United States of America: Overview
The attractive United States of America occupies almost the entire part of America and some territories in Oceania. It shares borders with Canada to the north and with Mexico to the south, while its eastern and western coasts are, each one, bathed by the waters of the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean.
Climate
The American territory located between the two coasts is large enough for the climate to vary from arctic to desert. California, west of the country, has a Mediterranean pleasant climate, while the north-western coast is characterized by a marine climate, influenced by western winds. In the centre of the country temperature variations are extreme; winters are cold and summers are hot (with many tornados). The central-east is humid, while the central-west is semi-arid. The eastern area has a continental climate thanks to the air masses moving from west to east; there the summers are hot and tornados are very frequent, especially in the Mississippi area. Florida has the warmest winters of the east coast. Summer is the high tourist season and the country holidays, so it is recommended to travel in autumn or at the beginning of spring.
Important Information
Most visitors need a visa, which can be obtained at an American embassy, to enter to the United States. Canadians need only a citizenship card. Thanks to a reciprocal program, citizens from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom can stay for 90 days without a visa, however, they must have an onward return ticket and prove that they have enough funds to cover the expenses of the stay.
The official currency is the American dollar (USD) and foreign currencies can be changed only in the main banks. ATMs are plentiful and credit cards and traveller’s cheques are broadly accepted, although to avoid troubles it is recommended that the cheques are in American dollars.
It is used to tip a 15% to taxi drivers, barmen, hairdressers and waiters. In fast food or self-service places tipping is not necessary, but in the most expensive restaurants, or in the case of big parties a 20% tip is expected. It is also a custom to tip hotel staff and when the service has been good.
There are not specific health or vaccination requirements to travel to the USA. Medical facilities and attention level are excellent, although very expensive. Only emergency care is provided without previous payment, however you can be denied free treatment if you have medical insurance or enough funds to pay for it. You should hire a comprehensive medical insurance for your trip.
Although there are no serious security issues in the USA, you should keep in mind that the country suffers a continuous terrorism threat, so security measures have been considerably increased, especially in airports. It is recommended to travellers to be informed about airlines requirements concerning hand luggage. As in any travel you should take some basic cautions against possible crimes. Between June and November the south and the east of the country are under the threat of tornados and from March to November there is a risk of big fires in many dry areas of the country, especially in the west coast.
Where to go
New York, also known as the World’s Capital or the Big Apple is one of the most cosmopolitan places in the USA. It is difficult to choose between the many points of interest in this city, where everything is attractive and which offers so many activities and places to its visitors. Some of the things that a tourist cannot miss in New York are Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Empire State Building, Times Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Statue of Liberty, hundreds of restaurants offering dishes from all over the world, bookstores and the famous Brodway theatres.
San Francisco, home of the gay pride and the "flower power", is characterized by its sheer streets, its bridges, its beautiful bay and a particular atmosphere which mixes a classic elegance with the most modern innovations. Here you can visit Mission, the Latin neighbourhood, or the gay one, Castro; the bustling Cinatown; Fisherman's Wharf, the centre of "kitsch" tourism; the clubs in SoMa; the elegant stores of Union Square; and the hippy neighbourhood, Haight-Ashbury.
Los Angeles, Hollywood's cradle, is the best expression of the "American dream". Here you cannot miss a walk by Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Boulevard, Venice Beach, Melrose, Malibu or Beverly Hills. Besides this, you can go to the incredible theme parks, Disneyland and Universal Studios; to Little Tokyo and Los Angeles Town; and to the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. It is advisable to stay away from some dangerous places like Earst Los Angeles, Southcentral and Los Angeles Downtown.
New Orleans, city of the Mardi Gras, attracts its visitors to the rhythm of "zydeco", the mysteries of voodoo and the flavour of "gumbo." Here you can visit the French Neighbourhood, the Garden District, the interesting cemeteries and haunted places, or go to the antique stores of Royal Street.
In Miami some of the most important places when choosing destinations are South Beach, where the Deco District is; white sanded Miami Beach; famous Ocean Drive, former home of Gianni Versace; the Venetian pool, one of the most spectacular in the world; the zoo, one of the best ones; the Cuban park Maximo Gómez and the impressive Holocaust Memorial.
Other highly representative places of the North American culture are the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Capitol and the White House in Washington DC; Jamestown, Monticello and Mount Vernon in Virginia; Paul Revere’s House in Boston; and the Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Festivals
American culture loves greatness and splendour and shows it in every celebration. Some of the most important events for this country are the Super bowl, American soccer final, that takes place in January; Mardi Gras (carnival) celebrated in New Orleans between February and March; the Irish St. Patrick’s Day which takes place among parades and beers in mid-March (the best places for this celebration are New York and Chicago); and Kentucky Derby, carried out in May in Louisville.
Other celebrations are the Independence Day (July 4), when flags, fireworks and alcohol are plentiful; Halloween, celebrated on October 31; the gay parades of Greenwich Village, West Hollywood and San Francisco; and Thanks Giving, celebrated with family banquets on the last Thursday of November.
