The United States of America is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. With 50 states stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, huge cities, incredible natural wonders, and so many different climates, it’s one of those countries where you can spend a lifetime traveling and still not discover it all…
We have been to the U.S. multiple times. Too many times to even remember it all. We stood on the top of the Statue of Liberty in New York, hiked in the Colorado Rockies, and drove thousands of miles road-tripping… As a student, I spent three summers working and traveling in the U.S. However, most of those trips were long before I started this blog…
Below, you can find an overview of our blog posts about some of our most recent travel experiences and favorite places in the USA. It’s in no way a complete guide to traveling in the United States (as if that would be possible…). But it should give you plenty of ideas for some incredible places to see and things to do in the various regions of the United States.
Oh, and if you wonder what it’s like for a European to visit the United States of America, take a look at this article highlighting some of the American customs that Europeans find really strange ;).
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USA National Parks
If you follow our blog for a while, then you already know that we love nature destinations and road trips. So it will come as no surprise that America’s National Parks are among our favorite places to visit in the United States.
Here you can find plenty of inspiration for some of the most beautiful nature destinations in the United States.
Click on the image to read the article!
National Parks Inspiration
PRO TIP: If you are planning to visit several National Parks over a period of 12 months, get an annual pass. It’s called America the Beautiful Pass and costs 80 USD for the whole family traveling in the same vehicle. It is valid in all National Parks and 2,000 federal recreation sites across the United States for one year from the month of purchase.
Our Favorite Parks
If you are looking for an itinerary that combines both these places and more, check out our American road trip itinerary for Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
National Parks: Best Things To Do & Itineraries
Where to Stay
Amazing Outdoor Destinations in the USA
Here’s a small selection of our articles featuring other stunning nature- and outdoor destinations in the United States. Take a look!
Alaska
American Cities
There are so many cities in the USA! Needless to say, we haven’t been everywhere… But we have visited some of the most beautiful cities and have written about some of those recent visits on our blog. As always, our guides are packed with helpful info and practical tips to help you make the most of your visit. Check it out!
NEW YORK CITY
LAS VEGAS
LOS ANGELES & SAN DIEGO
CHICAGO, PHILADELPHIA, PHOENIX & SCOTTSDALE
How to Plan Your Trip
As with any destination, we always advise booking your trips in the United States well in advance. Some National Parks, for example, only have limited accommodation options. For the stays in high season, they often sell out a year in advance.
Also, when booking in advance, you have more choices and thus better deals. This counts for everything, from flights to car rental and from hotels to tours.
Flights
There are so many flight search engines available, so use them to find the best flight deals for your trip. TIP: Sometimes, you can find better deals if flying to/from an alternative airport nearby.
Accommodation
We use Booking.com for over 99% of all our accommodation bookings. Also for travel in the United States, you’ll find the best deals for accommodation on this website.
If you prefer to check several websites to make sure that you’re getting the best deal, you may want to also check Expedia.com and Hotels.com. For USA lodging, Expedia sometimes has more accommodations on offer than Booking.
Car Rental
We personally use and highly recommend Booking.com’s car hire service. Not only do they offer the best prices, but they also have excellent customer service and a very flexible cancelation policy.
Furthermore, you can often purchase zero-liability insurance as well, which is multiple times cheaper than at the counter.
Tours & Tickets
Many places in the United States can easily be visited on your own. Some others require booking tours. If you visit cities, definitely get skip-the-line tickets in advance!
Often, you can just book tours upon arrival. However, many popular excursions get sold out weeks in advance. So if you know your travel dates and what you want to do, you can just as well book it upfront.
TIP: We book pretty much all our day tours and organized activities for our trips via GetYourGuide. It’s our favorite one-stop shop for all organized tours because they have the best customer service and cancellation policy we have ever seen. Booking directly with a local company usually means that you can’t cancel for free, let alone get a refund in case something goes wrong. For that, it’s always helpful to have a strong intermediary and GYG is the best one we know.
For tickets to museums and other popular attractions, we use Tiqets.com as well. They often have great bundle deals (especially for city trips), saving you some money and lots of time.
Travel Insurance
Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, good travel insurance is a must!
Be sure to do some research on the best companies and policies in the area where you live. But do not ever leave on a trip without travel/health insurance.
Credit Cards
If you don’t have a good credit card yet, take a look at this selection of the best US credit cards for travel. Some of the cards have cash-backs for your travel bookings, while others offer free travel insurance, etc.
And if you are planning on traveling internationally, get a card that doesn’t charge foreign exchange fees. Also, be sure that your card has a chip and a 4-digit PIN – it’s widely used in many countries all over the world.
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