This isn't a truck subject, but I thought maybe I could start here, & have Chris redirect me if there's a better forum.

My wife & I are planning on coming across to the U.S. in about 6 years for a 12-18 month working holiday (more holiday than work ).
I wondered what/where everyone would recommend not missing, other than the normal tourist spots?
We probably won't spend so much time in the bigger cities, more seeing the country, & we'll have a blank page for an itinerary, so can go & do as we please.

At this stage we just have a loose plan of flying into San Francisco & getting an RV of some sort, working our way slowly down to San Diego, across the west & south during the winter, then northward over summer, into New England for fall. Probably southwest-ward again from there; but we're completely flexible.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

Tulsa, OK is one place I'd recommend. Come stay a couple of days with us and we'll time another GTG, like today's, to coincide. Plenty of room to park the RV.

As for what to do here, that would depend a bit on the time of year. Springtime, like now, is good for seeing the Dogwood trees and others dotting the hillsides. There are a couple of good museums in town. Visit Will Roger's memorial 30 minutes away, which is something NumberDummy has said he wants to do. And, he also wants to visit the Cowboy Hall of Fame, which is in Oklahoma City, 120 miles away.

 

well if you're starting off in the southwest then you gotta see the canyon if you've never seen it before. I grew up in New Mexico so if you're gonna swing through there then I got some places I could recommend.

If cutting accross the southern part on I-10 I would recommend Carlsbad Caverns...really interesting.

 

Also...I have an RV too...lots of beautiful places to camp here in Georgia if you make it this far. Lots of things to see here in all times of the year here in the southeast. If you're going to make it this far let us know...Grubworm and a couple others are in the area.

 

When you head east, I suggest Civil War battlefields, especially Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Absolutely breathtaking scenery and history, and the surrounding towns always have neat historical hotels, restaurants, bars and the sort to spend time in.

 

Depending upon your schedule Charlotte Auto Show, (NC)
NY Auto Show
Carlisle, PA Shows - usually Fall and Spring but also have truck shows.
Take in a NASCAR race
Check with any planned Get to Gathers for various Chapters.
Winery Tours - Finger Lakes region (NY)
Just some random thoughts and things to look into
There are some train trips, including going across Canada into Alaska.

 

Six years, you say? Now that's advance planning!

If you're at all interested in aviation and aerospace, I highly recommend the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC. Especially if you consider the new annex at Dulles, there's stuff from all around the world there - it's not just American.

Along the same lines, I also suggest the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. They have a great collection of some very unique things (the B-70 Valkyrie is incredible), and an excellent World War II exhibit that includes some rare German stuff.

Sounds like a great trip...I envy you!

 

Here's a tip. Don't tweet about digging up Marilyn Monroe or about destroying anything... Our government doesn't have a sense of humor and is ignorant about the slang terms of others.
British couple deported

Other than that I would say the New England coastal area is a must see. Gloucester Mass is a great little town and they have some of the greatest whale watches on the east coast, maybe even in the whole country.

And if you're at all interested in US history and the revolutionary war, it all started up there. You can stand on Lexington Green in the same spot that the 80 or so colonist stood as the British troops approached and where the first shots and the first deaths of the revolutionary war happened back on April 19th, 1775.

Then you can swing down to Philadelphia (Philly) and see the original capital of this country and enjoy a local delicacy - A Cheese Steak. It's finely sliced steak, cooked on a flat grill, topped with melted cheese and served on a long roll - aka a "Hoagie" roll.

The Hoagie and it's similar sandwiches started IIRC back in WWI. They where sandwiches, served on long rolls taken to the ship builders. In the New England areas they were called "Subs" because they resembled the subs the workers were building. Here they built ships on Hog Island, which is now the location of the Philly Airports and the workers were called "Hog-ies". At some point the Philly dialect changed it to Hoagie (Hoe-Gee). The Cheese stake started in a Hot Dog stand as a steak sandwich and was cut so thin to help it cook in a minute. They're also sometimes called minute steaks, just not in these parts...

 

Depending on your interests, near me we have Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg for colonial America and the revolutionary war, we also have the Mariner's Museum which incorporates the Monitor center where in 6 years you might be able to see the actual turret in the open. We also have Newport News Shipbuilding (not open to the public unfortunately) where all nuclear aircraft carriers are built. NASA Langley research center is in Hampton Virginia.

Further South, in Charleston SC is the CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy ship. If you are looking for engineering marvels, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel spans 22 miles and is considered the dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay.

There are numerous Revolutionary war and Civil war battlefields in Virginia, North and South Carolina, most of the East Coast. In Texas you can see the Alamo in San Antonio. Lots to see, every state has something, just remember, we drive on the other side of the road here.

 

There's some great spots around in northern New England, but then I'm biased. A nice area in particular in the fall is around Mount Washington here in NH. Great views all around there. The Maine coast is nice as well, lots of small towns on the water.

 

Another thought, This time of year there is a Rev War re-enactment of the Battle for Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro, NC. A Maryland Chapter member (Shaun AKA fire240) does Rev re enactments and could tell you of some up and coming events.
The Blue Ridge Parkway running through NC and VA is a pretty dive but not really suited for large RV's

 

There is an automotive museum/collection I want to say Murdo South Dakota that is a good stop, then drive past Wall, nothing to see here, move along... On to Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Devils Tower. Head on for Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. If you were to run 80 across Nebraska, there is a museum that is built across the road, the Great Platte River museum I think is what it is called. Henry Doorley zoo at Omaha is a good indoor planatarium type, and one of these days I want to get to the SAC (Strategic Air Command) museum out to Offut Air Force base at Omaha.

 

Along the same lines as what fellro said... Take a trip through the badlands in South Dakota. Beautiful country. Also, when you're seeing Rushmore you should check out Custer State Park. Make sure you stop and feed the burrows. :P

 

I agree, cut south after the museum, through the Badlands, come into Custer Park from Hot Springs.

 

You asked so here you go. There is SO much to see in this great country. You need a lot longer than a year to see it all (hell, you may need longer than a year just to read my post ). But here are some of the highlights.

If you're starting in San Fran then take the ferry out to Alcatraz. There is also Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge.

From there if you head south you get to the "center of the universe". There's so much to see and do in SoCal I'm not going to try to list any of it. Get there and the fun should start happening.

Coming east you can head into Vegas. The name Sin City doesn't do it justice. I have loss a lot of money at the tables and the strip clubs but I had a ball doing both. Though if I had a choice on gambling towns I would say Reno is the better town though. Vegas is big, bright, and shiny but feels too commercialized. Reno is older and dirtier but feels more authentic as they have tried to preserve their history.

Yes, of course, drive across the Hover Dam and take in the Grand Canyon. They are both amazing sights that you will never forget. A hike or horseback ride into the canyon or riding a raft through it would be well worth it.

Going into Texas there's a lot to see. Texas is a big place. It can take a few days just to cross it so take your time and see some of it. Like SoCal, Texas is really like its own little country inside of our country. And also like Californians, you'll never meet someone quite like a Texan. If you can make it down to San Antonio take in the Alamo and check out the River Walk.

Also, if you can make it into Oklahoma there is a little known wildlife refuge and mountain range just north of Lawton/Fort Sill. A quick ride to the top of Mt Scott will give you one of the best views in the nation. Learn a little about geology before getting there. You'd be amazed when you realize what you're looking at.

If there is one place in America you can't miss it's New Orleans. Truly the greatest city and greatest people I have met in my world travels. Send a lot of time there. Stay as close to Bourbon as you can get but adventure out as much as you dare. Ensure that you get a glass of absinthe at the Old Absinthe House and hit the restaurant across the street for the best gumbo I've found. Go back the next morning for a crab omelette and order some red beans and rice for lunch at just about anywhere in the French Quarter. I suggest, to get the most from the city, don't go around carnival. Fat Thursday on Bourbon is something everybody should experience (it's insanity, vice and sin to its fullest extent) but it's not the best way to experience the town. Drink, eat and be marry. Oh, and don't forget to pay penance to Marie Laveau before leaving town.

If you head up the river into Memphis you can find where the New Orleans jazz evolved into the Memphis blues. Two uniquely American music styles that couldn't have came from anywhere else except these two towns. Head down to Beale St for the night and make sure you get some ribs from Rendezvous. They will change your life.

While in Tennessee you can always visit Graceland and the Grand Old Opry too. Dollywood wouldn't be a bad day spent either but don’t go out of your way for it.

Head back south for the gulf coast from there. Starting around Gulfport or Biloxi you will have great views, wonderful weather anytime of the year (watch for those flash down pours though) and an enjoyable ride down into Florida. Again, like SoCal and Texas, there is so much to do in Florida I couldn't begin to try to list any of it. Well, none accept one. Every man, woman and child should be so lucky to spend any fraction of their lives in Key West. If there is paradise on this Earth then this is it. At first the gay and drug culture maybe a little of a shock to some (unless you're there for either) but after a few rum drinks you realize Key West is truly one of the greatest places on Earth. Do the Duval Crawl a couple of nights, enjoy the best Cuban food this side of Havana, and relax. Life is easy in a place like this.

On your way north up the east coast, I will say there is one more note worthy place to stop. Ron Jon's in Cocoa Beach. You’ll see the signs for it. And believe be there will be a lot of signs. I proposed to my wife on the broadwalk behind the place so it has a little more meaning to me than most. It is one hell of a tourist trap and everyone who visits Florida needs a Ron Jon t-shirt.

Travel up the coast, go to Charleston and spend a few days. I lived in this town longer than any other place in my life. I consider it home and can't wait to move back. Take the ferry ride to Ft Sumter. Not only do you get to see the fort where the War of Northern Aggression started but the ride back will give you the best view of rainbow row. Ensure you do a carriage ride, ghost tour (a worthy endeavor in any old American city), and visit Market Street. Have a pint in the Griffen. This bar was known as the Bloody Bucket in the early 1700s and it was said that Black Beard the pirate threw back a few there during his blockade in 1718. Oh and if you love clams then this is your town. Don't forget to cross the Cooper and take a tour of the Yorktown

I would say head into Charlotte from here. My family is from just north of here and it was where I was raised. Yes, try to plan your trip around the AutoFair in April and Sept. Wear good shoes and Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! If you’re there during a race that is a must go too. But be warned. A bunch a partying rednecks can leave a lasting impression on you in a hundred different ways. Some good, some not so good.

On your way out of town, up I85, stop in China Grove and find Gary's (exit 68, take a left, go back south on 29 and it'll be on your left in about a mile or two, you have to do a Uturn at the light). Order a BBQ plate (large or small) with a Cheerwine. There is nothing more Carolina than that. Everybody in the country says they make the best BBQ. Well, I've been around the country and have had some great food. The problem isn't their food, it is good, it's that their terminology wrong. What you get in Carolina is the only thing that should ever be considered "BBQ". Everybody else makes their Ribs, Brisket or whatever, and they can be very good at it, but it isn't BBQ. If you want to try the real thing then stop in my home town. You may never leave

I would say grab your fishing poles and head east back to the coast to visit the Outer Banks. But I think too many people already know about this great little fishing mecca and don't want to tell you about Cape Lookout. So forget that I said anything, okay.

I'd say from there head slightly west and find the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take your time, the speed limit is slow for a reason, and have your camera ready. Take it all the way to the end in Front Royal, Va and then head east to DC

Again spend some time in the Capital. Spend days on the Mall and hit the National History, Natural History, and the Air and Space Museums at a minimal. See all of the memorials, take as many tours as you have time for, and when your finish go take a walk through Arlington and see why every American has a pride that can never be extinguished.

Going on north will bring you through Baltimore, Philly, New York, and Boston. Each old, historic cities that deserve time to explore and enjoy. I have visited each but haven't spend enough time in any of them or New England as a whole to make any suggestions of what you have to see. I'll tell you I have been to Niagara Falls and will say it's a spectacular sight on par with any other natural wonder of the world. Make it if you have the time.

Going south you can drive though the old coal towns of Ohio, West Virginia and northern Kentucky. They are starving for your tourist dollars and there are many charming little houses and inns to stay in on the way. Just be careful of you path. What may look like a highway on a map can end up being an unpaved two track donkey trail in this part of the world.

If you have time you can roll down through Kentucky and see Ft Knox, Lincoln’s birth place and Mammoth Cave (the longest cave system in the world).

Visiting St Louis and going into the Gate Way Arch is always fun for those that haven't done it before. Make sure you watch the movies on how it was made and check out everything in the museum

Chicago is a great town that I have had a lot of fun in but I try to spend as little time in the state of Illinois as possible. I don't like how they deprive American citizens of their constitutional right to bear arms.

Milwaukee-two words-Beer and Motorcycles. Go to see both

There's one thing I've always wanted to do but never had a reason to do it. There are a couple of ferries that go across Lake Michigan. It just always seemed like something cool to do

Through the mid west states, well, there's not a lot to see. Some will have rolling hills, some have flat plains. Most will be fields or pastures. It's worth it to drive through for the experience but just remember to keep an eye on your gas. Sometimes there can be a good leg in-between stations. And if your traveling by RV, or any other high profile vehicle, watch those cross winds.

There are some places to see according on which way you're going. I would suggest coming through South Dakota. Kansas and Nebraska can be a bear to drive through and there isn't much to see in most of North Dakota. The east side of SD isn't much better but on the west side of the state you'll find the Black Hills. More on that in a second. But first let me tell you about a stop you'll make on the way across the state. Wall Drug. Actually, I can't describe it. You have to see it for yourself. I can't figure out if it's the coolest lame place in the world or the lamest cool place in the world. You just have to stop and see it. They do have some good ice water.

As for the Black Hills, well, I have traveled the world and I would have to say the Black Hills are one, if not the most, Beautiful places I have ever seen. Spend time there. Spend a lot of time there. Pan for gold, go on a horseback ride, sleep in a tent or rustic cabin, eat "cowboys pancakes", see the set of Dances with Wolfs, visit the caves and old mines, go see Mt Rushmore and watch the movies on how it was made, do some rock climbing, skinny dip in one of the lakes, lose a little money in Deadwood, see the gun fighting shows, eat a Buffalo burger, buy a Sturgis t-shirt even if you don't ride a bike, ride the chairlift up and the slide down (after a beer and a burger at the top) at the Rushmore Tramway in Keystone, stay at least one night in downtown Rapid City preferably at the historic Lex Johnson, go to Bear Country and the Reptile Farm, and lastly go see Devil's Tower. Climb it if you're able. "It means something"....Really stop and pick up a ton of the pamphlets that are all over the place there and actually go do them. My wife and I have had some of the most fun of our lives as newlyweds doing the sightseeing thing there.

From there you can head back north and into the Badlands in North Dakota. If you ever wonder what the surface of the moon looks like this is it. NASA actually used the Badlands to train their lunar astronauts back in the day.

Go west from there and make your way down to Yellowstone. I haven't been there yet but it is on my to-do list within the next couple of years.

From there I'd cross the Rockies on I90. It's a wonderful drive into a wonderful town called Spokane. Drink a couple of beers there for me please. Oh and ask if they remember me there. Or on second thought, don’t ask. They might run you out of town. From there you can go to Seattle, again, a city I haven't had a chance to go to but it's on my to-do list.

According on how much time you have at that point and what time of year it is I would suggest a little side trip at this point. I have a plan to do this very thing also in a few years. From Seattle take a ferry to Anchorage, Alaska. These should take a few days at the minimal but should give you a great view of the Canadian and Alaskan coast. Now I have big plans once I get to Alaska but they end with me driving back down to the states on the Alaskan Highway. From what I read late fall would be the best time to do this trip. It's before the snows really hit and the road crews have had time to do as many repairs as they can by this time. But again, this is a major detour but one that you'd remember forever.

Either way, you can head on back down south from there through Oregon (don't be surprised when someone walks up to pump your gas at the station-it's illegal for normal citizens to pump their own gas in that state). As you make your way back into Cali visit the redwood forest.

From there the trip is easy. Find CA-1, right on the coast, and take that all the way back into San Fran.

What a trip! You’re a lucky man. There are people that want to do something like this their whole lives and never do get it done. I've been lucky enough to be able to see as much as I have but it always makes me want to see more. If I had my way that would be all that I do. Drive around this great country of ours. I will tell you planning is great but never make anything firm. On all my adventures, it's the side trips and unplanned things that stand out the most. Don't miss an opportunity to see or do something new. And celebrate the lame things too (like Wall Drug). There are going to be some stops, some towns, hell, some states (Texas for one) that just don't seem right. Celebrate it for that is what makes that experience unique and rememberable. Good luck. And when you do start this trip start a travel thread. It may not be appropriate for this sight but there are other forums that it would be. Send us a link and fill it with tons of pics. You may inspire someone to have an adventurer of their own