Election fever on America's campaign trail

With the election now less than a month away and the contest hotting up, it could be the perfect time to visit American and catch the febrile atmosphere.

No matter whether you are in the red corner with John McCain, Sarah Palin and the Republicans or the Blue corner with Barack Obama, Joe Biden and the Democrats, travelbite.co.uk and TrekAmerica have a trip for everyone.

Here we take a look at some of the best locations, whatever your political hue.

Democrats

If your heart lies with the Democrats, head to the north-east of America and experience New York, Boston and Stowe on the Northeastern BLT (budget lodging tour).

The trip begins in the bustling New York City, and includes with the chance to visit the iconic Empire State Building before the journey continues to Ithaca for wine and cider tasting.

Travellers will cross the border into Canada via Niagara Falls before visiting the CN Tower in Toronto and heading to Montreal for a little taste of Europe.

Stowe is the ski capital of the east and is the next destination on the tour, as well as skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing and dog sledding are also very popular here.

The final few days will be spent in Boston before heading back to the cosmopolitan city of New York where the tour ends.

The ten-day Northeastern BLT includes nine nights in hotels and hostels, and costs £608 (including a ten per cent discount) per person excluding flights, but including accommodation, transportation, services of an expert tour leader and selected activities along the way.

Republicans

On the other hand, if you favour the Republicans, head to John McCain country - the deserts of Arizona and the Grand Canyon.

Here travellers can hike the trails, visit the viewpoints or take a helicopter flight for a bird's eye view before heading to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Travellers can experience Vegas like a celebrity with a limo tour of the famous strip and casinos.

From here the journey continues to the wilderness of Yosemite National Park with a chance to hike or mountain bike through the landscape of the glacier-carved granite monoliths, spectacular waterfalls and groves of Sequoia trees before ending the trip in San Francisco.

The 7-day Western Wonder tour from TrekAmerica includes five nights camping and two nights hotel accommodation, costing £417 per person excluding flights but including accommodation, transportation, services of an expert tour leader and selected activities along the way.

Independent

With the eyes of the world on America during its presidential elections, take the chance for a first-hand view of the action on this trip from TrekAmerica - whether you are in the Obama or McCain camp!

The Southerner trip takes to the road from October 21st to November 10th 2008, so travellers will be able to enjoy all the dramas, debates and controversies of the US election on November 4th.

The coast-to-coast route travels through both the Democratic and Republican stronghold states. Starting in Los Angeles, the trip will visit famous landmarks including Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Big Bend National Park, New Orleans, Memphis and the home of the new US president - Washington DC - by which time, the White House's outgoing President, George Bush, should be well on his way to packing his bags, thankfully.

The 21-day Southerner tour, from Los Angeles to New York, includes seven nights camping and 13 nights' hotel accommodation. This is a group departure (maximum group size 13), costing £922 per person (including a ten per cent discount), excluding flights but including accommodation, transportation, services of an expert tour leader and selected activities along the way.

More information

To book any of the trips above, or to investigate what else in offer from TrekAmerica, head over to the website.

Chris O'Toole