Guest Post

The USA has a stunning amount to discover, so why limit yourself to one location? Get twice as much out of the country with a twin centre break or combine it with one of its more laidback neighbours like Mexico or the Caribbean.

1) New York-Las Vegas

Surround yourself with high culture and noble pursuits in the Big Apple. New York is home to museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim, and you can watch some of the world’s best opera and classical music. Intersperse these refined activities with some top notch shopping, a restorative walk in Central Park and a sampling of sensational gourmet innovations at one of hundreds of restaurants, and you’ve got yourself a well-rounded city break. You can indulge your less highbrow side in Sin City, where the neon and noise of the casinos beckon and the pleasure principle is all that matters. Cocktails, late nights and some of the best shows in the world are your oyster in magical, mesmerising Las Vegas.

2) Los Angeles-San Francisco

The sprawl of Los Angeles is home to a thousand adventures in itself, from celebrity spotting around the Hollywood Hills to the thrills and spills of Disneyland and the sun-soaked sands of Malibu and Venice Beach. Spend a cinematic time exploring the diverse neighbourhoods, the cities within the city. Take to the highways to get around and rub shoulders with the big spenders in the boutiques of Beverly Hills, bar hop with the hip and happening in West Hollywood and chow down on authentic dishes in Chinatown. San Francisco is virtually a village compared to its vast Californian neighbour. If you have no pressing concerns, you can even see a lot of the city on foot, from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the funky shops of Haight Street and the tourist draw of Fisherman’s Wharf. When you need to rest your feet, you can stop and relax in serene Golden Gate Park, or take in the views from Nob Hill.

3) San Francisco-Hawaii

There are gourmet delights to be found around every corner in San Francisco, and the city enjoys its reputation as a foodie paradise for good reason. The restaurants have attracted some of the world’s most talented chefs, who work minor miracles with the fresh, organic produce so prevalent in this part of the world. As well as a huge Chinatown, you can fill up on Mexican in the Mission, French in the Financial District or Pacific Rim in Pacific Heights. Make time for day trips to the famous wine and food regions of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, both an easy drive from San Francisco.

4) USA-Mexico

There are few places in the world as modern and bustling as the great American cities. Pick any major metropolis for a host of modern architecture, soaring skyscrapers and attractions that spin out the latest technology. Try downtown New York, Chicago or Los Angeles for glass and steel giants that nose ever upwards, many with public viewing platforms for spectacular panoramas across the city. Or if recent history is more up your street, head to historic towns such as Boston or Washington, where the beginnings of this great nation are on show, or New Orleans, where colonial neighbourhoods still exist in all their glory. Of course, combining your US trip with a jaunt to Mexico can take you even further back in time. Try a few days exploring the splendour of Chichen Itza or the Mayan ruins at Tulum, hundreds of years old but still jaw-droppingly impressive. After a historic adventure, you can always take time to revitalise yourself with a few days sipping cocktails by the perfect beaches of Cancun.

5) USA-Caribbean

Finding lively nightlife isn’t too much of a problem in the US. New York has some of the finest cocktail bars anywhere, many of them in the great hotels, but some of the newer ones in unassuming buildings that hark back to the days of the speakeasy. Going out in LA is more to see and be seen, but there are still some legendary bars, from the hi-energy retro scene at the Dresden to the infamy of the Chateau Marmont. If you have the energy, you can stay up until dawn in the 24 hour bars of the French Quarter in New Orleans, and in sultry Miami, you can dance to Latin beats until the wee hours in beachside clubs. After all that exertion, what better way to unwind and recuperate than in your perfect beachside spot on a Caribbean island? Whether you choose long time favourites such as Jamaica or the Bahamas, or go for up and coming destinations such as Grenada or the unadulterated romance of St Lucia, you can find white sands, a hammock and a glass of ice to fill up with rum.

For further information about multi centre holidays – USA, Asia and elsewhere visit www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk. – Travel Feeder, your ultimate photo travel blog