Traveling to the United States is the dream of many people around the world as it is one of the most touristic countries in the world. While it has some must-see tourist destinations, with a great collection of natural landscapes, iconic attractions, and cityscapes, this country has so many unique places to visit that it can be hard to see beyond the obvious choices.
Without a doubt, this is a country that has everything to make the travel experience an unforgettable adventure, so it is not surprising that it is one of the most popular to travel. However, there are important things to keep in mind before traveling to the United States that will come in handy once you are in the country. Here are some of them.
There is a culture of tipping
Although tipping is voluntary, in the United States tipping is almost a norm, especially in restaurants. In fact, if we have received good service, not tipping is considered rude.
This is because most servers in the United States earn an hourly wage that is well below the minimum wage, and to compensate it is very common to leave a tip of 15% to 20%. So, in case of receiving good service, if you leave a lower tip it will be better not to return to the same restaurant.
However, tips are not limited to restaurants only, so whether you are in a bar or in a taxi it is important to leave a tip. Just as you should also tip waiters, housekeepers, valets, porters, or janitors.
Uber and Lyft are everywhere
When traveling to the United States, you will realize that taxis are a thing of the past, since in most of its large cities they have Uber and Lyft, so if you download the Uber and Lyft apps, you can get a ride at a reasonable price. The difference is that Uber generally has nicer cars and usually the drivers provide snacks and/or water, whereas Lyft is known for having slightly cheaper service and more communicative drivers.
You have to pay the sales tax on each purchase
In the United States when shopping in supermarkets or any commercial establishment, the prices shown do not include sales tax, so you may have to pay a slightly higher price when you get to the counter. However, the tax will vary from state to state and we will find that, for example, the same product from the same manufacturer may have a different price if purchased in two different states. What is certain is that we must pay at least an additional 10% to the total cost. Something that also applies to most accommodations, with ‘resort fees’ commonly added to advertised prices.
Do not forget your ESTA
It is important that those who travel to the United States know and understand the requirements to enter this country. For example, the United States has a Visa Waiver Program that allows people from certain countries, including Australia, Denmark and Belgium, to enter for up to 90 days without a visa.
However, this does not mean that people from countries included in the visa waiver program can simply travel to the United States without documents since they must apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and obtain approval before arriving. The good news is that it is a quick and simple process, but make sure you have enough time (at least 72 hours before you leave) to avoid inconvenience.
The United States is large: 3.8 million square miles.
This is possibly a fact that everyone knows, but many people tend to forget it when traveling to the United States. To put it in perspective, for example, if you take a flight from New York, you may find that it will take you only 5.20 hours to travel to Iceland (5.20 hours). While traveling to Los Angeles could take you between 6 and 8 hours. Although it is more advisable than traveling by road since it would take you about 40 hours to drive the 2,800 miles from Los Angeles to New York, but without making any stops.
The climate varies drastically
As we have said, the United States is large, but it is also a country that experiences the 4 seasons and diverse climates, which means that we could find at the same time hot summers on the east coast and a fairly constant climate throughout the year on the west coast. So when traveling to this country you should check the climate of the destination city and wear appropriate clothing according to the region and time of year.
Be careful where you wander around cities
This warning applies to many cities in the world regardless of the country you visit since they generally have suburbs and areas that we must avoid at all costs. Particularly in the United States, there is a fine line between a friendly neighborhood and a dangerous one, in fact, sometimes they can differ by just one block. Here the advice to follow is to always be attentive to the environment and regularly evaluate your location. Although also consulting in the hotel which areas to avoid and where we can wander will be key to avoid getting into the lion’s den.
You should not travel to the United States without travel medical insurance
Although we know that travel insurance is a necessity when we travel abroad, it is absolutely crucial when it comes to traveling to the United States since health services in this country can be extremely expensive, even to the point where some may wonder whether they really need medical attention or can hold out until they return home, but to be safe and avoid any surprises, it is best to invest in travel insurance and take a printed version with you on your trip.
Move around the country
Since many cities in the United States are often far from each other, traveling to multiple destinations can be overwhelming. Although one of the advantages that the United States has is that it has different ways to move around the country. For example, for those who want to save money when traveling, buses are an option to consider, although they will have to be patient with the stops along the way.
The long-distance bus operators best known for their great coverage are Greyhound and Megabus, but if you want more options you can use Amtrak, which is the national train operator and has more than 300 trains per day and has connections between more than 500 destinations spread across 46 states.
But if you want to save time, the best way to travel is by plane. Just keep in mind that you can also get discounts if you make reservations in advance.
Undoubtedly, being such a large and diverse country, there are many more things that you should take into account. So we invite you to stay tuned as we will explore them in the second part of this article.
ALFA