USA • A Passion and A Passport

United States of America

USA Where I've Been

From Sea to shining Sea…

Close your eyes and think of the United States of America. I bet juicy cheeseburgers, baseball games on hot summer nights, old fashioned cowboys, and over-the-top theme parks quickly come to mind. But what about staggering green peaks, impressive slot canyons, and rugged beaches? Quirky roadside attractions, bewildering national parks, and chic, coastal towns? And oh, the food. We’ve got real-deal taquerias in San Francisco, famous deep dish pizza in Chicago, clambakes in New England, BBQ in Texas Hill Country, and food trucks in Portland. The list goes on.

I’m always aiming to explore more of my home country, and while I commonly find myself jetting off to faraway destinations, whenever I do stay within the USA, I’m utterly amazed. Always. The sheer beauty, quirkiness, diversity, and overall good time just gets me every time. Everyone should explore the good ole’ US of A, even those that currently call this country their home!

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Nevada

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pennsylvania

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Texas

Utah

washington

Washington DC

Mini Travel Guide to the USA

Currency

Here in the states we use the US Dollar, with most places accepting major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and American Express). ATMs can be found almost everywhere.

Language

English is the primary language over here, but you’ll hear so many dialects depending on which part of the country you’re visiting.

When to Visit

It really depends on what you’re looking for! Each season brings along it’s own awesomeness. You’ll find skiing in the mountains in the winter months, beautiful spring flowers all over come April/May, the brightest red and orange leaves in autumn, and that sweet, sweet sunshine in summer. Kids are out of school from June - August, so if you’re looking to escape the crowds, plan your visit around those months. Every state is exceptionally different, so it’s best to do your research.

Major events and festivals

There’s the Sundance Film Festival in Park City (January/Feb), Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida (February), Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Feb/March), South by Southwest in Austin (March), Coachella in Indio, California (April), The Boston Marathon (April), the Kentucky Derby in Louisville (May), Outside Lands in San Francisco (August), Burning Man in Black Rock City (August/Sep), US Open in Queens (August/Sep), The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (October), and the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan (November). New Years Eve is HUGE in NYC and Miami.

Plugs

The plugs in the USA are type A and B. The voltage is 120V, and the standard frequency is 60Hz. If you’re coming from outside the states, you’ll wanna bring along a plug adapter, and a convertor, to safely convert the frequency for high-powered items (blowdryer, for example). I suggest investing in a world travel adapter, which will work on all your travels worldwide.

Health + Safety

The United States is generally a safe place, but I always recommend following your typical travel precautions and following your gut instincts. Unfortunately, petty crime and robberies do occur. I speak a lot about general travel safety in this post over here. And yes, the water in the states is drinkable and tastes damn good, just FYI. Bring along a reusable water bottle and stay hydrated!

Weather

The USA experiences all 4 seasons, although some states feel the temps more brutally. Washington DC, NYC, Arizona, and Chicago are particularly beautiful in the spring, while summer’s are great in Portland (both Oregon and Maine!) and Seattle. I highly suggest visiting Denver, New England, and Washington for some incredible fall foliage, and Park City, Yosemite, and the mountain towns of Colorado to get your snowy winter fix.