Introduction:

The United States is very different from the America portrayed in movies and on TV. America is a large, diverse and very complex nation with a lot of very distinct regions. The contiguous United States (or the “Lower 48”) are bound by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Mexico borders the country on the south; Canada on the north.

There are three major mountain ranges: the Appalachians (from Canada to Alabama), the Rockies (the highest mountain range in America, extending from Alaska to New Mexico) and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges through California. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll want to check them out during your USA travel.

Things to Do:

There are more than 10,000 cities, villages and towns in the United States, so there is no shortage of things you can do during your USA vacations. Probably the most well-known cities in America are:

Washington, D.C. – the national capital which is filled with incredible museums and monuments

Boston, Massachusetts – probably best known for the colonial history, university students and a love of all things sports

Chicago, Illinois – the heart of the Midwest

Los Angeles, California – welcome to Hollywood

Miami, Florida – perfect destination for sun babies and Disney fans

New Orleans, Louisiana – ever heard of Mardi Gras? Also the home of jazz music

New York City, New York – the country’s largest city and home to many media outlets and the financial industry

Beaches:

Whether you are visiting the West Coast, East Coast of riding the waves in Hawaii, the beach is always a very popular USA destination. Some of the best beaches in the U.S. are found in Hawaii. Manele Bay, on the island of Lana’I is one of the world’s most perfect sandy beaches. There are a lot of luxurious resorts looking over the beach you can stay at. Manele Bay is a great place to snorkel, just make sure you’ve got a waterproof camera because you’ll see a lot of very colorful fish and an occasional dolphin.

Eating & Drinking:

There are restaurants everywhere in the U.S. In cities like New York it’s easily possible to find food from nearly every country in the world. If you are visiting from Europe or Latin America, one thing you’ll find interesting (and slightly disturbing) is the number of fast food restaurants dotting the roads. And people wonder why Americans are fat. Most fast food chains open early in the morning and stay open late at night. A few are even open all night.

Many restaurants don’t serve alcohol, or may only serve beer and wine. Most American restaurants serve soft drinks (soda) with lots of ice. The ice is used to keep the drinks cold and to fill the glass. Most restaurants will refill the soft drinks at no extra charge.

Shopping:

The largest fashion retailer in the United States today is Macy’s (according to Deloitte). There are over 800 Macy’s stores in 45 states in addition to a small number of upscale Bloomingdale’s stores. Nearly every mall you visit in America will have a Macy’s. Another popular department store found in most states is Nordstrom. Other popular places to shop include Kohl’s, Sears and JCPenny. if you are looking for inexpensive, lower end shopping, try Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Old Navy.

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