What to know about American culture before visiting?
Are you going to America for the first time? Here’s what you need to know before going to the US to prepare for an amazing trip.
Are you feeling a little anxious about your first trip to the US? I made this list of everything you need to know before traveling to the US so you can stop worrying and plan the perfect trip!
10 Things to aware before coming to the USA:
1. The US is much bigger than you might think.
The size of the country is the most important thing to know before going to the US. At almost 3.8 million square miles, the US is slightly smaller than all of Europe.
Even though I’ve lived here for almost 30 years and traveled a lot for most of my life, I haven’t seen everything on my list of must-see places in the United States. The point is that you can’t see everything intriguing in one trip.
A better plan would be to visit only one part of the US on each trip. No matter what part of the country you choose to visit, there is a lot to see and do.
2. Outside big cities, public transit is rare.
If you’re in a major city, you should be able to find public transportation or, at the very least, Uber. But public transportation is often nonexistent or very unreliable outside of big cities.
If you want to get out of the cities (which you should! ), renting a car is your best bet.
3. Rental cars are pricey.
In the United States, renting a car can be very expensive, especially if you plan to drop it off in a different state than where you picked it up or if you’re younger than 25.
Many rental car companies won’t rent to drivers under the age of 25, and almost none will rent to drivers under the age of 21. If you’re under 25 and want to rent a car, you’ll probably have to pay a “young renter” fee, usually around $20 per day.
So, when planning your budget for a trip around the United States, don’t forget to include car rental costs as a possible big expense.
4. You’ll probably need a credit card at some time.
Getting an international credit card should be on your list of things to do before going to the USA if you don’t usually travel with one.
Most hotels and car rental places will not let you use their services without a credit card. Some stores and restaurants don’t take cash at all. Before your trip, it’s best to let your bank know and bring your cards with you, just in case.
5. Giving a tip to your server is a good idea.
In most of the world, the minimum wage for servers is much higher than in the United States. In some states, the minimum wage for servers is only $2.13 per hour. These servers make almost all of their money from tips.
15-20% is the usual tip, so add that amount to the cost of your meal before you order.
6. The price does not include sales tax.
Sales tax is another “hidden” cost. When you shop in the United States, remember that the price you see on the shelf or tag does not include sales tax.
Sales tax differs in each state and depends on what you’re buying (the tax on clothes is different from the tax on food, for example), but it’s usually between 5 and 10%.
7. Each state has its laws.
Want to know what you should do before going to the USA to be better prepared? Find out the laws in the state(s) you want to visit.
In the US, there are both federal and state laws. Federal laws are the same all over the country. Most of the time, the differences are small, but you should know that there are some big ones.
For example, the laws about marijuana vary a lot from one state to the next. Some states have made it legal to use marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. Other states only allow medical use, while others outright ban it.
Another important example is that it is against the law in most places to walk around while drunk. But in a few cities, like New Orleans and Las Vegas, it is fine to do so as long as you are not drunk and causing trouble.
To stay out of trouble, you should know about the major differences between state laws. If you’re unsure, a quick Google search should help you understand.
8. There’s no way around being 21 to drink.
In the United States, 21 is the legal drinking age. If a business is caught serving alcohol to a minor, it will have to pay a large fine. Depending on where you are, many pubs and liquor shops have someone check IDs at the entrance and won’t even let anybody under 21 in.
If you’re 21 or older, the United States can be a great place to party, but you must be 21 or older.
9. The Imperial system is still in use.
No, it doesn’t make much sense for the US to use Imperial measurements still, but we do. We use miles to measure distance, pounds to measure weight, and degrees Fahrenheit to measure temperature.
It’s not a big deal, but to be safe, you might want to review those conversions before you leave. Or you could just put the Metric Conversions app on your phone.
10. It would help if you got travel insurance with medical protection.
If you’re wondering, “What do I need to do before I go to the USA?” your first step should be to buy trip insurance that covers medical costs.
The average cost of a trip to the emergency room in the United States is around $1,900. This is more than any other developed country. Simply put, this trip is NOT the one to skip travel insurance.