It’s the fourth of July. And Americans the world over are celebrating Independence Day.

But it doesn’t really matter if you aren’t American, there’s no denying the allure of the country that spawned Disneyland, Elvis, McD’s and Girls Tours. Yeah, yeah, the showy folks walking around in tees from Magnolia Bakery would know.

Travel-wise though, there is more to the United States of America than Broadway and Hollywood Boulevard. So we asked our American friends and those who previously resided for some suggestions. And whether you’re already boarding your flight to San Fran or just dreaming of seeing the National Christmas Tree outside the White House, you might find these tips and suggestions inspirational and helpful. File them away for future use.

BEING HIP IN PORTLAND AND SEATTLE

There’s this little utopia in America’s north-west where everything that falls under the “indie cool” banner reigns supreme. We’re talking about Portland in Oregon and Seattle in Washington. Howard Lo, former Seattle resident and owner of trendy Tanuki Raw at Orchard Central, gives us the 411 on the twin cities he loves.

“Take everything authentic about Los Angeles and San Fran, multiply that by 1,000 times and that’s what Seattle and Portland have to offer. Why go to the tourist trap of Fisherman’s Wharf in SF when you can go to Pike Place Market, a real-life market by the pier in Seattle still frequented daily by locals? Seattle and Portland both have big city comforts with amazing outdoor offerings. Boating, skiing, hiking, camping, fishing ... you can do them all within short drives of these. I’m not a fan of the outdoors but still love being in these cities.

“The folks here know how to enjoy a slow, detailed life and there are a lot of trends that catch on in the bigger cities which originated or first became popular in Seattle and Portland such as craft distilleries, locavore culture, grunge, wearing outdoor gear as a fashion statement, coffee. In summer, there’s no better city with better weather than these two. My picks for Seattle: Six Arms if you want burgers, The Walrus & Carpenter for oysters, The Brooklyn Seafood, Steak, & Oyster House when it comes to seafood. Start the day with breakfast at Café Campagne then Pike Place Market to get locally grown food, trinkets, art, etc. In the night, head to Nitelite Lounge, an ultra dive bar or bar hop through the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Also worth checking out are Seattle Centre and the Experience Music Project.

“In Portland, get a map of all the distilleries and do tastings of locally made gin, vodka, whisky, and rum in Distillery Row. Visit Urban Farmer for the steak tasting platter; Lucky Labrador Brewing Company, a large American beer hall with tonnes of microbrews; Powell’s City of Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world – catch it before books go away. Shoppers, go to Pearl District for your upscale shopping and the Hawthorne area for more casual, independent stuff. Coffee-wise, you can’t go wrong with Stumptown. These cities are such overlooked, under-visited gem. Maybe it’s best to keep them that way.”

SAVE MONEY IN NEW YORK

It can be costly to bite into the Big Apple. But there are ways you can lower your expenses. HR professional, Elaine Choo, who spent two years studying in New York University for her masters has some suggestions. “Don’t be afraid to stay out in Brooklyn for accommodation. The parts that are nearer to Manhattan, from Brooklyn Heights to Crown Heights have cleaned up a lot and you can get some good rates at hotels there or from apartment rental sites like AirBnB if you book early. Plan what you want to do in New York. For example, if you’re there primarily to eat, schedule your trip around Restaurant Week which happens every winter and summer, where big name eateries charge less for their fixed price menus.

“I had a great meal in Smith and Wollensky — that same restaurant in The Devil Wears Prada where Anne Hathaway’s character went to get a steak for her boss — for only US$25 (not including tax and tips) during Restaurant Week. There is also Broadway Week where tickets go two-for-one. For those interested in attending an opera, there’s something known as Rush Tickets from the Metropolitan Opera box office which are available for sale two hours before the show. You only pay US$20 a ticket from Monday to Thursday, and US$25 for Friday and Saturday. Harlem’s Shrine is good for great live blues and jazz with a reasonably priced food and drinks menu; West Village has comedy clubs with free entry and you pay only for drinks — just walk along and pop into one you like. Lucky Jack’s has free comedy nights every Wednesday but quality’s not guaranteed.

“Some museums have free days or times — MOMA is free if you go on Friday evenings; the New Museum on Thursday evenings. Brooklyn Museum runs a Target First Saturday event every month where it’s not only free entry but there’s a host of other activities and workshops to take part in. Before you go, visit websites like NYCGo which lists free events every week such as Summerstage at Central Park where you can catch big acts like Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli for free.”

TRAIPSING IN CALIFORNIA AND BEYOND

Sure, Los Angeles is a hot spot but there’s more to California than Hollywood. LA native and Class 95 DJ Mike Kasem tells us where he hangs out when he’s at home.

“I absolutely recommend going camping in Yosemite National Park when you’re in California to experience what you can’t get in Singapore. It’s a completely different environment and it’s just incredible to be out in the woods. While you’re at Yosemite, climb the Half Dome which is a granite dome. It’s pretty easy to hike up — anyone can do it but as you get higher, it gets scarier especially when you look down. The view can be pretty surreal and freaky.

“I also suggest renting a car to drive along Highway 1 and stopping at Carmel, Monterey and Big Sur, all beautiful spots along the coast, and stopping to stay in cute bed and breakfast inns. It won’t cost you a lot either – maybe about US$100 a night will get you somewhere decent. If you love golfing, Palm Springs is where to go. It’s a golfing mecca with more than a hundred courses. Along the way to Palm Springs, you could stop at Camarillo for outlet shopping to get branded goods for less.

“For those just staying within Los Angeles, check out cool neighbourhoods like Silver Lake and Los Felix where the movie Swingers was filmed. It has a great laid-back vibe and they’re now known as hipster areas with awesome food trucks, cafes and bars. I like going to Mondrian hotel’s Skybar on Sundays and just chilling by the pool with a great view. It’s all very glam, for sure. A different experience can be had at Cabo Cantina. It’s a taco joint that’s really chill with one-for-one margaritas on Sundays. It’s the place to recover from a hangover by having more drinks! The Baked Potato is another great dive spot for unwinding over great jazz.”

NEW EXPERIENCES IN NEW ENGLAND

The six New England states are rugged and dramatic as they are quaint and charming. After four years in Brown University, communications consultant, Lynn Lee, has the low-down.

“Let’s start with Rhode Island. There’s a famed culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Federal Hill, Providence, and the restaurants here are often the first stop for the university’s skilled chef graduates. I’ve heard stories of people driving up from NYC just to eat at Federal Hill. I remember loving Julian’s for brunch and Pastiche for desserts (wonderful lemon tart and tiramisu).

“Newport is a lovely, historic town with plenty of old mansions — one of the most awesome mansions is The Breakers—on cliffs overlooking the sea. It is worth a trip just for sightseeing. On the way from Providence to Newport, you can pass through Middletown to visit Flo’s Clam Shack which is an old-school casual restaurant with great seafood. To me, a visit to Flo’s epitomises the promise of a fun summer—great food, beers after hours of day-tripping on the beach.

“From Newport, you can take a ferry to Block Island. This is a lovely tucked away scenic island makes for a nice peaceful day riding around on bikes and being close to nature. I like Maine and Vermont for the scenery. Several small towns in Vermont will have diners along the way that serve pancakes with real Vermont maple syrup. Maine is fun because there is a lot of nature. I suggest driving to Bar Harbour, renting a cottage with a fully-stocked kitchen and using that as your base to see Acadia National Park, which is a must-visit for its dramatic vista. Of course, don’t forget to eat lobsters while in Maine. Also, check out the outlet malls located along the East Coast by planning your pit stops around those malls. New Hampshire has tax-free shopping and Merrimack Premium Outlets is one of the better known ones.”

FLORIDA EATING

Ryan Jette, chef-owner of “New American restaurant” Communal, and who hails from Florida, is celebrating the Fourth with offerings of BBQ pork ribs and strawberry shortcake on the menu, reveals his chow list for the Sunshine State.

“I usually just go to any of the local bars and after hours places after finishing work. When I was in Florida, I worked at the Setai Miami which is a really cool boutique hotel if you’re looking for a place to stay. The restaurant also does nice fusion fare. There’s La Goule in Miami which is more of a Parisian bistro if you’re looking for fine dining. For me, when it comes to burgers, it’s not in Florida but Father’s Office in Los Angeles, which has one of the best burgers in the US.”