled.

        Wasn't a big deal for me on holidays but if I was on business and needed to attend a meeting the next day I think it could be annoying.

        So yeah get the right locks.

        For New York get the New York pass (will link later when I get to a computer ) it gives you access to several attractions, Where ever you stay in New York make sure you are near a subway station. That is pretty much the only way to get anywhere in NYC. The unlimited subway ticket is excellent as well.

        For money get a 28 degrees card (if you can) and the Citibank plus for cash. Everywhere takes cards so I wouldn't even bother getting much cash out. It may not be a bad idea to have some on you on arrival in the U.S. or get some out for taxis.

        Another thing is that Macy's(a massive department store) have a promotion were you get an additional 10% off with your foreign passport. When you get to Macy's head to the service desk and ask them about it.

        Next thing travel insurance. If your credit card won't cover you, you'll have to do it yourself. For the U.S. you need the highest level of medical cover possible (i.e unlimited).

        Make sure you also see a show. The Book of Morman is excellent and worth seeing. If you are interested make sure you see a basketball game as well.

        New York isn't a cheap city but it is worth it.

        • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:54

          Thanks for the lock tips, would never have thought of that.

          I have a 28 degrees card already (for purchasing on Amazon) but will look into getting the Citibank card.

          Thanks for the tips on New York

        • Randxyz123 on 30/07/2015 - 11:13
          +1

          @Chrissy213: citibank card is really only if you need to get cash out. Check with your bank what the fees are. Mine were ridiculous.

          As I said before the only reason I kept a bit of cash on me was in case of an emergency.

          I'm not sure how much you want to see in New York in terms of Museums but the New York Pass is what I used last time and it was excellent.

          Gets you into pretty much everything that is good to see.

          The only thing I couldn't get into was the new WTC which opened recently(I was there in Feb) but the views are apparently amazing.

          It is really important especially for the flights home and going there that you book on one ticket. That way if your connection to LAX is late the airline will sort out a hotel or another flight for you. Internal flights you have less to loose.

    • chrislaya on 01/08/2015 - 22:06

      Just get these TSA combination locks from ebay. No keys!

      http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TSA-Approved-3-Digit-Luggage-Lock…

  • ilikeradiohead on 29/07/2015 - 10:24

    For internal flights I used kayak as they have a multi city planner. For my last trip I had 3 legs, LAX to Houston, Houston to a regional airport in California, then that airport back to LAX. It was all with United because they have a monopoly at the regional airport. My one checked bag was $25 for up to 50 pounds (23kg), but a second bag is $35 (so that would be the third after a second $25 bag with 2 people). If I hadn't gone to the regional airport I would have booked all internal flights with online aggregators like Skyscanner, kayak, IWTF etc. I also booked a return flight from Houston to Chicago with spirit, which has bare service but was significantly cheaper than everyone else, including baggage and joining the '$9 club' (it cost more than $9 to join.)

    As with all these things, ymmv.

    • SimbaGirl on 29/07/2015 - 17:28
      +2

      Also a good idea to check out Southwest's prices for domestic flights in the US. You can only book flights directly through the Southwest website - they don't (or won't!) pay commissions to third party sites, so their fares won't come up when you do searches on aggregators like kayak etc. We've used Southwest on 5 US trips and always found their prices are very good, and best of all, you get two checked bags per person free, which makes the fares even more competitive. They have regular sales as well. Just keep in mind that domestic US flights tend to get more expensive the closer it gets to the departure date, so it usually pays to book earlier rather than later.

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