Introducing USA
Travel Alert: Hurricane Earl prompted evacuations in North Carolina's Outer Banks on 1 September 2010 and hurricane warnings have been extended northward along the Eastern Seaboard. Swells from Earl have been predicted to cause dangerous surf conditions in The Bahamas and the south-eastern coast of the US over the following days. Travellers to the region should carefully watch the latest news and weather advisories.
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The playwright Arthur Miller once said that the essence of America was its promise. For newly arrived immigrants and jet-lagged travelers alike, that promise of America can take on near mythic proportions. America is a land of dazzling cities, towering coast redwoods, alpine lakes, rolling vineyards, chiseled peaks, barren deserts and a dramatic coastline of unrivaled beauty. And that’s just California!
In the other 49 lie an astounding collection of natural and cultural wonders, from the wildly multihued tapestry of urban streets to the mountains, plains and forests that cover vast swaths of the continent. America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment.
Look more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin, the easygoing charms of antebellum Savannah, the ecoconsciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent waterfront of San Francisco, and the captivating old quarters of New Orleans, still rising up from its waterlogged ashes.
This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where four million miles of highways lead past red-rock deserts, below towering mountain peaks, and across fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest and the scenic country lanes of New England are a few fine starting points for the great American road trip.
Travel Alert: Stricter security measures have been introduced at US airports for passengers traveling from destinations considered to have links with terrorism. For details check the Transport Security Administration website. The usual restrictions on airline carry-on baggage remain in place throughout the US.
Last updated: Sep 2, 2010
Tips & articles
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Travel tech: how to blog by email
9 September 2010
Welcome to the first installment of Asia-Pacific travel editor Shawn Low’s guide to travel and technology.Technology has totally reshaped the...
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USA road trip roundup
8 September 2010
Maybe it’s the economy, maybe it’s the weather, or maybe retro travel is in vogue — whatever the reason, 2010...
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Glamping – wild luxury in North America’s great outdoors
7 September 2010
There are plenty of reasons why camping isn’t everyone’s idea of fun – bugs, wild animals, leaking tents and canned...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Minor trouble returning through US Customs
by ryannm 1 reply, last post 09 September 2010
For those concerned about traveling to Cuba, it's not seeming to be much of a problem: http://www.cubaheadlines.com/2010/01/27/19858/a_seven_da…
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Cheap Travel to Australia
by just_wishing 1 reply, last post 09 September 2010
I'm looking for the cheapest ways to get to Australia this coming January (2011). Possibly for 1 -12 months. I've been researching passage…
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El Paso OR Tucson
by penfold389 13 replies, last post 09 September 2010
I will be travelling around the USA (LA-DC-NY-Cincinnati-Nashville-Memphis-New Orleans- Houston-LA) for six weeks and I have just completed…
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USA
Our Top Picks For USA
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1 Dip into the Great Lakes
Be awed by the planet’s largest supply of freshwater, harbored by a chain of lakes strung with beaches, sand dunes, offshore islands and forests.
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2 Make a pitstop at Carhenge, Nebraska
Automobile art at its best, this roadside attraction will forever change your view of Stonehenge
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3 Go zip-lining in Ketchikan
Zip down a 4600ft mountain to a stream full of bears feasting on salmon
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4 Meet Lucy the Margate Elephant in Atlantic City
There's no shortage of eccentric in Atlantic City, but this 65-ft high wooden replica of a pachyderm will stop you in your tracks.
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5 Play Ultimate Frisbee in Washington, DC
Join locals in a game of Frisbee in America's front yard, DC's National Mall
Fast Facts about USA
- What's the $US dollar worth today?
- Unemployment 9.5%
- Average number of TV channels in a US home
104
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
$14.1 trillion
- Military defense budget in 2006
$441.9 billion
- Inflation
2.6%
- Population
306 million
- Percentage of citizens who have passports
about 30%
Related Groups
Our favourite USA Blogs (beta)
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Insider’s Guide to the Art Hop with Kids
Blog: Vermont's Insider Guide to Kid Friendly Fun - 8 September 2010
September 10 & 11, 2010 For those wanting to enjoy the South End Art Hop with their kids, there are plenty of opportunities. Whether it be walking through the exhibits, admiring the outdoor sculptures or attending some of the special events aimed at the under-teeners, The Hop can be a family affair. Don’t miss the [...]
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Lion Attack Didn't Roar Until It Was On YouTube
Blog: VEGAS HAPPENS HERE - 8 September 2010
You might recall that one of the biggest news stories of the past decade out of Las Vegas involved a public animal attack that nearly killed a man and ended one of the most legendary performing careers in illusionist or Strip history.
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Taiwan Cafe in Boston’s Chinatown
Blog: Dotted Route - 8 September 2010
After a week on the road without any kind of rice, I was ready for some Asian food. Any Asian food. It was a good thing that the couple that my brother is renting from had a good recommendation in Chinatown. It was in Boston's Chinatown area. It was called Taiwan Cafe and supposed to be run by Taiwanese people. So we got on the red line from Davis Square and got off at Downtown. We walked from the Boston Commons area to Chinatown, which is basically just down Washington Street.
