Advice for a trip in the US

[magic-belgium]

I am planning to go to the US for the Worlds in San Francisco.

I need to meet guys from the forum in Philadelphia and Seattle.

My question is :

Is it cheaper to buy tickets while I am there or should I book them in Europe as soon as possible ?

Philadelphia is on the way to SF from Europe. Then I would go from SF to Seattle and then back.

What are the cheapest companies in the US ?

Could you please help ?

[Ram-Gang]

Most people use a website to book e.g. Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia. In general choose whichever is the cheapest as most carriers are the same. Be aware that many carriers charge $50+ per checked bag, don't try to carry liquids through security (3oz containers in a quart bag is the max) and be prepared to either get groped by TSA or put through a backscatter machine. If your lucky you'll will get to pick the metal detector.

Other then that enjoy the trip & plan to get to the airport 2hrs early, put identifying marks on your luggage that you can see from across the room and don't put locks on your bag unless they are TSA certified otherwise they will be cut off and trashed.

Hope that helps some,
Travis

[magic-belgium]

Thanks Travis !

I will just take one small piece of luggage with a few clothes inside.

I take the plane very often in Europe, and it looks like the rules are the same.

Will take some old clothes so that if the luggage is lost, it is not a big deal. I hadn't thought of that...

[psrex]

Is it cheaper to buy tickets while I am there or should I book them in Europe as soon as possible ?

Definitely buy your tickets ahead of time. When you buy tickets within two weeks of your flight the prices can go up drastically. Everyone knows that it is OK to gouge business travelers for tickets because corporations have oodles of money.

[magic-belgium]

That's the case in Europe, but did not know if this occurs also in the US.

That will be my first time in the US. I'm happy to be able to visit both the East Coast and the West Coast. A good beginning.

[Ram-Gang]

If you have a car don't worry about taking extras as Walmart or Target is everywhere. I knew a guy who would take nothing but old clothes on a trip and then throw away/donate them at the end of the trip leaving plenty of room for souvenirs. While in San Fran hit up the Stinking Rose if you like garlic and like it by the pound. Yelp is a great site for food especially in the big cities but definitely hit up Fisherman's Warf andthe ethnic areas for great food.

I found a few sites that might be of some help.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html
http://france.usembassy.gov/niv_waiver_program.html

-Travis

[magic-belgium]

Thanks Travis.

I assumed that I could use the public transportation to do everything.

You mention that a car is somehow useful.

Should I rent a car ?

[l0qii]

I assumed that I could use the public transportation to do everything.

Public transportation is not as good in the US as in Europe. San Francisco DOES have very good public transportation, but I don't know about the other 2 cities.

[Ram-Gang]

I can attest to San Fran's public transport as great but I have no idea on Philly or Seattle but here are there transportation websites:

http://www.septa.org/maps/system/index.html
http://metro.kingcounty.gov/maps/system.html

I think Philadelphia will be fine without a car, I think you will just have to get another mode of transportation in Seattle & you will probably need some way to get near the venue but you can walk anywhere around there very easily & fast food is abundant. Boudin Sourdough Bakery & Cafe is a good moderately expensive seafood place.

-Travis

[caquaa]

Just got home from Seattle/Tacoma few hours ago, but of course I drove :)
Seattle has a decent public transportation system with buses and such. You can always just take a cab. With cost of parking and such its not really that bad to do if buses don't work for you.

[magic-belgium]

Public transportation is part of the things to discover when you travel.

For instance, the underground in Madrid is a nightmare to understand, when Paris and London are so easy.

I really enjoyed taking the train in Italy (it is so cheap compared to France), and I enjoy taking the train in Belgium too.

Big cities in the US are nothing compared to Europe, and in that sense, it is a little scary to drive a car.

But that is part of the "experience". I'm helpless when it comes to orientation. I guess I will have to rent a GPS when I'm there, since ours here are set up for the European countries only.

I really appreciate all your help here. I would not have expected so much feedback.

Please go on.

Thank you

[Ram-Gang]

Don't worry about it most US cities are layed out on a grid so direction is largely irrelevant. Most car rental places will include a GPS for a nominal daily fee with the rental car.

-Travis

[Blood]

Public transportation is part of the things to discover when you travel

I am outside Philly and would be happy to help in your travels. The public transit in Philly is actually pretty good. Between the buses, the subway and taxis you can get anywhere you need to for a small fee. There are many great places to check out when in the city. Let me know what you enjoy and I can give you pointers if you like. If you want to meet up, we can do that also.

One place that is a must visit in Philly is the Mutter Museum ( http://www.collphyphil.org/Site/mutter_museum.html ). You will see stuff there that you have never seen or will never see again. Philly is also a great place to see a baseball game, the stadium is amazing, or check out some sites, as it is an old city compared to most of America. You can't go wrong with the Liberty Bell or just going to the University of Penn campus. They have a museum of Archeology and Anthropology at UPenn that is amazing. You could spend all day there and still be on the 1st floor. Philly is also known for it's Zoo, and if you have a chance, that is defiantly a place I would check out. You can also check out Fairmount Park ( http://www.fairmountpark.org/ ) if you play Frolf as it is right across the street from the Zoo. If you like the drinking scene or want to do some shopping, South Street ( http://www.southstreet.com/ ) is a great place to check out. It is lined with bars and shops for about 14 blocks, and you can find anything you want there. Some great music venues in Philly are The Trocadero Theatre ( http://www.thetroc.com/ ), The Electric Factory ( http://www.livenation.com/The-Electric- ... enue/16428 ) and the TLA ( http://www.livenation.com/Theatre-of-Li ... enue/16388 ). There is almost always a show going on every night of the week. One last thing you MUST do while in Philly is eat a Cheesesteak. You order a Pizza Steak With. You will not be disappointed. If you want to venture outside the city, Valley Forge Park is a historic park that has major significance in the American Revolutionary War ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_Forge ).

When in San Fran, you have to do the Alcatraz tour ( http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ ). I have been to San Fran like 5 times and every time I go I take the tour again. It is awesome. They give you a headset and you take the tour at your own speed, and you can pause the recording to look around. There are also many great places to stay in SF, and their public transit is very good also. If you are staying in a hostel in SF, this one is absolutely amazing, Elements Hotel ( http://www.elementssf.com/ ). If you like the "counter culture movement" at all you have to check out Haight-Ashbury ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haight-Ashbury ) while in SF. It is a place that played a huge roll in the anti-establishment movement in the 60 and 70s and today is still a great place to meet people. The Golden Gate park is also a sweet place to visit while there, especially if you play Frolf, their course is very nice. Check out the Fisherman's Wharf ( http://www.fishermanswharf.org/ ) while in SF. You can find some of the best seafood in the city there. My recommendation is Scoma's ( http://www.scomas.com/ ). Check it out. Another great thing the city has are Dueling Piano Bars. You want to spend a great night out on the town, check one of these out. Right outside the city, if you are a hiker, check out The Muir Woods ( http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm ). This forest has trees from 500 to 1200 years old and is quit a site too see. On your way over to the woods, stop at the Golden Gate Bridge lookout and prepare to be amazed. What a site.

All in all there are many great places to check out. Philly and SF are 2 great citys and you will not be disappointed.

Don't worry about it most US cities are layed out on a grid so direction is largely irrelevant.

False. Most city's on the East Coast are just a bumble fuck of old streets and side streets and alleys that make no sense at all. Out west it is more of a grid like system. If you have a smart phone with GPS you will be fine.

edit: formatting

[magic-belgium]

I was sure I could have a great time in Philadelphia. It is quite famous from a European point of view.

At first I planned to stay for a week (Worlds is 4 days), but changed my mind for a fortnight.

Thank you so much to describe all the places. It would be great to meet up if you have some time.

Now that I've had all this information, I am thrilled

[pcjr]

The location of the Worlds venue in San Francisco is not located near any rail stops, but I am sure you could get there by bus. There's a rail system named Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit) that is the main commuter rail system for the San Francisco Bay Area. You can easily get from the SF airport into SF using Bart (the airport is a bit South of the city). I'm told the rail system (Amtrak) between San Francisco and Seattle makes for a beautiful trip.

If you decide to take the boat trip to Alcatraz Island, buy your tickets online about a week in advance. They sell out quite often.

If you decide to rent a car, I'd recommend having some type of GPS. You shouldn't need a car unless you want to get outside SF, such as Muir Woods like someone else suggested.

I've been quite happy with Southwest Airlines when flying around within the US. They have "internet only" rates that are cheapest, but those "sell out" early. I'd buy them at least a month in advance. I don't know if you'll find their prices on any of the travel sites, they sell tickets through their own website, but only about 5 months in advance.

I'm local to the area and plan to spend time at Worlds to satisfy my photography hobby. Maybe I can get a picture of you!