USA Question

Hello dear friends of the United States,

my girl an i we are planning a trip to the USA next year.
Normally Europeans are doing trips to different places...for example, starts in NY, goin to some Nature Parks, after that to California.
But these trips cost a lot and we need a lot of free days.

So, our Plan is to go to Miami (or a place around) and stay there for 2 weeks.
Maybe rent a car or a bike for few days.
We found out it is cheaper to go in May and June instead of March and April. (What we planned first)

Could somebody tell me why? Is the weather bad in May?

Are there place we have to go or visit?

And opposite: are there places we better not go.

What means a two star Hotel in the US? In some parts of europe it is close to camping...
We don`t need first class service, but we want a clean room with a good bed and aircon.

So, maybe somebody of this fantastic forum could help a "US Newbie"
(i was in many parts of the world, but i never visit the US. That`s what i want to change next year)

have a nice day

Jurgen (Brett)

brett wrote:

We found out it is cheaper to go in May and June instead of March and April. (What we planned first)

Could somebody tell me why? Is the weather bad in May?

I think it might have to do more with the weather up north than the weather in Miami... it's still kind of cold up here in the north east, so a lot of people head down south. By May and June, it's starting to get warm so I guess their tourism rate down there drops a bit, so they drop their prices. Also, Baseball's "Spring Training" (when teams get ready for their seasons) goes on in Florida (as well as Arizona) during most of March, so there's tons of people that travel down to Florida just for that.

uh.... two star i wouldnt do typically in areas with alot of riff raff.

minimum 3 star! sadly we dont have anythign cool like hostels in the us. unless you find a bitchin ymca

but florida = disney world pretty much

Budgie & JonGill:

Thanks for these Info. It is very helpful for us.

Cheers

B

Florida in May/June is getting to be their off-season as the weather will be turning warm and rainy. If it's an American city you're after, I'd recommend Chicago. Big town with midwestern, friendly people generally. Some rockabilly but, mostly, Chicago is all about the Blues, man. Plus, you're not too far out of reach of Nashville! The home of country music.
I'm in Iowa, there's nothing to see here. Just move along, folks, move along!
I'm a big fan of Priceline.com for getting nice hotel rooms for low prices. Just bid low on 4* or up and bid again if it gets rejected. Last time to Chicago, I got a room for my daughter at the Hiatt-Regency, in the loop, for $60 on a monday night stayover! She was in a room facing the lake on the 2nd floor from the top! We stayed that weeked at the Marriott just north of the loop for $75 and that was July 4th weekend!
Good luck and have a pleasant trip over here.
-Eddie Lee

You also have the "Spring Break" factor in March and April. As far as California, the weather is kinda weird in June. It's really over-cast and muggy in the morning, but warms up by noon.

My favorite travel related website is www.tripadvisor.com . TA is a worldwide travel site and has discussion forums, honest reviews of places to stay, restaurants, etc. If you've never been to a community before it helps you get a great feel for the place even before you get there.

If you like hot humid weather you will love south Florida in May/June. Fly into MIA, rent a convertible and drive down the Florida Keys to Key West!

EskimoPie wrote:

My favorite travel related website is www.tripadvisor.com . TA is a worldwide travel site and has discussion forums, honest reviews of places to stay, restaurants, etc. If you've never been to a community before it helps you get a great feel for the place even before you get there.

If you like hot humid weather you will love south Florida in May/June. Fly into MIA, rent a convertible and drive down the Florida Keys to Key West!

If it's hot and humid you're after, come to the Iowa state fair next year. We've got beautiful weather for this year's fair, but usually, it's mid-90's temps and humidity! You can watch the corn-fed bigguns drop like flies! And I ain't talkin' about big 4-legged critters, I mean 25% of the 2-legged variety!



THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout, Willis!

Eddie Lee wrote:

EskimoPie wrote:

My favorite travel related website is www.tripadvisor.com . TA is a worldwide travel site and has discussion forums, honest reviews of places to stay, restaurants, etc. If you've never been to a community before it helps you get a great feel for the place even before you get there.

If you like hot humid weather you will love south Florida in May/June. Fly into MIA, rent a convertible and drive down the Florida Keys to Key West!

If it's hot and humid you're after, come to the Iowa state fair next year. We've got beautiful weather for this year's fair, but usually, it's mid-90's temps and humidity! You can watch the corn-fed bigguns drop like flies! And I ain't talkin' about big 4-legged critters, I mean 25% of the 2-legged variety!



THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout, Willis!

OMG - I thought that was my dad at first glance, which is kinda spooky since he's been dead for 3 years. But then I saw that this person wasn't wearing a belt too.

I would personally recommend AT LEAST a 3-star hotel. At places like priceline.com you can set your search criteria to include ONLY 3* and above hotels and check rates from there.

I agree with what everyone else has said about May/June being a bit of a tourism "slump" as far as a dip in the prices. There will still be plenty of things to do, though, don't be deterred!

If you drive up the Gulf of Mexico coast, I be that could be pretty interesting, to see all the rebuilding after Hurrican Katrina 2 yrs ago now? They're hungry for tourists, so don't know what you'd find.

Driving up the eastern coast would be a very historic and also beautiful drive.

Chicago is a great city, full of culture and diversity. I would also think Nashville (a little closer to FL) would be great if you're looking for some of the "roots" of music.

After Chicago you might consider (you may not think it's worth it) but there's Kansas City to the south. KC has good BBQ and lots of jazz. Chicago has more choices, but KC has baseball, beer, jazz, bar-b-que and Worlds of Fun (amusement park)!! What else does one need?

Then there's this really big gap of......nothing ....till you hit CA. Wait...unless you want to see the ACTUAL SITE where Sitting Bull was killed! Then you'll DEFINITELY want to stop at Fort Robinson, NE!! Ha ha ha ha!!! Wait...no one else is laughing....it's an inside joke! Seriously....I can also take you to where Custer's Last stand happened. That one is a little creepy. Wild Bill Cody also has a museum out here in the middle of nowhere. I can give you directions.

Good luck planning your trip. Let us know what you think of our little place we call "home."

Thank you all,

Yep, i will let you know what we doin.

For the moment we think about to hire an apartment in Clearwater and rent a car.
I have an american buddy in New Orleans, maybe we`ll vist him for a few days.
(How are rates for local flights? I will check your sites)

But the period will be Middle of may. It is 40% less then in March.

Greets

B

Eddie Lee wrote:

THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout, Willis!

hey, it`s me after i stopped smoking...

I'm not a big fan of Florida myself, having lived there for a few years. But if you want to go to Florida, I'd have to say that May is one of the better times to go. It's after the college kids have spent a month vomiting there and it's before the weather turns unbearably hot and humid. I've visited in late April and May a few times since moving away and found it pretty pleasant then. Enjoy!

Brett--
If you get the chance definitely go to New Orleans!! I've only been there once in my life but I would go back in a heartbeat for the food alone! THE BEST I have ever had!! Oh yeah...then there's this music thing they got going on down there!!
I'm tentatively planning to go to New Orleans next year for a conference and I can't wait! I just hope airfare doesn't skyrocket.
Now I'm getting excited for your trip!!

PeroxideBlonde wrote:

I would personally recommend AT LEAST a 3-star hotel. At places like priceline.com you can set your search criteria to include ONLY 3* and above hotels and check rates from there.

I agree with what everyone else has said about May/June being a bit of a tourism "slump" as far as a dip in the prices. There will still be plenty of things to do, though, don't be deterred!

If you drive up the Gulf of Mexico coast, I be that could be pretty interesting, to see all the rebuilding after Hurrican Katrina 2 yrs ago now? They're hungry for tourists, so don't know what you'd find.

Driving up the eastern coast would be a very historic and also beautiful drive.

Chicago is a great city, full of culture and diversity. I would also think Nashville (a little closer to FL) would be great if you're looking for some of the "roots" of music.

After Chicago you might consider (you may not think it's worth it) but there's Kansas City to the south. KC has good BBQ and lots of jazz. Chicago has more choices, but KC has baseball, beer, jazz, bar-b-que and Worlds of Fun (amusement park)!! What else does one need?

Then there's this really big gap of......nothing ....till you hit CA. Wait...unless you want to see the ACTUAL SITE where Sitting Bull was killed! Then you'll DEFINITELY want to stop at Fort Robinson, NE!! Ha ha ha ha!!! Wait...no one else is laughing....it's an inside joke! Seriously....I can also take you to where Custer's Last stand happened. That one is a little creepy. Wild Bill Cody also has a museum out here in the middle of nowhere. I can give you directions.

Good luck planning your trip. Let us know what you think of our little place we call "home."

Watch it, PB! That's my stomping grounds! KC is more west than south from Chicago, but, if you miss it, you will end up in western Nebraska! I call it God's country, because it ain't fit for humans, God has it all to himself!

Eddie Lee--
No hard feelings about western NE. It's truly one of a kind country out there. A couple yrs ago I spent one too many days on a "teambuilding" excursion there for work. Missed my kids b-day. No cell service hardly to even say "happy birthday." No TV to take my mind off things. Just the bunch of strangers I work with, lots of Jack Daniels, and.....well that was it. God's country is not the place I want to be "teambuilding" & "bonding."
It's beautiful to be able to look for 50+ miles in any direction & not see a sign of civilization. However that week the solitude that calls out from a scene like that was not in the cards for me. Just a whole lotta "teambuilding." No desire to go back anytime soon.
--City Slicker

PeroxideBlonde wrote:

Eddie Lee--
No hard feelings about western NE. It's truly one of a kind country out there. A couple yrs ago I spent one too many days on a "teambuilding" excursion there for work. Missed my kids b-day. No cell service hardly to even say "happy birthday." No TV to take my mind off things. Just the bunch of strangers I work with, lots of Jack Daniels, and.....well that was it. God's country is not the place I want to be "teambuilding" & "bonding."
It's beautiful to be able to look for 50+ miles in any direction & not see a sign of civilization. However that week the solitude that calls out from a scene like that was not in the cards for me. Just a whole lotta "teambuilding." No desire to go back anytime soon.
--City Slicker

No offense taken, PB! That's tough geography for hardened people, it's not my bag, either! A little further west...Wyoming...now you're talkin'!