In NYC, you can be walking past quaint brownstones when you simply turn the corner and are suddenly surrounded by mammoth skyscrapers in every direction.

Every time you take a step, the city morphs into something else – elegant, industrial, ethnic, all-American – and it never stops surprising you. Start at Chinatown for cheap eats and even more affordable markets. TriBeCa, Nolita and SoHo’s charming cobblestoned streets have a host of up-and-coming restaurants, boutiques and galleries to explore and the Lower East Side and East Village are peppered with bars, and fledgling designers and great chefs setting up shop to make their mark. Head to Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, filled with clubs and bars (and the Highline Park – walk off those hangovers!), or the Upper West Side for a taste of history in its many museums. But don’t overlook Brooklyn – you’ve got incredible views of Manhattan from Brooklyn Heights, not to mention Prospect Park, beautiful galleries, quaint Coney Island and plenty of theatre opportunities at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Bright lights, big city – explore beyond Manhattan for a true taste of NYC!

neighbourhoods

Treat your tastebuds with a taste of the vibrant and locally-owned artisanal food shops of Brooklyn’s Smith and Court Streets. Italian, Middle Eastern, and New American – you name it, you’ll eat it! NYCEAT

NEIGHBOURHOOD EATS TOUR

new york city

With this pass, you won’t have to stand in line to experience this buzzing city! With free entry to over 80 must-sees, you can queue jump and get discounts on tours, restaurants and stores. Choose from a 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 day pass. NYCPAS

NEW YORK PASS

FR $70

FR $102

HALF OF MANHATTAN IS WITHIN FOUR BLOCKS OF A STARBUCKS

THE BOWERY HOUSE

DORM

GlamPACKER

HI NYC

DORM

shoestring

THE WOLCOTT

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

rock solid

ROW NYC

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

a-list

EATDi Fara in Brooklyn serves the best pizza in New York according to NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio. You might have to queue but it's BYO - bonus!

Part museum, part hotel. Quirky cabin rooms, Ralph Lauren towels and 300-thread-count sheets.NYCBOW

On the Upper West Side, stylish café, games room, free Wi-Fi and kitchen. NYCHIN

Elegant décor, large rooms, gym, near the Empire State Building. NYCWOL

Trendy rooms, in Times Square, restaurant, pizza bar, and cocktail lounge. NYCMIL

EATTry Grandma's Spicy Ramen at Takashi - only available after midnight on a Friday or Saturday night. Booking advisable!

41

YELLOW TAXI

VISIT STATRAVEL.COM | CALL 0508 STA TRAVEL TO BOOK TODAY

FR$63FR$77 FR$170 FR$85 FR$236 FR$137

42

STAR GAZING

WE LOVE. . .

B ITS BOBSAnimals are banned from

mating publicly within 1,500

feet of a tavern, school, or

place of worship

EAT

Little Sister in Manhattan Beach is a super cool Vietnamese hangout receiving rave reviews. Dive into the grilled pork spring roll - Heaven!

DRINK

Check out the Culprit Sessions at The Standard Downtown Hotel - a must for house music aficionados.

Image courtesy of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. © John Paul "Boomer" Iacoangelo

los angelesIt’s known as the City of Angels but lately it’s all about debauched celebs. Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive may have all the famous stores but Robertson Boulevard is where you’ll find the stars milling about. In the evenings, don’t bother hanging behind the velvet rope of the hottest club you’ve just heard about. Chances are it’s already old news to L.A.’s A-list! Instead, eat early and then party. Some of the city’s coolest places are easier to get into before the party gets started. Head over to the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills and book a table at Rojo y Blanca then hit the hotel’s Bar Centro, one of L.A.’s hottest cocktail spots, for a dirty martini. Also, don’t bother

shelling out for star maps. Instead, stargaze at the pool at the Four Season Los Angeles or dine nearby at Madeo, an Italian restaurant frequented by the likes of David Beckham. If all else fails, get some fresh air at celeb-hangout Runyon Canyon Park. All that exercise will put you on a more even footing with A-listers – no one looks good running up this steep canyon!

CELEB SPOTTING

TAKE A TOUR

This 32 mile, 5-hour excursion is 'bucket list' worthy. Start in West Hollywood, bike through Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Santa Monica, Marina Del Ray and hidden gems like the Venice Canals! LAXLAD

SOMEWHERE TO STAY. . .

LA IN A DAY

Go behind the scenes on the world-famous Studio Tour and delve into the fascinating ways Hollywood movies are made. You’ll be put inside some of the biggest movies with rides, shows and attractions! LAXUNS

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

BANANA BUNGALOW WEST HOLLYWOOD

(Breakfast included)

DORM TWIN/DOUBLE

HI SANTA MONICA

(Breakfast included)

DORM

shoestring

FIGUEROA HOTEL

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

rock solid

MR C

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

a-list

Spacious, en suite rooms or dorms, TV lounge, games room, kitchen, Tiki Courtyard. LAXEUR

Near the beach, local restaurants bars and theatres, colourful rooms, pretty courtyard. LAXHIS

Moroccan-inspired décor, bar, pool, hot tub, great downtown location. LAXFIG

Modern European design, panoramic Beverly Hills views, spa and massive pool. LAXMRC

43

GlamPACKER

VISIT STATRAVEL.COM | CALL 0508 STA TRAVEL TO BOOK TODAY

FR $123

FR $113

FR$35 FR$55 FR$51 FR$150 FR$81 FR$418 FR$209

44

Frisco? San Fran? The debate about what is acceptable to call this most fantastic of American cities rages on (the jury's still out on both choices) but you can't deny how beautiful it is. Until 1876 they even had an 'ugly law' which prohibited unsightly people from being seen in public!

The best way to see the sights is on foot over a couple of days. The city's numerous enclaves and suburbs each possess a different and unique vibe, so immerse yourself as you wander from one to the other. From the Italian Mecca of North Beach to the bedlam of Chinatown (birthplace of the fortune cookie!), continue south until you hit the Latino quarter of Mission. If you like your Mexican food then this is the place for you - taquerias and authentic restaurants line the streets that surround San Francisco's oldest structure - Mission Dolores. From there it's a relatively short walk to Castro, the colourful home to the city's gay and lesbian community and Haight-Ashbury - birthplace of 60's psychedelia which, despite recent gentrification, still retains its hippie credentials. We wouldn't recommend hitting the Tenderloin after dark but if you double back to the upmarket areas of Nob Hill and Pacific Heights (to see how the other half live) you'll find yourself at Fisherman's Wharf - not everyone's cup of tea but the views of the Golden Gate, Sausalito and Alcatraz will be reward in itself.

san francisco

on foot

Grab some headphones and explore infamous Alcatraz on a self-guided tour. Along with the return ferry trip, you also get to see Downtown, Sausalito and Golden Gate Park! SFOALA

CITY SIGHTSEEING 4-IN-1 ALL LOOPS & ALCATRAZ

Explore the stunning Yosemite Valley, stopping at El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite and Bridalveil Falls and Inspiration Point. Every single view will out-do the last. Cameras at the ready! SFOYOO

OVERNIGHT YOSEMITE

San Francisco’s wine country is world-renowned – it would almost be a crime not to find out why! Explore Muir Woods’ stunning Redwood Sequoia trees then head to three boutique Sonoma and Napa wineries. Cheers! SFOEXT

REDWOODS & WINEFR $411FR $123 FR $134

45

THE MOSSER

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

GlamPACKER

USA HOSTELS

(Breakfast included)

DORM TWIN/DOUBLE

shoestring

COVA HOTEL

(Breakfast included)

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

rock solid

RADISSON FISHERMAN’S WHARF

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

a-list

Super smart with Victorian touches, a bar and bistro and high-tech recording studio. SFOMOS

Simple rooms with privacy pods, with a theatre, kitchen, yoga room, and free walking tours. SFOUSA

Modern rooms with a French balcony, 24-hour gym, free breakfasts, daily shuttles. SFOCOH

On Fisherman’s Wharf, near Pier 39 and Alcatraz, heated outdoor pool. SFORAD

DRINKAssuming you know the password, check out the cocktails at Bourbon & Branch - a hipster San Francisco speakeasy.

EATForeign Cinema - a quintessentially San Francisco dining experience in an industrial chic setting located in the heart of the bustling Mission district.

San Francisco prohibits elephants from strolling down

Market Street unless they are on a leash

VISIT STATRAVEL.COM | CALL 0508 STA TRAVEL TO BOOK TODAY

FR$151 FR$85FR$52 FR$74 FR$162 FR$81 FR$260 FR$130

It’s the only city in the world where you can spend the night partying in Ancient Rome followed by brunch under the Eiffel Tower the next morning.

And it’s the only city that holds everyone’s most embarrassing, alcohol-fuelled secrets (and hopefully they stay there, or so the saying goes). Put those poker chips down for a second and get your Vegas highs at places other than the casinos. First, zoom around a rollercoaster that goes right through the New York-New York hotel (an incredible mini version of Manhattan) then head over to the strangest but most fun playground in America at Dig It!. With your very own bulldozers and excavators you get to go wild digging gigantic trenches, playing ‘Bucket Basketball’ and stacking 2,000 pound tyres. Catch former Olympic gymnasts catapulting across the stage at Cirque du Soleil. Finish off with a drink at Top of the World, boasting 360 degree views of the Strip. And it spins, so don’t think the alcohol has gone to your head. Make sure to take a picture – not everything should stay in Vegas!

THE OTHER SIDE OF SIN CITYLAS VEGAS

Image courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau

Party like a rockstar and cruise around the Las Vegas Strip in style, hitting up three A-list nightclubs. There are no long lines or expensive cover charges as you cruise around in a limo party bus, complete with a complementary bar and bartender. LASROC

ROCKSTAR NIGHTCLUB

15,000 MILES OF NEON TUBING MAKE THE LAS VEGAS STRIP THE

BRIGHTEST SPOT ON EARTH

THE COSMOPOLITAN LAS VEGAS

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

A-LIST

CIRCUS CIRCUS

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

shoestring

LUXOR

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

rock solid

CAESARS PALACE

SINGLE TWIN/DOUBLE

a-list

DRINKWon big? A shot of The Macallan 1950 at Vegas' largest nightclub Hakkasan will set you back over $1300.

Terrace studio rooms, three pools with panoramic skyline views, nightclub. TLASCP

World-famous circus acts, theme park, golf course, casinos, three pools, shopping promenade. TLASCC

In a pyramid, spacious rooms, spa and in-house casino, luxurious swimming pools. TLASCO

Six different pools, spa, Roman baths, enormous casino, 14 restaurants. LASLXH

DRINKRockhouse will sell you an 88oz plastic guitar filled with its signature margarita. Classy!

47

Escape the city and spend a day exploring one of the most renowned sights in the USA. From Mather Point to Bright Angel, you’ll have ample time to explore every nook and cranny. LASDGC

GRAND CANYON 1 DAY TOUR

Get unrestricted panoramic views as you fly over some of North America’s most stunning natural wonders. From the Grand Canyon to the Hoover Dam, you’ll have a front row seat to incredible views! LASEH1

HELI TOURS

Las Vegas Stratosphere

Top of the World revolving restaurant

with 360˚ views.

VISIT STATRAVEL.COM | CALL 0508 STA TRAVEL TO BOOK TODAY

FR $104

FR$185 FR$93FR$46 FR$23 FR$65 FR$33 FR$173 FR$87

FR $114

FR $376