Know before you go : USA Edition

In this article, I’ll make an overview of everything useful to know before going to the USA, including some travel tips.

Note : Having only been to New York, Seattle and Portland yet, I will only speak for these cities.

You’ll find : 

The United States is a country located at the center of North America. The country shares borders with Canada and Mexico.

The capital is Washington D.C, and the largest city in the United States is New York. The capital city is located inland, between the states of Maryland and Virginia, on the East Coast.

The country covers 9,8 million km², making it the third largest country in the world and the total population is around 340 million in 2025.

The best time to visit the United States, wherever state you are going to, is either in Spring (March to May) or Fall (September to November). Otherwise it’s either too hot, too crowded or too cold (except if you’d like to see New York or another city under the snow of course !).

We went in late April in New York and September in Seattle and Portland. We had a very good weather on both trips. I’d still recommend bringing a jacket because it can be chilly in the evenings and on some occasions (top of the Empire State building, Ellis island…).

The currency in the US is the US dollar (USD) and the current exchange rate (February 2025) is 1$ equals 0,96 €.

Every restaurants and museums accept the card for paiements, but I recommend withdrawing money for tipping for example.

The prices for restaurants vary depending if you go to touristy areas or more local places, but overall it’s quite expensive. Also, keep in mind that to price announced you have to add the taxes and the tips (which are 15% usually), that’s what makes the prices expensive !

As we preferred to try local food (burgers, pecan pie, asian food on the West Coast…), the restaurants we went to weren’t that expensive considering it’s the U.S (maximum 30-40€ per person each time).

Regarding the places to visit such as the various museums or the different attractions, we had the City Pass in New York at 134€ that allowed us to save more than a hundred euros on entrance fees. In Seattle and Portland, we mainly did free activities but to give you an idea the ticket to go on top of the Space Needle in Seattle was 32$ if you came before noon, 40$ otherwise. Same for the Museum of Pop Culture, around 30$.

Regarding accommodations, you can find Airbnb / hotels in downtown New York or Seattle around 150€ per night for two people.

Clothing : If you are coming in Spring or Fall, I would suggest packing something for the rain just in case, and because it’s a bit chilly as well as the sun sets, I’d bring a jacket, pants and a sweater as well. Bring extra warm clothes if you plan on coming to San Francisco as it is colder and windier.

Adapter: The United States uses Type A and B power outlets. Travelers from outside the US will need a plug adapter. A power bank is also handy for keeping your devices charged during a long day of exploration !

Considering the facts that the rate exchange is interesting plus that there are many outlets shops everywhere in the U.S, potentially bring a half-full suitcase so you’ll have room to bring back some things !

There’s a lot to bring back from the U.S !

Traditional US souvenirs : When exploring the different cities, you’ll come across so much different souvenirs like tee shirts, caps, licence plates, road signs (such as the famous Route 66), converse, the list goes on…

Food : Food-wise, you can bring back all the junk food and condiments you won’t find anywhere else : unique M&M’s flavours, Ghirardelli chocolate made in San Francisco, hot sauce, pumpkin spice…

The official language is English so I won’t need to list a few words to know !

If you want to enter U.S soil, you will need to apply for the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) for stays of less than 90 days. Here‘s the website to obtain this Visa.

The fees are 21$ (4$ when you apply, 17$ when approved).

You should submit the application at least 72 hours prior to travel. Unless revoked, travel authorizations are valid for two years from the date of authorization, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

In New York, we managed with only the WiFi at the hotel and offline maps (download the city map on Google Maps or maps.me).

If you need to buy a SIM card upon arrival, A&T or Ultra Mobile have great options available for tourists (30$ for 3GB of 4G and unlimited calls/text). Otherwise, this website offers great comparisons among all the SIM cards available.

If you are planning on visiting only one city, you absolutely don’t need a car. The public transport system is well developed everywhere. But if you plan to visit more of the United Staes, I recommend booking with either Thrifty or Dollar which offer the best value for money. The easiest way to book in my opinion is via a platform like Kayak, they instantly compare all the options available depending on your dates and location.

There’s soooo much things to see in the United Staes ! You can spend a week visiting one of the major cities, discover the numerous National Parks, go to Hawaii…You won’t be bored a second !

Here’s a list of the best things to do in the United States :

That’s it for my USA travel tips ! To have a lot more information and pictures about these places, you can read my ultimate New York itinerary.

I have also made a detailed post about the food specialties to try out, and if you need a custom itinerary for your future vacation, fill the form here.