Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Does the USA destination exist that would suit us all?

49 replies

pinotnow · 16/08/2023 15:32

I have two dc aged 16 and 14 who are about as different as you can get. DC2 is desperate to holiday out of Europe and would especially love to go to the USA. Other one is quite happy in Europe but is generally more amenable to others' wishes.

DC1 loves museums and history and is actually very interested in American political history. He seems to think America lacks museums, especially when compared to many of the European cities we have been to. I find this hard to believe.

DS2 likes shopping, but won't have the money to be doing this day in day out, and claims to love nature - though this hasn't been evident in my efforts to get him out and about over the years at home. He's not sporty or massively active, but has got into his head that he would love to go to one of the national parks. However, water sports etc would not suit us- we're not an outdoorsy family at all, other than a bit of walking.

I think ds2 would enjoy seeing some world famous sites, but I need more than that to book an expensive holiday and I know we're coming to the end of family holidays together and don't want an expensive disaster. I also think most of our holidays have suited ds1 far better than ds2 and would like to redress this if possible, but I honestly don't think ds2 really knows what he wants, other than to 'leave Europe'.

Any ideas would be very gratefully received!

OP posts:
PinkPondQueen · 16/08/2023 15:39

Plenty of museums in Washington DC, great shopping aswell and the Shenandoah National Park isn't too far away either.

TropicalTrama · 16/08/2023 15:42

PinkPondQueen · 16/08/2023 15:39

Plenty of museums in Washington DC, great shopping aswell and the Shenandoah National Park isn't too far away either.

Was going to say exactly this!

bumblefeline · 16/08/2023 15:42

We tend to do USA road trip journeys where we fly into one place and fly out of another. We also love theme parks. This year we flew into NYC and back from Nashville. We hired a car and went to Hersey for a theme park, down to Washington DC for the museums, beautiful city. Absolutely massive shopping mall a few stops on the metro. Then down to the Smoky mountains for a few days in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg. Loads to see there. Then Nashville for DH's fun lol.

I usually use the BA website and wait for the Jan sale and book a custom trip.

VeryQuaintIrene · 16/08/2023 15:43

Asheville, NC is a very popular destination right now. It has nature at its doorstep with the mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway all around but also an enjoyable urban area with lots of opportunities for shopping/window shopping and some small museums ranging from geological to science to art.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/08/2023 15:43

Boston plus Cape Cod national shore.

Giveuprobot · 16/08/2023 15:44

PinkPondQueen · 16/08/2023 15:39

Plenty of museums in Washington DC, great shopping aswell and the Shenandoah National Park isn't too far away either.

I was also about to say Washington!

Or Texas, depending on when you're going. A road trip between cities would likely satisfy everyone. There's very teenage 'outdoorish' type things like swimming holes. And it's really everything you'd hope 'not Europe' would be.

Jenje · 16/08/2023 15:44

In addition to Washington, DC, you may want to consider Philadelphia and Boston. Both great cities that have many of the things you are looking for.

Pallisers · 16/08/2023 15:46

Was coming on to say Washington DC and its environs. Fabulous museums, history, the civil war battle sites etc.

Boston/Cape Cod would also work. Beautiful museums and art galleries, walkable history (freedom trail and black freedom trail) and Cape Cod or Cape Ann are lovely for beaches etc. You could do a daytrip to Six Flags or Water Country if you wanted a day at a theme park.

Pallisers · 16/08/2023 15:47

Just don't go to DC in the summer - you'll melt.

monpetitlapin · 16/08/2023 15:47

I'd suggest Lake Tahoe in Nevada. It's a nice outdoorsy place, easy to just find a nice spot near the lakeside to park and walk, relatively safe, close to Silver City (a town that's almost perfectly preserved from the gold prospecting days), you can drive up to Reno really easily for shopping (and Nevada is one of the no-sales tax states). The Grand Canyon is doable as a long day trip.

Otherwise I'd suggest San Francisco if you want more of a city buzz with great food, shopping, and daytrips to things like the redwoods or beaches, but San Francisco's a bit run down with a lot of homeless in some areas so it can be a less enjoyable place to just walk around.

CMOTDibbler · 16/08/2023 15:47

I'd go to Washington (the museums are amazing), then hire a car and drive down into Virginia, do the Blue Ridge Parkway and national park as well as some historical sites (really easy drive).

DPotter · 16/08/2023 15:54

Washington - and we've been in the summer and survived! The museums are all air con. We were there for 4-5 days and could happily have spent another couple of days there. The Smithsonian is incredible - it's really 14-15 museums and all free entry. And I highly recommend the Newseum too. It's not part of the Smithsonian and therefore not free but it's an amazing history of the news in all it's formats across the ages.

we flew into Boston, spent a few days there, then train to New York, few days there (plenty of shopping there) and then train on to Washington.

NewtScamandersNiffler · 16/08/2023 15:58

Another recommendation for Washington DC. The National Museum of the American Indian is fascinating and has a wonderful restaurant. Just go past the long queue for burgers and choose one of the regional sample plates instead. They change by the season…

There are plenty of aparthotel chains so you have bedrooms plus living space/micro kitchen and doors that you can close.

Original poster
pinotnow · 16/08/2023 16:03

Thank you all so much - so many replies and lots to look into!

I should really have said that I'd rather avoid Boston/ Cape Cod if at all possible as it's the one place I've already been to in the US and was on my honeymoon - now divorced! If dc love the look of it will go again though.

We are tied to school holidays due to dc and me being a teacher so no avoiding the summer really, though having just come back from Scandinavia I did appreciate a cooler summer holiday...

I also would like to ask about cost. This year I spent about £4k for 12 days in N Europe - that includes transport, accommodation and spending money. Any ideas how much more I should expect to pay for a similar amount of time in the USA?

OP posts:
foreverbasil · 16/08/2023 16:06

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/08/2023 15:43

Boston plus Cape Cod national shore.

I would agree with this

Phos · 16/08/2023 16:10

Giveuprobot · 16/08/2023 15:44

I was also about to say Washington!

Or Texas, depending on when you're going. A road trip between cities would likely satisfy everyone. There's very teenage 'outdoorish' type things like swimming holes. And it's really everything you'd hope 'not Europe' would be.

Show quote history

Sorry to hijack but can you elaborate on places you’d recommend in Texas? We plan on going there in 2025. We like the look of Galveston but I know it’s a huge state with lots more to offer.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 16/08/2023 16:14

"Washington - and we've been in the summer and survived! The museums are all air con. We were there for 4-5 days and could happily have spent another couple of days there. The Smithsonian is incredible - it's really 14-15 museums and all free entry. And I highly recommend the Newseum too"

I regret to inform you DPotter that the Newseum closed down:(.

I would concur with Washington DC as a great city to visit.

I would think you'd spend around 9-10K for a similar amount of time in the US. Would not suggest you drive in DC itself; parking there is a nightmare but their metro system is excellent.

cheezncrackers · 16/08/2023 16:15

I also would like to ask about cost. This year I spent about £4k for 12 days in N Europe - that includes transport, accommodation and spending money. Any ideas how much more I should expect to pay for a similar amount of time in the USA?

Well, not £4k unfortunately - the airline tickets for three of you may well come to close to this figure in July/Aug. However, take a look at the BA and Virgin websites for a rough estimate and bear in mind that there are hacks for keeping the cost down. Flying indirect, choosing a cheaper airline, using Airbnb or motel accommodation, self catering, etc. The US though is an expensive destination and, I'm sorry to say, has got more so in the past few years. We were there at Christmas/New Year and were horrified by supermarket prices e.g. $15 for a pound of sliced turkey or ham. Constantly being expected to tip everyone is very annoying too and really adds up over a 10 or 14-day trip.

Friggingfrog · 16/08/2023 16:16

Lake Tahoe is beautiful - the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to but not much in the way of museums I don’t think. Washington has loads and you could get the train up to nyc and fly home from there if you wanted to.

if you did do Lake Tahoe though, you could also drive to Yosemite which is amazing and then onto San Fran for some shopping and city sight seeing. I’m not sure on the museum situation there though

cheezncrackers · 16/08/2023 16:16

Oh and for a rough estimate (based on my own travels in the US), I'd say three people for 12 days - you'll need to double that budget and possibly add a bit.

Friggingfrog · 16/08/2023 16:17

Oh and we found it cheaper to fly to Dublin and then to San Fran with air lingus. You also clear customs in Dublin which is better so you can just get straight off the plane in USA

MissConducUS · 16/08/2023 16:18

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/08/2023 15:43

Boston plus Cape Cod national shore.

I'm a New Yorker and was coming on to say this. Boston has great museums and shopping, then Cape Ann or Cape Cod for a bit of nature on the seashore. Boston is also an easy flight from the UK.

PhotoDad · 16/08/2023 16:20

I agree with PP... I lived just outside DC for several years. It has the most amazing museums and galleries! It is hot/humid but you can scurry from air-con to air-con. Plenty of parks around or an easy drive to get out of town. Civil War battlefields if you like that sort of thing (combining the Outdoors with History).

It has excellent public transport so it might be cheaper to stay in a suburb near a Metro station.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 16/08/2023 16:21

Galveston is a nice place to visit and it has a nice state park (but you will pass lots of petrochemical and other types of industry on the road there from Houston).

Houston is worth looking at and you can visit the Lone Star museum and NASA Johnson centre (both are accessible by car from Houston).

LifeExperience · 16/08/2023 16:23

I would also say Washington DC for museums, The Shenandoah area is beautiful and close by, as is the Blue Ridge Parkway (breathtaking in Autumn) and it's a quick bus or train trip from DC to New York City if the shopping in DC (try the mall in Tyson's Corner) isn't good enough.