When you think of your bucket list holidays, the United States will likely be on there somewhere. With the likes of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, there are plenty of famous cities to visit.
Perhaps you want to see some of the world-renowned natural sights, such as Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon. That’s without mentioning the many cross-country road trips that have become popular, such as Route 66.
That could be enough to persuade you to plan an American holiday. If it is, then you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. The United States is well-known for being somewhat difficult to enter, even as a tourist. To make sure that things go smoothly, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind.
How To Make An American Holiday Go Smoothly
Use Comparison Websites
When you’re booking a holiday, either in America or somewhere else, you’ll want to get the best price possible. It will require some time and effort. Using comparison websites may be the best way of doing so.
You can choose from multiple options, which should make finding a great deal on your holiday even easier. While this would mean spending more time comparing and planning your holiday, it’ll pay off significantly when it comes to cost.
Doing so could make your American holiday much more affordable than you’d think.
Have Your Passports & Visas Sorted
One of the first things that you’ll have in mind when booking an American holiday is your passport. You won’t be able to book the trip without it, after all. When you’re doing so, you’ll need to make sure that it’s in date.
You might also need to make sure that it’ll be in date for another six months from your departure day. U.S authorities may not let you into the country otherwise. While there are some exceptions to this, provided you’re from specific countries, you wouldn’t want to run the risk of being turned back.
Coupled with that are visas. As you’ll likely be staying in the U.S for less than 90 days, you can get an ESTA. If you’re unclear what an ESTA is, it’s a waiver for your visa that allows you to stay in the country for a short period. Without this, you might not be able to enter the country.
Book At The Right Time
There are quite a few ways to reduce costs when you’re booking a holiday. One of the more notable is to book as early as possible. Holiday bookings can have peaks and troughs with prices going up and down accordingly. While that could make purchasing the holiday tricky, it’ll be worth it.
You could also consider actually going on the holiday at different times. If you go during an off-peak season, then you’ll see a significant difference in prices. This is also the case for your accommodation.
Keep Baggage In Mind
You’ll be bringing baggage with you on your holiday. If you’re going on a family holiday, then that will be a lot of luggage. It’s worth making sure how much you can actually bring on the plane with you. You should be informed of this when you buy your ticket.
If you go above this, you’ll be faced with unavoidable charges. Packing properly for the holiday will help you avoid this. It’s worth noting, however, that different airlines have different baggage allowances.
It could be worth choosing one that has a larger allowance, especially if you plan on bringing a lot of items back from the holiday with you.
Make Sure Your Mobile Data Is Off
Your holiday will likely cost you a significant amount of money, especially when you factor in food and entertainment expenses. The last thing you’ll want is a surprise mobile bill when you get home. That could be possible if you don’t have your mobile data turned off while you’re traveling.
Some mobile plans may let you travel without risking these extra charges. In many cases, that isn’t true, however. You’ll likely need to check your plan to be on the safe side. If it’s not allowed, then it’s worth turning it off for the duration of your American holiday.
These charges will typically be much higher than you’d expect, making it worth avoiding them.
Do The Math On Prices When You’re There
Most Europeans and those from certain other countries will be used to the price being what they see advertised. When shopping in the U.S, however, that might not always be the case. Instead, the price you see on a tag or something similar in a shop won’t always be the price you end up paying.
That’s predominantly because most American shops add taxes at the point of sale. You’ll need to keep this in mind if you plan on buying anything. These taxes will vary from state to state, but it’s worth adding between 10% and 15% to the price. That’ll give you a general idea of how much things actually cost.
You’ll also need to keep currency conversions in mind. You’ll likely convert your money as you travel to the U.S. It’s worth making sure that you know how much things cost in your home’s currency. Doing so will help you keep track of how much you’re actually spending.
Your American Holiday: Wrapping Up
It’s natural to get excited about your American holiday. Once you’ve picked the right city to go to, you’ll have plenty of reasons to look forward to it. You wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of that.
Making sure that you keep all of the above in mind will help with that. In many cases, this could be an overwhelming prospect. That could make booking through a travel agent more than recommended. While this would be slightly more expensive, it’ll remove all of the stress of planning your holiday.
Once it’s done, you’ll have no problem enjoying an American holiday. Regardless of where in the country you go, you should be guaranteed an enjoyable time. With the sites and experiences that you’ll see, you’ll make sure to have a memorable trip.
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