United States

Understand

The U.S. is large, complex, and diverse, with over 340 million people (2024) and distinct cultural and regional identities. Traveling the long distances between destinations can be time-consuming and expensive.

Get in

The United States has a strict and notoriously perplexing visa policy; nearly everyone needs a visa to visit the country, and obtaining an American visa of any kind can be a complicated and cumbersome affair.

Read up carefully before your visit, especially if you need to apply for a visa, and consult the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Travelers have been refused entry for many reasons, often trivial. During the application process, visitors to the U.S. are required to fully document mobile phone numbers, e-mail addresses and on-line identities they've used in the past five years.

Travelers under 18 years old may need a notarized letter of consent, preferably in English, from both their parents. If the border authorities aren't satisfied with this or with your travel plans and their documentation, you may get taken into the authorities' care for months until they can arrange your return.

New immigration practices were introduced in 2025 that resulted in the questionable detention of a few visitors with apparently valid travel documents at a port of entry. Detentions would last until the visitor departed on a flight back home. However, a few visitors have been detained for a few weeks before being allowed on a return flight. If you fear this problem (due to work permits, residing with an American spouse, problems on a prior visit or political opinions, for example), using an airport with pre-flight US Customs clearance airports would be safe: while you could still be denied en…

Get around

thumb|The Golden Gate Bridge in [[San Francisco|250x250px]]

The size of the U.S. and the distance separating major cities make air the dominant mode of long-distance travel for short-term travellers. If you have time, or are travelling a short distance, travel by car, bus, or rail can be far more interesting. Long-distance car travel, in particular, is a quintessentially American way to see the country. That said, do not underestimate the size of the country and the time it takes to travel between cities. For comparison, the distance between New York City and San Francisco is greater than that between Lisbon and Moscow.

See

thumb|250x250px|Portland Head Lighthouse, [[Portland (Maine)|Portland, New England ]]

The United States is extraordinarily diverse in its array of attractions. You will never run out of things to see; even if you think you've exhausted what one place has to offer, the next destination is only a road trip away.

The Great American Road Trip (see above) is the most traditional way to see a variety of sights; just hop in the car and cruise down the Interstates, stopping at the convenient roadside hotels and restaurants as necessary, and stopping at every interesting tourist trap along the way, until you reach your destination.

Indescribably beautiful scenery, history that reads like a screenplay, entertainment options that can last you for days, and some of the world's greatest architectureno matter what your pleasure, you can find it almost anywhere you look in the United States.

Eat

American cuisine is far more than the bland McDonald's-and-Coca-Cola monolith that international stereotypes make it out to be. It's as diverse as the American people themselves, sporting regional variations between different parts of the country and incorporating localized versions of ethnic dishes from around the world. Each region's cuisine developed based on their immigrant heritage and availability of ingredients at hand.

The variety of restaurants throughout the U.S. is remarkable. In a major city such as New York, it may be possible to find a restaurant from nearly every country in the world. In addition to independent restaurants, the U.S. possesses a singularly baffling array of fast food and casual chain restaurants; the sheer variety domestically is immense.

You will want to experience the foods of the region you are visiting: seafood in the Pacific Northwest and New England, steak and Tex-Mex in Texas, Cal-Mex in California, Creole and Cajun in Louisiana, barbecue (BBQ) and fried chicken throughout the South and Texas with each region having its unique sauces and preparations. New Mexico has its own cuisine typified by salsa verde (green chili sauce), and other states in the Southwest serve lots of Mexican foods and often use chilis and chili-based rubs and sauces outside of specifically Mexican contexts.

Fresh food availability is particularly evident in California, where organic food and "slow food" are prominent. In Florida, you can tour the orange groves f…

Drink

thumb|273x273px|America's native spirit, Bourbon

Drinking customs in America are as varied as the backgrounds of its many people. In the cities, you can find many places to drink.

Bars of every shape and kind exist in the United States, including British/Irish pubs and Mexican cantinas, those that specialize in a particular spirit, and bars with themes ranging from 1980s nostalgia to video gaming.

In the suburbs, alcohol is mainly served in restaurants rather than bars. In rural areas, the line between "bar" and "restaurant" is often blurred to the point of meaninglessness; with few establishments nearby, locals go to the same place for both meals and nightlife. A few states have dry counties, places where it is illegal to sell alcohol for local consumption; these are mostly in rural areas.

Sleep

It's generally wise to book ahead, directly with the provider when possible. In major cities, prices can vary wildly by season, if there are large conventions in town, etc.

Checking in almost always requires photo ID (driver's license or passport) and a credit or debit card matching the ID that will have a hold placed on it to cover any damages to the room. This applies even if you have prepaid for your stay online. It may take several days for the hold to clear after you check out.

By far the most common form of lodging in rural United States and along many Interstates is the motel. Providing inexpensive rooms to automotive travelers, most motels are clean and reasonable with a limited array of amenities: telephone, TV, bed, bathroom. Motel 6 () is a national chain with reasonable rates ($60–120, depending on the city). Super 8 Motels () provide reasonable accommodations throughout the country as well. Reservations are typically unnecessary, which is convenient since you don't have to arbitrarily interrupt a long road trip; you can simply drive until you're tired then find a room. Often they will also light up their sign outside to tell if there is vacancy, in which case you can simply walk in if they have one. However, some are used by adults looking to book a night for sex or illicit activities and many are located in undesirable areas.

thumb|249x249px|The Peninsula, [[New York City|New York]]

Business or extended-stay hotels are increasingly available across the count…

Stay safe

The United States is generally a safe country for tourists, but risks do exist.

Respect

thumb|313x313px|[[Black Rock City|Burning Man, Nevada ]]

Cultural norms vary significantly from region to region. In general, social etiquette tends to be more formal in the Northeast and the South, more casual on the West Coast, and somewhere between those two extremes in the Midwest.