Visit United States, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience to be able to truly enjoy this trip, we have prepared the best tips for traveling to America, you avoid problems and disappointments, here you have 12 believe are key.
1. Hire a health insurance
America is a country where you will find the best and most advanced medical service in the world, but also one of the most expensive, a normal consultation, are about $ 150, but a visit to the emergency room with a sprained e.g. can be $ 1,000, purchase health insurance when you are traveling to the US is a must.
If you have private health insurance, Saintes and Asia type, check with them before traveling, because depending on the company, they may be covered in the United States.
When hiring, be sure of which is the payment if you have to go to a hospital or consultation, in some cases, have to go to a particular school, or advance the money first and then request payment, read carefully what coverages you have and whether or not franchise, and what steps must follow. Typically, the insurance contract, along with travel insurance, which also includes other coverages such as flight or baggage loss, one also includes the loss of more specific material and mobile photographic equipment or electronic tablets and more specific coverage for those who are more adventurous and engaged in risk.
Maybe your home insurance or car, options have travel insurance, check with it, and you can have a discount. Prices vary greatly, travel insurance (with medical insurance included) for two weeks per person can cost between 60 and 100 €.
Compare different insurance and choose yours, but do not risk traveling without him.
In our travels we have always used World Nomads is recommended by Lonely Planet company, have very competitive prices with large medical coverage and travel, even for the more adventurous, you can hire them for short periods of time, and they have family policies that can to save you a good pinch.
2. Documents for travel to the United States
To travel to the United States for less than 90 days, it is not necessary visa if you come from Spain, or any of these exempt countries:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, South Korea, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Malta, San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan.
However, both are mandatory machine-readable passport (if you have an old passport, even if not expired must be changed) and make application for ESTA.
ESTA is a system of pre-authorization to enter the United States. Must be requested at least 72 hours before the departure, it is normal that almost immediately the authorization, you need to take printed receipt.
Fill in the ESTA application is very simple, it is to fill a number of questions, and to complete it is necessary to have on hand:
a. Passport
b. Airfare and address during stay.
c. Credit card (the payment will not accept debit cards)
THIS prices are $ 14 per person and the approval is valid for two years, if it gets to travel during that period, simply log in again and update the data.
THIS REQUEST
On the plane, we were given another form to fill out and will also deliver to pass passport control on arrival (one per family).
Once we enter the country at customs, they take the fingerprints, a photo, checked the passport and make us any questions on the purpose and duration of the trip.
In some ports of entry such as New York or Washington, there may be queues can be up to an hour or more. If you have a connecting flight, ask the people that are there, since there is usually a different queue, where to go and avoid to lose the flight.
3. Checked Baggage
US authorities are authorized to inspect our luggage at the airport for explosives without our presence, we will know if we have "touched" because, when we open our bags, we find a note in which they inform us of this fact.lock-tsa-21
As they are allowed to open the suitcase, using the methods they deem appropriate without possibility of claiming damages, suitcases NOT be plasticized, and to close the locks, padlocks must be accepted by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), these locks are marked with a red diamond and have specific codes for American customs.
We may think that since we can open the suitcase, you better not we put a lock, do not fall into that error, if someone (other than customs) puts something in your suitcase you will be solely responsible.
Because they can open the suitcase, watch, with prohibited items, if you are not sure, that things can transport, you can download the "Can I Bring ..." application for IPhone and Android, where you can read about articles you want to bill, or consult the official website of the TSA. One example is wrapped gifts, although it is not specifically prohibited, not seeing what is, if they can open them.
4. Credit Cards
It is standard practice that hotels in the US, make a lock on our credit card for the full price of the stay, plus an extra amount in addition this blockade may take canceled up to 15 days after payment if the hotel It not expressly requested, which happens rarely.
Check the available limit of your credit card and make sure it is sufficient to meet the limit locks and requests in the hotel when you make the check-out to unblock the initial amount.
5. Driving in United States
If you are going to drive in the United States, you should apply for the international driving license, usually in most car rental agencies, the Spanish driving license is usually accepted, but may ask you internationally. In any case, you must take the two, because the international permit is not valid without the country of origin.
International driving license
In Spain, to request you must request the DGT (DGT), asks appointment through your website, print the form will appear when the process of appointment ends, and go to the Chief chosen the day of the appointment with the following documentation:
a. ID, passport or residence card Original into force
b. Color Photography updated 32 × 26 mm color
c. Original driver's license in force
d. Printed form
e. Rate € 10
Maybe your car insurance or car club like RACE, take care of doing these things, although they may charge you a surcharge.
At the time of renting your car, check that your travel insurance covers the rental vehicle, if not, we recommend that you contract with the rental company, which usually charge a small daily surcharge of between $ 10 and $ 20, but it will save you many headaches.
You drive by the United States, is simple, highways, are large, comfortable and have good directions, still, it will be easier if you bring from your home country, your own browser with the main directions recorded, and are not dependent on that the car rental office, have browsers available.
It is important to follow traffic rules, failure to do so can lead to heavy fines or even prison sentences. In the event that the police stop you, you do not lower the car, expected to be close, keep your hands in sight above the steering wheel and provides all the documents requested by you.
Always respect speed limits (remember that is expressed in miles per hour). Limits may vary depending on the condition for which circules, but in general the rate in urban areas is 25 mph (40 km / h), and between 65-75 mph (105-120 km / h) on motorways.
Belt use is mandatory on all seats
If you encounter a flashing red traffic light means you have to stop before moving and flashing yellow you can proceed with caution. It is completely forbidden to drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and can lead to imprisonment.
In large cities driving can be a real challenge, for the amount of traffic you can find, you take some printed map, browsers sometimes do not work properly and do not catch signal due to the height of skyscrapers. Note that the lights are at the next intersection and not in your own cross and Spain.
If you're thinking it is to rent a caravan to tour the United States in the Recreational Vehicle Association of America page has all the information you need and Cruise America is possible to rent one. If you dare, prices usually range between $ 1,000 and $ 1,500 per week for the mileage charge, which is $ 250 per week. On the roads there are areas to park the caravan and campsites, the nightly charge is usually $ 20.
6. Controls at US airports
We all know that spending controls is an ordeal airports in the United States, again, we recommend that your arm yourself with patience.
You should always deescalate, remove all electronics you have saved on luggage (including tablets), and always carry liquids in transparent bags and cans of not more than 100 ml.
The final rule included, is that mobile and tablets, must be fully charged battery, can force you to turn it on and if you have no battery or does not turn, are authorized to requisition
Some of the most visited attractions of big cities, such as the Empire State or the Statue of Liberty, there are also controls of this type, so it is advisable to avoid large bags and backpacks as they can prevent you from the entrance.
7. Tips on United
In the United States, the concept of tipping is different than we have in Spain, Europe or South America, tipping is not optional and that rewards good service or not, it is almost mandatory, and must count on it, as part of the expenses, in bars and restaurants will usually leave between 15% and 20%, and if the service has been exceptional reach up to 25%.
It is also often leave tip taxi drivers (if the drive has a fixed price and the tip is included, is indicated for the vehicle), the porters of hotels and tour guides. For Americans it is an important part of their wages or even all of his salary, so do not hesitate to ask and even reclaim a higher percentage, if you have left is enough, do not be angry, it is part of their culture.
In some restaurants, it is automatically included in the bill, but in the vast majority, if you pay by card, indicated in the terminal with which you are charged, introducing the amount put a tip (Tips). If you pay in cash, you handed the note you'll have a space to indicate that you want to include tip.
8. Currency Exchange
It is always advisable to take dollars from your home country, so when you get there, you have to get not find the exchange offices. If you need to change once there, you can do so in banks, exchange offices and airports, but do not usually have a very good exchange rate.
You may withdraw money from ATMs, but check with your bank before, which is the commission charged, since in some cases can reach up to 5%.The easiest is to take a credit card, beware of debit as they do not always accept them, the most accepted VISA, American Express, and almost all (if not all) can be paid by credit card.
9. Prohibitions on smoking and alcoholic beverage consumption
America is a very strict country with smoking bans, smoking is prohibited in all areas, although they are open, as an amusement park or a park (in Central Park, for example, smoking is prohibited), although some of these Specific sites have designated smoking areas.
They are also very strict with the alcohol, the minimum drinking age is 21 years, if you're traveling with children under 16 is also prohibited accessing an establishment that serves alcohol. If it is a restaurant (e.g. a Hard Rock Cafe), minors can access but cannot sit at the counter. Violation of these laws can lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment.
10. Electricity in United States
The electric current in the United States is 110, while in Europe usually use 220v. The vast majority of shippers, such as mobile phones, cameras or tablets, can function correctly 110v, but other devices such as hair dryers, work only to 220V, which means that work badly and very slowly. Check if your devices accept variable voltage, if so indicated on the label: Input 100-240V
In addition to the current, we must take into account the pins used in the United States the pins are flat, while in Europe they are round, so we need a power plug adapter for our appliances.
Some chargers are included with these adapters, if not, you can buy in any store electricity and supermarkets. Some are modular, with various types, and very useful, and simple compact, more economical, but if you travel a lot, is a good investment buying a modular adapter that will serve to anywhere in the world.
11. Sizes of clothing and footwear
Both clothing sizes and footwear in the United States are different from those in Europe, keep that in mind when making purchases:
Sizes chart womenswear
EUROPE UNITED STATES
38 6
40 8
42 10
44 12
46 14
48 16
Sizes chart menswear
EUROPE UNITED STATES
44 34
46 36
48 38
50 40
52 42
54 44
56 46
Sizes chart Women shoes
EUROPE UNITED STATES
37 6
39 8
Sizes chart men's shoes
EUROPE UNITED STATES
38 6
40 8
42 10
43 11
44 12
12. Tax on purchases
Taxes when buying in the United States vary from state to state, keep in mind that the price listed on the label of any product does not usually include taxes, so be sure what the% tax that takes each item, since the tax is also different depending on the product.
There are some states that do not charge taxes such as Oregon, Delaware, Alaska, New Hampshire and Montana, in other states this percentage can vary between 4% and 7%.As this tax not collected by the government, you cannot request a refund as in other countries.
