I'm German and want to spent 2 weeks in America. What's the best place (interesting city/towns and nice landscapes) to experience America while not getting robbed and without driving across half of the country?
In return for your genuine answers I will answer questions concerning Germany.
Honestly man, I unironically say Washington DC and Virginia.
Washington DC for the genuinely great and free museums. Virginia for more of the nation's history, colonial architecture, Shenandoah national park and some of the Appalachian trail.
Interesting answer. Thanks. Are you from Virginia?
Originally yes, Arlington VA but I moved down to Florida for cheaper housing (at the time).
Florida seems pretty popular as well. What do you say comparing those two?
It's a tough comparison in my eyes, it just depends on what you value more.
Florida has the oldest city in the US with St. Augustine and it's really charming little town. As a long term resident, theme parks wore out their welcome ages ago but there's really no other place in the world like the stretch between Busch Gardens (Tampa) and Kissmee-Orlando for Universal/Disney. The beaches are pretty amazing the more "secluded" you get. There are also several little "islands" you can chill out on like Marco Island, Sanibel Island, Siesta Key, Ponce Inlet, etc. If you find yourself near south florida, Everglades national park is a treat, especially if you get one of the private airboat tours from one of the dozens of providers around there.
To sum it up in my eyes, if you care more about the history of the country, go with DC/Virginia. If you want more laidback activities/theme parks, I would go with central/south Florida.
In that case, I tend to go for Virginia.
Would you recommend a specific town there like Fairfax and Richmond?
That's like inviting a Japanese to your home for sushi.
What are you hoping to do in the US? Do you want to see the sights, visit museums, explore the countryside, eat at high end restaurants? The US isn't going to have places like Rothenburg ob der Tauber if you want some kitschy.
Southern Virginia and Northern Virginia are completely different places. Richmond is a city for people with low expectations and former plantation owners. Northern Virginia is basically one big suburb of DC.
I want to do all of what you mentioned at best.
Then I'd pick a high profile east coast city so the travel is easier. New York or DC are your best bets. Chicago is only a little further west as well. If you want a mix of everything I'd say DC. It's not a huge city by American standards but like the anon above said, all the of major museums are free and you're a very short drive to pure countryside. We have some Michelin tier dining but not as expansive as NY. DC is a sleepy city though so don't expect to be clubbing at 4am.
Second this, the architecture and museums in DC is amazing. Not as shitted up as other cities if you stay out of the hood
Oh right, uh Germany question
How's the cooming if you're a white American?
Chicago and Atlanta if you want to enjoy some black pussy.
Small towns and rural Wisconsin, it's peak Americana, drive around the state, you are German, you will feel right at home there.
QRD on visiting Wisconsin?
If you want something unique, visit the American southwest. Grand canyon, phoenix/flagstaff/scottsdale, Vegas (2 days max), Santa fe, rocky mountains. It's very different from Europe and has amazing food
I wouldn't pick the SW for a first time America trip because there's cooler shit to see elsewhere. OP if you come back again you should do the southwest
Why the fuck would you visit the US?
The same reason that Americans want to go to Europe: To say to have been there
Wrong. Europe has culture, great food, great drink, great coffee, great cafes, places to actually walk to, public transportation that doesn't smell like homeless shit and puke.
Europe may as well be another planet than the US.
Yes. All those fancy things. Please don't come here, you won't like it. You can't walk everywhere. There are homeless literally on every corner, even in rural areas. Everyone carries a gun and you will be shot if you so much as look at someone wrong. We only eat hamburgers and that will not fit your fine European palate. If you've seen one state you've seen them all. Whatever you do, don't visit our national parks, you may have to actually drive.
Finally some common sense. America is a shithole. You forgot to mention the constant car breakins and store looting once a black man gets shot by another black man (happens minutely)
The pristine beauty of rural New England and Upstate New York.
I'm also a German and I've been to the US 3 times. The best experience I ever had in the US was in the Yosemite park, it's hard to describe some of the views, I felt like I was teleported to some virtual reality. In only had that feeling a few times in my life.
Yosemite is GOATED.
Please speak like a grown adult, thanks.
mid post
The west coast is the best coast unless you're looking to just do the cityfag thing.
Europoors always make the mistake of going to our cities and then think they've seen the whole country and have a grasp on it after their DC-NYC-Boston trip. OP go to Utah or Montana.
Those Utah salt flats freak me out. I thought I was dead or something.
If you don’t want to drive much, the Northeastern Megalopolis (Boston-D.C.) is your only option. The Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington areas have some cool history to check out. But the most worthwhile sights in the US are the Western National Parks, namely those in California, Utah, and Colorado.
Where would be a good base of operations to spend a few months in Germany if I don’t want to be inside a big city?
The only thing America has better than Europe is nature
So don't bother with anywhere east of the rockies
Then decide whether you prefer mountains, forest, beaches, or desert
Then we can narrow it from there
America has crazy variety for a single country
Nobody mentioning Las Vegas, Nevada?
A wide variety of shows. Gambling if that's your thing. Decent dining options. Battlefield Vegas might also be something that piques your interest if you want fun with guns. Good cannabis scene. Atomic Test Museum and Mob Museum is neat too. If you want to get real degenerate you could try the Green Door.
Branson, Missouri is like Las Vegas but without the gambling and with a bunch of Christianity and Yakov Smirnoff.
New Braunfels, TX
DC is a good time, but do it in early October when the weather is nice. It's humid and hot as fuck in the summer. Same goes for Vegas.
If you want to go somewhere in the summer with nice weather. I'd suggest Colorado. You could do a look from Denver and hit some of the best small towns in the US. The ski resorts and mountain villages in Colorado are amazing. You could do some rafting on the Gunnison River. Look up Vail, Breckenridge, Ouray, Durango, Telluride. The summer weather is really good up in the mountains. And there are endless hikes and parks. If you're doing it on the cheap, you could camp and save a lot on hotels. You'd definitely need a rental car.
what a funny looking cat lol
so serious
not a joking mat
I also enjoy this cat picture. Every time I scroll past him I always think he's saying something like "God, you're here again?"
PNW. Yellowstone and Glacier.
I second Yellowstone but I couldn't handle summer tourists, also Olympic nat Park and the redwoods
Glacier is ruined by mosquitoes
Mountains and Southwest. American cities are terrible, but the sighsee is amazing.
How’s the coomin’ in Germany?
Now we're asking the real questions
What season will it be when you go? That would affect things quite a bit since I can't imagine you would want to go too far South if it's in the summer
I vote Miami, FL. It might not give you "the American experience" but it's a very nice city in its own right that is friendly to tourists without being a ripoff or dangerous. Plenty of great food and experiences to enjoy, beautiful beaches, lots of interesting tropical nature pockets to explore. Though there are a lot of good answers in this thread, so it's up to you to decide what you want out of your trip.