Check out Wrigley Field and the Cubs (sit in the bleachers). I know that you said you might be musemed out but the Field Museum, Art Institute are fabulous. The Chicago Symphony is one of the best (if they are playing) In the evening there are several blues clubs...Saturday Night Live fans will enjoy any of the Second City shows...Billy Goat Tavern (featured in an old SNL skit No coke, Pepsi)...and a stroll down the Magnificent Mile for shopping (near water tower) is a must.
You must eat real Deep Dish Pizza (Chicago Style)...and lots of locations from the Blues Brothers/Ferris Buehler movies are must dos...
LA - don't waste your time...after the Hollywood sign and the Chinese Theater it goes down hill fast (in my opinion)...
Thanks Scott,
I have got the Field Museum and Adler on my list for Chicago anyway. Thanks for the other tips though. Actually, I hadn't even considered the Blues Brothers.
Peter
Re: Chicago. We took a bike tour along the lakefront and up to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Don't know if you like zoos but is a good one and free!
The architecture in Chicago is brilliant if you like that sort of thing. The Magnificent Mile is great for shopping, again if you like that sort of thing! Blues Brothers locations such as Wrigley Field, the Daley Plaza (that's where they have the Picasso) are easy to get to. Some others can be a bit harder to find. Maxwell St is very gentrified now, not like the movie at all.
With LA, we had a great day at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Universal Studios was fun. We did the Paramount Studio tours which was brilliant! Much less theme parky than Universal and more personal with a small group. A trip down to Santa Monica and hire some bikes to cycle down to Venice Beach for lunch is interesting. Also did a tour of the Kodak Theatre.
I actually liked LA!
Hi
Too much to do and so little time. I reckon take one day to do a frenetic tour of a handful of the must see iconic places and then use the second day to mooch around Harlem or East Village or somewhere lively and just watch and listen to New Yorkers as you munch on a few local treats - with lots of cawfee.
In Arizona, Flagstaff Observatory is good value as are the viewing sessions at Kitt's Peak, just out of Tucson. I agree with Scott, LA is best avoided; quite depressing in my opinion. Don't forget that in US restaurants an entrée is actually the main course - how did they get that wrong?
Ian
Not really understanding at the time how they relied on tips for the bulk of their wage, we didn't tip as a matter of course. And we certainly didn't when we went to a buffet restaurant.
It seemed reasonable, as all they did was hand us a plate on the way in - and that was it.
But it caused a bit of a 'to-do' when it came time to pay, I can tell you. They weren't shy about arguing the toss either.
We were told that for waiters and similar jobs, the Tax dept in the US will make an assumed level of tips and apply tax based on that. So they poor buggers have to pay tax regardless of whether you tip them or not.
Waiters are the main ones. It is all quite open and in some restaurants they include suggested tips on the bill for you. A couple of times we even asked them to work it out. In some places (hotel restaurants especially!) it will be itemised on your bill. The percentage is 15-18%, sometimes if services was less than exemplary we only did 10%.
We usually didn't tip apart from wait staff, you will have porters try to carry your bags in hotels, we just ignored them!
One other time we tipped was when I went on a bus tour up to Muir Woods near San Francisco. The tour driver was excellent so lobbed him a tip of $20!
Another suggestion for New York - go for a walk on the High Line. It's a very long, thin park built on an unused, elevated railway line. My wife liked the Chelsea markets too. There's some interesting hand made arty/crafty stuff as well as more conventional shops.
Another suggestion for New York - go for a walk on the High Line. It's a very long, thin park built on an unused, elevated railway line. My wife liked the Chelsea markets too. There's some interesting hand made arty/crafty stuff as well as more conventional shops.
Cheers,
Rick.
Thanks Rick. There was another thread that gave some interesting things to see in New York, but none of these came up.
I am mostly working out accommodation at present. The only place that I have decided an itinerary for is Washington. Will visit the Air and Space Museum, Natural History Museum, The Library of Congress, The Naval Observatory Library and a couple of other museums.
My major emphasis is on the Air and Space Museums, in the National Mall and the Steve Hazy Centre in Virginia.
One problem I have encountered in Washington is rather annoying and that is you cannot hire a car on a weekend, after midday or drop it off on a Sunday. The national tourist attraction and you can't easily get around. There is no public transport to the Steve Hazy Centre. There used to be a shuttle service from the air and space museum in the national mall to the Steve Hazy Centre, but due to budget cuts it is no longer in service. A car is the only way to get there or a $150 taxi fare there and back
Well im back in one piece from the whirlwind trip around the US. Im still very jetlagged and im trying to get back into some sort of sleeping pattern so that i can start playing in the observatory again.
New York was a huge culture shock for me as my town has a population of 400 compaired to the 8.5 million in new york city . Crossing the roads in NY was like a battle scene from the lord of the rings with a mass of people charging head on to get across the road.
My favorite parts of the trip where visiting the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, and the intrepid in NY, unfortunately the space shuttle exhibit was closed due to some damage caused by last year's wild weather, but i got a few happy snaps while on a boat doing the liberty island tour.
It was a great trip, but im glad to be back home in my sleepy town.
Thank to everyone for ideas of what to do, i think i did just about everything that i wanted to do, but i will be heading back over in 4 years with my children.
Well im back in one piece from the whirlwind trip around the US. Im still very jetlagged and im trying to get back into some sort of sleeping pattern so that i can start playing in the observatory again.
New York was a huge culture shock for me as my town has a population of 400 compaired to the 8.5 million in new york city . Crossing the roads in NY was like a battle scene from the lord of the rings with a mass of people charging head on to get across the road.
My favorite parts of the trip where visiting the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, and the intrepid in NY, unfortunately the space shuttle exhibit was closed due to some damage caused by last year's wild weather, but i got a few happy snaps while on a boat doing the liberty island tour.
It was a great trip, but im glad to be back home in my sleepy town.
Thank to everyone for ideas of what to do, i think i did just about everything that i wanted to do, but i will be heading back over in 4 years with my children.
Hi James,
Glad to hear that you had a great trip to the US and arrived home safe, if somewhat tired.
I start my journey around the US, when I land in LA on July 19, ending up back in LA at the beginning of September. I am sure that NY is a culture shock, even coming from a place like Perth, let alone from a town of only 400 people. I have 4 nights there, before heading off the the Stellafane Telescope Makers Conference in Springfield Vermont.
I wanted to ask. Did you go to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre (Air and Space Museum ) in Virginia, or just to the one in the National Mall. If so, how did you get to the Steven Hazy Centre in Chantilly, Virginia? I am in Washington for 5 days and I really didn't want to hire a car and drive around Washington. However, I have been informed that there isn't any public transport to Chantilly. What was your experience? Did you find it worth it going to both?
I am also still considering which way to go from Flagstaff AZ, where I am going to Lowell Observatory, the Barringer Crater and the Grand Canyon. I was originally going to Vegas, but have decided against it; all that light would probably depress me anyway No stars to be seen there, at least not those in the night sky, as there ain't no night there
I am now considering going to the PIMA air and space museum (The Boneyard) in Tucson, but haven't decided yet.
The boneyard in Tucson is really interesting as is the Desert Museum which is just on the city fringe. The uni of Arizona has a spectacular collection of meteorites in the Geology building. If you are going back to LA from Tucson, go via Joshua Tree National Park which is not only spectacular but also has good dark skies with open horizons.
The boneyard in Tucson is really interesting as is the Desert Museum which is just on the city fringe. The uni of Arizona has a spectacular collection of meteorites in the Geology building. If you are going back to LA from Tucson, go via Joshua Tree National Park which is not only spectacular but also has good dark skies with open horizons.
Thanks Ian.
Unfortunately, I had to decide against Tucson, as I just cannot fit in in, due to time constraints. I would loved to had had an extra week off work, but having taken six and half weeks off already, I am stretching it as it is. Mind you, I would have quit if they hadn't given me the six and half weeks off. I ain't missin' this trip for anythin" I only work permanent casual, part time, and don't actually get holidays, as such.
I am now heading straight to LA, from Flagstaff, and then down to Oceanside to visit Mt Palomar and OPT (to pick up a new scope and some accessories ) I may try to fit in Joshua Tree National Park, as it is only another 100 km from Mount Palomar. I have a car hired in Oceanside for two days anyway. So thanks for the tip.
It sure is a great time to be going, dollar wise. 
I only work permanent casual, part time, and don't actually get holidays, as such.
