The East Coast
New York City – Downtown
The Financial District is best for Museums, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island and historic sites. Stare at the architecture with adoration, but don’t expect great dining or entertainment here. It is, however, where New York City began and where
to go to pay your respects at Ground Zero.
Greenwich Village is a fantastic place for getting lost in. Visit one of the many live music clubs, theatres or historic sites, partake in some celebrity spotting or search out something to eat at one of the many specialty food shops. This neighbourhood was once a mecca to the creative, rebellious and bohemian and the influence still lingers.
The Lower East Side and East Village is packed with bars, clubs, food and designer clothing stores. Once an overcrowded, unsanitary slum, it is now one of New York’s most fashionable neighbourhoods boasting indie boutiques and some of the best restaurants in the City.
Tribeca and Soho are urban playgrounds for the rich who live in large lofts, with tiny boutiques, stylish restaurants, cutting-edge galleries and quirky homewares. Being mainly residential, Tribeca can be a relief after being amongst the masses of tourists buying rip off designer goods from street vendors in Soho.
Chinatown is where you’ll find affordable dining and shopping, as well as densely crowded roads and streets. Browse through the various street markets or take in a cultural event.
Midtown
It is here, in the heart of Manhattan, that so many visitors are captivated by the glittering lights of Times Square, the grand architecture of the New York Public Library and signature attractions such as the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building and Grand Central Terminal. Both Midtown East and West are central and convenient with an array of options for eating, shopping and nightlife, though don’t expect the nonstop party atmosphere of trendy Downtown. The East side is where many New Yorkers go to work, so there is an abundance of suit wearers, Starbucks and delicatessens on offer to grab a q
uick, cheap meal. Midtown West is outside the dazzling lights of Times Square, and a bit removed from the crowds, has a vibrant nightlife and a variety of top-tier restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen. For something different, go to Koreatown for a round of Karaoke.
Chelsea and the Meatpacking District is a contender for the most glamourous district in Manhattan. A great place for insomniacs and those wishing to indulge in culinary delights, culture and atmosphere.
The Flatiron District is a neighbourhood reborn, with hordes of people flocking there to stock up on clothing and homewares. Line up at a food truck and grab a snack while you take in the triangular Flatiron building or take in an off-Broadway play.
Uptown
The Upper West Side best for museums such as The Natural History museum, and has the most suburban vibe. It is quieter, with wide sidewalks and a somewhat slower pace. Explore Manhattans two most beautiful parks – Central and Riverside – which sandwich it.
The Upper East Side is sleek, chic and classic. The height of luxury, with stunning brownstones, marble foyers, door attendants everywhere, and few steps from Central Park. Full of designer everything and fine dining, this neighbourhood is definitely worth a walk through, however you may wish to take a packed lunch. In amongst all this glamour you will find top museums such as the Guggenheim, Jewish and Met Breuer.
Harlem was once perceived as scary and unsafe, though has transformed itself and is now becoming one of Manhattan’s coolest neighbourhoods. It is a soulful, community-orientated, and defined by music food and cultural events. There is an abundance of outdoor public spaces, live music scenes and avant-garde creativity.
Washington DC
Monuments and memorials, eclectic neighborhoods, free museums, home to the entire Federal Government and the President, Washington DC is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Ride the Metro or hop on a bike to see and visit all the sights
, or for a taste of local life, visit the funky, bohemian markets. When you’ve done all of that, maybe cast your eyes upon a giant hairball, at the National Museum of Health, view the DEA’s bong collection at the DEA museum, smell the ‘corpse flower’ (that smells like rotting flesh, apparently) at the Botanic Garden. When the sun goes down, descend upon the U Street Corridor for some vibrant nightlife.
Boston
Ask ten people what they love about Boston and you’ll get ten different answers and from a distance, it may look like a miniature version of New York, though it is very much its own city. You don’t even have to plan your route around this city, just follow the famous Freedom Trail. This is a two-and-a-half-mile red lined trail (and some red bricks in the pavements) which leads you from Boston Common to Bunker Hill. It is impossible to get lost as the trail takes you to 16 historically significant sites including museums, burying grounds, churches and meetinghouses. The Freedom Trail is one of the two best ways to get your bearings in the city. The other is the Duck Tour. Get a unique tour of Boston’s waterfront and Harbor in an amphibious vehicle that can drive Boston’s historic streets and then plunge mightily into Boston Harbor for an exciting narrated look at the city.
Florida
Away from the concrete jungles is this place that is larger than England and Wales combined, where there are blissful beaches, amazing theme parks, year round warm weather, fabulous outlet shopping and nightlife. Going here is a no-brainer. Orlando lives up to its name as the theme park capital of the world. This is the home of Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Legoland and NASA. Visit Mickey Mouse, see a rocket, then maybe head to Miami and play on the famous South Beach, with its hip nightclubs and pastel-hued buildings. Take a moment and enjoy the silence and stand still long enough to see an alligator’s back surfacing above the black water in the Everglades. History buffs will love Saint Augustine, the nation’s oldest city, with its cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, bars and unique shops. Go to Key west, the southernmost point of this continent, for serenity and sun-drenched hospitality and pop by Ernest Hemingway’s house while your there.
The West Coast
California
Los Angeles defies easy description, it is more a collection of towns rather than a proper city and is known for its laid-back lifestyle, balmy weather and celebrity encou
nters. It is home to tinsel town, Hollywood, and leads the world in the production of movies, T.V. shows, Internet content, video games and music. A beach, desert or mountain ranges are all within driving distance, and this can be quite an ad
venturous person’s paradise. It of course comes with all the typical sights, but get off the beaten track and dare to go looking. Go to Evergreen Cemetery, visit the graves of the famous and see how many you recognize. There is a running track here and is a good excuse to go there – because otherwise you’re just a weirdo visiting a graveyard. Still not strange enough for you? Then go visit the Museum of Death on Hollywood Blvd, which is a shrine to everything sinister. It includes an autopsy and serial killer room and real crime scene photographs. Or you could just sit, have a coffee and celebrity spot…
Venice Beach has long been known as the off-beat Mecca of California, go here to gawk and soak up the eccentric spirit. Skateboarders, radical pamphleteers and body builders, the scenery is great if you enjoy people-watching. Street performers include instrumental musicians, singers, jugglers, acrobats, mimes, comics, magicians, prophets, fortune tellers, and other assorted entertainers.
San Francisco may well be America’s most liberal city, where you can say what you like, do what you want and act like a weirdo without anyone caring. It’s also known for its hilly landscape, year-round fog, iconic Golden Gate Bridge, ca
ble cars and colorful Victorian houses. Grab a chowder and watch the sea lions from Fisherman’s wharf, explore Alcatraz at night (if you dare), walk up the world’s most ‘crookedest’ street, or take a ride on an Historic Trolley.
Yosemite is a place where Mother Nature put all her most spectacular bits in one spot and then threw in the tallest waterfall in the United States just to show off. Deep valleys, spectacular vertical granite cliffs, thousands of lakes, clear mountain streams and giant sequoia groves (massive, very, very old trees) exist here.
Las Vegas is full of amazing make-your-mouth-drop happenings and if you get bored in Vegas, it’s entirely your fault. This city offers up things to do all the time, and there are 24hr options available for everything. If betting your life’s savings on “red” on the roulette table isn’t your thing, go to where the real thrill-seekers hang. Vegas and the surrounding area are right in the middle of the beautiful, surprisingly colorful Mojave Desert. There are 52 peaks surrounding the Las Vegas Valley, none more than an hour away, and you can climb all of them. There is also mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, skiing, horseback riding. Have your own Top Gun moment and fly a stunt plane or try indoor skydiving.
To begin your adventure – you will need a visa for your Working.Holiday. Either do it yourself or get one of our expert partners to help you through the process.
Work your summer in a USA Camp, developing, coaching and looking after kids in America it’ll be the time of your life – rewarding, educational and not too mention making mates for life.
