Off topic - travel advice for USA

[Worldsfastestfatty]

Hey

Bit off topic but this is the place I know with the most yanks so thought it be the best place to ask; I've just booked a trip to USA in April 2026 - will be in the land of the free and the home of the whopper for 3 weeks and I can't wait this is a dream trip for me - I am treating it as a once-in-a-lifetime thing as I'm not 100% sure I'll ever get back.

I'll be flying into san Francisco, staying there for 5 days before flying to LA for 4 days. Then fly to Houston for 3 days, get a bus up to Austin for 2 days before flying to new Orleans for the remainder of my trip.

Although I've booked flights my first question is about accomodation - where is the best place to look? Air b&b? Are there areas in those cities I should avoid.

Unfortunately I'm possibly the only person on an internet fitness forum who I not a crypto-millionaire or some other kind of big shot trader so I am on a budget - looking for cheap and comfortable but not somewhere we going to get mugged, stabbed or shot at!

 

[Sectør]

Damn I kind of feel bad. There’s so many great places and national parks to visit here and you chose San Francisco and LA? Probably two of the worst cities you could have chosen tbh


Airbnbs are solid, although some hosts tac on ridiculous fees. Hotels are always a solid choice too

 

[Shelby]

Just curious, have you ever been to the U.S. before?
What made you choose those cities?
What are you looking to get out of the experience?

 

[Worldsfastestfatty]

Just curious, have you ever been to the U.S. before?
What made you choose those cities?
What are you looking to get out of the experience?

Nope - this is my first trip.

San Fran because I want to see golden gate bridge and Alcatraz.

LA to see Hollywood, visit Disney and goto some famous music venues (grew up a big fan of Cali punk and hardcore).

Houston to see NASA

New Orleans for the food and music!

Damn I kind of feel bad. There’s so many great places and national parks to visit here and you chose San Francisco and LA? Probably two of the worst cities you could have chosen tbh


Airbnbs are solid, although some hosts tac on ridiculous fees. Hotels are always a solid choice too

It was hard choosing where to go! There's so much of the states we want to see. We'd love to say we'll come back, but flights alone are £4k for the pair of us so we trying to do as much now incase it is a once in a lifetime trip for us

 

[Sectør]

Nope - this is my first trip.

San Fran because I want to see golden gate bridge and Alcatraz.

LA to see Hollywood, visit Disney and goto some famous music venues (grew up a big fan of Cali punk and hardcore).

Houston to see NASA

New Orleans for the food and music!



It was hard choosing where to go! There's so much of the states we want to see. We'd love to say we'll come back, but flights alone are £4k for the pair of us so we trying to do as much now incase it is a once in a lifetime trip for us

Yeah that’s fair, and understandable.

San Francisco and especially LA are infested with homeless, drugs. gangs and crime though.

Feel like there was definitely some better places to choose, but I hope you enjoy your trip regardless and it doesn’t leave a bad taste for you

On the bright side.. the food should be incredible compared to what you’re used to

 

[Worldsfastestfatty]

On the bright side.. the food should be incredible compared to what you’re used to

Oh ho ho ho shots fired

Is there areas of San Fran and la we should be sure to avoid? I know tenderloin is meant to be a bit dicey

 

[Jefe]

Oh, book your hotels and flights with a credit card instead of a bank card. Most credit cards have protections for travel and purchases that bank cards don’t. So check your CC benefits.

Louisiana has the highest rate of STDs in the US so be safe.

 

[alfresco]

Let you get back to you on this. I live about an hour north of SF, have lived there, SF, on and off, know it well. Will say this for now. Stay in Marin County, on the north side of the bridge. Very convenient.

LA, am no expert but know it fairly well. Will get back to you on that too.

Others here probably know more about both.

 

[laxfan24]

Let you get back to you on this. I live about an hour north of SF, have lived there, SF, on and off, know it well. Will say this for now. Stay in Marin County, on the north side of the bridge. Very convenient.

LA, am no expert but know it fairly well. Will get back to you on that too.

Others here probably know more about both.

I second Marin County as a great place to stay while in the SF Bay Area. I grew up there. The city of Sausalito reminds me of Europe. Stay away from the Tenderloin and Hunters Point. There are no tourist attractions near there anyway. SF has it's issues, but it's comparable to any major city in the US. Try to catch a Giants game if they are home. It's a great ballpark with beautiful views.

 

[Hyperemia]

Hey

Bit off topic but this is the place I know with the most yanks so thought it be the best place to ask; I've just booked a trip to USA in April 2026 - will be in the land of the free and the home of the whopper for 3 weeks and I can't wait this is a dream trip for me - I am treating it as a once-in-a-lifetime thing as I'm not 100% sure I'll ever get back.

I'll be flying into san Francisco, staying there for 5 days before flying to LA for 4 days. Then fly to Houston for 3 days, get a bus up to Austin for 2 days before flying to new Orleans for the remainder of my trip.

Although I've booked flights my first question is about accomodation - where is the best place to look? Air b&b? Are there areas in those cities I should avoid.

Unfortunately I'm possibly the only person on an internet fitness forum who I not a crypto-millionaire or some other kind of big shot trader so I am on a budget - looking for cheap and comfortable but not somewhere we going to get mugged, stabbed or shot at!

Id stay 2 days in SF, rent a car and check out Half Moon Bay / Pacifica, they’re really close and beautiful places to visit. If you have the time, Monterey / Carmel are some picturesque coastal towns a little further out. I feel like you’re missing out on a lot of the best places here if you just hunker down in SF.

 

[Worldsfastestfatty]

Id stay 2 days in SF, rent a car and check out Half Moon Bay / Pacifica, they’re really close and beautiful places to visit. If you have the time, Monterey / Carmel are some picturesque coastal towns a little further out. I feel like you’re missing out on a lot of the best places here if you just hunker down in SF.

Thats a good idea actually - we have been looking at hiring some motorbikes. Slightly nervous as never ridden outside of the UK and you crazy mofos are all on the wrong side of road

Probably a dumb question - being British I've never fired a gun before - are tourists allowed to use the target ranges? Probably really mundane to you guys but not something I'd ever get the opportunity to do in europe

 

[hogan87]

I live in USA and don`t wanna see any of those armpit cities! Please don`t judge America off just those cities. If you are on a budget nothing in CA is for you. A decent hotel room is gonna be $400/nt. Maybe try a hostel? Even in a "good part" of those cities its possible to catch a tweaker doing a native nature poop right on the side walk in front of you.

Yes, you should try a gun range but that aint happening in CA. Here (AZ) you can rent anything from a hand gun to a 50 cal with a bipod at the range!

 

[Hyperemia]

are tourists allowed to use the target ranges? Probably really mundane to you guys but not something I'd ever get the opportunity to do in europe

You are. You just need to be over 21 and have someone with you. They won't rent a gun to a solo person because of suicide risk. You'll have a lot better options in LA vs SF, so I'd save it for there.

 

[Ghey_Thunder]

Id stay 2 days in SF, rent a car and check out Half Moon Bay / Pacifica, they’re really close and beautiful places to visit. If you have the time, Monterey / Carmel are some picturesque coastal towns a little further out. I feel like you’re missing out on a lot of the best places here if you just hunker down in SF.

I second Carmel, or alternatively Carmel Beach and Monastery Beach, and add Big Sur to it. That drive was unforgettable. Just click on "Big Sur" on google maps and see some of the pics. You'll get the idea.

 

[Thebiggestdumbass]

If you haven’t booked hotels in SF yet, book as close to fisherman’s warf as you can. That’s about the only touristy area I would recommend there as there’s shops, food, the pier etc. kind of close to Chinatown. And a lot less homeless people and shit since it’s the tourist area.

If renting a car, stay outside of SF city

 

[tenny]

just go to vegas and call it a day......80 a night hotels, dont need a car.

 

[chooch]

Most major cities in the US have absolutely beautiful areas, and areas you do not want to venture into lol. Just as anywhere else, a little common sense and be aware of your surroundings and you’ll be ok.

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

If you can swing it

Santa Cruz
Monterey
17 mile drive // Carmel by the sea
Carmel Valley
Big Sur

I lived in this area for 3 years, trust me, it is heaven on earth

 

[Worldsfastestfatty]

If you can swing it

Santa Cruz
Monterey
17 mile drive // Carmel by the sea
Carmel Valley
Big Sur

I lived in this area for 3 years, trust me, it is heaven on earth

Thats a few suggestions for big Sur! I'll think that's definitely going to go on the list - highway 1 looks a great drive (although I did promise The Thrills id never go back there!)

Fishermans warf with the seals looks awesome. And obviously wanna ride the coach/trolley cart (or whatever you call them?).

Would Austin be the best place visit a shooting range? Are tourists allowed to fire guns in the US?

 

[alfresco]

Thats a few suggestions for big Sur! I'll think that's definitely going to go on the list - highway 1 looks a great drive (although I did promise The Thrills id never go back there!)

Fishermans warf with the seals looks awesome. And obviously wanna ride the coach/trolley cart (or whatever you call them?).

Would Austin be the best place visit a shooting range? Are tourists allowed to fire guns in the US?

Sorry for the delay here. I know I read your post sometime ago and said I would chime in but it fell off my radar.

I would stay in Marin County, which is just over the bridge northbound on Highway 101. Another great place to stay across the bridge from San Francisco is Sausalito. Probably the best views of San Francisco.

I would stay away from fisherman‘s wharf that it is really expensive place to stay and it’s just all tourist crap.

Golden Gate Park, depending upon your interest is a good place to explore. (Two museums are in the park.) And don’t go to the zoo.

You can go to Alcatraz, there’s three good art museums that are definitely worth going to, for stuff you can go to the Castro, Mexican food, and atmosphere you could go to the mission District and probably one of the greatest walks in the world is along Chrissy Field, a walk to the warming hut from the parking lot in the Marina just underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can keep walking and it will take you up to the observation deck at the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge and from there, you could walk the bridge, which is absolutely amazing even in the fog which you may or may not have.

Chinatown is home to the largest population of Chinese in the USA I believe. It’s an OK place to wander around kind of touristy, but it does serve a purpose for all the Chinese that live there so it is in fact a functioning neighborhood as well as a tourist attraction.

Muir Woods in Marin County is a fantastic place to spend a day hiking amongst the redwoods. And you can always go down to Stinson Beach and drive along Highway 1 on the north end or as others have recommended go down south on Highway 1 to Monterey or even as far as Big Sur.

I think that’s a good start, feel free to contact me if you need more options which there are or more attention to detail.

I lived in San Francisco on and off for quite a few years. I know it fairly well and sad to say it’s nothing like it used to be, downtown is pretty dead, but there is still lots of good fun safe things to do.

These are just a few things on the off the top of my head that should get you orientated.

Oh, I forgot to mention, take a trip out to Alcatraz.