flying to US from dublin airport

Stheno

popepaisley1 wrote: »

btw....thanks for the info. this is our honeymoon. coulda been a disaster

Have you booked accomodation? You'll' be going nowhere otherwise.

Also on the way home you clear the same obstacles in the US so be prepared, security is far tighter in most airports there than here.

popepaisley1

san francisco for a few days then in a car and heading south. no plans made. we only booked the holiday last friday week. we got married last friday so we haven't had much time think about what we want to do. id like to drive to the grand canyon but im thinking thats a bit ambitious. we'll see what happens

popepaisley1

Stheno wrote: »

Have you booked accomodation? You'll' be going nowhere otherwise.

Also on the way home you clear the same obstacles in the US so be prepared, security is far tighter in most airports there than here.

doing that right now!!!

irishfeen

popepaisley1 wrote: »

san francisco for a few days then in a car and heading south. no plans made. we only booked the holiday last friday week. we got married last friday so we haven't had much time think about what we want to do. id like to drive to the grand canyon but im thinking thats a bit ambitious. we'll see what happens

Direct flight from Dublin?

Stheno

popepaisley1 wrote: »

san francisco for a few days then in a car and heading south. no plans made. we only booked the holiday last friday week. we got married last friday so we haven't had much time think about what we want to do. id like to drive to the grand canyon but im thinking thats a bit ambitious. we'll see what happens

US immigration require an address you are staying at if you are not in transit, they will not let you through without a hotel/motel/apartment with a detailed address!

popepaisley1

irishfeen wrote: »

Direct flight from Dublin?

stopping in chicago for 2 hours

popepaisley1

Stheno wrote: »

US immigration require an address you are staying at if you are not in transit, they will not let you through without a hotel/motel/apartment with a detailed address!

on booking.com

Stheno

popepaisley1 wrote: »

stopping in chicago for 2 hours

How did you not investigate this? Booking.com the night before? And on a honeymoon?

Travelling to the US is a fairly onerous process, it's not like you can just hop on a plane and mooch on over like?

irishfeen

popepaisley1 wrote: »

stopping in chicago for 2 hours

Oh harsh - about 13.5 hours travelling so... We're direct from Dublin and 11 hours is going to be hell.... anyhow enjoy the honeymoon mate

popepaisley1

we only decided last week where we wanted to go. is it too late to book a hotel now???

popepaisley1

irishfeen wrote: »

Oh harsh - about 13.5 hours travelling so... We're direct from Dublin and 11 hours is going to be hell.... anyhow enjoy the honeymoon mate

cheers mate

Stheno

irishfeen wrote: »

Oh harsh - about 13.5 hours travelling so... We're direct from Dublin and 11 hours is going to be hell.... anyhow enjoy the honeymoon mate

popepaisley1 wrote: »

we only decided last week where we wanted to go. is it too late to book a hotel now???

I was 24 hours door to door out and 27 back! Three hops to Canada with big delays in the US due to bad weather

No it's not too late to book a hotel but you need to have one booked!

irishfeen

Stheno wrote: »

I was 24 hours door to door out and 27 back! Three hops to Canada with big delays in the US due to bad weather

No it's not too late to book a hotel but you need to have one booked!

Dear god almighty 27 hours :eek: ... that's sick! ... we decided to go direct rather then stopping, it was about €250 more expensive but for my own sanity its worth it - either we/the plane goes or not, simple as.

Ah-Watch

Sorry to hijack this but are all flights from T2 to USA pre cleared in Dublin, I'm not flying until July so haven't read up on it. Last year I had to fly to Heathrow first so was out of T1 that I flew and then had to clear customs and immigration or whatever in Chicago. Congrats on honeymoon and have a brilliant holiday !

Stheno

irishfeen wrote: »

Dear god almighty 27 hours :eek: ... that's sick! ... we decided to go direct rather then stopping, it was about €250 more expensive but for my own sanity its worth it - either we/the plane goes or not, simple as.

left hotel 4:30 am from hotel, actually got home with a six hour time difference at 9am the following day so it was actually longer, work trip, they refused to pay the extra for a shorter trip!

I'd go back to where I visited for a holiday, but plan it better, and it's not that expensive, our travel agents appear to be incompetent

By the time I hit airport three with a five hour wait and delay I was a zombie, all I remember of getting home was actually being home in the morning time and wondering why it was morning as opposed to night.

TLDR 27 hours in airports just to get home from a work assignment

Stheno

Ah-Watch wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this but are all flights from T2 to USA pre cleared in Dublin, I'm not flying until July so haven't read up on it. Last year I had to fly to Heathrow first so was out of T1 that I flew and then had to clear customs and immigration or whatever in Chicago. Congrats on honeymoon and have a brilliant holiday !

Yes

popepaisley1

Ah-Watch wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this but are all flights from T2 to USA pre cleared in Dublin, I'm not flying until July so haven't read up on it. Last year I had to fly to Heathrow first so was out of T1 that I flew and then had to clear customs and immigration or whatever in Chicago. Congrats on honeymoon and have a brilliant holiday !

i recommend not thinking about it until the night before you leave then coming on here and getting everyone else to sort it out for you :cool:

booked this place on booking...http://www.booking.com/hotel/us/parc-55.en-gb.html?aid=356998;label=gog235jc-index-XX-XX-XX-unspec-ie-com-L%3Aen-V%3A0CEIQFjAA-O%3Aunk-B%3Aunk;sid=9d11cea619f556d9bb1a3bd695533053;dcid=1;checkin=2014-02-18;checkout=2014-02-21;srfid=56b8028eb1ebbb9c600bd521433fc5fd9f9515b7X1;hide_back_to_sr=1


350 quid for a 4 star for 3 nights. has decent reviews too

Kathnora

I recommend the Orchard Garden Hotel 466 Bush Street...good location, comfy room, no breakfast but plenty of eating options close by...not too expensive.

Don't forget to book trip to Alcatraz online but may not be too hard to get a booking at this time of year.

Good deals going for 3 day travel ticket on the buses and trams.

phonypony

Hmm, i don't want to sway the OP one way or another, but for the past decade that i've been travelling to usa i've gotten the first Dublin Bus from where I live to arrive at the airport about 7.50am for a 9am flight. Drop the bag and go to immigration, be at the gate at 8.20 no issues.

popepaisley1

gonna get the 6.15 bus. no reason why we should get stopped...at least nothing she has told me about :eek:

popepaisley1

Kathnora wrote: »

I recommend the Orchard Garden Hotel 466 Bush Street...good location, comfy room, no breakfast but plenty of eating options close by...not too expensive.

Don't forget to book trip to Alcatraz online but may not be too hard to get a booking at this time of year.

Good deals going for 3 day travel ticket on the buses and trams.

any other recommendations? not too fussed about alcatraz tbh. looking forward to seeing the golden gate bridge

Snickers Man

Hope it keeps well for you. US immigration officials? Basically think of the most obnoxious, self important, unreasonable, my-way-or-the-highway nightclub doorman you've ever met, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere close. Give an otherwise unemployable cheeseburger arse a job with a little bit of power and watch it go to their head.

Been to the US many times in my young life but am unlikely ever to put myself through the pride-swallowing zero-guarantee lottery of dealing with their gruesome DHS/immigration people ever again.

Horrible people.

Nice when you get there though. Mostly.

popepaisley1

Snickers Man wrote: »

Hope it keeps well for you. US immigration officials? Basically think of the most obnoxious, self important, unreasonable, my-way-or-the-highway nightclub doorman you've ever met, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere close. Give an otherwise unemployable cheeseburger arse a job with a little bit of power and watch it go to their head.

Been to the US many times in my young life but am unlikely ever to put myself through the pride-swallowing zero-guarantee lottery of dealing with their gruesome DHS/immigration people ever again.

Horrible people.

Nice when you get there though. Mostly.

well on the off chance that the nsa are monitoring this forum i would like to add that i think they are doing a great job

irishfeen

popepaisley1 wrote: »

any other recommendations? not too fussed about alcatraz tbh. looking forward to seeing the golden gate bridge

Yosemite National Park is suppose to be pretty spectacular - if your driving LA and stuff like Universal Studios and the likes would be good... and of course if ye have the time Grand Canyon/Las Vegas etc.

irishfeen

Snickers Man wrote: »

Hope it keeps well for you. US immigration officials? Basically think of the most obnoxious, self important, unreasonable, my-way-or-the-highway nightclub doorman you've ever met, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere close. Give an otherwise unemployable cheeseburger arse a job with a little bit of power and watch it go to their head.

Been to the US many times in my young life but am unlikely ever to put myself through the pride-swallowing zero-guarantee lottery of dealing with their gruesome DHS/immigration people ever again.

Horrible people.

Nice when you get there though. Mostly.

Well I suppose they have a job to do - its not their fault that the restrictions are so strict entering the States.

popepaisley1

irishfeen wrote: »

Well I suppose they have a job to do - its not their fault that the restrictions are so strict entering the States.

but it is their fault if they are cheeseburger arsed :D:D:D

popepaisley1

irishfeen wrote: »

Yosemite National Park is suppose to be pretty spectacular - if your driving LA and stuff like Universal Studios and the likes would be good... and of course if ye have the time Grand Canyon/Las Vegas etc.

would it take long to drive to the grand canyon? thinking of driving there and flying back to san francisco where our flight departs two weeks after our arrival

Kathnora

You can either walk or cycle across the Golden Gate bridge...over a 2 mile walk but worth it. The Golden Gate park is huge and has Japanese gardens in it. Pier 39 (in July) was good with the seals on view. Crooked Street is attractive. A road trip along coastal route 101 is scenic if the weather is clear. Travelling by tram is an experience but could be chilly...wrap up warm. Even in July San Fran was cold and foggy.

You mentioned driving to Grand canyon....that's a long drive. We drove to Yosemite from San Fran in one day...could be quite cold though and definitely snowy...best check weather.

Engine No.9

popepaisley1 wrote: »

gonna get the 6.15 bus. no reason why we should get stopped...at least nothing she has told me about :eek:

I hate to sound sexist, op, but I thought you were a chick. :eek:

phonypony

popepaisley1 wrote: »

any other recommendations? not too fussed about alcatraz tbh. looking forward to seeing the golden gate bridge

Alcatraz is actually fab, a little sobering. If you're gonna walk the bridge its a very nice few hours' walk from Union Sq (or where-ever you are) to the far side. If you get tired when you arrive there are lots of tour buses passing through regularly, just offer the tour guide $5 to get you back to SF and they'll be happy to give you a seat. You'll probably pass through Sausalito which is a lovely town to explore too! The cable car museum, the aquarium, all round the fish markets all good stuff