12 month J1... off-the-beaten track

macky4jd

Hi All,

I plan on travelling to the US on the 12 month J1 visa but have yet to decide my destination. I want to go a little bit off the beaten track i.e. not the usual Boson/ New York full of irish places. Anybody have any suggestions from their own experience? One place i'm looking at is Charlotte in North Carolina. Has anyone been there and what are your opinions of it?

Cheers

Trippie

Texas is a great place, lots of work, cheap living expenses and great weather. couldnt recommend it high enough

Civilian_Target

Charlotte is pretty quiet.

East coast, why not try Buffalo or Portland?

Wisco

If you want real winter, I recommend Minneapolis/St Paul (Minnesota). Hot summers too.
Lots going on and a big metro area, so presumably lots of jobs.

snubbleste

Charlotte is not off the beaten track..it has direct flights from Dublin

abelard

If you want East Coast, you could try non-Boston areas of New England, I would suggest are Portland, Maine; Hartford, Conneticut (small, but laid back and pretty) or maybe Providence, RI.

Not New England, but how about Philadelphia? It's a big city and has the East Coast feel, but less Irish than Boston/NY. Baltimore has a bad rep but is actually pretty nice too.

I'm not as familiar with the US outside New England, but I lived with an Alaskan once and it sounds like an awesome place. And you can't get much more off the beaten track than there! Also knew people from Oregon who made it sound wonderful. It also has the benefit of year-round tourist season with mountains and the sea.

Don't completely rule out the likes of Boston though. If you live with Americans, and don't hang out in certain Irish bars, you'd be surprised how long you can make it without hearing an Irish accent!

orchidsrpretty

If I had a year to spend in the US I would stay in Sanfa Fe, NM. cheap, great history, roasting summers, not so bad winters and a real small town feel to it.

Pisco Sour

NASHVILLE!!!!!!!

I spent 4 Nights in Nashville, Tennessee last year. What can I say, best city I have ever visited. Absolute heaven for music lovers. So many different types: Country, Country Rock, Rock n Roll, Blues, Jazz. Brilliant Broadway with its dozens of bars with round the clock live music (Tootsies and The Stage being 2 of the best spots), the magnificent singing and dancing bartenders in Buck Wild Saloon, the RCA Studio B where Elvis Presley recorded over half his catologue, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museem, the Music City Walk of Fame Park, the Grand Ole Opry live from the famous and historic Ryman Auditorium, a tour of the Ryman including a backstage tour where Johnny Cash and June Carter first met, the fantastic Music City Hostel where banter was always guaranteed. Unfortunately I didnt get to see Opryland as it was still closed due to the bad floods the month before, but there is so much to see and do here. Will definetely have to go back. Cant recommend this place enough.

Also Pittsburgh is a beautiful city and p1ss all Irish there. One girl I met had barely heard an Irish accent in her life. Needless to say that it went down pretty well

Somebody mentioned Buffalo. I have been there 3 times and love the place. But it helps that I am related to half the city, and know the other half. Not sure what it would be like for people without those connections. But its a nice small town feel, and plenty of pro sports (Bills and Sabres).

But my vote goes to Nashville.

Mardy Bum

If you want off the beaten track Arizona is a great state to visit. I lived in Tucson for 3 months and you won't be bumping into any Irish people in southern Arizona. Its close to Mexico too if you want to visit, I wouldn't be too inclined. Its has beautiful weather from September till May then it gets a bit too warm in the summer months. Phoenix is warmer than Tucson and during the summer this can be too much. However Phoenix will be much more lively. Tucson's nightlife is not bad mind, its the day time which isn't the most exciting if you are not working.

As mentioned Sante Fe seems nice but I was only there for a weekend so can't really comment.

I'd agree with Texas. While it is meant to be warm and horribly warm in the likes of Houston, it really is has survived the US recession and has plenty of jobs and an affordable cost of living in many cities. Austin is meant to be cool witha great music scene and then there's cosmopolitan Houston and classy Dallas. A lot of students too I'd imagine.

Other places off the beaten track.....maybe Raleigh, North Carolina;

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