Hey Guys
I'm planning on heading over to the US to do a contiki tour in Feb/March 2008. I'm thinking either Grand Southern or Wild Western...Both look great.
I'd love to hear from anyone thinking of doing the same thing. I'd like to know I'm not the only early planner ..
Any recommendations or tips for these trips would be great too. Like what optionals are worth doing/missing etc

Jane

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ptooma,

I'm sure you're not the only early planner - I have seen spatterings of people doing the same thing! It's normal, how else can you appease your excitement?!

If you do a 'find', above, you'll find more answers to your specific questions.

In the meantime, I did the GS last Christmas and, it was great! Here is some information that I have posted in response to other people's questions in the past that might help:

I would go with a suitcase, much easier to lug around (thanks to wheels) and also much easier to find things! In a backpack you tend to just chuck everything on top of each other and then can't remember where anything is - you might get a bit more order out of a suitcase...

Money - gosh, this is a tough one and it really does depend on exactly how crazy you want to go. The average is to budget about $AUD100 per day for your extra meals and small souveniours. There will be some days when you spend heaps more (I spent $US400 at Graceland alone!) and some days when you will spend much, much less (normally bus/travel days when you just stop for lunch).

Then there is drinking. I'm not a huge party hard person and definitely didn't spend my money to go and get hammered everynight so I could spend the whole next day ill. Some people do do that though. If your plan is to head out every night then obviously you need to budget extra cash for drinks and possibly a cab back to the hotel. As a guide, I found drinks can cost anywhere from $US6 each.

Have you checked out the optional extra's and costs too? That will give you more of an idea of how much extra to take so that you can do the ones that you want. I've just had a look at what's available and although, there seems to be a few changes, here's what they offer and what I did:

Splash Cabaret in Vegas: US$37.00 - I didn't go to the show, had seen cabarets many times before so opted to spend the night with some of the tour people roaming around the casinos instead!

IMAX Movie at Grand Canyon: US$9.00 - Again, didn't do this one. Some people said it was good, others said it was boring.

Helicopter Flights: From US$135.00/$195.00 - brilliant! I did the shorter tour which lasted about 30 minutes and it was well worth it. There is a longer tour which is the $195 and then an all day tour which is some $500 and takes you down into the Canyon for lunch. Everyone loved this and I would highly recommed doing one of these options.

River Rafting in Durango: US$25.00 (seasonal) - out of season for us so we didn't do it.

Outlaw Jeep Tours: US$46.00 (seasonal) - we did this in the snow. It was damn cold and most people who came back hated it because it was uncomfortable and freezing.

Hot Air Ballooning in Albuqurque: US$130.00 - This was a great experience but again, very, very cold and a very early start as you had to be up before 5am! Rug up and take your camera!

Dallas Mesquite Rodeo & real Texas BBQ: US$20.25 Rodeo only: US$10.00 (seasonal) - again, not an option for us.

Your choice in New Orleans: - Mississippi Cruise: US$46.00 - our tour didn't go to New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina so I can't help here!

Airboat Swamp Tour: US$57.00 - again, Hurricane Katrina.

Your choice in Orlando: Disneyworld 1 Day Pass: US$55.00 (per day). A given. Go. It's a great day. I had Bronchitis and a chest infection by the time we got to Orlando but still went along. There was no way I was missing out. Turns out I only lasted 4 hours and then spent the next 3 days in bed which really sucks but I'm glad I got a chance to see something, at least.

Your choice in St. Augustine - Ghost Tour: US$7.00. We didn't have this either!

Your choice in Savannah - Pirate's House Dinner: US$33.00 - Nope, not this either!

Your choice in New York - New York City Pass: US$58.00 - I spent nine days in New York and didn't get the NY city pass. I think you can get around NY very easily by yourself and you might not use everything you get as part of the pass anyway.

A tip, the lines are killer in NY...we went to the Empire State and had a three-hour wait ahead of us. Needless to say we left and went back first thing in the morning! It also took us the best part of half a day to get over the Statue of Liberty, check it and get back so allow time for things like that.

Also, with Statue of Liberty BIG NOTE: You have to ring up and book your place to climb Liberty the day before you want to go over. I got my ticket to go to Liberty Island as part of the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour of NY and that DOES NOT include the ticket to the top of Ms Liberty herself. Just a word of warning there!

Your choice in Contiki Souvenirs - Group Photo: US$17.00 Contiki Shirts: From US$15.00 - We didn't have shirts made but got a photo, it's a cool thing to have. Get one.

Hi Jane,
I just thought I would let you know that I am doing the Grand Southern LA to NY starting on the 26th Jan. I have also met another girl on this site that is doing the same tour. Just to let you know that there are at least a couple of us doing that tour if you were to consider going a little bit earlier. Up to you of course. Get back to me if thats how you decide to go
Thanks
Jess

I did the Wild Western last July and highly recommend it!! In fact I'd do it again! It was an amazing trip and I did all the optionals and they were worth every penny, especially the heli-hike into the canyon where we got to hike to the waterfalls inside!

If you like send me your email address and I'll send you a pic or 2 from each of our stops on the Wild Western to give you an idea of what you'd be getting up to!

Hey Sprogley
Yeah that would be awesome I'd love to see some pics. Both the trips I am looking at look great it all comes down to money really..I'll have to see how thats going when I book in July...
If you wnat to email me some pics and any other tips for a US contiki my email is calypso73@hotmail.com

Thanks

Hello! My name is Meagan and my sister and I did the Wild Western in April last year. In fact we were on our tour this time last year and would have been on the bus heading to Phoenix, Arizona right about now. It was such a great trip and afterwards we spent some time in New York and then flew to Europe and did the Europeon Highlights tour with Contiki. I can definately recommend the Wild Western but I've jumped back on this site now because my sister and I are considering the Grand Southern for April 2008. We found it was a great time to go because it was cheaper and the weather was quite good. We were overseas for two months and were not inhibited once by bad weather. That's why we have decided on the same time next year for the Grand Southern. I can tell you that we both really enjoyed the Wild Western and I would even do it again which is something I did not think I would do. I would have thought I'd rather go somewhere I haven't been but it was just so much fun. We did most of the optionals if not all of them. The best experience for me on my whole overseas trip not just including the Wild Western was by far the optional helicopter over the Grand Canyon. I wouldn't have expected that but it was fantastic. I did the cheapest flight I think which was maybe 20 minutes but so cool. Just took my breath away. My sister Emily actually did a different optional to me that day. We didn't know about this optional until we were on the tour but they have a whole day experience at an indian reservation at the bottom of the canyon and you get to see the beautiful waterfalls and go swimming etc. It costs close to US$500. I think now that I'm aware of this optional, I'll do it on the Grand Southern. Only 5 people from our whole tour did this optional since it was so expensive. We also did the hot air ballooning in Arizona, most of the tour also took this optional. We did the Splash caberet in Las Vegas which was ok but you could probably find something better to go and see. Again most of the group did the Splash thing. I really enjoyed the Red Rock Jeep Ride in Sedona and I think you'll find that the majority of the group will do the optionals. In San Diego which I'd love to see again by the way, we had a choice to go to San Diego Zoo or San Diego Sea World. That was a hard one but we decided with Sea World. I personally didn't think it was that great and think the Sea World we have in Australia is heaps better. It was what I wanted at the time but I think I should have gone with the Zoo. I wouldn't mind just looking around San Diego again though. Wish I had a better picture of the Coronado Bridge in San Diego too. Oh well...have to go back I guess. There were a few dinner optionals as well and you don't have to go to Tijuana if you don't want to either. It's all up to you.. If there's anything specific you want to know about the Wild Western or talk Grand Southern with me, you can email me at stellar358@yahoo.com.au and I'll happily answer your questions. Be prepared to eat only burgers and fries while you're there though. Load up on a vegie fix before you leave. Are you doing this tour with someone or on your own. It doesn't matter either way you'll have a great time and meet heaps of people and make new friends. Emily and I did not stick together every day. I look forward to hearing from you then..

hi there
I did the grand southern last june and it was awesome.Unlike some of the others I got to do all the optionals bar the hot air ballooning due to weather and they all rock.Drinks can be very expensive so my advice would be save your $ and see the sights instead!Overall this is a fantastic tour and after a mad dash in new zealand in october(funnily enuff with contiki people but not a contiki tour ) I am doing the grand northern in may '08.Bring it on!

cheers
Lisa

p.s.If anyone needs advise on anything contiki email me at mysterygirl01@hotmail.com

Hi Jane,
I'm doing the wild western starting march 19 08, just thought i would say hi if that date was one of your options, do know of a couple of other girls going as well.
You will find more on the meet and greet section.
Cheers
Heather

quote:

Helicopter Flights: From US$135.00/$195.00 - brilliant! I did the shorter tour which lasted about 30 minutes and it was well worth it. There is a longer tour which is the $195 and then an all day tour which is some $500 and takes you down into the Canyon for lunch. Everyone loved this and I would highly recommed doing one of these options.

Does Contiki still run this optional, i cant see it advertised on the optionals section, im doing the BEST OF USA tour. Any help would be great [=

Thanks

Hi all

Name is Michael from New Zealand
I did the Grand Northern and Big Apple Explorer last year and am looking at doing Grand Sothern next year along with Canda/Rockies but not sure when best timeto do it did the States in September in 2007 wondering is that a good month to do the Southern

Any advice would be great
keltickiwi29@yahoo.co.nz

Im from perth and im going on the LA Scene,Grand Southern and Big Apple Next Jan-Feb Im really looking forward to it.. I think im looking forward to seeing snow the most, NEVER Get snow in Perth lol.

KC the Big Apple tour is a 3 day walking tour half day on the bus then walking and using subway system its a good tour am lookign sometime next year doing Grand Southern and Canda/Rockies
Mike from NZ

You should come on the grand southern and big apple next year,and im So Excited to go I've wanted to go to the USA since i was a little girl

I'm thinking now about going to the states and am checking the different tours. Love to hear from anyone that done them.I'm into http://www.mybackpackingbuddies.com/ backpacking and camping so I expect on having a really great time.
A friend from the US that did the Europe trip said that the main difficulty was the long hours of driving from place to place.

Hiya

I did GS last year and loved every moment of it. Yes.. there is quite a bit of travelling between places. But that's when you get your rest. We didn't travel all the time. We were able to see most of the cities in depth and spend quite a bit of free time in the main cities.

The only places I would have loved to have seen more of is St Augustines and Savannah. This is because with both we arrived late afternoon (6pm) and left early the next morning.

But overall... the amazing things we saw in the other cities made up for it.