re: 3 weeks in the USA.

C'mon, man....there are hooligan fans associated with every sport. Do you judge Manchester based on the ManU fans who riot or Wolverhampton based on the old Subway Army? This is a sports fan site, not exactly a hotbed of enlightened social discourse.

For every loudmouth fan on the internet, there are probably 4 or 5 actual alumni who are the most hospitable, friendly people you will ever encounter. LSU is a Research I institution with more than a quarter of a million alumni worldwide. The school has 120+ graduate degree programs and international students from 98 different countries this semester alone....including 28 from your very own UK, who are managing to live and go to school in the USA right now without losing themselves.

I'm inclined to take you as a troll, simply because Merrie old England is not exactly a hotbed of tolerance and enlightenment these days.

I visited rural England last year around this time--had a great time in my friends' "local", a member of our goup traded soccer jerseys with a friendly chap at the bar...who proceeded to spend the next 1/2 hour filling our ears with an incredibly racist analysis of "what's wrong with modern England". Still, we had a few laughs with him, managed to politely disagree and change the subject...but we did not swear off an entire country because of one encounter that had the potential to become ugly.

Good luck with your travels, wherever you find yourself welcomed in post-Brexit times.

You’re missing out if you’re going to call off your trip due to posters on this site. There are many likeminded people that turn it into an echo chamber, particularly on political issues. Your experience with posters here would not represent your experience with actual people on your trip. But do whatever you think is best for yourself

This is a longer more subtle version of the exact troll I ran out here about New Orleans last year.

Got a bunch of great NO advice and then said the violence was too much and changed my trip to Destin instead.

This is 100% troll, folks.

Didn't say the hotel were not in a good part of the city. I said it would cost more to stay near where the action is and you can walk to clubs, etc. vs. having to stay in the suburbs where you have to drive to where the action is. Cost seems to be an issue, as it is for most of us.

These are your comments:
"Nashville looks good but Hotels are quite expensive." You can probably get a similar room 12-15 miles out of town for $100 less per night vs. the cost a few blocks off of Broadway St.

"I will probably decide on my final itinerary next month after checking flights, hotels etc. Unfortunately price has to play a part."

"A car is not possible because I only started lessons late last year and don’t have a license."

You have limited resources, you're traveling to a county 32 times bigger than the UK that has limited mass transit systems and you don't know how to drive. And you don't have a plan, or a theme for your trip, or something you would like to focus on to help you formulate a plan. Well, your plan seems to be to see it all in 3 weeks.

Here's a focal point for you. Music.
Go to Nashville, New Orleans and Austin; check out Broadway, Burbon and 6th street, respectively. Spend 3-5 days in each one and talk to the locals about where they go other than the touristy spots. See some other sights at each city such as The Hermitage in Nashville, the plantations near NO, the hill county near Austin or San Antonio. Plenty to do in all those places in addition to the music.

You could spend a day or two in Memphis and on Beale St also.

Don't like that. Focus on Texas. Dallas/FW; Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Amarillo. Go to some rodeos, county and state fairs, small town festivals. See several college and even high school football games. Watch/Read 'Friday Night Lights' before your visit. You can spend 10-14 days just in Texas.

Just a couple of ideas to try and bring some clarity to how to plan your trip.

You also wrote this:
"It also looks to be the type of conservative Texas I imagine and want to experience."
I'll just suggest to you that you won't experience America (conservative, liberal, progressive, whatever) while flying over it or sitting in airports. The inside of those airplanes all look pretty much the same.

I don't know much about Canada but if that is still your plan you might want to move the trip up to August/September.

You have piqued my curiosity.
What is your age? Most Americans learn to drive when they are 16 or so.
What is/are the source(s) of your images of America?

Troll or not, this thread has been entertaining, especially for the usual cordiality that occurs on the travel board.

Seriously, out of all boards on here you'd be most hard-pressed to piss off travel board regulars, yet you've succeeded. Bravo

The posters on this part of the forum seemed cool. It was the political forum that irritated me.

quote:

---

The Poli board is the cesspool of TD. If that upset you and shaped your opinion of the U.S., I'm sorry to say but you may be a bit naive.

---

I was on a UK football site years ago. Same thing. I’d think the whole British Isles was a giant turd if I’d paid attention to their version of the poli board.

For texas go to austin, plus San Antonio is an hour away.

It is not uncommon for NY city residents to not know how to drive, at least that's what I hear. Other than that just about everyone drives.

Most cities, even smaller ones w/ < 100,000 people, have bus systems. Dallas and Houston have light rail systems, per Google. Not sure about other southern cities. Well Atlanta does but don't think you were considering there.

Between those systems, uber, lyft, and taxis maybe you can get to where you want to go.

You have time to do more research and make a good plan.

If you do get to an LSU game, especially bama, and the Tigers win, it will be an unbelievable experience.

quote:

---

Funny how I have been to America 3 times and nobody has had the guts to say the type of crap to my face what I have heard on this forum.

---

The anonymity of social media and online forums has made many people forget, or just disregard, societal norms and decorum. It's sad. And it's not just an American trait, either. Trolls and e-badasses live everywhere. And let's not act like you haven't used said anonymity to your benefit as well. You wouldn't say 99% of what you said here to perfect strangers at a social gathering in the US. And neither would most other posters here. Which is good. It means society hasn't COMPLETELY fallen apart yet.

But social media gives you an outlet. And every other person who wants one as well. No matter how dumb, racist, illogical, hyperbolic, etc, etc, etc...