Once you’ve decided the locations you “must see” then it’s time to investigate how you are going to get to them. For non-USA residents, this starts with an airline. Many airlines will allow you to purchase an “open jaw” ticket. This means that you can fly into one airport and out of another, for example you could fly into Washington DC and out of Seattle for not much extra than a normal return ticket price to one of these cities. Another thing you might like to check out is whether or not you are allowed a “stopover” as part of your air fare. This could mean that for no extra cost, you could have a stopover in perhaps Chicago for a couple of days on your return journey from Seattle. There are restrictions as regards to the direction (inward or outward flight) you are travelling, etc, but it is certainly worth looking at if you are hoping to visit a number of major cities in the US. Also, some airlines will allow you more than one stopover, charging a minimal fare for these flights but allowing you more freedom to explore this great country.
Now you have your flights organised, the next thing to look at is how to get around when you get to the US. If you are using an open jaw ticket, you need to get from your entry airport to your departure airport. If you are spending your entire holiday in one area, you need to find the best way to get to the sites, some of which may well be in the middle of nowhere! There are a number of ways to do this:
Firstly: Drive
When booking your flight, check out what car hire packages the airline recommends. Remember to read the small print very carefully on this, and make sure that ALL costs are listed on your invoice when you book your holiday. It’s also important that you consult a good road atlas before finally deciding on a driving holiday – for example it’s a long way from Washington DC to Seattle and if you hope to do some sightseeing en route, you’ll need to allow a good many days for this journey. Book a spacious car for your travels if you intend to drive a long way. You’ll be spending a long time in it and so you may as well be comfortable. Plan your journey before you leave the UK. Map out how many miles you intend to go each day and plan your night stopovers. It’s also wise to book your accommodation in advance – many hotels/motels will allow you to cancel before lunch on the day you are supposed to check-in without incurring any cost if you need to change your schedule, but at least you know there’s a room waiting for you somewhere before setting off each day (and again, book the best you can afford within your budget because a good bed is a must when you are driving over a long distance).
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