Ask HN: Flying all the way to CA & the USA, what to see?

[newsisan]

Possibly will be coming over around next July for about 2 weeks.

Purpose of the trip is to check out some Unis in the USA for me, but will also be a holiday for my family -> 5 of us including me, with a 10 y/o girl, 15 y/o boy and me at 17.

Interests:

- would love to be able to see whether I would like it if I lived here/went to uni in the US (as opposed to Australia) -> so getting a feel for where I might live/work

- checking out some unis near SF

- holiday stuff: aquariums (I hear Monterey Bay is good), adrenaline stuff (theme parks, skydiving, etc - never done skydiving, parasailing etc but would like to, though not urgent)

- sports (skiing, snowboarding, water skiing -> haven't done these much, but would enjoy them)

Ideally would make sure that there is always something 'fun' at each of the places we go, so not just long scenic drives with a bored 10 y/o girl.

Would consider going to other places too if we can fit it in, not sure whether 4 days in SF would be enough, then 4 in NY, 4 in Florida?

What would you suggest, I'm a bit lost.

And to give something back, if anyone is looking to come over to Melbourne, tell me what you're interested in and I'll see what I can think of.

[Pinckney]

I strongly second Muir Woods, if you have any interest in wilderness at all. I also hear that the coast is beautiful in that area, e.g.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Point_Rey...

so you might visit Point Reyes National Seashore.

You probably can't ski in July, but some ski slopes will rent you mountain bikes and carry you up on the lifts, which I've heard is great fun.

The submarine USS Pampanito in SF bay might also be interesting to visit. If you're in New York, the USS Intrepid is also worth seeing.

In Florida, you can rent sub-machine guns, which might be fun.

Some of the state parks along the Florida coast are also pretty nice. You might rent a boat and sail out to the more remote ones.

Unfortunately most of my favourite places (Glacier, Canyonlands, Zion) are nowhere near any major Universities. It just depends on your willingness to travel a whole lot more than necessary.

[venturebros]

Florida in July is not a good idea. It is hot, really unbearable to be outside.

In case you want to come anyways in Orlando there is:

wakeboarding at the OWC, indoor sky diving tunnel, The theme parks (They will be seriously packed in July)

Tampa is an hour away there is: Bush Gardens theme park, the Florida Aquarium, a couple parasailing spots (google for the names of shops)

Miami is three hours away from Tampa. There is the Miami Aquarium and parasailing. Dave and Busters is right across from the Ft. Lauderdale airport they have a wooden rollercoaster.

[drallison]

In San Francisco, don't miss the Exploratorium. It's a great experience for anyone who pays attention to the world around them.

A walking tour of the San Francisco waterfront is a good way to get a feeling for the city. There's an App for that -- http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/san-fran-waterfront/id4075675... -- buy it for your iPhone and you'll be set.

[wooster]

I think you'll be surprised how quickly you can eat up 4 days. If you were staying longer, I'd recommend Yosemite.

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is a great place to go with family.

[newsisan]

Would definitely consider staying for longer, possibly even the whole 2 weeks - just depends on what is recommended.

[Mz]

Muir Woods -- It has redwood trees, which are a "must see" if you go to Cali, and it is local to the SF bay area, unlike most of the remaining redwoods (which tend to be out in the middle of nowhere).

The big park in SF has an aquarium and an oriental-style garden. My kids thought the aquarium was a big yawn (after visiting the huge, world-class one in Tennessee, all other aquariums were forever ruined for them) but really liked the oriental garden, which was a new experience.

Just drive around SF. It is the only large city I have been in on two continents that made me go "Wow. I wish I could live here." The city itself is amazing.

Six Flags has a theme park in Vallejo: http://www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom/index.aspx I never went to it (I'm not a big fan of theme parks) but you did ask about theme parks.

Point Reyes is unique. I never made it out there (unfortunately). It is a piece of the Pacific Plate that is above water. The land is, therefore, geologically distinct from most of California and this helps contribute to a unique ecosystem with (IIRC) some species unique to that little piece of land.