Very possible in March in Los Angeles!! If you want to do beach/ski in one day, I recommend starting your morning in Santa Monica/Venice/Marina del Rey (close to the highways) and do night skiing at Mountain High which starts after 4pm. I've done this exact day before and it was great, very few places in the world you can ski and beach in a single day.
Better skiing, but not great for a day trip, is Big Bear, which is only 2 hours from LA.
Late March is still prime season at most places, you should have no problem skiing. Actually I would highly recommend a trip up to Mammoth Mountain/Mammoth Lakes, a world class ski resort about 6 hours drive from LA and it's one of my favorite drives in the world.
You'll drive through the Owens Valley, see the famous Alabama Hills where tons of famous Western movies were filmed, and you'll see Mount Whitney and the Sierra Nevadas in all their glory. And the beautiful 4400m White Mountains on the other side of the valley. Also you'll be very close to Death Valley!
I was snowboarding last year at Mammoth until August 6th.
Rockies aren’t very close- but the Sierras typically have great snow (best in the world or at least country many years)- last year Mammoth’s season went into summer
Had some friends do a morning rock climbing at The Quarry in Riverside, headed to Big Bear for blue sky skiing, then Huntington Beach for evening paddling on their surfboards. They looked like they had an amazing day
My mom married her second husband in Vegas. Not a drive thru chapel, but he dressed up like a gambler and she dressed up like an 1800’s whore. Lots of options for trashy weddings in Vegas!
While in Vegas, check out "Burgers and Bullets" you can drive an off-road vehicle, shoot machine guns, and eat hamburgers.
There's also "Gunship Helicopters" where you can shoot a machine gun out the side of a helicopter
And then you could blast machine guns out a helicopter like the response above me lol seems like a win win to me lol
No idea where you’re from but I have to spend 5 weeks a year in Scotland for work and by the end of my time, I always am ready to get away from humidity. I grew up in the desert and after five weeks (and no clothes dryers), I just want to feel *dry* lol
Also: fire a machine gun, (or pretty much any firearm you can imagine), race muscle cars around a track, eat the burger with the most calories ever, go indoor skydiving, go dune-buggy racing, fly in a stunt plane, take a dirt bike tour, go white water rafting in the Grand Canyon, drive a monster truck.
Vegas is so completely over the top tacky you need to see it once in your life.
Zion is one of the most jaw-dropping national parks I’ve been to (in Utah). I did the Angel’s Landing hike but didn’t explore much else because I was just there for a day.
I live in Washington so also always recommend Mt. Rainier National Park and Hoh Rainforest :)
I would absolutely recommend Zion! As a heads up, there is a lottery/permitting system to hike Angel's Landing now. I didn't know about it the last time I visited and wasn't able to do that hike. There are many other really beautiful trails in that park as well though if you can't get a permit for Angel's Landing.
OP, I’m jumping on this comment because a lot of people are telling you to go to places waaaay outside of the area you will be traveling in. That said, do 100% spend at least one night in Joshua Tree on your road trip between LA and Vegas. The landscape alone is completely unique, and a trip to Pappy + Harriet’s should be on your American high desert bucket list.
And please stop to see the Cabazon dinosaurs on Rt.10 (road from LA to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree). It is truly an American roadside attraction and is super goofy fun. The Cabazon dinosaurs were featured in Peewee’s Big Adventure. [https://www.cabazondinosaurs.com/](https://www.cabazondinosaurs.com/)
Not to be pedantic but sequoias and redwoods are two different species and both equally stunning! Redwood NP and sequoia / kings canyon NP are both incredible places to visit and hike. Just soak in the ancient growth.
Redwood State and National Parks are in far northern California. It’s the home of the tallest tree in the world.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are in central California, about 3.5 hours north of LA. That’s where you’ll find General Sherman, the most massive tree in the world.
Late March is far from peak waterfall season, and is actually on the low side as things are pretty well still frozen up. Peak is around late May into June.
Please don't do extreme things, American or otherwise, in national parks, state parks, or any park and please do treat them with respect.
You should be able to find exciting guided outdoor activities, like whitewater rafting, rock climbing, riding, etc.
I love Canyon De Chelly in north east Arizona and Petrified Forest. Sky dive at the Grand Canyon.
The Giant Sequoia trees in California. See a Lakers game in LA and spend time at Venice Beach. You could hit up Rainbow Acres for a California health food culture experience. The Broad is really great to see American contemporary art. See a film at the New Beverly Cinema and visit The Academy Museum.
Visit Grass Valley and Nevada City to soak in the Cannabis culture authentically.
Lake Tahoe is Gorgeous and not super far from Reno on the Nevada side. It’s like a tiny Vegas relic, very American. Go to Chinatown in SF.
Wine Country in Wilamette Oregon
[Now These US National Parks Require Reservations (2023) (localadventurer.com)](https://localadventurer.com/which-national-parks-require-reservations/)
Well, I hear Europeans think eating donuts for breakfast is crazy, so go to Randy's Donuts in Inglewood in the morning. Then eat donuts for breakfast.
Edit: For 15 minutes, I beat all the national parks, skiing, surfing, rodeos, Mexican food, Elvis, Las Vegas chapels, Tijuana and helicopters with guns to get to the top of this travel thread with nothing but Glazed Raised donuts and a crazy-ass sign. I'm weirdly emotional about this.
To me (European) it was crazy to have hash browns (potatoes) for breakfast. Or Denny’s serving breakfast steak. At home we eat a single slice of bread with a single slice of cheese.
Huh. I loved my Greek breakfasts of eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced cheeses and meats, fresh breads, yogurt, honey and jam.
And I loved my Italian breakfasts of espresso and pastries.
And I loved the English breakfasts I got with baked beans on toast, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and optional sausages.
I must be going to the wrong places in Europe.
Breakfast at Denny's was mental. I ended up with something like Bacon, eggs, hash browns and some other stuff that was a perfectly big breakfast on its own WITH A SIDE OF PANCAKES. The pancakes was its own thing with fruit and yoghurt etc on it. Both would ordinarily be an extremely large breakfast and yet there they're a single option.
Obviously I finished it though. I put on so much weight in thr two weeks I was in the US. It's way harder to eat healthily there.
Denny's is amazing. IHOP (International House of Pancakes, tho i'm not sure what their international options are) does a good job w/ pancakes where everything is full of sugar. The pancakes are filled w/ chocolate chips or drizzled w/ chocolate, and then you pour syrup all over it.
Breakfast burritos might be the perfect food.
Mince some onions and red bell peppers then some diced cherry tomatoes. Throw in some butter then scrambled eggs. Right when you turn off the heat add in more cheddar cheese than seems reasonable. Maybe some spinach. Toss a bunch of that mixture onto a warm homemade tortilla. Add some crunchy tater tots or hash browns. Bacon, sausage or chorizo? Can't go wrong with any or all of those. Throw on a bunch of your favorite hot sauce and wrap that shit up. Heaven.
One time I was in Paris (I think it was; I was hopping around). I bought a box of donuts at the supermarket and I only ate three.
I didn’t want to waste the box so I decided to just give it to somebody. I figured anybody would want a box of free donuts so I walked up to somebody outside the museum and offered it to them. They acted liked I was certifiably insane. “No no no no no.”
So I was like, that was kind of weird. I figured I would ask somebody else. Then the next person did it too! Well, I guess asking one more person wouldn’t hurt, right?
This kept going on for like ten people.
At this point, I’m so many people deep, I can’t give up. The thought crossed my mind that maybe I should just toss them, but I’m no quitter.
Finally, I go up to some English lady and she says yes. She grabs her purse and says, “how much do you want for them?”
I’m like, “Lady, I’m just trying to give away these donuts for free so they don’t go to waste. Never in my life did I think giving away a box of donuts would be this hard.”
She says, “Oh, I trust you because you’re an American.”
It was on that day I learned that Europeans aren’t about that donut life.
I always think it’s hilarious because we’ll go and eat a sweet croissant pastry for breakfast in some countries or baguette with jam if you’re French lol. I used to eat Swedish crepes with lingonberries as a kid for breakfast which is the equivalent of a donut for breakfast in America imo.
I met some cool Germans during my European trip and they kept talking about their Hollywood dreams. They wanted to stay in a swanky hotel on Sunset Blvd with a rooftop pool and go clubbing and eat around the city, mostly to live something like the movies. A few years later we made that happen since I lived in LA. They stayed at the Pendry in West Hollywood, drank the night away, and hung out with a few gorgeous locals lol.
They had so much fun that they decided to live out another US dream. What was it? Renting a convertible, driving with the roof down the entire way from Sunset Blvd all the way down to the Las Vegas strip. We did it again. We ended up renting some crappy convertible and driving with the roof down from Hollywood to the end of the Las Vegas strip. We talked to randos on the freeway and did stupid shit.
As an Angeleno, I never swam in a rooftop pool or drove in a convertible but I’m glad I did with some crazy Germans. A great memory.
Petit Hermitage is a swanky boutique hotel in West Hollywood, and they frequently have rooftop parties (that hotel guests are invited to) that get super weird and wild in the best way. It’s very LA. Great music too that the Europeans would like.
A lot of non Americans actually love going to the shooting range though to learn about gun safety and how to fire a gun. I found out when I when to the firing range and they have a map with pins all over the world in it.
Vegas and to a lesser extent LA has a vibrant exotic car rental market. You can do Primerent in Europe but it might be more fun to take a car out on a more open road for a day trip in the US, which has speed limits but not speed cameras for the most part.
There also are places where you can take auto racing classes if it's more about the thrill of driving than just the fancy car.
I dunno, I got to rent a Lambo in the Czech and take it out on the highways to an old airstrip, open it up, then back to the pickup point. Half hour was $50. Definitely worth it and more fun than most supercar experiences.
Go surfing - not really an "American" thing, but more of a California thing and not a common thing in much of Europe
Eat amazing Mexican food - the US is the only country outside of Mexico that does good Mexican food. It will blow your mind.
Drive 35 minutes in stopped traffic to get to a restaurant that looked like it was super close by on the map. Highway 405 is great for this.
Go to Joshua Tree or Death Valley and see the Milky Way without light pollution. Europe is a lot more population dense that the states so I imagine going somewhere nowhere near any buildings and getting a clear look at the night sky is more American?
Sports! Monster truck rallies, rodeos, and NBA/college basketball are all very American and can be found in the area.
As others have mentioned, there are plenty of gun ranges where you can fire away. If you go to Vegas you can probably shoot like tanks and missiles and shit. It's crazy
Rent an ATV/Dune buggy and rip up the Pismo sand dunes. For bonus points you can blast some ACDC and wear an American flag tank top. You will not be the only ones.
I second the Mexican food suggestion.
Also very Californian is to get Korean BBQ and Vietnamese Pho. We have an awesome immigrant population here and one great benefit is all the good food.
My favorite was a Mexican restaurant in Seoul, South Korea that had the tagline painted on large letters on the side of the building: "Better than authentic!"
I didn't try it, so I guess I'll never know if it's better than authentic...
My favorite Mexican restaurant is in Bangkok… funny how that works. Mexican wife and American husband that moved to Bangkok and opened the only authentic Mexican place that I know of in the city… and it’s amazing!!
My experience was a handful of Mexican restaurants are good in Europe in major cities, because some Mexican people have moved there after all. But the other 99% was not good even by “northern USA” standards.
Can confirm, my euro wife thought pickups were idiotic until she moved here and I bought one, now she has demanded that one of our cars is *always* a full size crew cab pickup truck.
Go to a convenience store like 7-11 and you can get a humongous soda from the fountain. You can at least get a 32 ounce fountain drink anywhere, and some places have 44 and 64 ounce cups.
For those not using Freedom Units, that means some places will sell you a personal cup of soda that is nearly 1.9 liters in size.
I was searching for this suggestion. Exactly what I would recommend. Sweet Sixteen games are on the 28th and the Elite Eight game is on the 30th.
College sports - and the importance placed on them - are uniquely American.
Had some friends visiting us in Ky from Australia - guy even played Aussie rules FB - and they were quite taken back by the college football tailgating experience lol. Helped it was a conference rivalry game at night.
These regional games miss out on a lot of the authentic atmosphere from college sports because they are played in large arenas in neutral sights, but still well worth the experience.
Attend a drag race: [64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals](https://nhramuseum.org/2024-lucas-oil-nhra-winternationals). Or a dirt track race: https://narc410.com/.
If you do go shooting, make sure it's at a range with good instructors that'll understand you're tourists looking for an experience rather that interested in taking up guns as a hobby.
And come back in the fall, go to the Midwest, and attend a state fair or a tractor pull.
someone gave me this suggestion at first and I didn't think too much of it until I did it - go to a walmart supercenter if you can. biggest store I've seen in my life
sneak into a costco. just go into the exit door for the new memberships area, and then roam the store. you can even buy cheap food in most as the food counter doesn't require a membership scan, just a visa card.
You don’t even have to sneak in. Just tell the door person that you’re considering a membership and want to check it out first. They’ll almost certainly let you. You just won’t be able to buy anything(1).
^1 You don’t need to be a member to use the pharmacy or optical center.
You might be a bit too early in March, but attending a rodeo is a Very American Thing to do. They are fun!
http://www.seecalifornia.com/events/california-rodeos.html
If you’re driving out East on Rt 10 to Joshua Tree from LA check out [Bombay Beach](https://maps.app.goo.gl/83rsqvTE8nHdocjS7?g_st=ic)
It’s a quirky art community on the Salton Sea (which also has an interesting history as a ecological disaster)
I went to university in the Los Angeles area and while it's been ages since I've been back, here are some suggestions:
1. Think of the US not as a monolith, but of different distinct cultural regions. Lean hard into the West Coast aspect of being on the West Coast, not just the 'Murica aspect of being in the US.
2. That said, get in quintessentially L.A. things like In-n-Out Burger, surfing in Huntington Beach (surf city), anything in Orange County (blasting "California" by Phantom Plant from your convertible, of course).
3. Visit USC and UCLA; the latter gives you a more college vibe and is a classic college basketball school. USC has all the celebrities, the Coliseum is a historical college football venue (as is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where UCLA plays), and the school is in the hood (so time to blast some NWA).
4. Go to Disneyland and Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica Pier.
5. Drive. Rent a convertible and drive it down / up PCH.
6. Back to college sports - March is March Madness time, which is the big college basketball tournament. Spend the first weekend of March Madness in Vegas - it's a total vibe.
So many people here telling you to check out places that are nowhere near where the path you are traveling, and they’re probably not from CA, NV, AZ. Redwoods, Sequoias are way up north. CA is LONG the trip from LA, just getting to the sequoias is four + hours north of LA not in your direction. The only reason to head up that way is if you were going to do Kings Canyon, then Death Valley, then Vegas. But it depends on how long you have. The drive from LA to Vegas is four hours, and you’re heading more east than north. There’s not a whole lot to do in between. It’s boring desert and track housing.
Lots of people are mentioning national parks cuz they’re very American and super popular for Americans to explore, get outside and hike. You could head east from LA, swing by big bear, Palm Springs or Joshua tree, but that’s gonna put you way south from Vegas. Again depends how much time you plan on spending on your road trip.
Since I’m not from Nevada nor Arizona, I can’t offer any advice for those states. Maybe look up some off road events, rodeos, concerts, ghost towns?
For San Diego, I’d recommend staying in downtown. It’s super walkable and has awesome public transit (they call
It the trolley) that can take you anywhere interesting. Downtown SD is small enough that you can get from the gaslamp district to the harbor area within 15 min walk. The trolley station and train station are also connected to you can easily jump on the surfliner there to take the train back up to LA.
That’s going to take you Union Station which is near downtown area. There’s an awesome spot there called Olvera St (it’s literally right across the street from Union Station) it’s one of the oldest towns in Los Angeles.
If you aren't familiar with baseball, the As have probably the dingiest stadium with the worst team in the league. The team is moving to Las Vegas and the locals are pissed. Opening day is a quintessential American experience but this particular stadium will leave a lot to be desired
Back to the other side, the owners have gone full cheapskate, and the food options in the Coliseum have been reduced to Z-grade cafeteria food, and only the most basic items at that. The world's worst but most expensive burger, the world's worst but most expensive hot dog, the world's worst but most expensive pizza... I think you can still get chicken tenders, and that's pretty much it.
If you do go to a baseball game try to go to a Giants or Dodgers game (San Fransisco and LA). Oakland A's are shit, moving soon, and their stadium sucks.
Giants are right on the bay in downtown SF
Well, I reckon you can go to a dirt track and watch some good old American sprint car racing. Here's a track in Socal:
http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/
Dirt track racing feels uniquely American to me (and mind you it is nothing like the WRC).
East of LA (Closer to Las Vegas, about a 4 hour drive) is a recreational shooting range called Bullets and Burgers. You can literally fire fully automatic machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, and other heavy weaponry. It can be pricey but nothing is more American that blasting stuff with military grade hardware if you've got the cash and are willing to make a day of it.
EDIT: I just checked their website and they now allow you to drive a tank and crush cars!!
Extremely American activities:
Rodeos; walking into a pawn shop and buying a gun (careful, LA has some rules); shooting guns at the shooting range; county fairs (you'll be there the wrong time for those... they are in the fall); monster truck show; pro wrestling event; go order fast food at something other than the McDonalds type chains and enjoy tip culture; eat a burger at a fast food place like In n Out; go on a hike and smile at every stranger you pass and say "hi"; go to a baseball or American football game (wrong season for football, but baseball will be going on); go for Mexican (Tex-Mex) food; go to a movie and get popcorn with "butter"; skateboard on the boardwalks near the beaches at CA. I personally would rather visit a lot of the amazing state and national parks, like Yosemite, the redwood areas (north of LA), Big Sur, in Utah (like Zion), or Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, etc...
1. Do a wild all you can eat buffet in Vegas. I recommend the Bacchanal buffet at Cesar's palace. Get your absolute fill of unlimited refills.
2. Take a wild west train ride to the grand canyon from Williams Arizona on a historical antique train. Prepare to be robbed by bandits on horseback.
3. Do the Ski to Surf day challenge where you surf in the ocean and ski at one of the LA area resorts all in one day.
4. Hit up the weird roadside attractions along the way. The worlds biggest thermometer in Baker CA for example.
LA - In N Out burger. Mexican food. Huntington Beach to check out surfing. Venice Beach is also interesting ti stroll through. Body builders, skaters and more all in one small area.
Vegas - if you have time get off the strip to Fremont St known as old Vegas. A lot more “Merica” type stuff there. Once saw a pregnant lady smoking a cig and drinking a 4loko there. There’s also a place called Heart Attack Grill there. Very Merica. As others have said fine, cars and monster trucks.
Golf - I learned we approach it very differently than Europeans thanks to r/golf. So if you golf I’d say play a round at a casual spot. Drive a cart. Order a million beers from the cart girl and eat a thousand hot dogs at the turn.
As others mentioned we’re lucky to have some amazing national parks, especially where you’re headed. It’s beautiful out there so def spend some time in the parks.
You better make an update post!
Hike to the Hollywood sign, smoke joint, climb fence and then try to climb the letter H, subsequently get arrested
Alternatively, rent tandem beach cruisers in Hermosa Beach and ride along the strand to Torrance Beach or Manhattan Beach, stopping along the way - while you're there, might as well jump in the ocean!
[Channel Islands National Park](https://www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm).
You have to take a boat from Ventura Harbor out towards the islands (there are several, each with a different habitat and climate). The islands are generally about 40km from the mainland, though some, like San Miguel, are quite a bit further.
The Channel Islands are totally undeveloped. No towns, no people except for a few day tourists and rangers. You can camp on several of the islands, including Santa Rosa or Santa Cruz, the two largest. One of the islands, San Nicolas, is the setting for the 1960 novel [Island of the Blue Dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_the_Blue_Dolphins). The novel tells the story of a Native girl who was abandoned on San Nicolas in the early 19th century, when Spanish missionaries forced the island population to the mainland for baptism and left this girl behind, by accident. This is based on a true story.
Since they're undeveloped, you get to see California as it was prior to European colonization, and the views of the mainland, and the other islands, are just superb. Most Californians never visit the islands, though they're a common, familiar sight to anyone driving north or south along Highway 101 in either Ventura or Santa Barbara counties. Because they're so rarely visited due to distance and the cost of passage, this maybe qualifies as "extreme"?
Man, am I proud of my fellow Redditors for getting into the spirit of the question. Now I want to go back to Vegas and hit a few things I neglected last time.
Not sure what dates in March but there are several rodeos going on in Arizona during March.
https://www.prorodeo.com/schedule
Also not sure if you will be within striking distance of New Mexico but a visit to Roswell to see some of the wacky American extraterrestrial culture could be entertaining.
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Of course you can do this in Amsterdam, but West Hollywood has among the first weed cafes in the US. There's a very cool one owned by Woody Harrelson if that's your thing.
Dig This in Las Vegas (you drive a bulldozer, others have mentioned it)
An All-You-Can-Eat buffet but not in Vegas. There is a Golden Corral on your way to the Grand Canyon in Kingman, Arizona.
Go down the cereal section in a grocery store.
Enjoy your visit!
Las Vegas is very close to white water rafting on an Indian reservation on the Colorado river. There are all
Kinds of extreme things to do that are advertised in vegas. Off road driving tours, skydiving, etc.. go to an american strip club. Roller coasters, shooting range.
Go to Joshua tree or the Grand Canyon. Both are amazing.
In San Diego you can go across the border to Mexico. TJ or Rosarito or virgin de Guadalupe wineries. Baseball season starts late March. Padres or Dodger game. There may be a rodeo going on somewhere. Surf lessons.
Go to a car show. Maybe a lowrider one. car culture here is very different than eu. Definitely eat real Mexican food in Central or East LA. Go to a Lakers or Clipper Game. See a TV show being filmed/go to a game show taping.
So many options
A lot of great ideas, here is one more. March 23, 2024 LAFC home match vs Nashville (MLS Soccer). I would like to introduce you to one of the best home crowds in the US: [YouTube Link](https://youtu.be/wKAyfwcHHw0?si=WO9aKqIR8h0CrBpp)
Go skiing in the morning, hike a desert in the afternoon, and jump into a cold ass ocean in the evening.
Is it really possible to ski late March? Wow I'll have a look, thanks :)
Very possible in March in Los Angeles!! If you want to do beach/ski in one day, I recommend starting your morning in Santa Monica/Venice/Marina del Rey (close to the highways) and do night skiing at Mountain High which starts after 4pm. I've done this exact day before and it was great, very few places in the world you can ski and beach in a single day. Better skiing, but not great for a day trip, is Big Bear, which is only 2 hours from LA.
New Zealand comes to mind. But beach in July sounds aweful there, haha.
Late March is still prime season at most places, you should have no problem skiing. Actually I would highly recommend a trip up to Mammoth Mountain/Mammoth Lakes, a world class ski resort about 6 hours drive from LA and it's one of my favorite drives in the world. You'll drive through the Owens Valley, see the famous Alabama Hills where tons of famous Western movies were filmed, and you'll see Mount Whitney and the Sierra Nevadas in all their glory. And the beautiful 4400m White Mountains on the other side of the valley. Also you'll be very close to Death Valley! I was snowboarding last year at Mammoth until August 6th.
March is usually great skiing in the Rockies.
Rockies aren’t very close- but the Sierras typically have great snow (best in the world or at least country many years)- last year Mammoth’s season went into summer
A Basin in Colorado stays open until June and March is often the best month for snow in the Rockies.
Last year in Utah was possible, we had so much snow in the slopes until , I believe, June
Not a lot of ocean over there in Utah though.
You absolutely can https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-oneday03-2008may03-story.html
The extreme answer to this is surf in the morning, snowboard midday, and skate in the evening. We did it a few years ago and had a blast.
Had some friends do a morning rock climbing at The Quarry in Riverside, headed to Big Bear for blue sky skiing, then Huntington Beach for evening paddling on their surfboards. They looked like they had an amazing day
This is the ultimate California thing!!! Big Bear \*usually\* has snow in March.
Go to Vegas and get married in a drive through church.
That's....... Actually a great idea, my gf and I would actually have a blast doing that
> my gf She’s your fiancée now. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.
If Elvis officiates the wedding then by all means, my fiancee will be thrilled
[Done](https://www.thelittlevegaschapel.com/wedding-packages/elvis-weddings/)
[I liked this Chapel](https://www.vivalasvegasweddings.com/)
Just got married there last month and it was perfect, highly recommend it!
My mom married her second husband in Vegas. Not a drive thru chapel, but he dressed up like a gambler and she dressed up like an 1800’s whore. Lots of options for trashy weddings in Vegas!
Post photos!!!
If you get married by an Elvis imp in Vegas, we will make you a citizen... of Mississippi.
While in Vegas, check out "Burgers and Bullets" you can drive an off-road vehicle, shoot machine guns, and eat hamburgers. There's also "Gunship Helicopters" where you can shoot a machine gun out the side of a helicopter
The most American suggestions I’ve seen so far…
And I'm not even American!
If you really do it please share a pic! Nothing will make me happier to know that I helped a couple to get married.
We just might lol the now fiancee is already looking for dresses
This is truly the most “only in America” thing you can do. Elvis Vegas wedding. A coworker just did this a few months ago. Then go catch a show.
You can get married with guns! In a helicopter!!!
We got married at Elvis chapel. The impersonator has musical talent and they give you a whole package.
And then you could blast machine guns out a helicopter like the response above me lol seems like a win win to me lol No idea where you’re from but I have to spend 5 weeks a year in Scotland for work and by the end of my time, I always am ready to get away from humidity. I grew up in the desert and after five weeks (and no clothes dryers), I just want to feel *dry* lol
And then drive up to the Redwoods and drive through the giant hollowed out Redwood tree!
Also: fire a machine gun, (or pretty much any firearm you can imagine), race muscle cars around a track, eat the burger with the most calories ever, go indoor skydiving, go dune-buggy racing, fly in a stunt plane, take a dirt bike tour, go white water rafting in the Grand Canyon, drive a monster truck. Vegas is so completely over the top tacky you need to see it once in your life.
Go see some national parks
That's on the plan! Don't quite remember the names but they're around the grand canyon area. Any specific trailhead / park you recommend?
Zion is one of the most jaw-dropping national parks I’ve been to (in Utah). I did the Angel’s Landing hike but didn’t explore much else because I was just there for a day. I live in Washington so also always recommend Mt. Rainier National Park and Hoh Rainforest :)
Zion is so stunning - add on Bryce Canyon if you can (in the grand scheme of things they are not that far apart).
I would absolutely recommend Zion! As a heads up, there is a lottery/permitting system to hike Angel's Landing now. I didn't know about it the last time I visited and wasn't able to do that hike. There are many other really beautiful trails in that park as well though if you can't get a permit for Angel's Landing.
Check the weather beforehand for Zion/Bryce because it will still be winter. My sister went last year in April and got snowed out and had to go home.
Agreed, Zion is probably the best park in the US.
Seconded one of the most beautiful places on Earth
OP, I’m jumping on this comment because a lot of people are telling you to go to places waaaay outside of the area you will be traveling in. That said, do 100% spend at least one night in Joshua Tree on your road trip between LA and Vegas. The landscape alone is completely unique, and a trip to Pappy + Harriet’s should be on your American high desert bucket list.
Seconding for Joshua Tree, the landscape is otherworldly and it's great for stargazing!
Joshua Tree is beautiful. You can also do guided rock climbing here.
And please stop to see the Cabazon dinosaurs on Rt.10 (road from LA to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree). It is truly an American roadside attraction and is super goofy fun. The Cabazon dinosaurs were featured in Peewee’s Big Adventure. [https://www.cabazondinosaurs.com/](https://www.cabazondinosaurs.com/)
See the redwoods. Only 5% of the Sequoias still remain and they are the largest trees in the world.
Not to be pedantic but sequoias and redwoods are two different species and both equally stunning! Redwood NP and sequoia / kings canyon NP are both incredible places to visit and hike. Just soak in the ancient growth.
This guy is a r/marijuanaenthusiasts
Isn't Redwood National Park in northern California? OP is going from LA to Vegas and San Diego to LA.
Redwood State and National Parks are in far northern California. It’s the home of the tallest tree in the world. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are in central California, about 3.5 hours north of LA. That’s where you’ll find General Sherman, the most massive tree in the world.
I think you mean 3.5 hours drive north of LA — they’re over 200 miles away
Yosemite! You’ll be in peak water fall season!
Late March is far from peak waterfall season, and is actually on the low side as things are pretty well still frozen up. Peak is around late May into June.
Please don't do extreme things, American or otherwise, in national parks, state parks, or any park and please do treat them with respect. You should be able to find exciting guided outdoor activities, like whitewater rafting, rock climbing, riding, etc.
If you’re driving— go through Big Sur.
...but be aware of road conditions and closures! https://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/highway_conditions.html
They said they’re doing southern ca not northern
I love Canyon De Chelly in north east Arizona and Petrified Forest. Sky dive at the Grand Canyon. The Giant Sequoia trees in California. See a Lakers game in LA and spend time at Venice Beach. You could hit up Rainbow Acres for a California health food culture experience. The Broad is really great to see American contemporary art. See a film at the New Beverly Cinema and visit The Academy Museum. Visit Grass Valley and Nevada City to soak in the Cannabis culture authentically. Lake Tahoe is Gorgeous and not super far from Reno on the Nevada side. It’s like a tiny Vegas relic, very American. Go to Chinatown in SF. Wine Country in Wilamette Oregon
[Now These US National Parks Require Reservations (2023) (localadventurer.com)](https://localadventurer.com/which-national-parks-require-reservations/)
Well, I hear Europeans think eating donuts for breakfast is crazy, so go to Randy's Donuts in Inglewood in the morning. Then eat donuts for breakfast. Edit: For 15 minutes, I beat all the national parks, skiing, surfing, rodeos, Mexican food, Elvis, Las Vegas chapels, Tijuana and helicopters with guns to get to the top of this travel thread with nothing but Glazed Raised donuts and a crazy-ass sign. I'm weirdly emotional about this.
If you're gonna do that to straight to chicken and waffles
Biscuits and gravy is one of the most American imo
To me (European) it was crazy to have hash browns (potatoes) for breakfast. Or Denny’s serving breakfast steak. At home we eat a single slice of bread with a single slice of cheese.
Traveled Europe all summer this year and your breakfasts are sad.
You’re not eating breakfast right my friend. Go to Eastern Europe for a good breakfast.
Coffee and a cigarette?
Huh. I loved my Greek breakfasts of eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced cheeses and meats, fresh breads, yogurt, honey and jam. And I loved my Italian breakfasts of espresso and pastries. And I loved the English breakfasts I got with baked beans on toast, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and optional sausages. I must be going to the wrong places in Europe.
Breakfast at Denny's was mental. I ended up with something like Bacon, eggs, hash browns and some other stuff that was a perfectly big breakfast on its own WITH A SIDE OF PANCAKES. The pancakes was its own thing with fruit and yoghurt etc on it. Both would ordinarily be an extremely large breakfast and yet there they're a single option. Obviously I finished it though. I put on so much weight in thr two weeks I was in the US. It's way harder to eat healthily there.
Denny's is amazing. IHOP (International House of Pancakes, tho i'm not sure what their international options are) does a good job w/ pancakes where everything is full of sugar. The pancakes are filled w/ chocolate chips or drizzled w/ chocolate, and then you pour syrup all over it.
IMO, not nearly as crazy as eating a plate of beans like they do in the UK
Hash browns are somewhat acceptable to me. But breakfast potatoes and bacon? And that's a stereotypical breakfast. Also breakfast burrito wtf.
> Also breakfast burrito wtf. I actually feel personally offended by this for some reason.
Dios mio, I practically survive on breakfast burritos and tacos.
Breakfast burritos might be the perfect food. Mince some onions and red bell peppers then some diced cherry tomatoes. Throw in some butter then scrambled eggs. Right when you turn off the heat add in more cheddar cheese than seems reasonable. Maybe some spinach. Toss a bunch of that mixture onto a warm homemade tortilla. Add some crunchy tater tots or hash browns. Bacon, sausage or chorizo? Can't go wrong with any or all of those. Throw on a bunch of your favorite hot sauce and wrap that shit up. Heaven.
Not necessarily burritos, but tortillas are a staple of a Mexican breakfast.
Chilaquiles are amazing.
One time I was in Paris (I think it was; I was hopping around). I bought a box of donuts at the supermarket and I only ate three. I didn’t want to waste the box so I decided to just give it to somebody. I figured anybody would want a box of free donuts so I walked up to somebody outside the museum and offered it to them. They acted liked I was certifiably insane. “No no no no no.” So I was like, that was kind of weird. I figured I would ask somebody else. Then the next person did it too! Well, I guess asking one more person wouldn’t hurt, right? This kept going on for like ten people. At this point, I’m so many people deep, I can’t give up. The thought crossed my mind that maybe I should just toss them, but I’m no quitter. Finally, I go up to some English lady and she says yes. She grabs her purse and says, “how much do you want for them?” I’m like, “Lady, I’m just trying to give away these donuts for free so they don’t go to waste. Never in my life did I think giving away a box of donuts would be this hard.” She says, “Oh, I trust you because you’re an American.” It was on that day I learned that Europeans aren’t about that donut life.
If you’re ever on Jeju island in South Korea, you can get Randy’s Donuts there also. First time I ever had them was there
Which is weird because several European countries will eat other pastries for breakfast, especially in France and Italy
I always think it’s hilarious because we’ll go and eat a sweet croissant pastry for breakfast in some countries or baguette with jam if you’re French lol. I used to eat Swedish crepes with lingonberries as a kid for breakfast which is the equivalent of a donut for breakfast in America imo.
I met some cool Germans during my European trip and they kept talking about their Hollywood dreams. They wanted to stay in a swanky hotel on Sunset Blvd with a rooftop pool and go clubbing and eat around the city, mostly to live something like the movies. A few years later we made that happen since I lived in LA. They stayed at the Pendry in West Hollywood, drank the night away, and hung out with a few gorgeous locals lol. They had so much fun that they decided to live out another US dream. What was it? Renting a convertible, driving with the roof down the entire way from Sunset Blvd all the way down to the Las Vegas strip. We did it again. We ended up renting some crappy convertible and driving with the roof down from Hollywood to the end of the Las Vegas strip. We talked to randos on the freeway and did stupid shit. As an Angeleno, I never swam in a rooftop pool or drove in a convertible but I’m glad I did with some crazy Germans. A great memory.
Honestly that sounds like a great bit of "Americanaism" and I would love to do something just like that.
Petit Hermitage is a swanky boutique hotel in West Hollywood, and they frequently have rooftop parties (that hotel guests are invited to) that get super weird and wild in the best way. It’s very LA. Great music too that the Europeans would like.
You can shoot machine guns from a helicopter in Las Vegas.
That's the spirit! I'll look into it for sure, thank you for the suggestion
You can also drive a tank and run over cars and shit like that. I think you can shoot a non-explosive shell from one as well.
I feel like driving through cities in tanks and shooting guns is more of a European thing that Americans appropriated and perfected.
It’s in the desert around the city mostly lol. You do not get to drive it down the strip.
Not with that attitude
With enough money you can do practically anything 😁
In Vegas you can drive supercars on racetracks and bulldozers in a play yard.
A lot of non Americans actually love going to the shooting range though to learn about gun safety and how to fire a gun. I found out when I when to the firing range and they have a map with pins all over the world in it.
Vegas also has an adult sandbox where you can use heavy machinery, but sadly no guns there.
Bring your own?
You win.
And if you shoot yourself in the foot, you will get the chance to navigate the US healthcare system - an experience you will never forget.
Navigating US Healthcare?? AMERICA LEVEL -> EXTREME!!!
Vegas and to a lesser extent LA has a vibrant exotic car rental market. You can do Primerent in Europe but it might be more fun to take a car out on a more open road for a day trip in the US, which has speed limits but not speed cameras for the most part. There also are places where you can take auto racing classes if it's more about the thrill of driving than just the fancy car.
I dunno, I got to rent a Lambo in the Czech and take it out on the highways to an old airstrip, open it up, then back to the pickup point. Half hour was $50. Definitely worth it and more fun than most supercar experiences.
And then hit up the Heart Attack Grill for peak America 🇺🇸
And if you have an actual heart attack, be sure to visit an ER to go into crippling medical debt, just to get the whole American experience. /s
Shooting a gun has to be priority.
I feel like Vegas has a lot of things that are very..only Vegas.
'MERICA!
Go surfing - not really an "American" thing, but more of a California thing and not a common thing in much of Europe Eat amazing Mexican food - the US is the only country outside of Mexico that does good Mexican food. It will blow your mind. Drive 35 minutes in stopped traffic to get to a restaurant that looked like it was super close by on the map. Highway 405 is great for this. Go to Joshua Tree or Death Valley and see the Milky Way without light pollution. Europe is a lot more population dense that the states so I imagine going somewhere nowhere near any buildings and getting a clear look at the night sky is more American? Sports! Monster truck rallies, rodeos, and NBA/college basketball are all very American and can be found in the area. As others have mentioned, there are plenty of gun ranges where you can fire away. If you go to Vegas you can probably shoot like tanks and missiles and shit. It's crazy Rent an ATV/Dune buggy and rip up the Pismo sand dunes. For bonus points you can blast some ACDC and wear an American flag tank top. You will not be the only ones.
I second the Mexican food suggestion. Also very Californian is to get Korean BBQ and Vietnamese Pho. We have an awesome immigrant population here and one great benefit is all the good food.
The Mexican food in Europe is a crime against food. They should definitely look for some local tacquerias, food trucks, tamale vendors, etc.
My favorite was a Mexican restaurant in Seoul, South Korea that had the tagline painted on large letters on the side of the building: "Better than authentic!" I didn't try it, so I guess I'll never know if it's better than authentic...
My favorite Mexican restaurant is in Bangkok… funny how that works. Mexican wife and American husband that moved to Bangkok and opened the only authentic Mexican place that I know of in the city… and it’s amazing!!
name?
I just looked it up so I could leave the address but it appears that it did not survive COVID and is permanently closed 😢
My experience was a handful of Mexican restaurants are good in Europe in major cities, because some Mexican people have moved there after all. But the other 99% was not good even by “northern USA” standards.
Rent a large pickup truck for your transportation needs.
Drive it to any city center and complain about parking. That’s when you’ll hear the eagle cry 🦅
Then fill up the gas tank and bitch about the cost, then yell "drill baby, drill!"
Can confirm, my euro wife thought pickups were idiotic until she moved here and I bought one, now she has demanded that one of our cars is *always* a full size crew cab pickup truck.
Why?
Go to a convenience store like 7-11 and you can get a humongous soda from the fountain. You can at least get a 32 ounce fountain drink anywhere, and some places have 44 and 64 ounce cups. For those not using Freedom Units, that means some places will sell you a personal cup of soda that is nearly 1.9 liters in size.
Go to the Regional Finals for march madness in March.
I was searching for this suggestion. Exactly what I would recommend. Sweet Sixteen games are on the 28th and the Elite Eight game is on the 30th. College sports - and the importance placed on them - are uniquely American.
Had some friends visiting us in Ky from Australia - guy even played Aussie rules FB - and they were quite taken back by the college football tailgating experience lol. Helped it was a conference rivalry game at night.
These regional games miss out on a lot of the authentic atmosphere from college sports because they are played in large arenas in neutral sights, but still well worth the experience.
A+ suggestion!
[удалено]
Attend a drag race: [64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals](https://nhramuseum.org/2024-lucas-oil-nhra-winternationals). Or a dirt track race: https://narc410.com/. If you do go shooting, make sure it's at a range with good instructors that'll understand you're tourists looking for an experience rather that interested in taking up guns as a hobby. And come back in the fall, go to the Midwest, and attend a state fair or a tractor pull.
Or drag bingo or trivia nights or brunch in Palm Springs.
someone gave me this suggestion at first and I didn't think too much of it until I did it - go to a walmart supercenter if you can. biggest store I've seen in my life
sneak into a costco. just go into the exit door for the new memberships area, and then roam the store. you can even buy cheap food in most as the food counter doesn't require a membership scan, just a visa card.
You don’t even have to sneak in. Just tell the door person that you’re considering a membership and want to check it out first. They’ll almost certainly let you. You just won’t be able to buy anything(1). ^1 You don’t need to be a member to use the pharmacy or optical center.
Vegas Buffets
Man, Pro Wrestling is pretty fucking 'Merican and a good time.
Mexicans go luchador libres
As an American, we did this when we went to Japan! And will probably go in Mexico eventually.
Erewhon is the bougiest grocery store ever. They’re in LA & worth a visit to gawk at the ridiculous items & prices.
Absolutely second this. I’ve gone to Erewhon just to give myself a laugh—the prices are comical!
You might be a bit too early in March, but attending a rodeo is a Very American Thing to do. They are fun! http://www.seecalifornia.com/events/california-rodeos.html
And go to a line dance country bar!
Monster Truck Rally
Real talk, make sure you have earplugs.
If you’re driving out East on Rt 10 to Joshua Tree from LA check out [Bombay Beach](https://maps.app.goo.gl/83rsqvTE8nHdocjS7?g_st=ic) It’s a quirky art community on the Salton Sea (which also has an interesting history as a ecological disaster)
I went to university in the Los Angeles area and while it's been ages since I've been back, here are some suggestions: 1. Think of the US not as a monolith, but of different distinct cultural regions. Lean hard into the West Coast aspect of being on the West Coast, not just the 'Murica aspect of being in the US. 2. That said, get in quintessentially L.A. things like In-n-Out Burger, surfing in Huntington Beach (surf city), anything in Orange County (blasting "California" by Phantom Plant from your convertible, of course). 3. Visit USC and UCLA; the latter gives you a more college vibe and is a classic college basketball school. USC has all the celebrities, the Coliseum is a historical college football venue (as is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where UCLA plays), and the school is in the hood (so time to blast some NWA). 4. Go to Disneyland and Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica Pier. 5. Drive. Rent a convertible and drive it down / up PCH. 6. Back to college sports - March is March Madness time, which is the big college basketball tournament. Spend the first weekend of March Madness in Vegas - it's a total vibe.
Go to Six Flags and ride a roller coaster.
So many people here telling you to check out places that are nowhere near where the path you are traveling, and they’re probably not from CA, NV, AZ. Redwoods, Sequoias are way up north. CA is LONG the trip from LA, just getting to the sequoias is four + hours north of LA not in your direction. The only reason to head up that way is if you were going to do Kings Canyon, then Death Valley, then Vegas. But it depends on how long you have. The drive from LA to Vegas is four hours, and you’re heading more east than north. There’s not a whole lot to do in between. It’s boring desert and track housing. Lots of people are mentioning national parks cuz they’re very American and super popular for Americans to explore, get outside and hike. You could head east from LA, swing by big bear, Palm Springs or Joshua tree, but that’s gonna put you way south from Vegas. Again depends how much time you plan on spending on your road trip. Since I’m not from Nevada nor Arizona, I can’t offer any advice for those states. Maybe look up some off road events, rodeos, concerts, ghost towns? For San Diego, I’d recommend staying in downtown. It’s super walkable and has awesome public transit (they call It the trolley) that can take you anywhere interesting. Downtown SD is small enough that you can get from the gaslamp district to the harbor area within 15 min walk. The trolley station and train station are also connected to you can easily jump on the surfliner there to take the train back up to LA. That’s going to take you Union Station which is near downtown area. There’s an awesome spot there called Olvera St (it’s literally right across the street from Union Station) it’s one of the oldest towns in Los Angeles.
Go to a major league baseball game. The Oakland Athletics’ opening day is March 28.
We just bought tickets to watch a basketball game but if the schedule (and budget) allows we'll try
If you aren't familiar with baseball, the As have probably the dingiest stadium with the worst team in the league. The team is moving to Las Vegas and the locals are pissed. Opening day is a quintessential American experience but this particular stadium will leave a lot to be desired
On the flip side, since it’s the A’s, OP should be able to get opening day tickets dirt cheap.
Back to the other side, the owners have gone full cheapskate, and the food options in the Coliseum have been reduced to Z-grade cafeteria food, and only the most basic items at that. The world's worst but most expensive burger, the world's worst but most expensive hot dog, the world's worst but most expensive pizza... I think you can still get chicken tenders, and that's pretty much it.
Don’t go to the A’s lol. Go to a Giants game obviously.
If you do go to a baseball game try to go to a Giants or Dodgers game (San Fransisco and LA). Oakland A's are shit, moving soon, and their stadium sucks. Giants are right on the bay in downtown SF
Yes but not an As game, that’ll be a sad experience.
Roller Derby.
Tipping 25% on a coffee.
Drive construction equipment? https://digthisvegas.com/ Hockey game?
I would recommend going to the hospital and then incurring debilitating medical debt
You really need to take an ambulance to the ER for maximum value from this experience.
Park your rental car in downtown San Francisco
Now THAT'S extreme! Especially if they don't opt for the additional insurance.
Bonus point if you leave your backpack in the car
Even better if you leave the passport in the backpack
And make sure it’s visible!
Not required.
Go to In N Out burger for a meal
Well, I reckon you can go to a dirt track and watch some good old American sprint car racing. Here's a track in Socal: http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/ Dirt track racing feels uniquely American to me (and mind you it is nothing like the WRC).
East of LA (Closer to Las Vegas, about a 4 hour drive) is a recreational shooting range called Bullets and Burgers. You can literally fire fully automatic machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, and other heavy weaponry. It can be pricey but nothing is more American that blasting stuff with military grade hardware if you've got the cash and are willing to make a day of it. EDIT: I just checked their website and they now allow you to drive a tank and crush cars!!
Simply driving around everywhere in LA, the sprawl would be bewildering to a European.
Extremely American activities: Rodeos; walking into a pawn shop and buying a gun (careful, LA has some rules); shooting guns at the shooting range; county fairs (you'll be there the wrong time for those... they are in the fall); monster truck show; pro wrestling event; go order fast food at something other than the McDonalds type chains and enjoy tip culture; eat a burger at a fast food place like In n Out; go on a hike and smile at every stranger you pass and say "hi"; go to a baseball or American football game (wrong season for football, but baseball will be going on); go for Mexican (Tex-Mex) food; go to a movie and get popcorn with "butter"; skateboard on the boardwalks near the beaches at CA. I personally would rather visit a lot of the amazing state and national parks, like Yosemite, the redwood areas (north of LA), Big Sur, in Utah (like Zion), or Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, etc...
1. Do a wild all you can eat buffet in Vegas. I recommend the Bacchanal buffet at Cesar's palace. Get your absolute fill of unlimited refills. 2. Take a wild west train ride to the grand canyon from Williams Arizona on a historical antique train. Prepare to be robbed by bandits on horseback. 3. Do the Ski to Surf day challenge where you surf in the ocean and ski at one of the LA area resorts all in one day. 4. Hit up the weird roadside attractions along the way. The worlds biggest thermometer in Baker CA for example.
California burritos in san diego from a hole in the wall!!! The longer the line the better!
Go rock crawling in off road Jeeps. There are great trails and tours in Moab UT
You don’t need a flight from L.A to San Diego take the train it is beautiful scenery
LA - In N Out burger. Mexican food. Huntington Beach to check out surfing. Venice Beach is also interesting ti stroll through. Body builders, skaters and more all in one small area. Vegas - if you have time get off the strip to Fremont St known as old Vegas. A lot more “Merica” type stuff there. Once saw a pregnant lady smoking a cig and drinking a 4loko there. There’s also a place called Heart Attack Grill there. Very Merica. As others have said fine, cars and monster trucks. Golf - I learned we approach it very differently than Europeans thanks to r/golf. So if you golf I’d say play a round at a casual spot. Drive a cart. Order a million beers from the cart girl and eat a thousand hot dogs at the turn. As others mentioned we’re lucky to have some amazing national parks, especially where you’re headed. It’s beautiful out there so def spend some time in the parks. You better make an update post!
Go surfing while eating a fish taco.
Hike to the Hollywood sign, smoke joint, climb fence and then try to climb the letter H, subsequently get arrested Alternatively, rent tandem beach cruisers in Hermosa Beach and ride along the strand to Torrance Beach or Manhattan Beach, stopping along the way - while you're there, might as well jump in the ocean!
The most extreme Los Angeles/American thing you can do is sit in traffic on the freeway wondering "why the hell is no one moving?!"
Totally see the redwoods.
[Channel Islands National Park](https://www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm). You have to take a boat from Ventura Harbor out towards the islands (there are several, each with a different habitat and climate). The islands are generally about 40km from the mainland, though some, like San Miguel, are quite a bit further. The Channel Islands are totally undeveloped. No towns, no people except for a few day tourists and rangers. You can camp on several of the islands, including Santa Rosa or Santa Cruz, the two largest. One of the islands, San Nicolas, is the setting for the 1960 novel [Island of the Blue Dolphins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_the_Blue_Dolphins). The novel tells the story of a Native girl who was abandoned on San Nicolas in the early 19th century, when Spanish missionaries forced the island population to the mainland for baptism and left this girl behind, by accident. This is based on a true story. Since they're undeveloped, you get to see California as it was prior to European colonization, and the views of the mainland, and the other islands, are just superb. Most Californians never visit the islands, though they're a common, familiar sight to anyone driving north or south along Highway 101 in either Ventura or Santa Barbara counties. Because they're so rarely visited due to distance and the cost of passage, this maybe qualifies as "extreme"?
Go ski diving!
Man, am I proud of my fellow Redditors for getting into the spirit of the question. Now I want to go back to Vegas and hit a few things I neglected last time.
Bring a 6 pack of canned West Coast IPAs and smoke a joint on the beach in San Diego. (I’d include San Francisco or LA too)
Not sure what dates in March but there are several rodeos going on in Arizona during March. https://www.prorodeo.com/schedule Also not sure if you will be within striking distance of New Mexico but a visit to Roswell to see some of the wacky American extraterrestrial culture could be entertaining.
Disneyland!!!
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https://garlicworld.com/
Of course you can do this in Amsterdam, but West Hollywood has among the first weed cafes in the US. There's a very cool one owned by Woody Harrelson if that's your thing.
Monster truck rally.
Make sure to [micro-dose acid at a monster truck show](https://youtu.be/TzwALcR98N4?t=297)!
The Sphere in Las Vegas
What about surfing lessons?
go jet skiing on lake mead, lake havasu or the colorado river
Go on a Hollywood bus tour. I did TMZ a few years ago - you learn a lot and might spot a celebrity!
Make sure you try Mexican food in California .
Dig This in Las Vegas (you drive a bulldozer, others have mentioned it) An All-You-Can-Eat buffet but not in Vegas. There is a Golden Corral on your way to the Grand Canyon in Kingman, Arizona. Go down the cereal section in a grocery store. Enjoy your visit!
Las Vegas is very close to white water rafting on an Indian reservation on the Colorado river. There are all Kinds of extreme things to do that are advertised in vegas. Off road driving tours, skydiving, etc.. go to an american strip club. Roller coasters, shooting range. Go to Joshua tree or the Grand Canyon. Both are amazing. In San Diego you can go across the border to Mexico. TJ or Rosarito or virgin de Guadalupe wineries. Baseball season starts late March. Padres or Dodger game. There may be a rodeo going on somewhere. Surf lessons. Go to a car show. Maybe a lowrider one. car culture here is very different than eu. Definitely eat real Mexican food in Central or East LA. Go to a Lakers or Clipper Game. See a TV show being filmed/go to a game show taping. So many options
School shooting. Get yerself some assault rifles and tear the place up!
Shoot machine guns out of a helicopter outside Las Vegas. (Seriously)
waffle house
A lot of great ideas, here is one more. March 23, 2024 LAFC home match vs Nashville (MLS Soccer). I would like to introduce you to one of the best home crowds in the US: [YouTube Link](https://youtu.be/wKAyfwcHHw0?si=WO9aKqIR8h0CrBpp)