Not sure of the best order would to visit these places?

torbrex

I was going to do Niagara on my own but I was recommended the tour by the hotel clerk as it is just a minibus so not a lot of people and as I said that one gets to the front of the queues so with less waiting we got round more places, the American falls, the Maid of the Mist, the downstream rapids, behind the falls and a few other places as well as the view at night. No traffic or parking to worry about and door to door service

torbrex

New Orleans was Busy Busy when I was there but then it was at New Year, again I took a couple of tours but the rest was on foot and public transport, I paid extra for a central hotel and didn't regret the price.

callum9999

torbrex wrote: »

I was going to do Niagara on my own but I was recommended the tour by the hotel clerk as it is just a minibus so not a lot of people and as I said that one gets to the front of the queues so with less waiting we got round more places, the American falls, the Maid of the Mist, the downstream rapids, behind the falls and a few other places as well as the view at night. No traffic or parking to worry about and door to door service

If you're staying there you can just walk between them all though.

Which also made me rethink the whole itinerary as you'd be better off staying on the Canadian side, so I'd instead go

Manchester - Toronto - Washington - New Orleans or Miami/Key West - Manchester or reverse.

If the direct flight home still appeals then end in Toronto. Air Canada fly direct to Manchester (and partner with United so will match up with a United one-stop flight to Miami or New Orleans).

katies_mum

Thank you all, so much great advice and brill suggestions.

We are going to stay on the Canadian side of Niagra Falls. Expecting New Orleans to be busy and hot! assumed Washington would be busy as well.

Need a large wine now to think about our plans.

Hope you all have a lovely evening

John259

If this trip is in spring then it might be worth considering starting in the south and following the warmer weather northwards. Vice versa if it's autumn/fall.

I thought the central area of the town of Niagara Falls on the US side was a run down dump. But the outskirts along the motel/fast food alley was ok, and Goat Island adjacent to the falls was an excellent park-like area. I haven't visited the Canadian side but judging from photos, StreetView, etc it looks very touristy but clean and tidy.

Try to travel along the Florida Keys by some means if possible, rather than flying over them from Miami to Key West. The Overseas Highway is great!

cubegame

It seems like a very odd way to spend a holiday. You'll be in airports more time than you're not!

Cut down the areas you want to see and do it by road. You miss all the best bits of the US if you try to use public transport.

AnotherJoe

There is a side benefit to booking main flights (eg into/back from US) on one ticket (doesn't have to be the same airline) and the the rest on another ticket (or several).

If you are flying (say) Manchester - Toronto - Washington - New Orleans - - Key West - Miami - Manchester on one ticket and through your own fault you miss (say) Key West - Miami- which is a little puddle jumper flight, (and its a great drive so I'd advise that instead but thats besides the point ) then all your subsequent flights on that ticket will be cancelled. So, because you missed a fifty buck flight you will end up needing to buy new one way tickets to Manchester which may not be covered by insurance and will be very expensive.

Since there is likely no money saving to be made by putting everything on one ticket, then why risk that? Buy (using that example) Manchester - Toronto & Miami - Manchester on one ticket and everything else on other ticket(s) as you find best for cost etc. Use the Multi Flight option on an airlines web site or middle man to book the main return.

duchy

cubegame wrote: »

It seems like a very odd way to spend a holiday. You'll be in airports more time than you're not!

Cut down the areas you want to see and do it by road. You miss all the best bits of the US if you try to use public transport.

Really ?

Must be an awful lot of odd people in the world who think staying in one location for an entire holiday is incredibly boring in that case !

Most of the domestic flights are short hops - Most people don't think a 2 hour flight would take up all day -especially as check in for the internal flights is an hour or less. Hardly spending more time in the airport than not :rotfl::rotfl:

One point for the OP to consider is that on internal flights hold baggage is not free with most carriers so there will be some extra charges to budget for. (SouthWest is an exception to this though).

Niagara is a mix of tacky hotels and the falls- Two nights there would be enough. Another possible route would be to fly MAN to Chicago and take Amtrak to Buffalo or if you didn't mind an indirect flight Manchester to Detroit . You could even fly one way and train it the other

katies_mum

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to reply.

I appreciate holidays for some are just based on in or two places but last year we vistied San Francisco, San Diego, LA and Las Vegas over 22 days all by air with one amtrak and it was brilliant, none of the fights were more than a couple of hours. This year our plans might be a bit more disjointed as its north and south but we have found that doing this its like lots of little holidays...every time we reach a new place its like a brand new holiday.

As it is myself and my daughter we will not be driving (I just don`t feel comfortable or confident) I appreciate it would be wonderful to drive the length of the Florida Keys but unless we go by mini bus or coach then driving won`t happen.

All the great information about the flights is really appreciated as I would have tried to book them all on one ticket and I know I would have struggled, hence my original post.

Niagra, does look a bit commercialised from what I have seen and read, but think the Falls are a place to see, and we will stay on the Canadian side.

Will definitely look into SouthWest and all the other options you kind people have suggested, will let you know how we get on. If possible I would like to book it all ourselves (think I could have a busy week).

Thanks again, have a great week.

cubegame

katies_mum wrote: »

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to reply.

I appreciate holidays for some are just based on in or two places but last year we vistied San Francisco, San Diego, LA and Las Vegas over 22 days all by air with one amtrak and it was brilliant, none of the fights were more than a couple of hours. This year our plans might be a bit more disjointed as its north and south but we have found that doing this its like lots of little holidays...every time we reach a new place its like a brand new holiday.

As it is myself and my daughter we will not be driving (I just don`t feel comfortable or confident) I appreciate it would be wonderful to drive the length of the Florida Keys but unless we go by mini bus or coach then driving won`t happen.

All the great information about the flights is really appreciated as I would have tried to book them all on one ticket and I know I would have struggled, hence my original post.

Niagra, does look a bit commercialised from what I have seen and read, but think the Falls are a place to see, and we will stay on the Canadian side.

Will definitely look into SouthWest and all the other options you kind people have suggested, will let you know how we get on. If possible I would like to book it all ourselves (think I could have a busy week).

Thanks again, have a great week.

If you can drive in the UK, driving in the USA is simple. It's a much better way to see a country which is not set up for looking at by public transport. That is what I was getting at, not saying you should stay in one place.


As for Niagara, both sides of the border are tacky tourist hell holes but you're right in that it's worth a visit. Make sure to go to both sides though as you shouldn't miss the Cave of the Winds. The Maid of the Mist is a bit crap though.


Of course, if you had wheels you'd be able to sample all the delights of upstate New York.