• By GROVE
  • | Feb 23, 2016

Flying through Tokyo has been one of the most convenient ways to get to the USA for a while now. From the Japanese capital, you can fly direct to a whole bunch of US cities. But while New York—and the East Coast—traditionally get much of the attention for Thai travelers, it's West Coast cities like San Francisco, L.A. and Seattle that are currently trending. Here are some of the hottest reasons to save on flight time and visit this happening part of the world. 

Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Credit: Allan Ferguson.

1. Art goes big in San Francisco

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art or SFMoMA, reopens to the public on May 14, when it will officially be the largest modern art museum in the States. SFMoMA's new 10-story building, designed by renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, will feature a stunning striated facade and almost triple the museum's original capacity. Described as a game-changer for San Francisco's art scene, the US$308 millon building will house seven floors of exhibition space.

Of course, that's not the only art on show in San Francisco. It was recently announced that  The Bay Lights, an ever-changing light installation on San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge by artist Leo Villareal, is to become a permanent fixture, after two years as a popular installation. Fashion lovers will also want to check out the Oscar de la Renta Retrospective showing off more than 100 outfits designed by the late, great designer at de Young Museum from Mar 12-May 30.
 


The Broad Museum: Credit: Travis Wise.

2. L.A.'s Cool Revival

Thanks to Hollywood, Los Angeles has long been a destination for celeb sightings and film industry tours. But as top travel website Fodors recently reported, America's second-largest city is welcoming an ever-growing array of world-class museums and art spaces, while its once-derelict downtown has also undergone an impressive revolution.

The Broad. Credit: Robbie Mendelson

New arty arrivals include The Broad, an 11,000-square-meter contemporary art museum that boasts a stunning all-white geometric facade. Its neighbors include other illustrious works of architecture like Walt Disney Concert Hall and Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), which is home to some 128,000 pieces of art. Coming soon to Hollywood is the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is due to open in 2017.

Grand Central Market www.grandcentralmarket.com


And yet it’s not only art and design that are flourishing; the century-old Grand Central Market has also enjoyed a major makeover to become one of the country’s most vibrant culinary experiences. In fact, Appetit named it the #10 best new restaurant in America for 2014, and things have only been on the up since.
 

Yosemite. Credit: lostintheredwoods.

3. Nature meets Technology in San Jose

This year, the United States’ National Park Service turns 100. In conjunction with the anniversary, the park service has launched a wide-scale search for “the next Ansel Adams,” the legendary environmentalist and photographer whose black and white landscape photos have come to define many of America’s national parks, particularly  Yosemite National Park, which is just a three-hour drive from San Jose city center. The role of full-time national park photographer is only open to US nationals, but there’s never been a better time to explore this vast wilderness for yourself.

 

Credit: Robbie Shade

Just as popular as nature treks these days are tours of Silicon Valley, home to global tech giants like Google, Apple and Facebook. There are countless tours on offer, like the 7-hour Silicon Valley-San Jose Sightseeing Tour, which takes you to Standford University, Apple HQ Store, Palo Alto Computer History Museum, Googleplex, Intel Museum and the Living and Working in Space exhibition at NASA Ames Exploration Center.

 

Space Needle. Credit: Tim Durkan.

4. Sky-High Seattle

America’s third largest port is one of the country's top five fastest growing economies. Home to leading tech businesses like Airbus, Microsoft and Amazon, as well as the birthplace of Starbucks and Boeing, Seattle is actually also brimming with amazing museums, art festivals and a happening food scene.  

 

Pike Place Market. Credi:t Tiffany Von Arnim.

One of the city’s most iconic attractions, Pike Place Market, is currently undergoing a massive expansion to better connect it with the waterfront. Construction should be finished by the turn of the year. In the meantime, the market still offers an insight into the local tastes through diverse food to jewelry, clothing and gifts. Host to many big food events, the city’s top annual dates include Taste Washington on Mar 31-Apr 3, Bite of Seattle on Jul 15-17 and Seattle Street Food Festival on Aug 20-21.

 

Museum of Flight. Credit: InSapphoWeTrust.

Seattle is one of the world's best aviation attractions. Of particular note this year is the Museum of Flight, which is currently marking 100 years of the Boeing airplane company, whose existence began in a ship-building yard just outside Seattle. Throughout 2016, the museum will host ongoing public lectures, films and other exhibitions focused on the company and its impact on popular culture over the last century. Hooked? You can also take the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour at Boeing’s largest assembly plant. And don’t forget to visit Seattle’s iconic observation tower, Space Needle.

 

Credit: Colin Knowles

5. The Great Outdoors in Vancouver

Across the Canadian border from Seattle, Vancouver is a regular fixture at the pointy end of The Economist’s World’s Most Liveable City list, this year placing third. The city is known mainly for its abundant nature and great outdoor activities, from the city-straddling greenery of Stanley Park to the imposing Rocky Mountains, which stretch more than 3,000 miles between the United States and Canada.

 

Sea to Sky Highway. Credit: Kyle Pearce.

Your itinerary simply must include BC Highway 99, or “Sea to Sky Highway,” the famous route from Vancouver to Whistler, which Travel+Leisure calls arguably North America’s top ski resort owing to its gorgeous new luxurious lodgings, diversifying dining scene (from classic bistros to tapas and oyster bars), good old casual Canadian charm and even a brand new contemporary art museum. Irregardless of snowfall, it seems there’s never been a better time to hit the slopes.

 

 Brought to you by ANA

Broaden your experiences with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's only 5-star airline. Connecting to the USA has never been easier. ANA is currently offering flights from B13,500 (excluding taxes, fees and surcharges) to US West Coast cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and San Jose, as well as Houston, Vancouver and Honolulu.

Visit ANA sky web for special  promotions. Reservations:  02-238-5121