It's very difficult to answer your questions. The United States is a very big country with a diverse cultural. There's something interesting to see anytime one visits.

In Alaska, the norther lights are most visible between late September and early April but because they are dependent on Mother Nature there's never any guarantee you'll see them during any specific visit.

Likewise, while the spring cherry blossoms in Washington, DC are in peak bloom during late March through the end of April it's difficult to tell you if the city will be "too crowded" for you since everyone has there own definition of what "crowded means". Will there be tourists in the city at that time? - the answer is Yes. Will there be crowds? Yes, again! Will those crowds detract from your enjoyment? Probably not?

As for Nashville - you'll find plenty of music so if that's what you'd like go there. Of course, you can find and listen to music in many places across the USA.

So, it really comes down to "What do YOU want to see and do during your trip.

Sorry if this answer isn't much help but your question is it like me telling you I want to visit Europe and asking you whether I should go to the Netherlands to eat Edam Cheese and see the tulips or go to Rome to explore the Forum or visit Paris and climb the Eiffel Tower.

You really need to let us know how long a trip you are planning, what type of budget you have, what type of activities you enjoy and what type of experience you expect to have on this trip. Telling us more about your likes and dislikes will help us steer you in the right direction.

Hi RoamsAround,

Thanks for your reply! Yeah I know it was a vague message. I'll give it a new try. I'm thinking of around a week, doing something low budget. I prefer the cultural and 'normal' stuff, and talking to people above the crowded tourist hotspots. On my last trip to the US, I met a guy working at a tankstation in Nevada who, to my surprise, turned out to be a native indian and we talked an hour about his beliefs and culture. I love the little mom and pop's roadside dinners, and I had a brilliant experience at a night with 'farmers' in South Alabama who thought that our car broke down and wanted to help us.

For me it's more about the ordinary people I meet, the landscapes I see and experiencing things that are probably very normal in the US but out of the ordinary in Netherland.

Having said this, I found out that Alaska will be way over my budget, but flying to Chicago, Philadelphia or New York is still an option. Do you have any recommendations for roadtrips?

Thanks in advance!

Hans

For early April NYC will be expensive (moderately - it's only cheap in Jan) and Chicago and NYC can have early spring weather - or still be quite chilly. Flowers will be few and trees won;t have leaves yet (we're colder than you are). Philly will be cheaper but weather fairly similar.

If it were me I would do DC and a little of the virginia countryside at that time of year.

(And NYC is always crowded - we get 50 million visitors a year).