Our flight from Singapore to New York was not direct, with a stop in Hong Kong as follows:
SIN to HK 01:15 to 05:05 3hrs and 50mins
Stopover- 4hrs and 35mins
HK to JFK 09:35 to 12:10 15hrs and 35 mins (Singapore was 13 hours ahead)
Going back to Singapore, we departed at LAX
Airfare per passenger S$1,394.60.
In New York we had stayed at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott NY Queens/ Queensboro Bridge.
At first we were booked thru booking.com. On the 2nd of October, we went direct to the hotel's website, there was a promo and free cancellation. We reserved a room direct to the hotel and cancelled the one at booking.com.
Hotel rates from 26Nov ~02Dec (6 nights):
Booking.com US$1,185.00 (excluded: 14/75% tax and City tax US$3.50 per night)
Direct US$1,136.38 (tax inlcuded, S$1,656.42 was charged in our credit card)
continental buffet breakfast included
Oftentimes though, Booking.com is cheaper.
UBER xl for transfers from and to JFK/hotel.
We had spent 6 days in NY then flew to Las Vegas via Delta Airlines
Airfare one way from JFK to LAS US$250 per passenger (booked in advanced) plus baggage US$25 per first check in bag, US$ 35 for the second. We had 5 bags, we paid online before our flight US$135.
Arrived Las Vegas, we picked up our rented vehicle at the airport, There was a shuttle from the terminal to the LAS Car Rental location. We booked our vehicle rental in advanced at AVIS website. We reserved the 7-seater to fit all our luggage. We had rented the vehicle till our departure on 16Dec at Los Angeles Airport (LAX). Yes, we were not happy of the drop off charges.
Total Rental fees S$2,510 (approx US$1,680)
We did not drive in NY, the city has a very good public transportation system. We bought the unlimited 7 days metro card. From our hotel in Queens to Manhattan Midtown was around 15 mins by train. Metro card are also acceptable on bus.
We will share the complete details of our tour later... much much later as we have just started posting our 2015 Europe tour.
Here's our Itinerary: (
please click the links for the separate post)
26Nov Sat arrived JFK, hotel checked in, purchased metro card, first meal at Panda Express, checked out all the
Christmas window displays from department stores in NY started at Bloomingdales to the largest in the world, Macy's at Herald Square. We had our dinner at Shake Shack. Their burgers were so good.
-we purchased the admission tickets to
Top of the Rock via the machine on the same day and selected the earliest available time. Line was not long. Our schedule was 4:10pm with 15 minutes window.
Ticket price $34 per visitor.
28Nov Mon Statue of Liberty island (cruise, base, pedestal and crown), Financial district, 911 Memorial, One World Trade Center (observation deck)
we booked the Liberty cruise and admission 6 months ahead US$18, and able to get schedule to go up to the crown for an additional US$3.00.
29 Nov Tue laundry, Metropolitan Museum of Arts, watched broadway show, The Lion King, Time Square
-re: Metropolitan Museum and I believe all Museums in US suggests an admission of $25.00 but actually you can pay as little as $1.00. We gave $20 for four of us and they gave us something to stick on our dress so we would be allowed to go in.
-We booked orchestra in advanced for the Lion King show at Minskoff Theatre. Cost $199 + service fee of $13 Row N Seat 121-124. That was the best seats we could get, most orchestra had been booked as early as 18Oct.
30 Nov Wed Empire State Building, Bare Christmas tree at Rockefeller
-to avoid long queue, we had purchased the tickets for Empire State Building one day before we flew to NY. Tickets purchased online are valid for one year.
01 Dec Thu Washington Square/NYU, Soho, City Hall, Wall Street, Brooklyn, DUMBO, crossed Brooklyn bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, Grand Central Terminal, lighted Christmas tree at Rockefeller plaza, SAKs Christmas lightning show.
-we never took the bus tour. We got to visit all these places taking the subway and bus. Fares all covered by our 7-day unlimited metro card
02 Dec Fri departed NY, arrived Vegas, picked up rented car, checked in at Best Western Plus Casino Royale, visited relatives, walked around Las Vegas strip
Best Western Plus Casino Royal rate for 2 nights US$229.48 plus 12.5% tax. One night rate was charged right after booking, Booked in advanced thru booking.com, free cancellation, no breakfast.
On the road, we stopped every 2 hours for toilet, hot drinks; re fuel every 3 to 4 hrs approx US$30 to US$40.
Stayed for 2 nights at Whispering Meadows Aparment, booked in advanced thru booking.com, free cancellation, total rental: US$480,
05 Dec Mon... rest, laundry, shopped at Tejon Outlets (30 minutes drive from the apartment)
06 Dec Tue left 3am to Livermore, on the road for 4 hours, met brother, San Francisco: Twin Peaks, Palace of Fine Arts, Lombard Street (crooked street), Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, Cheese Factory
stayed at Best Western Plus Pleasanton Inn for one night, booked in advanced thru booking.com, free cancellation, rate: US$139.99 plus tax (our card was charged S$223.97) with continental breakfast, free cancellation
07 Dec Wed Livermore outlets drive, on the road for 5 hours to Cambria
-originally, we wanted to drive along Pacific Coast Hi way, but we got stuck at the outlets, we left Livermore at 3pm. It was raining and sunset was 4:30pm. We took the fastest route instead to Cambria.
stayed at Sand Pebbles Inn for a night, booked in advanced thru booking.com, free cancellation, rate: US$189 plus tax (our card was charged S$307.73. with breakfast.
08 Dec Thu. Sand Pebbles Inn is in front of the beach with spectacular views of the pacific coast. However, ir was raining, there was not much to do. Back on the road to Anaheim. We took Highway 101 for a good view. We stopped at Santa Barbara for lunch. Few hours spent for shopping at Camarillo outlets.
We were supposed to stay at Howards Johnson for 4 nights. Said hotel is 5 min walk to the Disneyland Resort. Fortunately, a relative invited us to stay in their beautiful house, 5 min drive to Knotsberry and 15 min drive to Disneyland. They took us to boiling crab for dinmer.
09 Dec Fri. Disneyland Park
10 Dec Sat. Disneyland Park
11 Dec Sun. California Disney Adventure
We purchased the 3 day disney ticket with one magic morning. Latter means, we were able to go inside the park one hour earlier the opening hours. Not everyday has magic morning. We went inside earlier on 10Dec, Friday.
3 day ticket price each US$255
12 Dec Mon, Knotsberry farm, Citadel outlets, checkef in at Hollywood Orchids Suites.
We had stayed at Hollywood Orchids Suites for 4 nights, booked in advanced thru booking.com (free cancellation) and with breakfast.
The hotel is 4 min walk to Hollywood walk of fame
Hotel rates for 4 nights: US$736 plus 14% tax and US$40 parking fess for 4 nights. One night was charged right after booking. Balance was charged upon checked in.
13 Dec Tue. Warner Brothers featured the TV show, FRIENDS, setting; Batman mobiles; Griffitt Observatory; Malibu; visited relatives
Warner Brother studio visit was booked one day before we flew to NY, each US$62.00
14 Dec Wed. Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Rodeo Drive
15 Dec Thu Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Experience: Studio tour featured the set of the Tom Cruise' movie, War of the Worlds; The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (new at USH)...City Walk.
We booked our VIP experience on 17 Oct. US$359.00 per guest. We had paid this much to cover in one day all what Universal Studios could offer. We never queue (during that time though, the park was not very busy). Studio tour was great. We were able to get off the Private trolley and walked around the lot and inside to a few available studios.
16 Dec Fri Returned the rented car at LAX. We arrived NY with 5 luggage, leaving US with 8 luggage-one of which was a box. Everything went good, no hassle, except for the terrible long flight.
LAX~HK 08:25~16:00+one day 15hrs and 35min
Stopover 4 hrs
HK~SIN 20:00~23:55
Arrived Singapore on 17Dec at 23:55.
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| Midtown, New York |
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| view of the Central Park from the Top of the Rock observation deck |
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| Castle Clinton for Liberty Cruise and Admission tickets |
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| Statue of Liberty |
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| Charging Bull at Financial District, Downtown, NYC |
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| Time Square |
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| Metropolitan Museum of Arts, Fifth Ave, NY |
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| view of Brooklyn bridge and Downtown from DUMBO |
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| Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Brooklyn Bridge |
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| Grand Central Terminal |
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| Top of the Rock observation deck |
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| Statue of Liberty Pedestal |
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| Empire State Building observation deck |
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| 911 Memorial |
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| Brooklyn Bridge and Downtown NY |
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| rented Dodge Caravan |
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| Grand Canyon, Arizona |
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| Grand Canyon, Arizona |
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| Dessert View Watchtower, Grand Canyon |
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| Welcome Las Vegas at MacCarran Internationl Airport (LAS) |
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| Bellagio Las Vegas casino |
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| view of Paris Las Vegas and the Planet Hollywood globe |
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| The Forum at Ceasar's Palace, Las Vegas Strip |
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| The Buffet, Bellagio, Las Vegas Strip |
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| Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas Strip |
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| view of Las Vegas Eiffel |
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| Bellagio Fountain, Las Vegas strip |
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| view of San Francisco at Twin Peaks |
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| view of the Golden Gate bridge from Twin Peaks |
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| Twin Peaks |
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| Twin Peaks, San Francisco, California |
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| Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, California |
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| Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California |
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| Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California |
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| San Francisco bay view at Golden Gate bridge |
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| Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, California |
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| Sourdough bread and soup at Boudin, Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, California |
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| Boudin at Fishermans Wharf,, San Francisco, California |
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| PIer 39, Beach Street & The Embacadero, San Francisco, California |
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| Sea lions at PIer 39, Beach Street & The Embacadero, San Francisco, California |
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| Pier 39 shopping center, Beach St, San Francisco, California |
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| Madame Tussauds San Francisco |
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| view of Ghirardelli square at Fishermans Wharf area |
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| Ulta Beauty at San Franciso City Center, California |
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| Longboard's Grill, Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, California |
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| Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, California |
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| Boiling Crab, Garden Grove, California |
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| Boiling Crab, Garden Grove, California |
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| Hyperspace Mountain, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park, Anaheim |
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| Disneyland Fast Pass, Indian Jones Adventure |
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| Indiana Jones Adventure, Adventureland, Disneyland Park Anaheim |
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| Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California |
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| Castle vintage wall clock and Floral Mickey's head at night, Disneyland entrance, Anaheim, California |
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| Downtown Disney District, Anaheim, California |
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| Disneyland Resort tram shuttle |
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| Castle vintage wall clock and Floral Mickey's head, Disneyland entrance, Anaheim, California |
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| Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California |
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| Sleeping Beauty castle, Disneyland Fantasyland, Anaheim, California |
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| view of the Matterhorn, Fantasyland, Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California |
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| Mickey's Toontown, Disneyland |
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| Disneyland Park, Anaheim, California |
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| Japanese Restaurant at Anaheim, California |
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| Disney California Adventure, Anaheim |
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| Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure, Anaheim |
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| Grizzly River Run, Grizzly Peak, Disney California Adventure |
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| Anaheim, California |
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| Knotts Berry, Anaheim, California |
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| Central Perk set from the TV show FRIENDS |
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| Central Perk set from the TV show FRIENDS |
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| Central Perk set from the TV show FRIENDS |
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| Warner Brothers Studio tour trolley |
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| Malibu beach |
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| Nobu Malibu |
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| Hollywood Orchids Suite bedroom |
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| Hollywood |
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| Walk of Fame |
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| Pacific Park, Santa Monica Pier |
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| Gryffindor |
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| Warner Brothers Studios tour trolley |
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| Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California |
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| Hollywood |
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| Santa Monica PIer, Los Angeles, California |
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| Santa Monica Pier |
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| Santa Monica Pier |
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| Santa Monica Pier |
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| Universal Studios Hollywood VIP trolley |
We'll be posting more of our US tour. We are currently completing the travel blogs of our
Europe Tour in 2015.
See Related Posts
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New York Christmas 2016
Window Displays
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Walking on the
LAS VEGAS STRIP
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Central Park
Bethesda Terrace, IMAGINE
Wollman Skating Rink
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St Patrick's Cathedral,
Rockefeller Center,
5th Ave
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Check out the places we had visited in Asia
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| Japan trip 2014 |
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| Hong Kong |
See Also:
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Resort World Sentosa
Singapore
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| Munich, Germany |
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The making of Harry Potter
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Universal Studios
Singapore
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I am just wondering what's in Bakersfield? Looks like you have circled around. Why didn't depart SFO instead? Nevertheless, I am amazed you have visited most of the popular places in NYC and California. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Verene, thanks for the visit. It's 7 to 8 hrs drive from Vegas to SF. We planned to stay overnight half way. We found a good apartment in Bakersfield with washing machine. We had stayed there 2 nights and one day only. It was like a needed rest after the non-stop exploring NY, Vegas and Grand Canyon. Kind of re charging to prepare for the next adventure.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Truly great photos. You guys are inspiring.
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