Let’s Explore The United States of America

United States of America Travel Guide, Transportation, Accommodations, Food, Dishes, Hidden Attractions, and much more...

United States of America at a glance

My place of birth. The place that I grew up. There are so many memories that tie me to this country and for that, it will forever be home. The United States is the world’s fourth-largest country, outstripped by Canada and Russia in physical size, by India in population, and by China in both respects. Still, within its shores are most types of natural environments, people from every corner of the globe, and countless travel attractions.

United States of America Do's

It is okay to be open and proud about your success in America as Americans like to focus on accomplishments and other positive things.
If giving advice or criticism, be sure to emphasize one’s good points before and after doing so.
If looking to help someone, try to do so in a way that gives them the opportunity to help themselves. Charity that is done indirectly or circuitously can imply that the person is a burden on others.

United States of America Dont's

Avoid mentioning divisive topics such as gun control, the death penalty, abortion, civil rights, etc. These conversations have rarely reached a resolve in the public sphere of debate and can quickly become heated discussion. Similarly, talking about religion can also be sensitive if you do not know everyone’s stance on faith.
Do not make fun of the United States. Many Americans would consider themselves patriots, so mocking their country would very likely offend them.
Never make racial slurs. Race relations in America are taken extremely seriously.

United States of America Quick Facts

Language

Although the United States does not have an official language, the most commonly used language is American English, which is the de facto national language. Many other languages are also spoken in the United States, especially Spanish. These include indigenous languages, languages brought to the country by colonists, enslaved people, and immigrants from Europe, Africa, and Asia. There are also several languages, including creoles and sign languages, that developed in the United States.

Tipping Etiquette

Tipping is not optional; only withold tips in cases of outrageously bad service. Airport & hotel porters – tip $2 per bag and tip a minimum of $5 per cart. Bartenders – tip 15% to 20% per round and tip $1 minimum per drink. Hotel housekeepers – tip $2 to $5 per night and leave it under the card provided. Restaurant servers – tip 15% to 20% unless a gratuity is already charged on the bill. Taxi drivers – tip 10% to 15% from rounding the bill up to the next dollar. Valet parking attendants – tip at least $2 when handed back keys.

Best Time To Travel

The northern half of the country is cold during these winter months (November-March), with temperatures dropping below freezing. But this is the best time to visit the U.S. if you’re looking to travel to the southern states or for indoor activities in the cities. Spring (April-July) is the best time to go to the U.S. if you’re looking to travel to one of the national parks, like Yellowstone or the Rockies. As the snow melts, the wildlife comes back out into the open and the lovely warm weather makes it perfect for outdoor activities. Summer (July-August) is the best time to travel to the U.S. if you want to attend one of the several famous festivals in the country. The 4th of July celebrations is one of the grandest spectacles in the world. Summer is a good time to visit sites like the Grand Canyon. Autumn (September-October) is the best time to travel to the U.S., as the foliage acquires a reddish hue, and the weather cools down. Tourists reduce in some parts, and stay might be cheaper, but some parts, such as New England attract a lot of visitors during this time.

United States of America Fun Guides

Transportation in The United States of America

The United States is well connected to the rest of the world by air, and airplanes are often the fastest way to get around. Transportation in the United States is convenient and can be fun. Choose which transportation option works for you – airplanes, trains, driving, taxis, buses, boats, and more.

By Taxi

Taxicabs are a convenient and reliable means of transportation within most major American cities. The cost of a cab depends on how far you are going and how long it takes to get there. Feel free to ask the cab driver for an estimated cost and be prepared to pay with cash. Some taxicabs allow for the use of credit cards.

By Public Transit

While all major U.S. cities offer public transportation, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco have the largest public transit systems in the country. It is relatively safe and easy to get around those cities using public transportation. The base fare on subways generally ranges from $1.75 to $2.75. If you are staying for an extended visit, consider buying a pass for the length of your visit. Each system offers a variety of options, so check with the specific transit system for more information. Most other major cities have smaller transit systems that utilize buses, trolleys, and light rail.

By Bus

Traveling by bus is another popular and affordable way to get around. Buses generally offer free Wi-Fi access, comfortable seating, onboard restrooms, and reclining seats with headrests for trips between major and smaller cities. The bus companies connect major cities with smaller towns and virtually run around the clock, giving you the option of enjoying the daytime views or relaxing during a nighttime trip. You can bring your own food and beverage onboard. You can usually save money by purchasing your tickets in advance.

By Plane

Airplanes offer a convenient means to get from one city to another. Most major cities have at least one airport with direct and connecting flights available. Traveling from the East Coast to the West Coast takes less than six hours by air, compared with several days of driving or train travel.

By Rental Car

Rent a car to gain unparalleled freedom in your travels. A road trip gives you the flexibility to make unplanned stops see roadside attractions and small towns. There are about 46,876 miles of interstate highway across the country, providing many stops and adventures.

By Train

Many American cities also have commuter rail systems that travel between the suburbs and the cities, and often offer connections to local train stations. Climb aboard as the conductor guides your train through expansive prairies, rugged mountains, spectacular city skylines, and quaint little towns. Trains are an ideal way to see the United States without the stress of worrying about directions or getting lost. Alaska Railroad, the only other long-distance railroad in the U.S., connects Alaskan destinations such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Denali National Park.

By Ferry

Opportunities for boat travel are available in almost every state in the USA. Ferries and water taxis can get you from destination to destination, or simply take you on a scenic tour of local sites. Water taxis are smaller boats designed to carry pedestrians and bicycles only. Ferries are much larger and can also transport passengers’ vehicles to and from terminals.

Best Dishes in The United States of America

Fast, junk, processed — when it comes to American food, the country is best known for the stuff that’s described by words better suited to greasy, grinding industrial output. But citizens of the USA have an impressive appetite for the good stuff, too. American cuisine reflects the history of the United States, blending the culinary contributions of various groups of people from around the world, including indigenous American Indians, African Americans, Asians, Europeans, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans.

Key lime pie – an American dessert pie made of Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. It may be served with no topping, topped with a meringue topping made from the egg whites, or with whipped cream; it may be cooked in a pie crust, graham cracker crust, or no crust.

Thanksgiving Dinner – all-American meal of turkey (roasted or deep-fried bird, or tofurkey, or that weirdly popular Louisiana contribution turducken), dressing (old loaf bread or cornbread, onion and celery, sausage, fruit, chestnuts, oysters — whatever your mom did, the sage was the thing), cranberry sauce, mashed and sweet potatoes, that funky green bean casserole with the French-fried onion rings on top, and pumpkin pie.

Philly Cheese Steak – Made of “frizzled beef,” chopped while being grilled in grease, the Philly cheesesteak sandwich gets the rest of its greasy goodness from onions and cheese (American, provolone, or Cheese Whiz), all of which is laid into a long locally made Amoroso bun.

Lobster roll – Melted butter on knuckle, claw, or tail meat. But the perfect accompaniment to a salty sea air day in Vacationland would have to be the lobster roll. Chunks of sweet lobster meat lightly dressed in mayo or lemon or both, heaped in a buttered hot dog bun make for some seriously satisfying finger food.

Best Accommodations in The United States of America

Whether you are planning to spend your vacation in a luxury hotel or a tent, you will find myriad accommodations throughout the United States to meet every desire and budget. The U.S. offers every kind of accommodation imaginable, from hostels in National Parks to luxury hotels that are national historic landmarks, and everything in between. Hotels and other formal lodging options offer many amenities and services to make yours an easy and hassle-free holiday. The United States offers a wealth of camping experiences including federal- and state-operated campgrounds with amenities like showers and playgrounds, as well as private campgrounds with swimming pools, Wi-Fi, and convenience stores. The bulk of campgrounds across the country are federally managed facilities in national forests, national parks, and waterways. If camping in an RV or tent isn’t your thing, cabins, yurts, and fire lookout towers provide a unique opportunity to stay in historic facilities and awe-inspiring locations on federal lands.

Top Tourist Attractions in The United States of America

Yosemite National Park is in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s famed for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall, and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. In Yosemite Village are shops, restaurants, lodging, the Yosemite Museum, and the Ansel Adams Gallery, with prints of the photographer’s renowned black-and-white landscapes of the area.

Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city by area, covering 843 acres.

Grand Canyon National Park, in Arizona, is home to much of the immense Grand Canyon, with its layered bands of red rock revealing millions of years of geological history. Viewpoints include Mather Point, Yavapai Observation Station and architect Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio, and her Desert View Watchtower. Lipan Point, with wide views of the canyon and Colorado River, are popular, especially at sunrise and sunset.

United States of America Hidden Gems

Natchez is a city in Mississippi. Set on the Mississippi River, it’s known for antebellum mansions like the unfinished, octagonal Longwood, and the Melrose estate, part of the Natchez National Historical Park. Once a trade route, Natchez Trace Parkway is now a recreational road and scenic drive. To the south, the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians is home to a reconstructed Natchez house and three ceremonial mounds. And then there is the Forks of the Roads market which, before the Civil War, had the most active trade in enslaved Africans in the whole of Mississippi.

Door County is on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, in the state of Wisconsin. It’s known for its long shoreline and many parks. Peninsula State Park on Green Bay is home to sheltered Nicolet Beach, with its calm waters. On Lake Michigan, Newport State Park is a wilderness park crisscrossed with trails. Potawatomi State Park, in Sturgeon Bay, is fringed by limestone cliffs.

The largest island in Alaska, Kodiak Island is home to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge: a 1.9-million-acre refuge on Kodiak and Afognak Islands, established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt “for the purpose of protecting the natural feeding and breeding range of the Kodiak bear.”

United States of America Daily Costs

Budget: Less than $150

Accommodation:

Hotel or Hostel (single): $39
Double-occupancy room: $78

Hilton Garden Inn: $175
Campground fee: $15-$23
Hotel by the airport: $145

Food

Meals for one day: $17

Erin’s Snug Irish Pub dinner for 2: $28
Essen Hause dinner for 2: $32
Lunch for 2: $28-$32
West Street Café for 4: $70
Anglers Restaurant for lunch: $29
Cracker Barrel lunch for 4: $55
Dinner for 2: $30
Quick lunch: $12
Breakfast: $26

Transportation

Taxis, local buses, train: $14
Intercity: $59

Lightrail from the airport for 2: $5.50
Roundtrip ferry to Bainbridge Island for 2: $15
24-hr Deuce Bus: $7
Taxi from the airport to the Strip: $36
Bus ride: $1-$2
MARTA subway ticket: $4
Subway daily pass: $9
Bus to NYC: $50
Taxi to the airport: $32
Alaska Railway from Anchorage: $96
Daily cruise parking fee: $15
Hoover Dam parking: $7
Toll road: $5.50
A ride on the L: $5

Entertainment

Entrance tickets & shows: $15

Totem Heritage Center admission: $5
Grandy Canyon entrance fee: $70
Riverboat cruise: $70
French Quarter city tour: $100
Six Flags for 2: $96
Acadia National Park entrance fee: $25
Sunset cruise for 4: $96
Children’s Museum for 4: $32
Patriots Point: $60
Zoo & aquarium tickets for 2: $75
Camping: $20

Tips & Handouts

Guides & service providers: $4.16
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $37

Airport luggage storage: $14

Alcohol

Drinks for one day: $7.44

Beer: $7.30
Night of shots: $36
Drinks at the campfire for 2: $40
Evening at the bar: $32

Water

Bottled water for one day: $3-$4.22

Coffee: $2.28
Smoothies: $7

Mid-range: $150-250

Accommodation

Hotel or rental home (single): $103
Double-occupancy room: $206

Hilton Garden Inn: $175
Campground fee: $15-$23
Hotel by the airport: $145

Food

Meals for one day: $43

Transportation

Taxis or Car rental: $37
Intercity: $154

Entertainment

Entrance tickets & shows: $48

Tips & Handouts

Guides & service providers: $12
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $94

Airport luggage storage: $14

Alcohol

Drinks for one day: $19

Beer: $7.30
Night of shots: $36
Drinks at the campfire for 2: $40
Evening at the bar: $32

Water

Bottled water for one day: $14

Coffee: $2.28
Smoothies: $7

High-end (Luxury): More than $250

Accommodation

Resort or hotel (single): $289
Double-occupancy room: $577

Hilton Garden Inn: $175
Campground fee: $15-$23
Hotel by the airport: $145

Food

Meals for one day: $112

Transportation

Car Rentals or private driver: $101
Intercity: $410

Entertainment

Entrance tickets & shows: $174

Tips & Handouts

Guides & service providers: $40
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $239

Airport luggage storage: $14

Alcohol

Drinks for one day: $52

Beer: $7.30
Night of shots: $36
Drinks at the campfire for 2: $40
Evening at the bar: $32

Water

Bottled water for one day: $54

Coffee: $2.28
Smoothies: $7

The United States of America Money-Saving Tips

Stay at reasonable hotels – Not all hotels need to book a high-end luxury. The United States is your home. Stay in an AirBnB and or stay in a more reasonably priced hotel.
Use public transportation – Public transportation is both affordable and reliable.
Book cruises early or very late – Booking a cruise 2 years in advance will likely award you a more affordable price. Additionally, booking a cruise within a month or 2 of departure can give you a better price due to ships wanting to fill their cabins.
Buy your plane tickets on Tuesday – Honestly buying plane tickets in advance is always a better way; however, often people have noticed flight sales on Tuesdays or recommend booking flights on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday for best results.

Useful Websites & Apps

Hotel booking – Booking.com via InteleTravel
Tours & activities – Viator or Shore Excursions Group
Travel Information – Government Information

10 Cool Facts About The United States of America

Magnet for international tourism The United States is the third most visited country by international tourists after Spain and France.
George Washington wasn’t the first president to live In the White House Nope, it wasn’t the first president of the United States who lived in the White House, but John Adams and his wife Abigail. While Washington did oversee the construction of the house, he never lived in it.
Music central Much of the music the world listens to – jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop, country, folk, R&B, soul, and gospel – comes out of the United States.
The Statue of Liberty isn’t in New York The Statue of Liberty, which adorns pretty much every bit of tourist memorabilia you can purchase in the Big Apple, is actually not located in New York City at all. It’s technically in Jersey City, New Jersey.
America does not entirely belong to Americans According to the USDA, foreign investors own at least 28.3 million acres of U.S. farmland, an area about the size of Ohio.
California’s state animal doesn’t reside in California Before the mid-1800s, thousands of grizzly bears could be found across California—so much that the animal became the state’s official animal. Nowadays, all of the grizzlies are gone. Between then and 1922, every living grizzly in the state of California was captured or killed. And all it got was a lousy flag.
Abraham Lincoln is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame The 16th president is actually in the Wrestling Hall of Fame. Before he took on the top job in the nation, Lincoln was the winner of 299 out of his 300 fought matches, as the Wrestling Hall of Fame was only able to account for one loss out of all the matches he fought.
Inventions The United States is at the center of the global invention. Airplanes, computers, cellphones, potato chips, and the light bulb are just a few examples of American ingenuity.
Uncle Sam is a real man His name? Samuel Wilson. A meatpacker in Troy, New York, who fought in the American Revolution, he later became the official meat inspector for the northern army in the War of 1812. Wilson was given the nickname “Uncle Sam” for his good nature. According to HuffPost, when he started providing and inspecting meat for the troops during the War of 1812, the soldiers from Troy would joke that the initials “U.S.” label on the barrels actually stood for Uncle Sam.
The Mall of America is owned by Canadians The Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minnesota, is actually owned by Triple Five Group, a company based in Edmonton, Canada.

Travel Insurance

When planning for your trip to The United States of America, don’t forget about travel insurance! You never know what might happen and it’s better to be safe than sorry.