I Just Got a US Visa

[Zkribbler]

This is where I need your help. What are the odds (and cost) of renting (or buying)
one of these:



Any alternative suggestions? Has to be an american car with a big engine.
I don't want to go that far from home (in an Airbus!) to drive a Honda!

Try Budget Rent-a-Cars in Beverly Hills. It carries cars that no one else has. It's gonna cost you though.

The greater L.A. region is the amusement park capital of the world. Try Disneyland and/or Knotts Berry Farm south of L.A. in Orange County or Magic Mountain in the north end of L.A. county -- although the temp. there will be very hot.

[DarkCloud]

VetLegion- It is unlikely you can rent that car at anything approaching a reasonable cost, but there are likely a few car museums that you can see in LA and SF.

I recommend getting a AAA Guidebook. Triple A lists a lot of the places of interests in all American cities.

Personally, if I were interested in history (which I am), I would not have gone to the West Coast, but to the East. The west coast is not as fun as the east-- but at least you avoided the biggest mistake, which would have been to go to central USA (!)

That being said- there are some old Gold Rush museums, some museums regarding the Chinese railroad labor-- perhaps a few Wild West Ghost Town tourist traps after you get off the coast.

You can go horse riding near the Mexico border if you get down by San Diego.

Hearst castle is also there, I believe. As is the home with the lady who kept adding rooms to it??

Universal Studios is a nice tour.

Good luck.

[Kontiki]

Getting a classic car would be difficult but very expensive. If you feel you must drive an American piece of **** with a wonderously inefficient huge engine, I'd recommend getting a Ford Mustang. You can rent them from pretty much any company, they sound like an old propeller driven plane, get horrific mileage and have that new-retro look.

[Dinner]

As is the home with the lady who kept adding rooms to it??

I believe you're talking about the Winchester House. The lady's husband invented the famous Winchester repeating rifle and she was convinced that her house was being haunted by all the people who were killed by her husband's rifle.

[-Jrabbit]

'59 Caddy convertible? In Las Vegas, anything is possible... for a price.


$350/day -- http://www.dreamcarrentals.com/cars-cadillac59.php

[DarkCloud]

Oerdin- you are correct! Thank you.

[Zopperoni]

This is where I need your help. What are the odds (and cost) of renting (or buying)
one of these:



Any alternative suggestions? Has to be an american car with a big engine.
I don't want to go that far from home (in an Airbus!) to drive a Honda!

Sure, you can... but it's going to cost you. And you don't want to drive that. Unless you enjoy going to the garage

If you're lucky, you could find a more recent second-hand Cadillac, something like a Brougham for under $2,000. It's massive, probably weighs more than an aircraft carrier, but it does have a V8 engine.

However, it's more noise than performance though, since it only produces ~100 bhp

Alternatively, you could try something ridiculous like a pickup truck

[Docfeelgood]

I maxed out my visa.

[Tear of the Komsomol Girl]

A few years ago I was refused US visa. It was best decision I never made.

[duke o' york]

Stay in Vegas, at a table, and watch for those cocktail waitresses. Free drinks while you gamble. Play roulette, bet the outside at first then move to the inside. Or just go to a bar with a video poker machine, free drinks as long as you deposit $20 or so. Gotta see the Luxor, Mandalay Bay aquarium is awesome, Cirque de Solet shows are the best, Ka at MGM is insane. Go to a cabaret. Go to Krazy Horse strip club, or Scores. Both of those are decent. Darlings has full body nudity, but no booze. Hit up the Hoover Dam, and the Nuke test facility *you need major reservations for that*. And go to Coyote Ugly at the New York New York, crazy drunk *****es. Ra at the Luxor has a dress code, slacks button downs, nice shoes *Chuck T's don't count*.

Corrected. You won't believe your eyes.

[Joseph]

VetLegion- It is unlikely you can rent that car at anything approaching a reasonable cost, but there are likely a few car museums that you can see in LA and SF.

I recommend getting a AAA Guidebook. Triple A lists a lot of the places of interests in all American cities.

Personally, if I were interested in history (which I am), I would not have gone to the West Coast, but to the East. The west coast is not as fun as the east-- but at least you avoided the biggest mistake, which would have been to go to central USA (!)

That being said- there are some old Gold Rush museums, some museums regarding the Chinese railroad labor-- perhaps a few Wild West Ghost Town tourist traps after you get off the coast.

You can go horse riding near the Mexico border if you get down by San Diego.

Hearst castle is also there, I believe. As is the home with the lady who kept adding rooms to it??

Universal Studios is a nice tour.

Good luck.

Universal Studios is in Burbank on the 101 freeway, just north of LA. The Winchester House is in San Jose at 525 S Winchester blvd. and Hearst Castle is on highway 1 north of San Simeon 3 to 4 hour drive from LA. Take 101 to 1.

[Japher]

San Diego - The SD Zoo and Hotel Del Cornodo (sp?)
LA - Disney, Universal, Huntington Beach, Catalina

Drive up the 101/1, stop in Pismo, cut off on the 1 at San Louis Obispo (SLO) towards Morro Bay and Hearst Castle.

Cut back to the 1 take it up to Monterrey and and see the aquarium and Canery Row. Drive up to Santa Cruz for the boardwalk. Cut back down to Gilroy for the Garlic Festival (July 24th-26), it's huge.

Head north to San Jose for Winchester Mystery house and then have lunch at BJ's in Cupertino in front of Apple headquarters just to tick Asher off.

San Francisco is loaded with tourist traps so I'm sure you won't have trouble finding something to do there. I would recommend House of Nanking for quick lunch and Lori's Dinner for breakfast. Also Height/Ashbury is a must for SF touring.

Santa Rose/Napa area for wine, Sacramento for Fort Sumter and Columa for Sutter's Mill. Tahoe for swimming and gambling, Reno for prostitutes.

Humboldt coast is nice that time of year too...

I'd move back if the state wasn't falling into the ocean.

Have fun.

[VetLegion]

Thanks everyone who posted advice. I'll need some time to read through the posts but I'll be back with some more questions.

[VetLegion]

In the USA, the worse traffic is LA, number 2 is SF. For example, today I drove to Sacramento, about 60 miles from Napa. On the way back on I-80 the traffic east bound was almost wall to wall from the city of Fairfield to Sac. That is a traffice jam almost 45 miles. I turn off on CA-12 to Napa, but as we look at the hill coming from Vallejo, the traffice was wall to wall. Since I know the Bay area some, that means the Traffic was back up to SF. An 86 miles traffic jam. The best driving times in the SF area is, after 9:00 am and prior to 3:00 pm Mon though Fri. Sat and Sun are OK almost any time.

I have driven in LA a lot and it is close to SF for driving times on most Freeways.

Traffic jams terrify me. I absolutely don't wont to spend my time in them. I guess local roads (not freeways) are emptier? I guess, since one can't get lost with a GPS, I could travel local roads. The distances are intimidating but I'm not set on a route yet.

[VetLegion]

'59 Caddy convertible? In Las Vegas, anything is possible... for a price.


$350/day -- http://www.dreamcarrentals.com/cars-cadillac59.php

Exactly what I had in mind, thanks! A bit pricey, but at least now I know it's possible. I'll try to find something cheaper. It doesn't have to be a cadillac, but I'd love a V8...