east west travel

3 Weeks In USA: East Coast, West Coast, Road Trip

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Everyone should experience visiting the US at least once in their lifetime. It is a country with diverse nationalities and races, you’ll get to experience various cultures, from food to events. And honestly, they are undoubtedly one of the most influential countries when it comes to the economy, politics, and well, public figures.

Aside from that, it is also filled with natural and man-made wonders, tons of activities you can participate in, and overall make great memories. Less than a week and even a week is not enough, the United States is massive. That’s why I created a list of things that you can do and places to visit for 3 weeks in USA. 

This itinerary doesn’t only cover one location. I created one for those who plan to go to the east coast, west coast, north coast, and even south coast. This detailed guide might convince you to start looking for great deals right now, arrange your passports and visas, and book a flight for your trip to the US of A.

ALSO READ: Safety tips for a first-time traveller or solo traveller

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO THE US

Before you go and book your flight and accommodation, there are a few things you should know and remember for travelling to the US. These tips will help you write a travel itinerary suitable for you and your budget.

When is the best time to go

Depending on what you want to do, the season is important Summer can be tricky if you want to go on a beach holiday. It’s a busy season since locals are also travelling during this time. This means a price hike is related to anything about holidays and travelling. It is also very crowded, and long lines are inevitable. You may consider going just before June or after August if you hate these things.

If you are coming to the US for a winter break, remember that the North of the US can have extreme weather that could lead to delays or cancellation of flights. So, make sure to leave a wriggle room for these situations.

Are 3 weeks enough for the US

Three weeks in the US is not enough. However, with good planning and realistic idea, it can be done. What I meant by that is choosing the places you want to see. For example, if it’s your first time in the US, it’s understandable that you want to see everything. But that’s just not possible.

Instead, you can see 2-3 states for this trip. It will even be better if you can stick to one region for now. Let’s say you’re visiting in the summer. For that, focus on the coastal states with fantastic beaches, such as California, Florida, and even spend 3 weeks in Hawaii .

But if you want to hike, the national parks have so much to offer, which is better than hiking in summer. There are plenty of options for those planning to go from California, Colorado, and Utah in winter. New England has many places for the autumn trip for beautiful fall foliage.

Another thing to remember when choosing where to go to maximise your time in the US is transportation. You might have to book a domestic flight if you want to visit multiple states. But if the places are near one another, road-tripping can do that.

One thing that many people fail to realise is how big the US is. The bottom line, be realistic and make sure not to cram too much on your itinerary. >> Read smartly packing for a 3-week trip

Average cost of 20 days in the US

Accommodation is the most expensive part of touring the US. On average, a decent double room costs about $100. You can find something cheaper but expect it to be low-quality, or you must book a bunk bed in a hostel. This is why if you plan to make a road trip, you might want to look at car rentals where you can also sleep in them.

On average, a single person can spend $2,500 for a 20-day trip in the US . If you’re on a t ight budget, you can do it for under $1,800 if you don’t mind staying in dorm rooms. For people planning to stay at luxurious hotels, around $5,000 will do it very comfortably.

These prices per person don’t include flights to and from the US. Purchasing travel insurance is also recommended to avoid insane medical bills if something terrible happens.

Getting around

Moving around the US is pretty easy but costly. Most tourists would rent a car and drive around. It’s much cheaper and more convenient. However, driving can be exhausting and very time-consuming if you plan to travel from coast to coast or even from one state to two states over.

Of course, there are so many domestic flights. The challenge is how expensive it can be. Flying between European countries is far cheaper than flying between states in the US. Their geographical distance is really far, but maybe flight tickets are expensive.

Because you can find flights from Boston to London or Iceland for about the same price as flights from Boston to Los Angeles.

The US has one of the most challenging visas, like Australia and the UK. If you are from Canada, most of Europe, East Europe, some Oceania, and Chile, you don’t need a visa for 90 to 180 days. However, you must need to obtain an ESTA (electric authorisation) if you arrive via air or sea.

One last thing, medical services are costly in the US . Ensure you have travel insurance that covers medical and is valid in the US. Some immigration officers would even ask you to show proof of your coverage, and failing to provide one can be a reason to deny you entrance to the US.

Other basic tips

Just a quick blurb of tools I always use when travelling anywhere in the world, regardless of how long I’ll be there. Some of these services even offer flexible cancellations in case your plans change. Booking your hotel in advance is recommended, especially if you are coming during the peak season.

PINNED MAP OF MUST-SEE PLACES IN THE US

You can check out this map to help you visualise the must-visit spots in the US.

The US is such a massive country we won’t be able to cover all the must-see attractions there in this post. I only added the ones that we will mention in this itinerary.

Credit: Map data: Google , click the top right corner to enlarge the map

3 WEEKS IN USA ITINERARY

This itinerary will help you write your own travel plan. Of course, you don’t have to follow my travel, but I hope I can give you a tip or two on places to see and good to enjoy. I recommend you do the East Coast as a road trip.

Perhaps another road trip for the West Coast before catching a flight to Chicago. We have a specific 3 weeks on West Coast USA with 2 different itineraries you can choose from.

Package tours

For those who are looking for more convenience, you might want to look into package tours. These tours are basically an all-inclusive trip. The tour operator will book the transportation, accommodation, activities, getting tickets, and even arrange the meals throughout the trip.

This will ease the planning and ensure that you see the top sites the US has to offer. However, these package tours usually doesn’t include your main flight to the US (and back home), souvenir shopping, and gratuity (which is expected in the US).

Itinerary #1: 3 Weeks In USA East Coast

The summer lasts from June to September for people who want to get tanned or are just fond of the beach. That’s why this is the perfect time for you to visit the East Coast, as it has a lot of beaches. If you prefer the snow, the best months are from December to February. I listed some states where you can spend your winter/spring/summer/fall vacation. 

You can visit these places by driving, especially if you’re going to stay for 3 weeks in the USA, it will be a great idea. So, here are the places you could visit for your 3 week US road trip. You can pick up the car in Massachusetts and drop it off in Florida.

>> ALSO READ: An article that focuses on 3 weeks on east coast USA – there are two itineraries to choose from

Massachusetts for 4 days

Massachusetts is part of the original New England region, established by Brits when they arrived in the US. It holds a lot of history and is rich in fantastic natural beauty. It’s great to start your trip here because Boston Logan International Airport is one of the busiest hubs on the West Coast.

Most people visit Boston, but there is more to explore, such as Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and world-class Harvard University. If you are planning to rent a car , you should set a pick-up at the airport, but see if you can drop it off in Florida or at one of your stops along the way down south.

• For exploring Boston downtown, get a hop-on, hop-off trolley pass or get a Go City pass
• Cape Cod National Seashore
• Boston Common and Public Garden Swan Boats
• Plimoth Patuxet
• Spooky Tours – Haunting of Salem – Haunting Salem or Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley
• Museum of Science
• Fenway Park – join a tour with a local guide
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
• Freedom Trail – discover with history and food
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Day trip to Martha’s Vineyard – book a tour with a round-trip ferry
• Faneuil Hall
• Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum – enjoy an interactive tour
• Crane Beach
• Boston Harbor Islands State Park
• Carson Beach
• John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum & Library
• Harvard University – explore with a student guide
• Wachusett Mountain
• Jiminy Peak
• Learn about the cuisine of Massachusettes – book a walking tasting tour or underground donut tour or buffet cruise at Boston Harbor

Massachusetts’ trademark foods that are must-try include lobster rolls, cannolis, Boston cream pie, and a whole lot more which you’ll discover once you get there.

Accommodations in Boston:

• Budget hostels – HI Boston Hostel or Boston Homestel
• Mid-range hotels – Oasis Guest House or DoubleTree by Hilton
• Luxury hotels – Encore Boston Harbor or InterContinental Boston – if you are looking for something very unique, you should definitely check out these awesome hotels with rooftop pools in Boston

New York City for 3 days

One must not miss New York City if one is visiting the west coast of the US. From great shows, news network headquarters, music scene, nightlife, great food, tasty dishes, and rich culture – New York has it all.

Three days here might not be a lot, but it’s an expensive destination, so this short of time should be enough to see the top sites such as Time Square, Film Studios, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, see a show, and joining a food tour.

You can reach New York from Boston in 4 hours if you drive. You can also book a bus for 4 hr and 20 min. The train is the fastest, the travel time is 3 hr and 50 mins. A direct flight is only an hour and 30 mins.

• Discover New York – on a one-day sightseeing tour or purchase a New York CityPass
• Central Park
• Manhattan – go on a helicopter ride
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Statue of Liberty – combo with Ellis Island tour
• Times Square
• One World Observatory – get your admission ticket
• Brooklyn Bridge
• 9/11 Memorial Museum – purchase an entry ticket
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• Summit One Vanderbilt – read the tour reviews
• Empire State Building – skip the line and go to 102nd Deck
• The High Line
• American Museum of Natural History – get your pass
• Rockefeller Center
• Friends Experience – visit the production set
• Top of The Rock
• Ice Cream Museum – book a ticket in advance
• Bryant Park
• Go on culinary experience – visit Chinatown and Little Italy or Greenwich Village or Brooklyn food tour or Hell’s Kitchen Tour
• Washington Square Park
• Enjoy a dinner cruise

Accommodations in New York City :

• Affordable: The Local NY or HI New York City Hostel or West Side YMCA
• Mid-range: The Herald by LuxUrban or Raven Hotel by Wyndham
• Luxury: Riu Plaza Manhattan Time Square or Arlo Midtown or citizenM New York Time Square

Washington D.C. for 3 days

Washington D.C. is known for being the capital of the US. It’s also the home of many excellent museums and historical locations. It is a great place to visit if you love history and culture. It also has so many government buildings that are open to the public. If you love history and politics, this is a must-not-miss destination.

Washington D.C is a historical destination filled with many places to explore. However, if you have a limited time here, you can still do a lot in 2 days in Washington D.C . Also, don’t miss out on food to try! This place’s signature dishes include avocado toast, saganaki, and pumpkin curry, among other varieties.  

Do not confuse it with Washington State (located on the west coast).

You can get from New York to Washington D.C by bus , which will take around 4 hr and 20 mins. The train travel is about 3 hr and 50 mins. If you’re driving, that’s approximately 4 hours. You can fly here , but you might need to make a connection somewhere.

• Learn about Washington DC – in a one-day tour or on a bike tour or Capitol Hill guided tour
• Library of Congress
• United States Capitol and Capitol Hill – book a Moonlight tour by trolley or simply get your reserved entry pass
• Lincoln Memorial
• Discover DC Monuments – via big bus hop-on, hop-off or a night tour
• Washington Monument
• The White House – advance planning must be done
• National Air and Space Museum
• National Mall – tour on an electric vehicle
• Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin
• Mount Vernon – do a day trip combo with Alexandria
• National Gallery of Art
• Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Museum – visit the museum with a private guide
• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Arlinton National Cemetry – walking tour with changing of guards
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• National Harbor Capital Wheel – check the ticket price
• International Spy Museum
• Try out local food and drinks – on a food and history tour or pub crawl and history or cruise and gourmet

Accommodations in Washington D.C :

• Budget hostels – Duo Housing or Duo Nomad
• Mid-range hotels – Washington Plaza Hotel or citizenM Washington DC
• Luxury hotels – JW Marriott or Sofitel Lafayette Square

North Carolina for 3 days

Some fantastic dishes that you can try out while staying here are chocolate chess pie, steamed oysters, shrimp hushpuppies, Malayan chicken tikka, and more. If you want to explore this state more, here’s a fun guide to the best North Carolina road trip itineraries .

You can take the bus from Washington D.C., to Raleigh in 6 hr and 30 mins. Surprisingly the train is now faster than the bus, around 6 hours. Driving to Raleigh will be the quickest option, taking 4 hours and 20 mins. Flying directly is the most comfortable, just a little over an hour.

• Charlotte 90-minute electric cart tour – read the reviews and check the price
• James B. Hunt Jr. Library
• Pullen Park
• Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park
• Clingmans Dome
• Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
• Juniper Level Botanic Garden
• Pisgah National Forest
• Wright Brothers National Memorial
• Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State
• North Carolina Museum of Art

Accommodations in Raleigh, North Carolina:

• Budget hostels/Inn – Super 8 or Days Inn – both are by Wyndham
• Mid-range hotels – Best Western Plus Crabtree Valley or Hyatt Place
• Luxury hotels – Embassy Suites or The StateView

Georgia for 3 days

Georgia is well-known for various foods and dishes, including fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, pralines, and peaches. Apart from that, Georgia is also loved for its diverse and wide range of activities, such as hiking, bird watching, and water excursions.

Regarding food and drinks, Georgia has a massive and passionate food scene featuring the best fried chicken, biscuits, and peach cobbler. There are also plenty of vineyards throughout the state if you want to do wine-tasting tours.

If you’re visiting at the right time, you can join Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Savannah Music Festival, and Georgia State Fair. Get to Savannah from Raleigh by bus or train, where the journey is around 9 hours. Driving will be the best option, which is about 5 hours. There’s a flight , although it requires a connection.

• Save money and get an Atlanta CityPass
• High Museum of Art
• Explore Savannah – by land and sea tour or hop-on, hop-off ancient trolley or join a narrated trolley tour or Riverboat Cruise
• The Davenport House Museum
• Atlanta – learn about Black History and Civil Rights
• Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
• Wormsloe Plantation – join a tour from Savannah
• Savannah Theater
• Spooky Savannah – check this history and haunted tour
• Forsyth Park
• Tybee Island – book a guided tour
• Service Brewing Company
• World of Coca-Cola – get your skip-the-line ticket
• Piedmont Park
• Victorian Districts – combo with Bonaventure Cemetery tour
• Centennial Olympic Park
• Discover food and drinks culture – culinary and culture walking tour or pub crawl and food
• Atlanta Botanical Garden
• Enjoy nightlife – Savannah Drag Queen Show or Comedy Trolley Tour
• The Olde Pink House
• Day trip to North Georgia Wine Country – join a tour
• Stone Mountain Park
• Ride a helicopter on a scenic tour – read the reviews

Accommodations in Savannah, Georgia:

• Mid-range hotels/Inn – Hotel Indigo or The Thunderbird Inn
• Luxury hotels – Mansion, Kessler Collection or The Marshall House

Florida for 5 days

This 3 weeks in USA itinerary is incomplete without visiting the famous state of Florida. You and I both know how beautiful the beaches in Miami are. Do you also know that there are also nude beaches in Florida ?

If you are a foody, don’t miss visiting local Latin American restaurants, you can even find vegan and gluten-free spots in Miami. And, of course, don’t miss seeing the Everglades. If you are going to rent a car , you may want to check out this Florida road trip guide.

Some of the best local dishes in Miami are Chicharron, Ceviche, Stone crabs, and the Cuban sandwich, among others. If you are travelling with children, check out this list of activities in Everglades National Park with kids .

You can drive down to Miami from Savannah in 7 hours, but you can also just go to Florida and spend a day or two there before continuing to Miami to break up the drive. There’s a non-stop flight to Miami as well, around 1 hr and 30 mins. If you want an affordable option, book a bus to Miami or to Orlando .

There are a lot of flights from Florida back to Europe or some other parts of the world, making it a suitable place to end your trip.

• Miami – cruise to see Millionaire homes or join a speedboat sightseeing or evening cruise on Biscayne Bay
• Walt Disney World Resort
• Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
• Everglades National Park – book Everglades Airboat Tour and Wildlife Tour
• Deering Estate
• Fort Lauderdale – get a water taxi all-day pass
• Magic Kingdom Park
• Orlando – enjoy a pirate show with dinner
• Universal Orlando Resort
• Rock Spring – go kayaking with a glass-bottomed boat
• Key West – sunset sail and live music
• Coral Castle
• St. Augustine – get a hop-on, hop-off trolley pass
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
• Snorkel with Manatee – tour with a photographer
• SeaWorld Orlando
• Tampa Bay – purchase a city pass
• The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum)
• Go Food and Drinks Exploration – join Little Havana food walking tour (Miami)
• LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
• Go to Kennedy Space Center – reserve an entry ticket

Accommodations in Miami:

• Budget hostel – Art Hostel Wynwood Concept
• Mid-range hotels/Inn – Hampton Inn/Coconut Grove or Hilton Garden Inn
• Luxury hotels – East Miami or InterContinental

Itinerary #2: 3 Weeks Across USA

Unlike what was discussed above, this portion of the article will focus on places where flying would be required as it would save time compared to driving, and the sites are more distant compared to the locations listed above. This road trip will span from California to Las Vegas, Arizona, Chicago, and Boston.

If you plan a road trip on some parts of the west coast US, you can r ent a car in California , and then take it to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. Drop it off in Arizona and take a domestic flight to Chicago , then another to New York.

California for 5 days

California is famous for many things, but to ensure you don’t end up cramming too many attractions in your 3 weeks in USA itinerary, I recommend you list five things you want to see. It’s better if they are near each other and you can visit quickly without spending too much time driving around.

Remember that California is a massive state, though. So, it’s best to plan to see 1-2 cities only. Maybe for this trip, you can visit Los Angeles and San Francisco or Los Angeles and Anaheim if you want to go to Disneyland.

Venice Beach – Venice Boardwalk is a must-do in this area; there are lots of restaurants, wall paintings, and even a skate park.

• Disneyland Park
• Visit Hollywood and Beverly Hills or Hollywood tour only or Celebrity Homes Tours or ride a helicopter tour
• Los Angeles – half-day sightseeing tour or get a 40+ attraction pass
• Yosemite National Park – tour from San Franciso
• Hop-on, Hop-off Bus – check the pass fee
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Marina del Rey – hop on a luxury boat cruise
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• Echo Park – ride the swan boat
• Griffith Observatory
• Warner Bros Studio – book a tour
• Balboa Park
• Universal Studios – get your admission ticket in advance
• Santa Monica Pier
• Petersen Automotive Museum – book an entry ticket
• Redwood National and State Parks
• Yosemite National Park – book a day tour for a hiking trip .

Accommodations in Los Angeles:

• Budget hostel – Samesun Venice Beach or HI Los Angeles Santa Monica
• Mid-range hotels – Hotel Figueroa by Hyatt or H Hotel by Hilton
• Luxury hotels – Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills or Four Season Beverly Hills

Las Vegas for 3 days

A place that will make you forget what day it is or it is too early to start hitting the bar – Las Vegas have so much to offer. Whether you like gambling or not, the Las Vegas casinos are unique and worth visiting at least once.

But if you want to avoid that, you can still visit the desert, and fantastic buildings, do thrilling activities and get crazy with buffet options. You can even book a day trip to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. That way, you can save time and spend it on another destination or stay long in some cities.

To reach Las Vegas by car from California, the travel time is 5 hours. You can also get on a bus , a more affordable option, but it might be just a little slower. A direct flight is 1 hr and 20 min.

• Head to The Strip – free things to do in Las Vegas or get a GoCity Pass where you can enter 30+ attractions or join a big bus night tour
• The Stratosphere Tower
• Vegas Indoor Skydiving
• Madame Tussauds – get your entry ticket combo with a gondola cruise
• The Neon Museum Las Vegas
• High Roller – purchase a ticket beforehand
• Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
• Helicopter Ride – at night over Las Vegas, check the price
• Day trip to the Grand Canyon – stop at West Rim and Hoover Dam by bus, read the reviews or do a helicopter tour
• Bellagio Hotel & Casino
• Drive ATV at the Dunes – book your trip
• The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod
• Emerald Cover – sign up for a kayak
• Day trip to Bryce and Zion National Park
• Join a food tour or pub crawl for Las Vegas

Accommodations in Las Vegas:

• Budget hostel – The STRAT Hotel or The D Las Vegas
• Mid-range hotels – Bally’s or Downtown Grand Hotels & Casino
• Luxury hotels – Bellagio or The Palazzo

Arizona for 4 days

Many don’t know that Arizona is just a bunny hop from California when people think of exploring the West Coast. If you have Las Vegas on your itinerary, you might as well visit the home of the most popular attractions in the US – the Grand Canyon.

You can actually fly from Las Vegas to Phoenix, Arizona, in just an hour. Driving will take 8 hours if you’re reading to Phoenix, but if you’re going towards the Grand Canyon, drive to Flagstaff instead, which is only 4 hours or board a bus .

• Grand Canyon – join a tour from Phoenix or enjoy a 45-minute helicopter ride
• Monument Valley
• Lower Antelope Canyon – get your ticket
• Saguaro National Park
• Upper Antelope Canyon – purchase your ticket
• Arizona Desert – explore by ATV
• Trail of Time
• Phoenix ZooLight – book an entry ticket
• Desert Botanical Garden
• Verde Canyon – do the railroad adventure

Accommodations in Arizona:

• Mid-range hotels – Hilton Garden or Best Western
• Luxury hotels – Renaissance Downtown or Sheraton Downton

Chicago for 3 days

Personally, when I was writing my itinerary for 3 weeks in the US, Chicago was not on the radar. Not only it’s kind of out of the way but also because I didn’t know or didn’t have an attraction in mind that I wanted to see.

However, a friend sent me a list of must-see places in Chicago, so I squeezed it into my itinerary. Here are the things to do and see in Chicago. If you have limited time, this two days in Chicago itinerary will be convenient.

The flight between Phoenix and Chicago is not about 3 hr and 30 mins. You can also fly from Flagstaff, but you need to connect somewhere, and the flight cost might be double.

• Explore Chicago – get a city pass or join a food walking tour
• Field Museum
• Chicago Architecture – book a 1-hour river cruise or 95-min river cruise or 45-minute river cruise
• North Avenue Beach
• Mob, Crime, Ghosts- join a Mob and Crime bus tour or Gangsters and ghosts tour
• Fly over Chicago Skyline – for 45-minutes
• Willis Tower
• Chicago Art Institute – get your skip-the-line pass
• Museum of Science and Industry
• 360 Observation Deck – book your admission
• Wrigley Field
• Navy Pier – ride the centennial wheel
• Buckingham Fountain
• Sunset Cruise – check the reviews or fireworks cruise
• Garfield Park Conservatory
• Museum of Ice Cream – get your entry ticket
• Brewery of Chicago – ride the brewery barrel bus

Accommodations in Chicago:

• Budget hostels – Freehand Chicago or HI Chicago Hostel
• Mid-range hotels – Club Quarter Hotel Wacker or Central Loop Hotel
• Luxury hotels – Sofitel or Viceroy

RELATED POST: 3 weeks in Canada

New York City3 days

Finishing the trip in New York is an excellent plan because two significant airports fly internationally. It will be easier to catch a flight home or to your next destination.

New York is popular for many things, but more importantly, it’s rich in culture, art, food, and unique people. Not on can you explore downtown New York, but you can also plan some day trips nearby.

One thing you can’t miss when visiting New York is seeing a live show, going on a food tour, taking photos at Time Square, and riding the infamous subway.

Plenty of flights between Chicago and New York, between 2 and 5 hours. But you’re up for the final stretch of driving, and you can stop by Cleveland to take a break for the night and continue the next day.

Accommodations in New York City:

SUMMARY OF 3 WEEKS IN USA ITINERARY

The USA is filled not only with diverse people and cultures but different types of places as well. There’s always something to see and do, regardless of your preferences. They have something in store for history buffs, beach bums, adventure junkies, and food lovers. Because there are just so many places to go to, some might even get overwhelmed or confused about where to start.

I hope that this guide has been helpful for those who are planning to stay for at least 3 weeks in USA. This comprehensive guide contains the most famous attractions in various states, the opening hours and ticket costs (if any) of the said attraction, and the states’ trademark foods that are must-try. 

SAVE THIS 3-WEEK ITINERARY ON YOUR PINTEREST:

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How to plan the ultimate US rail trip along the West Coast or Eastern Seaboard

Crossing America’s vast distances by train provides a unique perspective on many of the country’s natural and urban highlights — and with major rail investment in the pipeline, the experience is only likely to get better. 

In the US, embarking on a train trip means taking the track less travelled. Once the symbol of technological advancement and westward expansion, the country’s railroads have had a hard time moving into the modern era. But when you ride the rails in the US, you’re afforded the opportunity to peel back the layers of this land and experience it on a human scale.  

From the train windows, passengers bear witness to the epic diversity of landscapes that have shaped the country’s history and people — the snowy Sierra Nevadas, the Rocky Mountains, the rugged West Coast cliffs that plunge into the blue Pacific, the placid swamps of Florida and Texas and the oceans of prairie grass in the Midwest. Watching that scenery roll by is a highlight, but taking the train in the US is also about opening a backdoor to parts of the country rarely seen by travellers, from underappreciated small towns to the industrial underbelly.  

Many Americans have never taken a cross-country train on home soil. Amtrak, the country’s only long-distance passenger train operator, is barely more than 50 years old, founded as a quasi-public company in 1971 — but US train travel can feel like a journey much further back in time. The long-distance lines have wonderfully evocative names, such as ‘Coast Starlight’ (Seattle to Los Angeles), ‘California Zephyr’ (the San Francisco Bay Area to Chicago), ‘Silver Star’ (New York City to Miami) and ‘Sunset Limited’ (Los Angeles to New Orleans). Trains pass through monumental stations that are architectural beacons of their eras, from the art deco tilework and massive chandeliers hanging from the soaring, 19-metre-high ceilings in Los Angeles’ Union Station to the beaux arts white granite arches, gold-leaf ceiling medallions and classical statuary at Union Station in Washington, DC.    

While the US lags behind many countries in terms of train infrastructure — there are far fewer of the sleeper cabins that Europe excels in, while the bullet-train speeds of Japan have yet to materialise — Amtrak is on the cusp of a revolution, set for the largest rail investment in its history. As part of this, its Acela trains in the north east will be upgraded by 2024, making them faster and more environmentally friendly. And by the end of the decade, new routes and a new fleet of long-distance trains are promised across the country. But for now, at least, riding Amtrak remains something of an old-school travel experience. These train trips are less about getting from A to B and more about watching the world go by and sharing the journey with the strangers you meet on board.

Itinerary 1: Seattle to San Diego

Distance : 1,505 miles

Unravelling over a huge swathe of the country, from above Seattle in the north to San Diego, just above the Mexican border in the south, the West Coast is a US blockbuster. It’s punctuated by hip, laid-back cities, instantly recognisable landmarks and beautiful natural spaces — and you don’t need a car to access many of the highlights. Between Los Angeles and northern Washington , Amtrak follows a similar route to the classic Highway 101 road trip, allowing travellers to bask in the scenery instead of getting stuck behind the wheel. Where the track meets the Pacific Ocean through central and southern California , your eyes will be glued to the picture windows as the train trundles wickedly close to the coastal cliff edge, with nothing between you and the sea but a sheer several-hundred-foot drop down to the beach. The route is made up of three overlapping rail lines: Cascades, Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner.  

1. Pike Place Market , Seattle Find the heart of Seattle at Pike Place, which opened in 1907 with a handful of farmers who rolled up in wagons. It’s now one of the US’s oldest and largest continuously operating markets, home to the world’s oldest Starbucks. Fish are still thrown through the air and tourists stick their used gum on a wall in a famous back alley. But today, the presence of buskers, restaurants and bookshops shows it’s far more than a farmers’ market.  

2. Columbia River Gorge Stretch your legs at the country’s largest National Scenic Area, less than a 30-minute drive east of central Portland in Oregon . Columbia River Gorge is an 80-mile-long canyon, where 90 layered waterfalls spill from basalt cliffs covered with needle-like ponderosa pines. Hiking and cycling here is a balm for the soul after a tour of Portland’s hip cafe and brewery scene. Book a tour, if you’d rather not drive.

3. San Francisco The Coast Starlight train pulls up in Oakland, putting San Francisco — just across the bay — within easy reach. If you have time for just one excursion, take the boat to Alcatraz Island, home to the country’s most infamous prison until it closed in 1963. You’ll knock off two sights in one journey, as the Golden Gate Bridge should be visible from the water — as long as it’s not obscured by fog.

4. Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail It’s possible to get a taste of California’s wine country in Santa Barbara, without straying too far from the train tracks. The Urban Wine Trail links together more than 20 cellars spread across four areas of the city. These include the Funk Zone — a former industrial district that runs for 10 blocks from the train station — which has a dense concentration of spots to sample some lauded cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.  

5.   Hollywood , Los Angeles Originally built to advertise a real estate development, the Hollywood Sign is LA’s most iconic landmark and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. Perched high on Mount Lee in the south west of Griffith Park, the sign is a sight to behold from afar but it’s also well worth making the trek to see it up close. A handful of steep trails of varying difficulty wind through the park’s exposed sage scrub, rising above oak and walnut woodland and passing mountain ridges, gaining 300 metres in elevation en route to the sign.  

6. Coronado Beach , San Diego Set on a peninsula across the bridge from downtown San Diego, Coronado Beach is frequently ranked among the best stretches of sand in the US. When seen up close, you’ll understand why: it literally sparkles thanks to the mineral mica in the grains of sand, which makes it gleam in the sunlight. Grab a daybed or go for a drink at Hotel del Coronado, an 1888 seaside resort forever associated with Marilyn Monroe after it featured in the 1959 film Some Like It Hot.  

Itinerary 2: Miami to New York

Distance:   1,522 miles

Offering an alternate perspective on the most populated part of the country, this train route rolls through backland swamps, forested countryside and one-stoplight towns in between major metropolises, including New York, Washington, DC and Miami. For first-timers looking to squeeze as much into their trip as possible — albeit it at a leisurely pace — it’s an ideal way to link up the Eastern Seaboard’s biggest attractions on a single visit without setting foot in an airport.  

Spot manatees, spiny lobsters and dolphins in the waters of South Florida before scooting up to Savannah and Charleston, both historic coastal cities currently reckoning with difficult pasts. The journey then continues northwards to the country’s current capital, Washington , DC, and its former capital, Philadelphia, where national history looms large and excellent museums abound. This epic overlander then terminates in New York City, where Broadway and one of the best bar and restaurant scenes in the country await.  

The Northeast Corridor, from DC to Boston, has the country’s busiest and best-served train routes, with dozens of departures daily — a rarity elsewhere in the US. Amtrak’s high-speed Acela trains — the fastest in North America — also run through this region.  

1. Everglades National Park With a coastline bordering both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, South Florida is all about the water, and fun-loving Miami is an ideal jumping-off point for trips to Florida’s most famous national park, the Everglades. Its manatee-, alligator- and crocodile-filled waters, west of the city, allow travellers to spot wildlife rarely seen elsewhere in the country. Fun fact: it’s the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. Join a boat trip to get out into the park’s swamps or take an accessible hike along the mile-long Anhinga Trail to see these ancient creatures basking in the sun on dry land.

2. Savannah’s Starland District Georgia ’s southern belle, the town of Savannah, is accented with grand, neoclassical-style antebellum architecture, paddle boats and oak trees draped with Spanish moss — but it’s also a hotbed of innovation and creativity, thanks to the influence of the Savannah College of Art and Design. The city’s imaginative spirit is most prominent in the Starland District, a former dairy and the neighbourhood surrounding it that’s been transformed into an arts hub with galleries, coffee shops, vintage boutiques and studios.

3. Charleston Strolling through Charleston is a walk through living history. Streets of brick and cobblestones lead past centuries-old churches and notable houses hidden behind swirling wrought-iron gates (the colourful homes of Rainbow Row are particularly photogenic). But the past isn’t always pretty, and Charleston reckons with its brutal treatment of enslaved people at important visitor sites such as the McLeod Plantation and the Old Slave Mart Museum .    

4.   Smithsonian , Washington, DC The leading cultural institution in the US capital continues to add to its collection of 21 huge free-to-visit museums, many of which are set along the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. The deeply moving National Museum of African American History and Culture is the latest addition to the lineup, documenting the Black experience in the US, from the transatlantic slave trade to the 1960s civil rights movement and Black achievements in music, sport and the arts. Powerful artefacts on display include the dress that Rosa Parks was sewing at work the day she was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white passenger.  

5. Philadelphia The original US capital city, Philly is where US democracy was debated and drafted. Visit the Independence National Historical Park to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where delegates from the 13 colonies met to write both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Then head to the Eastern State Penitentiary, an infamous prison that once held criminals like Al Capone but now hosts art installations and exhibitions in former 1800s cell blocks.  

6. New York’s High Line The US’s largest city, New York makes a fitting final stop. Continue the rail theme by spending the day meandering Manhattan’s High Line, a former train track turned public park. Heading south from Hudson Yards to Greenwich Village, hop on and off to visit Chelsea’s art galleries and the Meatpacking District boutiques. Finish with a drink at Little Island, an artificial island in Hudson River designed by British starchitect Thomas Heatherwick.  

Five more US rail routes

1. Empire builder Bookended by Chicago and Seattle, the Empire Builder rides through a wild variety of landscapes, from the grasslands of the Great Plains to the snowy Rocky Mountains and glacial valleys of Montana’s Glacier National Park. Parts of the route follow the trail of early US expedition leaders Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.  

2. Southwest Chief Crossing the heart of the country between Chicago and Los Angeles, the Southwest Chief gives riders a taste of the West, old and new. From Flagstaff, Arizona, take a shuttle to Grand Canyon National Park or to Williams, where the privately run heritage Grand Canyon Railway heads to the heart of the park.

3. Sunset Limited This route between Los Angeles and New Orleans skirts the south of the country, making stops in Palm Springs for modernist architecture and San Antonio for Texas history, at the Alamo and preserved 18th-century Spanish missions. Most long-distance Amtrak services operate daily, but Sunset Limited runs just three times a week.  

4. Lake Shore Limited Running from Chicago to New York or Boston, the Lake Shore Limited traces the edges of the Great Lakes, from the tip of Lake Michigan near Chicago to Lake Erie through Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. In autumn, expect wonderful colour changes in the foliage around the water.

5. City of New Orleans This route between Chicago and New Orleans is sure to have your toes tapping as it stops at some of the country’s great music cities, noteworthy for their jazz, blues, soul and funk. Halfway into the trip, trains stop in Memphis, where you can tour Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, and listen to blues on Beale Street.

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East West Travel EWT was formed in May 1982 by a group of experts in the travel trade. They realized the need of a reliable and professional travel company to serve and lead Egypt’s travel industry in terms of quality and integrity of services. This was a challenging undertaking in view of the travel standard then, the persistence and enthusiastic services to bring the belief into realization is rewarding. We have grown from one company East West Travel into East West Group (East West Events and East West Aviation).The belief in team work and the spirit is still maintained. We are also one of the most experienced and professional travel organizations in Egypt. With a full range of services to offer, well trained and multi-lingual professional staff, we are able to offer the best quality of travel arrangements for our clients in all scales.

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In our today’s world, with the dramatic changes that are rapidly engulfing us, we all believe that unless we work very hard to catch up with those changes and to keep ourselves up to date with the new technology and the high demanding market, we will end up at the bottom of the line. We, at East West Travel during the past 35 years have managed to stand very strong, simply because of the full understanding of those facts. We obtained and retained our reputation as one of the premier travel management companies in Egypt due to our unfailing attention to details and our emphasis on personal touches to give each traveler the utmost confidence that his arrangements have been correctly, efficiently and cost effectively made. We believe in you as our partner in success. We also believe that you deserve what we are working on very hard to offer. I, personally, would be happy to meet, discuss and explain any details related to our services at any time. Wahib F. Wahba President & C E O

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***RIP OFF TRAVEL AGENCY***. I bought a ticket from this travel agency. I missed the flight on the returning trip because I was sick. I called the agency to reschedule the flight for me and I was charged $630 for the reschedule. I later found out that KOREAN AIR only charged $350 and the rest ($280) was charged by the agency. I used another agency before and they charged only a small fee or nothing for flight rescheduling. What such a rip off agency. They charged an outrageous fee ($280) on a customer who was in a difficult situation even though I told them about my situation. AVOID THIS TRAVEL AGENCY IF YOU CAN OR YOU WILL GET RIPPED OFF LIKE ME.

I used their service for last 17 years and satisfied until today. I bought all my tickets to Korea with EW Travel. Usually international airline ticket is little cheaper through travel agent but but there is huge penalty to change or cancel the ticket.(too bad I found it today) A lot higher than actual airline company charges. For my case $250 per ticket to cancel. I had to pay $750 for canceling all my tickets to Korea. Asiana only charges $150/person to cancel. There's additional $100 charge/ticket using travel agent. Since I bought my tickets through the travel agent, any changes on the ticket needs to work with the travel agent b4 the departure. This sucks but it was my fault. I gently asked the agent to should explain this kind of fees before the final ticketing for next time or to other customers but she just raised her voice and got into defensive mode which was unnecessary. She said they never tell the fee to the customer. I did not even ask for any discount or arguing. I told her that I was not arguing with her and no need to raise your voice. She became calm after. They need to work on their customer service. I had to write this review because of her attitude, not because of the fee I had to pay.

I had a terrible experience dealing with East-West Travel and I would not recommend this company to anyone. My daughter graduated from High School in May and we planned to bring her Grandmother to the United States from Korea for the graduation. My mother was going to be in the states for 30 days. My husband, daughter, daughter's friend and myself then planned to travel back to Korea for a vacation. We hoped to travel with my mother. We purchased my mother's ticket first from East-West in early March. This purchase went rather smooth. We wanted to ensure we purchased from the United States for my mother, who is a Korean citizen without any issues. Before we could buy my families ticket to Korea, we needed to verify when exactly we could travel back to Korea. After verifying that we could travel to Korea at the same time that my mother was returning I contacted East-West Travel to arrange the flight for my family. The tickets departing in June were much more expense then my mother's ticket. I asked the agent, Hellen, to look for the cheapest ticket; but, if they were about the same price than we would like to travel with my mother. The agent said the price was almost the same, so I told Helen to purchase ticket on the same flight to Korea as my mother. During the booking it was obvious that we were buying a ticket on the same flight as my mother. I talked about ensuring we all sat together on the plane, and Helen explained that we could arrange the seating together when the flight was closer. This is where I started to have big issues with East-West Travel. After reservations were made for my family's round trip tickets to Korea, Hellen said she could get us better price if we joined some travel club. She emailed me paper work and I talked to her that evening about to return the application. The next day I purchased the tickets using a credit card from Hellen. During this time I asked to verify that the flight was in fact the same flight as my Mother's and Hellen confirmed to me that it was the same flight. About three weeks later I was reviewing our itinerary, and noticed that the my mother flight and our flight were on two different days. I called Hellen the next day and she said that this mistake was my fault because I did not verify the flight plan that she emailed my husband before I paid for the flight. Hellen never told me I needed to verify the flight. She had verbally confirmed that the flights were the same several times. I wanted to talk to the owner or manager and Mr. Ted Bae, who told me he was the owner talked to me. Ted said that they could pay $50 per ticket to change, but we had to pay $120 per ticket. I was very upset because this obviously was Hellen's mistake, and Ted said he would review the tape recordings to verify that Hellen did or did not tell me that I need to verify the flight emailed to my husband. I called several time but the "owner" Ted was never available. Several days later my husband called Ted, who now was not the owner and told my husband the call tapes were erased. There is no excuse for this company's lies and cheating. They do not take responsibility for their mistakes and will use stupid tricks to get as much money out of you as possible. DO NOT USE EAST-WEST TRAVEL.

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East West Travels & Tours (Pvt) Ltd. is an IATA & ATAB accredited agency providing a complete range of travel related services and logistics support to a number of commercial and individual clients in Bangladesh. East West Travels & Tours (Pvt) Ltd. was established in 1995 and within a short span of time it became a quality travel agent, which is warranted by the number of commendation certificates received from reputable airlines like Biman Bangladesh, Emirates Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Turkish Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Saudia Airlines. East West Travels & Tours (Pvt) Ltd. continues to rank among the top ten agents with the reputable airlines since the last 20 years. This achievement is primarily due to the qualified, reliable, dedicated team of East West Travels & Tours (Pvt) Ltd. whose ultimate goal is to provide best level of customer service and achieve their satisfaction.

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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Putin taunts the West with 'first ever' visit to remote ice-covered 'frontier region' just 55 miles from the US - as Zelensky tries to drum up war support in Lithuania

• Chukotka is Russia's easternmost region, sharing a maritime border with Alaska

President Vladimir Putin  has arrived for his first-ever presidential visit to Chukotka in Russia 's Far East - just 55 miles from the US state of Alaska . 

Putin arrived in Anadyr, the local capital of the Chukotka region this morning after flying from Moscow some nine time zones away. 

Chukotka is the easternmost region of Russia, with a maritime border on the Bering Strait with Alaska.

The Russian president was met in Anadyr by a motorcade and was whisked away in a limousine amid frigid temperatures of -28C. 

It's the closest he has come to US soil since he met with President  Barack Obama in New York City in 2015.

Chukotka is so close to Alaska that Roman Abramovich - the ex-Chelsea FC owner - was reported to fly to Anchorage in Alaska for lunch when he was the governor of the region from 2001 - 2008.

Putin's visit comes at a time when US-Russian relations are at their lowest ebb in decades amid the war in Ukraine and a growing East-West divide. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today landed in Lithuania as part of an unannounced trip to the Baltic states to drum up more support for the conflict. 

Global war for control of the ARCTIC: Climate change is unlocking untapped natural resources, new trade routes... and a new international conflict that RUSSIA is already winning  

The three Baltic states - all former Soviet republics which are now EU and NATO members - are among Ukraine's staunchest allies.

'Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are our reliable friends and principled partners. Today, I arrived in Vilnius before going to Tallinn and Riga,' Zelensky said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

'Security, EU and NATO integration, cooperation on electronic warfare and drones, and further coordination of European support are all on the agenda,' he said.

The Baltic tour marks Zelensky's first official trip abroad this year.

In Lithuania, a key donor to Ukraine, Zelensky said he will hold talks with the president, prime minister and the speaker of parliament, and meet with the Ukrainian community.

The visit comes as other Kyiv allies waver on fresh aid, nearly two years into Russia's invasion.

Ukraine has come under intense Russian shelling in recent weeks, retaliating with strikes on Russia's border city of Belgorod.

Zelensky has urged allies to keep military support flowing and held in-person talks with officials from the United States, Germany and Norway last month.

But an EU aid package worth 50 billion euros ($55 billion) has been stuck in Brussels following a veto by Hungary, while the US Congress remains divided on sending additional aid to Ukraine.

Following his trip to Chukotka, Putin is expected to visit several regions in the Russian Far East to boost his re-election campaign amid the war with Ukraine, which has seen more than 300,000 Russians killed or maimed.

He is due to stand in March, seeking another six years in the Kremlin.

The only Kremlin leader ever to travel to Chukotka previously was Dmitry Medvedev in 2008.

Putin's trip sees him escape a wave of ugly protests in western Russia over hundreds of thousands of people scraping by in freezing conditions due to breakdowns in communal heating supplies.

In Elektrostal, Moscow region, desperate residents say they have had no communal heating - which Russians routinely expect the state to supply usually through piped hot water - for the entire winter so far.

'We have been without heating since [9 October],' one resident said in a video circulating on Telegram.

'It is impossible to be in our homes… We are freezing! We are freezing! We are freezing!' they said. 

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin more confident than ever after inauguration speech; plot to 'kill Zelenskyy' stopped

Vladimir Putin has been officially sworn in as Russian president for a new six-year term, although many Western nations did not attend. The ruler seems more confident than ever. Elsewhere, Ukraine says it has foiled a plot to kidnap and kill President Zelenskyy.

Tuesday 7 May 2024 19:09, UK

• Putin sworn in again as president | Claims Russia would work with West
• 'We elect our president': Kremlin defends 'purely democratic' Russia
• Ivor Bennett analysis: Painted as a modern-day Tsar, Putin seems more confident than ever
• Plot to 'kidnap and kill Zelenskyy' stopped, Ukraine says
• Many nations boycott Putin's inauguration ceremony
• Putin has 85% approval rating - here's why
• Big picture : What you need to know as a new week begins
• Your questions answered: Why can't Ukraine destroy key Crimean bridge?
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell  and Ollie Cooper

We're pausing our live coverage of the war in Ukraine for the time being - thanks for tuning in.

Before you go, here is a recap of today's developments.

• Vladimir Putin was officially sworn in again as Russian president, marking the start of his fifth term in office;
• During his inaugural speech, Mr Putin said he is willing to work with the West, but it is down to them to cooperate with Russia;
• Two people have been arrested after Ukraine's intelligence agency foiled a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy;
• The widow of former Putin critic Alexei Navalny criticised Mr Putin on the day of his inauguration calling him a murderer and a liar.

By Ivor Bennett , Moscow correspondent

Held inside the throne room of the Tsars, the ceremony felt almost like a coronation rather than an inauguration.

And that was part of the point. The symbolism was key.

Andreyevsky Hall, where Vladimir Putin took the oath of office, is dripping with gold. 

It oozes power. 

I think this was an attempt to paint him as a modern-day Tsar, who is the rightful ruler of Russia.

The other aim was to add the stamp of electoral legitimacy to his leadership, and his policies. 

The Kremlin’s chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov told me beforehand that this was just part of the "democratic" political process (see our 13.35 post).

The speech was typical Putin - talking up Russia's greatness, blaming the West for Moscow's isolation and doubling down on his current path of conflict abroad and a crackdown at home.

He said he ranks the safety of the Russian people "above all else".  

Translation - we're in this for the long haul. 

But whose fault is Russia’s status as a global pariah? 

Not ours, he said. 

This was all part of the Kremlin's narrative to portray the West as the aggressor, and Russia as the victim.

What might concern people both at home and abroad was the tone of the speech.

For example, he gave a thinly veiled warning that protest will not be tolerated, saying it’s important "not to forget the tragic price of internal turmoil", adding that Russia must be "absolutely resistant" to it.

And the last line: "We will overcome all obstacles and bring all our plans to life."

Vladimir Putin seems more confident than ever.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Europe needs to spend "big money" in order to prevent other powers in the world from "raising a hand against it". 

Speaking at a conference in the Polish city of Katowice, Mr Tusk called on European countries to take joint action to increase spending on defence by at least €100bn (£85bn).

"Europe must be prepared in the next dozen or so months and the entire next five years for a situation in which no power in the world will dare raise a hand against it," he said.

"Big money will move the war away from Europe's borders for a long time, perhaps permanently."

He also repeated the idea of building a common European air defence system - saying Europe has "more initiatives than real actions". 

Due to the war in Ukraine, Poland is strengthening its defence capabilities, allocating over 4% of its GDP.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, agreed Europe must spend more on defence and declared that if she remains in office for another term she will propose new defence projects.

A Russian national has been sanctioned in the UK, US and Australia for his alleged role as the creator of the most prolific ramsomware group in the world. 

The sanctions target Dmitry Khoroshev who has been identified as one of the leaders of LockBit, the ransomware group responsible for extorting over $1bn from thousands of victims globally. 

In the US, Khoroshev has been charged with 26 counts of allegedly developing and administering a malicious cyber scheme.

The UK's foreign office said the LockBit group was behind attacks on over 200 UK businesses and major public server providers and 25% of all global ransomware attacks. 

Pro-Russian Chechen forces are baring the brunt of the frontlines in Ukraine and training Russian troops behind the scenes, the UK's Ministry of Defence says.

Around 9,000 personnel are currently serving within the Pro-Russian Chechen forces in Ukraine, which has been pushed back onto the frontline since the withdrawal of Russia's private military company, Wagner, the MoD said in its daily intelligence update. 

At the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, Chechen forces became known as "TikTok troops" for their presence on social media.

But, they have since provided personnel and given training to Russians at The Special Forces University in Gudermes, Chechnya. 

The MoD said troops receive up to 10 days' training at the so-called university. 

Chechnya has historically always supported Russia's military action in Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of using banned toxins on the battlefield. 

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is in The Hague, said that all accusations were "insufficiently substantiated".

But it added: "The situation remains volatile and extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons." 

Neither side has asked the OPCW to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons.

Last week, Russia denied allegations from the US that it had used the choking agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and utilised riot control agents "as a method of warfare".

Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, any toxic chemical used with the purpose of causing harm or death is considered a chemical weapon.

We've been covering the fifth inauguration of Vladimir Putin as Russian president.

The ceremony took place in Moscow's Grand Kremlin Palace, and our correspondent Ivor Bennett was there to experience the entire event.

He also interviewed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov about the state of democracy in Russia and the lack of opposition during the presidential election back in March.

Bennett asked Mr Peskov: "Western leaders and Western governments believe that Vladimir Putin has turned Russia into a dictatorship, why do you think that’s not the case?"

Mr Peskov replied: "This is not the case.

"It's just propaganda, it's rough propaganda, nothing else."

He went on to say Russia was "purely democratic", adding: "We choose our power. We elect our power. We elect our president. We vote for the president or don’t want to vote for the president.

"And we insist that we have the right to do it the way we want to do it.

"And we don’t want a third country to interfere in our choices, in our preferences."

Pressed on whether the lack of opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia was democratic, Mr Peskov said: "But there is opposition inside the country, of course the conditions are much tougher here because we are in war conditions."

Mr Peskov used the word "war" twice in the interview - typically, the Kremlin refers to its invasion of Ukraine as a "special military operation" - a term he also used once.

Ivor Bennett then asked if it was even more important for the public to have the right to speak out in wartime.

"No, to the contrary. It needs tougher measures to ensure the victory, to ensure that we reach our goals," Mr Peskov replied.

Asked whether this was democratic, Mr Peskov insisted: "It is, it is."

He added that the Western media in Europe and the US exists in the "same circumstances".

Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside The Hague's Peace Palace in The Netherlands to protest the inauguration of President Vladimir Putin. 

The protesters, many of whom had travelled from Germany, carried a giant carnival float that showed a caricature of the Russian leader with blood on his hands in a striped prison uniform.

They also held Ukrainian flags and placards saying: "Putin to The Hague" - which is the home of the International Court of Justice.

Dina Musina, who works for a Berlin-based charity that supports Russian prisoners, said they need to "raise awareness about Putin's crimes internationally".

A plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been uncovered by Ukraine's state security service (SBU).

The SBU claimed two agents who were posing as Ukrainian state guard servicemen were tasked by Moscow to figure out a way to capture Mr Zelenskyy and later kill him. 

They also planned to kill other high-ranking Ukrainian officials, the SBU said in a statement on Telegram . 

Head of the SBU, Vasyl Malyuk, described the plot as a "gift to Putin before the inauguration".

The SBU said two suspects have been detained after an investigation gradually documented their alleged criminal actions.

Ukrainian claims that plots to kill Mr Zelenskyy are not new. 

The president said in 2022 there had been at least 10 attempts to assassinate him since the start of the war.

The widow of former Putin critic Alexei Navalny has criticised President Vladimir Putin on the day of his fifth inauguration as Russian leader. 

In a video posted on YouTube shortly before the ceremony took place in Moscow, Yulia Navalnaya called Mr Putin a liar, a thief and a murderer. 

She added that the war in Ukraine is "bloody and senseless" and no one wants it apart from the Russian leader.

"Huge sums of money are stolen from all of us every day to fund bombings of peaceful cities, riot police beating people with batons, propagandists spreading lies. And also for [the elite's] own palaces, yachts and private jets," she said.

"And as long as this continues, we can't stop the fight."

Having been exiled from Russia, Ms Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her late husband, who died in an Arctic penal colony on 16 February. 

She has accused Mr Putin of having him killed, an accusation which the Kremlin has always denied.

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Storms pass, but high water still holding up SE Texas highways

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- US 59 in Polk and San Jacinto Counties is back open after extensive flooding late last week forced the highway's closure.

Still, the threat of running into water on the surface streets and feeder roads near freeways is not over, and many areas are unsafe for travel.

Remember, if you come across high water, don't attempt to drive through it. Turn around, don't drown.

As of Monday, May 6 at 10 a.m., Houston Transtar is reporting the following high water locations .

• IH-69 Eastex Northbound at San Jacinto River, Frontage Road U-turn is closed beginning Thursday at 9 a.m.
• IH-69 Eastex Southbound At San Jacinto River, Frontage road U-turn is closed beginning Thursday at 9 a.m.
• FM-1485 Eastbound At Montgomery-Harris County Line All Mainlanes is closed beginning Wednesday, May 1, 2024 12:20 AM
• FM-1485 Northbound At Harris-Montgomery County Line All Mainlanes is closed beginning Wednesday, May 1, 2024 3:58 AM

Grimes/Brazoria County Line - SH 30 at Navasota River is now closed.

Even though the National Weather Service's flood watch expired Sunday, after 93 hours in effect, moderate to major river flooding is expected to remain a concern for at least a week. Don't drive around any remaining barricades.

The video below describes the dangers of driving in flood waters.

Source: Houston Transtar , local authorities, and ABC13.

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