Country Vacations & Resorts

Here are some tips for European travelers heading for the United States from our guest poster, J.Besters, blogger and writer for apartime.com provider of vacation rental apartments in New York City.

Next week we’ll read some tips for Americans heading to Europe…

Traveling to the United States is for Europeans always a great experience. But still there are some facts Europeans should know before traveling to the United States.

6. Sports
Soccer is the most popular sport in Europe. But don´t expect to watch a European-level soccer match in the United States. Americans are into sports that are only big in the United States. Examples are American Football, ice hockey, baseball and basketball.

5. Shopping malls
The first thing a European should remember before traveling to the United States is to bring a lot of money. The shopping centers in the United States are huge. I guarantee that every European that sees a big American shopping mall for the first time is shocked. I could not believe my eyes when I saw an actual rollercoaster in a shopping mall in Florida. Not only are most malls much bigger in Europe, the prices are much lower too.

4. Drinking age
If you are between the age of 16 and 21 and you love to party, you are up for a big surprise. Where it is legal to drink under the age of 21 in Europe, this is strictly forbidden in the United States. So make sure that when you party, you are at least 21 years old, you have no problem having a good time without the liquor, or do what I did when I was 19 years old and living in the US, let other people buy liquor and run when you are about to get into trouble.

3. Every state is different
In Europe, there are hardly any differences within a country. But in the United States I get the feeling that whenever I enter a different state, I enter a different country. So when traveling through the United States, prepare yourself for different scenarios. Because when it is 25 degrease Celsius in Texas, it could be snowing in New York.

2. Fast food
When traveling to the United States, don´t be afraid there won´t be any food you like. There are much more fast food chains in the United States than there are in Europe. Many Europeans only know the fast food chains Macdonald´s, KFC, Burger King and Subway. While in the United States there are dozens of fast food chains with all types of food.

1. Traveling distance
When you are planning a road trip in the United States, you will be amazed how long you will have to drive to get to the next big city. In Holland I used to think a 2 hour drive to the other side of the country was awful. That was before I experienced an eight hour drive from San Angelo Texas to Houston.

These are things Europeans have to consider when traveling to the United States. If you have any comments on my advice or experiences, I would love to hear them.