first time in the USA where should I go ?

[Gale Hawkins]

Hi everyone

Inspired by the thread ''things to do in north California''

Me and my wife are looking to go in the USA this summer in late July my first time... so many place to choose from so we are having difficulty choosing... and she left it up to me which is the worse ...

We are planning on a week... I don't want to stay in one city the whole time we will be flying then renting a vehicle I don't mind driving a good distance. I want the area to be relatively safe and being the summer maybe we should stay away from the crazy hot although there is lots of cool landmark in these stats.

I would like a place that I could visit a few cool attraction/landmark, visit nice city with cool history and museum perhaps go to a live show and go for a long horseback ride and a cattle drive ... which state would you recommend ?

In 2011 I did an 8000 mile 31 day motor home trip with the twins who turned 14 on the trip.

South Dakota Badlands was out first real stop. We did it at midnight under a full moon (awesome) then again the next morning and did Mount Rushmore that afternoon and then drove to Cody Wyoming that night and drove into Yellowstone the next day and booked North and south bus tours for the next 2 days. The kids rode horses on the way down to the Great Salt Lake park before heading to California but it could be a fly out point for you. If flying into Washington DC you should see some things there and hit all of the New England states with relative little driving compared to getting out west. Best of success.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Hasn't that been required since the mid 2000's?

i didn’t know but just search it … don’t need it by land need it by air …

 

[Sigarms]

We stopped at Mount Rushmore on my first truck trip to paddle Montana and Idaho. Honestly, I liked the Badlands a lot better than Mount Rushmore.

Need to make another drive and get a "Wall Drug" bumper sticker LOL

 

[Rockbadchild]

I am thankful for all the ideas … some of them made me wanted to change my mind but the wife liked the first idea plus the grand canyon and Vegas has always been a bucket list items for both of us so we will stick to that this year but keep them coming, a first good time attract a second time

 

[Rockbadchild]

We stopped at Mount Rushmore on my first truck trip to paddle Montana and Idaho. Honestly, I liked the Badlands a lot better than Mount Rushmore.

Need to make another drive and get a "Wall Drug" bumper sticker LOL

wall drug ?

 

[Sigarms]

i didn’t know but just search it … don’t need it by land need it by air …

Apparently the paid tour I paid for my son and myself when we were at Niagara falls was miss-informed. To think we were only a couple hundred of yards away from the Canadian border...

I have this theory... that the amount of time to research a law to verify if you're "legal" is proportionate to the amount of hassle time you're going to face if caught breaking a "perceived law" you had to research.

Take it from a United State Citizen "gun nut" that most law enforcement officers don't know their own federal gun laws.

That said, you may be right. Wish I had this thread when I was at Niagara falls last year. I could have seen what would have happened.

Edit, I looked at what I looked at last year per the tour company I booked with my son. This was taken off their website today, so perhaps they are incorrect, I honestly don't know...

Personally, if it were me, I'd bypass all the potential BS and just get a passport. Don't take this the wrong way, my passport expired some time ago and since I've never had a hankering to visit either Canada or Mexico. Don't know if you need one for Mexico now because I didn't need one when I drove to Tijuana (or perhaps I took a cab, don't remember LOL) but I KNOW I didn't have a passport on me.

 

[Sigarms]

wall drug ?

Kind of like "south of the border" in SC. I remember that as a kid when we took trips to Disney in Florida from the North East.

Wall Drug - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Makes me realize how my parents loved me as a kid. New perspective after having kids of my own on driving kids over a two thousand mile round trip to go to an amusement park. That said, in reality, driving my boys 1600 miles round trip to visit Vermont wasn't THAT bad...

 

[MossRoad]

i didn’t know but just search it … don’t need it by land need it by air …

Ahhh, the enhanced drivers license. Forgot about that.

From here:

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea?

• U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Passport Card; Enhanced Driver’s License; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST); U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders; U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or Form I-872 American Indian Card, or (when available) Enhanced Tribal Card.
• U.S. and Canadian citizen children under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group) need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. The birth certificate can be original, photocopy, or certified copy.
• WHTI does not affect U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents, who are still required to present their permanent resident card (Form I-551) or other valid evidence of permanent residence status.
• Canadian citizens can present a valid passport, Enhanced Driver’s License, or Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST).
• Bermudian citizens are required to present a valid passport.
• Mexican citizens, including children, are required to present a passport with visa, or a Border Crossing Card.
• U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

 

[MossRoad]

wall drug ?

It's hokey but fun.

We took a two week trip from northern Indiana out to Yellowstone and back.

1st day long drive to Sioux Falls, SD. Pretty town. Large Catholic church on Sunday morning.

Sioux Falls

As South Dakota’s largest city, Sioux Falls is packed with cultural attractions, family-friendly activities and history.

www.travelsouthdakota.com

Then we never had more than a 2 hour drive for many days.

The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.

A couple little stops between there and Wall, SD for Wall Drug.

Spent a day in the Badlands just south of there.

Stayed 3 days in Rapid City, SD and saw Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil's Tower. We took a nice windy road from Rapid City through a large park and came through a tunnel with a great view of Rushmore. Diane Robinson Tunnel, I believe.

Deadwood and Lead, SD.

Cody, WY.

Yellowstone for 3 days.

Visited a TBN member north of Yellowstone for a couple days (RIP PJ).

Then made a long trip home, stopping at the Little Bighorn battlefield.

Lots to do in SD.

 

[Sigarms]

I am thankful for all the ideas … some of them made me wanted to change my mind but the wife liked the first idea plus the grand canyon and Vegas has always been a bucket list items for both of us so we will stick to that this year but keep them coming, a first good time attract a second time

A week for Vegas and the Grand Canyon gives you more than enough time.