Trip to the US & Canada - Advice

Benihana

Benihana

Benihana

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I've got a trip to the states coming up, and i'll be out there for 2 weeks, basically doing a road trip that goes something like

Indianapolis->Chicago->Toledo->Toronto->Montreal->Boston->Cleveland->Chicago (flight home)

Car hire and hotels are all sorted, just wanted some advice on places to visit while i'm there. Some things like Niagara falls are already on the list but thought I might be able to gain from the vast OCUK collective.

Also, anything I should look to buy while over there? Not sure if there is anything I should take advantage of? I can order things online now and collect them from the friend I will be travelling with, just have to fit it all in a suitcase at some point!

Will be out there for Thanks Giving and Black Friday as well, so hoping it will be worthwhile!

tia
 
Be ready for travel chaos the day before Thanks Giving! Make sure you get where you going early. Not sure much will be happening the day itself.
 
Black Friday mega sales will net you silly cheap stuff. You will also get trampled to death by overweight american bargain hunters though. Catch 22 yo.
 
I think I'm in Boston for Thanks Giving, will maybe observe it from a distance. Nothing I really feel the need to buy at the moment unless I can find some cheap Nikon gear, the D80 is getting on a bit now...
 
my ex had family in cleveland i went there 3 times. only thing of any note was the rock n roll hall of fame. though tbf, we used to go in the summer and drive south into the country, to chagrin falls and the cuyohaga valley and they were some of the best times of my life.
 
If you've already booked then I guess it doesn't matter but going by your route plan that seems like a lot of driving, I could be wrong but based on distances it looks like almost a days driving between each stop? If you like driving then that's great but I don't know how much of the country you'll really get to see as it looks like everything will have to be a flying visit more or less.

That aside I hope you have a great time, both America and Canada have a lot to recommend them.
 
I've already spent some time in New York and this trip was more to see a bit of 'Americana'. You have a point S-PW, we are trying to fit in a lot in one go, and I suspect it will be a bit annoying at times, buts its a taster and I plan to go back a few more times when possible. I've always been big on Canada so I think that my main goal. Should be lots of shopping and sightseeing, but I'm sure that will be backed up with late nights and early mornings. I think we worked it out to be around 3,000 miles.
 
cm1179 said:
my ex had family in cleveland i went there 3 times. only thing of any note was the rock n roll hall of fame. though tbf, we used to go in the summer and drive south into the country, to chagrin falls and the cuyohaga valley and they were some of the best times of my life.
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How odd, I was going to post the exact same thing. My current GF is from here, Cleveland really has gone down the pan. The Hall of Fame as above is worth some time though.

There is also an arts museum (Cleveland Museum of Art?), can't remember the exact name but they have a surprisingly good (international and varied) collection and its free (just pay for parking.) Also worth a visit.

On the morbid side Cleveland is home to the Lake View Cemetery, where Rockefeller and President Garfield lie.

I won't go into details about Chicago, amazing city, because there is so much to do there. Hit up a toruism web site and take your pick. Awesome place, back end of November shouldn't be too chilly either, I've been there in January and that was frightful. Find a decent place for some proper deep dish pizza, mmmmm. I don't how long you'll be here for but they have a great deal on public transportation, 3 day pass for $14 and gets you busses, L train etc, much better than all the other US cities I've been in.

You'll be passing through Buffalo, again, not much to see here as its kind of scrappy like Cleveland but there was some lovely architecture to take a gander at. Good view from up the City Hall too, free.

Enjoy yourself.
 
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Have fun, depending which way you come down from montreal to Boston you should see some nice scenery, if you come down I89 through Vermont it'll take you about 7 hours to drive to Boston.

If you get chance visit the White mountains in New Hampshire, you can drive up Mount Washington, and theres a big outlet village at North Conway. BTW New Hampshire is a tax free state, so if you plan to buy any expensive toys might be worth doing it here, should save you about 8% on the price or so.
 
Cleveland is pretty much a pitstop on the way back, the main time will be spend in Toronto, Montreal and Boston. I fly into Chicago and will have 3 days there before catching a greyhound to Bloomington, IN.

I don't think we will be visiting Buffalo, although we will pass it both ways, its pretty much the midpoint of our trip. Funnily enough its the headquarters of the company I work for, so really should avoid it all costs :P but it is strangely tempting to drop in, being so close. Worrying!
 
Benihana said:
Cleveland is pretty much a pitstop on the way back,
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i don't know if they've changed it now and this is worth noting if you are driving (i doubt it, would cost a fortune to re-design it i mean, not to drive) but i remember i would drive into cleveland city and on the approach, there is a left hand turn into a tunnel with an adverse camber which can catch one surprise, well, it certainly caught me by surprise as i nearly became a part of it! claims quite a few lives a year, or it used to. it's not all bad, some decent shops and it is worth a walk around but on the whole, i wouldn't go back there out of choice.
 
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doofski said:
Have fun, depending which way you come down from montreal to Boston you should see some nice scenery, if you come down I89 through Vermont it'll take you about 7 hours to drive to Boston.
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That's the route we are taking but it looks like Conway and Mount Washington will be too large of a detour sadly. Hopefully Ill get to do a much more leisurely trip soon though!
 
cm1179 said:
i don't know if they've changed it now and this is worth noting if you are driving (i doubt it, would cost a fortune to re-design it i mean, not to drive) but i remember i would drive into cleveland city and on the approach, there is a left hand turn into a tunnel with a negative camber which can catch one surprise, well, it certainly caught me by surprise as i nearly became a part of it! claims quite a few lives a year, or it used to. it's not all bad, some decent shops and it is worth a walk around but on the whole, i wouldn't go back there out of choice.
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Thanks for the heads up I'll try to remember that if I see it! We could well be staying on the outskirts (in a Super 8 or similar) and avoid it all together!
 
Boston is boring.....went there last summer......**** all there....

Skip it and find an alternative imo....
 
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