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Over on our friend Jace's Extra curricular activities thread, Gruntboy got me thinking about things that everyone should see when visiting the United States. I think a lot of people come to the US to visit New York or Disney World, then go home without seeing everything our county has to offer; after all, the United States is about the same size as western Europe.

My family used to own a pop-top trailer and we spent literally weeks at a time camping out all over the United States. I swear I've peed in every "primitive" campground in the country. So here are the things I think should be on everyone's "must see" list when travelling around the United States; feel free to add more:

1) Eat at Captain Tony's Saloon in Key West, Florida
Key West is the most laid back place I've ever been. Have a margarita, go sailing.

2) Lay out on the beach in Destin, FL
The Florida panhandle has the most beautiful beaches in the continental US, and Destin doesn't have near the level of development that plagues Panama City.

3) Go shopping in NYC and eat lunch in Central Park
Even without the Twin Towers, NYC is one place everyone should visit.

4) Ride "The Beast" and "Son of Beast" at Kings Island in Cincinnati, OH
These are two of the best wooden rollercoasters in the world. Plus the rest of the park is pretty good.

5) Watch the sun set over the Grand Tetons in Utah
There's no sight more breath-taking.

6) Hike through Bryce Canyon in Utah
A younger canyon than the Grand Canyon, Bryce is full of spectacular colours and sights.

7) Go through Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico
Absolutely awesome in size and scale.

8) Check out the Grand Canyon
Yes, I said I was unimpressed by the Grand Canyon, but you should go there just to say you've been. They also have lots of tours that hike into the canyon, raft down the Colorado River and helicopter rides.

9) See the geyser basin in Yellowstone National Park
Don't mind the sulpher smell.

10) Walk through the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park
Not for people who are scared of heights.

11) Eat dungeness crab at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco
You also have to see the "world famous" bush man.

12) See a show in Las Vegas
Wayne Newton, Danny Gans, or Lance Burton; any or all, they are the main reasons to visit Sin City, the capital of American excess.

Travel Guide to the Netherlands

1. Visite "de wallen". Nice red light district.

2. Visite coffeeshops. Light drugs is legal here, big whoepie.

3. If the wheather is nice, sit at the cafe's in Breda. Very nice.

4. Come see my house.

5. Go out on a Saturday night, can be fun.

6. Uhm.... go to Mc Donalds?

Originally posted by HighLordDave
5) Watch the sun set over the Grand Tetons in Utah
There's no sight more breath-taking.

Wyoming.

I stand corrected. I was thinking ahead to Bryce Canyon. My apologies to everyone in Wyoming.

There are people in Wyoming?

Sure there are. They all work for the National Park Service.

Actually the people that live in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas are generally among the nicest people in the world (either that or they're wackos like the Unibomber or in extremist anti-government militias).

Really? I've done some work in Wyoming, and I swear I never saw any people. Just coyotes and sheep. And a big power plant. And a coal mine. But no people. But that was 15 or 18 years ago now; maybe the population has increased.

But, you are right. Wyoming has some of the nicest scenery and a great bunch of people living there. There's a great little Chinese place in Rock Springs that serves warm sake. And a liquor store in Casper that advertises 'The coldest beer in town' and they are right! On the road to South Dakota there is a road sign that says "Buffalo" and points to the right and "Bison" and points to the left - both are towns! Also, let's not forget the Bill Yacht Club in Bill, Wyoming (I have the t-shirt)!

I saw a mini-documentary this week on Mount Rushmore. I haven't seen it in person, and really never had thought of visiting. However, it is an unbelievable (to me) achievement.

Although the inclusion of Teddy Roosevelt is debatable, I do believe I will make an excursion to see this. (Any one know if there is anything else remotely near Rushmore?? Or should I plan a trip and make sure this is on my way?)

McBane: Try Stergis (sp?), SoDak during the annual Harley convention. Its an amazing sight! Also, wasn't Bat Masterson killed in a bar in one of those small towns in the Black Hills? I think the bar is still there as a tourist trap...

edit: Also, I think one of the poorest Indian Reservations is located in that part of SoDak.... as I recall.

Originally posted by HighLordDave


2) Lay out on the beach in Destin, FL
The Florida panhandle has the most beautiful beaches in the continental US, and Destin doesn't have near the level of development that plagues Panama City.

A short drive from Destin, but worth the trip, Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island. The place where the last Great Indian Chief/Warrior was held. The beaches here are OK, but don't compare to Destin's.

I just finished removing a bunch of spam from this thread. I think it was meant to be a thread on the subject of travel in the US, and not another topic involving William Shatner impersonations. (Last I checked, we already had one going strong.) Please keep the contents relevant to the subject. We already have plenty of spamable threads, and this one has considerable potential outside of spam altogether. Thanks.

Originally posted by fable
Travel sites to see in the US, not Shatner imitations, are the subject of this thread. Future spams will be deleted, and warnings handed out.

Sorry Fable, but I did not see any No Spam in the thread, and as HLD started the thread, and participated in the spamming, I did not realise I was breaking rules. I shall no longer spam this or any other.

If we didn't already have a Shatner-spamfest going under another thread, @McBane, I would have been inclined to be more open. But that thread is more open to spam, and this one has actually got a distinctive topic and interesting content possibilities. If you really want to get into a Shatner contest, try starting a thread for that.

Quite a few people in the eastern US head to the southern Outer Banks of the Carolinas during the Summer months. My wife and I, on the other hand, go to the northern end: Duck and Corolla, North Carolina. We rent a large house at a low cost for a week (this year, two weeks). It's not as isolated as we could hope, but it's still pretty isolated for all that, and especially at the end of the season in mid-September. The beaches seldom have more than fifteen people in view, and there's a lot of area for private walking. The houses are gorgeous, very modern structures built according to modified 19th century plans, with huge, vaulted ceilings, enormous beds, plenty of fans, large windows and balconies, and six-person hot tubs on second and third floors. It's decadence at its most aqueous.

Originally posted by Gwalchmai
McBane: Try Stergis (sp?), SoDak during the annual Harley convention. Its an amazing sight! Also, wasn't Bat Masterson killed in a bar in one of those small towns in the Black Hills? I think the bar is still there as a tourist trap...

edit: Also, I think one of the poorest Indian Reservations is located in that part of SoDak.... as I recall.

Was wild Bill Hiick****...Masterson lived into the 1920's became a sportswriter for The New York Yankees I believe.Is Deadwood S D

Originally posted by Weasel
A short drive from Destin, but worth the trip, Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island. The place where the last Great Indian Chief/Warrior was held. The beaches here are OK, but don't compare to Destin's.

Geronimo right?....But have you ever wondered why it is called Santa Rosa Island but is in Escambia???Also think John Wesley Hardin was housed there temporarily waiting on the Texas Rangers.

13) Buy touristy stuff at the Gay Dolphin in Myrtle Beach, SC
If you look up "kitsch" in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of the Gay Dolphin.

We've never made it down to Myrtle Beach--that's the southern Outer Banks, and I think we'll pass. Even off-season, it's a tourist trap on an unparalleled scale.

What's the least touristy place you've seen that you'd recommend to people traveling in the USA, @HLD?

That depends on what you like.

If you like mountains, I'd take in white-water rafting in southern West Virginia, especially in September when the US Army Corps of Engineers releases water from the Summerville Dam into the Gauley River for some serious rafting; mostly class III rapids, but if the water is high enough you get a good mix of class IV, V and even some class VI (the highest and most dangerous rating) rapids.

A good second choice for mountains is near Asheville, NC. The area is becoming more touristy, but still has a good down-home and relaxed feel. Look around Black Mountain or in Montreat for cabins.

Stay away from the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. Tourist traps galore. They also grew too much, too fast without any planning.

If you like the beach, the best place to go, bar none is the redneck riviera in the Florida panhandle. Starting in about Mexico Beach and running west to Pensacola, the Emerald Coast has the best beaches in the continental US (I only say that because I've heard that Hawaii has better beaches and have not been there to confirm or deny those claims). Panama City is the best known city on the Emerald Coast (so named because of the green tint to the water caused by the colouration of the sand), but it is overrun with tourist traps and excessive development. Go to Destin, Ft. Walton Beach or any of the other small towns along the coast and rent a beach house for a week. The folks are some of the nicest around and the seafood is magnificent.

If you like cities, San Diego would be my first choice. The weather is almost always nice, plus there's lots to do there, some of it touristy, some of it local. The gaslamp quarter is a ton of fun plus it has loads of good food, and the zoo is the best in the country. You are close enough to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, you can take in the sqalor of Tijuana and can see the very best of southern California but not be in the midst of the hustle of the Los Angeles metro area.

Interesting thread. I've never been to the US before...