Can you help me plan a vacation in the USA?|115339

Well,I live in Italy and am planning to visit the USA.Probably it will be in the late spring or early fall when the daytime is still long.I want to visit Los Angeles,San Francisco and New York.Obviously there are many more places I_d like to go to but I don_t want it to be too stressful.I think it will last almost 3 weeks and I_m gonna stay in cheap hotels,I just need a room on my own,I don_t need anything luxurious. . .To eat I guess i will go to some fast food,restaurants,cafes etc so I won_t spend a fortune.I_m also planning on not booking hotels from Italy but to do it once there.
Please,could you tell me approximately how much in dollars it might cost me?And do you think it_s a good idea to find a place where to sleep directly on the spot?Any recommendation would be highly appreciated,in particular if you come up with something I haven_t considered.
Thanks a lot and greetings from Italy.

Have you concidered a trip down Original Route 66? I don_t know if you_ve been to the USA before, but this is a GREAT way to see the country and learn (in a fun way), a little about our country_s history.

Route 66 dosen_t _offically_ exsist anymore and you won_t find it on any modern day map. You would have to serch the web for more info on it, (or just let me know and I_d be more than happy to give you more info on it and I_d be happy to give you a _step-by-step_ on everything to see and where to go, eat _ sleep). But also never worry... The U.S. Government has posted _Historic Route 66_ signs along the entire Route that point you in the right direction telling you where and when to turn and go.

So, if you have 3 or 4 weeks. I would HIGHLY recommend it. Rent a car in New York, (most places have a _One Way Trip_ deal), drive to California and then fly out of LA to go back home.

You_d get to see the 3 _Big Cities_ New York, Chicago _ LA. plus a TON of great small towns along the way. A LOT of cheap eats and cheap places to sleep. Reservations are really not required when on Route 66 as there is very little traffic, (great when you just want to stop the car on the side of the road to take a picture of something you like). To me, THIS is the way to travel and truly see the _real_ America.

You could drive Interstate 80 (I-80) from New York to Chicago. 790 miles or (1,159 km). This will let you see the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

Then you get on Original Route 66 in Chicago, Illinois. You_ll then see the states of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California before ending at Los Angeles. 2,448 miles or (3,939 km).

You_d be looking at a grand total of 3,238 miles or (5,098 km) of driving, plus you_d be able to drive from coast to coast seeing 12 of our 50 states! You could EASILY do that in 3 weeks with PLENTY OF TIME to see all the sites, towns and cities. (Including MUST SEE things like The Grand Canyon).

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable visit to the USA. Take A LOT of pictures and above everything else... HAVE FUN!

You can stay in YMCA that offer overnight boarding for less money than any hotels. They have a common bathroom and kitchen.
BUT, beware that they are often frequented by men that like men. ESPECIALLY in San Fransisco. If that doesn_t bother you, ok. If not, then look at small hotels _ motels with private rooms. Rooms start at around $45 per night.

No you can_t sleep wherever you drop. There are campgrounds just about everywhere where you can sleep in a tent.
You can eat for around $20 per day on the cheap.

I have lived here my entire life and if I were to pick three cities to visit, those three wouldn_t be on my list! There are many other great places to see!

East coast Boston,MA, Charleston,South Carolina;Mid west, Chicago: West- Seattle, Washington,San Francisco,CA,San Diego,CA
Since you are here try to see some of our spectacular national parks at the top of the list The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, as for cheap sleeps search on the net for hostels they do exist here in the US. for eating. Try to stay out of the fast food places. you will be better off asking a local for a suggestion. You will eat better and cheaper. Hint If there is a line out the door probability a good place to eat.Good luck, Have fun, be safe.

it may costs around 8000 $, if you really are not going to waste and waste money

Three weeks for three cities is PERFECT. It_s better to see a LOT of less than a LITTLE of a lot!

What is the optimum time to see New England in the autumn/fall?|117659

I love autumnal colours, but I know you have to get your timing right to get the most colourful foliage. When would be the best time for this, and really good weather (sunny, warm, blue skies etc). I am thinking of going for about 2 weeks between mid-September and mid-October.

Which are some really good places to go to visit in this area. I quite like larger towns and cities, and have an inkling for Boston.

The farther north you go, the sooner the colors change. For central Mass, somewhere around the last week of Sept to first week of Oct is peak season. Farther north, it happens earlier. In Northern Vermont or Maine, you might be good the 2nd-3rd week of Sept.

There are not a whole lot of colors in Boston since not that many trees -- you are better off heading west from there and visiting Concord, Harvard, and other small towns.

Nice thing about Vermont and NH is that you can just kind of drive and browse and see what there is to see.

A lot of people do this around Columbus Day weekend (usually around October 10th or so). That_s about right for Vermont and New Hampshire, but probably a little too soon for further south.
I_d really recommend Vermont. There are lovely bed-and-breakfasts you can stay at, and a drive along Route 7 is beautiful, with lots of little shops and such.
It_s probably better to avoid going on Columbus Day weekend--things get really busy with the _leaf peepers_ up there at that time. A week before or after would probably work just fine.

definitely beginnng of october

Is Elizabeth New Jersey a nice place to live with kids?|118120

I am moving from Houston, Texas and won_t really get the chance to check it out in person. The rents look cheap, and overall the town looks nice. Plus, there is public pre-k and the schools look consistently good. Am I on target here? Is the whole town nice, or are there some parts that wouldn_t be so good for kids? I need to commute to NYC for work...Thanks!

I wouldn_t recommend Elizabeth, especially for someone bringing kids here.
To sum it up _you get what you pay for_.
Its one thing if you are a struggling young person and don_t mind a grungy higher-crime area until you can get on your feet and move out, but if you have kids - DON_T DO IT!

Elizabeth NJ is not the best place in North Jersey to move to. Yes there are some parts that are not all that good, but its not all bad. I mean its like that everywhere.

Are you out of your mind? Rents are cheap for a reason. Move to Long Island for good schools and neighborhoods.