my first trip to usa

Planning the perfect 2 week USA itinerary for first time visitors – everything you need to know

Looking  to spend 2 weeks in the USA? This post is for you. We highlight the best cities to visit across the US for first time travellers. As well as providing you with information on the best places to stay and the best things to see and do.

Booking a 2 week USA itinerary can be daunting. I mean there are so many interesting places in the USA to visit, it can be hard to know where to start. In this article we break down the top places to visit for your first 2 week trip to the States. Plus we give you all our top tips, and lessons learnt from our own time traveling around the US.

Here is our guide to planning the perfect 2 week USA itinerary.

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Before you leave on your 2 week USA trip

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Before you leave on your 2 week trip to the US you need to make sure you apply for your ESTA . The ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation which allows entry to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme. But this is only for certain countries such as Australia, UK and, Ireland. You will need to fill in a few questions online including your contact details, employment details, and passport information.

You also need to pay the $14 (approx) fee. Most often you will get a quick response as to whether this has been approved but sometimes it can take a few days. Mine took longer because I am a dual national so had to input two lots of passport details that needed to be checked. The ESTA is then valid for a series of multiple trips over a 2 year period. It also only allows you to stay in the USA for 90 days or less.

If you’re from a country not covered in the Visa Waiver Programme, you will need to complete a more formal process.

2 weeks in the USA should be ample time to get a feel for the country and will allow you to visit the east and west coast. Here are some of our tips we learnt from our own trip:

• Check what is happening in a city on the dates you plan to visit. For instance it was only after we booked flights that we realised the Chicago Marathon was happening in Chicago. This meant that hotels were booked up and super expensive. And a lot of roads were closed making it more difficult for us to get to the airport.
• Tipping is a big thing in the USA so make sure you tip your servers and tip them well.
• Get to grips with the city you are visiting, as there are some areas that are probably best left unvisited.
• Also get used to tax, just because something is advertised as being a certain price this more than likely won’t include tax.
• Laws tend to differ state by state so just be aware when travelling between them.
• Make sure that you have travel insurance as a hospital visit will cost you a lot!
• The USA is quite divided when it comes to politics, so it might be best to think or gauge your audience before you start rubbishing politicians.
• Also, each US state can often feel like a different country, for instance California and New York State are not only geographically different but can often feel worlds apart in terms of culture and lifestyle.

If it is your first trip to the USA then you will want to visit some of the big cities. Our guide includes the following:

• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• Big Bear Lake
• New York City

If you feel too rushed then you can always skip one of the above places. For us though, our aim was to visit as many cities as possible during our 2 weeks in the USA. Also, we wanted to do a mix of East and West Coast, although our next trip will definitely need to include way more East Coast hangouts.

One of the questions you might be wondering is, is a 2 week USA itinerary enough time to see everything? Well, yes and no. For starters 2 weeks in the USA gives you ample time to explore a few major cities, and get to grips with the culture and way of life.

But you have to remember that the USA is big. Really big. Travelling between cities and states can take quite a bit of time. Whether you choose to fly or drive, you have to factor travel time into your itinerary. In an ideal world we felt like we could have spent a good 4-5 weeks alone just exploring the USA.

So very basically this is our 2 week USA itinerary at a very high level, but we will go into more detail on each of the cities below so make sure you keep reading!

Day 1- Chicago

Day 2- Chicago

Day 3- Fly to San Francisco (4.5 hour flight duration)

Day 4- San Francisco

Day 5- San Francisco

Day 6- Fly to Los Angeles (1 hour flight duration)

Day 7 – Los Angeles

Day 8- Rent a car and drive to Big Bear

Day 9- Drive to Las Vegas

Day 10- Las Vegas

Day 11- Las Vegas

Day 12- Overnight flight to New York – arrive in New York AM

Day 13- New York

Day 14- New York

A more detailed 2 week USA itinerary

So now you have seen our high level USA itinerary, here is each city in a bit more detail including tips on where to stay, what to do, eat, drink, and more.

For the first few days of our 2 week USA itinerary we decided to visit Chicago. One of the reasons we flew into Chicago because we wanted to break up the long flight from the UK before heading over to the West Coast. On top of that we have both always been fascinated by Chicago’s history. From the prohibition days of Al Capone, to its incredible architecture. All in all we spent  two full days in the city  before flying out to San Francisco.

Why visit Chicago

Chicago is a must on any 2 week USA itinerary especially if you love big cities, architecture, and history. There are lots of world class museums in Chicago, and some really good food too.

Chicago is a great introductory city when traveling across the US because it’s not as hectic as New York, and it gives you the chance to get used to the culture and customs of the USA.

Wondering if Chicago is worth visiting ? Here is a helpful guide.

Things to do in Chicago

You can read all about our two days in Chicago in detail here . But the city highlights include:

Architecture Cruise

You cannot visit Chicago without admiring the city’s incredible architecture, and an architecture cruise is a great way to do this. There are a few different tours you can do, and on average they last about 1.5 hours. Not only do you get more acquainted with the city, but you also get to learn about the buildings that shaped Chicago.

It is worth booking your cruise tickets online in advance, because they do get really popular, especially in the summer.

Navy Pier is certainly iconic in Chicago, and there is a lot to explore here. The pier is 3,300-ft-and located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It’s one of the best places to go to get a brilliant view of the Chicago Skyline as well.

Once you get to Navy Pier you can enjoy the theatres, restaurants, and rides. One of the key attractions here is the Centennial Wheel. It reaches a height of almost 200 ft and boats some pretty fantastic views of Chicago. Tickets can be purchased online in advance , and you even have the option to skip the queue which is always handy.

Another fun thing to do at Navy Pier is to do a speedboat ride . You can learn about the city whilst doing full 360° spins and more.

The John Hancock Centre (360 Chicago)

The observation deck at the John Hancock Centre, referred to as 360 Chicago is a great place to go for those incredible views over Chicago. One of the best things though is that there is a bar, so you can sit down with a drink and take it all in. Purchase your ticket online in advance to skip to queue.

Willis Tower (Skydeck)

Another observation point in Chicago is the Willis Tower Skydeck. The cool thing about this is that there are glass boxes built into the edge of the building. When you stand in them you feel like you are floating above Chicago. If you are short on time and can’t decide between the John Hancock Centre or the Willis Tower here is a handy article to help you.

Again we recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance .

Millennium Park

One of the most popular selfie locations in Chicago is at the Millennium Park Bean. The reflective 110 tonne sculpture is a favourite amongst tourists as you fight the crowds to get that all important selfie. Don’t miss the rest of the park including the fountains with pictures of Chicago natives that spurt water every so often. If you want to learn more about the park you can even do a self guided tour .

The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute is the second largest museum in the country and is by far, one of the top things to do in Chicago. The gallery houses works from artists from Picasso to Andy Warhol. You can skip the queues and purchase your tickets here in advance .

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

When you are short of time sometimes the best way to get to grips with a new city whilst covering a lot of ground is to do a hop on hop off bus tour. You get to see all of Chicago’s top sights from the comfort of a double decker bus .

Chicago obviously has a history laden with gangsters and criminals, so this mob tour is great if you are looking for something a little different. This was one of my favourite memories from visiting Chicago, and I felt like I learnt so much about the seedy history of the city but in a really fun and interesting way.

Street Art Tour

We were kind of surprised at the amount of street art in Chicago, and one thing we wish we could have done was explore the neighbourhoods a bit more. If you want to take the burden of traveling and finding all the cool spots out of your hands you can book onto a tour that will take you to some of Chicago’s most eclectic neighbourhoods.

Getting from the Airport

Once you arrive in Chicago there are a few ways to get to the downtown core. The cheapest and often quickest way to get downtown is via the L Train. The Blue Line should have you in the downtown area in approximately 45 minutes.

If you are however severely jet lagged and the thought of negotiating a subway line with giant suitcases scares you (you are not alone), then the next best thing is to get the airport shuttle bus. They are slightly cheaper than a taxi and take you straight to the front door of your hotel. Just be mindful that the journey can be quite long particularly during peak hour.

You can book and pay for your shuttle at one of the designated booths at the airport. The good thing as well is that you can pre book your return trip to the airport too.

If you are feeling extra fancy though you can book a private transfer .

Where to stay in Chicago

If you can, stay in the downtown core. Particularly on a short trip it makes it so much easier to get around in a limited time. We ended up visiting Chicago the same weekend as the Chicago marathon and so we had to book accommodation a little out of the centre. If you decide to book accommodation out of the downtown area then make sure it is close to a subway line.

Eating and drinking in Chicago

Two things that you must do when you visit Chicago are, eat a deep dish pizza and visit a speakeasy. The deep dish pizza is one of those foods that you either love or hate. We happened to love it. There are a number of places in the city that serve it and we ended up at Pizano’s . To wash the dish down, you have to visit a speakeasy. Our top recommendation is the Green Door Tavern located in the downtown area.

There are some really cool food tours you can do in Chicago, which is quite the foodies paradise. And these include some famous deep dish pizza.

We left Chicago early morning and it took just over 4 hours flying time to get to San Francisco. It is important to remember that there is a time difference between Chicago and San Francisco. Chicago is actually 2 hours ahead of San Fran. By the time we landed in San Francisco it was early afternoon, so we had a good 2.5 days to spend in the city. Make sure you factor in these time differences when traveling around the US.

Why visit San Francisco

San Francisco is like the polar opposite of Chicago. If you love beautiful scenery, forest walks, and chilled out places, then San Francisco is for you.

Located on the west coast it’s one of those places that has a little something for everyone.

If you are tossing up between Los Angeles and San Francisco for your next trip you should read this post.

Things to do in San Francisco

San Francisco is a bustling hive of activity. You can read in detail about our time in the city  by going here . But in the meantime, here is a quick recap.

Golden Gate Park

If you want to explore some of California’s natural beauty then the Golden Gate Park is the perfect place to go. One of the highlights of the park has to be the Japanese Tea Garden which is a great place to sit and reflect if you have the time.

Golden Gate Bridge

You cannot visit San Francisco without a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge. One of our fondest memories was walking across the bridge and looking out at the San Francisco skyline. It opened in 1937 and spans the 1 mile wide straight that connects San Francisco to California’s northern counties. It is a great place to go to get photos of San Francisco’s most iconic structure.

The best thing about doing a hop on hop off bus tour in San Francisco is that it allows you to get to places that are otherwise hard to visit. The Golden Gate Bridge for instance is one of those. And honestly we will never forget that amazing feeling of being sat on the top of a double decker bus whilst going across the bridge. These tours are really popular so it is advisable that you book online in advance.

Haight Ashbury

Haight Ashbury is a great place to go if you are a fan of the unusual. There are a number of quirky shops and cafes, and it is an area synonymous with the hippie movement in the 1960’s.

San Francisco’s Chinatown is a must for any bargain hunter. It is actually the second largest Chinatown in the USA, and bartering for goods is highly encouraged. The food around here is also really good and cheap, so do pop into one of the many restaurants if you can. You can also do walking tours that go into the history of the area.

One of the best tours we have ever been on is at Alcatraz. Make sure you book your tickets in advance as if you don’t, there is a high chance you will miss out! You need to book an allocated time and the ferry will take you over to the island to explore. The audio tour here is fantastic and you do get a really good and often eerie insight into what life was like at one of the most notorious prisons in the USA.

This is one of those tours that you HAVE to book in advance as only a certain number of people can visit the island in a day. Booking can be made online and there are options to combine tours and book different attractions in one bundle.

Probably one of the most touristy places in San Francisco has to be Pier 39. But don’t let that put you off. It is a great place to explore, and you get some amazing views of Alcatraz from here. The sea lions are also pretty amazing to see and have been drawing tourists in for years.

Do a Bay Cruise

Another highlight in San Francisco is to do a Bay Cruise. It is especially good if you don’t get a chance to visit the Golden Gate or Alcatraz whilst visiting San Fran, as you can cruise on right by both.

Historic Cable Cars

You can’t say you have been to San Francisco if you haven’t hung off the edge of a cable car as it whizzes down one of the city’s incredibly steep hills. There are two lines, one that takes you from near Fisherman’s Wharf to Union Square and one that goes past Lombard Street.

Postcard Row

To get those  postcard perfect shots of San Francisco  then you have to checkout Postcard Row, famous for the row of houses called the Painted Ladies that sit with the Skyline in the background. You will probably recognise these houses from TV shows. If TV and Movies are your thing there is a tour you can do that takes you to all the famous San Francisco filming locations.

Lombard Street

Lombard Street is often misconceived as the steepest street in San Francisco. It is not, but it is the most beautiful. The heavily zig zagged street was designed this way as the back in the day, cars could not get up such a steep incline. These days, it is mostly tourists who drive down, although you do see the occasional resident too. If you want to experience Lombard Street a little differently you can do a Go Car Tour.

The easiest and cheapest way to get to downtown San Francisco is via the BART, although you are limited with available downtown stops. If you are staying near Union Square then this option is perfect, but if you are staying near Fisherman’s Wharf for example you will need to disembark and change onto another form of public transport. You can also get the airport shuttle which will usually drop you straight off at your hotel.

Where to stay in San Francisco

We stayed pretty close to Union Square which was really handy. It was a short walk to Chinatown and a number of restaurants and bars. It was also close to the BART station as well as the MUNI metro.

Eating and drinking in San Francisco

Our top tip in terms of food has to be Chinatown. You have so much choice including Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese cuisine and it tastes really good too. It is also relatively cheap. If you are a fan of seafood we recommend heading down to Fisherman’s Wharf. They do some pretty good clam chowder bowls and quick bites.

Thankfully, LA and San Francisco aren’t all that far apart when it comes to flying time. So the good news is that your travel time won’t massively eat into to your 2 week USA itinerary. If you are looking for a detailed LA guide then do  checkout our post . And you are wondering how long to spend in LA we really don’t think that 2 days is anywhere near enough. For starters LA is huge. We were tempted to skip LA altogether on our trip but in hindsight we are glad we didn’t, although we would have loved to explore a lot more.

Why visit LA

Honestly LA is one of those places that divides opinion. You either love it or hate it .

So visiting is a great way to make up your own mind. LA is great for first time visitors to the USA because it gives you the chance to explore Hollywood, and the part of the US that movies have made famous. It’s great if you love movies, theme parks, and beaches.

Things to do in Los Angeles

Griffith observatory.

For some great views of the Hollywood sign and LA in general the Griffith Observatory is a must. You can also learn all about the cosmos and look through some powerful telescopes.

You cannot go to LA without visiting Hollywood. Contrary to popular belief it is not swarming with celebrities, instead you will find your typical tourist activities and wax museums. Some must see parts are the walk of fame as well as the handprints at the TLC Chinese theatre. This is also where you can get those celebrity homes tours from as well. Although we did one, and did not see any celebrities.

Hike the Hollywood Hills

If you want to get a bit closer to the Hollywood Sign you can do a guided tour . You will learn all about Hollywood and the surrounding areas, and the views are incredible too.

Hop On Hop Off Bus

Because LA is so big a Hop on Hop Off Bus tour is a good way to cover quite a bit of ground in the city and see some of the key attractions. There are different routes you can book onto and this can all be done online in advance.

Beverly Hills

For some great views of the Hollywood sign and LA in general the Griffith Observatory is a must. You can also learn all about the cosmos and look through some powerful telescopes. There are also some great hiking spots around here, but do be careful if you do decide to hike and follow the paths at all times. Tickets can be purchased on the day or online in advance .

Venice Beach

One of the true gems in LA is Venice Beach. It is one of the best places for people watching and is about as far removed from the Hollywood glitz and glamour as possible. If you do get the time we highly recommend visiting. Here are some of the best things to do in Venice Beach .

Also a top tip, Venice has some of the best sunsets we have ever seen, so if you get the chance to visit during sunset take it. Here is a walking tour you can do at sunset for good measure .

Santa Monica

Just down the road (for LA) from Venice is Santa Monica. The area is slightly more upmarket than Venice Beach and is a great place to go if you like shopping. There is also an amusement park located on the pier which is great for a fun day out.

Universal Studios

You cannot visit LA without a trip to Universal Studios . It’s not only rides and gimmicks, here you can tour a real working studio, and learn more about filmmaking. You do need a good day here, especially if you are into rides so give yourself a good amount of time.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

Another studio you can visit is Warner Brothers , which includes getting your picture taken at a replica Central Perk set.

LA is absolutely huge and so the best way to get to your hotel is via the airport shuttle. It is actually relatively cheap compared to airport shuttles in other cities, and you get dropped off right at your hotel door. You can book the shuttle at the designated booth in the arrivals section of LAX.

Where to stay in Los Angeles

There are so many different parts of LA to explore but one of the best areas to stay has to be Hollywood. There is a lot going on in terms of nightlife and it is much nicer than say Downtown LA. We actually ended up staying in Downtown LA at a nice hotel. The only issue was we didn’t really feel comfortable exploring at night so we were confined to the hotel during the evening.

Eating and drinking in Los Angeles

Hollywood is a great place to go for a mix of food. Our favourite place though was Mel’s Diner. It is a great place to go for milkshakes and apple pie, which is pretty much all I wanted since we landed in the US.

If you want to you could spend an extra day in LA, but we decided to take a break from the city for one night and head out to Big Bear Lake, a popular holiday destination located in the San Bernardino Valley.

Why Visit Big Bear Lake

Honestly the best reason to visit Big Bear is just to escape from the hustle and bustle of US cities and experience a bit of nature.

Things to do in Big Bear Lake

There are so many things to do in Big Bear Lake, like hiking or hiring a boat, but for us it was all about the relaxation. It also depends on what time of the year you are planning to visit. For example in the winter months it is a popular place for skiing whereas in summer it is all about the hiking.

Getting here from LA

We hired a car in LA and drove to Big Bear Lake. It takes around 2-3 hours depending on traffic and the views along the way are absolutely stunning. If you are looking to rent a car in the US then checkout this handy guide we put together.

Where to stay in Big Bear Lake

We highly recommend booking lakeside accommodation. We stayed in a resort right on the lake where the rooms had a cabin feel. It was perfect especially in the evening as we had a fireplace which made everything feel that much cosier.

Eating and drinking in Big Bear Lake

If you make your way into the village there are a number of places to eat and drink. Our favourite though had to be the Peppercorn Grille. They do pizzas, burgers, and steak along with other things. They also rustle up a pretty decent cocktail.

After a relaxing night we made our way to  Vegas . In our opinion Vegas is an absolute must. You literally feel like you are in another world and it is one of those places you have to see to believe. We chose to drive from LA to Big Bear and then on to Vegas. I think we may have watched Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and kind of had this dream of driving through the desert with the Vegas skyline up ahead, wind in our hair.

Why visit Las Vegas

Las Vegas is basically a playground for adults. Obviously, it has a strong party vibe with all the alcohol and gambling, but actually Vegas is so much more. Where else in the world can you ride a gondola, get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and visit a pyramid in the same day?

Wondering is Las Vegas worth visiting read this post. 

Things to do in Las Vegas

These are some of the top things to do in Las Vegas, but if you want more info and our Las Vegas bucket list suggestions checkout this post.

Hotel Hopping

You would actually be surprised how long it takes to walk from one end of the vegas strip to the other, so hotel hopping in Vegas can be quite time consuming. Some of the must sees though are the Paris Hotel where you can go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The Bellagio with its fountain show is another must see as well as the Venetian which was our personal favourite as you even had the chance to ride a Gondola.

Highlights include:

Floating around on a gondola at the Venetian and/or visiting Madame Tussauds.

Riding a rollercoaster at New York New York.

 Gazing out from the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris.

Riding the High Roller at the LINQ.

No trip to Vegas is complete without a selfie at the Las Vegas Sign. Located at the top of the strip right near the Mandalay Bay Hotel, you will find queues of people along with the occasional bride and groom waiting to have their picture taken. The best time to go is in the morning when it is a lot quieter and you can get photos with less people.

A fantastic way to get around Vegas is to do a Hop On Hop Off bus tour. Not only do you get taken to all the key attractions, but you also get an opportunity to learn about the history of this amazing city.

There are a number of day trips you can do from Vegas, including the Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon .  You can book these tours through your hotel concierge and if you have the time they are a nice break away from the craziness that is Las Vegas. Top tours include:

Grand Canyon/ Hoover Dam

If you want to be a little fancy and treat yourself you can do a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon .

Death Valley

Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend

Hoover Dam and Seven Magic Mountains

Freemont Street/ Old Las Vegas

Downtown Las Vegas, couldn’t be more different to the Vegas Strip. Nevertheless it is really worth seeing. For starters there are some of the old school casinos in Vegas such as the Golden Nugget. There is also a zip line that whizzes you across Freemont Street at speed. One of our favourite things though was the Mob Museum . It is a fascinating insight into the darker side of US history and the mob’s impact on Vegas itself. There is also the Neon Sign Museum which is where you guessed it, Neon Signs go to die. Again it gives insight into old Las Vegas and what the city was like in its heyday.

Go to a show

A great way to experience all the glitz and glamour of Vegas is to get yourself to one of the incredible shows in the city. You’ve got things like:

The Blue Man Group

Mindfreak Magic Show

Cirque du Soliel

David Copperfield

The easiest and quickest way to get from the airport to the Vegas Strip is via shuttle bus. You may have to wait a while depending on what time you fly in, but the service is great and you get driven straight to your hotel door.

Where to stay in Las Vegas

Ideally you want to stay on the Vegas Strip as this is where most of the action is. We stayed at Paris, and it was centrally located and in the middle of all the action. Hotels in Vegas range in price and also standard so whatever your budget, you will be spoilt for choice.

Eating and drinking in Las Vegas

You will also be spoilt for choice for food and drink in Vegas, from the elaborate hotel buffets to the restaurants owned by celebrity chefs. There are way too many places to choose from and something to cater to all tastes.

The final city that we highly recommend on any trip to the US is New York . It really is one of the most incredible places we have visited and there is so much to see and do. We ended up getting a red eye flight from Vegas into New York that saved us a nights accommodation and meant we had an extra full day to spend in New York.

You might be wondering why New York is the last place on our 2 week USA itinerary considering that we started in Chicago. Well for us we were trying to get back to the UK and New York was a great final stop before our transatlantic flight. Obviously, you can do this in any order that makes it more convenient for you.

Why visit New York

New York has to be one of the most exciting cities in the world, and for that reason no 2 week USA itinerary is complete without a visit. If you love history, architecture, museums, art, and good food, then New York is a must.

Wondering is New York worth visiting ? This post will help you decide.

Things to do in New York

New York is epic and there is probably enough to do for months on end, but we have listed some of the highlights and must sees to help you plan your itinerary. We also have a guide if it just so happens to rain during your time in NYC. 

And if you want more ideas checkout our New York bucket list .

Central Park

Central Park was a must for us especially because we had seen it so many times in the movies or on TV. In fact you can even do a tour of Central Park that takes you to all the famous filming locations. The Park is a bustling hive of activity with rollerbladers, bikes, and tourists travelling in horse and carts.

Some highlights in Central Park include the boathouse where you can rent a row boat particularly in those summer months with the skyscrapers in the background. Another must is the Lennon memorial titled Strawberry Fields.  It is located adjacent to the Dakota Building, which is where John Lennon was living when he was shot returning home on the 8th of December 1980.

Times Square

Times Square is a must when visiting New York. Ok so we don’t recommend spending a lot of time here, because it is so touristy, but do visit it at least once during your time in NYC.

Brooklyn Bridge

One of the most iconic structures in New York has to be the Brooklyn Bridge. And taking the walk across is a must do when visiting the city.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is probably one of the most well recognised buildings in New York. Located on 5th Avenue, the Empire State is a 102 story art deco style building. Construction on the building began in 1930 and doors opened in 1931, a mere 13 and a half months after the first beam was laid. You get some awesome views of New York from the 86th floor of the building, just be prepared to be pushed around by crowds of tourists. To skip the lines make sure you buy your ticket online in advance .

Top of the Rock

The Rockefeller centre was created by J.D. Rockefeller Jr, and was designed to be a city within a city. Building was completed in 1933 and since then the building has become a cultural hub.You will get to see the city from the 67th, 69th and 70th floors and like the Empire State the views are incredible. It is generally not too crowded on the observation decks. Plus the cool thing is you can get a picture of the iconic Empire State Building as well.

If you are tossing up between the Empire State and Top of the Rock here is a handy guide to help you decide which one to visit.

Again tickets can be purchased online in advance .

The High Line

The High Line is a 1.45 mile elevated park on a disused train track and is a garden oasis in the middle of a busy city. It is a lovely place to go for a walk or just sit down and take in your surroundings.

Do a helicopter tour

If you are feeling a bit fancy you can live out my dream of flying above the New York Skyline in a helicopter . I may have watched one too many movies, but still one day!

Statue of Liberty

Another New York City icon is of course the Statue of Liberty. To see the Statue up close you can book a boat tour that takes you to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. If you are planning to do this you should set a full day aside and book in advance. It is super busy and you will spend a lot of the day just waiting in line.

We were short of time so we only managed to see Liberty Island to get a few close up shots of the Statue. It is a wonderful experience and we would really recommend it. Alternatively you could get the Staten Island Ferry for a glimpse of Lady Liberty herself, but you certainly don’t get as close as you do on the tourist boats.

We tried to buy tickets on the day and spent ages in line, so we highly recommend that you purchase these online in advance .

New York has some pretty amazing museums, from the Natural History Museum to the Guggenheim. We decided to visit the Museum of Modern Art which houses works from artists such a Van Gogh, Dali, and my personal favourite Andy Warhol. You seriously cannot go to New York without visiting at least one museum.

One of the more sombre but important museums we visited was the 9/11 museum. For my generation there is a question of ‘where were you when you heard the news about the planes hitting the tower’. The museum is beautiful, it honours the victims, and looks at the resilience and bravery of New Yorkers.

Another recommendation in NYC is to do a hop on hop off bus tour. These are really useful when you only have a short time in a city.

There are a number of airports in New York, and most of them have a shuttle bus that will take you straight to your hotel. Just be mindful that New York traffic can be pretty bad. But ultimately it is cheaper than a taxi which is handy.

Where to stay in New York

We ended up staying near Times Square which was great on a short trip, but if you are visiting for a bit longer, we recommend staying in one of the neighbourhoods like the East Village for example. There is a lot more atmosphere and you get to see the less touristy side of New York. No matter where you stay though you really want to make sure you are near a subway station which will make getting around New York so much easier.

Eating and drinking in New York

We actually write a post all about the foods you need to try in New York . There is so much choice and it is hard to narrow down. There are some great places to eat and drink in the East Village including our favourite, a 24 hour Ukrainian dinner called  Veselka , it is also a great place for drinks and one of our favourite bars was The Immigrant . Another must is a visit to the Dominque Ansel Bakery which is of course the home of the famous Cronut.

Before planning your 2 week USA itinerary you might be wondering when the best time of year to visit is. Summer is most definitely peak travel season (June – August). And you have that added stress in August of school holidays. If you are planning on traveling around the US at this time make sure that you book accommodation well in advance, as well as your tours and attractions.

The best time really to plan your 2 week USA itinerary will e in the shoulder seasons, so either spring (March- May) or Autumn especially September and October. Personally Autumn (or fall) is one of our favourite times to visit because you get to see the beautiful leaves change colour and begin to fall. It’s especially beautiful visiting somewhere like New York City, or Big Bear Lake.

Winters can be harsh in some of the places we have mentioned in this guide, especially Chicago and New York. So adverse weather may hinder your plans to see certain attractions. That being said December in New York is incredible with the build-up to the Christmas season.

Ok, so budgeting for your 2 week USA itinerary is a tough one. It will all depend on where you want to stay, and what you want to see. For a mid-range holiday we would probably recommend budgeting about $3000 per person for the 2 weeks.

We found accommodation to be quite expensive in the USA, particularly if you want to stay in a central location in one of the big cities we have listed. On average you are looking at about $200 per night for a mid range hotel room that is centrally located.

Food is slightly cheaper in the US (but don’t forget to tip), and you could probably get away with spending about $50 per person if you were trying to budget.

Hopefully this 2 week USA itinerary has you all excited about booking your trip to the USA. There are so many other cities to visit though and you can check out our  East Coast  and  West Coast  itinerary to cover more places you should visit. If you have found this article don’t forget to Pin it for later.

Wanderlust and Life is a blog for those that love to travel.

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Visiting America for the first time – 27 valuable things to know

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For anyone visiting America for the first time, these travel tips & valuable things to know will help you plan a better trip.

Whether hitting those bucket list locations such as New York City , or taking on the great outdoors on an epic USA road trip, it’s well worth being prepared with some handy knowledge.

Visiting America for the first time

1. Don’t try to see all of it in one trip

The USA is a mighty big place so it’s impossible to see it all in one trip. I’ve been 15 times and still haven’t begun to scratch the surface.

For this reason. when planning a overseas trip , choosing just a few of your bucket list places is a much better idea. Also be sure to consider the distances and whether you would be better to fly or drive to each.

2. You’ll need an ESTA or visa to enter

Most nationals will only need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to enter the USA.

• ESTA processing fee $14
• Nationals who DO NOT require a visa must apply for the ESTA (excludes Canada and some other countries)
• ESTA is valid for 2 years and covers multiple trips into the United States (unless your passport expires)
• single entries are valid for 90 days maximum
• Applications are typically processed within 24 hours
• to see your entry requirements got to esta.cbp.dhs.gov

3. Try not to get sick during your travels

The health care system in the United States is pretty dismal so getting sick is something I always try to avoid.

When visiting the USA for the first time my travel companion got sick and needed some heavy duty pain medication. Before we could even see the doctor they wanted us to fork out nearly $200, plus even more for the consultation. It would end us costing us around $500.

It’s a hard pill to swallow (no pun intended) when where we live it would only cost around $30. So stock up on your vitamins and try not to get sick.

4. Get travel insurance

So the good part of our doctors visit story is that we were able to claim most of the medical expenses back due to having travel insurance.

It may be a cost you hate to pay but the expenses you might incur are a much bigger headache. So one of the most important things to do before travelling to the USA is to get travel insurance.

5. Most domestic airlines will charge baggage fees

For those planning on traveling across country, baggage fees can certainly add up.

The big airline carriers in America include American Airlines, United, Delta and South West Airlines. There are also many smaller commercial airlines operating throughout the country. Many will charge baggage fees for domestic travel.

General luggage allowance is 50 pounds / 23 kg.

• American Airlines $30
• United Airlines $35
• South West – first 2 checked bags FREE

6. Tipping is inevitable

If tipping is not a requirement or customary in your place of residence then getting your head around tipping is not easy. But in the USA it is part of life and tipping is politely expected for most services. Think restaurants, taxi fares, tour guides, hotels and bars.

With the minimum wage being so low, tipping your waiter is a gesture of good service. As a rough guide aim to tip 15 to 20%.

To give you an idea of how much you might spend on tips, during my first trip to the USA I spent nearly $400 in tips over a 1 month period.

Related article: A cheats guide to saving money while traveling.

7. The USA is king of food chains

It’s no surprise that the United States comes in first as having the most food chain restaurants in the world. And while you might think this all means lots of fast food, there are actually some really great chain restaurants that are perfect for travellers.

Chain restaurants usually means cheaper food expenses so if you are travelling the USA on a budget, they may just be your best friend. Some of these include P.F Changs, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, The Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden.

8. Food portions are huge

While we’re still on the subject of food, you certainly won’t go hungry during your stay. The food portions are absolutely huge so don’t be shy to ask for the rest to go.

9. Don’t forget your power converter

Power plugs are sockets for the USA are type A and B. Standard voltage is 120 V.

I recommend an international power adapter so you can use it for all your future travels. This handy converter with 4 USB ports is all about traveling lightly.

10. There are 9 climate zones in the USA

Weather in the United States can change dramatically from one state to the next. When visiting America for the first time it’s a good idea to brush up on where you are going in regards to expected weather and temperatures.

While regions such as Florida can be hot and humid all year round, head further north and you could be dodging a snow storm during the winter months.

Places such as Utah are also known to be extremely hot during the summer months yet still see snow and extreme cold during winter time.

11. Be aware of extreme weather events

Hurricanes, tornadoes, polar blizzards and firestorms can occur in America without warning. These kind of weather events are prone to certain areas and can sure ruin your vacation in an instant.

Hurricane /Cyclone Season – June 1st to November 30th, peaking between August to October. Florida, Texas, North & South Carolina and Louisiana are the highest hit states.

Tornadoes – these damaging funnels or air are generally formed when cold dry air meets moist warm air. Tornada Alley sees the highest occurrence in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Polar blizzards – these freezing snow storms can happen in many states throughout the USA but are more prone to the Northern and Eastern sides. Even southern states such as Texas and California have seen snow storms where altitude are higher.

Firestorms – these ravaging and life threatening fires occur mostly in the state of California during times of high heat, thunderstorms and prevailing winds. Texas and Colorado also have seen their fair share of firestorms.

12. You have to be 21 to drink alcohol

You might be disappointed to know that the drinking age in the USA is 21. So if you are planning on celebrating your birthday in America, best you be over this age.

13. Keep your passport with you at all times

If you look up to 30 years of age in the USA, you will most likely need to show some form of identification if purchasing alcohol. While a driver licence is usually enough, some establishments may ask to see your passport as proof of age.

There are also other times when your passport might just save your arse. This occurred to me while in San Diego when I was pulled over by police for walking in a unbeknownst dodgy part of town. After much questioning and a flash of my passport I was eventually let off, a little shaken by the experience.

14. The USA is the place to take a road trip

Road tripping is one the best experiences when visiting America for the first time.

Head out on the wide open roads in search of adventure and jaw dropping scenery. From the popular coastal route along California’s Pacific Coast Highway to Route 66 which crosses 8 states, taking a road trip is one of the best vacation ideas for your trip.

Rentalcars.com covers all the main car rental companies in order for you to find the best deal.

15. You may want to visit one of the 423 National Parks

The USA has some of the world’s most incredible and diverse National Parks in the world.

The Grand Canyon is by far the most popular for tourists and can be accessed via a range of tours. Personally, I have seen it via a road trip and also on a scenic flight.

Another super popular National Park is Yellowstone with it’s thermal and volcanic activity. It truly has to be seen to be believed. Head further south and you can do the join the Grand Circle Loop, taking in parks such as Zion, Arches, Bryce and Canyonlands.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is situated on the eastern side of USA and borders North Carolina and Tennessee.

The top 5 visited USA National Parks by international tourists are:

• Grand Canyon NP
• Yosemite NP
• Yellowstone NP
• Bryce Canyon NP

16. A National Parks Pass can save you money

America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass – costs $80 per vehicle.

While there is no shorter term for visitors to the USA, it still works out to be a cheap option visiting several parks.

For single entry you will pay up to $35 (eg. Yellowstone & Yosimte NP) so it makes sense to purchase one. You can either go online to purchase or grab it as you enter your first park. I recommend the latter as the park may be unattended when you arrive.

17. There’s some seriously incredible and dangerous wild life

The wildlife in the USA is a big reason many tourists are visiting USA for the first time.

Seeing a Bear, Moose or American Bison are incredible moments and worthy of multiple picture taking. But you must also remember that they are wild and a safe distance must be kept at all times. Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are known for having the best wildlife sightings in the country.

Other wildlife to be weary of include the elusive Mountain Lion which is also known as a cougar. These creatures inhabit many states including California, Montana, Arizona and Florida to name a few.

With 30 species of venomous snakes throughout the country, it’s worth watching where you set foot when out and about in the great outdoors. With the rattle snake being king of dangerous snakes, Arizona tops the state with the most deadliest snakes.

18. Los Angeles is a traffic nightmare

One place to ditch the car is most definitely Los Angles.

Known as having the worst traffic congestion than any other city in the United States, Los Angeles is best avoided on road simply for your insanity.

As a visitor to the great city, I would opt for public transport and covering as much as possible on foot. Alternately a Hop on Hop off bus tour would be a better option than a rental car.

19. America is an incredible melting pot of cultures and ethnicities

Home to over 45 million immigrants, the USA sure is a diverse and cultural place to visit.

Mexico makes up a large portion of this number so knowing a little Spanish goes a long way, particularly in the southern states.

20. You have to try the local cuisine in each region

Back to food. It appears everywhere you go you’ll be met with local delicacies you absolutely must try.

Food trucks and street carts in particular are a cheap way to eat, and this is where you will find some amazing things to try.

Each state appears to have a local cuisine they are best known for so be sure to give them a try.

Here are a few to remember.

New York – best for street carts – includes Pizza, hot dogs and breakfast bagels

New Orleans – Cajun and creole cooking – jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and Rice. Also try the famous Po-Boy and Cafe Du Monde French Beignets.

New England – for the best Clam Chowder

San Diego – for Mexican food. Shrimp tacos are the best and can be found in many restaurants and food trucks.

Texas – juicy and delicious BBQ cook ups as well as pecan pie.

Southern States – fried green tomatoes, southern style chicken, shrimp and grits, biscuits & gravy.

21. Public transport is not so popular with tourists

Public transport in the United States is not particularly loved by many locals let alone tourists visiting. This makes it really hard to traverse the USA on a budget.

While you can certainly get away with using buses and trains, it’s not exactly up to date with the modern world, hense needing a serious upgrade.

Trains and buses can also be an intimidating prospect during night time, though many would have no issue using this means of transport.

Most tourists choose to either fly or rent a car for long distances rather than take a train or bus. For short distances and city commutes during the day you should have no issue on public transport, and I regularly used the New York subway when in town during the day and early evenings.

22. Ride Share options in the USA

Uber and Lyft are the country’s 2 largest ride share companies.

Uber: there are approximately 1 million drivers in the USA. It is available in all 50 states.

Lyft: there are approximately 700,000 + drivers in the USA. It is available in 40 states currently.

23. America is generally safe but…

Every country has crime so I’m certainly not picking on this one. In fact, of my 15 trips to the USA I never had an issue.

But is is worth noting if this is your first time in USA, crime happens and you should be aware of it. Violence and burglary is not uncommon as well as muggings. So be sure to keep your things close by and never assume every stranger means well. This would be the same advice for any country.

I like to carry a money belt to keep my passport and credit cards safe when travelling. You can also store your mobile phone and keys too. The RFID blocking component helps protect your credit cards chips being read.

You can purchase a RFID money belt via Amazon here.

24. Outlet shopping is worth saving for

Though not an avid shopper, the USA is my one exception. And for this reason heading to the many outlet shopping centers is a great place to find super bargains in all departments.

In particular, big brands such as Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Coach and Kate Spade are high on my radar. Other great brands include Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Levi and Tommy Hilfiger.

So if you are also concerned about how much restraint you might or might not have, I suggest when saving for your overseas trip , you save a little more for some incredible bargains.

The top outlets in the country include:

Woodbury Common Premium Outlet – New York

Citadel Outlets – Los Angeles

North Premium Outlets – Las Vegas

Premium Outlets – Seattle

Waikeke Premium Outlets – Hawaii (Ohau)

25. States with no sales tax

Along with tipping, paying sales tax in addition to the advertised price is sometimes confusing.

Just think, you’ve come across something pretty awesome that takes your eye and the price is even sweeter. Then you get to the cashier and the price instantly goes up. That’s because sales tax is added to the price you see out on the shop floor.

Though the average tax is 2% to 7% with California having one of the highest in the country at 7.25%.

There are 5 states with NO sales tax – Alaska, Montana, Delaware, new Hampshire and Oregon. That means what you see is what you pay.

26. Try not to talk politics

Never have I seen a country so torn by the word ‘politics”.

When you hear of families been torn apart by opposite political views, you know it’s serious. So when I was in the USA during Trumps reign I made a note not to bring up the subject in fear of hearing more than I needed to.

27. Pack light for several reasons

Lugging your luggage around is no fun when moving from location to location.

After so many trips to the USA I made it a note to keep it light as possible. Of course I still take checked luggage but try to keep it under 15 kg. Using public transport and staying in cheaper hotels that have no elevator don’t make the situation any easier. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for it.

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Your first visit to the USA: 10 travel tips

Making your first visit to the USA is an exciting prospect. But when I was planning my very first trip to America, I had so many questions and I didn’t always find it as easy as I’d expected to find relevant information online. This post will give the answers to some of the questions I had before my trip, in case they’re useful to you as well. And I’ll also be sharing some of the things that I found surprising when visiting the USA for the first time as a European.

Everything really is bigger than at home

You probably knew this already, but everything really is bigger in the USA. Sometimes this is fantastic. Airline seats, for example, are bigger and more spacious when flying on an American budget airline like Southwest compared to a European budget airline like Ryanair . Sometimes this is dangerous, like when you eat your entire daily allowance of calories just with the portion size of your breakfast.

The main thing you need to know when planning your first visit to the USA is how big the distances are between places you want to visit. Yellowstone National Park on its own is approximately one third the size of the entire country of Wales. You probably already knew that states like Alaska, Texas and California are huge. But did you know that Montana, Colorado, Arizona and Michigan are also bigger than the entire UK?

The size, the emptiness and the long road trips are part of what makes America a fun destination to visit. But just make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew when you’re planning your itinerary. If you wouldn’t normally drive from Land’s End to John O’Groats in a day, don’t plan to drive from one side of Montana to the other either.

Immigration might not be as scary as you think

I’m not going to lie. I was really stressed about going through US immigration before my first visit to the USA. I’d like to think I’m a model citizen. I’ve never had so much as a parking ticket in my entire life. But I was convinced that they were going to find some reason not to let me in. I think US immigration gets hyped up a lot in the press and so I was expecting to be subjected to some serious interrogation before my passport was stamped. In the end, it turned out to be a breeze. I’ve faced tougher interrogations trying to enter Finland after Brexit.

Obviously, your mileage may vary with this depending on your nationality, the purpose of your visit and which other countries have stamped your passport. In particular, if you have visited any of the following countries you will have difficulty entering the USA:

• North Korea

If you have a stamp from one of the above countries in your passport then you are not eligible to visit America under the visa waiver scheme. You’ll need to apply for a full visa instead, which takes time and costs money. If you’re planning on visiting one of those countries you may therefore want to be strategic, and time it for a year when your passport is getting close to expiring.

Citizens of most European countries, including the UK, are otherwise eligible to travel to the USA under the visa waiver scheme for tourist visits of less than 90 days. Remember that you need to apply for an ESTA ahead of your trip. Always use the official ESTA website to do this.

If you are worried about entering the USA, consider flying from Dublin Airport. Dublin is one of a handful of airports in the world which has a US Preclearance facility. This means that once you’ve checked in your bags and gone through normal security at Dublin Airport, if you’re booked on a flight to the USA you are then directed to a special part of the airport. In this preclearance facility, you go through American security (get ready to take your shoes off!) and then you go through US passport control whilst still in Ireland.

I did this when I made my first visit to the USA and it was super easy. The queues were nowhere near as long as I expected and while the US officials in Dublin did fingerprint me, they didn’t subject me to the barrage of questions about the purpose of my visit which I’d expected. Once you get through the checks in Dublin you are officially stamped into the US before you board your flight. This means that when your flight eventually touches down in America, it’s treated as a domestic arrival and so you don’t have to join any long immigration lines there.

I think this works really well if you are catching an internal connecting flight to elsewhere in the US, because you’re arriving in the same domestic terminal that your next flight will be departing from. And if you’re genuinely worried about whether you’ll be allowed into the USA… well, if the worst happens and you’re rejected, at least this has happened while you’re still in Europe and have a shorter journey home.

Tipping is a culture shock

We all know that when we go to America, we’re supposed to tip. But when I was planning my first visit to the USA, I found surprisingly little information online about how tipping works in practice. How much should I tip? Do I have to tip everywhere, even in McDonalds? Can I tip just by leaving coins on the table like I do in Europe?

I ended up having to enlist the help of an American to explain tipping etiquette to me before I travelled. I am by no means an expert on this but the main points I’ve taken on board are:

• You ought to tip 18% if the service has been ok.
• Tipping less than 15% would be offensive.
• Tip 20% or more to reward genuinely good service.
• You don’t have to tip in fast food restaurants or coffee shops (i.e. places where you collect your own food). But you can tip if you want to; many places will have a tip jar.
• You do have to tip in sit-down restaurants where someone brings you your food.

In most places I ate in America, tipping worked like this:

• The waitress brought me a paper copy of my bill and a pen.
• There was a space at the bottom of the bill for me to write in the amount I intended to tip. So essentially you have to look at the bill total and try and figure out what 18% of that is. Not going to lie, sometimes I had to tip 20% because I couldn’t calculate 18% in my head.
• Once I’d written down the tip, I then had to write the new total (so original total plus tip) onto the bill. More mental arithmetic – yay!
• Then I had to physically sign the bill.
• Finally, my card got charged for the new total amount including the tip.

Some places were more modern and had card machines where you could select the amount you wanted to tip on-screen. Those were much easier. But there were a surprising amount of places still using paper and pens.

Honestly, I found this all very complicated. I don’t always tip in Europe, but when I do it’s by telling a waiter to keep the change, rounding up a taxi fare to the nearest big number or leaving a handful of coins on the table. Tipping in America is quite a culture shock.

What I will say, in fairness, is that the service always was extremely good by European standards. The only places I resented tipping were restaurants where I ordered at a bar and then had to come back to to collect my own food. I ate in one Italian restaurant near the Grand Canyon , for example, where after ordering my food I was given a buzzer. The buzzer rang when my pizza was ready and I went to the counter to collect it, also picking up my own cutlery and condiments. It’s a cool system and I don’t mind carrying my own pizza – but in my head I was questionning exactly what service I was tipping 20% for.

Sales tax varies from state to state

Most Europeans probably know that sales tax works differently in the USA. Rather than being included in the price you see, as it is in Europe, American sales tax gets added on at the till.

Honestly, I don’t think this is as big a deal as it probably was in the past. When you’re paying by card, as most of us are these days, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re charged $1 or $1.07. I imagine this was more of an issue in the past when people were paying with cash and trying to work out how many dollars to get out of their purse.

The thing which did blow me away when I started researching my first visit to the USA though was the fact that sales tax percentage vary not just between different states, but sometimes within states as well. It might be 6.75% in one part of a state and 7.75% just down the road.

The learning I’ve taken from this is that it’s never possible to be sure in advance exactly how much sales tax will be on your bill. You need to make your peace with that.

American toilets are weird

One thing I didn’t expect to find challenging when I made my first visit to USA was going to the bathroom. But I discovered within my first 10 minutes in America that American toilets are a bit different to European ones!

I landed in Boston and followed signs for the nearest public toilets in the domestic terminal. Upon entering the toilets, I went into the first cubicle and found that the toilet bowl was full of water.

“Oh no,” I thought to myself. “This toilet is blocked! I guess I’d better choose another.”

Innocent European that I was, I went in and out of three different toilet cubicles before I figured out that American toilets just have a huge amount of water in them as standard.

I haven’t got a photo to illustrate what I’m talking about. Taking a photo of a toilet would be a bit weird. But everywhere I used flushing toilets across America, the situation was exactly the same. There was so much water! If you saw that much water in a European toilet, you’d be calling a plumber to get it unblocked.

The second thing which freaked me out about public toilets in the USA is the gaps in the cubicle doors. Toilet cubicles in Europe tend to be quite private. I mean, most people like some privacy when going to the bathroom. In lots of places the doors are all the way from the floor to the ceiling with no gaps. In other places there are gaps, but they’re less than 6 inches.

The gaps in US toilet cubicles are huge and it’s so strange! When I went to the toilet in airports in particular, I generally found the gap between the cubicle door and the ground was so big that, if I’d somehow got locked in, I could just have got down on my hands and knees and crawled out. Maybe that’s why they have such big gaps? No idea. But if you like a lot of privacy in the bathroom, prepare to feel awkward!

Hotel rooms have fridges and microwaves

I spent three weeks road tripping around the USA during my first visit and every hotel room I stayed in had a refridgerator. The majority of the hotel rooms also had a microwave. This isn’t really a thing in Europe. I mean, if you stay in a more upmarket European hotel then you might have a small fridge which functions as a mini-bar, but a standard empty fridge for you to put things in? Nope, never seen that.

The fridges are useful if you want to keep drinks cool over night or something like that. But to honest, I don’t really like sleeping in rooms with a fridge because they can be a bit noisy. If you’re sensitive to fridge noise, my top travel tip for the USA is to bring some ear plugs .

Expect ice – everywhere!

Before my first visit to the USA I knew that Americans liked putting ice in their drinks. But I had no idea how much ice! They really do love ice in the USA, so much so that you need to prepare yourself to receive more ice than drink a lot of the time. Drinks routinely contain so much ice that in Europe, customers would be complaining that they weren’t getting the drink they were paying for. In America, this isn’t a problem because free refills of soft drinks are routine in many eating establishments.

Another thing that surprised me is that all hotels seem to have ice machines. I don’t understand why – if you know, please explain in the comments. But they’re a massive deal. I stayed in one hotel where there was a sign at reception explaining where the ice machine was. I stayed at another hotel that gave me a map which indicated where it was. Despite trying and trying and trying to think of what I might be able to do with ice in my hotel room, I failed. I have literally never stayed in a hotel room and thought, “What I really need right now is some ice. I wonder where the ice machine is?”.

Cultural differences are so interesting. I guess American tourists must find it strange when they come to Europe and most hotels don’t have ice machines.

You probably need to rent a car

When I was planning my first visit to America, I started researching public transport options. I stopped researching public transport options pretty quickly and started researching car rental instead!

I love travelling on public transport. There are lots of European countries like Italy where trains are so good that renting a car is unnecessary. But America really is the land of the car. Unless you’re planning a city break to New York, you’ll need your own set of wheels to get around.

I found that in some cities you need a car just to get to the shops. Like the shops aren’t in the centre of town where you could walk to them, like in Europe. They’re more likely to be located in retail parks you need to drive to on the edge of town instead.

You even need a car to eat in some fast food establishments. I found on multiple occasions that the lobby (internal seating area) of a McDonalds or similar would be closed and only the drive-thru part of the restaurant would be operating.

So you will probably need to rent a car to make the most of your trip. I recommend using Discover Cars to compare your car rental options and find a good price.

Remember if you do rent a car that the majority of cars in the USA are automatic. Automatic is much easier to drive than manual so this shouldn’t be a problem. It may just take you 10 minutes to get used to not having a clutch.

You may need to learn some new vocabulary

If you’re from the UK or you’ve learned British English at school, you may find you need to learn some new vocabulary before your first visit to the USA. You probably already know that crisps are chips and chips are fries. You’ll need to fill your car up with gas rather than petrol and make sure to walk on a sidewalk rather than a pavement.

But, some American words I didn’t know before I planned my first trip are:

• Parking lot. This is a car park in British English.
• Scenic overlook. This seems to be American English for a viewpoint. You’ll see the word “overlook” used a lot if you’re visiting national parks in the USA and it’s just referring to a place that you can either drive or walk to, to look down at a scenic view.
• Trailhead. Honestly, I’m not sure we have a word for this in British English. It’s the place where a bunch of footpaths start. So you might leave your car in a parking lot at the trailhead before hiking to a scenic overlook.

Make sure you know which time zones you’re travelling through

There are four main time zones in the USA:

• Eastern Standard Time (EST). This covers all the states on the eastern side of the USA. So if you’re visiting New York, North Carolina or Ohio, you’ll be using EST. EST is 5 hours behind GMT.
• Central Standard Time (CST). This covers 10 US states, including Alabama, Illinois and Oklahoma. CST is 6 hours behind GMT.
• Mountain Standard Time (MST). The six states fully covered by MST are Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Idaho, Oregon and Nevada have some parts which apply MST and others that apply PST (see below). If you’re travelling to one of those states, make sure you know which time zone applies in your destination. MST is 7 hours behind GMT.
• Pacific Standard Time (PST). This time zone covers the west coast states of California and Washington. Also most of Oregon and Nevada, plus some of Idaho. PST is 8 hours behind GMT.

There are further complications in some states. Most states apply daylight savings time in the summer in a similar way to European countries. Arizona, however, does not. So if you travel to the Grand Canyon in the summer, Arizona will be on GMT – 7 and the UK will be on GMT +1, resulting in a time difference on 8 hours. But it depends which part of Arizona you’re travelling to. The Navajo Nation do adopt daylight savings time, so when you’re on their territory within Arizona you will be on GMT -6 in summer, a 7 hour time difference to the UK on GMT +1. So if you want to keep track of the time on your first visit to the USA, it pays to do some research in advance.

What surprised you on your first visit to the USA? Do you know why there is so much water in US toilets or what Americans do with ice in their hotel rooms? Let us know in the comments below!

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Know Before You Go: Travelling to America for the First Time

So you’re thinking of travelling to America for the first time? Great news! 

From applying for your ESTA and figuring out state laws to understanding money and American etiquette, this list of thirty things to know before going to America is a must read!

Know Before You Go: Planning Your Trip To America

1. check when hurricane season and tornado season are before booking your trip.

Destinations on the south east coast such as Florida are at risk of hurricanes at certain times of the year. This is known as the Atlantic hurricane season , which runs from June through November.

Likewise, April through June is a peak time for tornadoes to strike places like Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota.

So keep both of these freak weather seasons in mind when planning your own USA trip.

2. Check the ‘six month club’ passport validity rules

Travellers from some countries are required to have a passport that is valid for six months beyond their intended stay in the US.

You can check whether this applies to you here [last updated in 2017] .

3. You’ll need to apply for an ESTA before travelling to the USA

ESTA stands for ‘Electronic System for Travel Authorisation’ and is a Visa Waiver Program. 

This enables travellers from certain countries to travel freely throughout the US (up to 90 consecutive days per trip) without having to apply for a traditional visa. For instance, if you’re travelling to the USA from the UK, then an ESTA is for you.

Although authorisation is usually granted within a few hours, it’s recommended to apply for a US ESTA well before your trip in case of any delays. This is the most important thing to do before travelling to the USA!

4. Know the rules about connecting flights

If you’re catching an international flight that has a US connection, which is most common with trips to Canada or South America, then you’ll still need to clear US customs and immigration just as you would if you were staying in America.

This means fulfilling the visa or ESTA visa requirements, even if you’re only staying in an American airport for a couple of hours between connecting flights, so make sure you allow for a 2-3 hour layover (as a minimum).

Know Before You Go: Packing & Border Control

5. you’ll need to pack a type a adapter.

American plug sockets are Type A and Type B (with the latter also fitting Type A sockets). 

We always prefer packing a universal adapter like this one so that we know it’ll work wherever we end up going.

6. Use a TSA-approved lock

Did you know that TSA agents in America are permitted to break locks on your luggage if they suspect something is amiss? A note will be placed inside your bag to tell you if this has happened to you.

To avoid having to replace your lock, you can use TSA-approved locks , which can be opened by any TSA agent with a master key.

7. Always check in online beforehand if you can

Okay so this isn’t a tip specifically for the US but it’s useful to know if you’re new to travelling by air. 

Airlines across the world frequently overbook flights, so that if a passenger doesn’t show up or cancels at the last minute, then the plane will always fly full.

If you’ve checked in online in advance then you won’t be bumped from the flight unless the airline calls for volunteers (and you put your hand up).

There’s a useful TripAdvisor post that goes into this in more detail here .

8. Customs and border control are taken very seriously

Particularly since 9/11, the US takes customs and border control very seriously.

Never try to be smart with border control in your answers to their questions or joke with the TSA agents (unless they’ve already cracked a joke with you first, which is rare).

You’ll be asked all sorts of questions like how long you’re staying for, where you’re staying, is your trip for business or leisure, what work are you doing if it is a business trip and possibly more.

Just answer them honestly and succinctly and you should be stamped through without a problem – providing you’ve sorted your ESTA or visa of course!

Know Before You Go: USA Laws

9. state laws differ across the fifty states.

Something you’ll notice a lot when reading the rest of these top things to know before travelling to America for the first time is that each state operates differently – just like individual countries do!

Each US state is a sovereign entity in its own right, so are granted the power to create state laws and regulate them according to their own needs, to be used alongside federal laws.

Examples of when state laws differ are in the cases of gun control, same-sex marriage and abortion.

10. The legal drinking age is 21

You can vote, smoke and enlist in the military at the age of 18 but you have to be over 21 in order to drink. 

As strange as it sounds, this is a universal law across all US states – and they’re very strict about it, so take your ID everywhere you go!

11. The legal gambling age is sometimes 18 and sometimes 21… and sometimes another number entirely

To gamble in Las Vegas, you have to be 21. Head to Idaho or Rhode Island and you can go to a casino at the age of 18. And then there’s Alabama who calls for you to be 19 before you can legally gamble. Confused yet? Us too.

12. Take note of smoking bans and where they’re in effect

Smoking bans are in effect across a number of US states but – as usual – laws differ from state to state. 

Some states don’t regulate smoking at all, others have banned smoking in certain areas and not others, while other states have banned smoking from nearly everywhere (even in outdoor areas).

Check out this guide to find out where you can – and can’t – light up.

Know Before You Go: Money & Shopping

13. tipping is expected… for almost everything.

Hailing a taxi or Uber? You should tip. Grabbing a coffee to go from a cafe? You should probably tip. Ordering food in a restaurant? You should definitely tip.

In the UK, we’re accustomed to only tipping when we’ve had particularly great service. But in the US, they’re accustomed to tipping. Fullstop.

I remember during my first trip to America that I was surprised there was a tip jar in the takeout section of The Cheesecake Factory. All my server was doing was taking a slice of cake from the display and boxing it up for me, but my American friends were aghast and embarrassed when I “forgot” to add to the tip jar. Since then, I now tip for most things when visiting the US.

14. Always be prepared to pay more than you think

Prices shown in shops and restaurants are excluding tax so you should always expect to pay more than you initially think.

US sales tax is a BEAST to get your head around too as each state has its own individual sales tax rate – and some states like Oregon don’t have a state tax at all!

As a general rule of thumb, you should expect to pay at least 10% more at the till.

15. Credit cards are king pretty much everywhere

America is big on using credit cards pretty much everywhere; there are even some places that flat out refuse to take cash!

So make like Trump and get the flashiest travel credit card you can find!

16. ATMs usually charge for cash withdrawals

Another reason why credit cards are king in America is because most ATMs – even ones at banks – charge you to take money out. 

We found the average price to be about $3 per withdrawal, which is just crazy!

If needed, some gas stations have ATMs inside that don’t charge – look for ‘No Fee ATM’ signs in a cashier window.

17. America doesn’t have chip and PIN everywhere yet either

While the US has recently started to roll out a chip and PIN system across the country, it’s not yet used or accepted by all stores. And don’t even think about trying to use your contactless credit card!

Instead, the chip and sign or swipe and sign methods are used. And sometimes, especially since the announcement in April 2018 from a number of big-name credit card companies, you won’t be asked to sign at all – just insert or swipe and go.

18. Walmart, Target and CVS Pharmacy sell everything you need

Although America is BIG on shopping, if you’re struggling to find something then the chances are high that a Walmart, Target or CVS Pharmacy will have it. So head to one of these stores first and hope for the best!

19. Food portions are HUGE so you’ll probably want to share

Unless you’re used to large portions, you’ll feel your eyes pop out of your head when receiving food from restaurants or takeaways in America.

Scott and I almost always share now wherever we go within the US as we know we won’t finish our meals and don’t want to add to the food wastage issue over there. Plus it’s cheaper as one $15 or $20 plate of food is more than enough for us both!

20. Healthcare and hospital visits aren’t free… nope, not even for tourists!

Americans have to pay for their own healthcare and hospital visits, either with insurance or cash – and this is no different for tourists.

And it doesn’t come cheap either!

A single trip to the emergency room for a few stitches and some antibiotics can cost hundreds of dollars.

So – whatever you do – make sure you buy travel insurance before you book your trip, so that you’re covered for every eventuality, whether flights are cancelled or delayed , your baggage is lost, or worse, you need to see a doctor during your trip.

Know Before You Go: Culture & Etiquette

21. avoid talking about politics during your visit.

Just like Brexit is a touchy subject within the UK at the moment (and for the foreseeable future), politics is very much the same within America.

Despite Trump winning against Hilary Clinton in 2016, ‘swing states’ like Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania essentially decided the vote – but it was still close-run!

We’d stay clear of discussing politics during your visit as you will find it hard to work out who is a Trump supporter, who isn’t and who has changed their minds since he came into power.

22. Watch out for tourist scams in large cities

From having your photo taken with superheroes to unofficial taxis and “free” gifts, there are various tourist scams to watch out for (particularly in large cities).

Just do a quick search online before your trip for “CITY + SCAMS” (e.g. New York Scams ) so that you’re prepared for what you might see during your trip.

23. Expect to see a lot of poverty and homeless people

While hoards of homeless people frequent large cities, you should expect to also see a big difference in poverty levels between big cities on the coasts and small non-coastal towns (for example).

If you’re not used to seeing homeless people or rundown houses, then it may be a bit of a culture shock for you. So just be prepared for that!

24. Americans measure things differently

Did you know that a section of the United States Constitution states that Congress shall have the power to “fix the standard of weights and measures”? 

This was the start of Americans not using the metric system that was adopted by Britain at the time.

Instead, Americans use US customary units , which means distances are measured in inches, feet, yards and miles; weights and cooking ingredients are measured in pounds, fluid ounces, quarts, cups and gallons; and temperatures are measured in degrees Fahrenheit, not Celsius.

25. Americans also expect you to BE ON TIME!

Americans are big fans of things happening on time, so if you’ve agreed to meet someone at 2pm, that doesn’t mean 2.05 or 2.10pm unless you’ve called ahead first to apologise for being late.

Know Before You Go: Top USA Destinations

26. america spans six different time zones from east to west.

At 3.8 million square miles in size and with a population of over 327 million people, the USA is one of the world’s largest countries.

It’s impossible to see all the top sights on one trip unless you’re travelling full-time or on a gap year – or several gap years!

There are also six different time zones in effect from east to west, which include:

• Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) 
• Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
• Pacific Standard Time (PST)
• Mountain Standard Time (MST)
• Central Standard Time (CST)
• Eastern Standard Time (EST)

27. Hawaii and Alaska are US states… despite being far away 

Over 500 miles of Canadian soil separates Alaska from Washington. While Hawaii is over 2,400 miles away from its closest state, California. 

BUT! Both destinations are still US states in their own right, so are subject to ESTA visa requirements and state laws just like any other state.

28. There’s more to the US than LA, New York and San Francisco

When travelling to America for the first time, you shouldn’t feel like you’ve “seen” America until you’ve travelled through small and medium-sized towns as well. 

Top places outside of the well-known city hubs include Nashville, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. This is where you’ll find true American hometowns and a more local feel.

29. Escape the city and #getoutside

America is a large country and full of incredible outdoor spaces and stunning National Parks. In fact, there are 58 of them in total!

Some of the most well known parks include Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite, while lesser known ones that are just as beautiful include Great Basin in Nevada and the Volcano National Park in Hawaii .

Wherever you decide to go to escape the city, you’re sure to discover a world of incredible natural beauty throughout America!

30. Road trips are a popular pastime

Despite America’s size, a popular pastime for locals and tourists alike are road trips .

Perhaps one of the most popular USA road trips is the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which covers some 590 miles and links the popular cities of San Diego, Los Angeles , San Jose and San Francisco . If you love beaches, surfing and Mexican food, then this road trip will be perfect for you!

Another popular road trip in America is Utah’s All-American Road along Scenic Byway 12, which will find you passing desert-like landscapes, mountains, canyons, red rock towers, pine forests, numerous state parks and breathtaking vistas throughout the 119 miles.

Just remember that an American road trip like one of these demands quite a lot of your time and energy, so don’t rush it!

Did you find this list of things to know before going to America useful? Is there anything else you want to know about ESTAs, etiquette, eateries, etc? Just let us know in the comments below…

Pin ‘30 Things to Know Before Travelling to America for the First Time’ now, read it again later!

Justine Jenkins

Justine is one half of the married couple behind the Wanderers of the World travel blog. She lives in Bristol, UK and has travelled extensively within Europe and beyond since 2013. After her trips, she shares detailed travel itineraries, helpful travel guides and inspiring blog posts about the places she's been to. When she's not travelling overseas, you'll find her joining her husband, Scott on various day trips, weekend getaways and walks within the UK, which she also writes about on Wanderers of the World. Aside from travelling and writing, she also loves reading, crafting and learning about nature.

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What To Know Before Your First Trip To The USA

by Enchanted Serendipity | Aug 24, 2017 | General Travel , Travel Destinations , USA | 19 comments

This post contains affiliate links – this means I will receive a small commission should you make a purchase using them.

When you’ve traveled to the US as much as I have (every year for the past decade – for large chunks of time), you learn a lot about a country and how it works. You definitely learn all the tips and tricks for traveling in the USA, and how to prepare for a trip before you go.

When planing a trip – asking yourself what do you need to know before you travel to the USA is really important to consider for any first-timer heading over. Which is why I wrote this guide in the first place!

Whether it’s Visa’s, which airline to fly with, travel insurance, electrical adapters and converting currency…this little guide will have you completely covered on everything you need to know before you go. You can also join my Facebook group called ‘ Travel In The USA – Practical Advice For Everyone ‘ to ask any questions, gain travel inspiration and ideas beyond this.

( *If you’re not Australian, this information will still relatively apply to you, but do ensure you double check how some of these things work in your home country . )

Visa’s For The USA

Do i need a visa when i visit the usa.

Not always. Depending on your country of citizenship (or passport you hold), you may need to apply for a tourist visa to enter the US. This means that you will be required to attend an interview at your nearest US Consulate, in order to get your visa approved.

For travelers who aren’t required to apply for a tourist or work visa, you would hold citizenship in one of the 38 (current) countries who are eligible to travel to the USA on a Visa Waiver – or what is formally known as an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) . This Visa Waiver is part of the Visa Waiver Program; which allows those who are eligible, to travel within the USA for up to 90 days, on either business, pleasure or transit purposes – without needing an actual visa.

How Do I Apply For An Esta To Travel To The United States?

An ESTA is a simple online application which must ONLY be accessed at this link  here .

Please be aware of the companies that submit ESTA’s on your behalf. They charge upwards of $50-100 which is a ridiculous amount to pay when an ESTA is $14 USD.  You do not need anyone to submit your ESTA on your behalf. It is a very straightforward form to fill out and has ONE set cost. You don’t need to pay any company to do this for you. If the link you’re using is not the one above, get out of the page immediately! 

An ESTA costs  $14 USD and lasts for 2 years of visits from the date it is approved. (You can log into your ESTA application anytime from the link (which is the same as the one above), to check its validity or to update your travel information to use it more than once.)

Travelers who are eligible for an ESTA, must apply at least 72 hours prior to their departure date, to ensure their application processes in time – it usually goes through straight away. I would recommend you apply for this, 4 weeks before you plan to depart in case you need to visit a US Consulate, because of your travel history, background or citizenship etc.

If you do answer anything incorrectly on your application (which happens – so be careful!), or if you have a criminal record you will have to attend an interview to explain and offer further information – which is a complete hassle but the only way your ESTA (or subsequent Visa should you require one) will be approved. So you do want to have some time up your sleeve to be able to get to a Consulate should this happen to you when applying. Don’t do it months in advance or you will lose a chunk of time off the 2 years you get for this waiver in case you happen to go back for other visits.

*If you do have a criminal record of any kind – even a small offence, be sure to apply for and have an accepted ESTA or tourist visa approved BEFORE you book any travel. Some people have been known to wait months for their approval. If you feel your situation is complicated – sort this out before paying for anything in case you are rejected and cannot travel to the United States at all.

What Do I Do If I Already Have An Esta & Want To Return To The USA To Travel?

Since the ESTA lasts for 2 years, you can simply update your upcoming travel information by logging into your approved application at any time; from the same URL link where you first applied for it (the same link listed in the above paragraph. If you look at the image above on the ESTA homepage, you will see it has a CHECK EXISTING APPLICATION option listed on the homepage – that’s what you click on to update your information.

If you still have an active ESTA but have: *A new passport *Have changed your name *Have changed your gender *Have changed your country of citizenship *Committed a crime *Contracted A Contagious Disease

You will have to apply for a new ESTA.

If your ESTA is due to expire BEFORE your next trip is due to begin, you will need to apply for another ESTA too.

Can I Use An Esta If I Plan To Travel In The USA For Longer Than 90 Days?

An ESTA is a Visa Waiver . It is only meant for travelers who are making a short trip over, not for those looking to undertake huge half-year long adventures. Some people have managed to gain another 90 days after first arriving on the visa waiver – if they have the funds and a return ticket home. This is a massive risk to even try given you are not traveling on a visa and you may be refused entry back into the US. It ultimately depends on the border agent you deal with on whether they will grant this.

If you do plan on staying within the US (including any travel to Canada or Mexico) for more than 90 days, you should apply for the appropriate visa in order to legally stay without issue. For most travelers, this will be the B1/B2 Tourist Visa which allows for tourist stays of up to  6 months .

The length of the B1/B2 visa can last anywhere between 3-5 years (depending on what you’re offered on your Consulate visit) or as long as your passport is valid. If you do travel to the US on this visa, it is important to note that you need to leave the US for a decent amount of time (at least 3 months) if you have already visited for a 6 month period. If you return for another 6 months in a very quick turnaround, you may be refused re-entry as you will likely be considered as trying to remain in the US as more than just a tourist. You can however enter more than once during your 6 month period of validity as my photo above shows. However, no travelers can travel in the US for 12 months straight – even though so many people would love to do so!(Myself included!)

You can apply for the B1/B2 Visa, and other Non Immigrant Visas by firstly completing a DS-160 form and then scheduling your Consulate interview here . Once you have successfully attended your interview (which can take 2-3 hours all up), your passport will be sent off and the VISA will be stuck on a full page of your passport and sent back to you. This passport needs to travel with you to the USA if you plan on using it. If you renew or replace your passport, your Visa is tied to your other passport. This may mean that you need to re-apply for another B1/B2 Visa in order to have a valid Visa; but generally with this issue, as long as you have the old passport with you (if it has expired but the VISA is still active) you should be allowed in for the 6 months regardless. Though it will be up to the TSA agent on if they let you in – as with anything.

Don’t Forget To Bring Your Esta With You

Ultimately, if you do not have the appropriate work visa/ tourist visa in your passport, or a valid ESTA printed out with you at the airport when you arrive for your flight – you may NOT be allowed to board the plane. Don’t just have it on your phone. It is also worth mentioning that some travelers who wish to enter the USA require at least 6 months left on their passport, or they may not be allowed to enter. This is a rule that a lot of countries have, not just the USA. Some countries are exempt from this rule, like Australia but i’d always play it safe and ensure I had more than 6 months left on my passport. It’s always better to be safe.

On The Plane

It is worth having the information (name and address) of your first night stay in the USA written down or printed; whether it is a hotel or a friend’s address. Passengers (at this current time) still have to fill out a landing card on the plane…so if you don’t write this information down (or rely on wifi when you land which may not work)…you won’t be able to fill this information in if you don’t know it. You will also need your passport information so be sure to keep your passport where you can reach it during the flight. (And have a pen with you…for obvious reasons!)

Please also be aware that a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer at your port of entry will determine whether you are allowed to enter the United States. You do not have a guaranteed entry just because you have a Visa or ESTA approval in your possession. They will grill you a little, so be honest about your travels, who you’re traveling with and why you are there – and know that they do it to everyone even though some of them can be really aggressive and put you off side. I get it all the time when I fly in. Sometimes it’s fine, sometimes it angers me.

Which Airline Should I Fly To The USA With?

For Australians, we are lucky to have so many options to fly to the USA – because it means competition is always good. The main airlines you can fly from Australia are Air New Zealand, Qantas, Delta, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, United Airlines and American Airlines. We do have credit card surcharges in Australia when booking flights, which is beyond silly and needs to change; so if you have the option to use POLI (your bank must be listed in their list) you can avoid this charge as the money comes out of your internet banking as a transfer rather than off your card as a purchase.

I have flown with every airline listed here except American so I know the pros and cons to most of them. To help you make a decision, I will give you an overview of these airlines so you know which ones I rate and how much you’re likely to pay with each of them.

To preface all of this, most airlines only offer 1 checked bag at 23kg (50 pounds) , a carry on item at and a personal item like a laptop bag or purse – at a combined weight of 7kg  (though it will depend on the airline if they weigh your bags and are strict on this). Some airlines allow 2 checked bags for travel to and from the United States – probably because of the baggage allowances that the US have domestically – they allow carry on bags based on size not weight!

After having flown on 4 flights with Air New Zealand from Melbourne to Los Angeles (Via Auckland) in the past 2 years, Air New Zealand are my number one choice.

It’s always a comfortable flight with Air New Zealand. I love their planes, the humourous safety videos, the ambiance inside the cabin and the professionalism of the cabin crew. The food is usually good (I am yet to have a bad meal) and the selection of entertainment is awesome as well. I watched the whole mini series of Big Little Lies on my last flight…which was awesome considering it is a HBO title and not something all airlines have access to.

Every time I fly with them I have paid $1100 or less return – and in what is an even better deal, it is only $1 more to buy and check a second bag at 50 pounds (23 kilos) when you book directly on their website. Score! Take it even if you’re not sure if you will be using that much.

Qantas is a great airline. The plane is comfortable (especially if its the A380!), the food is good and you get a whole heap of different snacks – even during sleep time. I found them very good value for money in 2013 when I last flew with them internationally, so I would definitely do it again.

Qantas can be more expensive than other airlines. That said, I found a really good sale for the Summer (Arrive June, Depart August) which was awesome, and again paid about $900 AUD return from memory – which was fantastic for the time of year.

You can fly multiple routes with Qantas – with Dallas and San Francisco direct options worth considering depending on your travel plans.

Delta is an airline I regularly fly with within the US, but when I flew over during peak season (Christmas) to New York, they were the cheapest option – though still a few thousand bucks (cringe!)

I was blown away by how awesome Delta actually was. From the comfortable cabin, to the food – it was actually the selection of entertainment that had me won over. (They had new releases, all the classics…the greatest selections of any airline I have flown with).

Delta was definitely the best US airline I have flown internationally with. I would not hesitate to fly with them to the US or within the US again. I also have many friends who have flown with them to the USA and agree with me.

Jetstar is the baby of Qantas…a budget baby. Jetstar are a great option if one is looking to travel to the mainland USA via Hawaii – because this is the only destination in the US they fly to.

Jetstar is a pay for what you use airline. You pay for baggage; a hot meal (or snacks on board like sandwiches, pies, etc – which are actually preferable in all honesty); entertainment (Ipads with a selection of choices) and seat upgrades. But, if you aren’t concerned with all of this, you can pick and choose what you want to buy, or purchase a package with a few things at an overall reduced price when booking. The more you buy before you fly, the cheaper it ends up being compared to purchasing at the airport or on the flight.

Jetstar are one of the best domestic airlines in Australia. They fly from Melbourne and Sydney to Honolulu for crazy steals. I’ve flown 3 times with them to Hawaii and the best deal we received was $300 AUD return! What a bargain right? The best part about Jetstar is that you can have 2 holidays in one…Hawaii is definitely the best place to layover between Australia and the West Coast on any day. I will never say no to this.

Virgin Australia is another fantastic airline option in Australia. They do code share with Delta so sometimes you will fly with them when booking with Delta – which it will tell you prior to booking.

One of the best things about Virgin Australia in my experience was the ambiance of the cabin. The lighting was really nice when I flew with them, with purple and pink colours, which was something that I noticed over other airlines straight away. It made the cabin feel really good and relaxed.

Virgin do have amazing deals under $1000 AUD so if you find them, don’t hesitate to book with them. I am with their frequent flyer program – and so is my credit card, so I tend to get more points with them than anyone else.

I will preface this by saying that it has been a long time since I flew with United Airlines internationally. I am sure they have upped their game (even with those passenger dragging off planes incidents recently); because it wasn’t great when I did fly with them.

Firstly, my flight out of Melbourne was cancelled and we were all put on Qantas or Air New Zealand flights to get us over there…it was the worst way to start my very first international trip. The flight back I did finally fly with United and whilst cabin staff were really good, and the flight had no issues; back in 2008, the entertainment was pretty bad – we all had to watch the same screen in the aisle…it was a long flight doing that!

Given the advancements in the airline world, I am sure this no longer is the case. I do fly domestically with them – which you can pay for in AUD so I would consider them as an option if the price was good now.

I can’t comment on American Airlines because I am yet to fly internationally with them. For what its worth, they are good to fly with domestically in the US, and if you fly Qantas to the US, you can check your luggage through to your final destination, should you have a domestic connection with American Airlines. So, that was pretty helpful traveling from Melbourne to New York.

No matter who you’re flying with, one of the best ways to find the cheapest flights that are out there is through Skyscanner , as they will atleast show you what the average price is for the time you’re looking for, and if any sales are happening. So be sure to start your search there.

Travel Insurance Options For The USA

Travel insurance is dependent on many factors: age, nationality, health status, length of your trip, what country you are traveling to and what you are covering within your insurance.

I have used many companies over the past decade, however since 2012, I have continually purchased my coverage with  World Nomads . The best thing about insurance with World Nomads is your trip is allowed to have already started when you buy your policy – which helps when you don’t know how long you will be away and may need to purchase or extend your existing policy.

Majority of companies will not allow you to purchase a policy with them if you are not in your home country when purchasing (ie; your trip has not yet started.) I also found the World Nomads basic and premium options to be cheaper than most other companies too, so they were always the best option for me and my travel needs. They also have heaps of different promo codes which also helps lower the cost.

One thing to note when buying travel insurance for the USA – from any company, is that you must select the region as WORLDWIDE, not USA. So always ensure you do this when purchasing your policy. And always ensure that you have UNLIMITED MEDICAL coverage, and CAR HIRE coverage if hiring a car…costs like these add up if you get in an accident. So always ensure you are covered – and read the fine print.

Did you know that if you have been drinking alcohol when something happens to you, even if you get hit by a car…the alcohol can void the policy altogether? Always be aware of the policy rules to be safe; and always be sure to print your policy/save it on your phone as well. Should you need to make a claim it is imperative that you can reach your insurance provider without issue and actually use your coverage should you need to.

How Do I Charge My Electronics In The USA?

In today’s world, electronics are very easy to keep charged and alive.

There are 2 things all travelers need to consider when it comes to being able to use their devices or appliances.

Outlet Adapters In The USA

Make sure you have the correct adapter for the country you’re in. For the US, there are 2 types of adapters available. One with 2 prongs and one with 2 prongs and a circle. To use the adapter just plug your electronic device into the adapter and plug it into the wall outlet.

(It pays to travel with both kinds, as sometimes there are outlets that only have 2 prongs (and no circle); which means you can’t always insert that particular adapter into the wall – it is rare to have this happen though.)

Voltage. There are many times travelers will be required to use a converter when traveling because the voltage is different between Australia (230 V) and the USA (120 V). Ultimately, you don’t have to have a converter – you can just use an adapter; but there is a chance that if you have a hairdryer or straightener especially, the voltage difference can kill your appliance, or not work to its full capacity. I haven’t had this occur with my hair curler yet, which is a British made appliance, and the same voltage as Australian appliances; so I only use adapters.

Basically, if you love something, you may want to buy something especially for your trip in case it dies when you try and use it in the US.

Power Banks – Never Be Without Battery In The USA

Along with being able to charge devices, I would also recommend that you buy a power bank to use when traveling. When you are using your phone to get around, check in on Facebook or just taking photos…your phone will lose a lot of battery.

In Australia, you can purchase power banks from places like Office Works or JB Hi-Fi. If you forget and you’re already in the states, I would stop by Staples or Best Buy as they are usually pretty good price wise. I always travel with 2 small fully charged power banks that allow for 1 full recharge each, so I can guarantee myself at least 8-10 hours of battery life per day. I do this because I won’t know how to get home if I don’t have access to a Google map – even if I need to find wifi to use it…and should I cross paths with Bradley Cooper on the streets of New York, I’d kinda like to be able to capture the moment!

How Do I Convert AUD into USD?

Converting money is serious business. You want the best rate so your conversion goes as far as possible – especially if you are converting thousands of dollars!

At the time of writing this piece, the Aussie dollar (AUD) was at a rate of 79.39 cents per every $1 US dollar (USD) as specified on the XE website/app.

Unfortunately, when buying money you do not get this rate as companies do need to make money. That said, there are ways to get the best option so you can buy your money as close to this rate as possible. There are many companies out there, however I have traveled enough that I know what my main 3 always are.

Here is what I always do:

• Shop Around . When purchasing, check all of the online rates that are available for the following currency companies: Travel Money Oz , Travelex ,  Australia Post  and Qantas Cash.
• Compare Them . Once you have all of the rates on the amount you want to buy, compare them and see which one gives you the BEST rate.
• Ask For A Better Rate . When you have worked out which company has the best rates, contact the company that has the second best rate, usually in person at a store location and ask what rate they can give you that is better than the competition. On a side note, if you are transferring large quantities ask if they can give you a better rate for that too.
• How Do You Want It ? Once you have the rate set, decide if you want cash or a money card. I always take at least $500 in USD anytime I travel to the States. I also get it in all currency types from $1 bills to $50…though I always ask if I can have mostly $20 bills – as $50 bills can be harder to break unless you are spending close to $50.

To compare these 4 companies, here is how I would fare today if I was to buy when the rate is 79.39 cents per dollar. Upon comparison, you’ll see who to convert with and who to avoid!

AUD To USD With Travel Money Oz

Travel Money Oz had the rate of 0.7548 per $1000 AUD spent, giving a total of  $754.80 USD.

The rate actually improved though if you choose to spend $2000 AUD , but only slightly with a rate change to 0.7666 , totaling $1533.20 USD for that amount.

This is something to consider though if you do have $2000 AUD to spend that day, rather than doing two $1000 AUD transactions at different times – because if you add your transaction types up, you actually gain $23.60 USD more on $2000 AUD spend due to getting the better rate.

If you make two transactions of $1000 AUD it will only get you $1509.60 USD , but the larger $2000 AUD transaction will actually get you  $1533.20 USD . That’s almost two lunches right there! So if you have the funds…spend a little more if it makes your money go further!

Travelex, I have used in Australia and other countries many times. I found the best place to haggle was in London, and rightfully so – it’s pretty competitive there. I always scored the best rates and happy hours too – sometimes better than what Australians were getting to convert the same amount of USD as I was!

But in the US recently, when I had Canadian (CAD) to convert into USD, Travelex wouldn’t match their online price at all. It was only because I had $1600 CAD that they gave me a better deal but it still wasn’t good enough. I was really surprised at that.

That said, Travelex do offer the best rates in Australia from what I often see as the below image shows with a rate for $1000 AUD at 0.7706 , which is half a  cent better than what Travel Money Oz were offering if I spent $2000!

With Travelex, I would receive $770.60 USD  if I spent $1000 AUD with this rate, making me  $15.80 USD better off if I bought from them.

If you chose to spend $2000 AUD  with them however, the rate again changes to 0.7721 making it a total of $1544.20 USD  per that amount; or $11 USD better than if I spent my $2000 at Travel Money Oz.

So in reality, spending $2000 AUD in this instance, would give me the best rate I can find online, as long as I purchased through Travelex.

Australia Post

Australia Post is another option, but they are usually the lowest. Sometimes they have higher rates, but it isn’t often. With Australia Post the rate remains unchanged no matter what you spend and it is lower than the others at 0.7512 . So for $1001 AUD you only receive $752 USD and for $2000.80 AUD you receive $1503 USD .

So that $1544 USD Travellex offers customers for $2000 AUD is an amazing $41 USD better off than Australia Post. Score right!?

So to recap: If I spent $1000 AUD I would receive the following conversion amounts: Australia Post Rate: 0.7512 per $1001 AUD = $752 USD

Travel Money Oz Rate: 0.7548 per $1000 AUD =  $754.80 USD

Travelex Rate: 0.7706 per $1000 AUD = $770.60 USD

The rates increase for Travel Money Oz and Travelex if you spend $2000 AUD.

Can I Get An Even Better Rate?

Since Travelex is the best rate by far no matter what the spend, one would assume they are the best one to go with.

But in fact, this is not true.

You see, Travel Money Oz do a Price Beat Guarantee. So if Travelex have a better rate than they do…they will not only match it, but also beat it too!

How you score this deal is by showing them the rate of the day when you go to an outlet store to purchase. If you can prove to them Travelex is better on that day (or any other competitor) they will give you an even better deal to get your business.

When I travel, I always convert my money with them, especially if I need cash. It is up to you on whether cash or money cards work best for you, or if you prefer to use a credit card and take on any fees associated with it – or one that waives the fees. I have used every money card out there and I have never had a problem. I would prefer that my name be on the travel money cards to avoid fraud, but it’s a secure way to carry large sums of money nonetheless if that’s your oly option.

*Do note that if you eat at a restaurant or stay at a hotel, and you pay this bill with a money card, it can take 2 weeks for the money initially debited as a hold, to return to your card. Hotels do this for incidentals so it is VITAL that you have a credit card with you when you’re in the US and that you use them for things like this. If not, you face losing US Dollars temporarily that you have on a money card and can’t actually spend…as these funds may not reappear on your card until you’re back home. It’s such a headache!

Other Currency Options For The USA

Transferwise.

I use Transferwise more recently in my travels, because I know people in the USA and I trust them obviously. Transferwise requires you to know the bank account information of the person you’re transferring to. Transferwise offer great rates…some of the best around as the image above highlights. For $1000 AUD transferred to a friend in the states, I would get right now $785.70 USD which is actually $15.70 USD better than the Travelex rate.

During my 3 months in the States recently, I transferred to a few people and they just withdrew the money for me when i saw them. It was a money saver and I didn’t have to carry large sums around either!

I have spoken to a few people who regularly travel to the USA and I have looked into this one based on that information. Citibank offer Australians a really good deal with their Citibank Plus Everyday Account.

Rather than needing to convert a set number of funds, you can use your debit card without incurring a fee for your purchases – and the rates are usually around what Transferwise pass on based on the rates set by Visa and Mastercard (which is better than most Australian banks.) If you need to withdraw money, just find a Citibank ATM.

The positive here is you can use the card just as you would at home; however the negative (which is a very small one) is that should the dollar lose value you may have to pay more than if you locked your money in. But i’d still consider this one if you want an easy and value for money card to use at home and abroad.

Now To Plan Your Trip!

As someone who first traveled to the USA for the first time 10 years ago, it is hard to remember that many people aren’t sure how to even get to the United States…let alone what to prepare for.

Hopefully my wealth of knowledge helps you even in some way, whether you’re an Australian or from somewhere else – all of this applies to everyone no matter where you’re from. If you need help with Tipping – read my post on EVERYTHING you need to know about HOW, WHO, WHAT and WHEN to tip right here !

If you have any questions always let me know and make sure you have joined my Facebook group called ‘ Travel In The USA – Practical Advice For Everyone ‘. I will always try and help people feel confident in heading overseas for the first time, especially to the USA. As always information can change and I will endeavor to do my best to update this and the group as this happens. But as with anything, always do your own research and ensure you cover yourself and know what requirements there are surrounding your individual circumstances.

Pin This For Your First USA Adventure!

19 Comments

Very interesting guide! It is nice to see the opposite side of the coin when traveling to the US. I would suggest though for the outlets, that it is best just to get the two prong without the bottom because it will work for every outlet, while the other one like you said isn’t always available depending on where you are staying. Most of us only use the two prong anyways. Great tips!

Great tips! I live in the U.S., but my favorite airlines to fly to Australia is definitely Qantas. This post is jam-packed with info!

As an American, I had no idea travelers 9Australians) had to go through this extent to get here. I saw you like World Nomads for insurance. I could not agree more! Great tips, this was very thorough and I am sure it will be helpful to travelers.

Great tips and information for those want=ting to go to the USA. I didn’t even know Jetstar went to the USA! Good to know if I ever need a flight from somewhere else in the world to Hawaii!

Great article for those going to the US, regardless of where they are starting. Sometimes we overlook the visa planning because it isn’t the exciting part of travel, but this post makes it easy!

I have been to the US but i believe it would be a concise guide for those who haven’t.

wow thank you so much for this well written and in-depth article. I am bookmarking it for my future reference. 😀 These are the kind of posts I love for when doing research before travelling 😀

There is so much information available on the internet these days, but it’s not often you come across such in-depth articles like this one. Very handy for those planning a trip to the US, it can be tricky to get your head around all the logistics.

This is a really comprehensive post. I wished I had had this before my first trip!!! I’m not Australian but I do find it really useful as well.

Toni, this is a really awesome guide. I’m not from Australia, we have to apply for the visa differently in India. It includes a long waiting list and interviews. Haven’t done it personally but I guess it is like the other visas we have to apply for. 🙂 We apply for a lot.

Wow! There’s a lot of good information to have here. Even if I’m not from Australia, I think even seeing the exchange rates in reverse is helpful. Will be sure to share this with my Aussie friends.

What an awesome, comprehensive post! I am a California resident (born and raised), so while I’ll never need this, I’m happy to share it because I know so many who could benefit from it! It’s also really interesting to read what it’s like to plan a trip to the US as a citizen of another country.

Fabulous post Toni! I am sure many Aussie’s will love this for their first visit to the US…Me..Im dreaming of my first visit to Australia! MIss you and come back anytime!

I’ve just moved to the US and these are some great tips! Visas are such a pain but when you finally get that in your passport it’s such a great feeling!

This is such an awesome, super informative post! I’m Australian (South Aussie!) and I’ve travelled to the USA quite a few times since I was 3 years old. You’ve included some really helpful tips in this post, which will definitely help those Aussies who are yet to visit the USA!

Wow such an informative guide! I know road tripping in the USA is such a bucket list item and this is the perfect post with so many helpful tips!

What a superb guide! Some of this definitely applies to other nationalities too. The voltage thing always confuses me so I just don’t bring appliances!

That really sucks about the Aussie surcharge, I always book my flights on credit card so that they are insured should anything go wrong with them!

I LOVED this guide – I’m a fellow Aussie who has lived in the US for the past year, and this was super comprehensive. Whenever I read titles about “things to know before traveling to the US” posts I’m always disappointed, but not with your guide! Thanks for sharing 🙂

Awesome guide, thanks for putting all of the information together in one place. It can be a pain to have to search and read a million different websites to try to compare everything and get all the info. 🙂

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How to Plan Your First Trip to the USA

By Author Katie

Posted on Last updated: December 29, 2023

The USA is full of exciting attractions and vibrant cities, and seeing it all can be a challenge. We share how to plan your first trip to the USA, so you can visit with ease.

Planning a trip to the USA requires careful consideration and preparation. This guide will help you navigate through the various aspects involved in making your first trip a memorable one.

How to plan your first trip to the USA

Visa Requirements and Documentation

Ensure you have the necessary travel documents, including a valid passport and any required visas. Check the U.S. Department of State website for detailed information on visa requirements and the application process. If you will need a visa, the digital application should be done as soon as possible, as this process may take some time depending on the country you are applying from. 

Setting a Budget for the USA

Determine your budget for the trip, considering factors such as accommodation, transportation, meals, activities, and souvenirs. Research the cost of living in different cities to plan your expenses accordingly. Once you have chosen your destination, it’s easier to determine how much time and money you will need to cover it all. 

Booking Flights to the USA

The earliest you know when your trip is, the cheaper it will be to book affordable flights. Compare prices across different airlines or use flight search engines, such as Kayak or Kiwi. Keep an eye out for promotions and discounts.

Accommodation Options for the USA

Choose accommodation that suits your needs and budget. Options range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels, vacation rentals, and even camping sites. Research the location, amenities, and reviews before making a reservation.

You can also choose from the unique hotels in the US , ideal for those looking for something a little different.

Getting around the USA

Decide on the mode of transportation you’ll use during your trip. Consider renting a car for flexibility, or explore public transportation options like trains, buses, or domestic flights. Familiarize yourself with the transportation systems of the cities you’ll be visiting. You may be able to download their local apps for your convenience. 

Creating an Itinerary

Plan your itinerary based on the duration of your trip and the activities you wish to engage in. Allocate sufficient time to explore each destination, allowing for flexibility and relaxation. Include both popular attractions and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Best places to visit in the USA

New York City, New York

New York City is a must-visit destination known for its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and world-famous attractions. Experience the crazy energy of Times Square, visit the Statue of Liberty, explore Central Park, and immerse yourself in the cultural melting pot of diverse neighborhoods like Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

You can’t miss getting tickets to a Broadway show . It’s worth its price! 

San Francisco, California

San Francisco captivates visitors with its picturesque setting, iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and charming neighborhoods. Take a ride on a historic cable car, explore the vibrant Fisherman’s Wharf, visit Alcatraz Island , and enjoy the stunning views from Twin Peaks. 

Don’t miss the chance to indulge in delicious cuisine and explore the unique culture of this West Coast gem.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago offers a blend of stunning architecture, a hipster art scene, and a thriving food culture. It’s a must to see Chicago from the Willis Tower Skydeck, take an architecture river cruise along the Chicago River, explore the Millennium Park, and indulge in deep-dish pizza. 

If you are into art, then definitely visit the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country.

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a city rich in history, music, and cool street life. Feel alive in the lively atmosphere of the French Quarter, visit the famous Preservation Hall for live jazz performances, savor the unique Creole and Cajun cuisine, and join in the festivities of Mardi Gras. 

If you have time, explore the historic Garden District and take a steamboat ride along the Mississippi River.

Washington, D.C.

As the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. offers a wealth of historical and cultural landmarks. Visit the iconic National Mall, home to the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and numerous Smithsonian museums.

Explore the grandeur of the White House, Capitol Hill, and the solemnity of the National World War II Memorial. The city also boasts beautiful cherry blossom displays during the spring season.

Best attractions in the USA

Grand Canyon, Arizona

One of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. Carved by the Colorado River, this immense canyon offers panoramic vistas of colorful rock formations that have been shaped over millions of years. 

Hike along the rim, take a scenic helicopter tour, or trek through the canyon itself for an unforgettable experience.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

This Park is a true gem of the United States, renowned for its geothermal features, stunning landscapes, and diverse wildlife. Witness the iconic Old Faithful geyser erupt, explore the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring, and feel inspired at the majestic Yellowstone Falls. 

The park also offers opportunities for hiking, wildlife spotting, and camping.

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Admire the towering granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome, hike to the majestic Yosemite Falls, and explore the ancient giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove. 

The park’s breathtaking landscapes, including lush valleys, serene meadows, and pristine lakes, make it the place to be for nature lovers.

Denali National Park, Alaska

Home to the highest peak in North America, Mount McKinley , also known as Denali. This vast wilderness offers stunning views of snow-capped mountains, sweeping tundra, and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, and caribou. 

Take a scenic bus tour, go hiking, or try your hand at mountaineering in this pristine Alaskan landscape.

Niagara Falls, New York

Sharing the border between the United States and Canada is a magnificent natural wonder that deserves a spot on any traveler’s list. Witness the thunderous power of the cascading waterfalls as millions of gallons of water plunge over the cliffs every minute. 

Take a boat tour to experience the falls up close or explore the surrounding parkland for stunning views.

Best things to do in the USA

Planning your first trip to the USA is an exciting plan. By conducting thorough research, understanding visa requirements, setting a budget, and creating a well-structured itinerary, you can make your journey smooth and enjoyable.

Chances are you will want to return to the US since there are infinite things to see and do, so don’t worry much about choosing the right place your first time. They are all worth visiting!

Stay Creative!

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United States of America – The Ultimate Guide For First Time Visitors

The United States of America is an incredibly diverse country. There are quite literally too many reasons to list that someone might want to visit the USA, but since you are reading this article, you’ve obviously got at least one of your own.

That said, your first trip to America can be quite a daunting experience. From simply getting into the country to understanding tipping. Even simple things like keeping connected while you are over there. The US has a lot of little intricacies that you need to know before you get there.

So, let’s go through all the information you need to make your first trip to the United States memorable.

An Introduction to the United States of America

Popularised in cinema and television, the United States of America offers so many different reasons to visit that it appeals to almost everyone.

As the world’s third-largest country by population and the fourth-largest by area, the US is comprised of 50 states with hundreds of cities scattered all across it (including Hawaii and Alaska). Each with its own unique atmosphere and appeal.

However, unlike most countries you might have already visited where everything is the same across the entire country, American states and, in some cases, cities have a lot of their own unique rules and ways of doing things. Something could be perfectly fine in one place and illegal in another. You’ll need to keep this in mind as you research each US destination of your trip.

One other thing to note about the United States is that it is one of only three countries in the world that uses the Imperial system. That means that measurements are in inches and feet, distances are in miles, weights are in pounds, and the temperature is in Fahrenheit. All of which can catch you out in different ways if you aren’t paying attention.

The size of the USA also means climates and time zones can be significantly different depending on which cities you plan to visit during your time there. Los Angeles and New York, two of the cities most tourists want to visit while in the United States, are extremely different, being on completely opposite sides of the country.

Internet/Mobile Phones/Data in the United States of America

Let me preface this by saying this in my experience of visiting the United States of America; international airports are set up predominantly to welcome back returning American citizens and less so for arriving international tourists.

While this isn’t a big issue, it does mean that simple things you might have come to expect from travelling to other countries just simply aren’t there. In particular, for this context, the ability to grab a prepaid tourist-focused SIM card at the airport.

It’s not all bad news; most of the airports provide some sort of free wifi. And you will most likely be able to access wifi at your hotel, usually for an extra fee (we’ll get to that shortly). But if you are planning to use a service like Uber or Lyft, or even just hope to use Google Maps to navigate, to get between the airport and your accommodation, you might have a little bit of an issue.

So let’s run through what you need to know about internet access in the US so you can make some informed decisions.

SIM Cards/Cell Service

This is probably the most confusing thing you will need to deal with when arriving in the US, so I’ll do my best to explain it as simply as possible.

Global Roaming

The easiest thing for you to do is enable global roaming with your local provider. Most telecommunication companies, in my experience, offer a daily rate for global roaming that includes a data allowance.

While expensive ($5-$10 per day), if you plan on staying in the US for less than two weeks, this is probably your best option, especially if you don’t use much data.

I would even suggest that you enable global roaming for the first 2-3 days of your arrival in the United States to give you the time to get settled in and pick up a local prepaid SIM card.

Global eSIM

There are a couple of Global eSIM providers that allow you to purchase a prepaid data-only eSIM before you depart. The prices of these vary, so the best thing to do is have a look and see what the current pricing is.

My recommendation is Airlo globally , but I chose not to use them in the US as I found a better local option.

Local PrePaid SIM Card/eSIM

Buying a local prepaid SIM card is the cheapest option, especially if you are planning on staying in America for a month or longer, but there are several things you need to keep in mind.

As I mentioned earlier, picking up prepaid SIM cards at the airport really isn’t an option. So, in most cases, you need to head to a store in the city that you are first staying in. However, it’s not just as simple as buying a prepaid SIM.

Companies AT&T and Verizon will need to check your phone’s IMEI number to see if it’s on their list of approved devices for their networks. Since your phone was purchased overseas (as far as they are concerned, even if you purchased it outright), it’s unlikely that it will be on the list. Even a common device like an iPhone.

T-Mobile , on the other hand, has a couple of options that better suit travellers, and I’ve used them a couple of times now without major issues.

If you have an iPhone that is eSIM capable and want to make sure you are connected from the moment you land, T-Mobile does offer a pre-paid eSIM service that you can purchase and set up prior to your departure. It’s really straightforward to process with their app, and all you have to do is choose a plan that suits you. They even have unlimited data options (albeit with a couple of limitations which we’ll get to shortly).

If you have an Android device or something that is not eSIM compatible, those same Pre-Paid services are available by simply picking up a SIM card in one of their stores. They usually have several locations, no matter the city you are visiting.

Another thing to keep in mind, despite offering unlimited data prepaid services (both T-Mobile and AT&T) they have limits on hot-spotting (tethering other devices to your phone). Unlike other countries, where you can just connect your laptop (or any other device) to your phone and use the data as part of your plan, this is restricted in the US. T-Mobile allows a maximum 10Gb of hot-spotting on their top unlimited pre-paid service.

In the event you need a lot of data, uploading photos and or videos etc, you can get around this by purchasing a data-only prepaid SIM service with up to 100Gb of data allowance, but you will need to head into a store to get one of these. Again keeping in mind everything else I just mentioned.

WIFI Access

Wifi internet access is also an option all throughout the US. However, not all Wifi access is free, and in some places, it can be extremely expensive!

The good news, when you arrive in America and travel across the country, there is usually free wifi access within the airport terminals. Cafes and some restaurants also offer free wifi internet access; Starbucks locations are particularly good for internet access.

The bad news, while all hotels offer wifi internet access across the US, it’s usually not free. How much hotels charge for internet access depends, but I have seen it for as much as $25 per day (over twice as much as paying for global roaming on your mobile device from home!).

My best suggestion is to have your own mobile data service available (either global roaming or a local prepaid SIM), even just to help you navigate while exploring American cities, and then use WIFI if it becomes available for free (or at least cheap), but don’t rely on it being available.

Pro Tip: When using public WIFI, always make sure you are also using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. You never know how secure public WIFI services might be, even if you are paying for them. A VPN will give you more reassurance that your bank details and emails aren’t being intercepted and recorded. I personally use ExpressVPN .

Money in the United States of America – Credit Cards/Cash

Money is going to be the biggest adjustment you make while travelling throughout the United States of America.

America uses the US Dollar, and that part is fairly straightforward. The notes are in fairly obvious denominations $1, $2 (although very rare), $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

The coins, however, do have their own unique names:

• 1 Cent – Penny
• 5 Cents – Nickel
• 10 Cents – Dime
• 25 Cents – Quarter
• 50 Cents – Half Dollar (again, very rare)

The use of both Cash and Credit Cards is extremely common all across the US cities. All major credit cards are fairly widely accepted. In more regional areas, you might find that you do need to carry cash with you, particularly for smaller, local shops and restaurants. But for the major tourist areas, your credit card should be just fine.

Just make sure you let your bank know that you are visiting the United States before you leave so that it won’t block any transactions.

Where money gets tricky in the US is prices and tipping.

The price listed on any particular item almost certainly doesn’t include tax. And the sales tax rate does vary significantly from state to state and, in some cases, city to city.

On top of that, in many instances where you are being provided with a service or at a hospitality venue, tipping is also expected.

With this in mind, how much you spend, particularly at a dinner out at a restaurant, could be up to 40% more expensive than the listed price. That’ll catch your attention at your first meal out, trust me.

How do you work out the sales tax? I actually don’t have a good answer for you. You just need to know that it’s going to be charged and look out for the final balance or receipt.

Everything from picking up a bottle of water from a convenience store to paying for your rental car will be subject to some additional taxes. Something to be aware of.

As for tipping, that is a little more standardised, if you can say that, but you need to look out for several things.

A general rule for tipping is if someone is providing you with a direct service, they’ll expect a tip. At a sit-down restaurant, 15-20% of the total bill is expected. Taxi, Ride Sharing, and Private Transfer drivers will expect 10-15% of the fee. Bartenders are $1-$2 per drink, and Housekeepers are $1-$5 per night.

With that said, there are a few traps to keep an eye out for.

In some cases, sit-down restaurants will automatically include a gratuity or a service fee on the bill. This is the tip. Have a look at the bottom of the bill first to double-check before paying and awarding a tip. This can also be the case with other services, private transfers etc. When in doubt, just check the bill or invoice.

Another thing to look out for when paying via credit card is the tipping options presented to you. For the sake of convenience, most card machines now give you the option to pick between two or three tipping amounts on top of your total bill. They also offer the option of entering a custom amount.

Some businesses exploit this by offering 25% and 30% as your tipping options (I’m looking at you Starbucks airport locations). Always check the screen and adjust as you need to.

Getting Around the United States of America

The United States of America is a very big country. Very big! So chances are that if you want to visit a couple of cities and/or states while you ate there, the most efficient way will be to fly between cities.

That said, there is plenty that you need to know about travelling throughout America, so let’s delve into it.

As I just touched on, flying is the most efficient way to travel around the United States, especially if you want to visit cities on both the West and East coasts in the space of a couple of weeks. However, it can also be the most daunting.

For obvious reasons, Americans take their airport security very seriously. With some of the strictest and most thorough checks, I’ve experienced while travelling within a country.

As a foreign traveller, it can be quite confronting the first time you experience it. But a little preparation will go a long way to making it as easy as possible for you.

Airport security in the United States is typically referred to as TSA – short for Transport Security Administration. Thankfully TSA actually has some very good information about what is allowed and the processes ; however, how it is implemented varies from airport to airport.

The best advice I can give you for flying across America is to get to the airport early. 2-3 Hours early! TSA queues can become quite long, often well over an hour during peak travel times.

As with everything in the US, there is the option to pay a premium for a more streamlined experience, in this case, TSA Pre-Check (which you might notice once you’re at the airport), but as a foreigner, you can’t apply for this directly. You can however, utilise the US Global Entry program , which does allow you to use TSA Pre-Check, but you need to be from one of a select few countries and organise it all well in advance of your travels to the US.

If you check the rules in advance, have a lot of patience and watch what the people in front of you are doing, you’ll be able to navigate TSA without any issues.

As for airlines, the US has several to choose from. American Airlines , United and Delta are the larger full-service airlines that cover the majority of the country.

There are also smaller, more regional airlines (only in comparison to the three mentioned above, which are some of the largest in the world), like Alaska Air and Hawaiian Airlines , that still connect many cities. In contrast, the cheapest options will be the number of low-cost carriers that operate throughout the country, like Southwest and Sprint .

Train Services

An alternative for travelling across the United States of America is the rail system. Outside of the local city and state-based rail services, Amtrak is the one service that interlinks a lot of American cities.

Not every city is connected by Amtrak, but it does link a lot of the major US cities and a couple of Canadian ones as well (Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal through the US).

Amtrak could be a good alternative for shorter trips, particularly on the more densely populated east coast, where large cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington are only 3-4 hours of travel time away from each other.

Coach Services

Several bus/coach services also operate throughout the United States of America, the most well-known and best-connected being Greyhound .

If your travels through the US have you visiting a smaller town, then Greyhound is probably the best option for the final leg of the journey instead of renting a car. Several other companies also operate more regionally based services, but Greyhound is the one company that you will find right across America.

Public Transport

The Public Transport offering across the United States of America varies greatly depending on which city you happen to be visiting.

Cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle have very good public transport systems. Others, not so much. You will need to investigate each city you plan on visiting during your travels through the United States.

Ride Sharing

Ride-sharing is extremely prevalent throughout the United States of America. The two most popular services, Uber and Lyft are available right across the vast majority of America.

In addition, there are also some other more regionalised ride-sharing services, particularly in San Francisco and New York, that take advantage of emerging technologies, including driverless cars.

Definitely make sure you have the Uber and Lyft apps installed; they’ll come in handy at some point during your travels throughout the United States. But also keep an eye out for those fancy new services, they can sometimes be cheaper, but there is also a novelty factor of being transported around in a driverless car that you probably won’t be able to experience at home for a few more years yet.

Rental Cars

As you will no doubt have seen in any of my other travel guides, I am very much a proponent of renting a car while travelling. It will give you the freedom to see so much more and maximise your opportunities to explore. This is no different for the majority of the United States of America.

The biggest question is whether it is worth renting a car. In some cities, given the cost of parking and the availability of a decent public transport system, having a rental car isn’t really worth it. New York and San Francisco come to mind straight away. Where in other cities like Los Angeles or Orlando, not having a rental car is going to very strictly limit what you can and can’t see while there.

Rental cars are very easily accessible all throughout the US, and all of the major car rental companies have a strong presence all the way across the country.

There are a couple of caveats, you will need to be at least 25 to rent a car, and that seems to be a fairly common rule.

It’s also worth noting that having an International Driver’s Permit before heading to the US is recommended. While many states don’t need it as long as your driver’s license is in English, it’ll save you some possible issues.

Some other tips about driving in America, they drive on the right-hand side. If you typically drive on the left-hand side of the road like myself, it’s something to be conscious of both when driving and crossing the road.

From personal experience driving on the opposite side of the road to what you are used to is much easier when there are other cars around. It’s a good reminder of where you are supposed to be. But it can take you a couple of days to adjust.

Another thing to keep in mind, there is a unique road rule in the US – turn right on red. This one took me a couple of days to adjust to, but you are allowed to turn right even when the lights are red if it’s, safe to do so and if there’s no sign prohibiting a right turn. Americans don’t tend to be patient drivers, so you might find the cars behind you on their horns if you forget.

Looking for a rental car deal while travelling around the US? My best recommendation would be to look at Thrifty  or Budget .

Keeping Healthy in the United States of America

I’m just going to put this out there, the United States of America is not a country you want to get sick or injured in.

It’s not that they provide poor health care, but unlike many other Western countries, their health system is not underwritten by the government. As a result, even simple visits to a medical facility can be extremely expensive if you don’t have insurance.

I cannot stress this enough – If you are travelling to the US, make sure you have travel insurance.

I use Cover-More  and never had any issues in those odd times when I’ve needed to resort to using travel insurance. But always make sure you have yourself covered by some sort of travel insurance, just in case.

Beyond that, everything else about America is ok. You can drink tap water just fine.

Just watch out for things like jet lag when you arrive . If you are looking for more generalised advice, my  keeping healthy while travelling overseas post will be useful to make sure you are best prepared regardless of where you are travelling to.

United States of Americas Immigration, Customs and Visas

Probably the most daunting part and any international trip are the customs, visas and immigration processes for each country you visit.

The processes for the United States of America, particularly for immigration and visas do take a little bit of research to make sure you are applying for the right thing. For the latest information, visit the US State Department’s Travel Visa Information website . Also contacting your local US Embassy will also get you the right and most current information.

Also, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your intended trip to the US. That can also catch a few people out.

After a long flight, arriving in America can also be a little daunting. Being such a popularised destination, particularly for people from poorer countries, the US takes its immigration process very seriously. They will ask you a lot of questions about the nature of your intended stay in the US. That is part of the process.

Another thing to note – Even if you are connecting to another international flight and immediately leaving the United States (say to Canada or Mexico), you will still need to clear the US Immigration process.

Given the nature of the process, the queues can be quite lengthy to officially enter the United States before you can transfer to your next flight. I would strongly recommend that you give yourself a few hours between flights, just to be on the safe side.

On the flip side, the process of leaving the United States is very straightforward. They just check your passport on the way out.

Another thing to note is that international and domestic flights often operate out of the same or at least interconnected terminals, making the process of transferring from a domestic to an international flight to leave the country actually very easy.

The United States is an amazingly diverse country to visit, but there are a lot of things to keep in mind if you plan on travelling there.

If you’d like to get more information to help plan your trip to and around the United States of America, I’ll have some more specific content coming in the not-too-distant future.

Also, make sure you check out the travel tools I use most to help you save money when booking your next trip.

Keep up to date with all the latest Here, There & Gone! adventures by following along on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .

And if you have a travel-related question you would like me to answer, head on over to my  contact page  to get in touch and let me know.

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US Travel Tips: 18 Things You Need to Know Before Travelling to America

Planning on travelling in America? Read these essential USA travel tips before you go – what you should know before your US trip. 

If you’ve read my recent features or you check in on my social media throughout the year, you know how much I love visiting the USA . 

From the national parks and stargazing in the southwest to the big cities lining the coasts, I’ll travel to America any chance I get. But some trips go much more smoothly than others, and I can tell you that knowing the best USA travel tips and advice makes all the difference in the world. Understanding when to visit, how to plan your travels, and what to pack can make or break a vacation. Seriously. But no need to stress out. I gathered some of the best tips for travelling to the USA to ensure your holiday runs smoothly whether you travel by air or on the open roads. Ready to ace your travels? Let’s go! 

Top 5 USA Travel Tips

Convert your money to the us dollar.

Looking for first-time travel to the USA tips? Convert your cash to the US Dollar right away. You can do this pretty easily anywhere in America. But if you’re a member of a credit union or a local bank, you’ll likely get better rates than when using an ATM at the airport. Most businesses in the USA accept credit cards, even in small towns. But you may pay a foreign transaction fee (upwards of 5%), which can add up in a hurry. 

My advice? I always carry some cash when travelling in the USA – small business owners appreciate it (some even require it), and I find it can save a lot of time when paying in restaurants and bars. 

You should also look into getting an account in your country that doesn’t charge for foreign transactions. 

If you’re planning on travelling in America, there are a few things you’ll want to know. First things first, you might wonder what paperwork you need to enter. 

The United States requires visas for entry from countries not on the approved Visa Waiver Program (more on that in a bit). Once you know you need a visa; you need to pick the visa category to apply for and schedule an interview at your local consulate.

This process can take weeks, if not months, to work through. If you know you’re going to need a visa, apply as far ahead of time as you can. 

You’ll Want to Practise Conversational English

While major cities have plenty of international influences and residents who speak Spanish, Mandarin, and other languages, English is the most widely spoken language in the USA. 

If you’re visiting rural areas or smaller cities, you won’t meet many locals who speak more than one language. That said, there are lots of helpful instructions, maps, and rules written in several languages at airports, shopping malls, and even national parks. But knowing the basics when you travel around the USA can help make your travels run much smoother. 

Knowing When to Plan Your Trip to the USA

Travelling America is exciting, but it also requires some careful planning and sometimes even a little luck. With a county of this size, you can expect weather to be a factor on your trip. Some places (mainly around the coast) have warm weather year-round and don’t experience much variation in heat or rainfall for much of the year. Others can literally go from perfect sunny weather to grab your stuff and run in a matter of minutes. Bottom line? Winters are harsh in some states and mild in others. So here’s a look at when you should plan your trip to the USA destinations: 

May to October is generally warm and enjoyable at the beach, up and down the Pacific Coast. It’s also a great time to plan visits to Lake Tahoe , Yosemite , and other popular locations inland. But remember that June through August is the hottest and most crowded throughout California (though San Francisco is especially cool). 

Fall is my favourite time to visit New York City or to drive upstate. Enjoy the autumn leaves changing colours, sporting events like football and basketball, and reduced rates at the best hotels.

Utah’s Mighty Five

Visiting national parks in Utah is the best in the springtime before the sweltering summer temperatures and peak tourism season.

USA Travel Tips for Staying Safe 

As a general rule, travelling to the USA is safe. But there are plenty of areas that have high crime — even in the most popular cities and near tourist attractions. 

I’m not trying to say you shouldn’t visit the USA. It’s an incredible country with too many amazing places to visit in one lifetime. But knowing where you’re going and avoiding walking alone at night are two solo travel USA tips I can’t recommend enough. 

Download an app like WanderSafe if you want a heads up when you’re entering parts of town with higher crime, and never leave valuables in your car when you hike or sightsee. 

More US Travel Tips

Apply for global entry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection serves an important purpose – to help us travel to and from the USA safely. But it can also slow your travel plans down a lot, especially if you don’t plan ahead. 

Want one of the best travel tips for the USA? Apply for Global Entry.

There’s a long list of major cities (and a few smaller ones, too) where you can shave off valuable time when passing through customs or the security line – if you’re pre-approved. It costs $100 to apply for membership , which is good for five years. But you’ll want to apply as far in advance as you can, as it generally takes up to three months. 

Hire a Car When Visiting National Parks

Some countries have well-connected public transportation that can get you from major cities to small towns and villages in no time. The USA isn’t one of them. 

While places like NYC and Seattle have reliable public transportation, you’ll want a car when taking day trips (or overnights) to national parks and other remote areas on your trip. Need wheels? Rentalcars.com is my favourite resource for scoring the best deals on rental cars. 

Be Sure to Add Travel Insurance 

You know I’m all about spending a little extra cash to protect your luggage (and health) when travelling around the world. Because the USA is packed with adventure, big cities, and sometimes one too many connecting flights, I think adding travel insurance when visiting the US is as important as ever. 

Real talk. Hospital bills in the United States are ridiculous. So, do yourself a favour and add medical insurance, just in case.  

Try to Fly Direct Whenever You Can 

As a rule, I’m all about cutting down on connecting flights as long as it works within your travel budget . 

Ever since 2020, travel has become a lot less predictable. The uncertainty multiplies 10x when you have a short window to connect between flights. While travel insurance can cut your losses related to a missed connection, squeezing your way down an aisle of restless travellers only to sprint to another terminal is never a good time. 

Budget for Tipping 

Tipping in the USA is a huge part of restaurant, bar, and even coffee shop culture. You can expect to tip around 20% in restaurants unless you receive bad service. If you strike up a conversation with your server, that tip might be even higher. It seems like American travel tips apply to anything and everything, so it’s easy to get a bit overwhelmed. My rule of thumb is to budget some extra cash when on vacation so you can tip helpful hotel staff, friendly bartenders, or card dealers who just dealt you blackjack. 

Travelling to USA: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Using esta to enter the usa.

You might be able to save some time by using the Visa Waiver Program to obtain an ESTA ( Electronic System for Travel Authorization ). 

What does this mean? Basically, it’s a fast pass into the United States. You may qualify if you:

• Are a citizen of a country on the approved list. 
• Haven’t travelled to ineligible countries since 2011. 
• Didn’t overstay the time on a previous visa or ESTA. 
• Haven’t been denied a visa or entry with ESTA.

If you plan to visit the USA and think you meet all these requirements, you can apply for the ESTA here . 

Hiking Safety 

Some of the most popular US hiking trails are surprisingly rugged. National parks might look a bit like Disneyland at the entrance, but I assure you, most are plenty wild. There are lots of risks if you don’t stay on the trails and practise some common sense – but you should also learn about any dangers unique to the area you visit. 

Want some advice for travel to the USA? Use the national and state park websites to learn more about weather conditions, natural predators, poison oak, and erosion on hiking trails before you set out on an epic trek or casual day hike. 

Get Familiar With the Imperial System

Unlike just about anywhere in the world, the USA uses imperial measurements. What does this mean? You’ll need to bust out your calculator early and often when figuring out what size to order your latte, how far something is, or how much your carry-on can weigh. 

Luckily, it’s relatively straightforward, and you’ll likely pick it up pretty quickly. 

How to Get to Your Hotel

One of my USA travel tips for first-time visitors is to take some time to figure out how you’ll get from the airport to your hotel. 

Uber and other ride-share companies are popular and often cheaper than taxis (except when surge rates apply). But they’re not cheap (usually around $30-$100 from airports to hotels). But if you’re visiting cities like Portland, San Francisco , or NYC , you can save time and money taking public transportation, especially during rush hour. 

Each State is Unique

I mean it when I say that every single one of the 50 states is unique and different. As such, you might run into regional phrases, dishes, and customs that change quickly from one place to the next. Many locals are happy to explain what you should order at a restaurant, areas you should avoid, and things that make their cities and parks unique. Getting to know your neighbours when sitting at the bar or grabbing a morning coffee can open your eyes to local secrets on your US travels.

State Parks Are Hidden Gems

Listen, national parks in the USA are amazing and definitely worth your attention. The geysers in Yellowstone, hoodoos in Bryce Canyon , and rainforests in Olympic National Park are all incredible. 

But state parks are often equally gorgeous, less crowded, and considerably cheaper (and easier) to visit. The mountains and lakes at Baxter State Park in Maine, stargazing in Chugach State Park in Alaska, and marine life in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve are just a few examples of hidden gems in the USA.

Best Travel Tips for USA: Frequently Asked Questions

You’ll want to make a packing list, depending on the weather for that season and the locations you visit. Always check the forecast, especially when you’re visiting areas with longer winters and summers, so you know what to pack. Bring a passport, visa, or ESTA, and an International Driving Permit for certain states. Let your credit card companies know where you’re visiting, purchase travel insurance, and try to book your hotels and rental cars ahead of time with free cancellation (in case you find a better deal).  

If you’re planning a coast-to-coast adventure, you’ll want to plan ahead and take a lot of time off. Not only is the USA nearly 3,000 miles across, but you’ll likely need to travel through mountains and potentially bad weather at some point or another, so drive times can be quite long on a road trip.  Getting around the USA is easiest if you combine air travel and driving. Book flights to major cities and hire cars from there if you plan to add numerous destinations to your bucket list US trip.

Travel etiquette is always important, and there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when visiting the USA.  Always drive and walk defensively in the US. Cars are often huge, people drive fast, and technology sadly makes people less aware of their surroundings.  Don’t over-order in restaurants. Everything is bigger in the USA, so expect large portions and strong drinks. Americans love personal space. Try not to get too close to others when talking and allow enough space for people to move around when in line or in busy areas. 

Tips for Travelling to the USA: Read Next

• USA Travel Guide
• Epic Cities to Visit in the USA
• Beautiful Places in the USA
• Best Winter Vacations in the US

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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Visit the U.S. as a tourist

Learn about travel documents to enter the U.S., including visa waivers and non-immigrant visas.

Visa Waiver Program and ESTA application

The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa.

How to apply for or renew a U.S. tourist visa

If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa.

How to check the status of your visa application

Find out how to check the status of your visa application online. And to avoid delays, learn how to update your address if you move while waiting for your visa to be approved.

What happens if your visa application is rejected

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COVID-19 international travel advisories

If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19.

Entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda

See what travel documents you need to enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.

Form I-94 arrival-departure record for U.S. visitors

Visa Waiver Program forms I-94 and I-94W record the arrival and departure dates of U.S. visitors.

How to extend your stay in the U.S.

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Foreign visitors: what to do if your visa or passport is lost or stolen

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First time in the USA

• Post author: Elina Michaelidou
• Post published: 30/09/2018
• Post category: Travel / Travel Diaries
• Post comments: 6 Comments
• Reading time: 7 mins read

Last summer was a summer of beginnings and endings. The reason simply being finishing my degree in London and starting a masters degree in Edinburgh. And what’s between the two? A summer (or at least two weeks) full of adventures that also includes a first-time visit to the USA!

Disclosure: Please note that this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link marked with [AD] and proceed to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you .

First time travelling to the USA

This year my family and I decided to organise a “big” trip since this is probably going to be one of our last “family” adventures before my brother and I move on to separate ways. One of the most wanted destinations of the three of us was the USA, especially New York for the skyscrapers and Orlando for the theme parks. Short after that, we were on the search for flights and accommodation. In the meanwhile, two more people joined our small group: my boyfriend Christos and his mother.

Brief timetable of pre- and post-trip activities

Late January: Flights booked

Early February: Accommodation booked

Early March:  New York and Orlando Lonely Planet travel guides arrive

Late March: Exams

April:  Visa application and interview, preparation of the initial plan of activities (the final one differed very little)

May – Mid-June: Final Year Individual Project (my undergraduate thesis), buying advance tickets for the various attractions and museums

Late June:  Project presentation, moving out, trip preparation, etc.

Early July: USA trip

Mid-July: Sleeping all day

Late July – Early September: Trip post-processing (i.e. looking through the photos, categorising them, preparing content), planning my next adventure (details to be confirmed soon), moving to Edinburgh, starting a new degree!

In search of flights and accommodation

I could spend ages discussing how we concluded on the flights that we booked and the accommodation that we chose. I could list all our options and explain my reasoning in detail. However, I won’t do this as you probably won’t stay for long here. Instead, I will just list some of our requirements (I will publish a more detailed article with more tips soon – so watch this space).

• Leaving and arriving at the airport during daytime (only exception when arriving in Cyprus)
• Having a rather long layover than a short one (at least 4 hours) when changing airports and/or flight companies.
• Preferring to pay a bit more for the transatlantic flights (but up to a sensible amount).

Accommodation

• Preferred a hotel than an apartment to be closer to the city centre/theme parks
• Staying in a hotel in Midtown, and certainly not in Times Square (too noisy there) – for New York
• Having free in-room wi-fi (many hotels – especially well-known chains don’t provide that unless you are a member of their loyalty programs and book via their website which is often more expensive than other booking sites).

Fast-forward to July and everything (and everybody) is ready for the “big trip”. Personally, I wasn’t ready for that, I still had so many things to do beforehand but I am never ready so let’s move on.

Continue reading this travel diary here: Part I – First time in New York City

P.S. This post ended up being quite long, so I broke it up into two parts, Part I – New York and Part II – Orlando .

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Elina Michaelidou

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This Post Has 6 Comments

Pingback: 1 Week in New York City: An itinerary for first-timers - Empnefsys & Travel

Very well written Elina. I’m happy that we had this transatlantic adventure together. Although you had limited time for organizing this trip we had a great time and were able to visit places with amazing views. Keep up the good work and I’m sure that many trips will follow. All the best for your masters degree!!

Thank you! 🙂

Excellent work. Keep it up. Grandpa

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Hetamentaries

The daily thoughts and adventures of a walking photographer.

10 thoughts i had on my first trip to the usa.

I have “Never say never” by Justin Bieber on a loop in my head as I write this post. I have no idea why, especially as I only know the bit of the song where he sings “never say never” but for some reason that is in my head at this given moment. So bare with me whilst I shake that song out of my ear like the water that is always stuck there after a long dive. And now we may begin.

My first visit to the US of A

In Autumn I visited USA…the US… United States…United States of America. Well the country that is a size of a continent below Canada. That one. A place I had never been to before. A place I had never really planned to visit (at least in the coming decades). But there I was. Confused and exhausted after our ridiculously long flight, slowly dragging my life on the ESTA queue at the LAX airport. Somehow I had ended up visiting the country I never intended to visit. Which is why I wanted to list the 10 thoughts I had on my very first trip to the USA.

10 thoughts I had about my first time in USA

Usa is huge, each state is basically like a country of its own, i really missed walking, nature, i love nature..

Forests in Colorado remind me of Finland

But the mountains are incredible.

Why so many cars

Pumpkin pie was amazing, dunkin donut didn’t live up to our expectations, how can walmart be this big, do i want to return.

Yes, I do. Even though the USA is still not at the top of my “must-see-more-of-the-country” list I was astonished by the nature and the scenery in Colorado and would really like to see more of the country. Which is why maybe one day we will return.

Did you travel to the USA recently? Tell me your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Want to read more thoughts about travel, check these out.

Why write a travel diary when on the road?

A man that died and other fellow travellers

What does getting lost, intentionally, mean?

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Lavender and Lovage

28 December 2018 By Karen Burns-Booth 4 Comments

Help when Visiting America for the First Time

Help when Visiting America for the First Time – Heading to the United States of America for the very first time can be daunting in many ways. It’s a vast country with plenty to offer visitors like yourself, but it also has a unique culture, which means you need to know what to do and what not to when you’re there. This also applies to the process of planning your trip. With a little preparation and the right understanding, you’ll love the time you spend in America.

If you’re feeling trepidation about the trip and want to learn more about what to expect when you’re over there, you’ve come to the right place. It’s always best to learn as much as you can about a place when you haven’t been there before because that extra knowledge will always help you to get more out of your travels.  So let’s discuss what you should and shouldn’t do when you head to America for your first visit to the country. And hopefully what you learn below will serve you well.

Do Plan Your Visit Carefully

Planning your visit out carefully is certainly a wise idea. America is vast and you’ll have so much that you want to do and see. If you don’t take the time to plan things out ahead of your visit to America, you’ll end up not spending your time efficiently and missing out on things that no visitor should miss out on. Your plan should be specific to you and not necessarily the other people you’re travelling with, simply because your priorities may be different to theirs. So do keep this in mind during the planning process.

Don’t Ignore the Importance of Your Paperwork

To put it simply, you won’t be allowed to enter into America if you haven’t got your paperwork sorted first . Be sure to check which rules apply to you and your trip. Without the right visa, this will be a wasted trip for you. And at the very least, you’ll be facing massive delays at the airport while things are sorted out, so don’t put yourself in that situation. Get it all sorted before you head out to America; it’s not as difficult or as daunting as you might imagine.

Do Talk to People

One of the best parts about visiting America is Americans . If you speak to people and start conversations, people will be more than happy to help you and give you tips on how to spend your trip. So don’t spend the whole time avoiding contact with local people because those conversations can really pay off for you in the end and help you to achieve a much happier visit to the States. Even if you’re shy, it’ll pay off if you try to put yourself out there.

Don’t Pack Too Heavily

If you’re planning on seeing a lot of America, you’ll probably want to move between the cities quite a lot. That’s how you see all of the most impressive things the US has to offer. This means it’s much better to back light and avoid having to lug too much stuff around with you as you move from city to city. You’ll only make your life a lot harder than it needs to be if you pack too heavily, so try to avoid that temptation.

Carrying on from the last tip about packing, you should definitely make sure you try to visit as many of America’s major cities as possible. Doing so is a good idea because these cities all have their own culture and identify that makes them stand out and feel unique. Moving from one American city to the next is often like visiting an entirely new country, and that’s partly because of the vastness of the country. This extra travelling will be more than worth the time and effort involved.

Don’t Withdraw Cash With Your Credit Card Without Understanding the Charges

Using your credit card in America might result in you being hit by big charges. That’s something that you obviously want to be careful about and avoid wherever you can. Of course, the rules and charges will differ depending on where you live and what kind of credit card you have. You can find out more about all this here if you want a little more clarity. It’s worth doing some research because you don’t want to withdraw cash and then get hit by big and unnecessary costs.

Do Ride on the Open Road

Another great thing to do in America is experience what it’s like to drive on the open road. Stretches of road like Route 66 are famous the world over and driving your car on them can be an unforgettable experience. Some people take the entire route all across the country but even just driving part of the route so you can say that you’ve done it and cross it off your bucket list can be fun. Hire a car, ideally an open top convertible, and enjoy riding on the open road.

Don’t Forget to Tip

Tipping is a big thing in America. Even if you don’t usually do it so much back home, you’ll be expected to provide a tip in many situations. It considered rude not to tip the waiting staff in a restaurant, for example. It’s something that you should think about and factor into your budget and spending plans for the trip as a whole. You don’t want to get caught out because you forgot how much money you’d be expected to spend on tips.

Do Explore the National Parks

National parks can be found across America and they provide some of the most stunning natural landscapes you’ll find anywhere in the world. From Yellowstone to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon to the Everglades; there are so many of them to discover and explore while you’re on America. If you’re something of a nature lover and you’ve never visited these parks before, you should definitely set the time aside to explore them. It’s one of those experiences you’re never likely to forget.

Don’t Worry About Seeing Everything; There’s Always Next Time

America is such a vast country and there’s so much to see there. That’s why you shouldn’t worry about seeing it all; there’s always next time. And most people who visit America for the first time do decide to come back for a second visit. With so much to offer, you’ll be keen to get back and see the things that you missed the first time around. So on the first visit, make sure you focus on getting the most out of the experience rather than cramming as much into it as possible because that could diminish your enjoyment.

Do Let Your Hair Down

Letting your hair down is what these kinds of travel adventures are all about. There are plenty of greats places to party and have fun in just about every town and city in America, so why not join in! Have a good time and enjoy every possible moment of the time you spend in the United States of America. If you do that, you’ll have one of the best experiences of your life.

America is a wonderful place and you’re sure to have a great time there. Just make sure that you get all of the things above right when you plan your first trip. No matter how many times you go back in the future, there’s never anything quite like visiting the United States for the first time.

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Reader Interactions

Connie Berry says

29 December 2018 at 1:25 pm

Great, helpful article! As an American, I can add two things: First, while America’s cities are wonderful as you say, visitors shouldn’t forget the amazing small and medium-sized towns inbetween. Examples are Nashville, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Minocqua, Wisconsin. This is where Americans really live. I cringe when I hear that a foreign visitor has seen New York City, Orlando, and Los Angeles, and thinks he/she has seen the U.S. Second, I want to double down on your advice to begin conversations. Americans love to meet people from other countries, and we love to share thoughts on life. Dont be offended if those you meet ask what the English might consider personal questions–especially in the south. We are curious!

Karen Burns-Booth says

7 January 2019 at 12:13 pm

Thanks so much for your helpful insights and tips as an American! Happy New Year Connie, Karen 🙂

28 March 2020 at 2:44 am

Also as an American, you are absolutely spot on about just talking to people! I suspect once travel opens back up, folks will be up for talking even more! Also don’t forget the Autumn “Color Tours.” Generally in September and October the leaf color changes make for amazing road trips in the Midwest and New England. Plus lots of Fall Festivals to stop in for a treat.

About the tipping, typically waitstaff are paid a reduced wage to account for the fact that they will get tips. Which means, if you are not tipping, they are barely earning. Personally I think its a dreadful practice but here it is. Typical tip is 15 to 20% of the bill. 20% if you had great service. Nothing sends a message quicker to poor service such as a low tip (or none if truly abysmal). Taxi cabs also take tips (Uber as well). When we travel in the States, we do budget for tips. Careful for some services will calculate suggested tip amounts on the bill, these are frequently incorrect. Happy Travels and hope you are able to make another trip out soon!

28 March 2020 at 4:22 pm

THANK YOU so much for your lovely comments Karen, and also all of your tipping tips too! Karen

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First impressions of the us: foreign visitors share their thoughts.

It’s often said that first impressions are everything. Or that they are the most lasting impressions. If that’s the case, then what do non-American visitors take away from their first trip to the United States? What are their first impressions of America? Are they left with a positive feeling about our country or a bad taste in their mouth?

We asked our international friends and colleagues, in addition to conducting some online research, to determine the answers to these questions. Their initial impressions and observations generally fell into one of the following categories: personality, size, food, lifestyle, interests and expressions.

Let’s dive right in and see what they had to say!

Personality

Perhaps the most important first impression you can make relates to how your personality comes across to visitors. If you come across as cold and unfriendly, people may generalize that everyone from your country is mean. Fortunately, Americans seemed to make a good impression in the personality department.

“Outgoing, friendly and approachable!” was how Nathan, a Brit, described his first experience with Americans (or Chicagoans, at least).

Tom, also from the United Kingdom, said Americans had “Lots of enthusiasm. I really like that, though. Even if it makes Brits look unenthusiastic by comparison…”

Akansha from India wrote this on Quora: “The people smile and wish you good morning! You thank the McDonald’s guy, and he in turn wishes you good day with a smile. You enter the bus, and the driver greets you with a smile. I honestly did not once feel like an outsider … In the U.S., you could ask a person on the road directions to the beach, [and] he/she might … accompany you in order to help (No exaggeration. Happened with me.).”

According to Sue from Australia, “Americans are generally friendly, curious and surprisingly knowledgeable about our country.”

So we made a good first impression in terms of personality, but other characteristics surprised our foreign visitors in a slightly less favorable way. In fact, many of them were downright shocked at the size of things (and people) in our country.

Yijie from China summed up her observations in this way: “Everything is HUGE! Food portions, dress sizes, supermarkets and malls. Everything is unbelievably and sometimes even unnecessarily BIG.”

Charlotte from the U.K. was only 6 years old when she first visited the States, but she also commented on the size of things. “I remember everything being so big! Roads, cars, food portions.”

“Food portions and drinks at restaurants are bigger than I was used to,” said Valeria from Colombia.

Max from the United Kingdom took it a step further, commenting on the “size of the food portions and the size of the people.” He added, “The bellies overhanging the belts are simply far more numerous than anywhere else I’ve travelled!”

Beyond the larger portion sizes, our international friends made a few other food-related observations about the United States.

Here’s what Akansha from India wrote: “People eat cheese with everything! Raw vegetables [with] cheese, fruits/berries [with] cheese! I mean why!!!!! For god’s sake.”

Phoebe from China also noticed our dairy obsession, writing on Quora: “People eat ice-creams as if there were no tomorrow.”

Valeria from Colombia says she was impressed by the number of food commercials on television, but Nathan from the U.K. said there weren’t as many fast food restaurants as he’d expected based on American stereotypes. Nathan also said he found our grocery stores to be very confusing.

As with most things, impressions of prices are relative, depending on where you come from. Ashwini from India found our prices to be very high, writing: “13 dollars for lunch (mental note to cook more).”

Lifestyle can differ greatly from place to place, and even among friends in the same locale. And it’s a pretty broad category housing a hodgepodge of impressions.

Giulia from Italy visited New York City and commented on the mindset of being always on-the-go . “You need to be always busy. I have this Italian friend living in New York for a long time, and she cannot accept anymore the fact that sometimes I just spend time doing nothing. [She’ll ask me] ‘Nothing? Not even yoga? NOTHING?’”

Ruben from Portugal said he was struck by the number of people jogging here. Akansha from India agreed: “People in the U.S. can be seen jogging round the clock … Even at 00:00 [midnight] hours (no kidding).”

Tom the Brit commented on our patriotism: There were “so many U.S. flags. Like, these guys really love their country.”

International visitors were fascinated with Americans’ passion for two things in particular: religion and sports.

Giulia from Italy had this observation: “In Florida, there were only religious radio programs. Driving to Key West, I almost gave up.”

In a Quora post, Jing from Singapore noted “the intensity and passion of fans when it comes to sports (especially in football, baseball and basketball).”

Akansha from India also commented on the American obsession with athletics: “Interschool/college sports are taken seriously … VERY SERIOUSLY.”

Expressions

Most of the previously mentioned observations have been about what Americans do and how we live, but what about the things we say? Are there certain commonly used words and phrases that foreigners have picked up on?

Lucy from China noticed a big one: “People can’t say a single sentence in a conversation without using ‘be like.’”

Two people commented on a classic American greeting. Here’s what Kate from the U.K. observed: “Everyone says ‘Hihowyadoin’ like it’s one word and seems surprised when you actually answer or ask how THEY are.”

Giulia from Italy agreed. “Random people asked me ‘How you doing?’ I started to actually tell them and it took me a while to understand it was just a polite question. They were surprised when I answered.”

And Raj from Australia noticed that Americans say the word “exactly” a lot.

To these observations, we’d be like, “exactly.”

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20 Tips for taking a road trip in the USA for the first time by an American

July 31, 2019 by Dawn Allcott 1 Comment

The car is packed and you’re headed on a long-awaited road trip. Whether you’re taking your own vehicle coast-to-coast, or you’re renting a car to make a U.S. road trip part of your international adventure, a little planning goes a long way. 

With 20 years of traveling up and down the Eastern seaboard, plus car trips to Chicago, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, I’ve picked up a few handy tips to share for taking a road trip in the United States. I hope that these helpful tips help you plan your US road trip!

• 1 Plan Ahead
• 2 Connect with Locals for the Best Tips
• 3 Search Groupon for Deals – and Ideas
• 4 Leave Room for Spontaneity
• 5 Purchase Toll Passes for Areas Where You’ll Be Traveling
• 6 Understand U.S. Rental Car Rules
• 7 Educate Yourself About Rental Car Insurance
• 8 Join AAA if traveling on your own
• 9 Know the Difference Between a Rest Stop and a Truck Stop
• 10.1 Eat Even Healthier by Stopping at Farm Stands
• 11 Find the Best Hotel Prices Online
• 12 Call the Hotel for Discounts
• 13 Account for Security Deposits
• 14.1 Useful items for your overnight bag:
• 15 Take Advantage of Local WiFi
• 16.1 Use Waze to Avoid Traffic Snarls
• 17 Time Your Travel to Save Travel Time
• 18 Keep a Stash of Paper Maps
• 19 Let Your Bank Know You’re Traveling
• 20 Any other US road trip tips that you’d recommend? Any questions about taking a road trip in the United States?

Having a broad idea of your major stops, must-see tourist attractions, and areas where you want to spend several days or even a week helps give your vacation structure. It ensures you’ll experience what matters the most to you in each state, whether that’s theme parks, shopping, or the best gourmet restaurants.

Each summer, my family takes a three-week road trip from New York to Florida. We plan two major stops along the way, spending two or three days in spots like Washington, D.C., or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I save money by booking hotel rooms and attractions for these places in advance.

On a related note, do not go too crazy planning your trip and underestimate how large the United States is. Many first-time road trippers in the United States assume that you can go coast-to-coast in a short time and often cram in too much. Although the driving may not take as long as you might expect, you’ll probably want to explore cities, national parks, and major tourist attractions along the way. Give yourself enough time to stop off beyond a quick pit-stop!

Connect with Locals for the Best Tips

Talk to locals, join Facebook groups for people traveling to given areas, and visit the tourist and visitor’s bureau website for each city you plan to visit. Also pay attention to insider travel guides like the ones on WanderlustingK to discover the secret hotspots only the locals know about.

Click for Karen’s recommendations on the best ways to meet locals while traveling with real stories!

Search Groupon for Deals – and Ideas

You can find some great attractions (at a low price) by browsing Groupon for things to do in the places you want to visit. Sometimes, you’ll discover an activity you hadn’t planned, like a local escape room or a helicopter ride across a city. 

Leave Room for Spontaneity

While we keep a broad idea of our journey and major stops in mind, we also take time to explore interesting restaurants, fun stores like that we don’t have near us (like Cabela’s), or even just a hotel with a pool off I-95 if we’re getting tired.

Some of our greatest road trip memories happened by accident. Our kids still talk about the time we decided to stop and visit the world-famous South of the Border between the Carolinas.  It was incredibly kitschy (like all of SOTB), overpriced, hilarious, yet terrifying at the same time. We won’t do it again, but we’re glad we did it once.

Purchase Toll Passes for Areas Where You’ll Be Traveling

Pre-paid toll booth transponders make it easy for U.S. travelers to skip the toll booth lines and avoid carrying cash for tolls. The problem? Not all passes are accepted in all states. 

But there’s good news for East Coast travelers. In August 2018, Florida began accepting E-Z Pass. That’s the transponder used across the Northeast, as far south as North Carolina, and in some Midwestern states. If your trip includes Georgia, you’ll need to purchase a Peach Pass, also good in North Carolina and Florida. South Carolina only has two tolls roads, but a Palmetto Pass makes it easier to cross them.

You can buy your E-Z Pass within any state that offers it, either online or through AAA . To save the most money, purchase the pass from the state where you plan to spend the most time because you’ll get some discounts on those tolls.

If your travels will take you all the way to California, it’s wise to invest in a FasTrak, too. If you’re renting a car for your trip, ask if you can get a toll pass directly from the rental car company. 

Understand U.S. Rental Car Rules

Car rental tips, rules, and regulations could fill a whole blog post. Some rental companies require customers to be 25 or older. Other companies, including Alamo and Enterprise, rent cars to drivers 21+, but additional surcharges and requirements may apply. Hertz rents to drivers as young as 20, with an additional fee. The minimum age to rent a car in New York and Michigan is 18.

Some companies require you to have a valid credit card, while others accept a debit card for the rental. In either case, expect a hold to be placed on your account until you return the car. You generally are expected to bring a car rental back to the same location where the car was rented. Not doing so will result in extra fees, so one-way trips may be more expensive than you realize!

Inspect the car carefully and take photos with your phone before you drive away so you won’t be held responsible for pre-existing damage.

Educate Yourself About Rental Car Insurance

Rental car insurance can add another $10 to $30 per day to your bill. Do you need it? The answer is: It depends. 

If you don’t have your own car insurance, you’ll want to pay for liability insurance, at a minimum. This protects you against having to pay out-of-pocket if you cause an accident and hurt someone else or damage their vehicle.

If you’re paying with a credit card, you might be able to skip Collison Damage Waiver (CDW) insurance, which covers theft or damage to the rental car. Read the fine print on your credit card statement, because most credit cards offer this perk.

Join AAA if traveling on your own

AAA stands for the American Automobile Association. This organization which advocates for travelers has offices where you can often pick up maps and other handy essentials.

Karen’s husband Jacob swears by the premium membership at AAA, which is a yearly cost. However, the roadside assistance has been a lifesaver in many rural places of the US during breakdowns after numerous breakdowns in rural West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and numerous other states.

Depending on your membership tier, you can get a certain number of tows up to a specific number of miles. Their services include delivering fuel to you if you run of gas, roadside assistance with a tow, vehicle lockout service, flat tire service, and battery starting assistance. It’s less than $150 to join for the year with the premium tier of membership (2019), so consider stopping by your local AAA office (or checking online!) to join.

Know the Difference Between a Rest Stop and a Truck Stop

Once you’re on the road, you’re going to have to stop at some point. You check the GPS and notice there’s a rest stop up ahead. Now, you’re looking forward to that Starbucks Cloud Macchiato.

If you began your journey in the Northeast, you might be used to the “rest stops” dotting the New Jersey Turnpike every 10 miles or so. Big box-style buildings, each with a giant food court, convenience store, and a gas station. You can buy everything from sunglasses to phone chargers. But I wouldn’t recommend it because you’ll pay less at Wal-mart or Target.

Maryland, Virginia, and Connecticut also have robust, state-funded rest stops worth visiting. However, rest stops across most of the country are not like that. You’ll find a few vending machines, bathrooms, and a place to walk dogs. But you won’t find shopping, a gas station, or much of anything else. 

To find some unique pit stops to break up the route, Karen loves buying (and reading out loud in the car!) the Weird America books for inspiring and wacky rest stops! You can also get state-focused guides for road trips within only one state.

When you’re craving a latte and you need to fill up, you need a truck stop. Truck stops combine gas stations, restaurants, and convenience stores, plus amenities like showers for truckers and free WiFi. We like Flying J and Pilot because they’re clean and always have a variety of merchandise in the stores to browse as you stretch your legs. Fun fact: Iowa 80 in Walcott, Iowa, even has a movie theater.

Buy Your Snacks at Walmart or Local Grocery Stores to Save Money

While truck stops are great for that spur-of-the-moment fast food craving, you can save tons of money on your trip by stocking up at snacks from Wal-mart or a local grocery store in the area you’re visiting.

Bring your own reusable grocery bags as some states charge for plastic bags (and it’s greener!) Pack a cooler for drinks and refill it as supplies get low. (A pro tip: bring a bag for the trash!)

Eat Even Healthier by Stopping at Farm Stands

Pack a second cooler and stop at local farm stands or food co-ops for fresh produce for the trip. A few pints of strawberries and a bag of string beans keep me and the kids satisfied until we reach the next Cracker Barrel – a must-stop meal for us on every family road trip.

Find the Best Hotel Prices Online

Ready to stop for the night but haven’t reached your first pre-planned destination? Tap into free WiFi at the next truck stop to find the best prices for hotels on sites like Expedia, Travelocity, Booking, and Hotels.com. It’s smart to stick with one service, as prices don’t vary much, and you’ll earn rewards each time you book to save more money. (Karen usually uses the Booking.com app for last-minute bookings!)

Book your hotel about 20 minutes before you plan to arrive to be sure your reservation made it into the system. You can book a hotel from the parking lot of the hotel, but it might take a bit more time for the front desk to find your reservation. 

Call the Hotel for Discounts

In my experience, I find the best hotel prices booking online. But it always pays to call the hotel and see if they will match that price. When you’re negotiating a rate, make sure you’re accounting for any added taxes and fees. A rate that looks lower online before you book might actually be higher than the hotel’s rate once you get the final price with taxes and fees. Also, be sure to check whether you will need to pay in cash or can pay in person by card.

Be sure to ask about AARP or AAA discounts, if you’re a member of either organization. You can’t use these discounts online, but the discount might just beat the online price.

Likewise, if you’re visiting a local or major regional tourist attraction, the hotel might offer a discount to the attraction or a discounted hotel room if you show your attraction ticket.

Account for Security Deposits

When you book a hotel or rental car, the company is likely to bill a security deposit on your credit card. The deposit covers incidentals – such as room charges – or damage to the room.

After some unfortunate incidents, editor Karen swears by paying extra to bring the deducible of your rental car down to zero in case of something happening. The longer your trip, the more likely you’ll be happy that you paid for it!

Make sure you leave enough room on your card to cover this charge, with the knowledge that it may not be returned until seven to 10 days after your stay. Check your statement to make sure the hotel refunded the charge.

Keep a Smaller Bag Handy for Overnight Stays

No doubt, your trunk or overhead carrier is piled high with suitcases for your journey. If you’re planning multiple overnight pit stops, keep a separate bag with just the necessities. A larger backpack should work well enough although an inexpensive overnight bag will work too!

Useful items for your overnight bag:

• Bathing Suit 
• Towel (hotel pools never have enough!)
• One change of clothes
• Wall charger for your phone plus USB cord
• Your adult beverage of choice for relaxing in the hotel room at night* (Note: some states require stopping off at a state-run liquor or wine/liquor store to purchase said beverages while others sell adult beverages in the gas station.)

When you’re ready for an overnight stop, you’ll have just one small bag to carry, which also means less chance of leaving anything in the hotel room.

When you leave, put your dirty clothes in a reusable plastic bag – or do a load of laundry in the hotel room – and re-pack the overnight bag for your next stop. (Karen uses a cute yet light foldable world map laundry bag that she’s had for years.)

Take Advantage of Local WiFi

Tap into free WiFi at hotels, truck stops, fast food restaurants, and coffee houses to conserve your data for when you really need it. If you have Verizon FIOS or Cablevision service at home, you might be able to use HotSpots for WiFi.

Make Sure You Have Plenty of Data

Of course, you can’t tap into a WiFi network doing 70 mph down the highway. (At least, not yet.) Consider increasing your phone’s data plan before you start your journey. Even if you don’t have passengers streaming Netflix throughout the trip (I’m looking directly into the backseat at my kids!) – you’ll need it for the GPS. (If you’re looking for some entertaining games that work offline, click for 15+ fun travel-friendly apps perfect for a road trip !)

Use Waze to Avoid Traffic Snarls

Apple Maps or Google Maps? The answer, for us, is neither. Waze not only has the most up-to-date traffic information, but you can find out why traffic slowed to a halt on the Belt Parkway. Oh wait, it’s the Belt. Of course , traffic stopped.

An insider New Yorker tip : Avoid the Belt Parkway, a series of three parkways that go from Brooklyn to Queens, if at all possible. (Also avoid the Cross Bronx Parkway, which is terrible most of the time!) It’s often faster to get into New York City via Staten Island or the Lincoln Tunnel via New Jersey.)

Time Your Travel to Save Travel Time

Google Maps usually generates the time to a destination at the moment that you check on your app. If you’re checking when it’s not rush hour, be sure to add extra time into your time calculations if you’re traveling close to or during rush hour.

Native New Yorkers traveling through the Tri-state area know that you want to get through the city before rush hour. For us, this means leaving between 10 AM and 2 PM.  

Wherever you travel, it’s best to time the trip so you’re navigating big cities (think: D.C., Boston, Nashville, Chicago, Jacksonville, etc.) either late at night or early in the morning. If you’re not stopping in the city, you can also look for ways to loop around it.

If you do happen to get stuck in a big city at rush hour, don’t fight it. Stop for dinner and do some shopping until 7 PM when traffic should be clear.

Keep a Stash of Paper Maps

Sometimes, there’s just no avoiding traffic. Or a cell phone dead zone. That’s when paper maps help. You can usually pick up maps at rest stops and at AAA offices although well-prepared travelers can purchase regional maps online. (Karen recommends Rand McNally for US maps , which is the gold standard for US road maps.)

We traveled to Anderson, South Carolina to see the solar eclipse of 2017. On the way back home, we got caught in eclipse traffic (who imagined that would be a thing!?) in North Carolina. 

While hundreds of travelers followed their GPS,  which took us through a residential neighborhood with traffic at a standstill, my husband pulled out a paper map and circumvented the crowd. We took a scenic route in the pouring rain through Batcave, North Carolina – which is just as creepy and cool as it sounds. It’s a travel moment we won’t forget.  

Let Your Bank Know You’re Traveling

Right before our trip, my son fell in love with a pair of sneakers while we were school clothes shopping, but they didn’t have his size and I couldn’t find them online. Browsing the outlet stores in Asheville, North Carolina, he spotted them – at a shoe store chain that we don’t have on Long Island. 

He was bouncing with excitement as I pulled out my Chase debit card – only to have it declined. I checked my balance online and saw I had plenty of money in the account.

Why was my card declined? The bank’s fraud protection department flagged several transactions outside my home state as “unusual activity.” I called the bank and within five minutes, had my account reactivated to buy the sneakers.

As a veteran traveler, I should know better. Learn from my mistake and call your bank and credit card companies to let them know your trip itinerary. Then you can rest easy knowing you have access to all your funds during your road trip adventure – plus all these handy tips in mind to ensure a smooth journey.

Any other US road trip tips that you’d recommend? Any questions about taking a road trip in the United States?

• Tips for traveling in the United States WITHOUT a car
• Tips for tipping in the United States
• First-time tips for visiting New York City by a New Yorker
• How to travel in the United States on a budget

About Dawn Allcott

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July 27, 2021 at 5:25 pm

thank you helpful!!!

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Arrival/Departure History Now Available on I-94 Webpage

Customs and Border Protection launched a new webpage on May 1 that offers nonimmigrant U.S. visitors access to their I-94 arrival/departure record and their arrival/departure history.

The new CBP webpage allows nonimmigrant travelers to access arrival/departure records going back five years from the request date. This electronic travel-history function means that travelers may no longer need to file Freedom of Information Act requests to receive their arrival/departure history, greatly speeding their process. Travelers will have electronic access to the date and port of entry of their arrivals and departures.

When travelers visit the I-94 webpage they can retrieve their I-94 arrival/departure record number and five-year travel history by entering the required name, date of birth, and passport information.

Clicking on “Get Most Recent I-94” will return the I-94 number, most recent date of entry, class of admission and admit-until date. The information does not reflect changes of status, extension of stay or adjustments of status granted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Travelers then have the option to print the record.

Clicking on “Get Travel History” will return their five-year travel history based on their I-94 records, which they also can print.

Travelers can also cancel pending Freedom of Information Act requests for travel history information—after they have received the information from the new website—by adding their FOIA Request Number and clicking on “Request FOIA Cancellation” button.

CBP began the online version of Form I-94 in April 2013. The positive public response to that streamlining prompted the agency to offer travel histories online as well.

If a traveler has lost a paper form I-94 that was issued prior to the online system and the record is not available online, the traveler can file a Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Non-Immigrant Arrival-Departure Document, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Road Trip USA: 12 Most Famous Routes To Travel In America

• Famous routes in the USA offer adventure, quirky roadside stops, and iconic diners for road trip enthusiasts craving exploration.
• Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, and the Florida Keys Scenic Highway are some of the most iconic road trips in the US, with breathtaking sights and delicious food stops.
• The Loneliest Road, the Alaska Highway, the Grand Circle, and the Oregon Trail provide unique and scenic routes through untouched wilderness, historic landmarks, and stunning landscapes.

From East to West and North to South, the United States is lucky to have numerous scenic highways and iconic roadways that are beckoning to be explored and perfect for road trips. Whether searching for breathtaking desert mountain ranges or vast misty forests, adventure, quirky roadside stops, and iconic American diners await travelers on these routes. Here are some most famous routes in the USA to travel for those with wanderlust, a yearning for exploration, and the desire to visit some of the best destinations in the US by road.

UPDATE: 2023/11/15 08:44 EST BY SUNIL PURUSHE

Two More Incredible Road Trips To An Already Outstanding List

America is truly a land of never-ending possibilities as far as epic road trips are concerned, and this list is richer by two more. From the East Coast to the Wild West, the United States of America is one of the best countries on Earth for a road trip. Drive safe!

Related: 10 Best Road Trips You Can Take Through The Scenic State Of Texas

Route 66: A Driving Adventure Along The Most Famous Road In The World

Over 2,400 miles across eight states, from Chicago, Illinois, to the Pacific Coast in Santa Monica, California.

Route 66 is one of the most famous road trips in the United States and a classic choice for travelers hoping to soak in Americana culture. Spanning from Chicago to California, Route 66 covers eight states and takes drivers through many historic landmarks and quirky roadside attractions, including the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas; and the Santa Monica Pier in California.

• Popular sights: Ozark Mountains in Missouri, the Painted Desert in Arizona, and the Pacific Coast in California
• Popular food stops: Lou Mitchell's in Chicago, Illinois; the Ariston Café in Litchfield, Illinois; and the Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas

Before traveling on the most famous road trip in the US, plan to add the best stops along Route 66 to visit on a road trip to the itinerary.

The Pacific Coast Highway: A Rocky Coastline, Striking Cliffs, And Unspoiled Beaches Make PCH One Of The Most Scenic Highways

650 miles on an epic west coast road trip from the north to the south of california..

The Pacific Coast Highway, also known as California State Route 1, is probably the most famous route in America to drive and stretches more than 600 miles across the California coast. The Pacific Coast Highway offers lots to see on the way and is a must-drive route for anyone seeking gorgeous ocean views, sunny weather, and carefree California vibes.

From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, this route takes roadtrippers through some of California's most stunning and breathtaking sights.

• Popular sights: Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Point Lobos State Reserve, Big Sur State Park, and Pfeiffer Beach
• Popular food stops: Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur, Hog Island Oyster Company in Tomales Bay, and The French Laundry in Yountville

The Florida Keys Scenic Highway: 110 miles Across The Islands Of The Florida Keys

Scenic images of dolphins swimming, manatees floating in the waters, and endangered birds gliding through the brilliant blue sky..

The iconic drive along the Florida Keys Highway is perhaps one of the most beautiful road trips in the US in terms of tropical scenery and sea views. The route takes travelers from Miami to Key West with incredible ocean sights all along the way. This road also takes roadtrippers through friendly small towns filled with quirky beach bars and laid-back Florida charm.

Outdoor lovers can spend the day swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving in Florida's pristine waters or exploring some of the beautiful parks in the area, which include the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo and the Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key. The Florida Keys are known for their fresh seafood, and travelers with a sweet tooth must try the area's famous specialty: Key Lime Pie.

• Popular sights: Key West Lighthouse, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, and the Indian Key Historic State Park
• Popular food stops: Hogfish Bar and Grill in Stock Island, the Conch Republic Seafood Company in Key West, and the Fish House in Islamorada

Related: The History Of Route 66, And Why You Should Be Visiting Its Museums

The Blue Ridge Parkway: "America's Favorite Drive," Through The Appalachian Mountains

469 miles of breathtaking scenery through shenandoah national park and the great smoky mountains national park..

Spanning 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most famous road trips in the US, as it takes drivers through the majestic Appalachian Mountains. Blue Ridge Parkway is filled with beautiful stops , and outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy camping, hiking, and fishing in the beautiful state parks found along the route, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The region is filled with plenty of wildlife, and nature lovers might stumble upon black bears, deer, and birds of prey native to the area.

• Popular sights: Shenandoah National Park, Pisgah National Forest, Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mabry Mill in Virginia, the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in North Carolina
• Popular food stops: The BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville, Virginia; the Tupelo Honey Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina; and the Woodlands Barbecue in Blowing Rock

The Loneliest Road: Most Desolate, Yet Most Interesting

A road trip that touches colonial-era landscapes while passing through the wild west up to high-tech silicon valley..

The Loneliest Road is a perfect road trip route for lovers of the American Southwest and has become one of the most famous roads in America. This route belongs to the portion of U.S. Route 50 that runs through Nevada. The Loneliest Road got its name in 1986 when a travel magazine proclaimed there was absolutely nothing interesting along this route, conjuring up images of desolate landscapes and barren wastelands.

This route, however, is filled with captivating desert landscapes, historic ghost towns from Nevada's famed Gold Rush, and quirky roadside attractions.

• Popular sights: The Ruby Mountains, the Great Basin National Park, the Eureka Opera House, and the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
• Popular food stops: Middlegate Station in Fallon, Grandma's in Austin, and Racks Bar and Grill in Ely

The Alaska Highway: A Work In Progress For 75 Years

A magnificent road trip through the epic northern scenery, two-thirds of which lies in canada..

Running from British Columbia to Alaska, the Alaska Highway offers travelers a unique opportunity to explore some of North America's most untouched parts of wilderness. Nature lovers can marvel at epic mountain ranges, sparkling lakes, and vast forests filled with beautiful wildlife and flora.

Visitors can hike or camp in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve. The Alaska Highway also offers travelers one of the best places in the entire world to see the surreal beauty of the Northern Lights during the winter months.

• Popular sights: Mile 0 Cairn in Dawson Creek, the Signpost Forest in Watson Lake, and the Big Delta State Historical Park in Delta Junction
• Popular food stops: The Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer and Fast Eddy's in Tok

The best time of year to drive the Alaska Highway is from late spring to early fall when the weather is warmer, and there are plenty of daylight hours. Travelers who are determined to travel the route in winter can still make the drive as long as they take extra precautions to keep warm and safe.

The Grand Circle: Some Of The Most Stunning Scenery Imaginable

An epic journey through five states and nine national parks..

The Grand Circle loop takes drivers through some of the most iconic national parks in the American Southwest. Visitors will be able to see the stunning views of Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. A popular place to start this loop is in Las Vegas, where visitors can rest and refresh after a long road trip spent hiking, camping, and exploring some of the most beautiful views in the US along the way.

• Popular sights: Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Four Corners, Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Valley of Fire
• Popular food stops: The Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, Utah; Red Iguana in Salt Lake City, Utah; and El Tovar Dining Room at Grand Canyon National Park

Related: Blue Ridge Parkway Vs. Skyline Drive: Which Is More Scenic?

Maine's Route 1: Over 500 Miles Of Pavement That Snakes Its Way Through New England

A perpetually evolving panorama of coastline, historic landmarks, and charming towns..

Route 1 takes travelers along Maine's rugged coastline, rustic seaside towns, and some of the best lobster shacks in the country. From Kittery to Fort Kent, this route features some of the most charming views of this New England state, including the Acadia National Park, Maine Maritime Museum, whale-watching tours, and some of the most famous lighthouses in America.

• Popular sights: Acadia National Park, Maine Maritime Museum, Portland Head Light, Pemaquid Point Light, and West Quoddy Head Light
• Popular food stops: Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Moody's Diner in Waldoboro, The Whale's Tale in Boothbay Harbor

The Great River Road: A National Scenic Byway And All-American Road Following The Mississippi For 3,000 miles

A collection of state and local roads that take the course of the mississippi river through 10 states of america..

The Great River Road is also among the most famous road trips US states have to offer; it follows the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana and features charming river towns, breathtaking views of the epic Mississippi River, and historic sites related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the American Civil War. This route is also one of the best road trips in the US for foodies, offering everything from Tennessee barbecue to New Orleans gumbo.

• Popular sights: Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; and the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana
• Popular food stops: The Frostop Drive-In in New Orleans, Louisiana; The Blue Owl in Kimmswick, Missouri; and Fitz's Root Beer in St. Louis, Missouri

Related: Here's What Roadtrippers Should Know About The Loneliest Road In America

The Oregon Trail: America's Historic Road Trip Where 400,000 Pioneers Traveled From 1840 To 1880 In Wagons

Nearly 2,000 miles through mountains, valleys, and wild prairie on the historic route of america's first settlers..

Exploring The Oregon Trail is one of the most famous roads in America; it's a road trip made for history buffs and adults who spend their childhoods playing the popular video game. This historic route follows the path of the 19th-century pioneers who settled in the West, offering a fascinating glimpse into America's frontier past. There are plenty of museums on the route that tell the story of westward expansion, such as the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon.

Tourists can even visit pioneer cemeteries scattered along the Oregon Trail that shed light on just how grueling this journey was. Some of these cemeteries include the Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Walla Walla, Washington, and the Blue Mountain Cemetery in Prairie City, Oregon.

• Popular sights: Independence Rock in Wyoming, Chimney Rock in Nebraska, and Fort Laramie in Wyoming
• Popular food stops: The Oregon Trail Restaurant in Baker City, Oregon, and Fort Laramie Bed and Breakfast Cafe in Fort Laramie, Wyoming

Mighty 5: A Ride Into The Heart Of America's Red Rock Country

Driving through 5 national parks of utah for the most epic adventure..

Known to many as "The Utah National Parks Road Trip" or "Mighty 5 Road Trip", this famous US route is often considered the best road trip in America and, by some, even the best in the world. Drive through Utah's national parks with canyons stretching as far as the eye can see, soaring sandstone cliffs, fire-colored rock hoodoos, and thousands of dramatic arches, like the famous formations in Arches National Park .

• Popular sights: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Parks
• Popular food stops: Hell's Backbone Grill and Farm in Boulder, Capitol Burger in Torrey, Arches Thai in Moab, I D K Barbecue in Tropic

Olympic Peninsula Loop: a 300 Mile-Long Odyssey Through Stunningly Gorgeous Landscape

Winding around the perimeter of olympic national park, passing rugged mountain peaks, pristine alpine lakes, lush green forests, and scenic beaches..

Although packed with famous US highways that are seemingly made for road trips, few Washington drives are as iconic as the Olympic Peninsula Loop. The Olympic Peninsula Loop is 330 miles long and studded with countless sites to explore.

Although the loop can be covered in one day, to justify this road trip, travelers on the route can break the journey along many stops, such as the glassy Lake Cushman inside Olympic National Forest, Port Townsend known for its Victorian architecture, Lavender farms in the town of Sequim (pronounced “Squim”) and a historic lighthouse from 1857 inside Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. Seattle and Portland are two major cities accessible from the Olympic Peninsula Loop.

• Popular sights: Lake Cushman, Lighthouse inside Dungeness Refuge, Hoh Rain Forest, La Push, Ruby Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent
• Popular food stops: Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen in Tumwater, Jean-Pierre's Three16 in Tumwater, Gardner's Restaurant in Olympia

First timer’s guide to California's Santa Barbara

Apr 17, 2024 • 8 min read

Ditch the car and get around Santa Barbara's shops, restaurants and wine-tasting rooms by foot © Mitch Diamond / Getty Images

Welcome to Santa Barbara , where the sun, sea, and mountains create a coastal paradise like no other. The Chumash people initially inhabited the town for thousands of years before Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century. Today, Santa Barbara still reflects its Spanish colonial heritage with Mediterranean-style buildings and red-tile roofs, which perfectly complement the natural backdrop of the San Ynez Mountains. 

What may appear as a small beach town truly has so much to offer. From its pristine beaches, one-of-a-kind hiking trails, vibrant culture, mouthwatering eateries, live music scene, renowned vineyards, and plenty more… there won’t be a minute to spare.

Just 90 minutes from Los Angeles , whether visiting for just the day or a long weekend, it’s a no-brainer. So whether you’re looking to catch the perfect wave or want to indulge in a world of laid-back tranquility, the magic of Santa Barbara offers what can only be referred to as a diverse array of experiences that cater to every taste and interest. 

When is the best time to go to Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara bathes in near-perfect weather, averaging more than 300 days of sunshine each year, so there’s really no bad time to visit. For travelers looking for that quintessential Californian experience, July and August are when the sun is at its hottest and the water is warmest. While the warmer season does bring larger crowds and higher prices, consider planning your trip around Santa Barbra’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta. The city truly comes alive during the five-day festival that honors Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions. The celebrations begin on the Wednesday before the first Friday in August, and 2024 will mark its 100th anniversary. 

Budget-conscious travelers may find winter (December to February) more appealing, with fewer tourists and a better chance of snagging a great deal on accommodation. But the sweet spot lies in spring and fall when the crowds thin out while temperatures are still on the higher side. Just be sure to pack layers as the temperatures can drop up to 15 degrees at night.

How much time should I spend in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara can be enjoyed as an easy day or weekend trip from Los Angeles (travel time is only 90 minutes). However, with so much to do and see, true explorers will relish the opportunity to linger for three to four days (and many lodging properties offer guests their third night free). 

If you only have two days, you can soak up the city’s Spanish heritage and enjoy the palm-lined waterfront and coastal cuisine. However, with a few more days up your sleeve, you can indulge beyond the city’s immediate offerings. For starters, Santa Barbara’s wine tastings are a must . There’s a series of 25+ rooms downtown, but if you can venture out to Santa Barbara’s wine country, it’s home to 283 wineries. With more days, outdoor adventures like hiking and cycling are also possible and cater to all levels and expertise. 

Is it easy to get in and around Santa Barbara?

The options are plenty when it comes to getting in and around Santa Barbara. A direct flight to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) is an option with flights from all around the US, including Portland, Salt Lake City, and even Atlanta. From there, a ride-share service or hotel shuttle can transport you the 10 miles to downtown. 

Getting to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles is an easy 90-minute drive on US 101-N. Alternatively, tourists can opt for the Amtrak train. The gorgeous coastal ride starts from Union Station in Los Angeles and takes just over two-and-a-half hours to arrive directly in downtown Santa Barbara. 

Once in Santa Barbara, the compact city center means you can ditch your car for the most part. The downtown coastal area is very pedestrian and cyclist-friendly, making it easy to explore the charming streets of boutiques, cafes, and galleries without the added stress of finding (limited) parking. However, if you plan to visit beyond downtown, a car or rideshare option will be necessary. 

Top things to do in Santa Barbara

There’s so much to pack in during your time in Santa Barbara, but there are a few must-dos that showcase the city. Renting a bike is the best way to see as many spots as possible. Make sure you cruise along the scenic Cabrillo Bike Path, which offers breathtaking views of the coastline and the Santa Ynez Mountains. 

Foodies and wine enthusiasts will feel right at home with the near-limitless gastronomic offerings. For a casual-yet-upscale coffee, Cajé Coffee Roasters are known for their very photogenic drinks (order the Sugar Wood or Belarosa). For lunch, it’s almost criminal for a first-timer to skip La Super-Rica Taqueria . After one bite, you’ll quickly learn why Julia Child and Katy Perry call this their favorite taco joint. Bibi Ji is another local go-to for their friendly atmosphere and delicious twist on modern Indian cuisine. 

Even if you’re not planning on venturing past downtown, it doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on a famous Santa Barbara wine tasting . Just steps from the main State Street, Grassini Family Vineyards has a tasting room. For just $25, you can try their Estate Flight, which features four of their estate-grown wines, or you can purchase a glass or bottle to enjoy. 

Taking the time to stop and enjoy the serenity is a huge part of what attracts so many people to Santa Barbra. For a budget-friendly option, pack a casual picnic and bask in the sunshine, beauty, and tranquility of the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens . Tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, the enchanting oasis showcases California’s diverse flora. 

Leave time for a day trip from Santa Barbara

There are several day trip options from Santa Barbara, including visiting nearby wine regions such as the Santa Ynez Valley . Beyond wine tastings, the Santa Ynez Valley is also known for its horseback riding. A popular place to visit is the Alisal Ranch , located on 10,500 sweeping acres, with 100 horses trained for riders who are beginners having their first lesson, to an expert wanting an exhilirating trail ride.

Another great spot is Monetcito – another coastal town only a 10 minute drive with boutique shopping and sprawling estates. If you’re lucky, you may even bump into Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry, Ellen DeGeneres or plenty of other celebrities who call this area home.

Venturing out a little further, take a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway to destinations like Malibu or Big Sur , or visit other popular day trip destinations like Solvang , Ojai or Channel Islands National Park . 

My favorite thing to do in Santa Barbara

Picking just one favorite activity is nearly impossible with all that Santa Barbara has to offer. But if I did have to recommend just one activity, I’d say you cannot miss an evening show at the Santa Barbara Bowl . 

The spectacular amphitheater was built in 1936 and seats over 4,500 people. Of course, the performances are showstopping, but the true magic happens before the show. Located approximately 300 feet above sea level, as the sun starts its descent behind the hills, the sky transforms into a breathtaking canvas of fiery hues. It’s a scene that captures  Santa Barbara’s rich natural beauty, and the magical sunsets become forever intertwined with the unforgettable experience of the live show. 

How much money do I need to visit Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is considered to be a relatively expensive place to visit due to its popular coastal location and luxurious upscale amenities. However, there are options to suit various budgets. 

• Hostel room: $40–$65 per night (season dependent) 
• Basic room for two: $150–$350 per night (season dependent) 
• Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): $140–$350+ per night (season dependent) 
• Public transport ticket: $1.75 for a single bus ride, or $4.50–$7 for a day pass
• Coffee: $3–$6
• Sandwich: $8–$15
• Dinner for two: $30–$100+
• Beer/pint at the bar: $5–$10
• Wine tasting: $15–$30
• City tour: $30–$100pp 

What’s the nightlife like in Santa Barbara? 

The nightlife scene in Santa Barbara is vibrant with trendy bars, restaurants, and lounges lining the main streets of downtown. Many feature live music performances to add to the lively atmosphere. 

Is it easy to find parking in downtown Santa Barbara? 

The short answer is: no. Parking in downtown Santa Barbara can be challenging, especially during high seasons. There are metered spots, but availability varies. Consider walking on foot or biking around to avoid parking hassles.

What should I pack for my trip to Santa Barbara?

Even during warmer months, the temperature in Santa Barbara drops significantly at night, so layers are always recommended. There are many options when it comes to activities, including beach outings, wine tastings, and outdoor expiration so pack a variety of clothing options. Everyday essentials for Santa Barbara include sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, and a water bottle to stay hydrated. 

Are there any safety tips I should keep in mind?

Overall, Santa Barbara is considered a safe tourist destination, but it’s always wise to take precautions and be aware of new surroundings. Additionally, it’s important to be mindful of ocean conditions when swimming and enjoying other water activities. Always listen to lifeguards and local advice regardless of how confident you are in the water. 

Here is more expert advice to help you plan your trip:

Find  the best time to visit  Santa Barbara. Check out these budget-friendly tips  for California before you book. Save this guide to the best free things to do in Santa Barbara . And bookmark these California  road trip itineraries , including the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barbara.

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Sprintax - The name for nonresident tax

• Go To Sprintax

On January 19, 2024 by Kristina Valcheva 0 comments

U.s. entry and exit dates – how to check your travel history.

(Last updated: 19 Jan, 2024)

In order to prepare your US tax documents, you will need to know the exact dates on which you traveled in or out of the US.

However, if you don’t know your travel history and you need to double-check the exact entry and exit dates, the good news is that you can easily do this online.

The US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) keeps a record of all nonresidents who travel to the country over the past 5 years.

These documents also include the reason for their travel and the dates of their previous visits to the US.

In this post, we will discuss how to track all your travel history paperwork.

When do I need my US travel history?

Applications for a visa, or Green card, as well as filing a 1040NR tax return require that you know precisely when you entered and exited the US.

If the information is not accurate, this could cause rejection or delays in visa applications, or other challenges when you file your tax return.

Also, every non-American citizen who performs the “substantial presence test” may be classified as “resident” for tax purposes if they don’t know the exact days of arrival and departure.

The correct determination of residency is a very important issue for every international student in the US. This impacts both the tax you have to pay and the documents you need when you file a tax return.

Now, you can easily track your entry and exit dates in the US on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection I-94 website.

You can easily determine your US tax residency status for free by using Sprintax.

Get started here

What is Form I-94?

Form I-94 Arrival/ Departure record is an electronic or paper document that is issued by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer to foreign nationals who enter the US.

Since most people who enter the US are not US lawful permanent residents, Form I-94 is given to them upon arrival.

It’s important to know that you need it when you are leaving the US, as this is how the government keeps track of your departure date, and knows that you did not stay in the US beyond the period permitted by your visa.

What to do if my I-94 is inaccurate?

You will need to contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as soon as possible to make the relevant change in the information.

You can call 1-800-375-5283 for additional information.

What to do if my l-94 is lost/stolen?

This is usually easy to fix, but you will need to report the missing document to the local police station.

You must also contact USCIS (1-800-375-5283) and apply for a replacement. In most cases, you should be able to download a copy of your travel record from the CBP website at no charge.

What information do I need to access my US travel history?

To access your US travel history online, you will need:

• Your first and last name
• Passport number
• Date of birth
• Country of citizenship

When you have this information, you can start with your US travel history check.

How do I get entry and exit dates in the US?

1. Go to US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) homepage . 2. Click on “Need history of your travel and departures” 3. Click on Consent & Continue when the Security page pops up 4. Then enter your personal information, such as name, date of birth, and passport number. 5. On the next page, you will be able to see your travel history and print it.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it necessary to enter all entries and exits to the us even prior to living in it i have been visiting the us ever since i was a baby and i don’t have all the passports and visas from that time.

Your residency status is determined by the complete history of all your visits to the US, including any visits as a student, trainee, tourist, and all other entries to the US from 1986 onwards.

If you don’t remember, or cannot locate the exact entry and exit dates to the US simply enter approximate ones.

Тhe i94.gov is not showing my visits. It says there are no results for the traveler information.

The i94 website will show all visits made with your current passport. If you changed your passport you will need your old passport number(s) to check all your visits.

If you don’t remember, or cannot locate the exact entry and exit dates to the US, simply enter approximate ones.

For the visit history on the residency page on Sprintax, should I include trips in and out of the country over winter break for example, even though I was on the same visa all the time?

Yes, you need to include all entry and exit dates to the US, even short ones, as they are used for counting your days of presence in the US and determining your residency status.

I’ve been to the US as a tourist before in 2012. Should I enter that as my record?

Yes, you need to include all entry and exit dates to the US, as they are used for counting your days of presence in the US and determining your residency status.

When doing my taxes through Sprintax, I was asked for my arrival and departure dates. How far back should you go with this information?

We would need you to provide all of your residency information, and all of your entry and exit dates in order to be able to correctly determine your tax residency.

How far back do the entry and exit dates need to go?

Your residency status is determined by the complete history of all your visits to the US including any visits as a student, trainee, tourist, and all other entries to the US from 1989 onwards.

When entering the history of all entries and exits to the US, how accurate does it have to be? I don’t know if I can remember the exact dates.

It’s OK if you don’t enter the exact entry and exit dates if you don’t remember them, however, you need to be as precise as possible.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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Delta - Game Emulator 4+

All-in-one gba4ios successor, testut tech, designed for iphone.

• #1 in Entertainment
• 4.9 • 7.9K Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Delta is an all-in-one emulator for iOS. Delta builds upon the strengths of its predecessor, GBA4iOS, while expanding to include support for more game systems such as NES, SNES, N64, and DS. FEATURES Supported Game Systems • Nintendo Entertainment System • Super Nintendo Entertainment System • Nintendo 64 • Game Boy (Color) • Game Boy Advance • Nintendo DS • And plenty more to come! Controller Support • Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, Joy-Cons • Nintendo Switch Online controllers (NES, SNES, N64) • PS4, PS5 • Xbox One S, Xbox Series X • MFi game controllers • Bluetooth & wired keyboards Save States • Save and load save states for any game from the pause menu. • Lock save states to prevent them from being accidentally overwritten. • Automatically makes backup save states to ensure you never lose your progress. • Support for “Quick Saves,” save states that can be quickly saved/loaded with a single button press (requires external controller). Cheats • Supports various types of cheat codes for each supported system: • NES: Game Genie • SNES: Game Genie, Pro Action Replay • N64: GameShark • GBC: Game Genie, GameShark • GBA: Action Replay, Code Breaker, GameShark • DS: Action Replay Delta Sync • Sync your games, game saves, save states, cheats, controller skins, and controller mappings between devices. • View version histories of everything you sync and optionally restore them to earlier versions. • Supports both Google Drive and Dropbox. Custom Controller Skins • Beautiful built-in controller skins for all systems. • Import controller skins made by others, or even make your own to share with the world! Hold Button • Choose buttons for Delta to hold down on your behalf, freeing up your thumbs to press other buttons instead. • Perfect for games that typically require one button be held down constantly (e.g. run button in Mario games, or the A button in Mario Kart). Fast Forward • Speed through slower parts of games by running the game much faster than normal. • Easily enable or disable from the pause menu, or optionally with a mapped button on an external controller. 3D/Haptic Touch • Use 3D or Haptic Touch to “peek” at games, save states, and cheat codes. • App icon shortcuts allow quick access to your most recently played games, or optionally customize the shortcuts to always include certain games. Game Artwork • Automatically displays appropriate box art for imported games. • Change a game’s artwork to anything you want, or select from the built-in game artwork database. Misc. • Gyroscope support (WarioWare: Twisted! only) • Microphone support (DS only) • Support for delta:// URL scheme to jump directly into a specific game. **Delta is in no way affiliated with Nintendo. The name "Nintendo" and all associated game console names are registered trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.**

Version 1.5.1

NEW Local Multiplayer (thanks Ian Clawson!) * Play multiplayer NES, SNES, and N64 games with friends * Supports up to 4 players AirPlay Support * Stream your games to the big screen with AirPlay * [DS] Layout screens horizontally or vertically on TV * [DS] Optionally AirPlay just top screen for true multi-screen experience Error Log * Added detailed logging to help debug issues, especially related to syncing * View complete error log by pressing "Export Error Log" in Settings IMPROVED Delta Sync * Automatically resolves Cheat + ControllerSkin sync conflicts * Syncs `GameSave.sha1` hash between devices to prevent redundant uploads * Displays activity indicator when signing in * Delays seeding Delta Sync database until initial sync * Delays sync until after interactive Settings dismissal has completed * Uses local modification date when uploading changes * De-authenticates existing service when switching services * [Dropbox] Improved error message when remote storage is out of free space Non-MFi Controller Support * New default mappings for single Joy-Cons and Switch NES/SNES controllers * Uses Logo/Home button as Delta pause button if controller has one Settings * Revised UI to use modern "inset grouped" style * Uses large titles where appropriate Misc. * Adds "Learn More" links to FAQ thoughout the app * Replaces `UIDocumentBrowserViewController` with `UIDocumentPickerViewController` on iOS 17+ * Skips checksum verification when importing zipped games * Displays "Touch Screen" instead of "iPhone" or "iPad" when using touch controls FIXED Delta Sync * Fixed "Harmony.sqlite couldn't be opened" sync error when there are more than 1000 games * Fixed "file does not exist" sync error after restoring previous version * Fixed Delta Sync switch remaining OFF if users cancels "Disable Syncing?" warning alert * Fixed incorrect mass conflicts when signing out then back in * Fixed missing references to remote files when signing out then back in * Fixed queued syncs sometimes fetching outdated changes * Fixed accidentally using wrong account when signed-in to multiple services * Fixed issue causing Delta to skip seeding syncing database, potentially overwriting local data with old remote data * Fixed incorrectly marking some game saves as conflicted during initial sync * Fixed accidentally signing-out after signing-in to previous Google Drive account * Fixed accidentally deleting Games directory during sync in rare circumstances

Ratings and Reviews

7.9K Ratings

Exceptional Emulator with a Slick Interface – Delta!

//1. I've been using the Delta emulator on my device, and I must say, it's an absolute joy. The interface is clean and uncluttered, which makes navigating through settings and games an effortless experience. //2. There are no annoying ads to disrupt the gaming session, and the smooth operation enhances every aspect of gameplay. The convenience of the emulator is top-notch, thanks to its intuitive controls and compatibility with a wide range of game formats. It brings back all those nostalgic moments flawlessly, running classics without a hitch. //3. However, there's one feature that would make Delta even better — expanded cloud sync options. Currently, it supports Google Drive and Dropbox, which works well but integrating iCloud sync would be a game-changer for iOS users. This addition would streamline game data management across all Apple devices, making it much more accessible and secure. //4. In conclusion, Delta is a superb emulator that offers a premium nostalgic gaming experience. If iCloud support were added, it would undoubtedly be the perfect package. Highly recommended for anyone looking to relive their favorite gaming memories on the go!

The first and best emulator on the App Store

This ain’t my first rodeo with iOS emulators. Before Apple allowed them onto the App Store, I used an app called AltStore that you’d use your Mac to install outside apps onto your phone. One of these apps was Delta - an all-in-one Nintendo-centric emulation app. This app is the first (never mind that one bootleg everyone talked about…) and possibly the best emulator app you will see on the App Store. Seven supported game systems, meaning seven huge game libraries you now have the ability to jump into on your phone. The interface is easy to understand, and doesn’t waste your time. Absolutely no advertisements on this app - even when it’s on the App Store! Organization and customizability is what I like about Delta. You have the ability to set game covers, change controller layouts, skins, and even sync your game saves and files to your Google Drive for multiple devices! That is SOOO good. There’s some things i wish to improve. First, the “auto-orientation disabled” feature for WarioWare: Twisted doesn’t really work. At all. I still have to turn on Rotation Lock in Control Center. Second: iPad support. I know this app was definitely not designed around it but… hey, it could be pretty nice! Overall, it’s a good emulator. Good performance, and gets the job more than done. I’ve been here since GBA4iOS, and I’m really happy to see how far we’ve come. This is great stuff, Riley.

THE Emulator To Use!

I hardly ever review apps but wow, Delta Emulator has really blown me away. I’m about 45 minutes into a fresh play through of Pokémon Emerald and so far I have to say I’m very impressed. This is an amazing emulator that does its job exceptionally well. The user experience is great and simple to use. There are no ads or annoying pop-ups distracting you from the game. The haptic feedback on button presses was not something I expected but really made playing the game FEEL better. You can even cloud sync your games and save states between your devices via Google Drive or Drop Box, meaning you can play your game on the go on your iPhone and pick up right where you left off when you get home on an iPad! I will be recommending this app to pretty much everyone who wants to play their old childhood favorites on their phone. Would love to see other consoles supported in the future like the PS1 or Sega Genesis!!

App Privacy

The developer, Testut Tech , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

Game Controllers

Play this game with your favorite compatible controller..