USA

Join the Hipporoller Challenge

Help the Travel Guide reach 20,000,000 characters and we'll donate 63 hipporollers worth over $6000. Read more.

Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Washington, D.C.

Government

Federal Republic

Nationality

American

Population

304 472 000^[1]

Languages

English, Spanish

Religions

Christianity (Protestant, Catholic), Judaism, Islam, Buddhism

Currency

US Dollar (USD)

Calling Code

+1

Time zone

various (UTC -5 to -10)

Summer (DST)

various (UTC -4 to -10)

Contributors

• Lavafalls (34%)
  from Silver Drops Jewelry Designs
• Utrecht (25%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
• Peter (15%)
  from My Shout

as well as Hien (8%), dr.pepper (6%), Herr Bert (4%), GregW (4%), Isadora (2%), jayrock (1%), Sam I Am (1%), steve84 (<1%)

Help contribute to this article to share the ad revenue.

Introduction

Washington DC

© All Rights Reserved -reece-

The United States of America - "Land of the free, home of the brave." The United States' pursuit of establishing its own culture and identity has seeped through to many of today's western cultures. Through film and television, the USA has crafted an image of itself that is recognized the world over.

Despite the sense of familiarity it instills in its own citizens as well as foreigners, the United States is a fine destination for holiday-makers from within the country and from countries abroad. Vast areas are devoted to public land including a diverse national park system and many landmarks are well worth the trip: the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, New York, San Francisco, just to name a few. And don't forget the 50th state of Hawaii or the 49th Alaska - complete opposites of climate which help illustrate the diversity of experiences that can be explored in the USA.

Brief History

The early history of USA is very interesting and complex. It dates back to at least 10,000 BC, although some people argue earlier. Nomadic and semi nomadic people populated most of the continent while Pacific islanders populated Hawaii. Several interesting civilizations grew up on USA soil, such as the Pueblo Culture in the present day states of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, with one of the most fascinating parts of the culture preserved at Mesa Verde National Park. Another interesting farming civilization were the Mississippian people, who lived across the present day Midwest and built amazing mounds and cities out of dirt and wood.

The United States are a product of European colonialism. After the Americas were discovered in 1492 by Columbus as he searched for a quick route to India exploration began of North and South America. These areas were colonized by the English, French, Spanish, Russians and other Europeans over the next several centuries, much to the peril of Native Americans, who were fatally susceptible to the colonisers' foreign diseases.

The first European settlements on what was to become the USA were in Florida and New Mexico. The British set up many failed colonies in present day North Carolina until Jamestown was finally settled in 1607 that survived and thrived. The north was settled by the pilgrims, religious refugees from England, at Plymouth Massachusetts in 1620. During the time of colonization several wars broke out with the Native tribes, which usually ended with the colonials defeating and killing people. The plight of Native Americans was not set to improve, as the British Colonies declared independence in 1776 translated into the colonisers' gradual, determined march west because of the theory of manifest destiny. This settlement of the west forced westward migration of indigenous Americans. The Indian Wars were fought off on and one from the foundation of American history until the 1890s. At the same time the USA's government set the foundation for the future modern democracies of the world.

In the century after the War for Independence, the issue of slavery gained momentum, culminating in the Civil War between the northern states, who had outlawed slavery, and those in the south, where slavery had not been outlawed. The war was fought between 1861 to 1865 with the north winning. But policies of the 1870s reconstruction continued to limit the rights of African Americans, notably with the creation of Jim Crow laws.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the USA exploded with industrial might, slowly growing to become one of the most important countries in the world. The world wars forged its industrial might into a military powerhouse. Following World War II, the United States entered a period of cold war with the former Soviet Union and the world of communism in general with its European Allies. Controversy marked the United States' war in Vietnam in the 1970s; war is also a central and controversial theme of recent US history, as the current situation in Iraq highlights.

In the 20th century, the United States also took the lead in many scientific fields and became a world leader in education. These included events and inventions like the space race, the personal computer, the internet and many medical discoveries.

Geography

a

© All Rights Reserved minkew

The USA is the third largest country in the world, after Russia and Canada and shares borders with the latter country and with Mexico to the north and south respectively. The east and west of the country borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean respectively and part of the southeast borders the Gulf of Mexico. Alaska even borders the Arctic Ocean, which gives a good reflection exact how huge the country is. This has its reflection on the different landscapes as well. In general, there are two main mountain ranges, the Rocky Mountains in the west of the country with Mount Whitney being the highest point outside Alaska at about 4400 meters, and the much lower Appalachian Mountains in the east. In Alaska, Mt. McKinley is the highest point in the USA at almost 6200 meters above sea level.

In the north, along the border with Canada are the Great Lakes, with the northernmost Lake Superior being the highest inland body of water. One of the longest and most important rivers in the country is the Mississippi River which acts as a border between many states, among which are Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. Its source is located in the state of Minnesota.

Between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains are the Great Plains. West of the Rocky Mountains lays a system of basins, salt flats, plateaus and gorges, with the Grand Canyon being one of the most visited natural wonders on earth.

Although the Atlantic coastal areas are a rather flat and bleak area, the Pacific coastal zone is more rugged and mountainous with mountain ranges like the Sierra Nevada.

Apart from these general geographical divisions, there are many smaller systems. From the swamp areas of the southeast of the country, with the Everglades in Florida being on of the top spots to visit, teeming with alligators and other wildlife, to the arctic tundras in the northeast in Alaska.

But the USA has some more fragile areas as well, with areas sensitive to earthquakes (the San Andreas fold for example) and volcanic activity in the western part of mainland USA and in Alaska and Hawaii. The area from California upwards towards the southwestern islands of Alaska is also known as the Ring of Fire, with major eruptions throughout history, for example the one of Mount St. Helens in 1980.

Regions

The United States is a federal union of 50 states and a federal district. The U.S. Census Bureau splits the country into four geographic regions^[2]:

• Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York , Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
• South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
• Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
• West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Cities

Listed below are 10 cities of particular interest to travellers. More cities can be found by looking for them in the regions they are located in.

• Boston, Massachusetts
• Chicago, Illinois
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• New York, New York
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington
• Washington, District of Columbia

Sights and Activities

Statue of liberty

Statue of Liberty

© All Rights Reserved twokiwis

One the most famous statues in the world is the statue of liberty. It's not only an icon for New York but also for the entire country. The statue was a gift of the French people to celibrate the centennial of the Independence of the United States. The statue was constructed in France, and after completion shipped to the USA, where it was stored for 11 months, to await the completion of the pedestal, the 46-metre-high statue could finally be unveiled in November 1886.

Liberty Island was closed after the attacks of 9-11, and only reopened in 2004. The crown can be visited again since July 2009, but only by a few people a day. Two smaller statues predates the statue that is placed in New York. One stands in Paris in the Jardin de Luxembourg, and a second stands in front of the city hall in Maceió, in Brazil. After the success of these statues, it was decided to go huge. Nowadays there are several copies of the statue of liberty to be found all over the world.

Route 66

Route 66 is probably the most imaginative route there is in the United States. Route 66 was established in 1926 and officially removed from the US Highway System in 1985, but keeps being popular among people wanting to travel as much of the original route by car or motorcycle. Route 66 basically was not just one simple road between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Route 66

© All Rights Reserved RedMonkey

Rocky Mountain National Park

Located in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park is an amazing place. The main attraction is the section of preserved Rocky Mountain wilderness. There is no open grazing or use of motorized cars off the roads which has kept this place pristine when compared to other parts of the Rockies. Although it isn't one of the most famous national parks, it's well worth the visit.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon 3 [1280x768]

© All Rights Reserved Dodgey

The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist sights in the world with over 5 million visitors a year. This canyon was formed over millions of years by the Colorado River slowly digging it ways through the rocky desert floor. Even with the occasional geological change, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the Grand Canyon still remains amazing. From rafting down its curvy path or just a quick stop at the South Rim, the Grand Canyon is worth a visit.

Skiing

The United States is home to some amazing downhill skiing. Although skiing can be found in most of the northern states the best skiing is either in the Rockies, Sierra Nevada's or along the east coast. There is also some good skiing to be found in Alaska, if you want to brave the cold and long nights. If interested in cross country skiing it can be found in almost all of the northern states. One place with great cross country skiing is the upper peninsula of Michigan. For more information on skiing in specific states read the articles:

• Ski Areas in California
• Ski Areas around Lake Tahoe
• Ski Areas in Colorado
• Ski Areas in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming
• Ski Areas in Utah
• Ski Areas in Oregon and Washington

Beaches and Surfing

The United States in a huge country with several amazing coastline with excellent beaches and some with great surfing. The Atlantic coast hosts excellent beaches from all the way in the north of Maine to the tip of Florida. There are also Beaches along the Gulf of Mexico from Florida all the way to the tip of Texas. Then jumping to the west coast there are wonderful beaches all the way from the Mexican border all the way to Canada, although the further northern beaches have a shorter season. The don't forget the beaches along the Great Lakes, even in cities like Chicago or on many of the large reservoirs like Lake Powell in Arizona.
East Coast

• Outer Banks in North Carolina

West Coast

Hawaii

Great Lakes

Deserts

The western part of the USA contains quite a few deserts, ranging from hot deserts like the Mojave desert to colder ones like the Great Basin.

• Mojave Desert:

Death Valley Dunes at Sunset

© All Rights Reserved jsherw

Named after the Mojave tribe of Native Americans, the Mojave desert stretches across four states in the western part of the United States. The majority is located on Californian grounds, while the remainder can be find just across the borders with Utah, Arizona and Nevada. A typical characteristic feature in the Mojave desert are the Joshua trees and the appearance of these remarkable trees actually forms the official boundaries of the desert. The Tehachapi, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountain ranges are other indicators within which the Mojave desert lies and they are outlined by the two largest faults in California: the San Andreas and the Garlock.

To the south is the Sonoran desert (low desert as opposed to the high desert that Mojave is called). The Mojave desert does see occassional rain and thunder storms, but it's drier than its southern counterpart. Death Valley is located within the Mojave as well, being the lowest and hottest place anywhere in North America. Officially, the highest recorded temperature ever is its honour, being 56,7 degrees Celsius (the record in Libya is doubted!). The desert is easily accessible by good tarmac roads that cross California and into the other three states and is one of the most popular and most beautiful areas anywhere in the country.

• Great Basin:

The Great Basin desert is a large arid region in the western states of the US. The Great Basin itself is actually a little bigger and the Great Basin desert proper is defined by the extent of characteristic plant species. It is roughly located roughly between the Wasatch Mountains and the Sierra Nevada mountains and covers the extreme east and northeastern border areas of California, a southern portion of Oregon, a very small part in Idaho, the western half of Utah and most of the state of Nevada. The Great Basin itself follows approximately the same borders, but extents onto the border with Wyoming and mainly covers a larger area to the south, including parts of the Mojave desert.

It basically forms a high plateau in between the above mentioned mountains ranges and and covers a significant amount of watersheds, bounded by larger ones at all sides. Some of these have become dry as a bone, leaving behind places like the Bonneville Salt Flats (where world landspeed records are broken over and over again, it's totally flat!) and the Black Rock Desert. Main urban areas within the Great Basin Desert are Salt Lake City in Utah and both Reno and Carson City in Nevada. The scenery is fantastic and it's a good area to travel along some of the most amazing roads anywhere in the US, including Route 50, the Loneliest Road in America, which runs across of Nevada on its way between the west and eastcoast of the country. Several railroads, including the California Zephyr, run across the area as well, one of the most scenic Amtrak routes in the USA.

• Colorado Plateau:

Bryce CAnyon 2

© All Rights Reserved blytonrtw

The Colorado Plateau is a cold winter desert in the central west of the United States. It is a plateau in between several mountains ranges and is bounded by the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and by the Uinta Mountains and Wasatch Mountains branches of the Rockies in northern and central Utah. It is also bounded by the Rio Grande Rift, Mogollon Rim and the Basin and Range. It covers the west of Colorado, the north of Arizona, west and south of Utah and northwest of New Mexico. About 90% of the area is drained by the Colorado River.

The area is one of the most popular to go on a typical American roadtrip and visit dozens of fantastic places with many national parks and monuments to choose from. It has the greatest concentration of national parks in the United States, including Grand Canyon NP, Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Capitol Reef NP, Canyonlands NP, Arches NP, and Petrified Forest NP. Among the national monuments are Dinosaur NM, Hovenweep NM, Wapatki NM, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, and Colorado NM.

Mesa Verde National Park

The Ancestral Pueblo People built these amazing cliff palaces over 500 years ago. These homes have inspired and awed countless people since their rediscovery in the 19th century. Although they are very hard to get to, these ruins rank highly alongside the many other famous ruins scattered around the world. Read more in the Mesa Verde National Park article.

The Mall, Washington D.C.

The Washington D.C. Mall is one of the most amazing sights in all of America. In this wonderful park located in the heart of Washington, D.C. is home to several amazing sights. Some of these sights are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and several of the of Washington D.C.'s finest museums are located around the edge of the mall. If anything the mall is just nice green space in the heart of the city.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is with 381 metres (or 448,7 metres if you include the antenna) the highest building in New York City at the junction of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. Built in a typical art deco style, that was in fashion before World War II, it was the heighest in the world from the opening in 1932 until it was surpassed by the North Tower of the World Trade Center in 1972. After the terrorist attacks at September 11, 2001, it again became the tallest building in the New York skyline. Visitors primarily come to the tower to have a look at the panorama over New York at the observation deck, which is located at the 86th floor. It has been the place of countless romantic scenes in movies and also has been destroyed, or threatened to be destroyed, by many a monster, alien invader or evil antagonist. Considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world, a visit to New York would not be complete without a visit to the Empire State Building.

Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge at sunset is one of the most beautiful scenes in San Francisco. Not only is it a beautiful sight to see, no matter what the time of day is, is also one of the most famous bridges in the world. When it was built all the technology of the time was pushed to its limits in order to build a bridge to connect San Francisco with the neighboring Marin County. Even with supporting massive amounts of weight this bridge still has a certain grace that most mega-structures usually don't have.

Other Places of Natural Beauty

Yosemite National Park

© All Rights Reserved mhowie

• Yosemite National Park
• Yellowstone National Park was the first national park created in the United States. It is also one of the most popular wilderness areas in the world because of its amazing geysers.
• Glacier National Park
• Monument Valley
• Bryce Canyon
• Zion National Park
• Denali National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Florida Keys
• Adirondacks
• Death Valley
• Great Sand Dunes National Park

Other Ruins

• Choco Canyon National Historical Park
• Cahokia was one of the largest Mississippian Mound builder city, is a UNESCO World heritage site and is located in Illinois outside of St Louis.

Other Historic Buildings

• John Hancock Building is the second tallest building in Chicago. It has a great bar and observation deck.
• Wrigley Field is a great old ballpark where the Cubs play. It is located in Chicago.
• Chrysler Building is a beautiful art deco building in New York.
• The Alamo was where the Texas Republic made its last stand against Mexico. It is located in San Antonio, Texas.
• Graceland was Elvis's house in Memphis, Tennessee.

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• Christmas
• Easter
• Fourth of July celebrates US independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, declared on July 4, 1776.
• Thanksgiving

Sport

• The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in North America and is held in Kentucky every year. No matter what your plan is open your hand and prepare your liver for a Mint Julep and some intense betting.
• Superbowl, the biggest day in American Football and in television advertising.
• US Open (tennis)
• US Open (golf)
• The World Series (baseball)
• March Madness (university basketball tournament)

Music and Art

• South by Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW) showcases hundreds of acts from around the world in Austin, Texas and is considered one of the best music festival in the USA.
• Chicago Blues Festival is a free 4-day event held in Grant Park every June. It features the best of the old-time and up-coming blues musicians.
• The CMA Music Festival is a celebration of country music held in Nashville.
• Burning Man, is a large non-corporate music and art festival in the desert out side of Reno, Nevada. The theme is to build a giant city in the desert with no money. Everyone must bring everything with them and trade for the things they did not bring with them.

Religious

• Mardi Gras celebrations held in New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the most famous festivals in the world.

Weather

The USA is a huge country that covers a great diversity of ecological zones. From the tropics of Hawaii and Florida to the barren arctic waste lands of northern Alaska there is something for everyone in the USA. Remember that many of the states have extremely hot summers and very cold winters. Therefore remember to check local area weather information before departing. In general though, the months of April and May and also September and October are great months for a visit to most parts of the country. Hurricanes can hit the southeastern parts though from June to November, while tornados are a possible threat from February to early May in the central states like Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota. Alaska is most pleasant in high summer, from mid June to late August. During this time, much of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico as well as the Californian deserts can be extremely hot, over 50 degrees Celsius.

Getting there

If you're planning a trip to the United States, chances are that you will be flying there, unless you live in Canada, Mexico or another nearby country.

If you are coming from Mexico or Canada and don't want to travel by plane, there are plenty of roads, railroads and even some boat trips to get you across.

International arrivals will need to clear US customs and immigration services upon arrival, unless pre-cleared if traveling on the Amtrak Cascade service from Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington, where there are pre-clearance facilities at the Pacific Central Station (Vancouver), or traveling on a ship out of the port of Vancouver and the port of Victoria in Canada, where a number of cruise liners visit Alaska or southbound to Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego.

By Plane

The major international airports are in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. From there, you will be able to fly to hundreds of smaller airports across the country.

Internationally arrivals will need to clear US customs and immigration services upon arrival, unless coming from an airport with US pre-clearance facilities. Operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service, travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections before boarding their aircraft, ship or train. This process is intended to streamline border procedures, to reduce congestion at ports of entry, and to facilitate travel between the pre-clearance location and some U.S. airports that may not equipped to handle international travellers. Airports with pre-clearance are:

• Canada - Toronto Pearson International Airport
• Canada - Vancouver International Airport
• Canada - Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
• Canada - Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
• Canada - Calgary International Airport
• Canada - Edmonton International Airport
• Canada - Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
• Canada - Halifax Stanfield International Airport
• Aruba - Queen Beatrix International Airport
• The Bahamas - Grand Bahama International Airport
• The Bahamas - Lynden Pindling International Airport
• Bermuda - Bermuda International Airport
• Ireland - Shannon Airport
• Ireland - Dublin Airport

By Train

Although both Canada and the United States have extensive rail connections, especially the latter, there are surprisingly few international connections between the two. In the northeast of the continent however, several train rides might be of some use to overland travellers. Also in the west, between Washington state and British Columbia in Canada, there is a pleasant ride as an alternative to the bus.

• New York - Montreal - There is a daily train connecting New York with Montreal. It leaves New York around 8 in the morning, arriving in the early evening in Montreal. In the other direction, the train departs Montreal at 10am, arriving in New York at 7.30 pm.

• New York - Toronto - A daily train travels from New York at 7.15 am to Toronto, arriving at 7.40 pm. It also stops at the Niagara Falls, on the American side, roughly 3 hours from Toronto. From Toronto the train departs at 8.30am and arrives in the Big Apple before 10pm.

• Seattle - Vancouver - There are 5 trains a day between Seattle and Vancouver, usually two in the morning, one around noon and two again in the late afternoon or early evening. It takes around 3,5 hours to complete the trip.

By Car

Canada
It is very easy to drive between Canada and the USA. There are several major and minor road crossings that are pretty easy to cross. There are over 20 official ones. Windsor to Detroit and Buffalo to Niagara Falls in the east and the Blaine crossing from British Columbia are the most popular and busiest. Remember when traveling with animals to have all the proper paper work ready for processing. Some of the major crossing are open 24 hours a day 365 days a year, while many of the smaller ones have more restricted hours.

Mexico
Due to the massive amount of traffic between the Mexican and USA border, crossing as a tourist can be pretty easy. Remember that many of the border towns on the Mexican side can be very dangerous. It is best to cross as early possible after the crossing opens because traffic can get very busy later in the day making for long waits.
There are over 30 border crossings here, the most popular being the ones to/from Texas (El Paso and Brownswille) and of course the San Diego to Tijuana/Nogales crossing, which is a very popular daytrip.

By Bus

It is possible to take international buses from Mexico and Canada into the USA. Remember that crossing the border can take a while and have all the proper paper work lined up. Greyhound and Greyhound Canada have many crossings between the USA and Canada. Greyhound has some services connecting to Mexico. Autobuses Americanos offers cross border services between southern USA and northern Mexico as well, while Autotransportes Tufesa has connections from Phoenix and Tucson and Transportes InterCalifornias travels from San Diego across the border to Mexicali and Tijuana.

By Boat

There are several options to get from the United States to Canada and back by boat. The Cat travels between Portland and Bar Harbour in the state of Maine to Yarmouth in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Quoddyloop has services between Maine, USA and New Brunswick, Canada

The Victoria Clipper travels between Seattle in Washington State and both Victoria and Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.
Coho Ferry takes you between Victoria and Port Angeles in Washington State and the Victoria Express offers services on the same route as well.

Discovery Cruise Line operates a daily ferry between Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Freeport on Grand Bahama. It leaves at 8am from Fort Lauderdale and returns from Freeport and 10pm.

Getting around

By Plane

Traveling by air is the fastest way to move between major cities. There is no national carrier in the US, where the industry is fully privately run. Competition is strong on frequently traveled routes, resulting in lower fares.

There are literally dozens of airlines, some of them having routes only within states or between a limited number of states, while other fly almost anywhere. It's beyond the scope of this article to list all airlines, but the biggest airlines are American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines andDelta Air Lines, which are the most used airlines by foreigners arriving from other countries and many people using connecting flights afterward. Many of them have air passes as well, which enable people to add 3 to 10 flights within the USA at discounted fares.

JetBlue Airways is a well known budget airline, although rates are competitive with many other airlines.

By Train

Passenger rail services in the US are run by Amtrak. Although freight travel in the US is busier than anywhere else in the world, passenger numbers are low, due mostly to the convenience of domestic air travel. Traveling by train is most popular in the Northeastern United States, between the major cities of Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston. But there are great journeys to be made if you are a train enthusiast and you can travel the main routes from coast to coast by train if you want. Chicago to Seattle or Chicago to California are beautiful trips.

There are money saving passes, like the USA Railpass (15 or 30 days) and the North America Railpass (30 days, also valid in Canada), which are especially economical when doing a lot of train travel in a short period of time.

By Car

Driving around the US is a popular choice for many travelers. Not only is it a relatively cheap way to get around, but it also allows visitors to see the beautiful countryside on offer. Many international rental companies have cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Budget and Alamo. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. An national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended.

To help you get around by car, gas stations usually sell regional and national maps, although many drivers choose to get driving directions on their home computers prior to their journeys; MapQuest and Google Maps are popular websites for obtaining directions. Drivers can get directions in the midst of their travels by calling 1-800-Free411, which will provide text message directions, or they can stop and ask locals for nearby directions. Americans are usually happy to give directions to travelers.

The USA has an extensive interstate highway system that makes for fast travel around the country. On most interstate highways the speed limit will increase to 65 to 80 mph depending on the state and population density. The western States tend to have higher speed limits. One of the downsides of the interstate is that fast travel and avoiding most medium cities makes for a lot of similar fast food chains and motels.

There are also national, state, county and Indian highways. These roads are usually only two lanes and go into the center of towns. Many of these roads will have lower speed limits in towns of around 30 mph and in the country side around 65 mph. Local police officers make lots of money by giving out of state people speeding tickets therefore do not speed when in small towns. To reach most sights outside of major cities will a require a combination of using the interstate and more local highways.

• Autodriveaway - Is an increasingly popular way to deliver a car from point A to point B without paying the rental price. You only need to pay for petrol. There are however time restrictions, which make travelling coast to coast a rather rushy business.

• Cruise America - Has a wide range of campers and motor homes, which are fantastic and save on costs for motels and hotels.

By Bus

Greyhound is the main bus service in America and services almost all towns and cities. Although time consuming, Greyhound is very reasonably priced and has many discount deals, including the popular Discovery Pass discount programs.

By Boat

Getting around by boat is especially popular on both the west coast and the east coast, as well as on some rivers like the Ohio River, and of course the Great Lakes area with many services on Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. For an overview of many possibilities, have a look at the Youra website, which has information about many states and direct links to ferry companies.
Alaska Marine Highway handles transport along most of Alaska's southern coastlines. It's officially even part of the National Highway System.

Red Tape

Main articles: US Visa, Visa Waiver Program

Citizens of 27 countries are able to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without getting a visa first, under the Visa Waiver Program. If you are not a citizen of one of the participating countries, you will need to apply for a visa from a US Embassy, Consulate or Diplomatic Mission near you.

Money

See also: Money Matters

The US Dollar, or "greenback", is the national currency of the United States. One dollar consists of 100 cents. Frequently used coins are the penny (1¢), nickel (5¢), dime (10¢) and quarter (25¢). 50¢ and $1 coins also exist, but are rarely used. Frequently used banknotes are the $1, $5, $10 and $20 notes. $2, $50 and $100 notes can also be found, but are rarely used.

Work

Study

The USA has some of the best Universities in the world. If looking to study it is best to apply and after being accepted the student visa procedure will start. If looking for some short term english study there are many for profit english schools in many cities. This include schools like Kaplan Aspect and for more information look at Study in the USA.

Language

Although there is no official language in the US, English is considered the national language and spoken at home by close to 90% of the population. Spanish is the second most common language, spoken at home by over 10% of the population. At state level, English is the official language in over half the states. In Hawaii, both English and Hawaiian are official languages. Many Indian Reservations have their original indigenous language as the official language of the reservation.

Eat

Food in the US can be as diverse as the country is large. It is however very hard to avoid the myriad of chain-operated fast food venues that can be found on virtually every street corner. Naturally enough, the American staples of fried chicken, hamburgers, pizza and hot dogs are all well represented as is Mexican fast food and an increasing trend towards somewhat healthier sandwich shops. Restaurants often follow with similar offerings though usually cooked to a somewhat higher standard. Of course, there are many high quality restaurants within the US as well, particularly in the larger cities.

Many visitors to the US are baffled by the strict adherence to tipping protocol. Not tipping appropriately is seen as either very poor manners or an expression of disgust at the service offered. Tipping percentage usually ranges from 10% to 20% of the total bill, with 15% being a relatively average tipping amount. In some cases, particularly with larger parties (say 8 or more), a 15% tip could already be added on to the bill. You should always review the bill to ensure this isn't the case before adding your own tip. It is not necessary to tip in fast food restaurants.

Sleep

For most smaller cities and towns the only options for sleeping will be a hotel or bed and breakfast. Some larger cities are starting to have a hostel scene but they vary greatly. The USA has hotels that can be extremely dingy and scary to the super high end and everything in between.

For people on a smaller budget camping is always an option, mainly in the western part of the country. There are privately owned developed camp grounds like KOA and almost all national and state parks and monuments have some sort of developed camping. For the more rustic/cheap traveler camping on most BLM, forset service and wilderness area land is a free option as long as certain rules are followed. For more information read the article Camping in the USA.

Drink

All US states have a minimum purchase age of 21, although the actual legal drinking age may be different. If you even resemble a 21 year old, carrying ID is essential to enter many establishments. Depending on the venue, an overseas driver's license may not even be enough - a passport is a safer bet to ensure you will be allowed to purchase alcohol.

Remember that the drinking laws, called blue laws, vary state by state. In some states, like Nevada, allow 24 hour 365 days a year drinking with no last call. Other states, like Utah, force people to buy alcohol at state owned stores and all bars are private drinking clubs at which people have to buy a 1 day membership. Most states are somewhere in the middle but make sure to learn the local blue laws because they can get a bit weird. Almost every state does not allow open containers in public places but some cities have areas were open containers are legal, like the French Courter in New Orleans.

In contrast to the strict drinking age, the legal blood alcohol level in the US is relatively lenient by world standards at 0.08%.

Health

See also: Travel Health

The United States' health care system is not socialized. Travelers in need of non-emergency treatment will be required to provide proof of medical insurance coverage (travelers or private insurance) or proof of sufficient funds (credit/debit cards). Emergency room services are available (though not always) regardless of monetary status and dependent on the immediate need. U.S. medical services are also considered quite expensive when compared to other countries. Travel insurance policies for the U.S. usually cost more as a result of the potentially high medical costs. It is strongly recommended that you take out a comprehensive policy to cover any unforeseen circumstances.

There are no vaccinations required for entering the United States.^[3] If you are entering from a yellow fever endemic area, you may be required to show proof of immunization. Recommended vaccinations include Tetanus (Lockjaw), Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. Rabies vaccinations are recommended for wilderness travel and/or wildlife volunteer projects. Lyme disease^[4] is endemic in the northeastern, Mid-Atlantic and upper midwest areas and transmitted via blacklegged ticks. West Nile Virus in humans has been reported in 43 of the 50 states in 2007.^[5] The use of insect repellent is highly recommended throughout the contiguous 48 states.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Safety can be a concern when traveling in the USA. Most of the larger cities have more dangerous neighborhoods and areas that should be avoided after dark. Also if planning a long road trip traffic accidents are a leading cause of death and injury in the USA. Just remember to be smart when in a more dangerous area and keep your wits about you.

Many of the wilderness areas in the western area of the country can be very hazardous. Mountain Lion attacks are becoming more and more common therefore if traveling with small children remember to teach them about animal safety. In the drier and higher elevation areas remember to drink plenty of water as dehydration can kill. This includes many of the National Parks in the western half of the USA.

Keep connected

Internet

The internet system in the USA is a little different then most other Western Countries because there is a very small internet bar/cafe culture in the USA. Even then most of the internet bars/cafes tend be located in major urban centers. Therefore getting access to the internet without a personal computer and not in a major city can be difficult. Most public libraries have public internet computers that non-members can use for free. If you have a personal computers many restaurants, bars, coffee shops and hotels offer wifi for free or for a small charge.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The USA has a great land line phone system that is easy to use. Any small grocery store or pharmacy has pre paid domestic or international phone cards. These phone cards are very cheap and offer good rates. The cellphone network in the states is slowly getting better but is still not as good when compared to other western countries.

Post

The US Postal Service is very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.