United States Travel Tips

United States of America, a large country with so many travel options to satisfy any type of adventure.

Big cities like New York and Los Angeles are the book ends, entertainment and financial capital. In between, you have many major cities with their own personalities, mountains, picturesque seashores and flat plains.

You can camp in the Rocky Mountains or in the many national parks, gamble in Las Vegas, suntan on the beaches in Florida or California and enjoy some history and culture in Chicago, Boston and New Orleans.

Lacking the connected train network, flights can be inexpensive and there are many bus services. The food is unbelievable cheap and varied, and shopping is world class both in terms of quality and price.

Top Things to See and Do in the USA

New York City, known as “The Big Apple”, is America’s largest city. It has it all as a center for finance, fashion, media, culture, education and more. One starts with the fantastic view of Manhattan, whether arriving by car or plane. The most memorable spots you will visit are Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and Memorial, Central Park, Times Square and Greenwich Village. With New York being a gateway for immigrants you can dine at most any type of cuisine you can dream of. Definitely make it here.

San Francisco, a west coast favorite city is the anchor of the Bay Area. Unique in its hilly terrain and diverse architecture, there is plenty to see and do. Some of the highlights include the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz prison, China Town and riding the cable cars. Separate and distinct cities, you find tech capital Silicon Valley and liberal Berkeley nearby.

Pacific Northwest refers to the coast states of Washington and Oregon. Some of the most beautiful and pristine forest covered mountains are located here. Rain forests and rugged coast lines in the west, and dry mountainous region in the east. Camp, fish, ski, white water raft is in abundance. Snap those photos and visit tech city Seattle and smelling as a rose Portland.

Grand Canyon of massive size carved by the flowing Colorado river is up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep. Visit the south rim and Grand Canyon Village, but beware the crowds. The North Rim takes longer to get to if arriving from Las Vegas or Arizona, but allows a less crowded experience. Another option is Grand Canyon West, where you can walk the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Don’t forget to stop at Hoover Dam.

United States National Parks is a series of protected natural and cultural sites of which some of the most famous are Yellowstone, the National Mall, Yosemite, Big Bend, Gettysburg and more.

New Orleans, known as the Big Easy is a city sitting near the end of the Mississippi river. It’s a mix of French, Creole, African and other cultures. Famed for it’s Mardi Gras and Jazz music, it’s a unique American destination like no other.

Rocky Mountains are a range of mountains snaking down the continent of North America starting in Canada running to northern New Mexico. Often rock looking tops, covered in snow and glaciers, offer some of the most varied activities in any season like fishing, camping, hiking and skiing. Some of the most popular destinations are Aspen in Colorado, Jackson Hole in Wyoming, and Whitefish in Montana.

Las Vegas is pure entertainment and indulgence. Bright lights, sirens and coin clicks, and all the shows one could imagine. It’s the Entertainment Capital of the World and a gambler’s paradise, all within reason. It has it all, enough said.

Route 66, a highway traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles, opened in 1926 and made famous by a book named Grapes of Wrath. It represents typical American independence of getting in your car and going for a drive. No longer in complete existence, one can catch glimpses, with signs indicating old sections still maintained.

General travel advice for the United States

Do you need a visa? Check here
Language spoken: English is the only official language, but Spanish is spoken by some 40 million people, especially in cities like Miami and Los Angeles. Most services is all major cities also offer information in Spanish
Currency: US Dollar. Calculate the exchange here
Electricity: 110 Volts
Standard electrical frequency: 60 Hertz
International calling code: +1
Making interstate calls: Dial 1 followed by the number
Drives on the: Right
Getting around: Generally speaking, most cities in the northeast have good public transportation. In the rest of the country you may still find good services like in San Francisco, but that’s not common. You will most likely need a car
Sim Cards: Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T are the main cell phone providers
Shopping: Many international visitor don’t know that sales taxes are added to the final price of goods and services. The amount varies from state to state.

Articles about the USA

New Orleans’ historic French Quarter
New Orleans lives and breaths music, architecture, and food. The heart of the city is the French Quarter, where you find most top attractions and experiences The French Quarter is the oldest section of New Orleans and remains the most traditional place to visit when you’re in town. The purpose of this guide is to […]
Christmas Lights in Austin, Texas
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love seeing Christmas Lights all over, hearing Christmas carols and enjoying the nice atmosphere of giving and caring for each other. Here in Texas this is very evident. This year I decided touring the Austin metro area, where I live, to create a series featuring the […]
A walk to remember at the Grand Canyon Skywalk
Here you will find the pros and cons of visiting the Grand Canyon Skywalk in Arizona. Hint: It’s closer to Las Vegas but more expensive than the other viewpoints. We discovered the Grand Canyon Skywalk on the very first day it opened in March 2007. It was a media-only event, where journalists from all […]