Know before you go
United States
General Information
The United States are made up of 50 states. 48 of them are located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The State of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east while the State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. Its capital is Washington D.C. while its largest city is New York City. They drive on the right side of the road.
Visa
Most European nationals can use the Visa Waiver Program where you will have to register online before travelling to the U.S. Check out this link to find out if this applies to you. If your nationality is not listed for the Visa Waiver Program you have to obain a Visitor Visa.
Power
The United States use Type A and B plug outlets. The voltage is 120 Volt and the frequency is 60 Hz.
Language
No surprise, the official language of the United States is English.
Weather Forecast
Climate
The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. To the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. Much of the Western mountains have an alpine climate. The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean in coastal California, and oceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska. Most of Alaska is subarctic or polar. Hawaii and the southern tip of Florida are tropical. Extreme weather is not uncommon—the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes, and most of the world’s tornadoes occur within the country, mainly in Tornado Alley areas in the Midwest and South.
Average Temperature in Washington D.C.
Average Precipitation in Washington D.C.
Transportation
How to get there?
The United States have some of the busiest airports in the world. It’s easy to go to the United States from Europe. There are many direct flights, especially to destinations on the East Coast like New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Miami. Follow this link to find a list of all airports in the United States.
How to get around?
Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C. have a Metro. Aside from that unfortunately the public transportation network is not as good as you might know it from European cities. Renting a car pays off, especially if you are planning to leave the city centers and want to visit some National Parks (which you definitely should).
How to get from town to town?
For short distances, it is best to have a car and drive yourself. For long distances, it’s best to fly. Don’t underestimate the size of the country. A flight from New York City to Miami will take you 2:50h, a flight from New York City to Los Angeles is 5:40h.
Money, Money, Money
Currency
The currency of the United States is the US Dollar. Check out the currency converter to find out about current exchange rates.
Accommodation
Depending on where you are staying prices will vary of course. Hotspots like Manhattan can be very expensive expect to be paying at least 60€ per person per night.
Cash
Credit Cards are accepted pretty much everywhere. If you want to withdraw cash to have a better overview of your spending, expect to need around 50€ per day for food, transportation, activities and souvenirs. If you are not familiar with the US Dollar you might struggle to differentiate the bills as they all have the same color and size. Pay attention to the number on the bill. There is a huge difference between giving a 1$ or a 100$ tip.
