Planning a Trip to the USA – 6 Must-Know Things
The United States is a massive travel destination, and if you add Canada (a cross-border trip is a must), you might just lose your mind.
This page will try to help you organize your trip to the USA with a few basic principles.
- We'll help you understand what America is all about?
- How do you start planning a travel route in the USA?
- Where to go and when?
- What are the expected costs for the trip?
- What types of trips are there in America?
- Flights to America and car rentals
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What is America?
The United States of America is a tourism empire. America has it all:
- Famous megacities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more
- Road trip by car or RV to breathtaking national parks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon and more
- Relax on the stunning beaches of Hawaii, Florida, California and more
- Gigantic amusement parks to enjoy with the kids at Disney World in Orlando, Disneyland and Universal in Los Angeles, Busch Gardens in Tampa or the Six Flags parks across the USA
- Frozen cruises to Alaska or lively tropical cruises to the Bahamas or the Caribbean islands
- Exceptional skiing in the Rockies, Cascades, Appalachians, or Sierra Nevada
- Plenty of entertainment, shows, shopping, amazing food, and all the fun you can have during the trip
How to start planning a trip itinerary in the USA?
To tackle the vast subject called the USA, you need to organize your thoughts a bit and understand exactly what you want.
- It's important to decide in advance what type of trip you want (big cities, nature, relaxation, road trip, etc.)
- It's important to decide in advance exactly where you want to go and whether the chosen places can be fit into the trip timeframe (remember that America is huge and there are significant travel distances between locations. Luckily, throughout the USA, there are many regional airports making almost any place accessible and allowing you to combine very distant places in one trip)
- It's advisable to set up a budget for the trip in advance and see how to include as much as possible at the lowest cost possible (for example, staying in New York City can be a heavy expense. Staying in motels is usually cheap and quite comfortable)
- You should understand the differences in temperatures between different climatic zones and realize that you can't visit the Grand Canyon during the summer and Yellowstone or the Rocky Mountains in winter (except for skiing). Florida in winter is a dream, whereas New England can be a nightmare during the same season
- You need to prepare everything in advance – book flights, arrange car rental (or even an RV), and get a basic understanding of America.
- You must deeply understand the travel route (don't be upset that you missed Monument Valley just because you happened to sleep in Moab, Utah on your way from Arches National Park to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it's just a small detour!)
Map of the USA
Where to go in the USA and when?
The climate in America is crucial for trip planning, and almost every destination in the USA has a season when it's nearly impossible to travel.
- Basically, the north is freezing in winter, and the south is unbearably hot and sweaty in summer.
- Summer is the perfect season to travel in the north, and winter is especially fun in the southern USA.
- The winter trip to New York, Canada, Chicago, Seattle, the Rocky Mountains and more is almost impossible in winter, with snow and extremely low temperatures
- The national parks of the Colorado Basin, Florida, Louisiana are sizzling in summer days. In the deserts, average temperatures soar above 40 degrees, and in Florida and Louisiana, the humidity is close to a hundred. Since air conditioning is available everywhere, it's still enjoyable to travel, but remember it's extremely hot outside (hurricane and tornado season is from spring to fall, so stay alert!)
- Fall in the USA is dreamy in some places, especially in New England and Canada. The red and yellow foliage is a once-in-a-lifetime experience
- Spring in America is wonderful almost everywhere. Temperatures are mostly very comfortable across America, nature is in full bloom, and it's truly delightful to get outside and breathe in the fresh air
Travel Costs in the USA
In a nutshell – the United States is the land of endless possibilities, it has everything and you can always find special deals on accommodation, flights, or food.
The costs of traveling in the USA are directly linked to the type of trip and the available budget. You can book luxurious hotels with very high costs, or you can stay in modest motels at a very reasonable price. America truly has a bit of everything, but you should know that almost everything has gotten more expensive in recent years.
General costs in the USA:
- Accommodation cost for a couple or family – Ranges from $90 per night (motels or small hotels outside major cities) to $300+ (good hotels in Manhattan or in the centers of touristy cities). The average lodging cost per night in the USA is about $180.
- Car rental – Around $200 per day for a comfortable family car, depending on the rental period (peak summer or not), vehicle size, and class.
- Meal at a standard restaurant – About $50 for a family.
- Sites and attractions – Popular sites such as observation decks in New York or Chicago towers cost around fifty dollars (there are various discounts for students, and usually, youth and children get in for free). Many major museums in the USA only suggest a donation, so you can save money. Entrance to national parks is around $35 per vehicle.
In a nutshell – considering all costs, traveling in the USA is quite affordable when you account for accommodations, car and transportation expenses, food costs, attraction tickets, and shopping. However, flights can be pricey (due to the distance). America used to be much cheaper, and now you might get sticker shock from the prices in Manhattan and San Francisco. For those traveling in rural America, the prices are still quite friendly.
What are the types of trips in America?
Extreme Urban Adventure in New York City
New York City is an urban adventure like no other. Manhattan offers an unimaginable wealth of iconic squares such as Times Square, Madison Square, Union Square, and more, luxurious shopping avenues like Fifth Avenue, world-class museums like MoMA and the Metropolitan, a huge dream park – Central Park, and of course, a ferry ride from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty.
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Urban tour in America's big cities
Besides Manhattan, there are quite a few large cities in the USA with incredibly attractive downtowns for touring. Chicago on Lake Michigan is the birthplace of skyscrapers and offers crazy panoramic views from the top of the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) or the John Hancock Center, as well as super luxurious shopping on the Magnificent Mile (or you can take a cruise on the Chicago River in the shadow of the skyscrapers).
Besides Chicago, Downtown Boston, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and more are great for exploring. The downtown areas of Canada's major cities – Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, also offer stunning urban tours filled with attractions and excellent museums.
Road Trip in the USA – By Car or RV
America is the land of road trips. The vast expanses, endless highways, stunning landscapes, national parks tucked away in the middle of nowhere, and high standards of facilities and infrastructure, no matter how remote the place, enable a dream road trip.
- To cross America from the Atlantic to the Pacific, you need at least four days of driving, assuming you don't deviate from the highway.
- Along the way, there are excellent facilities for tourists and travelers – high-quality motels in every nook, fast food chains, and of course, branches of Walmart, Costco, or other large supermarket chains in every town and village across America.
The facilities for RV trips are also top-notch. You can rent an RV and save on lodging costs along the way. Across the US, there are RV-friendly campgrounds where you can dump sewage, fill water, charge electrical systems, and, of course, sleep safely.
The RV trip in America is becoming popular among foreign tourists, years after it became a huge trend in American culture. Across the Rocky Mountain Range, there are dozens of convenient parks, often nearby or even right inside the national parks of the Rockies and the Colorado Plateau.
Exploring the National Parks
Since most of the national parks in the USA, especially the well-known ones, require a long drive, they are often part of road trips, by car or RV. There are also national parks near major cities, like Yosemite near San Francisco, Death Valley and the western part of the Grand Canyon near Las Vegas, Acadia in the state of Maine or the Everglades near Miami.
The Rocky Mountain and Colorado Plateau national parks are the most popular, technically the Great Smoky Mountains is the most popular, including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and more. The national parks in the USA are very organized for trips, featuring paved roads leading to trailheads from which hiking trails start. Near the parks, there are accommodations and restaurants.
For the complete guide on communication and browsing during your trip to the USA, click here…
Vacation in the USA
Vacationing in the USA is another type of trip but is considered a chapter of its own. Generally, Americans seldom leave their own borders (frankly, they don't need to, everything is in America) and the vacation industry across the country is very developed. Besides nearby destinations in Mexico or the Caribbean islands, Americans vacation in the summer throughout the USA, including lounging on beaches from New England south along the Atlantic coast down to Florida.
- In Florida, vacationing is active almost year-round, as the pleasant winters also make swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico possible.
- The main vacation destinations in the USA are located in the Sun Belt, most along the coasts, some in desert areas, and primarily rely on swimming pools.
- Florida is brimming with resort towns like Daytona Beach, Miami Beach, the Keys, Tampa Bay, and all along the Gold Coast.
- Orlando has become a favorite vacation spot combining resorts and pools with Disney or Universal theme parks.
- California is also a popular vacation destination from the beaches of San Diego and Los Angeles to Palm Springs deep in the desert.
Hawaii is the ultimate luxurious vacation destination, packed with some of the world's best resorts. The islands boast expansive beaches lined with resorts from all major brands. Whether it's a family getaway at Marriott or Hyatt resorts or indulging in the luxurious amenities of Four Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, and more, you can find it in Maui or along Waikiki Beach near Honolulu.
Skiing in the USA
Just like beach holidays are the go-to summer spot for Americans, skiing is the winter getaway. Across America, you'll find a plethora of well-developed and highly popular ski resorts. From Aspen and Vail in the high Rockies of Colorado, through Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Lakes in California's Sierra Nevada. There are also fantastic ski resorts in the Cascades of Washington State, the Appalachian ranges in New England (like the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Green Mountains in Vermont), and more. American ski resorts are very well organized, with ski lifts, alpine-style lodges, groomed trails for a wide range of levels from pro to beginner, or just flat areas for cross-country skiing or sledding for kids.
Click here for everything you need to know about travel insurance before heading to the USA…
How to reach the USA by flight?
- A direct flight from Israel to New York takes 12 hours going and ten and a half hours returning. Flights to the West Coast (there are direct flights to Los Angeles) take about 15 hours
- There are direct flights from Israel (mostly) also to Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Washington, and Philadelphia, but the main entry gates are New York airports – Kennedy and Newark
- Every day, several direct flights depart from Israel to the USA
- You can easily reach any point in the USA with transfer flights, with a stop at all major European airports
- Across the USA and Canada, there are nearly 500 airports considered international. With a transfer in Europe, you can reach almost all airports across the USA, to destinations like Denver, Las Vegas, Seattle, Vancouver (Canada), and more
Car Rental in the USA
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- If traveling outside of New York City, you must rent a car in order to explore the various parts of this vast country.
- It's better not to rent a car while staying in New York City, but rather pick it up when leaving the city and return it before you re-enter Manhattan.
- When comparing different offers – compare the total package price – not just the car itself, but also all the extras like insurance, an additional driver, unlimited mileage, etc.
- When booking, if you plan to cross the borders with the car, inform the rental company. Even if you're unsure – mention Canada and Mexico as well (according to the car company’s restrictions).
- International Driver's License – Prepare ahead with a printed international driver's license. It can be obtained at one of the MEMSI branches and authorized optical stores.
- International Credit Card – The intended driver of the rental car must also carry an international credit card (meaning one that works abroad), preferably in their own name. This is really essential for renting, and quite a few travelers have gotten stuck without being able to pick up the car because they didn't follow this guideline! (The booking itself can be made with another credit card, but it's better not to complicate things and use one in the driver's name).
- Comfort Tip – Choose a larger car than you think you'll need, partly because sometimes you're given something smaller than you ordered, and partly because you'll have a lot of luggage.
- Download navigation apps from home to your phone (or a GPS device) – but only those that allow navigation without a constant internet connection (here are some recommendations…), this will save you hours of mistakes and map searching. If that's not possible for you, you can rent a GPS from the rental company, but it's very expensive, not always available, and usually already built-in to the car at no charge.
If you're relying on a personal device, remember to install the map of the USA and its neighboring states before your flight. Either way, it's recommended to buy a good paper road map as a backup.
Cartographic Map of the USA
