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USA Guide: Top 10 supersized experiences

Stephen Scourfield seeks out quintessential US travel experiences — and good value.

Remember the days when there was “dollar parity”? In October 2010, the Australian dollar’s value passed that of the US dollar for the first time since becoming a freely traded currency. “Dollar parity” became the catchphrase of the day and it opened a floodgate of travel to the US.

Travel to the US from WA is price sensitive. In the dollar parity era it was an easy decision. The US was cheap — and we went. That gate remained ajar until the Australian dollar slipped below parity in May 2013.

Now, with our dollar worth perhaps only 77¢, travel to the US has become a more planned and more competitive decision. With travel to the US costing us more, we want more value in our travel and we might weigh it up against other possibilities (if we are spending that to go to the US, we could more easily travel to Europe).

So — now we’ve turned our mind to blockbuster US travel and, more particularly, to a big Top 10.

Before we go anywhere, let’s consider our approach, as this really can help to shape the trip. The traditional route is from Perth to Sydney, then the haul across the Pacific, mainly to Los Angeles. Qantas has a range of connecting flights and Virgin flies to Sydney in four hours, 25 minutes, then on to LA in 13 hours, five minutes.

As an example, a traveller might leave Perth at 10.45pm and arrive in LA at 6.55am, a day later, of course.

LA skyline. Picture: Visit California

This month Qantas expanded its longstanding relationship with American Airlines, meaning American will fly from Los Angeles to Sydney for the first time, as Qantas restarts services to San Francisco. It has to pass regulators but the new agreement means Qantas will cease four B747 Sydney to LA services a week and one B747 Melbourne to LA service, with American Airlines replacing them from December 19.

American Airlines’ trans- Pacific flights will be with new B777-300ER aircraft, with lie-flat seats in first and business class, while Qantas will retain its daily A380 Sydney and Melbourne services to Los Angeles. Qantas hopes to restart its Sydney to San Francisco route on Boeing 747-400 aircraft from December 20, increasing to six per week in January.

Another good option is with Air New Zealand, which flies a Dreamliner direct from Perth to Auckland. It then connects on to the US west coast. This avoids the Sydney snarl, gives good connections and more even “legs” to the journey, with a flight to Auckland, then a shorter flying time to the US than from Sydney.

As an example, a passenger leaving Perth at 7.50pm would arrive in Auckland at 6.10am and join the 3.45pm flight for LA which arrives at 9am. This gives a flying time of six hours, 20 minutes for the first flight and 12 hours, 15 minutes for the second.

Or head northwards and connect through Asia. Cathay Pacific, for example, has an 11.55pm flight which arrives in Hong Kong at 7.45am, connecting to a 9.30am Los Angeles flight, which arrives at 7.55am the next day.

China Southern Airlines flies out of Perth, connects in Guangzhou and continues to LA, typically with a travel time of a little over 26 hours. A traveller might leave Perth at 8.30am, arrive in Guangzhou at 4.40pm, join the 9.30pm flight to LA and arrive there at 7.40pm.

It currently has four but from October 25 will have five direct weekly flights.

Singapore Airlines connects to LA with two stops, in both Singapore and Tokyo.

Essential New York City — Central Park and part of the the city skyline. Picture: nycgo.com

One of the clever flights out of Perth is to the east coast of America through the Middle East, with Emirates through Dubai, Qatar through Doha and Etihad through Abu Dhabi.

As examples: an Emirates’ flight which leaves Perth at 6.06am arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City at 8.45pm, after 26 hours of travel. Among its 10 destinations in the US, Emirates also flies to Boston, Washington DC and Orlando on the east coast.

Qatar’s 10.35pm flight arrives in New York at 3pm after 28 hours, 25 minutes of travel.

Etihad’s 3.40pm flight arrives in New York the following day at 9am after 29 hours of travel.

With Etihad, there is also US Immigration pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi. Passengers travelling to the US basically go through US Customs and Immigration before boarding their flight in Abu Dhabi and arrive as a “domestic flight”, avoiding the queues at the immigration counters in America.

So, flying backwards works well for us — love leaving Perth in the morning and being in New York for supper.

One last word on dollars and that is to go with your credit card and your travel card loaded with US dollars plus with some US dollars in cash in your pocket. US laws prohibit the majority of banks from exchanging foreign currency (including Australian dollars), particularly over the counter. This clearly can cause difficulties in places where there aren’t money changers.

Reader Roger Jennings, from Kalamunda, has this tip: “Even in major cities it’s very difficult to find a bank able to exchange currency. When I lived in Washington DC only the somewhat obscure Riggs Bank, which was particularly oriented to dealing with overseas customers, could do this.”

1. NEW YORK CITY

Bustling Soho in New York City. Picture: nycgo.com

It has to be done. I love it. Shows, restaurants, shops, museums, art galleries, Central Park, a boat up the Hudson River, out to the Statue of Liberty. All that stuff. But New York City is great for families too — it welcomed more than 17 million family visitors last year and in the past five years family visitation has increased by 30 per cent.

My absolute favourites there are as simple as a walk in Central Park, a visit to the Guggenheim Museum and then plenty of time at the American Museum of Natural History. It’s completely brilliant.

Personally, I still think the Empire State Building one of the world’s most beautiful (along with the story of it being built over just 11 months and completed in 1931). High-speed elevators shoot visitors up to an 86th floor observatory for $22. But also visit the Frick Collection on East 70th Street and Fifth Avenue — a private home and art collection.

2. DISNEY

Visit the original Disneyland in California. Picture: Visit California

Doing Disney is huge. The original was Disneyland, in Anaheim, California, which is now called Disneyland Park. It opened in 1955, the only theme park designed and built under Walt Disney’s personal supervision. And the magic lives on.

And when better to visit than in this, Disneyland Resort’s diamond anniversary. There are all-new evening spectaculars to mark “60 Delightful Years of Disney Magic”.

The Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration consists of three new night-time spectaculars, including Disneyland Forever — “much more than a fireworks spectacular, it’s a street-to-sky experience sure to leave you in awe”, says a spokesperson. Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park and Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure Park have been transformed with special Diamond Celebration enhancements.

But The Walt Disney World Resort (it used to be Disney World) is in Bay Lake, Florida, near Kissimmee. This is considered the flagship of Disney’s international theme park empire. You name it, all things Disney are here — from characters and Disney animals (including gorillas) to rides such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Barnstormer and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

There is also the Disney Cruise Line, with its four themed ships.

3. ROUTE 66

Get your kicks discovering Route 66. Picture: Visit California

If you want to get a big slice of the US, this is still it — a 4000km transection between Los Angeles on the west coast and Chicago on the east.

It can be as easy as hiring a car (a big one) or a motorcycle (a very big one) and taking off, sorting accommodation as you go.

Some tour companies offer the whole thing packaged up or travel agents can help put it together. Kingman, Flagstaff (48km from Grand Canyon), Winslow, Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, Shamrock, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, St Louis, Springfield, Chicago. Yay. Route 66 is still known as the Main Street of America and with good reason.

4. NEW ORLEANS, NASHVILLE, MEMPHIS, AUSTIN

Graceland, Memphis, is a must-see on a music-themed tour of the US. Picture: Supplied/Graceland

If you want to follow a theme in the US, music isn’t a bad one — and tootling round these will give you a real insight into not only the US mood and sound but also its recent and contemporary history.

From jazz to rock, from blues to country, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Austin can all be hooked up into one trip — a muso’s delight.

But here’s another thought, too. The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, is, well, more than a “museum” in the old sense of the word and is great for families.

There’s a theme of connection through music. The Geographical Galleries has instruments by region and country and through a supplied headset there’s audio of what you’re standing in front of, from the music of Africa to Bolivia. The Mechanical Music Gallery has instruments that play on their own and in the Experience Gallery, visitors can play many instruments. Margaret River luthier Scott Wise has an instrument in the collection.

5. LOS ANGELES & LAS VEGAS (OH, AND THE GRAND CANYON)

Las Vegas. Picture: Thinkstock

We’ve decided to hit the west coast and the Los-Las double act is the go.

Plan a few days on the Californian coast in Los Angeles (people watch on Venice Beach, join a Hollywood celebrity tour, walk Rodeo Drive, don’t miss the Getty Centre gallery) and then it can be as simple as jumping in a hire car (or on a bus).

The average driving time from southern California to Las Vegas is about four hours.

On the road to Sin City with Elvis singing Viva Las Vegas — now, that’s getting in the mood. And now you’re there ... drop in on Caesar’s Palace, see the jumping fountains at the Bellagio, try bars such as the Mermaid Bar and Lounge (yes, it has “real” mermaids in a tank) and do a sightseeing double-decker bus tour for about $15.

And, as you are out and about, swing past the Grand Canyon.

6. DRIVE THE WEST COAST

San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Bridge. Picture: Thinkstock

Perhaps we want a bit more looseness — a bit more “make it up as we go along”. Driving the west coast can do that and give you great sights, too.

Welcome to the Pacific Coast Highway, a drive of up to 2700km along the coastlines of California, Oregon and Washington. One end is in Olympia, Washington, the other in Los Angeles, California, and the California coastline and the Pacific Northwest are the real jewels.

There are good prices on hire cars in the US. For example, Sydney based globalCARS (globalcars.com.au) has been offering discounts of up to 33 per cent from operators in cities across the US. This includes the hire of popular vehicles from major companies such as Alamo, Dollar, Fox, Hertz, Budget, National and Sixt.

Collections can be made from almost every major city in North America with rates varying in each city and season.

But a spokesperson for globalCARS says: “In the cities most popular with Australians — Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Francisco and Las Vegas — daily rates start at $46.95 per day. If you pre-book in Australia before departing for the US, rates include airport surcharges, collision damage waiver (CDW) with zero excess, third-party insurance and unlimited mileage.”

And globalCARS is also offering several free one-way rentals between locations in California and Nevada and between Seattle Airport and Los Angeles or vice versa.

7. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AND THE ROCKIES

Welcome to Yellowstone National Park, an elevating experience. Picture: Getty Images

Yellowstone National Park is known as the world’s first national park — certainly it’s the US’s oldest (established in 1872) and most famous and there’s good reason that it attracts three million visitors a year.

From mountains to canyons, deep azure lakes to wildlife (bison and grizzly bears), it is also part of one of the world’s biggest volcanoes, with plenty of thermal activity.

Old Faithful is the best-known geyser, of course. It is $US30 ($39) to drive a car in for a day but there are good tours, with the added benefit of the guides’ explanations and descriptions. Yellowstone is part of the southern Rockies — and being anywhere near the Rocky Mountains is an elevating experience.

8. MONTANA, WYOMING, COLORADO

Whitewater rafting in the Colorado Rockies. Picture: Getty Images

Want country? This is it on a grand scale. Triple up on landscape by combining Montana, Wyoming and Colorado and take in anything from authentic cowboying to big rivers.

Colorado has some of the world’s best commercial rafting, with trips from a few hours to days. There are eight main rafting rivers, with trips from beginner to advanced.

For an easy family run, aim perhaps for Brown’s Canyon on the Arkansas River; for those who like a few more thrills, a rafting trip taking in The Gauntlet, Pine Creek and The Numbers, again on the Arkansas, should provide some highs. The upper Colorado River also has good water for families.

9. SEATTLE TO ALASKA

Cruising the wild Alaskan coast is a classic travel experience. Picture: Getty Images

Cruising will give many travellers a nice, packaged-up way to see the high States, more specifically, the coast from the city of Seattle up to remote Alaska. Ships have been sailing this coastline since the gold rush of the 1880s to 1900.

Over about seven days, cruise passengers get a taste of Alaska as they visit ports such as Skagway and see glacier-carved fjords and forested islands along the Inside Passage.

10. HAWAII

Legendary Waikiki Beach. Picture: Hawaiii Tourism Authority

Let’s not forget the 50th US State, Hawaii. In some ways it is a destination all of its own. But we couldn’t leave it out of a USA Guide.

Apart from the island’s Pacific culture, Waikiki Beach on Oahu, Pearl Harbor and its historic sights, the active volcanoes on Big Island and its surf, this is a cruise-ship playground.

There are dozens of itineraries to choose from exploring the cluster of islands, from Maui to Kauai. Cruise companies such as Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America and Silversea operate here.