USA Travel - A Concise Guide
The United States of America

Monument Valley, Arizona

Best of USA | USA Beaches | USA Map | USA Pictures | USA Tours

USA Travel Guide. Why go to America?

'The essence of America? ...that perfect, delicate balance between freedom 'to' and freedom 'from'. M. vos Savant

This massive country offers unbelievable variety, so much so that 40% of Americans do not own a passport as all their diverse travel needs are met at home.
Landscapes range from terminally dull to totally incredible and outdoor activities from simple to extreme in thousands of well-supported recreation areas.

Europeans travelling to the USA?
From Monday 12/1/2009, you are required to complete an online authorisation form 72-hours before you fly. However, you will not have to specify precisely when you are travelling and the authorisation you receive will last for two years.
This system applies to travellers using the Visa Waiver Program which allows British passport holders to stay in America for less than 90 days without a visa.

Los Angeles, California

Urban entertainment is equally well supplied with high quality, high-brow museums of all sorts, matched by high quality, low-brow theme parks of every kind.
The USA is the birthplace of 20thC rock and blues music with many related attractions and a vibrant live music culture while film buffs will enjoy recognising movie sets just about everywhere.

Miami Beach, Florida

Shopping is a national pastime, caters to every whim and service really is with a smile.
Generally Americans are extremely friendly, talkative and helpful (more so than Europeans for example - and that's a European's opinion!) and not at all like the gun-toting, violence prone wackos so favoured by the movies, though this relaxed amiability does not unfortunately extend to the American administration. Attitudes to foreigners may well depend on which area you are in, naturally, with tourist zones being most open to aliens, if somewhat superficially.

Alaska whale

Downside:
- Big distances cost big dollars though national airlines are competitive and fuel for cars relatively cheap.
- Street crime may add an unwelcome frisson in a few cities, but don't be too freaked, most places are really safe and people charming. Hollywood movies have created an unfortunate myth of gun-toting loonies and everpresent violence. This is not true - outside the White House and the Pentagon!
- Often towns, streets and shopping areas [malls] are unbelievably tacky.

SlickRock, Moab, Utah

USA climate guide:
Generally go south anytime - though it can get a bit overheated in the summer - and north June - September. See the more detailed regional pages for suggestions.

Las Vegas Casino, Nevada

United States of America, main attractions:

Bugbog's pick of United States: Best of USA

USA Pictures: New York, Las Vegas, Burning Man, USA Parks, beaches

Geographical by Region:

South West: California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas

Central Park, New York

Central East Coast: New York State | New York City | New Jersey/Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Delaware

New England: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Boston

Lone States Alaska, Hawaii

Pacific Northwest: Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Seattle

Rocky Mountains: Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, New Mexico

Born to Drive, Utah

Capital Region: Washington DC, Maryland

Southern States: Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Miami, New Orleans

Great Plains: Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Dallas

Great Lakes: Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Chicago

External reviews on travel in the United States of America

Shoppers Beware!
If you are not living in America and buy electronic goods, such as a camera, you may find that there is no international warranty on it. i.e. if it breaks down you've got an expensive repair to handle.
An option offered by some shops, for example B&H cameras, is to buy a separate and extended international warranty. Avoid this like the plague, especially the warranties produced by Mack.com for B&H and other electronics stores.
Mackcam.com will do all in their power to avoid paying, however valid your problem. They will ignore mail, demand endless papers or details you've already provided, ramp up demands to actual paper evidence even if you're living 8,000 miles away and are electronically registered. On and on... It's not worth it! Save yourself wasted money and loss of hair, don't buy generic warranties!