Where in LA, Las Vegas, New York and Hawaii to visit?

[Colin D]

This year I'm making it to the US for a quick look around. Starting in NY, then Vegas, LA and finally Hawaii. The wife and I do enjoy a good museum and art exhibitions, particularly photographic. What do you good folk out there recommend? We have a week in NY, a few days in Vegas then drive to LA where we stay for a week finishing off in Hawaii for four days to catch our breath before heading back to the antipodes.

Unlike the trip last year to Italy I will not be taking the Super Speed Graphic, more likely a compact digital and perhaps a 6x6 film box.

Thanks in advance.

Colin

[John Kasaian]

You might enjoy the Getty Villa in Malibu, and the Huntington Library, Gardens and Galleries in San Marino.

[Colin D]

Many thanks John and roufi, some grouse ideas there. The Huntington Library is going to be close to where we are staying I think so it could get a look. Niagara Falls I hadn't thought of and yet it is obvious. It's easy to get excited about NY, seeing all those iconic shots taken there, but the 4x5 isn't joining us this time so I'll have to do with the digibox and maybe the 6x6 MF.

Any more ideas.

[Peter Lewin]

Colin: When you say "NY" do you mean New York City (since Vegas and LA are cities) or the entire NY State (which is a bit much for the one week you have allocated)? If you mean NYC, the two obvious museums are the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Both usually have good photography exhibits along with world-class paintings. You can look at www.photographmag.com to see what photo-specific shows are available during the time you will be in NY.

Niagara Falls is up at the Canadian border, that is a very long drive from NYC, and in my opinion, not worth it given your limited time, assuming you want to spend any time in NYC. If you want to get outside the city, there are quite a few historic estates and scenic towns along the Hudson River, maybe a two hour drive each way: http://www.hudsonriver.com/home.

If you want to give us some more ideas of what you and your wife are looking for, we might be able to tailor our replies a little. New York City can easily eat up a week, let alone NY State; I imagine those who know Hawaii or the L.A. area might have a similar response (Vegas seems smaller to me, but I've never been there).

[John Kasaian]

For free in LA, check out the School of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences at USC offering numerous exhibits of memorabilia from John Wayne westerns and George Lucas /Stephen Spielberg Star Wars all through out the department building.

[lab black]

L.A.

+1
Getty
Huntington Gardens

The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is an often forgotten gem

[MikeH]

If you're staying near the Huntington in LA, it sounds like you will be in or near Pasadena (my childhood home). The Gamble House:
http://www.gamblehouse.org/
is a well-known classic example of Southern California architecture. It's very close to the Norton Simon Museum. The Rose Bowl is also close to here: makes a great "touristy" photo-op to take home... :-)

If you like Mexican food, Mijares is great; their location on Palmetto is about 1/2 mile south of The Gamble House:
http://www.mijaresrestaurant.com/

You can drive down Colorado Blvd., which is both the old "Route 66:"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66
and the street that the Rose Parade runs on January 1.

Although there is not a lot to see, you could spend an an early evening walking through the CalTech grounds. 3 blocks west of CalTech, on Lake Avenue, is the Macy's Department store with some architectural significance: (It was originally a "Bullock's" store.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullock%27s_Pasadena

Already mentioned is the Getty: there are 2 locations.
http://www.getty.edu/museum/
One is on the west side of LA, about 45 minutes from Pasadena (depending on traffic, which can be horrible). They have an exhibit on Minor White which is already being discussed here:
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...e-at-The-Getty
And the Getty webpage for the exhibit is here:
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/minor_white/

Someone else with more knowledge please jump in here...The Getty Villa is in Malibu, on the ocean, maybe another 1/2 hour west from the other Getty. Reservations were required at one time. I would think this is a must see: it' was built as a museum, but it's a reconstructed villa from Pompeii (?):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Villa

Arcadia is the city east of Pasadena with The Arboretum:
http://www.arboretum.org/

There's also this thread here where photographing the Los Angeles Freeways is discussed:
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...wander-with-LF

If you have any specific questions about the Pasadena area, please feel free to ask...

[Drew Wiley]

If you can stand Vegas at all, it's quite a showplace for everything fake and tacky. Perhaps the "faux" capital of the world. But don't expect to see much serious art or architecture. It's all build-it-today/tear it down tomorrow themes. You can find good restaurants there. On the other hand, if you want to take in a bit of scenery and it's not too hot, there are some wonderful desert sights not too far from Vegas, like Red Rocks, Valley of Fire, and Hoover Dam. Even Zion Natl Park is not much more than an hour's drive away, or two at the most. You didn't specify the time of year. Vegas is an oven in summer.

[MikeH]

Drew: you reminded me... Hoover Dam is a tremendous site to see and is about 1/2 southeast of 'Vegas, depending on where you stay. There's a new bridge south of the dam that gives a breath-taking view. Also, with the new bridge, is it only maybe 2 1/2 hours to the Grand Canyon from 'Vegas?

[Drew Wiley]

Hoover Dam is quite close, and like I said, Zion isn't terribly far, but the drive all the way to the Grand Canyon from Vegas would seem pretty taxing on such a tight schedule. If it were me headed that way I'd prefer to spend at little bit of time around Flagstaff and some of the more accessible Indian ruins like Walnut Canyon or Hovenweep. There's also a wonderful natural history museum on the outskirts of Flagstaff. But so much running around hither and thither?? Too much driving just robs the quality time. We could all probably mention two hundred interesting places to see on a trip like this. I personally find the Vegas city scene disgusting, but I guess everyone wants to see it for themselves at least once, unless they're into shows or gambling. Just yesterday I learned of a whole other crop of visual hot spots out in the desert there, if you have 4WD. Maybe some winter after I retire. I'll be crossing northern Nevada in a day, and hopefully can detour Hwy 80 without too much loss in time. Thinking about 50 then up the Reese River valley.