Hey there, fellow travelers! Today we’re posting from Springfield, Illinois. We love to help travelers prepare for their vacations, and other than telling you the best things to do, we love to share the things that will shock you upon arriving in a new destination. Today we’re sharing the top ten shocks for travelers who visit the USA .
Visit USA Shock #1: The Sizes of the US
Everything in America is bigger. The country itself is huge, the size of a continent. When planning to get around, it can be shocking how long it takes to get from one place to another. It can take 18 hours to drive from New York to Miami, even though you’re on the East Coast the entire time. For travelers used to country hopping in Europe or Southeast Asia, this can be a surprise.
Some examples of distance in the U.S.:
- Chicago to Los Angeles: 2077 miles/3342 km
- Miami to Las Vegas: 2566 miles/4129 km
- New York to Orlando: 1080 miles/1738 km
The food portions are also huge, and most places offer free refills on soda, which is unheard of in many other countries. (Unfortunately, this does not apply to beer!) When you are ordering American fast food, be careful of the sizes because they are really large. A large soda can be 32 ounces, which is nearly three cans’ worth.
As a result of large portions and unlimited soda, there are many large Americans. However, not every American is fat and eats at McDonald’s. We come in every shape and size, too.
Visit USA Shock #2: American People
There’s a rumor that Americans are just fake nice, but for the most part, Americans are actually super nice. Wherever you go, people are willing to help you. Whether it’s finding your way if you get lost, or making recommendations for where to eat or what to see. Sometimes this friendliness can be overwhelming to tourists, but it’s just part of our culture and service approach.
Watch: Top Ten Cities in the USA
Visit USA Shock #3: Showing Identification to Buy Alcohol or Tobacco
If you are coming from another country, it’s a bit of a shock to constantly show your ID card when purchasing alcohol or cigarettes. You need to be 21 years old to buy alcohol and 18 to buy tobacco products. Anyone under 40 will get carded.
Visit USA Shock #4: Price Tag vs Actual Price
In Europe, the VAT is already added into the price of goods. However, in the US we call it sales tax, and it’s added to the price at the register. Sales tax in the US is anywhere from 7-15%, so when you go to order something from the $1 menu at McDonald’s, make sure you have enough to cover the sales tax, too. There are a few states that do not have sales tax, other states do not tax food, while other states charge a higher tax for junk food. After the sales tax, you also have to account for tipping in the USA. Service industry wages are well below minimum wage, as the servers make the bulk of their income through tips. At a sit-down restaurant, 15-20% is the standard, while $1 per drink is the standard at the bar.
Visit USA Shock #5: Public Transportation (or Lack Thereof)
For the most part, the US has excellent tourist infrastructure: many hotels, sights and restaurants. So you might be shocked to learn that public transportation in the US is terrible. There are a few cities, such as Chicago, New York and Boston, which have decent public transportation, but for traveling between cities and traveling within smaller towns, public transportation is awful. Trains and buses in the US are either inconvenient or not tourist-friendly, so if you really want to see the US, you should plan to rent a car.
Visit USA Shock #6: Public Toilets in the US
Public toilets are free in the US, but that means they are not nearly as clean and nice as the pay toilets you see in other countries. Try to avoid these if possible, and use the toilet at your hotel or restaurant. (Don’t be shocked at how much water the toilets hold!)
Visit USA Shock #7: Americanisms
There are things that are typical of Americans, including the seemingly excessive patriotism. You’ll see the American flag flying everywhere. We also love free stuff, which may be surprising. You’ll see water fountains around town, usually near a restroom, plus free starter snacks at restaurants, like bread and butter, or chips and salsa. And yes, we love our fast food, too! Every region has its own special fast food, like In N’Out or Whattaburger, plus the national chains like Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s. Don’t forget that in the US, we are one of only three countries (hello, Liberia and Myanmar!) to still use the Imperial system. Everything is in gallons, or feet, or miles. And lastly, don’t be shocked to find out you can go shopping at all hours of the day and night! We have 24-hour Wal-Mart in the US, so if you feel like shopping for new clothes at 2 in the morning, you can do it!
Visit USA Shock #8: Driving in the USA
There’s a lot that will shock you about driving in the US. For one, the roads are big. The cars are big. And most cars in the US are automatic; many people don’t even know how to drive a stick shift any more. Parking can be difficult in larger cities, but in smaller towns, it’s easy to find parking. Speed limits are in miles per hour, and they vary greatly from town to town and state to state. You can turn right on red in the US, once you’ve come to a complete stop to check for oncoming traffic. Americans LOVE our cars; we start driving at the young age of 16, and our cars are part of our life.
Visit USA Shock #9: Homogenous Look of the US
At first, everything in America may look very homogenous, with the same things every place you visit. But once you spend some time, and look around, you’ll start to notice distinct regional differences in the US. Each region has a unique culture, cuisine and history, from New England to the Deep South to the Wild West.
Read: Five Things to Eat in Memphis
Visit USA Shock #10: Hotels in the US
It’s surprising how many hotels there are in the US, and you can actually get a nice room for an affordable price. Chains like Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn offer comfortable rooms that sleep up to four people for a very decent price. We don’t have single beds in our hotels like you see in Europe, so they’re always either double or queen size beds. What’s really shocking is that the cheaper hotels actually give you more free things! The Hampton Inns and the Holiday Inns give you free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. At nicer resorts, you’ll pay for each of these things individually, or through an expensive “resort fee.”
We hope these ten tips help you prepare to visit USA, and lessen the shocks you have upon arrival. Have you been to the USA? We’d love to hear what shocked you; just leave a comment below! For more Wolters World travel tips, check out these blog posts and videos: