Help?

[erilyn]

I haven't babbled about my holiday in at least 48 hours, so here goes. I'm heading off to the US and Canada for a month in just over 6 weeks. Some of the time, I'll be on tours, but I do have days to myself between them in several places. I'm hoping to make use of your collective knowledge, as I seek recommendations (or anti-recs) about what I shouldn't miss while there. I have some things in mind, but once I start reading Lonely Planets and Frommers and Rough Guides, as I have been, I get overwhelmed by options. So help, please? And if you're going to be in these places when I am, I'd love to meet up if possible *g*.

Los Angeles - I didn't plan on really spending any time in LA originally, but as it's worked out, I have almost three days there (yay for free hotel accomodation with flights!). I'm staying downtown in the Kawada, I get to LA early on Friday 17th, and fly out to Las Vegas early on Monday. The only thing that's definitely on my must-do list so far is the Getty Centre. I'm not hugely interested in going to the amusement parks (especially not by myself), but there's many other things that are tempting me.

Las Vegas - I've got two to three days in Vegas. Most of Monday 19th, before the tour leaves Vegas on the Tuesday, then Tuesday 27th and some of Wednesday before I fly to Vancouver. So far my plans are mostly gawking at the casinos, and visiting the art gallery and outlet malls (shopping!) that iibnf recommended to me. Errr, the art gallery isn't at the mall, as far as I'm aware. But tell me about other things that I should do.

Vancouver - I don't really have any time here before the tour through the Rockies starts, but I have two days at the end, Sunday 10th and Monday 11th July. I believe I must wander through Gastown, and visit the Stanley Park (and possibly the aquarium), but I have time for many more things than that! *g*

Chicago - I arrive in the afternoon on Tuesday 12th, so I've got a bit of time that day, then all day Wednesday and maybe some of Thursday, depending on when people are starting to arrive for Challenge *g*. I'm not missing the Art Institute, but I'll definitely avoid the Sears tower if the queues really do take a couple of hours!

Its hard when it's just you planning something, when it was my sister and I going to Italy, at least we could narrow things down to stuff that sounded good to both of us (though we have similar tastes, so not an enormous help *g*).

And I just found out that classes next semester don't start on the Monday of the first week (what a silly assumption to make!), but not until Wednesday at least. Monday and Tuesday are for continuing enrolments, and I get back very early on the Tuesday, so I'll be able to enrol for myself (jetlag can't make the enrolement process much more tedious than it is) and not miss classes, which I'd just resigned myself too. So bonus for me!

Comments

[alasen.livejournal.com]

I got you some travel guides today, since I happened to be at the library. I couldn't remember which ones you wanted (if only you had posted yesterday!) so I got rough guide to canada (2004), and lonely planets for vancover & toronto (2001). Let me know if you want any more, I can go in on saturday since i'll be nearby.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Muchos gracias :) If you any on Las Vegas, that'd be fantastic, haven't found any in our library. Or Lonely Planet guides to LA would be cool too.

[shirasade]

Are you in any way interested in Star Trek? Because highlights of my stays in LA and Vegas were the Hollywood Entertainment Museum (where I got to sit in Captain Kirk's seat!) in LA and the Star Trek: The Experience in Vegas.

Also much fun in Vegas is to visit the children's casino in Excalibur and to sit in a pharaoh's lap at the pyramid. Generally just take in all those crazy casinos - no need to spend a cent, just walk around and take it in... :) In LA my favorite thing was Venice Beach - get a henna tattoo and watch all those crazy and beautiful people. :)

My favorite thing in Vancouver was renting a bike from the hostel and riding along the bike path from Stanley Park around the bay and visiting Granville Island. I'll never forget that, since I ate the first doughnut of my life there... :)

And in Chicago I went to the Museum of Science and Industry twice, because it's great fun and I fell in love with the Fairy Castle there. Unfortunately they seem to have abandoned Free Thursday, though. I also enjoyed the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium.

Well, I think that's enough for the moment. *g*

[shirasade]

Actually, it was Captain Picard's seat - but still, very cool, especially since you get to see all the inside jokes the designers hid in the set... :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you so much for all this, that's exactly the sort of info and recs I was after. I'll definitely be checking these out :)

And I am a Trek fan, so hmmmm...

[turlough]

In LA my favorite thing was Venice Beach - get a henna tattoo and watch all those crazy and beautiful people.

When I was in LA over twenty years ago (autumn 1979 to be exact, I was 20 years old) this was my favourite place too. Walking along watching the rollerskaters and the dogs and the artists and everyone just out to see and be seen. It's fantastic how some things remain unchanging over the years.

[patchworkdragon.livejournal.com]

I am so tempted to drive up to LA - I never get to meet anyone :)

[without-me.livejournal.com]

I'm still asleep and already late for work, but if you want to get together for brunch or drinks and boywatching while you're in LA, let me know!

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

*marks July 10 and 11 in my calendar* Cooool. I'm not actually from Vancouver, but there're plenty of Vancouverites around here. Probably finding a tour guide won't be difficult...

[swabian.livejournal.com]

While I was in Las Vegas I took a helicopter flight to the Grand Canyon. Pricey, yes, but that's what credit cards are for, right? It was an absolutely stunning experience. Flying over and through the canyon, just wow! We landed on the south side I think and spent most of the day touring on foot before flying back to Vegas. Money well spent.

[shirasade]

Glad to be of help - my big US/Canada trip after graduation was one of the highpoints of my life!

[shirasade]

Yes, it's definitely a great place still - although it's probably more commercial these days. But I spent Thanksgiving 99 there, by myself, and just loved it!

[turlough]

It was quite commercial then too, as far as I remember anyway. I think 1979 was more like the beginning of the glitzy 80s than the end of the radical 70s. (And now I feel an almost overwhelming urge to watch 'Blues Brothers' - nearly everything in that film reminds me of my US trip in 1979-80: the cars, the clothes, the people :-)

[spring-1970.livejournal.com]

LA - La Brea really is interesting and LACMA (right beside it) is a stunning art museum. Food in LA sucks (imo) but the restaurant/bar at LACMA was excellent.

Vegas - it's tacky city forever. Everything is tacky. Ev-er-y-thing! Freemont Street shows a bit more "old Vegas" and they have a really neat light show at night. If you can get to the Hoover Dam, do go. If you can get a tour to the Grand Canyon, that's just freakin' amazing.

There is not one thing I like in Chicago. Not one. I've bad memories of Chicago for years. O'Hare is my own personal hell. But you enjoy it now. ;)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

My tour out of Vegas goes to places like Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Monument Valley, Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon, I ain't missing them :)

I've been wondering if La Brea was worth going to, thanks for the info! But I'm determined to enjoy Chicago, so ;p

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

The flight is an option (for extra of course) on our tour, I'm very tempted to do it, thanks (though my wallet won't thank you *g*).

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That would be very cool! :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I'd love to get together, my plans are pretty open and flexible for those days (though Friday night isn't a good idea, I get in at 6am, which will feel like almost midnight for me *g*).

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That'd be fantastic :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendation - perhaps I'll have to head out there when I'm recovering from my flight on the Friday :)