Heading To America? Read This First.

Hey Cats,

There are the glorious staycations when you take time off to relax, the city trips and weekends away, and then there are the big ones. The moments when you book a plane ticket to a far off destination and can’t wait to explore. America is one of those places. It is a dream for many to put the feet in the warm golden sands in Cali or beat the streets in New York with a bagel. 

Cheap Flights

While you might think you are going to road trip around America, it is actually much bigger than more people anticipate - and that would take a super long time*. You can, however, get some very reasonably priced flights between different states. Jetblue, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit come highly recommended as budget airlines. 

Sales Tax

You might think you are about to get a huge bargain, but more price tags don’t have sales tax included. Which means when you get to the till you are looking at between 8-10% sales tax added to the bill. It really adds up if you are making more significant purchases. 

Tipping

While it is nice to tip in almost every country, you should make sure you do in the US. The minimum wage isn’t exactly generous, and because of that, tips are essential for the waitstaff to live on. For some context, in some places, the minimum wages are as low as $2.13 an hour for employees who receive more than $30 in tips. So be kind and tip your staff between 15-20% of the bill. 

ETSA & Insurance

These are two things that you really don’t want to put off. You should make sure that you are aware of the rules applicable to ESTA USA. There are a few countries that the Visa Waiver Program will come into play. But in general, you should make sure that you have applied for your ETSA and have a decision in good time. As for insurance, when you are heading to a country that has such expensive healthcare, you can’t afford to not have the right insurance coverage for you and whoever you are travelling with. 

There Is More

When you watch movies or even your favourite series, the chances are all of the characters are from LA, SanFran, Miami or the big one NYC. But there is a whole array of states that don’t get as much love as they should. Arizona, Oregan, Michigan are all worth your time and wanderlust. If you want to experience more natural wonders and less glitz and glamour, then do some research on other states that you should head to. 

*However, road-tripping is a fantastic way to see a few states. If you do have months rather than a week or two, then if you are over the age of 25, you can rent a car or a camper and head off on your travels. Just be sure to read up about specific routes before you take them - there are some myths and legends that accompany some of those long dark American roads!

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