In America alone: ​​what you need to know before you go

Traveling around the United States of America is not an easy task for many independent tourists. Difficulties are primarily associated with obtaining a visa, as well as expensive flights. If you are lucky enough to overcome these difficulties, then everything else is trivial. We will tell you about these little things and give you some useful tips that will come in handy when traveling around America.

Фото: Depositphotos

You will most likely have to travel in the United States by car, writes Economical Traveler. Other options will be more costly.

If you are very limited in funds, then you can try to hitchhike between cities... To do this, you need to have a good knowledge of English (Americans often take a companion for the purpose of communication, no one needs a silent and free passenger), well, and a little courage - in such extreme ventures are always full of surprises.

So, better rent a car. There are a lot of rental offices in the USA and therefore the prices are quite humane. Now let's go directly to the tips.

1. Traveling around America is better off season

The peak time for tourists in the United States is the summer months, especially July and August. If you have such an opportunity, plan to visit this country in the spring months or early autumn. Prices for accommodation, entrance fees to museums and parks, and even flights will be slightly cheaper.

2. Travel company

Rent a car and gasoline, accommodation, grocery shopping and group tickets: all this you can save with your fellow travelers.

For example, you can buy an Annual pass to American national parks and reserves, which is valid throughout the country and applies to all people sitting in the car with its owner. Costs $80. Regular admission to parks and preserves costs between $3 and $15 (Yellowstone and Grand Canyon cost $25). So, having visited only a few of them, you will already have paid for this pass. The Nation Park Service includes 400 parks across America!

3. Choose your place to sleep outside the city

This may be small motels or campgrounds. Camping is also on the territory of national parks. To book a place at a campsite, you must first drive through its territory, select a place, leave the car at this place and return to the entrance to the campsite. They fill in a special envelope, tear off the spine from it, put money in the envelope and put it in a special box. The price of accommodation in the campsite from $ 5 to $ 15 per day.

The motel is a bit more expensive, but the service is better, there is hot water and breakfast is often included in the price.

If on the way you did not manage to find a motel or camping, then you can spend the night at roadside parking areas (Rest area), where there are shelters, a toilet and tables for more convenient meals.

4. Eating in cafes and restaurants is not very profitable

Therefore, we recommend taking a closer look at supermarkets. American supermarkets have a “buy more, pay less” rule, so if you take food for a group, it will cost you much less.

As in our supermarkets, in American ones there is a system of supplying goods by the manufacturer under a special brand of the chain to which the supply is made. For example, in WalMart discount supermarkets, this is a line of products under the “Great Value” and “Sam’s Choice” brands. These products are social products and their prices are lower than the same products from other brands.

Don’t forget that in America the prices on the labels are different from the prices they give you at the checkout: they will also add a tax that exists in some states. But most states do not have taxes on products.

If you are tired of eating from supermarkets or home-cooked dishes and decide to eat in a cafe or restaurant, then try to do it during the day: in the evening, many Americans go there after work to have dinner and drink a glass of foamy drink. Accordingly, prices are higher in the evening and the establishments are full of people, especially on Friday. Try to choose places where food is offered as a buffet; in America, as in many other countries, this is called Buffet. Such buffets in Chinese restaurants and cafes are very cheap - around $6. In fast food restaurants, look for sandwiches on the menu, which are usually cheaper than other dishes, but are actually quite large and very tasty and filling. Recommended budget establishments: Xi'an Famous Foods (New York), Lito's Empanadas (Chicago), Pink's Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), Lers Ros Thai (San Francisco), Good Stuff Eatery" (Washington).

5. Save on fuel

If you still chose a car for travel, then try to refuel in cities, not on the highway. On highways and in the suburbs, gasoline is more expensive, and not vice versa, as in Russia.

Gasoline is the cheapest in Texas (not surprising, since this is the capital of the American automobile industry); the further away from it, the more expensive the fuel. Gasoline at gas stations is measured in gallons. 1 gallon - 3,78 liters. The national average price per gallon is $3,16 (October 2018 prices).

6. Choose your parking spot carefully

Фото: Depositphotos

City centers (downtown) are usually very busy with transport, and parking there is paid. But since all tourist attractions are usually located in the center, then naturally you will need to look for a place to park there. Try to find any large supermarkets or chain restaurants such as McDonalds, there is usually free parking near them, or drive off a bit from the center, park there and walk a few blocks. Do not leave valuables in the car in sight, be careful: as in Russia or the CIS countries, street crime also flourishes in America, especially in the centers of large cities. Do not leave the car in residential areas, as there parking spaces are usually reserved for residents of nearby houses.

7. Use free information and discounts.

At airports, on major highways, in city centers across America, there are info centers (travel centers, visitor centers) in which you can take free maps with marked sights and all sorts of booklets to help you navigate in an unfamiliar city. Also, many museums, parks and beaches are free, or there are certain days when they work for free, you can also ask about these information centers.

8. Try not to break the law

Laws in the United States are quite severe, and even the smallest violations can lead to serious consequences. Do not litter and do not violate the rules of the road and parking, fines in America are serious.

9. Do not forget about insurance

In the US, it is very unprofitable to hurt, a one-time visit to a doctor with minor services such as treating a wound or a tetanus injection can cost you $ 70-100, and if you are admitted to hospital, it will be measured in thousands of dollars. So watch your health, eat right, try not to engage in extreme sports, as insurance will not cover all the services that you may need in case you get into American medical institutions.

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