Play tour guide for the USA

With 3 weeks I'd fly into Boston, drive up to Maine drive back to NYC. Fly to Seattle, drive down the west coast stop in Portand, Oregon coast, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego then drive to Arizona the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, maybe into Texas. Fly to New Orleans or Florida.

First, tell them they need a car outside of NYC and Chicago , a GPS, a netbook, and wheeled luggage (ducking and running!)
I vote for Yellowstone and the Tetons; California including SFO, LAX, Yosemite and the Big Sur coast; The Grand Canyon with river rafting; Mesa Verde and the mountains/ mining towns ( Durango,Ouray, Telluride) in Colorado; Santa Fe and Chaco Canyon; Louisiana's River Road and NOLA; Florida's Keys and Cape Canavaral (assuming it is swimming season and not hurricane).. ..oh wait, that's too many destinations in 3 weeks isn't it? Assume they're coming back....

We actually did host our Spanish foreign exchange student and her family for 3 weeks in America. We did a West Coast tour then (although this past fall we 4 parents spent a week together in New york City, another dream place on their to do list). Our 3 week tour went like this: We had them fly into San Francisco where we picked them up and spent several days. Then we drove up the coast and visited the California Redwoods (a place they had wanted to see all their lives).Then we saw a Shakespeare play in Ashland, OR, followed by a visit to Crater lake, where we took the boat cruise. Then we spend time in Bend, OR, whitewater rafting,camping, took the chairlift to the top of the mountain at the ski resort,kayaking and hiking, before heading to Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge. Then we took in the magnificent Columbia River Gorge and hiked the many waterfall trails before going to Porland, where we took an exciting jetboat ride on the Willamette River.We spend several days on the coast, then headed north to Mt. St. Helen's. After that we ended the trip with three days in Seattle, where we had lunch in the Space Needle, among the many other exciting activities. They flew home from Seattle. It was a fantastic 3 weeks (almost as good as the 3 weeks they spent showing us around Spain the summer before!) and I think they really enjoyed our itinerary. We didn't try to do too much and spend too much time in the car. We tried to do "all American" things like dining at a cowboy restaurant way out in the Oregon outback, and eating in an old lumber camp mess hall...things that would give them an authentic experience of a different culture. They kept using the phrase "unique" all the time. it was a lot of fun for us, too.

Monterey/Carmel California is breathtaking and wouldn't miss the 17 mile drive. I was there for Christmas and I would take anyone there. Many think this area is expensive, but Monterey has a Travel Lodge downtown.

Fly into NY, spend 3 nights- theatre one night, tour Statue of Liberty, see Radio City Music Hall, etc. Train or drive to Washington, DC. 2-3 nights, tour the capitol, White House, Library of Congerss, Arlilngton Cemetary. Drive thorugh Virgina with possible stop in Williamburg for 1 night. Head to NC moutains(this trip is excellent for fall sholder season or winter travel). Spend 2 -3 nights in Ashville NC- tour Biltmore house, winery, artist community, curise Blue Ridge Parkway. Drive though Charlotte (possible over night with visit to NASCAR Hall Of Fame and maybe watch a race), then to Myrtle Beach for 3-4 nights (a vacation from the vacation). Drive to Charleston/Savannah area- 2-4 nights. Drive to Daytona- and possibly down to Miami. Cross Fla, to Mobile Alabama- 1 night. Drive on to New Orleans- 3-4 nights. Spend 1 week exploring "the West" including Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, etc. End in Las Vegas, fly home. (Seems like the West Coast folks needed something to balance them)

For a better response, it would be nice to know how large this family is and the ages of any children. Next, I would want to know what time of year their visit would take place. That would influence my response. Finally, as a senior citizen who has traveled a lot, I can tell you that there is no such thing as a trip of a lifetime. When you keep traveling, you'll never know when you have found it. There's always the next one. It's great out there.

I have foreign relatives, and get to play tour guide/advisor frequently. I tell them that 3 weeks is not enough time to see the USA. I taylor their trip to 1) the length of time they have 2) the time of year they will be visiting (I think the US is more weather-dependant for traveling than much of Europe or Asia: some things are simply not possible "out of season"). 3) The things they are most interested in (many of my foreign visitors have odd tastes, the result of pop-culture and intensive marketing - i.e, all my Asian relatives put Las Vegas & Niagara Falls at the top of their lists; I would rank them much lower). I recommend a regional approach. Here are some reasonable groupings: - Northeast/historic New England and around - Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, Niagara Falls (sigh...), maybe Quebec City. - Florida (Miami, Florida Keys, Disney World) - Pacific Northwest (Vancouver BC, Victoria, Seattle, Portland) - West Coast scenic drive (Oregon to California, mostly along the coast) - San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas, maybe San Diego - Great National Parks of the west (Yellowstone, Tetons, Grand Canyon, Utah's canyonlands, Crater Lake, etc.). Needs to be in season.
- The Great American Road Trip - Needs to be in season. Can be combined with some of the western parks or west coast. Should include camping and some long days where you just drive and drive and drive. Preferably done from east to west, across the Rockies. Kansas and Nebraska suggested for the full experience but are optional. I tell my foreign friends that you can't really understand America and Americans until you drive across it. They laugh, and I tell them I'm not kidding.

Europeans understandably are interested in seeing things in the US that they don't have at home. America's Utah and Arizona national parks offer spectacular sights they don't have in Europe, parks like: Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, and Grand Canyon (but not Death Valley, too hot in the summer). Big mountains are something they've seen, or can see, in Europe (the Alps). I've looked at the French edition of the Michelin Guide for the USA: it gives 3-stars to the Southwestern Parks, Hollywood, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and NYC. But many American cities that we enjoy, such as Portland OR, get only one star. The US is so big and even Europeans have only so much time for a trip.

When I hosted a Spanish friend last spring for 10 days, he gave me a list of what he wanted to see. He flew into Chicago, and we drove to my home downstate. (I live in the middle between Chicago and St Louis.) In addition to seeing Springfield and the Lincoln sites, he wanted to see St Louis, an American farm, a "typical small town", and Chicago. He knew that we would be geographically limited, since his time was short, and the US is so big. We ended up spending a day in St Louis, touring a brewery and going up in the Arch, a day in Springfield at the Lincoln sites, and total of about two full days in Chicago (an afternoon, a full day, and a morning). We didn't begin to cover all of the ground we would have liked to, but.... he plans to return.

I have to agree with Nancy, we have offered to be guides and hosts for a few of our "new friends". We have picked them up at O'hare done Chicago for 3 days, gone for bike rides on the Mother Road, Route 66. Rested a few days at the farm,then the Lincoln sites. umm
Think it must be our midwestern background.

I like Toni's itinerary, but I'd cut out NC (I love it there, but it wouldn't be on my top 10 list) and put in a few days in Disney and a couple at the beach in FL.

Wow, what a great question Randy! Some of the responses so far are interesting, lots of moving about. You'd get shouted down for suggesting a European itinerary with that much moving around. Here is my trip, keeping in mind the kids' ages and time of year. - Arrive Boston. Stay 5 days, stay outside city, North Shore. Day trip to Maine, Sox game at Fenway, beach day, historical sites, Duck tour, MFA, etc... Rent a car and return when you..... - ....Take train to NYC. Stay 4 days, upper west Manhattan. Broadway show, etc, etc, etc. It's NY, you can fill in these blanks. - Fly to Vancouver (c'mon, its practically part of the USA isn't it?!). 3 nights in Vancouver. - Fly to SFO. 7 days. Include a few days Yosemite. Giants game. Rent a car and fly home from here. I am skipping anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon, too hot this time of year. Not enough time for middle America.

I'd send them to the Great Western Desert. Fly into Phoenix and home from Boise. Rent a car, we don't have the lease option here. Camp, if they like to, or use hotels along the way. Run a course through the major national parks from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone and Glacier. When I think about what one can see in the U.S. that isn't available in Europe, our National Parks and "Wild West" are our best foot forward. Our cities are relatively new; our history pretty boring by European standards; our museums are good but they have plenty of museums at home; we have some great beaches but they have those too and our beach communities are some of the most crime ridden in the U.S.; our theme parks/amusement parks aren't worth wasting a real vacation on; Our Rockies/Cascades are great but they have the Alps.

Doing a trip through the West would be at the top of my list, renting a motor home and going to the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, the Pueblos of the Hopis and Navahos, Zion National Park, Salt Lake City, etc. 2nd on my list would be a trip through the Midwest, small-town America. Landing in Cleveland, starting with a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a fishing trip on Lake Erie, then coming down through Ohio with stops at an Amish community, continuing down to Chilicothe. A visit to one of the open air plays like "Tecumseh" or "Trumpet in the Land", as well as visits to the Mound Builders monuments and Serpent Mound. Would make sure to hit a county fair while traveling. At Cincinatti, a visit to a Reds game, then a trip on the Ohio River on a steam boat. Perhaps going farther with a trip to Mammoth Cave. Not as familiar with the South, but I think a trip through the Smoky Mountains would be great, with stops at Savanah, Charleston, Atlanta, Hilton Head and then down into the west coast of Florida. Visits to the swamps, seeing the Seminole rerservations with swamp buggy rides, or going deep sea fishing would be a must. The entire west coast would be good with the Pacific Northwest, moving down through Washington, Oregon and Northern California. The redwoods, the beautiful coastline, and the mountains are all attractions in themselves. Experiencing 4th of July in the US is a blast for many European visitors, especially when they are in small towns. The parades, the picnics and BBQ, the fireworks, and the bands are all completely different than anything here.

Fly to Boston - spend 3 days exploring - rent car and head south stopping for 2 nights on Block Island. Continue South to NYC - 3 days. Then I would say fly to San Fran - 3 nights and then drive down the coast explore Big Sur - either fly home from San Fran or LAX maybe (I've never been to LA). My other stop which I would suggest is to fly straight to Denver and spend the first part of the trip exploring the Rockies then fly to Boston or NYC - drive to the other city with stops and fly home. Clear as mud?

If this European family primarily wants to see scenery. ie., the Grand Canyon, etc. during their 3 weeks, I can't help them much. I would rather suggest cities. Also if they have any special interests, such as cultural and historical sites in particular, car racing, I would recommend NASCAR, as suggested. If they are German, compare it with Hockenheim. The family has to limit the geographic range of the three week trip. Focus on two or three regions. I would suggest New York and Wash DC, after 2-3 days in both, then head to the South...Charleston and Atlanta, or Mobile, or "way down yonder in New Orleans." Skip Miami. After that Texas...must not omit Texas (I am revealing my own bias here to this family)...to see San Antonio and Austin. If they're not adverse to taking the train, here is the ride to take, San Antonio to Los Angeles Union Station. On Calif. they have to choose between southern or northern Calif, SF or LA. and see the Calif coast line. Somewhere I have left out Las Vegas, which they might want to see how tacky it is and unique.

The Europeans I have met, including Brits, Irish, French, Italian, and Germans, are all fascinated with the American West and our national parks, especially Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and the redrock country of the Southwest. Beautiful, vibrant and exciting cities they have in abundance, but not parkland like this, and no wilderness at all. They do enjoy a short stop in gateway cities on their way to the parks. So, my recommended visit would be a stop in New York, a flight to Seattle (visit Rainier, Olympic NP); drive down the coast of Oregon and northern California (redwoods and Sonoma wine country) to San Francisco. A short stay there, then head over to Yosemite, over Tioga pass and east through Nevada to Utah to visit Zion, Bryce and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Perhaps include Monument Valley. They can end at Las Vegas, which I avoid but seems to be a magnet for visitors.

Last summer we were in Vail, Colorado, and met a family of four from Switzerland on a "see America" trip. They had flown into Denver and were driving through the Rocky Mountains, headed for Mesa Verde, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and flying home from San Francisco. I thought it was interesting that a Swiss family would visit the Colorado Rockies!

fly into NYC, enjoy 2-3 days drive south stopping in Philadelphia and onto Washington DC enjoy 3days Fly south to Florida, see the space coast and the mouse! after 4 days in Florida fly to Vegas spend a day in Vegas rent another car drive into Utah seeing Zion and Bryce Cannons, hit the north rim of the grand canyon, turn around head back to Vegas hop a plane for San Francisco, enjoy a few days in the city and wine country, drive the coast down to LA, hop a plane back to home

In July it is oppressively hot in the USA with the exception of Northwest (that's why I live here), West Coast and Alaska. If you Europeans want to enjoy your vacation that's where we would go. We cannot do all of it in 3 weeks so it will be either Alaska or Northwest and West Coast. Or add another 3 weeks which for you Europeans is no big deal and we do it all.

That time of year, I would say fly into Jackson and spend a week in Yellowstone/Grand Teton NP's then fly to San Francisco and spend the rest of the time there and exploring the California coast and parks. I love the Southwest, but many places are too hot to comfortably enjoy in summer.

As a former professional tour director who actually did this for a living, I'm loving these answers. Some aren't bad. Some are so off base it's hilarious. To plan a trip like this you have to take a few things into account: 1) Time of year: very busy late June/early July. Expect lines and long waits at popular attractions and parks. Include traffic jams. Add extra time. 2) Ages of kids. Those are tough ages and it depends on the kids. Make sure to include things they find interesting. 3) What are family's overall interests? Are they city people? Natural beauty and parks? History? Theme Parks? What have they read about and are dying to see? Most first time visitors to the U.S. are usually interested in one of three main areas: a) NY/DC corridor (can also include Boston depending on time),
b) Florida, c) Far West (California, Nevada, Arizona). (Don't laugh, Hollywood is a big draw.) These areas get the highest percentage of foreign visitors to the U.S. (BTW, NYC and Orlando are the top places visited in the U.S. by foreign tourists.) Let's also look at size. Think of England and Scotland (don't include Wales for now, sorry Neil). The size of those two places is equal to about Half the size of California. The flight distance from NY to Los Angeles is still 300 miles more than flying from London to Cairo. So, a question like this would be like a newbie coming here and asking: "I want to see Europe. Where should I go?"

Frank- I think you said out loud what most of us were thinking. But it is fun to plan such a "fantasy" trip just as some "newbies" want to think they can try to "do" Europe in 3 weeks. Still, many of us want to "tout" our part of the country.

This has been so much fun reading responses that I hesitate to add my own, but... Frank II you are such a spoil-sport. Just let us indulge our fantasies! :-) I think my first task would be to ask the family how much driving they would be willing to do (explaining that much of "Americana" is best reached by long drives of the sort almost never done in Europe). If they balk a bit at long drives, I would focus on the east coast - perhaps open-jaw Boston/Atlanta with a few days in NYC followed by a few days in DC, followed by 10 days of mostly rural short hops south and ending with Savannah & Charlston before flying home. Basically, it's a "original 13 colonies" sort of experience. If they are up for some serious driving, I would have them spend about 5 nights between NYC and DC and then start driving west. Take about 5 nights to get to Yellowstone and then the next 10 days seeing a few more natural wonders of the west on their way to SF & their return flight. Naturally, many people would balk at driving that far when flying is an option, but as another poster already said, the process of getting their by car is an education and insight into Americana in and of itself.

True, when this European family comes over in the summer, the chances are that they will encounter some pretty oppressively hot weather, but there is a big difference as regards to Calif. when you're in 95F weather in Sacramento and Bakersfield compared to 95F in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Budapest. I am not refering to the air condition factor, but rather when you're outside and about, walking around and seeing the sights in that 95F, be it in Sacramento or Budapest. But, if you want to go, you're going, regardless,...just as my first time on vacation to Texas and Alabama... in the month of August. Would I recommend and go back those two places? Absolutely!

First time I was in Washington D.C. was July 1986. That was oppressive heat. And not only that, also high humidity I never encountered in Europe. Would I go back to Washington D.C.? Absolutely yes. Would it be in July? Hell no!

Hey, no fair, James! I recommended Ohio, which if not a back door, is awful close to one. Plus, I mention picnics in my post too. I mentioned swamps also. That is pretty back door, as is swamp buggies. Should I have mentioned airboats instead? I doubt that they will find many people in Ohio who will be speaking any language other than perhaps Spanish or Somalian.

When the Germans come to Calif., they can hear themselves talk constantly at Yosemite and Muir Woods, if they want to be in the woods in the first place, otherwise let them get that theraputic "backdoors" experience (if you believe in such a thing in the first place) by going "down in the bayou" in Louisiana. If I were actually playing tour guide for my fictious European family, most likely German or les français, I would ride the train with them from Los Angeles to Texas, all the way to San Antonio... and to get that Texas exposure.

We met a couple from Australia last summer at a B&B in SF...they were doing a three-month auto driving tour of the entire US from east-south-southwest-west-midwest-and back east again. They visited all the big hitters but mixed in a bunch of "back door" places I've never heard of. In fact, they wanted to know about cool/interesting things to see in Iowa for the trip back. Their favorite stops to that point had been New Orleans and Austin, and their favorite food was barbeque. They were the coolest people I've met in the last year or so. I'm not sure about weapons and Minnesota, but something bizarre just happened here in what once was a nice progressive place to live...people can now carry guns either concealed or out on the hip. So, there you go if you're looking for a 2nd Amendment-friendly locale. I know Germans fantasize about the Old Wild West, but why not just visit Iowa instead of Arizona for your Billy the Kid fix, modern style? Where's Las Vegas on the list...maybe I missed it? I'm putting in a plug for Decorah and Des Moines...if the king and queen of Norway can visit Decorah and the crown prince /princess of Denmark can visit Des Moines, any European should feel utterly compelled to tour this fine state.

One of the reasons this question interested me is because we are currently researching travel in Australia. It is quite a different beast from our usual trips to Europe. While Australia and the USA are quite different in many ways, to the tourist from elsewhere, there are some amazing similarities - especially in the focus on the coasts, "flyover country", natural wonders, and a relatively short "modern" history. I have enjoyed the wide variety of responses so far. I makes me want to plan more US road trips.

"I say take the Europeans to Minnesota. If nothing else, after a few nights being lectured by the locals there, they'll understand the reason Americans fight to keep the 2nd amendment..." Very funny James!

I was so busy this morning mulling this one over that I nearly missed my turnoff for work! Since this is a theoretical road trip, I haven't specifically scheduled what's for each day. I assume the family likes to drive! So, two full days in San Francisco. Pick up the rental car, drive highway one to Monterey, Carmel, Point Lobos, Big Sur, on to San Luis Obispo, over to Wawona and Yosemite Valley.......Point Reyes National Park, Mendocino to Eureka, Crater Lake, Portland..........Columbia River Gorge, up through Glacier National Park, up to Calgary, through Banff up to Jasper, exit west through Revelstoke, Whistler, Vancouver......return car, fly to NYC for a few days. It's about 3000 miles of driving.

Cynthia, Thanks for your unique contribution! Good for you for ignoring the "USA" part of the question and including a beautiful part of Canada. My favorite North American road trip was to Banff and the areas nearby, in 2002. Drive carefully...

Well,.... after reading some of the responses and re-thinking this.... if we want to do "American back doors", I say COME TO NORTH CAROLINA! Start in Asheville- Winter- skiing, Spring- lovely flower gardens, summer- cooler and less humid than most of the rest of the south, fall- the best fall colors and all year, Biltmore house and gardens and winery and a great artists commuinty and you are not far from Cherokee and the Harrah's caisno and Native Ameircan history and kistch, too. Then the piedmont- furniture outlet heaven!Charlotte- NASCAR- the Charlotte track and the Hall of fame, the site of the first US gold mines and first branch of the US mint-m very close to Reid's Gold mine where you can pan your own gold and learn its history, 2 huge lakes with water sports, hiking at Crowder's Mt. and a short drive to Daniel Stoe Botanical Gardens and Kings Mt. state park for more US revlolutionary and civial war history- plus Lata Plantation, etc. and don't forget the Mecklenburgh Declaration of Independence- preceded the "real" one by a long time. Then the sandhills- GOLF!!!!! Then the beach and the outer banks- totally unique barrier islands, lots of lighthouses, nautical museums and more.
Oh well.... I guess I can stop being a "self" promoter..... This has been a fun topic.....

The problem with applying the RS travel philosophy of "assume you will return" to the USA is that it seems much less likely that folks from the EU (or anywhere else distant) will make it a habit to come here than folks here make it a habit to visit Europe. It's much more likely to be a one-time-only sort of trip for people. That's why planning a best-of-the-USA trip for someone from the EU is a tough one, I think. People in the EU just have a wider variety of places to go - some simply closer and more convenient & others simply more exotic. It seems unlikely to me that they would get fixated on the USA in the same way some of us get fixated in Europe.

In browsing the Helpline, the number of posts (36) caught my eye. The different spins posted were amusing and many remarkably beautiful areas were listed. However, as breathtaking as the Grand Canyon, Monterey Peninsula, Crater Lake, Columbia River George et al. are, these are "places". I wouldn't want our EU guests to complete their visit and just see exelarating places; I think their trip would be more of a "trip of a lifetime" if they could be introduced to the most unique character of America--us. This story could be told by visiting some well know places and landmarks, but importantly enhanced by visiting out-of-the-way places (at least out of the way for an EU visitor). What I'm suggesting are visits to see the sights and talk to the people in venues like: Ellis Island, Ground Zero, small towns in the Application Mountains, Monticello, Ft. Sumter, Shaker Village (KY), Amish settlements (OH), Fifth Avenue/Rodeo Drive and dirt-poor towns in Mississippi, and,on a lighter note, a major league baseball game. Our visitors couldn't experience this along the most beautiful Mediterranean holiday spots, or in the Alps, or in the bucolic country side of any nation in Europe; only here.

Jon, Those would all be excellent experiences for anyone wanting to get a taste of "real" Americana. I wonder how those suggestions would be recieved, however. Presumably, others would want to see the USA in a manner that is similar to the way we see Europe - by seeing mostly big name sights of the sort you are likely to find in a guide book. What you have suggested is very "back door" in the best sense of the phrase and I wonder how our experiences in Europe would be different if we did the same...

Yes, but European tourists aren't going to want to spend their time and money visiting Appalachia or poor areas in Mississippi, just like American tourists don't visit remote communities in Bulgaria. They want to see the famous, uniquely-American things they don't have there, just like we want to visit palaces, castles, and things we don't have here. They're on vacation just like we are, and they want to have a nice trip seeing famous places. And a ballgame at Wrigley Field or Yankee Stadium is actually on a lot of itineraries. And they're already seeing Rodeo Drive and Ground Zero. I'm sure some Europeans visit the U.S. on mission trips and the like to Appalachia, hurricane-ravaged areas of the south, and other places in need, but the typical tourist isn't interested in these things while on vacation. Earlier, I discussed an Australian couple, who, in my opinion, really experienced about as much of America as possible while vacationing. They had the back door experience you're talking about.

You don't necessarily have to go to "back door" places to have "back door" experiences. I've been impressed with the number of people who have listed Atlanta as a place to see, and I've wondered what I would recommend for this family to do. Here's my list: Georgia Aquarium Braves game (and possibly tour of the stadium) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (and the Sweet Auburn street market to get some squash casserole)
Hiking on the Kennesaw Mountain trail to see some Civil War battlesites The last two activities are free and a slice of America they can't get everywhere. The aquarium is expensive, and not necessarily "seeing America", but it's the biggest one in the world, they might as well go while they're here. They'll get to mingle with plenty of locals at the baseball game, Sweet Auburn market, and the hiking trail. One of my best memories at a baseball game was taking a German friend to her first game. She asked lots of questions, most notably, when pointing to the catcher, "who is that guy wearing all the upholstery?"

Well. . . I suspected the Americana agenda might be a lightning rod; so I wasn't real surprised at the responses. Allow me to note, I didn't post the agenda as a joke, but as a real "once in a lifetime" experience. Note the agenda has a complementing theme: "This story could be told by visiting some well known places and landmarks, but importantly enhanced by visiting out-of-the-way places. . . " If I may use the idiom of "putting the shoe on the other foot": if there are any US expat couples living in, or alternatively, a husband and wife (one of whom is a citizen of) Italy or Spain who have a week next year with nothing to do in May or October and would like to host my wife and me on an honest-to-gosh back door visit to your country a la the US agenda, send me a PM. Include a tentative schedule and budget. We've already made our plans for a visit this year and yes, we're visiting some "crawling with tourists" spots, but these are complemented with some off the beaten path stops in Germany, and to a lesser extent in Switzerland--to places not mentioned in any of RS books that I'm aware of. Our goal next year is to return to Italy for a week and spend another week in southern Spain, thus the invitation.

Fly to NYC and spend 3 days seeing the sites. Fly to Chicago, rent a car and drive to the west coast on Route 66 (I40). This route takes you through the heart of the country and gives you the opportunity to see small town life as well as take side trips to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. This could take 4 - 10 days, depending on how many side trips interest you. Route 66 ends in Santa Monica. Drive north up the West Coast to Seattle. 7 days.

Boston - Cape Cod - NYC- Philly, DC, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel - Charleston, Savannah, WDW (where most Europeans want to go) and Meeeami.

Ok, here is the real deal. The most beautiful and original things in the U.S DisneyWorld in Orlando- have a magical day! NYC- concrete jungle is unique and food is incredible.
- Las Vegas- although sin city has it's bad sides, there is NOTHING like it in the world. The shows, the lights, Vegas baby! -Grand Canyon- amazing natural wonder, words can't describe it...you must see it -Canyonlands- Moab-Bryce-Zion Europeans I know say that Delicate Arch is their favorite thing in America. -Yellowstone then on to Grand Teton National Park- Old faithful, hot pots, moose, buffalo, Jackson Hole-old west charm. This is the western cowboy image many people love about our country. This trip would be expensive as one would have to fly to the East Coast for the first two and then fly from NYC to Vegas. I guess you could dump Walt Disney World and go with Walt Disney World in LA instead. Then rent a car and drive to all your other destinations. Do NYC on another trip.

All right....this was a real tour I used to lead....23 days..... Los Angeles..San Francisco...Eureka.....Newport, Or....Vancouver/Victoria...Banff/Jasper.......Glacier NP....Yellowstone....Grand Teton....Salt Lake City......Bryce/Zion......Grand Canyon.....Las Vegas......Los Angeles/Anaheim. There were more stops in between and we spent a couple of days in the major cities...not for the fainthearted.