United States Of America

Here are our four road trips with a combined distance of 36150 km driven over 19 weeks.

Purple- West Coast 2014 5000 km over 4 weeks

Green – trans continental both ways 2016 15000 km over 7 weeks

Blue – North East 2017 5000 km over 4 weeks

Red – Central North 2018 11250 km over 4 weeks

Tight Arse Tips

Try to stay in Motel 6 or Super 8, they are available in most American cities and are comfortable and value for money. Other chains are Knights Inn or days Inn, they usually cost a bit more but are still cheaper than a caravan in Ipswich Qld lol.

Try to buy salads and precooked meals in Walmart, they are healthy, cheap and delicious, these are all over the United States even out in the middle of nowhere.

Fuel prices vary from state to state but a ball park average is 75 cents a litre and you have to prepay at the pumps.

I found to most cost effective sim card in USA to be with AT&T Prepaid which is about $80 with unlimited National calls, international SMS, and 4G data for 30 days.

2014 USA Trip # 1 (93c =1 USD)

Las Vegas NV to Los Angeles CA to Seattle WA Purple Map 5000Km.

Las Vegas NV # 1

This journey started in Las Vegas the city that never sleeps, here we stayed in Circus Circus Hotel at $25 a night ( weekends $100/Night). Hotels are always cheaper Monday to Thursday so try and arrive there then, because every night is party night. The drive West to LA is about exciting as watching paint dry but its 5 hours of getting used to left hand driving skills with minimal traffic in four lane comfort, before getting to the maze of overpasses and 13 million population that is called Los Angeles.

Los Angeles CA

The main things to see in LA are the theme parks mainly Universal Studios for older kids and Disneyland if you have small kids who love the teacup ride and goofy. My best advice on Universal Studios is save your pennies before you go there because unless you buy Universal Express tickets at $250 each you spend all day in line waiting in the California heat, no thanks. We managed to do every ride in the park 3 times its so much better than the crappy theme parks we have here in Australia. Get there at 10am and buy tickets at the ticket booth, that way you’re not wasting time on silly coupons that ever work just to save ten bucks.

Hollywood CA

The next interesting thing to see was the Hollywood Walk of Fame if you’re into looking at stars embedded into concrete and having a selfie with someone famous. While you’re there you can go to Madame Tassauds Wax museum for $25 its well worth it. Next you hop in your car and drive to the Hollywood sign Beachwood Canyon, North Beachwood Drive and Franklin Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90068. The residents of Beachwood Canyon in the Hollywood Hills are begrudgingly accustomed to tourists and locals snaking through the winding streets to park and then hike up the mountainside for a quick snap of the camera.

Its worth mentioning to get a hotel bit further out and use your hire car to get around, the car virtually pays for itself with cheaper digs 10km away.

Malibu CA

Malibu is a city west of Los Angeles, California. It’s known for its celebrity homes and beaches, including wide and sandy Zuma Beach. To the east is Malibu Lagoon State Beach, known as Surfrider Beach for its waves. Nearby is the Spanish Revival–style Adamson House, with local history displays in its Malibu Lagoon Museum. Inland, trails weave through canyons, waterfalls and grasslands in the Santa Monica Mountains. Its an easy short drive and plenty of free parking available.

Monterey CA

5 Hours north from Los Angeles is the seaside city of Monterey, there you will find the home of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co as in Forest Gump 🙂

Pebble beach golf club on the ocean is something out of this world, you can drive around it or go to the clubhouse and feel like a high roller all for free.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the worlds only display of jellyfish and electric eels, as well as the usual marine life. Admission is $70 for adults and $40 for kids, it’s expensive because of our weak Australian dollar.

San Fransisco CA

Two hours North of Monterey is one of the United States oldest cities with a plethora of history and fun stuff to do. This city is known for some past baseball legends and gangster mafia greats from a forgotten era. Catch the tram into the city and absorb the culture, go to the Levies or Oakley factory outlets on Market Street and save a fortune.

Go to Alcatraz jail for a day trip for $40 per person leaving from Pier 33, taking 15 minutes to get to the island. The jail was decommissioned as a prison in 1963, but all the cells and amenities are still intact, it’s kinda creepy.

Hire a bicycle from Blazing Saddles bike rentals on 2555 Powel street near pier 39, bikes cost $12 per hour or $50 for 24 hours. Ride the bikes through the prescidio and across the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to down Moore Road pier Sausalito and catch the water taxi back to pier 39 to return the bikes.

Seattle WA

13 hours North of San Fransisco is the grunge music capital of the world Seattle.

Check out the EMP Experience Music Project with the worlds largest display of Nirvana memorabilia, entry is $50 and $40 for kids. The space needle tower is close by and I highly recommend you take a tour to the top 184 metres up, cost is $40 per person.

The Boeing aircraft assembly plant is about 45 minutes drive north from the city but it boasts the worlds largest building by volume measuring 99 acres. This is the home of the biggest passenger carrying aircraft in the world in a moving assembly line employing thousands of people.

From here we returned the hire car to Seattle International Airport in Tacoma and we flew 45 minutes to Vancouver Canada, this is detailed on the Canada Page.

2016 USA Trip # 2 (78c=1USD)

Dual Transcontinental East/West & West/East Green Map 16000 Km.

Las Vegas # 2

This epic 35 State journey began in Las Vegas march 2016 where we hired a Jucy Camper van which apparently sleeps four people with two inside and two in the rooftop penthouse, but there would not be enough room in the van during the day driving with 4 passengers and their luggage and backpacks. These vans are either Chrysler or Dodge, with pretty good fuel economy. The mini kitchen in the back has everything you need to cook and wash up plus a small fridge. There are USB outlets all over the van to charge your gadgets too. They cost $125 a day including all the necessary expensive insurances. We slept most nights at truck stops like Pilot and Big A, or Walmart car parks for free. TIP!!!! Make sure you hire the van with the electric tilt up penthouse not the wind up one.

From Vegas we drove 55 km to the Hoover dam, built in 1931, and was for many years the largest dam in the world 225m in height. You cross the Arizona border on your way so we stopped and took the compulsory selfie with the state sign as we did for every state afterwards. This is a free activity but get there early because there’s limited free parking.

From here we drove North east through Arizona and onto Kanab Utah 320km, it was 30 degrees during our day drive but when we woke up our van was covered in snow.

From Kanab UT we drove 400 km to the Four Corners Monument where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona meet. Its nothing exciting but we may as well have a look at the plaque on the ground because we probably wont be in this part of the world again. The rock formations we drove through, Monument Valley and Mexican Hat in Navajo county were absolutely stunning.

From here we briefly Drove through the bottom corner of Colorado and onto New Mexico on our way to home of the Breaking Bad TV show, Albuquerque. Here we ventured up to the Sandria Peak Cable car that carries you 4 km to the top 10378 Feet above sea level, where we nearly froze to death with the wind chill. Tickets here http://www.sandiapeak.com/  for $30 and $20 for kids.

Albuquerque NM

While we were in Albuquerque we checked out the Candy lady, that’s where all the props were made for the TV show Breaking bad, and we also drove past the actual house where filming was done.

Amarillo TX

Next we drove 200 km East to Armarillo Texas, to see Cadillac ranch created in 1974 as a piece of art with ten half buried Cadillac’s, its located 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124, USA.

The idea is you spray-paint the cars with your own graffiti, there are spare cans all over the ground to use. Amarillo is also home of the 72 oz (2 KG) steak challenge, if you can eat it all along with a football sized potato within an hour its free if not you have to pay $100 for your meal. Check here https://www.bigtexan.com/72oz-steak-rules/

Fort Worth TX

Onwards 500km South east to Fort Worth TX, the Water Gardens here were amazing with many different types of waterfalls in the one area. The JFK Tribute is also interesting and grab a feed at Fred’s Texas Cafe its delicious, the address is 2730 Western Centre Fort Worth, Texas 76131 http://fredstexascafe.com/

Dallas TX

50 Km West of Fort Worth is the city of Dallas here you can see the National War Cemetery free, Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens $2, and Perot Museum of Nature and Science for $40 https://www.perotmuseum.org/  . Massive display of Dinosaurs and other tech stuff, my son loved it.

Houston TX

From Dallas we drove 370 km South to Houston, the Space hub. We only went to the NASA Space Centre 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058, USA $42 and $35 for kids, this is a must see tourist attraction with the actual control room used for the moon mission in 1969. Information here https://spacecenter.org/

New Orleans LA

75 Km south of Houston is Galveston, where we caught the vehicular ferry across Galveston bay onward to New Orleans Louisiana, total distance that day was 500 km. We arrived in the Big easy and checked into the French Quarter RV Resort, which was expensive. $100 per night for a Un-powered site for our van 500 N Claiborne Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. new Orleans is famous for many things, from Bignet pastries to Paddle-wheeler cruises.

Long Beach Mississippi

Stopped here briefly for a look on our way to Destin Florida.

USS Alabama

The drive along the Gulf was very picturesque, with many houses raised 4 m on stilts because of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Aug 2005, that saw ocean swells go 70 km inland. We ended up driving 125 km through the very bottom of Alabama, to reach Florida Sang that horrible song as we saw the State sign ” sweet home Alabama” cringe worthy. Here you can board the USS Alabama decommissioned in 1947 which we found interesting, get tickets here $20 https://www.ussalabama.com/

Destin FL

Our first night in Florida, and we parked the van in a public car park in Destin for free and slept there the night.

Panama City Beach FL

Next day we drove 80 km to Panama City Beach to break up the long drives each day, here we slept in the Mall car park for the night for free 🙂

Key Largo FL

Key Largo sounds exotic but there’s nothing there not like the Bertie Higgins song “We had it all, Just like Bogie and Bacall, Starring in our old late, late show, Sailing away to Key Largo”

Key West is where its at another 80 km south of key largo, we just stopped for the sign selfie.

Key West FL

Key West, a U.S. island city, is part of the Florida Keys archipelago. It’s also Florida’s southernmost point, lying roughly 90 miles north of Cuba. Famed for its pastel-hued, conch-style houses, it’s a cruise-ship stop also accessible from the mainland via the Overseas Highway. It’s known more for its coral reefs – destinations for diving and snorkelling – than for its beaches.

And of course the Caribbean Sunsets.

Miami FL

220 Km north of Key West is Miami, which is just like the Gold Coast Australia, commercialised to the max, its where all the ‘Beautiful People’ live lol. Miami is an international city at Florida’s southeastern tip. Its Cuban influence is reflected in the cafes and cigar shops that line Calle Ocho in Little Havana. On barrier islands across the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay is Miami Beach, home to South Beach. This glamorous neighbourhood is famed for its colourful art deco buildings, white sand, surf-side hotels and trendsetting nightclubs. Check out the Venetian Pool its located at 2701 De Soto Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33134, USA. The Tv show Dexter was also filmed here at In real life, it’s the Bay Harbor Club condos, located at 1155 103rd Street, out on Bay Harbour Island, I managed to sneak around and take a picture 🙂 Miami Marlins baseball stadium is worth seeing too Marlins Park is located at 501 Marlins Way (NW 16th Avenue), Miami.

Orlando FL

400 Km north of Miami is Orlando, home of the theme parks, we went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure next door to it using the 2-Park Universal Express Unlimited Pass add on to the ticket price, ITS EXPENSIVE it cost $700 USD ($1000 AUD) for my son and i for the two day pass, but well worth it. We figured we are only here once plus the worlds largest Hard Rock Cafe is there.

We managed to ride on every ride in both parks at least twice, they are linked by the amazing Harry Potter train. Buy a refillable drink cup for $14 its enough for two to share for the day.

St Augistine FL

170 Km North of Orlando is St Augustine, It lays claim to being the oldest city in the U.S., and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture as well as Atlantic Ocean beaches like sandy St. Augustine Beach and tranquil Crescent Beach. Anastasia State Park is a protected wildlife sanctuary. The Castillo De San Marcos is a 17th-century Spanish stone fortress with views of the St. Augustine Inlet.

Jacksonville FL

65 KM North of St Augustine is Jacksonville, home of beautiful Jacksonville Beach.

Savannah GA

200 Km North of Jacksonville is Savannah Georgia, a coastal Georgia city, is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River. It’s known for manicured parks, horse-drawn carriages and antebellum architecture. Its historic district is filled with cobblestone squares and parks such as Forsyth Park shaded by oak trees covered with Spanish moss. At the centre of this picturesque district is the landmark, Gothic-Revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.

Virginia

Next we drove through South Carolina and North Carolina onto Virginia, 3 states in one day. Check out the Marine Corps Museum at National Museum of the Marine Corps 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway Triangle, VA. Information and tickets here https://www.usmcmuseum.com/

Washington DC

Washington, DC, ( District of Columbia) is the U.S. capital, is a compact city on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. It’s defined by imposing neoclassical monuments and buildings – including the iconic ones that house the federal government’s 3 branches: The Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans, Martin Luther King Jr and Supreme Court. It’s also home to iconic museums and performing-arts venues such as the Kennedy Centre. Additional tourist spots are the Holocaust Museum and Smithsonian Institute home of the Hope Diamond 45.5 carats worth $350 Million. The best way to see the city is the big bus tours 2 day deluxe ticket $80 including night tour … info here https://www.bigbustours.com/en/washington-dc/washington-dc-bus-tours      Arlington Cemetery is absolutely massive 624 acres with 400 000 graves for the fallen soldiers.

Louisville KY

1000 Km west of DC is the Kentucky capital city. Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, sits on the Ohio River along the Indiana border. Every May, its race course Churchill Downs hosts the Kentucky Derby, a renowned horse race whose long history is explored at the Kentucky Derby Museum. Baseball is celebrated at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, where Major League bats are produced and a giant baseball “slugger” marks the entrance. The Mohammed Ali Museum is worth a look as is Cardinal Park NFL stadium.

National Corvette Museum KY

The National Corvette Museum showcases the Chevrolet Corvette, an American sports car that has been in production since 1953. It is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, off Interstate 65’s Exit 28, $40 admission.

Bourbon Anyone?

We decided to tour all 3 famous bourbon distilleries because they are pretty close together, Tennessee and Kentucky are neighbours.

1. Jim Beam American Sillhouse, 526 Happy Hollow Rd, Clermont, KY . https://www.jimbeam.com/en-int/visit-us/book-a-tour
2. Wild Turkey, 1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY.  https://wildturkeybourbon.com/visit-us/
3. Jack Daniels, 182 Lynchburg Hwy, Lynchburg, TN     https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-au/vault/charcoal-mellowing

Nashville TN

270 km south of Louisville is Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and home to Vanderbilt University. Legendary country music venues include the Grand Ole Opry House, home of the famous “Grand Ole Opry” stage and radio show. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and historic Ryman Auditorium are Downtown, as is the District, featuring honky-tonks with live music and the Johnny Cash Museum, celebrating the singer’s life.

Memphis TN

350 Km west of Nashville is Memphis the city on the Mississippi River in southwest Tennessee, famous for the influential strains of blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll that originated there. Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Johnny Cash recorded albums at the legendary Sun Studio, and Presley’s Graceland mansion is a popular attraction. Other music landmarks include the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Blues Hall of Fame and Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Graceland Elvis Presley tours are pretty expensive but worth is $90, https://www.graceland.com/visit/buytickets1.aspx

Saint Louis MO

350 Km north of Memphis is St Louis Missouri. St. Louis is a major city in Missouri along the Mississippi River. Its iconic, 630-ft. Gateway Arch, built in the 1960’s, honours the early 19th-century explorations of Lewis and Clark and America’s westward expansion in general. Replica paddlewheelers ply the river, offering views of the arch. The Soulard district is home to barbecue restaurants and clubs playing blues music. Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, the Parthenon and Busch stadium home of the Cardinals are all MUST See.

Kansas City MO

400 Km west of St Louis is Kansas City which sits on Missouri’s western edge, straddling the border with Kansas. It’s known for its barbecue, jazz heritage and fountains. Downtown, the American Jazz Museum shares a building with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, with giant shuttlecocks out front, houses nearly 40,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary collections. We went to a KC (Kansas City) Royals Kaufman Stadium, baseball game, chanting “Lets Go Royals,,,,Lets Go”, the Kansas Chiefs NFL Arrowhead Stadium was next door. Union Station is also worth a look.

Denver CO

1000 km west of Kansas City is the city of Denver, the capital of Colorado, it is an American metropolis dating to the Old West era. Larimer Square, the city’s oldest block, features landmark 19th-century buildings. Museums include the Denver Art Museum, an ultramodern complex known for its collection of indigenous works, and the mansion of famed Titanic survivor Molly Brown. Denver is also a jumping-off point for ski resorts in the nearby Rocky Mountains. The Denver Broncos Stadium was massive, and we managed to also find a cannabis Dispensary for a look.

Salt Lake City UT

600 km west of Denver via Wyoming Cheyenne, is Salt Lake City, Utah’s high-elevation capital 1288 m , is bordered by the buoyant waters of the Great Salt Lake and the snow-capped peaks of the Wasatch Range. Downtown’s 10-acre Temple Square, headquarters of the Mormon Church, is home to the majestic, 19th-century Salt Lake Temple and the neo-Gothic Assembly Hall. The acclaimed Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs in the square’s domed Tabernacle. The Bonneville Salt Flats is a densely packed salt pan in Tooele County in northwestern Utah. The area is a remnant of the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville and is the largest of many salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake area 103.6 km².

Reno NV

Lake Tahoe CA

Yosemite CA

San Diego CA

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of California known for its beaches, parks and warm climate. Immense Balboa Park is the site of the renowned San Diego Zoo, as well as numerous art galleries, artist studios, museums and gardens. A deep harbour is home to a large active naval fleet, with the USS Midway, an aircraft-carrier-turned-museum, open to the public.

This completed our 35 State 16000 km journey, we flew back to Australia after 7 weeks on the road 🙂

2017 USA Trip # 3 (71c=1USD)

Hawaii HI

We flew  with Hawaiian Airlines 12 hours out of Brisbane bound for New York but had a 3 day stopover in O’ahu Hawaii, in downtown Waikiki beach. Honolulu, on the island of Oahu’s south shore, is capital of Hawaii and gateway to the U.S. island chain. The Waikiki neighbourhood is its centre for dining, nightlife and shopping, famed for its iconic crescent beach backed by palms and high-rise hotels, with volcanic Diamond Head crater looming in the distance. Sites relating to the World War II attack on Pearl Harbour include the USS Arizona Memorial. Its compulsory to hire  convertible Mustang so that’s what we drove for the 3 days. We used ALAMO car hire close to the airport for $200 for the 3 days, cheaper than a shitbox commodore in Australia.

New York

An additional 12 hour flight from Honolulu with Hawaiian Airlines landed us in NYC, The Big Apple where it was about 10 degrees when we landed at JFK International Airport. Here we caught the Metro directly to Bowery on the Brown line  see subway map below (BMT Nassau Street Line) via a train change at Howard Beach Station 5 stops after you board at JFK, for $10 per person and its about an hours journey. New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At its core is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that’s among the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centres. Its iconic sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Twin Towers Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, The Rockefeller Centre and sprawling Central Park. Broadway theatre is staged in neon-lit Times Square.

We stayed in the World Hotel rated one star with a thousand negative reviews on Trip Adviser its located in China Town within walking distance to the Brooklyn Bridge and Bowery metro Station. This hotel was by far the cheapest and an excellent location, however the best advice here is to pay extra and choose an ensuited room, the rooms are very small. Basically just enough room for a bed and a suitcase, but location location location, for $700 a week. See the Statue of Liberty for free using the Staten Island ferry from  the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island and the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan. The trip is about 25 minutes long. The Ferry is free. The St. George Terminal is located at 1 Bay Street, Staten Island. Getting around Manhattan was easy , just use the Metro Subway for $3 a trip per person hop on hop off. (buy metro card at JFK airport on arrival). After a week in Manhattan we hired a car and drove 160 km south to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia PA

160 km South of NYC is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city, is notable for its rich history, on display at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed) and other American Revolutionary sites. Also iconic are the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, immortalised by Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant run in the film “Rocky.”

York PA

140 Km west of Philadelphia is York, home of the Harley Davidson Vehicle Operations Plant. Established as an assembly facility in 1973, Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations in York, PA assembles the Touring, CVO^™ and Trike models. They also perform a variety of manufacturing operations – making parts like frames, fuel tanks, and fenders. There are a number of tours but we chose the free tour as opposed to the Steel Toe Tour which is more detailed and costs $50 per person, The Steel Toe Tour goes behind-the-scenes through areas previously unseen by the public. You will be required to wear a safety vest, safety glasses, and steel toe protection, all of which are provided.

CLASSIC FACTORY TOUR

Our Classic Factory Tour offers individuals and small groups an intimate view of Harley-Davidson’s assembly line and fabrication areas. Tours are free and last approximately one hour.

TOURS BEGIN AT REGULAR INTERVALS BETWEEN

9:00AM – 2:00PM | MONDAY – FRIDAY

• Tours begin at regular intervals between the hours of 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Monday through Friday. Tickets are limited, distributed on a first come, first served basis for each day’s available tours, and are free for walk-in groups of 9 people or less . It is recommended that you arrive early in the day.

• Tours are not offered on weekends, major holidays, or during production changes and year-end maintenance except where noted. Tour schedule and route are subject to change.

180 km west of Harrisburg lies Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. Its Gilded Age sites, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, speak to its history as an early-20th-century industrial capital. In the North Shore neighbourhood are the modern Andy Warhol Museum, Heinz Field football stadium and PNC Park baseball stadium.

Columbus OH

250 Km west of Pittsburgh  is Columbus in the State of Ohio. Columbus is Ohio’s state capital. The city’s Scioto Mile is a string of parks on both sides of the Scioto River, with a huge interactive fountain and trails. On the west bank, the COSI science centre offers hands-on exhibits and a planetarium. Downtown, the Columbus Museum of Art includes American and European paintings and a sculpture garden. The German Village area has restored brick houses built by 1800s settlers. We managed to find an authentic German Sausage Haus 240 E Kossuth St, Columbus, OH.

Indianapolis IN

280 km west of Columbus  is Indianapolis the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. As of 2017, Indianapolis is the third most populous city in the American Midwest and 16th most populous in the U.S., with an estimated population of 863,002. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, and formerly the home of the United States Grand Prix, 4790 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA. capacity: 257,327 (permanent seats) – 400,000 grand total makes it the worlds largest auto racetrack. Considered relatively flat by American standards, the track is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and opened on August 16, 2008

La Cross WI

700 km north west of Indianapolis on interstate 74 via Davenport Iowa is the small town of La Cross. La Crosse is a city on the Mississippi River, in western Wisconsin. Riverboats depart from Riverside Park, where the International Friendship Gardens feature landscape styles from around the world. We found a pub that serve kids as long as the parents sign a waiver lol. They serve 400 different beers with 15 on tap, check it out here https://bodegabrewpublax.com/

Milwaukee WI

350 km East of la Cross is the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan’s western shore. It’s known for its breweries, many of which offer tours chronicling its role in the beer industry. Overlooking the Menomonee River, the Harley-Davidson Museum displays classic motorcycles as well as the Milwaukee is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Lake Michigan’s western shore. It’s known for its breweries, many of which offer tours chronicling its role in the beer industry. Pabst Mansion and Miller Park Stadium are also worth a look.  But the highlight for us was the Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations facility in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin is home of the Big Twin, Milwaukee-Eight^™ and Sportster power-trains. There is also a free tour option the same as the York plant in PA, address W156 N9000 Pilgrim Road Menomonee Falls, WI 53051.

CLASSIC FACTORY TOUR

Our Classic Factory Tour offers a video and insight into machining areas contributing to the assembly of H-D engines and transmissions. Tours last approximately 30 minutes.

TOURS BEGIN AT REGULAR INTERVALS BETWEEN

9:00AM – 1:30PM | MONDAY – FRIDAY

• Tours begin at regular intervals between the hours of 9:00 am – 1:30 pm Monday through Friday. Tickets are limited, distributed on a first come, first served basis for each day’s available tours, and are free for walk-in groups of 9 people or less. It is recommended that you arrive early in the day.

Chicago IL

150 km south of Milwaukee is Chicago, on Lake Michigan in Illinois, is among the largest cities in the U.S. Famed for its bold architecture, it has a skyline punctuated by skyscrapers such as the iconic John Hancock Centre, 1,451-ft. Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower. The city is also renowned for its museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago with its noted Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Free stuff to do is check out the BEAN, Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. … Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed The Bean because of its shape. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates. The Field Museum is huge and you can spend hours there, check it out here http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Best place to stay is IHSP Chicago Hostel 1616 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, USA across the road from the train line and a rooftop deck with sensational views for $70 per night.

Battle Creek MI

330 Km East of Chicago is Battle Creek, where all we did was sing Karoake, it was just a stopover on the way to Detroit.

Detroit MI

200 Km east of Battle Creek is the metropolis of Detroit, which is the largest city in the Midwestern state of Michigan. Near Downtown, the neoclassical Detroit Institute of Arts is famed for the Detroit Industry Murals painted by Diego Rivera, and inspired by the city’s ties to the auto industry, giving it the nickname “Motor City.” Detroit is also the birthplace of Motown Records, whose chart-topping history is on display at their original headquarters, Hitsville U.S.A.. Here we went to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Minnesota Twins baseball game. met some fans who sold us some great tickets in the car park.

London ON Canada

After Detroit baseball game we left USA at the border crossing and 200 km onto London for a stopover on our way to Niagara Falls.

Montpelier VT

After driving 900 East Km from Detroit to Montreal through Ontario and Quebec CA along ON 401-E driving East , we crossed back into the United States at the USA/Canada Vermont Border Crossing. Driving a further 120 km south east we ended up in Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont, home of the 1859 Vermont State House is a gold-domed Greek Revival building with decorative and fine art collections. We stayed the night in Travel Lodge South Burlington, 1016 Shelburne Road, Burlington, VT 05403, USA.

VT NH and MA

Privincetown MA

Here we stayed at sandcastles resort located 929 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA. Provincetown is at the northern tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The seaside town is on the site of the Mayflower’s landing in 1620, commemorated by the towering Pilgrim Monument and neighbouring Provincetown Museum. P-town is known as a longtime haven for artists, lesbians and gay men

Salem MA

Salem is a city on the north coast of Massachusetts above Boston. It’s famous for its 1692 witch trials, during which several locals were executed for allegedly practicing witchcraft. Landmarks from this episode include the Witch House, the former home of a trial judge

Boston MA

After driving through Vermont and New Hampshire staying in South Burlington VT, North Conway VT and Danvers Massachusetts we ended up in Boston. Boston is Massachusetts’ capital and largest city. Founded in 1630, it’s one of the oldest cities in the U.S. The key role it played in the American Revolution is highlighted on the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking route of historic sites that tells the story of the nation’s founding. One stop, former meeting house Faneuil Hall, is a popular marketplace. Things to see here are the New England Aquarium https://www.neaq.org/

and Fenway Park a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home for the Boston Red Sox, the city’s American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Baseball franchise. It is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is always held on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was inspired by the success of the first marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics

Providence RI & New Haven CT

These was our last two city stops before returning home to Australia via JFK and Honolulu airports.

2018 USA Trip # 4 (67c=1USD)

Seattle WA to Minneapolis MN to San Francisco CA to Los Angeles CA

This epic journey began from the Gold Coast and after three flights we landed in Seattle, Washington State a total of 19 hours in transit with Delta Airlines.

Seattle WA

After the mandatory Seattle Space needle selfies we then drove 250km East on the I90  till we could no longer stay awake, we ended up in Moses lakes WA for the night. Next day we drove 550km on the I90 via Spokane WA through part of Idaho to Missoula MT.

Spokane WA

Idaho and Montana

After Missoula MT we decided to drive Clockwise North West to Glacier National Park via Flathead Lake to see the coloured stones in the water, then further North East to Lake McDonald and then back south east and ended up in Great Falls ID, a total of 500km for the day. Its worth getting an annual ALL National Parks Pass for $80USD or you can pay $35USD for every national park as you go through. This trip we did Grand Teton SD, Yosemite CA, Glacier NP MT. We decided to not do death valley CA or Yellowstone SD as they looked boring to us.

Flathead Lake MT

Glacier NP MT and Lake McDonald

North Dakota

The drive from Great Falls MT to Dickinson ND was very uneventful, but its was 600 km that needed to be driven to continue on our planned itinerary. North Dakota has lots of giant animal statues for some reason so we checked a few out. The “World’s Largest Buffalo Monument” is a sculpture of an American Bison located in Jamestown, North Dakota at the Frontier Village. It is visible from Interstate 94, overlooking the city from above the James River valley. Salem Sue (or The World’s Largest Holstein Cow) is a large fibreglass Holstein cow sculpture located in New Salem, North Dakota, United States. Salem Sue was built in 1974 for $40,000. The project was sponsored by the New Salem Lions Club in honour of the local dairy farming industry.

Bismark ND

Bismarck is the capital city of North Dakota. The tall, art deco North Dakota State Capitol is set on landscaped grounds. Nearby, the North Dakota Heritage Centre & State Museum traces the state’s natural and cultural history. The restored Former Governors’ Mansion dates back to the late 19th century. By the Missouri River, the Dakota Zoo is home to grizzly bears and endangered Bengal tigers.

  

Fargo ND

Fargo is a city in North Dakota. The Plains Art Museum exhibits regional, contemporary and Native American works in a revamped old warehouse. Modern and vintage airplanes are on display at the Fargo Air Museum, spread over 2 hangars. The nearby Fargodome is an indoor stadium hosting college football games, concerts and theatrical shows. Red River Zoo shelters cold climate species such as red pandas and grey wolves. Check out Sickies 50 burgers and 50 beers at http://sickiesburgers.com/

Minneapolis MN

Minneapolis is a major city in Minnesota that forms “Twin Cities” with the neighbouring state capital of St. Paul. Bisected by the Mississippi River, it’s known for its parks and lakes. Minneapolis is also home to many cultural landmarks like the Walker Art Centre, a contemporary art museum, and the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, famed for Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture. We enjoyed Minnehaha gardens and the mall of America as well as the Basilica of St Mary.

Mall of America The one stop entertainment shop. Mall of America® is more than a shopping mall near the Twin Cities. It’s over 520 shops full of tax-free shopping and 50 restaurants full of delicious food. It’s Nickelodeon Universe®, SEA LIFE® Minnesota Aquarium, FlyOver America, Crayola Experience, and more – all under one roof. The blue Lego figure is made of 1.2 million lego.

Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek.

Basilica of St Mary The Basilica of Saint Mary is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located on its own city block along Hennepin Avenue between 16th & 17th Streets in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the first basilica established in the United States.

Stone Arched Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire length of the Mississippi River.

Des Moines IA

Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa. The gold-domed Iowa State Capitol building is among the 19th- and early-20th-century landmarks of the East Village area. The Des Moines Art Center is noted for its contemporary collections and Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Local produce and live music are draws at the Downtown Farmers’ Market. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden has outdoor plant displays and a geodesic dome.

Omaha NE

Omaha is a city in the U.S. state of Nebraska, on the Missouri River close to the Iowa border. The Old Market is a neighbourhood located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States, and is bordered by South 10th Street to the east, 13th Street to the west, Farnam Street to the north and Jackson Street to the South. The neighbourhood has many restaurants, art galleries and upscale shopping. heartland of America Park and Pioneer Courage park are also worth seeing. If you like beer the Omaha Patio Ride is a mobile bar pedalled by the drinkers.

 

Sioux Falls SD

Sioux Falls is a city in South Dakota. The Big Sioux River tumbles over a series of rock faces in Falls Park, which includes an observation tower and the ruins of the 19th-century Queen Bee Mill. South Dakota was our 50th state to see, to complete our bucket-list. St. Joseph Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral and parish church located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States.

Rapid City SD Mount Rushmore

500 km west of Souix City along I90 is the city of rapid falls. Rapid City lies east of Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota. It’s known as a gateway to Mt. Rushmore, the massive iconic sculpture of 4 U.S. presidents. “City of Presidents,” a series of life-size statues, spans several blocks downtown. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln, the sculpture’s roughly 60-ft.-high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Firehouse brewing company is also worth a visit to sample beer https://www.firehousebrewing.com/

Grand Teton/Yellowstone NP SD

Idaho Falls ID

Idaho Falls is a city in Idaho. Hugging the Snake River, the Greenbelt is a system of trails with parks and a waterfall. The riverside Art Museum of Eastern Idaho showcases eclectic works. Downtown’s Museum of Idaho has local-history exhibits, including items linked to the Lewis and Clark expedition and a re-created 1800s town. Idaho Falls in the city of the same name is created by a man-made diversion dam used for hydroelectric power. Before the dam was created, this was just a bunch of small rapids. Now, the Snake River makes a drop of about 20 ft. or so over a width of 1200 ft. It is an interesting location, and there is a beautiful walkway along the river here, so one can stroll along the whole length of the falls.

Elko NV

Elko is the largest city and county seat of Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. The city straddles the Humboldt River.

Lake Tahoe CA

This was our second visit to Lake Tahoe we were here in 2016 also but only for a few hours. This time we overnighted in lake Ridge ,4120 Manzanita Avenue, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, United States of America for $70 as it was the off season. Go have breakfast at Heidi’s pancake house; Since 1964, Tahoe has started its day with breakfast at Heidi’s.  The distinctive yellow Swiss chalet building in South Lake Tahoe has been the home of quality ingredients and plentiful portions for as long as most of us can remember.