Travel tastes will always vary from person to person, but no matter your background, lifestyle choices or the amount of cash you have in your pocket, one thing’s for sure; travelling across the USA is for you. It’s at the top of the travel bucket list of anybody with an ounce of curiosity in their body – and for a very good reason. North American comes complete with a wealth of different cultures and climates, experiences and memories to be made all on one vast landmass. So, whether you’re looking to do an all-American road trip, backpack across the country or hotel hop from state to state, here are a few pointers to help you prepare.
Pick A Date
The USA can be like night and day, as the climate varies greatly at different times throughout the year. You’ll experience everything from sun and rain to snow or storms, sometimes even at the same time, depending on when you go and the state you’re heading to. So, it helps to figure out what season(s) you’d like to experience before you head out there. By starting out with a date in mind, you can also give yourself the necessary time to plan, make arrangements, and save up those all important dollar bills.
Choose Your Destinations Wisely
With a season, time, or date in mind, you can then start to narrow down your destinations. It’s highly likely that you want to see a lot of places, especially if this is to be your first visit to the USA, and with North America being home to so many natural wonders, spectacular beaches, epic canyons and dramatic mountain ranges, this is going to be a difficult step. As tough as it is, it’s a necessary evil to figure out whether doing a road trip would even work, or whether you need to regroup and arrange something else.
Do Your Homework
As your plans start to take a loose shape, take some time to get the administrative tasks out of the way. First of all, you need to check that your passport is in date and that it meets the requirements for getting into the country. You’re also going to need to apply for a visa waiver before you go (www.official-esta.com can help you there), and look into any insurances that you’ll need. Things do bite. Accidents happen.
Plan Your Route
Now it’s time to get your route in order. You may have realised that you can’t do it all as one big road trip, and that’s okay. Check out some of these routes for inspiration. Either way, you need to get your route mapped out and planned before you leave. On paper, it might sound exciting to see where you end up, but when you plan, you can make sure you see the sights that brought you across the Atlantic in the first place.
Pack!
Last but not least, you’re going to need to pack. If you are backpacking, then it’s important to make sure you’re only taking the essentials – what they are will depend on where you’re heading to, as they will differ according to the climate and time of year. If you’re taking luggage, then you can really go to town with what you pack, as long as you fit within your weight limit so there’s nothing weighing you down on your US trip of a lifetime.
