United States of America

The 48 contiguous states are sandwiched between Canada to the north and Mexico and the South American continent to the south. In addition, Alaska can be found to the west of Canada, whilst Hawaii is beaten by the sun and waves of the Central Pacific.

Famed for Hollywood, BBQ, Motown, cars, New York, Abraham Lincoln, The Golden Gate Bridge, Levis jeans, Marilyn Monroe...

The list goes on. You've heard of America before.

So, What's Special?

What's so special about the USA is its diversity, in every sense.

The cosmopolitan urban jungle of New York is a world apart from the rugged deserts of Utah, whilst of Dallas, Texas and San Francisco, California feel like different planets. All this is due to the USA's sheer size: it's the third largest country in the world, and it feels it.

Home to some of the world's most renowned natural sites, such as Yosemite National Park and the sprawling Appalachian mountains, there is a lifetime's worth of exploration to be had in this country alone. Each state has an identity as varied as the countries of Europe, and demand just as much time to be explored.

Our Experience

We have made several trips to the USA, visiting Hawaii, California and New York City.

Charlie visited New York for a jam-packed 5 day schedule, visiting a ridiculous number of sights and leaving considerably more tired than at the start.

Living in the iconic film sets of Grand Central Station and Times Square, standing atop the Empire State and looking at the downtown Manhattan skyline on the clearest November morning, and being shocked at how small the Statue of Liberty is are, whilst clichéd, amazing experiences and felt just as special as venturing off the beaten track to find the best food and lesser-known sights.

Greg has visited the Hawaiian island of O'ahu driving around the island in a convertible Mustang, which I can tell you is pretty dam cool. During the trip we managed to see and speak with the survivors of Pearl Harbour due to it being the anniversary of the attack. We climbed volcanoes, checked out the beaches and even managed a helicopter ride around the beautiful island below.

It was then time for our trip through California starting off in the madness yet brilliant LA. We stayed on Hollywood boulevard, and after trips to Muscle Beach, Santa Monica and the end of Route 66, Hollywood and a number of entertaining locations around the area we drove north on route 1. We stopped for nights at Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz before ending up in San Francisco. Whilst there, we weaved our way around Lombard Street, pier 39 and Golden Gate bridge as well as the very peculiar Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. This was all topped with watching the 49ers play at home.

These trips also gave us the perspective to ask some really big, difficult questions, such as who makes the world's best sandwich? Greg says Ike's Place in San Francisco, Charlie says Katz' Deli in New York. The debate has gone on since 2015, and no one is backing down.

On a more somber note, post-9/11 there has been a consistent high alert across the USA, with high security protocols in place. Heavily armed police are present at all airports and densely-populated locations, and this can be quite unnerving. On a related note, sadly America has several issues with both gun violence and racial inequality. Whilst we were never directly involved in any of this, the debates rage ever-on over American media (which is tough to avoid here) and the strong views on all sides of this stick clearly in our minds. It did not feel like a harmonious country.

Our Advice

If visiting a 'dream location', such as Hawaii or New York, plan ahead. For these places, having a flexible but well-thought-out itinerary saves so much time travelling between locations, particularly when trying to make the most of your trip.

In major cities (looking at you, New York), be wary of people hustling on the streets, selling tickets at ridiculous prices to attractions that are either free, or at least half the quoted price. Research beforehand!

Visas for the USA need to be planned and paid for well in advance. If you're not native to a major first world country, visas are strictly allocated, and this only looks set to get tougher in the current climate.

Whilst travelling around the country it is always best in our opinion to hire your own vehicle. The freedom you will get from this experience and the sites you'll find are worth every cent spent.

To Summarise...

Because the USA is a continent-sized country, expect it to need a continent's worth of time to explore in detail. If you're heading to a major destination it pays to plan ahead.

Go and enjoy it! American hospitality is legendary, and the country is beautiful. Somewhere this size, you are absolutely going to find somewhere that speaks to your soul and feels like home.