U.S.Oh No! Mistakes To Avoid When Visiting America

Travel is meant to be an adventure and that means that sometimes you’re going to trip up and make the occasional mistake. But you should make sure that the mistakes you make are the little ones like forgetting to pack sunscreen so you have to buy it there. When it comes to visiting the US, a lot of people expect they know what it’s like because they’ve seen so much American media. However, there are three big mistakes that travelers keep making. Here are the mistakes you want to avoid so you don’t fit the textbook definition of the clueless tourist.

Forgetting how big it is

This is one that’s hard to justify. We all know that the US is one of the biggest countries in the world. All the same, a lot of people get very general when they think about what to expect. Not only is the US big, but it’s hugely diverse. There are different attitudes, different prices, and different takes on etiquette across the whole country. When you go over there, make sure you research the specifics of the location you want to visit, not just the general information. This includes how you’re going to get around. As big as it is, there are a lot of people who don’t realise how much distance they add to their journey by planning different stops to it.

Not realising how seriously they take their borders

The US has ended up in the news a lot recently as it tackles the question of their borders and immigration. However, it might change in future, it’s important to realise that the modern USA has always taken those borders very seriously. If you go over there, make sure that you’ve applied for and received your ESTA, which should cover you for purposes of tourism for up to 90 days. You can visit this website which can give you much more detail on whether you’re eligible and how you apply. When you’re there, you might even get asked to prove that you’re authorised to be there. If you can’t, it might be a quick trip back to the airport.

Leave your baggage behind

We’re not talking about actual baggage, of course, that would be silly. Rather, you should leave preconceptions of America at the door or at least don’t voice them in public. A lot of people there don’t like to talk politics and even bringing it up or making any assumptions about what you consider mainstream opinion can get you a very chilly reception. There are a lot of little bits of shared etiquette like that you can find at this link. Mostly, just act with common sense. Realise that a lot of people in the States are very proud of their country. They don’t want to hear its worst stereotypes or a diatribe about how you think your home is better.

So long as you remember the three tips above, your trip the US should be an excellent one. It’s full of great tourist spots and, by-and-large makes one of the friendliest countries in the world.