[hopfenundmalz]

I live in Florida, but my favorite part of the country is the Pacific Northwest.  I think you could easily spend your week between Portland and Seattle and have a great trip.  Heck we did a whole week just in the western part of Oregon a few years ago.  Weather there is usually great in the summer months - long days, plenty of sunshine despite what you may have heard.
You could also fly in and out of San Francisco and spend some time in Sonoma County.  We did that for a week once.
Keep in mind that dropping off a car in another city is sometimes cost prohibitive, but also realize that driving hundreds of miles back to the original airport can be daunting on the final day or two of a trip.  It's bigger than you think.

Jeff likes Jeff's advice.

When we were in the  PNW for the NHC we flew into PDX, and flew out of Seattle. Rented cars in both cities. Used Amtrak Portlandto Seattle.

One can do a lot in both cities without a car, if so inclined.

[Steve Ruch]

Thanks again guys, lots to research there
The most likely time of my visit would be May or June of 2016.
It's quite clear from some of the responses that I shouldn't try to fit too much travelling in and waste valuable time on such a short trip.

Last weekend of June is the North American Organic Beerfest at Overlook park in Portland. It's right on the yellow light rail line.
I've been pouring for the last 4 or 5 years.

[markpotts]

The AHA Conference is in San Diego June 11 to 13.  Stop in and meet 3,000 of your closest beer buds.

That would be unbelievable if I could pull that off.

MDixon - thanks for your response. I'm not looking for anything specific food wise. I joked in my first post about DDD; but tbh that's the type of thing I would be looking for. Local places used by local people serving honest well made food......I don't need white tablecloths or fancy service 

I'm going to sit down over the weekend with a map and a notebook to try and get an outline plan together and then I can start to look seriously at dates and flights, though I'm going to have to wait a while to book anything as flight only showing for Jan 2016 at the moment.

Thanks again to all who've posted; I really appreciate it.

[MDixon]

If you want to see anything like The Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, or Mount Rushmore, keep in mind they are in the middle of nowhere and will require transportation.

The East tends to be heavily wooded while places like Arizona and portions of Utah don't have trees for miles.

I'd suggest you prioritize what you might like to see and then fill in with beer, food and a baseball game or games. For instance if you know you want to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco then we can pitch in an help with the rest. Now if you want to see The Grand Canyon your choices are going to be more limited, but you must spend at least a little time in Sedona if coming from the South. Even though it isn't a beer mecca it is a great area with all the red rocks.

[jeffy]

My wife and I have started several vacations from Denver.  We stay there a couple days and then head out.  Once we went west to Ledville and then south through the high plains, stopping at Great Sand Dunes for the night and ending up in Taos, New Mexico.  That was a memorable trip.
Another time we went north through Fort Collins and into Wyoming, turned left and went to the Grand Tetons.  We flew out of Salt Lake City.
Another time we went west across the mountains into Moab, Utah and stayed there to visit Arches.  Every Western you've ever seen was probably filmed there.  We came back through Colorado on a more southern route, through Colorado Springs and back to Denver.
Now I need a vacation.  I wish we were retired like Jeff (hopfenundmalz)...

[klickitat jim]

If you want to see anything like The Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, or Mount Rushmore, keep in mind they are in the middle of nowhere and will require transportation.

The East tends to be heavily wooded while places like Arizona and portions of Utah don't have trees for miles.

I'd suggest you prioritize what you might like to see and then fill in with beer, food and a baseball game or games. For instance if you know you want to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco then we can pitch in an help with the rest. Now if you want to see The Grand Canyon your choices are going to be more limited, but you must spend at least a little time in Sedona if coming from the South. Even though it isn't a beer mecca it is a great area with all the red rocks.

I think the must see is the worlds largest graffiti (Rushmore), and from there its not too far from a restaurant that has all of Kevin Costners costumes, so in just a couple hours you can see everything that makes this 'merica.

[Stevie]

I thought Costner was Scottish. If not, he sure did have a convincing accent in Robin Hood. 

[ranchovillabrew]

Saw Costner out fishing a few years ago off Santa Barbara.   He's got a very nice catamaran

[jeffy]

Did you get close enough to see the webbed feet?

[HoosierBrew]

Yeah, his accent definitely made Robin Hood. Or made it laughable.   

[69franx]

I hear he parks that catamaran in Albuquerque when not on the high seas, right around Saul Goodman's  law offices

[ranchovillabrew]

Did you get close enough to see the webbed feet?

Gills too

[hopfenundmalz]

My wife and I have started several vacations from Denver.  We stay there a couple days and then head out.  Once we went west to Ledville and then south through the high plains, stopping at Great Sand Dunes for the night and ending up in Taos, New Mexico.  That was a memorable trip.
Another time we went north through Fort Collins and into Wyoming, turned left and went to the Grand Tetons.  We flew out of Salt Lake City.
Another time we went west across the mountains into Moab, Utah and stayed there to visit Arches.  Every Western you've ever seen was probably filmed there.  We came back through Colorado on a more southern route, through Colorado Springs and back to Denver.
Now I need a vacation.  I wish we were retired like Jeff (hopfenundmalz)...

Not all of the Westerns were filmed around Moab, but many were. Think John Ford And John Wayne.

One summer we drove the Shafer trail on a rent a car, scraped once. Got to a place where everything was torn up , like cars were doing doughnuts. Then "Thelma and Louise" came out, and we knew where the final scene was filmed. Cowboy movie?

[chumley]

My 2 cents worth, as someone who lives in an American summer vacation destination (western Montana, halfway between Glacier and Yellowstone National Park).

I would go with some of the previous advice and plan on the PNW between San Francisco and Seattle.  Lots of good breweries, great food, excellent sites, and of course MLB in San Francisco and Seattle.  Sonoma County and wine is good, as well as Russian River and Bear Republic.

Lots of other great places to see in this fine country as others have seen, but if you are coming from England, you should go see something completely different.  The east coast resembles England enough already.

[markpotts]

Again, many thanks for the help.

I'm leaning towards the West Coast......Los Angeles/San Francisco/Portland looks a great route. Not too taxing driving wise; though it looks like I may have a partner in crime who will share some of the driving

One thing I will say.....I knew the US was big, but having looked in more detail at a few driving options I didn't have any real appreciation as to how big the place is.

Going to have to wait now for 2016 flight schedules before I can progress this any further really.