U.S.A. Travels

VK4ION

To the USA

Enjoying the craft beers in America

Tripping in the USA

I've travelled to the USA more than a dozen times and I don't always go where others go... I've driven from Detroit to NYC... toured Ohio, touched the SR71.. enoyed Chicago, with front row seats at a Cubbies game, and the CES shows. Watched the world's best ice hockey players in L.A. Got off the beaten track in San Francisco many times. Chartered a helicopter and cruised from SF to LA buzzing the coast and inland areas, what a rush.
Traveled through Geogia and enjoyed the Atlanta of Margaret Mitchell.. Had such a good time in Atlantic City that I never did find Philadelphia! Around 35th street in Manhattan is my go-to place and know a lot of the secrets of the island... but having said all that, the best memories are in my head but I'll share a few here.
Flying out of Australia takes a bit of effort, so I always opt for a stopover in Hawaii.
Once you've re-set your internal clock it's on to the U.S. mainland. I've included some images of...
Hawaii, San Francisco, Massachusetts, New York City and Las Vegas.

First Honolulu

hw1 — Statue of Duke Paoa Kahanamolu legendary surfer & olympic swimmer. It stands before Waikiki Beach and is adorned with flowers by visitors

hw2 — This is Waikiki Beach... and Aussies will marvel at how small it is, yet it is world famous.

hw3 — No surfers, they're out on the outer islands. Waikiki is a tourist beach for relaxing and drinking exotic cocktails

hw5 — A Pearl Harbour visit is a must and approaching the USS Arizona memorial is eerily quiet first thing in the morning

I recommend staying a few nights at the Aqua Waikiki Tides Hotel (415 Nahua Street). Moderate hotel for those keeping their spending money for the US mainland. Hotel chains do change the name of hotels so note the address and search for this hotel.
Great location, no ocean views but great price and a 3 minute walk to the beach. It has a sports bar downstairs and the International Markets across the street.

San Francisco & Irish Pubs

San Francisco has a long wrap-around wharf and you can begin at the Historical Ferry Terminal building (where you catch the ferry to Oakland). Then walk right around the piers to those VERY touristy ones!
Pier 39 is a huge tourist trap but it's nice to see in the sun on those freezing cold, fog filled summer days.
Yep, summer days are very cold in SF. It's actually warmer there in winter! Go figure.

sf01 — Dungeness Crabs at Thanh Long Restaurant 4101 Judah St, on the Muni Line. It's very popular so be prepared to wait for a table

sf02
hw2 — Mission Street Pale Ale, brewed in the region

sf05 — Free-roaming Sea Lions come to fight and squabble for the best spots in the sun

sf06 — Fisherman's Wharf precinct is packed with tourists and buses so avoid during U.S. school holidays

sf7 — Street Vendors cook and bash crabs into take-away packs but there's no seating and very few garbage bins! It's all a bit yuck and stinky!

sf8 — It's uphill all the way to the city and those famous cable-cars are a tourist trap with people packed like sardines... but if you don't mind your head in a persons armpit, enjoy

sf10 — I prefer... Kennedy's Irish Pub & Indian Curry House (1040 Columbus Ave) with 69 beers on tap... better than a tram ride!

It was time to walk all over San Francisco and check out the sights.

sf12 — See the second largest Chinatown in the US, and

sf13
hw2 — Wander through the mazes of asian shops

sf14 — Down to the end of Grant street to see the murals painted on old apartment blocks

sf23 — Yes, they do build houses on this much of an angle in San Francisco because the hills are very steep

sf24 — Which is all very well until you see the steps you have to climb up to get to your front door!

sf26 — And they can cram a tiny 3metre wide house in between 2 others!

sf25 — Some houses are plain, others are very ornate

sf27 — A walk up telegraph hill to the fire-hose-thingy on top, it's called Coit Tower

sf28 — Good view of San Francisco city, the fog-shrouded bay and two bridges as well Alcatraz Island

On to the East Coast

A cross-country flight into JFK.
Next stop Massachusetts... to eat clams and crabs.

It's June, it's summer, it's 50 Degrees F [10C] that's cold!

ma1 — Nice wide highways, but the Chinese speaking GPS threw me for a while until I could find the settings menu.

ma5 — Plenty of clams dipped in hot butter to take your mind of the cold as well

ma4 — Sam Adams's made me wonder what I was complaining about

ma7 — Lobster dinner with hot dipping butter on the side **yumm**

NEW YORK WHAT A TOWN

Armed with map and GPS it was time to hit the freeways and head for the tunnels, although entering Manhattan on a Sunday afternoon is hell with all the day trippers coming in as well.

ny2 — You need a plan of how to get therr

ny3 — Tolls, tolls, and more tolls have plenty of cash ready.

ny4 — Heading in from New Jersey side is the very long Holland Tunnel. Slow going trying to break into a line of traffic and into the tunnel

ny5 — Offloaded the rental car, checked into a 'downtown' hotel and begin the walking adventure

ny6 — Big crowds everywhere so get used to it

ny8 — Times Square has changed so many times over the years... they put garden furniture in, then made it more permanent to create a 'sit and relax' area although traders weren't happy about loss of trade with no cars... the naked women (with painted skin) aren't helping and it seems to be sliding into that scummy city feel of the 70's. Will it drive tourist away again... who know.

ny10 — Go way down-town and catch a Staten Island FREE ferry... just go over and back

ny11 — Staten Island ferry is the BEST way to see the Statue of Liberty

ny12 — NY is a working harbour so all types of shipping is going on around you on the trip

ny16 — Wander through Battery park for artwork and street theatre.
This is a tribute to the Immigrants who came to NY

ny17 — This was the 'Sphere' fountain which stood in the World Trade Centre Plaza for 30 years.
It was damaged in 911, the battered remains are a memorial to that day

ny20 — Working your way north you can tour the new World Trade site and see the memorial

ny22 — From ultra modern steel and glass to timeless classical architecture

ny15 — And of course, the iconic Empire State Building

ny21 — From atop the Empire State Building, looking uptown, past central park

ny18 — Or look Downtown to the Battery and the Financial District, it really is a stunning islan

Las Vegas

A crumbling dream in the desert with the Casino architecture mimicking the worlds heritage with the Paris, New York, Luxor all the famous names along "Strip" trying to outdo each other your dollar.

lv1 — Not France. It's the Paris Las Vegas hotel - a 1/3rd scale of the real thing

lv5 — Caesar's Palace has fountains, many do. There is so much water on display in this desert city

lv23 — The Fremont Street Experience in 'old Las Vegas', they've 'roofed-over' their main street and have regular light and music shows. It's amazing don't miss it.

What made me sad...
Biggest change I noticed is that Las Vegas is so dirty now with litter in the streets and gutters and worse, the 'flicker' men - or pimps as they really are. They hand out cards for prostitutes although the graphic cards say the 'girls want to meet you and be your friend'.... lucky me huh?
The major Casino's try to move these sleasebags along but they flourish and touch you with their cards and flick them to attract you. Tourists take the offered cards and then drop them immediately in the streets so the ground is littered with thousands of girlie cards - try explaining those photos to your kids.

So how do you visit Las Vegas and beat the system?
The big-name hotels are rubbish these days, and I've stayed in quite a few of them and notice that as the dollars are drying up.. so is the service. Staff are just plain rude and demanding more tips for less and less service. The booking arrangements are often con-jobs too. You arrive to read the small print 'room booked may not be available'... but miraculously a better room is available IF you PAY MORE! Buyer beware.
Top Tip! Don't stay on Las Vegas Blvd. - commonly know as The Strip.
Stay in old Las Vegas known as "Downtown" or Fremont Street.
Down there the Hotel Casino's are way better priced, staff seem to enjoy their work, their pokies and tables pay better odds and the drinks are much much cheaper.
The link is Main Street Station Casino, Brewery & Hotel.

lv7 — Best casino/hotel just off Freemont Street

If you're just into grabbing a beer and want to keep walking, that's OK too. Everyone drinks in the street and if you're staying around Fremont Street, the Main Street Station Casino runs a shuttle service up to the Strip or you can buy a 24 hour bus pass on the Deuce double decker bus.
With the Pass you can get on or off as you please, so you can stay for cheap in Old Las Vegas and visit the sleaze pits as you please. Some random photos.... Some Casino's are trying to imitate classical art...