Despite all the stress and trouble, you may have to go through to arrive in the US, including ESTA and ESTA visa, airport checks, and security passes, and the likes, the United States is always a refreshing place to be, and even more exciting during the holiday seasons. From the multitude of scenic views to tourists’ attractions, relatable culture to stunning movie-like experiences, America is, no doubt, a magical place to visit. But like every other destination in the world, there are a few rules and regulations that foreign visitors have to abide with if they want to experience the best of America during their holiday vacation. In this light, the following are some basic tips necessary for travelling to the US on holiday.
Never attempt to see and do too much
The whole idea of visiting all the sights, views, and attractions you’ve seen in several Hollywood movies might be too tempting to rebuff, but trust me, you don’t want to see or do too much, especially if you have a limited ESTA USA vacation days. The continental United States is so large that within every city are a multitude of attention-grabbing sights and engaging holiday activities. Many foreign visitors often try to see New York, Nevada, Washington, Miami, and Los Angeles all in one trip. While all of that might seem like a great way to spend your holiday vacation, the fact remains that touring like that can leave a traveller very tired and can even contribute to sensory overload. So to enjoy your holiday trip, you are better off choosing one region and exploring it till you reach your optimum.
Expect to give a lot of tips
Indeed, the holiday season is the best time to visit the United States, but one of the downsides is that you will need to do a lot of tipping during this period. Usually, tipping is necessary for the United States, but it is even more compelling during the holidays. It is particularly rude to walk out of, say, a restaurant in the United States without tipping the service employees.
Do not assume smoking is legal everywhere
If you are coming from Europe, you may be forgiven for assuming that you can smoke the way you want when you get to the US. But brace yourself; some cities and states in the United States have some of the strictest Anti-smoking rules in the world. In some major cities like Chicago, New York, Seattle, and even San Francisco, smoking is prohibited in bars, clubs, restaurants, and other public areas like malls.
Punctuality is key
If you’ve chosen to visit the US during a holiday season, chances are you’re going to explore some of the country’s gems and attractions, while also visiting some iconic places you’ve heard or read about. If so, you need to be prepared to be punctual throughout your stay in the country. Concepts like “Island Time” and other fluid-time concepts simply do not work in America. For instance, if your movie time is 4 p.m. you should attempt to arrive at the cinema at exactly 4 p.m or arrive a few minutes early if you don’t want to miss out on your show. The same can be said of other destinations like the museums, art galleries, and other tourists’ sites. Americans take punctuality very seriously, and it is even considered rude to be late.
Don’t use American slang
Contrary to what you may have heard or seen in some Hollywood movies, Americans take your speech seriously, and they won’t stand for you using certain curse or derogatory tones when addressing them. Be sensitive, understand your environment, and try to speak acceptably, like using normal vocabularies. The habit of using American slang in your speeches may be considered insulting and may even deprive you of some benefits. This rule of thumb also applies when you are going through your ESTA application process because you never can tell what the perception of the official that will attend to you would be about the use of slangs.
Do visit the stunning National Parks
While it is not uncommon to see many tourists flocking to those enthralling sites – NYC, LA, MIAMI, and Las Vegas – for all their glitz and sensation, it is highly recommended that you stick with the country’s National Parks during the holiday seasons. Not only are the parks filled with exciting activities during the holidays, but they also boast unique mammal species only found in Northern America, like grizzly bears, and charming sceneries worth long selfie-moments.
Uday Tank has been working with writing challenged clients for several years. His educational background in family science and journalism has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics. He especially enjoys writing content after researching and analyzing different resources whether they are books, articles or online stuff.
Share
Contributors
