Travel to USA and Canada - help me refine my trip

He'll sort your doggies out in no time at all!

Andy
I've just been exercising my appalling French in Morocco. Funny - in France last year they all spoke to me in English - when I initiated conversation or attempted to respond in French. What was that about?

I've also used my schoolgirl French (and it's a long time since I was a schoolgirl) in Germany and Spain and surprisingly, Sydney.

Here's my take after having visited just about every state and province in North America.
New York, Tarranna(and Montreal if you can manage it)
Mountaineer to Vancouver.
San Francisco(skip Seattle)
Washington DC
This is a busy schedule for 3 weeks but I think you'll get your best bang for your Aussie buck.

I second Panzade's itinerary. Excellent. In San Francisco make sure you contact cicerone impostor (if he's not away on one of his trips). He is a most gracious host, eager to show off his city. Also, while in NY, a side trip to Boston can be arranged as a day trip. It's only a matter of some 25o miles.

Thanks, Panz, Andy

This is sort of what I have in mind - but still thinking about Boston.

I think Seattle will have to wait for me.

There will need to be some serious costing done soon.

No disrespect for Seattle, which I love.(Been there 8 or 9 times).

But if it's a toss-up between Seattle and Boston as side trips I'd take Boston.
The history, culture and maritime sightseeing are wonderful.

Plus no trip to the US would be complete without a meet-up with jespah and reeg.

There hasn't been any input from Bostonians.

I'm still pushing (Margo and I pm) for san francisco, in my non pushy way. I'm a wild woman for wanting to figure out my own itinerary, thus no push meant! though I will look up what people suggest. Or did, as I travel now by the "virtual method" which is part of why I gravitate to travel threads. Thing is, I can see picking Boston aaaaaand Montreal and Toronto as well as New York - be still my heart!

SF is expensive too, but given you get a place to stay for relatively low money in a relatively non-worry area, walking a lot of the city is possible if one also uses the odd streetcar or bus or shares a taxi. And walking the city can be all you need (don't get me started) except good shoes.

Adds, I've long wanted to go to Vancouver too. Turning green w/envy.

So long ago, perhaps 1980, I saw Vancouver (for the first time in my life) while doing a driving tour of northwestern North America and parts of the southwest. I traveled to Vancouver, saw downtown (Gastown..old core of the city, gentrified section, which at this point 34 yrs later is a world-class must-see, so I hear.

While there I saw pretty Stanley Park and one of the great zoos in North America. I'm not sure what might exist of this zoo now. Strolled the botanical Gardens and was amazed. their Asian restaurant section was massive,, and the food was varied and as good as anywhere I've had it..incl NYC.

<ahem>

I'll see you when you're in da Big Apple. At least once.

I'm a Boston fan. But side trips are up to you.

Is it April yet?

Ooops! Sorry George.

Bad cough you have there!

Comes and goes

I've been looking at skyscanner.com to check out airfares.

In Oz, it doesn't seem to list all airlines. Is this the same in US / Canada? In Canada, I see Westjet and Air Canada fly to Calgary, from Montreal and/or Toronto, and appear to have identical pricing. Is this correct?

Unless there is a seat sale, the prices will be nearly identical. Westjet has better seat sales. The other airline to check for flights to/from Canada is Porter Airlines. Definitely the better option (when they've got a seat sale on) if Toronto is one of the stops as the airport is on the island, which is literally a two or three minute ferry ride from the centre of downtown.





the ferry (a lot of us could probably swim that distance - without luggage of course )

I recommend you make sure to visit Vancouver and Banff. I wouldn't recommend spending more that 3 days in NY and if you're looking for variety, skip Boston. It's a great city and I'm sure Bostonians will vehemently disagree but it's too similar to NYC. The following cities are probably too far out of your way for you to seriously consider, but I would recommend them for a foreign visitor who wants to get a feel for the range of cultures within the US: Charleston, SC or Savannah, GA, Ashville, NC, Louisville, KY, Santa Fe, NM and Monterey, CA. Washington DC is great place to for Americans to visit, but unless you're into US history or like to see iconic places in person, I would skip it.

If you do go to San Francisco try and plan for some time North of the city. Napa Valley is fairly famous, and beautiful and there are a lot of really nice towns up that way. It's my favorite part of the state.

Seattle is a fun place but you might want to consider Portland OR instead.

I don't know how you like to travel, but I prefer not to be hopping all over the place, however you may never get another chance to come to North America so it might be worth it.

You should have a great time in any and all of the places you've indicated, but you have almost a year to research and plan.

I would almost kill to take Margo around Napa and Sonoma. I'm no fan of tours, criminy. I'd research and pick one or two places, probably not what you see first online. I know the areas generally, but stuff happens.

I'm odd. After my wild eye surgeries, when friends in napa nursed me, they took me around and around some more. (Also made lamb ossobuco for me, oh god).
The places I loved may have changed.

Margo, if you are going there, I'll be glad to help research.

The thing is, Australia also has wine country. This may not be Margo's prime interest. She might like point reyes or some other places better. Or just the city, the city, unless it has completely changed (change is going on), the city is wonderful.

The High Line's Final Section Will Open This Month
http://gothamist.com/2014/09/04/high_line_sept_21_fin.php?utm_source=Gothamist+Daily&amp;utm_campaign=a1d27914e8-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_73240544d8-a1d27914e8-646165

Yes - the High Line is on my list.

I've put other plans on hold a bit until da Bunny's plans tighten up. She's always good value. Even though we live in the same country, she does live a fair way away.

So far, I fly into New York on 26 April and fly out 20 May.

I've been freaked out by the cost of hotels in Boston!