5 Things You Need to Know Before Travelling to the USA
*Remunerated Post*
The World is an ever-changing place. Rules and regulations are constantly evolving in every country and sometimes it is hard to keep track of what is happening.
It has been nearly 14 years since I last travelled to the USA. I went to San Francisco, flying out on Boxing Day and returning on New Years Day. I managed to visit Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and Napa Valley. It was a beautiful place.
A few things have changed in respect of regulations on visiting the USA, so here I am listing some you probably know already together with some of the lesser known requirements.
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Tipping
Tipping is totally voluntary. At least that is the official stance. Unofficially, 15% to 20% is the standard tip. This is because the minimum wage is low and tips help to make up for that. It is certainly considered rude if you don’t leave one.
Make sure you get insurance
Whenever we travel I always make sure that we have insurance. I am so concerned about getting caught out overseas without any financial assistance. It is absolutely crucial when it comes to travelling to the USA. The country’s health service is very expensive and you don’t want to find yourself with a huge medical bill. In case of emergencies, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Make sure you obtain your ESTA
ESTA stands for “Electronic System for Travel Authorization” and it is an electronic travel authorisation for the USA. It was set up as a safety measure by U.S. Customs And Border Protection to ensure all travellers entering the country can be preemptively screened, and unwanted visitors barred. Travel companies, including airlines, can check before departure that each traveller possesses a valid ESTA visa. This happens by looking up the traveller’s passport number in the database. Travellers without this travel permit are denied entry. You can find the ESTA application on their website.
Pay and Display
Purchasing items and services isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. The reason for this is that most of the prices you see displayed exclude sales tax. This means that when you approach the cashier to pay, they will ask for a slightly higher price. Do bear in mind that the tax will vary from state to state. You can expect at least 10% added on to the total.
Be careful where you go
Wherever you go in the world, there are typically areas that you are better off avoiding. I can remember a particular area of Baltimore that I used to visit – and there was one suburb that was best avoided. Especially bearing in mind the gun laws in America.The difference between a friendly and dangerous neighbourhood can sometimes differ by only one block. Make sure you are safe by being aware of your surroundings at all times, assess your situation regularly, and try to gain some local knowledge on the safe and not-so-safe areas.
Driving rules
It is important to remember that a different country usually means different driving rules – and that is particularly applicable when it comes to the United States.
They drive on the right-hand side and you will also find that the roads are much straighter and much wider than those in the UK.
One particular road rule to keep in mind in America is the ‘turn right on red’ rule. This basically means that drivers are allowed to turn right on a red light if it’s safe to do so and if there’s no sign prohibiting a right turn.
Whilst on the subject of roads, it is also important to know that jaywalking is illegal in most states. Jaywalking means violating pedestrian traffic laws, most often by crossing a street illegally. While jaywalking is a low level offense, it can draw fines in most if not all jurisdictions.
Check your mobile data
Don’t forget to double-check your mobile phone plan and see what the rules are on international data whilst in the USA. Mobile phone roaming charges can be colossal and leave you extremely out of pocket if you aren’t careful! Make the most of any free WiFi where you can and, if you don’t have a plan in place with your provider, then you should be able to purchase data for international travel.
