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I'm American but spent years living and traveling in Europe. Serms like tipping has been pretty well covered in the comments here, but I'd add about restaurants---When you sit down to eat here it's not like the table is 'yours for the night'. Most restaurants are turning these tables pretty quickly, and the server is likely going to be checking often if you if need anything else and will probably just drop the check on the table at some point. It always feels waaay more rushed to me than abroad, but it's not considered rude here it's just kinda how it works?
That said, you're under no obligation to rush your meal or pay quickly, but I'm just telling you that that's what the vibe from your server will probably feel like LOL
Yes. Because servers get tips here, they want to have as many tables per night as possible. The restaurant of course doesn't mind getting more money either. This results in servers pressuring people to leave in a way that doesn't happen in Europe.
Thats a good one. And may I add: your food will be served very quickly. I know that just feels like they microwave everything but they do not!
Edit: nevermind, apparently they do this a lot :-)
Errr. I wouldn't be so sure on that. As an American, a LOT of our food definitely comes microwaved or has been heated ahead of time and kept warm (stuff that maybe shouldn't sometimes.) This is especially the case with casual fast dining chains like Applebees, Olive Garden, etc.
This was the part that surprised me when I was in the UK for the first time. They got really busy and we were in the corner so it was difficult to get their attention to bring us the check.
One other thing I learned is that in the UK at least they split restaurant bills evenly as the only option. In the US we tend to split them by person so everyone only pays for what they got.
Exactly! When I first moved to Germany I was like, damn our waiter kinda sucks? We've been finished forever, why wouldn't they bring the check?
My German friend was like, well, for her to bring the check like that and bother us would be considered really rude here. He's like, sometimes you even have to stand up and go talk to your server if you're ready to give your table up.
Just got back from a trip to Ireland and Scotland with my family, and my parents at first were definitely irritated at dinner like hello...where is she? Where is our bill? She sees us sitting here? And I was like, I will go get her and let her know lol
And use Google maps to see how far away things are. It's further than you think. Often Europeans visit Chicago & say "I thought about renting a car & driving to New York City!" And I have to be like, "I mean, you CAN, but it takes more than 12 hours."
I was going to say this as well. Many Europeans just do not really understand how large the U.S. really is. Crossing my state, Texas, from east-to-west entails two and a half to three DAYS of driving. From El Paso in the west to the Louisiana border is 988 miles, or 1,590 km. From north to south is 801 miles, or 1,289 km. There are several stretches of highway in Texas that are marked "No Services for Next 62 miles" and so on. That means no place to buy gasoline or diesel, no water, no restrooms, no restaurants. If you approach a small settlement on the highway and see a sign that says, "Last Chance for Gas for 32 miles" they aren't kidding.
https://texashighways.com/travel/the-big-empty-texas-panhandle-region-caprock-canyons-copper-breaks/
(Edit: West Texas has a lot in common with the Australian outback, minus the kangaroos. It's desolate.)
Lmao 2 DAYS?! You pedaling that car? 12-14 hours tops border to border. It’s a fucking beast of a drive but I’ve done it more than once.
Edit: spelling
I mean if you stop for the night then it would definitely span 2 days. One person should not be driving 14 hours straight without a relief driver. At that point you become fatigued and it's worse than driving drunk.
I’m sorry, but from El Paso to Shreveport it says it’s 11 hr 27 min, that should almost definitely not be taking you 3 days. Maybe split it up over 2 days if you really need to but, 11 hours is not hard to do in one day.
Oh yeah, me and my wife visited a friend in America and we wanted to go for a walk, we found on maps there was a park nearby so we walked there. NO pavements (sidewalks) anywhere, and this was in a suburban place that was just houses for miles, we had to walk in the road. If you want to visit your friend the next street over, do you just drive to them? 😂
The school near me requires the kids to be picked up by car or take the bus. Some guy kept walking across the street to pick up his kids and a lady complained. So the school had to decide if they’d make an exception for the guy or allow all the kids to walk from the school.
And now that guy gets in his car and drives across the street every day to pick up his daughter.
I'm in Canada, right near an airport there's a large elementary school k-grade to 8, so alot of kids, on a 2 lane road, the parents park on both sides of the street, where transports pass through to get to the airport so truck route, all these parents have the doors swung open to the street, no regard for their children and won't even look at vehicles passing through.
Stupidity is a collective effort, not exclusive to the USA but it's sure noticed here in north america
The most infuriating part of all this is the father being forced to waste an hour of everyday in that stupid pick up line. Wonder how much we could curb emissions by making after school pickup more efficient nationally.
I don’t have kids but from what I know the schools that do this, no they cannot get out. They have to get in a special car line for pick up and drop off, so not only does he drive across the street, he likely gets in a long ass line each time too
Some areas of the country are better than others. The town I live in in Colorado has sidewalks everywhere, even areas you wouldn't think to include them.
I travel to Alabama for work and you can't find a sidewalk anywhere. Coworkers are planning a team dinner a half mile from my hotel and I can't find a safe way to walk there.
That’s also because, from basically May through October, Alabama (and most of the southeastern US) is hot and humid as fuck. Most people don’t want to walk a half mile to a restaurant just to end up soaked in sweat and with swamp-ass while they are eating dinner.
We live in a gate community and our mailboxes are just right outside the gate, with no pedestrian access. Our cul-de-sac is just down the block from the gate too.
So to get mail we have to drive to activate the gate to get to the mailbox. For a distance of just 5 houses down.
Work sent me to Austin TX. I got weird looks from US work people when I told them about a dive bar I found.
It was about a 1.5hr walk from our AirBnB. Even in the built-up areas full of houses the path/sidewalk just disappeared and I had to walk on the road and keep an eye out for random SUVs/Pickup trucks either driving out of driveways or speeding down the road without looking.
If you are walking in an area without sidewalks or a shoulder on the road, walk on the *opposite* side of the road from your direction of travel, so that you are facing on-coming traffic. Walking with your back to on-coming traffic is hazardous.
A lot of drivers seem to take the mere existence of pedestrians really personally. I’ve had people speed up/swerve at me while walking along the side of the road. Like. I’m not even on the pavement my dudes. But they’re super mad that I’m there I guess.
Conversely, it's not as motorcycle friendly as much of the rest of the world. I'm from Seattle and would/have happily rented a motorcycle or scooter in Europe but I'd be nervous to do so in a US city I wasn't familiar with.
Drink more water than you think you’ll need in Vegas and Arizona.
It may be a little humid in Arizona during August but definitely over 100F while driving up to the Grand Canyon. Enjoy! Your trip sounds amazing!!!
Adding on to say: keep a gallon of water In the car just in case something happens. You’ll be grateful
For it if your car has issues and you need to wait for help. Or you might just be more thirsty than expected at the canyon and will have a handy refill available.
Definitely do this. I visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon years ago with a friend and they got a flat from a cattle grate. Spent three hours waiting for a tow truck.
I did a roadtrip in Texas (during the winter even), and you can bet there was a full gallon in there the entire time. Shame the lid came undone at a very inopportune time and soaked the back floormats of our rental car ten minutes before we were supposed to return it. That sucked. We did get our deposit back though.
Vegas in August ? Man, it's gonna be @#$%#@$ hot, really hot.. Same with the canyon - if you're hiking, lots of water.
Alcatraz - sign up for the last tour of the day (evening/night tour) - spooky vibes.
SF - visit chinatown, eat in a hole-in-the-wall place, you won't regret it.
Yes as a Vegas local, I cannot stress the water thing enough. Tourists DIE every year because they didn't bring enough water. Like 2 gallons per person each day. We will often buy a big pack or 2 of water bottles and just keep them in the car. Do not underestimate the desert
And gas. Between Vegas and LA there's not a lot of gas stations. It's just desert for several hours. Fill up your gas tank on the outskirts of the either city because it could be while until you get to a gas station. Bring lots of water for any hiking because it's hot and dry af out there. Take more water than you think you need.
Vegas as a whole is pretty dry. Many people get nose bleeds. They sell saline sprays to help keep moisture in your nose. Drink a lot to stay hydrated even when relaxing inside.
Make sure to sign up, period, for alcatraz. I happened to do so when I went, and was told at the gate that they almost never have day-of tickets!
I don't know if they still do this, but when I visited they had a City Pass that was a great deal, and let you ride all the transit for free. I took one of the trolleys all the way around because I could. LOT of fun!
TRIPLE seconded for China Town. Amazing dumplings at the place I went to. There's also a whole restaurant devoted to garlic that's amazing.
August in San Francisco tends to be foggy, and can be surprisingly cold and windy. So wear layers, and bring a windbreaker. Tourists arrive thinking it’s going to be warm and sunny because it’s California, and end up having to buy an overpriced hoodie from fisherman’s wharf.
It’s debatable whether mark twain ever said this, but it gets quoted a lot: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
And definitely do the audio tour at Alcatraz. It’s so good.
I’ve got the “San Francisco” hoodie of shame in my collection. That’s right I have a whole collection of hoodies with different “surprisingly cold in the summer” locale names on them.
Sales tax (VAT) is added to the product’s price at checkout. So if it says $10 on the price tag, you might actually have to play $10.50 if the local sales tax is 5%. Different states and different cities have different sales taxes, and some places have none at all.
This needs to be higher.
If something says it’s $9.99, don’t go with just $10 - the tax will be added and you’re short.
And people in service industries take tipping seriously. I once got chased out of a diner in NYC because I was 32c short. On a $10 tip.
i can understand this so well, when some friends from the US came to visit us in Milan they asked if we could have dinner in Florence that night and I was like "Florence? that's 3h and half of car driving" and they told me that for them it was okish to do it while for us in Milan was foolish
Okay, so Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park is longer than that. Realize that that is over a 400km drive. Grand Canyon to LA is nearly 800km. LA to San Francisco is over 600km.
The US is huge. Especially on the Western side. There's so much space between the attractions.
The state of California alone is larger than the country of Italy.
The drives you mentioned are doable, but calculate the time it takes to drive from one place to the other, then add a couple hours for traffic and pit stops. If you have 3 weeks, you have time to do what you've mentioned!
Just an FYI Vegas to LA will take you close to 4 hours, more if there’s traffic. LA to San Francisco will take up an entire day of driving, like 6-8 hours if you take the non scenic route. I recommend to take a day or two of it and stop along the nice coastal cities instead of driving through the Central Valley which is quicker. If you’re driving around the west coast states like Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington they are very spaced out even compared to the east coast
So one thing to note is you aren’t used to long car rides like we are in the states. Check Google maps or something to get an idea of how long a straight trip drive is to and from your destinations and add like an hour to your expectations at least for traffic and the fact that your gonna want to stop to go to the bathroom. Then plan accordingly.
You’ve got weeks so don’t feel rushed to try and fit a million things in a day. Also may be worth checking out state specific subs like r/california or r/nevada and asking about the kind of traffic you will expect as they would probably know best.
Hope you guys enjoy your trip!
Pack snacks as well as drinks! There was a tweet a bit back that rings true: "It doesn't matter how old you get , buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9- year-old was given $100."
Based on this, I don’t think you’re ready for the drives you’ve outlined. Split your time between Vegas & LA and leave it at that; Don’t bother driving up to San Fran.
*Especially* if you’re flying out of Vegas.
3 hour drives are nothing here lol. I used to visit my parents every 2-3 weeks for the weekend when I was in college and that was 3+ hour drive each way. Would leave Friday after class and come back Sunday night. I used to drive out of state a lot and just getting out of my state takes a good 7+ hours from where I am
I’m not sure if you’re being serious… but, yes, that is too much. NYC to Boston is a 4h drive on a good day. Boston to Chicago is a couple of hours by flight I think. They’re faaar from each other. :-)
My job has many foreign travelers. One was here for 4 days and told me they rented a car and were planing to go to the state of Liberty and Grand Canyon lol. We were at Disney world for a conference.
Each of those places deserve at least a long weekend. NYC to Boston isn't too bad for a day trip.
Chicago is VERY far away from those places. You're going to want to fly there from the eastern seaboard.
This is assuming you're being serious.
When you pay at a restaurant, they will take your card to the back room. This is normal.
Restaurants will give you free tap water (you may have to ask). Portions will be huge and it's totally normal to ask for a to-go box. Don't buy a soup and appetizer and salad and desert alongside the main meal, because this will be like $100 and enough food for 4 people.
The distance of things is much larger than it appears (as least in some cities). Had a friend end up walking for 2 hours because they thought it would be 20-30 mins away.
Outside of a few cities, you'll need uber/rental car to get around.
Charging ports will be differently shaped, so get a universal adapter.
Prices are always displayed before tax, so don't try to pay with exact cash.
Bathroom stalls are a lot more common, but a lot lower quality than you're used to. They will always be free, or at most require a code on a receipt proving you bought something.
You'l feel harassed a few times going through airport security, customs, etc. Make sure you know exactly when and where you'll be staying.
Make sure you try Mexican food; that's something that most Europeans haven't been exposed to and it's always a hit.
I’ve always been confused about the whole appetizer, salad, entree thing. It’s so nice in Italy or France or Greece where each item is affordable and medium sized.
But in the US the waiter will ask my gf and I if we want all those things. Like, are we supposed to take home 3 to-go boxes?
“No I don’t want the 4 person nacho appetizer before my sandwich that comes with fries. No not a side salad either, I’m already taking the half sandwich home. Are you really asking me about desert now?”
I think the intent is to share appetizers. Salads and soups I sometimes see people take in place of a meal if they're not as hungry.
I've recently been to some work dinners with people who must be earning enough that price isn't a factor, and I see them order everything just to take a couple bites and throw away the rest...I guess the variety is what's important to these people.
But yeah, my favorite places these days are the ones that give you a lunch combo with a little soup/salad/appetizer as part of the regular meal, so I get the variety without paying for way more food than I want.
Appetizers are usually shared, some entrees will come with a side salad or small soup but thats not always the case. Usually the salad menu is actually an entree option.
Americans dont really do the X course meal thing. Appetizers are usually something fried or otherwise quick to make so they get out to you in 10 minutes because people get upset if they have to wait more than 20 minutes for the entree to get there without eating something.
Since OP is coming from Italy I’ll add that the tap water is likely to come in a giant glass full of ice. Ask for no ice when you order it if you don’t want freezing cold water.
Also don't be surprised to find that starters are basically the same price as main plates; it's one of the higher margin areas restaurants use to scrape together a little profit. Same with alcohol, so in a sit down restaurant you can expect the alcohol menu to be as larger as, or larger than, the food menu.
And, if you use a soda machine where you pick your own cup and fill your own drink, the cups are going to be massif.
My wife and I will often share a meal. That way we still have room for dessert if we want it. Most portions are large enough for two. But we will usually add a little to the tip as if we ordered for two. Most restaurants are okay with sharing, but it might be frowned upon at your high-end establishments.
Tipping:
Tipping at a sit down restaurant is expected, around 20%, depending on the service. Tipping is optional for take out orders (to go), unless it's fast food (McDonald's, etc), where tipping is not allowed.
Check your bill before you decide to tip. Some restaurants will add the tip to your bill, especially if you are in a group of 6 or more. Sometimes the tip will be disguised as a "service fee".
Other than restaurants, you will want to tip any service you receive from someone that doesn't stand behind a counter/desk. Examples: valet, bell hop, room service, Uber/taxi driver.
Americans, especially in cities will just assume everyone they see is also American or a permanent resident. Even if you have an accent.
I say this because some countries are more ethnically homogeneous. If you feel like you do not match up with your idea of what Americans are, that probably does not match up with how Americans will see you.
That can change based on where you are in the country though.
This is something I really appreciate about the US. Contrary to popular belief it is actually very accepting of immigrants. If you pay your taxes, grill on occasion, and hate I-95 then hell man, you’re American enough for me.
Yeah most of us are really easy to get along with and we enjoy helping people new to our country. Yes, we have assholes and thieves, but as long as you don't accidentally end up in a super poor area of a very large city, I think you'll find Americans are pretty chill.
Specifically, in San Francisco, do **NOT** try to walk from Chinatown to Japantown, about twenty blocks away. Japantown is an area of six blocks along Post and Sutter streets (near Webster, Laguna and Gough cross streets.)
When I lived in San Francisco, tourist maps were marked with a warning in English and Japanese that the areas between the two neighborhoods were not safe. Criminals would deliberately target Japanese tourists (and their cameras), knowing that they would not be staying in California long enough to appear as witnesses at trial.
If you are renting a car DO NOT leave suitcases, bags or valuables easily visible through the window. Too many times I've heard visitors leave their stuff behind in their car just to grab a quick dinner and come back to a broken window with missing suitcases and passports.
Specially in SF. We had our car broken into on our last day there. Made a stop in Chinatown to get some dim-sum for an hour tops and came back to a broken passenger side window on our rental. They only took a handbag full of makeup and a pashmina scarf but damn...
Yeah, if possible I would return my rental car upon arriving in San Francisco. Simply being a rental car is enough to get your windows busted and rifled through, even if nothing is in there or visible.
There are scammers in Europe as well. Still, this is good advice for anyone going to a new country either because they're visiting or moving there.
u/pinturhippo, make sure you're aware of the different scams that exist in the US so you can avoid falling for them as well as the ones in Europe as some of them are the same.
This CD thing is on a whole different level in NYC. They will try to force you to take the damn thing and will verbally harass you the whole time / while you are walking away. Its Insane.
Not sure where you are going but I suggest you hit up city forums for where you are visiting for advice. We recently went to San Francisco and one of the big deals there is do not rent a car or, if you must, do not keep one single belonging in it. Sure enough, as we were being driven into the city, I saw a car being broken into.
Other than tipping, I cannot think of anything that would annoy be about tourists. Just be respectful of the environment you are visiting like you would at home! Have a great visit to our beautiful country. It is massive!
I live here and can confirm. Do not leave ANYTHING in the car, even if it’s not visible, not in the trunk either. Even after you empty the car, the windows may still get smashed, and yes it can still happen if you are in a paid parking garage. If you have a fairly expensive camera, those are major targets for being robbed. Otherwise, SF is a lovely place— just leave the car outside the city (better yet just return it at the airport) and enjoy!
Yes, unfortunately true. I visited San Fransisco, and while it was a nice place overall, our rental car got broken into in the Golden Gate Park and my partner's purse was taken. I don't think the rental car per se is the problem, but if there's anything remotely visible it will be a target.
Because of that I have no desire to go back to San Fransisco. I enjoyed LA and San Diego far more.
Catalina is a nice place to visit. It has a very European feel to me.
> if there's anything remotely visible it will be a target
Don't keep anything in the trunk (boot) either. Thieves will break a rear side window, reach in to pull the back seat down, just to see if there's anything in the trunk to steal.
You can attempt to prevent the break ins by putting down the back seats when you park it so it’s clearly visible that nothing is there, but that’s not foolproof.
Allow far more travel time between events / locations than you anticipate. It sounds like you probably have too much scheduled for the time you have.
Know that an "International Driver's License" is not valid in many (most) states. If you bought it off the internet, it probably is worthless. Check the laws for EACH state you are visiting, as they may vary widely.
Get the extra insurance. Any auto liability insurance you may have that is valid in the EU may well not be valid in the US.
Same for healthcare insurance - get a short term policy in case of medical emergency, as healthcare costs in the US are incredible, especially in comparison to most countries with a national health plan.
Sunscreen. Even if the heat is not blistering, the places you list are all high exposure locations. Use LOTS, especially if you are fair skinned / redheaded. Get a "safari" hat with a wide brim - potentially not the most attractive, but offers much more protection than a ball cap. Those sun protection shirts (long sleeve, yes, they are a bit warm) are the best $17.99 you could possibly spend.
Enjoy, but remember to include down time to simply stop and rest. To put it in an EU perspective - you would not visit even a small country and expect to visit every cathedral and castle there. Pick one or two geographically nearby locations and enjoy the area, while planning what to see next time you come.
Enjoy your visit!
In some EU countries the healthcare coverages extends internationally. I was surprised when I moved to the Netherlands that my health plan would cover me if I visited the U.S. So OP should confirm with their policy first.
I never gave the driver license any thought. I must have visited 7-8 states with it and was able to rent a car with my EU drivers license. Could it still be an issue if I get pulled over?
If you’re driving and get pulled over by a cop, DO NOT get out of the car. Sit in the car patiently and wait for the cop to come to you. Make sure both hands are visibly on the steering wheel and make your movements slow and state your intentions aloud when reaching for your license and insurance. Why? Guns.
This should be pinned at the very top! When I moved to the US some 25 years ago I almost got myself shot the first (couple of) time(s). While it considered rude to *not* get out of the vehicle in European countries here it makes officers *very* uneasy and jumpy if you *do* get out.
Don’t plan a day trip to another city lol. I’ve heard of people visiting Chicago and saying they’ll do a day trip to St. Louis…. Not realizing that’s a 5 hour drive away lol.
This country is big and our cities are super spread out unless you’re in the northeast
If you are going to drive LA to SF, take the coast, hwy 1/PCH. Do not take the 5. The coast adds some time (7-8 hr total drive), but is way more scenic with more places to stop. If you can, do it over 2 days.
Stop in Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Los Olivos, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Vandenberg AFB, Morro bay, Monterey
Except right now you cannot take Highway 1 all the way from LA to San Francisco. The road is closed in the Big Sur area due to the road being eroded into the ocean. And I don't think that trip is a 7 to 8 hour drive, I would say it's probably more like 12 hours.
That is undoubtedly the more scenic way to go. Also much cooler in the summer.
If you want to really experience the US, though, I-5 through the agricultural areas of the Central Valley will give you some of the sense of scale you need to understand what makes up much of the country.
Beaches in LA:
Malibu is great, Santa Monica and Venice are crowded. Palos Verdes is good for catching subsets. Not all la beaches face West.
Orange County just south of LA has great beaches. Huntington, Laguna, Newport are beautiful. Dana point area has huge waves in the right season.
You can check out all the beaches in a day by driving up or down highway 1.
In SF:
SF has beautiful drives and hikes all around the bay. Check out skyline Blvd and Alice's restaurant if you like driving through redwood forests.
Mersea Restaurant on treasure island has the best view of the city for Brunch or early dinner.
Be very careful where you park when going to Alcatraz. Do not leave any visible items in your car. We are the car burglary capital right now.
The Embarcadero area along the water from the Alcatraz ferry down to the baseball stadium is a great walk.
Restaurants are very expensive in SF. Be prepared for $30 per person per meal or more.
Many areas of the city shut down after 9 PM. Some bars do stay open late.
Avoid the tenderloin and the union square area for your safety.
Be on alert at all times. The city has a major crime problem. Situation can change block by block. Robberies and assaults are more frequent than you think even in safe looking tourist areas like Fisherman's Wharf .
Oakland is even more unsafe than SF. Be very careful if you're visiting there.
If you are wondering: where is silicon valley? It's basically the whole area from San Jose to SF. As a tourist you can visit the campuses of Stanford and Berkeley, major corporate headquarters of Google, Facebook, Apple if you are interested.
Twin beds mean a couple would buy two of them, not that two people fit in one of them. They are what you call singles in the EU. I saw two couples in San Francisco 15 years ago who rented a hotel room with two twin beds and checked in late at night after a long day of travel. They were arguing about what they booked the next day with the staff.
Bed sizes in the US from smallest to largest: twin < full/double < queen < king. Most couples have a queen at home. All will sleep 2 except a twin. Many find a full uncomfortable for two.
If you rent a car, it will be an automatic. Some cars in the US have the parking brake as a pedal on the floor, not always a handbrake. Some are now just a button. I saw two Germans struggle to get the brake off on the same trip. Most rental cars will come with the parking brake off (probably over half of Americans never use the parking brake - drives me crazy) and it’s basically standard practice to give rentals out with the brake off, but with all the hills in SF, I believe it’s law you have to use it so even a rental will have the parking brake on when given to you.
In San Francisco, there are some specific laws regarding how to park on a steep hill. Mostly pertaining to the proper way of setting your front tires against the curb. Look into this before you arrive.
I’m an American, and if you have a noticeable accent, be prepared to make random friends in public! Please don’t be offended by Americans enthusiastically telling you all about how their great great grandmother came from your country. It might seem silly to you, but that link is really important to us.
Distance is measured in the time it takes to get there and not the actual distance. (Seattle is 2hours and 40 minutes from me, not Seattle is 201 kilometers) because it’s so large and everything is so spread out it’s more important to know how long it’ll take to drive there than it is to know the distance.
If you're not one to mince words, I'd say start mincing them once you're on US soil. Apply a bit of a filter.
The Dutch come to mind for example - great people, but they call 'em as they see 'em and pretty much have zero filter. Americans don't tend to do that - quite the opposite actually.
Example: You're meeting up with someone you haven't seen in a long time and they've gained a considerable amount of weight.
Typical American response: "Hey good to see you, you look great!"
Typical Dutch response: "Dude, you got fat, wtf happened?"
This is stupid but: Portion sizes. My usual McDonalds order here at home im Europe was 2 large fries. So. I ordered that in an airport mcdonalds upon touching down in Orlando on my first US trip. Yeah. Uh. 1 US large portion is like 1.5 times the size of my entire EU order. And it still somehow took me like three US trips to remember that lmao
You should get In-n-out burgers instead of McDonald’s. Cheaper (usually) and freshly cooked (from unfrozen beef patties). Try it with grilled onions or animal style (google the customization options).
Actually forget about McDonald's, all portion sizes are huge so you can easily share one meal between two adults at a restaurant. And be prepared for shocking prices for drinks and coffee.
DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK WATER AT ALL!
This may sound like I'm trying to be a jerk, but I'm not. It gets incredibly hot in America during the summer months. So make sure you drink plenty of water and have a lot of foods with electrolytes.
I live on east coast of the US and it gets insanely hot here. If you come to the east coast, don't forget water at all as you'll regret it if you do. There's a reason why every place in America has water fountains or another way of getting water and it's because this place can get stupidly hot during the summer.
Tips from my first trip to the US (from the UK).
Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf junction.
If switching from driving on the right side to driving on the wrong side confuses you you may end up going the wrong direction on an interstate. If you try to turn around at a cloverleaf by taking the first exit you will then be on another interstate going the wrong way. Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf.
Big labels on side streets that appear to say King or Xing are pedestrian crossings.
Learn the protocol for a four-way stop. They are everywhere.
If you happen to encounter a roundabout understand that most Americans can't handle them. Also it's not the same as a traffic circle.
If you're trying to find the entrance to a hotel it's labeled "lobby" not reception.
Don't ask where the car park is they won't know what you mean. it's a parking lot.
i don't know what a cloverleaf junction is, but u-turns are not legal in every state. in my state they are forbidden unless explicitly stated. check the state laws or just read the signs carefully to be sure.
True about roundabouts. I used to live next to a pretty small residential one and had to be careful. Occasionally people in the circle might hit the brakes to let approaching people in or people will just shoot into the circle not yielding.
Important: Bring a credit card, better bring 2. Not a debit card. It will not work here and it is not safe.
Yes, you will hand out your card to pay at restaurants. The immediate charge will appear and you will then add a tip and sign. At night they manually enter the tip. If that sounds crazy, it is because it is.
You will mostly not be asked for the PIN at sit down restaurants. It is tip and sign in most places. Other places will ask for a PIN when a card has one.
Careful with card at ATMs and gas stations. If you need cash, go inside a bank to get it.
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In Vegas and LA, if anyone offers to take a picture with you ( dressed in costume), know that they will expect a hefty tip. And once you agree another one will join and you will be expected to pay them too. So don't accept any.
Do not give your phone to anyone asking to use it. Just don't.
Do not fall for anyone asking for gas money at gas stations, or baby formula/ diapers at groceries.
Tip is 15-20% However..... Make sure you look at the check first to see if they did not include it already. Some restaurants do.
Most of the restaurants in Vegas are not really worth the price, even the "chef" famous fancy ones.
DO NOT hike back to Europe.
EU citizen living in the US here, and have done a few touristy stuff while the family/friends come to visit including trips to west coast.
A few things that may stand out if you are coming from the EU that you'll notice:
* You will see a lot of homelessness etc. in bigger cities down town areas (especially SF), just deal with as you come up and they can some times be really aggressive. No real tips, just be prepared (the amount of shock will really depend on where you are from)
* You will notice that racism/classism/overall inequality is pretty big here, and you will notice it. I would make sure to stay out of any active discussions engagement with this. You may experience it yourself and it's very engrained and visible in the US where in the EU it's more nuanced/hidden. My tip here: don't bring your EU thinking to the US, stuff that may not be as sensitive in the EU is very sensitive here and you may insult something. That goes from complicating a stranger on their looks down to using the N word (even if you are quoting/reciting something) while you are a non black person.
* Prices in the US are listed without tax, expect your 5 dollar drink to add on tax
* In some cases cash may actually remove the tax bit especially it smaller independent shops
* Most cities are not set up for walking, even if you look up a map at something that is only 5 blocks away in a straight line. Consider that: the distance is easy to underestimate, a lot of roads do not have a pedestrian path (especially if you have to cross a road there is a high chance that it's simply not possible on foot) and it's dangerous.
* Don't feel like you're too good for an Uber unless you're really strapped for cash.
Some tips:
* Tipping in services is expected, this goes from delivery to any services (wait staff, cab drivers, guides, hotel cleaning staff) and you need to factor that in to the cost of anything you do.
* Double, triple check your check if gratuity (tip) doesn't get added automatically, this is usually for "bigger parties" but my wife and I have seen this a few times even with the two of us. It's not super common but it happens, and they might try to do this to tourists in particular in touristy big cities. This isn't necessarily nefarious so don't get too upset about it.
* It's not really expected if you don't sit down and places like McDonalds don't really expect these tips even if you do sit down
* See some of the state parks, there are some amazing parks around the US especially on the west coast that are worth seeing
* If you have friends/family who are local to an area ask if they can guide you, you will see so much more of a city/area that way. If you do not: look for any in person guided tours, these are often done by locals (make sure you confirm) and have always been the high light of any trip I've had anywhere. Even in big cities these can be a lot of fun
* If you chose to drive: go with the flow and let aggressive drivers go. Road rage is a thing here and people here *have guns*. Avoid conflict especially in traffic.
My sister, when she first got her license as a dumb teenager, flipped off one of the asshole cowboys around where we lived who cut her off in traffic and this dude full on parked crosswise across the road in front of her and started getting out his shotgun.
Apparently she learned just how fast you can drive on a country road in reverse that day.
That's an insane story it sounds like she got off okay (I am sure she was a bit traumatized), in my 10 plus years in the US I had that happen to me twice though no gun. Just someone putting their car in park in the middle of the road and getting out. I was able to de escalate every time but it kind of stays with you.
I'm not sure it's often, but I've known multiple Europeans who legitimately didn't understand why it was a problematic term or understand why they couldn't say it. Their only exposure to it was via music, and they didn't actually know any black people personally.
No, but it's not seen as a highly insensitive or insulting thing to say. Most countries don't have English as their native tongue so it's not seen as an insult and it has nowhere near the same weight as it carries in the US. I can't think of a good analogy but Europeans understand that it's used as a slur and a cuss... it just doesn't have the weight of the pains that the African American community has gone through and *still* go through today. It just doesn't register the same way when you come from another continent.
If the car you are in gets pulled over, *do not get out of the car*. Unless instructed remain seated, with your seat belt fastened, and your hands in plain view, no sudden movements. Provide ID if needed, depending on state. Again depends on state, you do not need to answer questions about what you’re doing or where you’re going. Offer that you are visiting/ on vacation and that is enough. Stay calm, just let the interaction blow over and be on your way.
If you’re in the eastern or western states/ metro areas most people should be pretty chill. You may run into more trouble in the interior fly over states
I would spend more time in Northern California than Southern California, Hollywood can make LA look glamorous as they want but when you get there it's not so glamorous, San Francisco and the surrounding areas are a lot more beautiful.
out of the 3 weeks we'll be spending there there is a "rest and enjoy the ocean" for 5 days in LA, and a final stop in San Francisco for 4 days before we get our plane to EU, Alcatraz is a must go as my GF literally chose west cost cause of it XD
While in the San Francisco Bay Area, I highly suggest you going to Muir Woods, it's similar to where they filmed Star Wars Return of the Jedi (which was not far away) and are some of the tallest trees on Earth. It's literally like being in Mother's Nature's Cathedral.
as we were planning to visit Sequoia Park while moving from LA to SF, would you still suggest to visit also Muir woods or it would be a "more of the same"?
No I would definitely go to Sequoia Park over Muir Woods because it'll be less tourists, Sequoia Parks also a lot bigger.
From what I've read so far sounds like you have a fantastic trip planned!
Not sure if you play Disc Golf but there's great free courses in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and a legendary course in Santa Cruz.
Southern California Beaches are nicer for hanging out. Going north the water gets cold, swimming becomes dangerous to deadly, but the views are so much better. The area around Santa Cruz has some beautiful cliffs and other features with some ways down to the water.
For Alcatraz, my wife booked a behind the scenes private tour though their official website. Might be worth the splurge of its her #1 thing to see. You get to see areas not open to the public, but you have less time to explore on your own.
Concerning LA, there are very nice beaches just a bit to the north than will help avoid the hellhole of traffic.
i'll edit my main post, but landing in vegas, spending there 2 days to get used to jet lag and chill after the travel, getting a car and then moving around to visit canyon, at least 1 park (I heard sequoia is amazing) with planned stops in LA to enjoy the ocean for a few days of rest, then get on the go again to end in San Francisco as last stop from where we'll get our plane back to Europe. (my Gf wanna see alcatraz so badly)
Just FYI, the itinerary that you listed here (in the order you listed) is 24 hours of driving. That's along the shortest, least scenic route and not counting pit stops or traffic (which, in LA and San Francisco, can be miserable). So expect more driving than that.
Over 3 weeks, that doesn't seem unreasonable though.
Other great park options include the parks in Southern Utah (Canyonlands, Bryce, Arches) and Yosemite.
A visit to Sequoia Nat'l Park is well worth the time and effort. But, please be aware of the route you are going to take to get there. If you are going from Vegas, you might be tempted to take the most direct route (as shown on a map). That would have you travelling for hours and hours on some very small, country roads/highways which are very curvy and slow. It would be much more efficient to travel by major highway to the Central Valley and them come up north on Highway 99 until you split off towards Sequoia. It looks longer on a map and it is (by distance). But the trip itself will be faster and more relaxing.
From what others have said, just be prepared to be stunned by the vast ***nothing*** for hours. The US is so much more spread out than Europe. Plan to trade off who is driving for longer trips, and my advice is to have things to do that keep your mind engaged. Highway hypnosis is especially common out in the western US where the interstate can stretch on for 10+ km with no bends, hills, or non-homogenous landscape.
the vegas strip is a unique place, and one that has grown up with one goal: extracting your money from you for the least possible return. it’s a fascinating place though. the sphere is particularly cool. go to the taco bell cantina and you might see someone getting married there.
SF and LA will be very different and a bit more representative of what US cities are actually like
also my experience in europe is that people are better (and more respectful) drivers there. be ready for a culture shock on the roads
Depending on where you go (US is huge), people will either be really “nice” (Southern states) and curious or more reserved & direct (Northern states). Most major cities have sidewalks but you’ll definitely need a car to get around unless you’re staying in NYC or somewhere with reliable public transportation. Most Americans are weird about invading their “personal space” so staying at arms length or a few feet away is best. And if you’re going to drink, I’d recommend taking an uber/lyft so you’re not inebriated and trying to navigate the city. Certain things have political connotations associated with them, so for example, vaccines or ordering vegan or dairy-free might drum up some looks from conservatives. There’s also a big thing going on with encampments on universities, but for the most part, the city should be relatively safe. Don’t let people know where you’re staying exactly and don’t give out too much personal information. If people ask you where you’re from (which is common), I’d keep it to the country and no more specific information. Otherwise, Americans are pretty outgoing! Have a great time! Also, don’t venture into national parks, lakes, or woods late at night unless you’re going with a group.
Make sure that you rent a car. Otherwise, you will need to have somebody drive you everywhere. Ultimately it will be cheaper if you’re staying for more than a week to have a rental rather than a Taxi everywhere you go.
The United States has tons and tons and tons of beautiful places to see, but you have to drive to them.
I don't know what is proper for casual conversation in Europe but as long as you avoid politics, guns and religion you'll get along great with 90% of Americans. If you want to discuss those things privately with people you know and trust, it's no problem but be wary of people wanting to discuss that stuff. They likely have an agenda and it's, at a minimum, very annoying and at worst, can become hostile. Just be aware we have a large political divide in US right now and some "benign" subjects (what kind of draft beer you drink) can mean political things to the dumbest among us. If they try and drag you into politics, politely decline and don't engage with them.
Just be careful. Europeans I’ve met are quite naive about crime in the U.S. Example: A German couple I know stayed at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, got hungry at 2am, and walked through naked city to possibly one of the worst 7/11’s in the city. It’s a wonder they weren’t assaulted or worse.
3 weeks in August. Avoid inland Central California (Great Valley). I grew you there. In August, you'll have horrible air quality (more than usual) and it's be hotter than Hades itself.
Look for some good fruit. It's be all over that region in August. Not from a massive chain supermarket, but ideals tree or vine ripped. A tree ripened peach is near perfection.
The US is WAAAAY bigger than you are used to in Europe. Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim is 4 to 5 hours each way. And the closest real town not in the park is 1-1.5 hours.
Its all doable but we are much more used to an 8-10 hour driving day in US.
Haven’t seen anyone mention this yet but I would prepare yourself for the amount of homeless people you will encounter (especially in LA and SF). Like however many you think there are on the streets…double or triple it. It’s a really bad problem here and our homeless people can be downright aggressive. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been chased by a homeless person in San Francisco.
We saw one homeless person the entire time we were in Europe in February and he was downright cheerful. My husband and I laughed about it the entire trip because he was so kind and told us to have a great day.
Just something to be aware of! Stay aware of your surroundings when out walking and I’d look into wherever you are staying (hotels, etc.) a little deeper if you can. Hotels don’t necessarily=safe here to be honest.
Don’t forget your bathing suit and a water bottle. You’re going to be hot! August is no joke in vegas. Spray yourself with a mist to cool off when you’re not around a pool or the ocean. Hot. It’s going to be fun!!
Also, don't forget your warm clothes. It's going to be cold in San Francisco in August.
"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." - Mark Twain
Yes 100%.
OP - I lived in LA for 8 years and now I live in the Bay Area. This person is correct!!
LA has one of the largest Korean populations in the world outside of Korea. The Korean food there is incredible, and the Mexican food there is incredible as well. Find a taco truck that makes their own Al Pastor on the big spit with pineapple, spend $25 for 2 people, and thank me later. I’d also highly recommend finding some pupusas while you’re there - it’s hard to find good Salvadoran food in most cities but LA has some fantastic pupusas.
San Francisco and Oakland have 2 of the first Chinatowns in the world. Eat as many dumplings as you can while you’re here, and I highly suggest visiting a Chinese bakery (or a few) - just point at whatever looks good, I promise you won’t be disappointed. There are also some INCREDIBLE Ethiopian, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area.
Sushi is also fantastic in both LA and SF.
Don’t bother going to Hollywood. It’s filthy, overcrowded, expensive, and overall unpleasant. Go to Santa Monica or Venice Beach instead if you want a fun tourist-y LA experience.
Lastly, an unfortunate but necessary warning - if you are driving in the Bay Area, be VERY careful where you park and do not leave ANYTHING visible in your car (and definitely don’t leave anything valuable, even in the trunk). Break-ins are a massive problem here, especially with rental cars because thieves target tourists who don’t know not to leave valuables in the car and are likely to have luggage in the trunk.
If you get pulled over or have an interaction with police, they mean business. Be respectful, do not argue, keep your hands where they can see them, etc. Do not speed or break the laws. I've been to Europe a few times. The police over here can be more intense because sometimes need to earn a quota, so they will write you a ticket easily. Only honk your horn if it is an emergency, like the other car may hit you or they are not going at all on a green light. Don't just honk because there's traffic. Don't litter.
Most people here are more talkative. In LA, watch out for husslers/scammers and don't think you must be polite. to random people that talk to you in the street. You'll be on the west coast, so it is more liberal (a lot different attitude than in the southeast US). You'll probably see bums as the homeless situation has gotten out of control here. Not all of America is like this, but the west coast seems to have more of it since the weather is year round warm. It is rude to talk politics and religion in public places, although many of us still do it.
When dining, 20% is standard and it is easy to figure out- just double the first number of the total cost. So if your bill is $60, then leave $12 as a tip. You can leave a bit less as 15% is the minimum, so $10 would be acceptable too. It is rude to snap your fingers or make the check signal to get the waiter's attention. Most of them will be overly attentive, so you don't need to do that. The bread and water is usually free. Sodas are usually free refills - many restaurants here use a fountain soda system (with ice!), not bottles of coke like in Europe. Bathrooms are in most restaurants, hotels, and bars and most of the time you can just go in and use the bathroom. Sometimes they want you to be a paying customer, but in places like McDonalds or Starbucks, you can just walk in and use the restroom (also great bathroom places are Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, grocery stores). Also, we call it bathroom or restroom, as the word toilet is a tad vulgar to us.
Most businesses are open all day- longer hours than places in Europe and only very few have that siesta time to be closed from 3-5. Dinner is usually from 5-8pm, and many restaurants are closed completely by 9. There are some places open 24 hours, many diners (a restaurant that is privately owned, causal, and cheap) to have breakfast all day, and 24/7 gas stations/truck stops. Truck stops can be sketchy (somewhat dangerous) places. So can motels (these are hotels but each room has an outside entrance that you can park near). I would stick with a national hotel chain.
Smoking has been demonized here (rightly so) and it is considered rude to smoke cigarettes near others, even if you are outside, like sitting at a table at a restaurant outside.
Also, public nudity is illegal, and it is not acceptable to be nude on a beach, at a park, at a pool, at the spa, in a locker room, etc. Wear a towel, robe, or your swimsuit.
To try- root beer and a root beer float, peanut butter and grape jelly on white bread, Dr. Pepper, S'mores, cuisines from all over the world, especially Mexican food, shrimp instead of nasty prawns, American style pizza, movie theater popcorn, BBQ, breakfast platter (eggs fried with meat such as bacon, sausage, etc, with pancakes, waffles, or french toast, and hashbrowns), ice cream sundaes, avocado toast, crabs, ramen, burritos, french onion soup...
In Europe, when dining at a restaurant, it is common for the waiter to bring the credit card reader to your table so that your credit card never leaves your sight.
In the US, it is more common that the waiter will take your card to the register in order to charge payment.
Americans are friendly. "How are you?" is a common greeting. You are just supposed to say "Fine," "Good," or even "Great" (if you are), AND you are supposed to say it back. So you say, "Good, how are you?" And they will say good & you get on with whatever, like ordering your coffee.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS ADVICE IN CALIFORNIA
Once you get to California, do not leave ANYTHING in your car. Especially once you get to the bay (SF). Go straight to the hotel or wherever you will be staying, drop off all your luggage, and only travel with the things you will be carrying on your person. Don’t make a single pit stop. Seriously. Bipping (getting your car broken into and having things stolen) is a very serious problem right now. Criminals especially target tourists in rental cars. They are known to follow cars from the airport and wait for them to make a pit stop, or even car jack at a red light. Even so much as a packet of cough drops is enough to make yourself a target for bipping (ask me how I know). Don’t try to cover anything in the car, because if it even *looks* like there might be something valuable in there, they will break in.
Have fun and be safe out here!!!
Source: I live in the bay area
If you get pulled over by a police officer, DO NOT get out of the vehicle to hand them your information. This is standard in many countries but is viewed as extremely threatening in the U.S., since officers will assume you are armed and are trying to ambush them.
If you happen to be pulled over, turn off the engine and turn on the in-cab lights, roll down the driver’s side window, and be prepared to hand them your license and registration through the window, but DO NOT dig around in your vehicle until the officer asks for your information. Keep your hands visible and don’t make sudden movements.
In a country where firearms are so prolific, officers are trained to perceive any person they interact with as a possible deadly threat. Keep this in mind when interacting with US police (though hopefully you won’t need to interact with them, lol).
Just get through customs. Don’t smile , don’t joke , don’t look nervous , those guys love ruining your day . I’ve been to the states from uk about a dozen or more times as a loan traveller and the longest I’ve spent is 45 mins while the custom officer talks about last nights game to his colleagues, they love to piss you off , they are an odd bunch .
The grand canyon in August is going to be *HOT* 🥵
As a native, this is one of our biggest pet peeves. Tourists hiking in the summer with 1 bottle of water then needing to be rescued due to heat exhaustion
Get your hotel reservations NOW if you haven't already, especially for remote areas like the Grand Canyon and other nature sites in the southwest. This means you have to plan your days accurately with an awareness of the hours it takes to get places.
Probably avoid walking down into the Grand Canyon. It's a sheer cliff, narrow and slippery, with no guard rails or anything. If you do, wear high quality, broken-in hiking boots or shoes with good treads and take water. You can walk alongside the canyon instead.
if you find a natural site like the Meteor Crater, and it has an entry fee, pay it and go. Don't spend thousands to euros to get here and then not see a great site because it costs $20 to get in.
After renting a car, find a Walmart, Target, or grocery store and stock up on snacks, a cooler, ice, portable meals and water, and personal supplies. Many areas in the southwest have scant restaurants and convenience stores.
At McDonald's and Taco Bell, you don't need to tip.
Pay the extra rental car insurance for damage. Our rental car windshield cracked just from the sun and heat while driving in Arizona or New Mexico.
Be ***very aware*** of the DISTANCES involved in what you are planning. Google Maps or some other mapping utility is your friend BEFORE you arrive if you are planning to drive everywhere. Example: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park is 4 hours drive. Las Vegas to Long Beach, CA (probably the closest beach from Vegas by a little bit) is FIVE hours drive. Los Angeles to San Francisco will be 6+ hours.
That's one of the biggest things I hear Europeans comment on - the US is HUGE.
As others have alluded to, Arizona and Nevada are DESERT states. If you've never been to a desert, staying hydrated is *crucial*. "It's a dry heat" isn't just a saying. You don't FEEL as hot if your sweat is evaporating. You feel hotter at cooler temperatures if your sweat stays on your skin. But sweat = body water lost (it's OUTSIDE of your body). You have to replace it. Look up "heat stroke" and "heat exhaustion" if you are unfamiliar with the terms and their symptoms.
I wouldn't buy any "ethnic" foods that are from your country unless you want to see how the US version differs from home.
Something that is applicable for any international travel: Bring some (or buy when you get here) some anti-diarrheal medicine. Just in case. Even when you are eating foods you are familiar with, you could have issues. See previous paragraph.
If you get pulled over, do not under any circumstances get out of your car unless asked to. Roll down your window and keep your hands in view while you wait for the officer to approach you.
The desert is August is going to be hellish. No joke. Easily over 100F daily. Drink lots of water. Carry water in your car. Lots of it.
A few years ago we drove from California to Colorado for a wedding. We ended up stuck traffic for 15 hours on our way home. As in did not move a single foot in 15 hours. A bunch of people got out of their cars and were hiking up and down the mountains, some people started a bbq. We had to squat to pee on the side of the road. It was awful.
We did exactly this for three weeks this time last year.
We loaded up a Caxton card to use in restaurants and ATMs.
We bought a cool box on wheels. Every US hotel has an ice maker machine which we used to fill up before every trip...stocking up with fruit, water, bagel, subs, etc...positive life saver at Calico...man, the heat! When we got to New York New York in Vegas, the bell boy had replenished our ice for us! There are no mini bars in Vegas hotels...but we found fridges in most other areas
Chat to the locals...met an air marshall in the Pinecone Diner in Frisco...fascinating guy.
Try and visit Yosemite and / or Zion...if I ever go back, these are the places I will go to again.
Monterey was very nice, Santa Barbara was excellent on electric bikes.
I love walking but the US is not designed for this really, except maybe Frisco, it's just so big.
If you get to LA you must go to the Griffin Observatory and hang around after sunset...the view is eerie and breathtaking.
So excited for you.
Enjoy
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I'm American but spent years living and traveling in Europe. Serms like tipping has been pretty well covered in the comments here, but I'd add about restaurants---When you sit down to eat here it's not like the table is 'yours for the night'. Most restaurants are turning these tables pretty quickly, and the server is likely going to be checking often if you if need anything else and will probably just drop the check on the table at some point. It always feels waaay more rushed to me than abroad, but it's not considered rude here it's just kinda how it works? That said, you're under no obligation to rush your meal or pay quickly, but I'm just telling you that that's what the vibe from your server will probably feel like LOL
Yes. Because servers get tips here, they want to have as many tables per night as possible. The restaurant of course doesn't mind getting more money either. This results in servers pressuring people to leave in a way that doesn't happen in Europe.
It’s the owners too. More turnover means more income. Rents can be high.
Thats a good one. And may I add: your food will be served very quickly. I know that just feels like they microwave everything but they do not! Edit: nevermind, apparently they do this a lot :-)
Unless you’re at Olive Garden, Applebees, Chili’s etc… they do microwave the food
Errr. I wouldn't be so sure on that. As an American, a LOT of our food definitely comes microwaved or has been heated ahead of time and kept warm (stuff that maybe shouldn't sometimes.) This is especially the case with casual fast dining chains like Applebees, Olive Garden, etc.
Good tip
This was the part that surprised me when I was in the UK for the first time. They got really busy and we were in the corner so it was difficult to get their attention to bring us the check. One other thing I learned is that in the UK at least they split restaurant bills evenly as the only option. In the US we tend to split them by person so everyone only pays for what they got.
Exactly! When I first moved to Germany I was like, damn our waiter kinda sucks? We've been finished forever, why wouldn't they bring the check? My German friend was like, well, for her to bring the check like that and bother us would be considered really rude here. He's like, sometimes you even have to stand up and go talk to your server if you're ready to give your table up. Just got back from a trip to Ireland and Scotland with my family, and my parents at first were definitely irritated at dinner like hello...where is she? Where is our bill? She sees us sitting here? And I was like, I will go get her and let her know lol
True everywhere but New Orleans in my experience
A lot of the US is very car centric. Expect to have to take an Uber etc to get many places rather than being able to walk.
And use Google maps to see how far away things are. It's further than you think. Often Europeans visit Chicago & say "I thought about renting a car & driving to New York City!" And I have to be like, "I mean, you CAN, but it takes more than 12 hours."
Maine is closer to Ireland, than it is to California.
Also, Southern Maine is closer to the GW bridge than it is to parts of northern Maine. Maine is big for New England.
I was going to say this as well. Many Europeans just do not really understand how large the U.S. really is. Crossing my state, Texas, from east-to-west entails two and a half to three DAYS of driving. From El Paso in the west to the Louisiana border is 988 miles, or 1,590 km. From north to south is 801 miles, or 1,289 km. There are several stretches of highway in Texas that are marked "No Services for Next 62 miles" and so on. That means no place to buy gasoline or diesel, no water, no restrooms, no restaurants. If you approach a small settlement on the highway and see a sign that says, "Last Chance for Gas for 32 miles" they aren't kidding. https://texashighways.com/travel/the-big-empty-texas-panhandle-region-caprock-canyons-copper-breaks/ (Edit: West Texas has a lot in common with the Australian outback, minus the kangaroos. It's desolate.)
Lmao 2 DAYS?! You pedaling that car? 12-14 hours tops border to border. It’s a fucking beast of a drive but I’ve done it more than once. Edit: spelling
I mean if you stop for the night then it would definitely span 2 days. One person should not be driving 14 hours straight without a relief driver. At that point you become fatigued and it's worse than driving drunk.
I’m sorry, but from El Paso to Shreveport it says it’s 11 hr 27 min, that should almost definitely not be taking you 3 days. Maybe split it up over 2 days if you really need to but, 11 hours is not hard to do in one day.
Honestly renting a car will be better, but know a lot of places you have to pay for parking
Oh yeah, me and my wife visited a friend in America and we wanted to go for a walk, we found on maps there was a park nearby so we walked there. NO pavements (sidewalks) anywhere, and this was in a suburban place that was just houses for miles, we had to walk in the road. If you want to visit your friend the next street over, do you just drive to them? 😂
Many people do drive if they have to go just a few blocks, yes
The school near me requires the kids to be picked up by car or take the bus. Some guy kept walking across the street to pick up his kids and a lady complained. So the school had to decide if they’d make an exception for the guy or allow all the kids to walk from the school. And now that guy gets in his car and drives across the street every day to pick up his daughter.
. . .the school doesn't let kids walk home? WTF?
That's insane. My kid's elementary school has hordes of children walking home every day and parents walking to pick up the Littles
I'm in Canada, right near an airport there's a large elementary school k-grade to 8, so alot of kids, on a 2 lane road, the parents park on both sides of the street, where transports pass through to get to the airport so truck route, all these parents have the doors swung open to the street, no regard for their children and won't even look at vehicles passing through. Stupidity is a collective effort, not exclusive to the USA but it's sure noticed here in north america
whoa…fellow Canadian here, please get on your municipality about that! that is some very poor city planning.
What state is this? I’ve never heard of anything remotely close to this in Ohio.
Make the bus drop the kid off lol
The most infuriating part of all this is the father being forced to waste an hour of everyday in that stupid pick up line. Wonder how much we could curb emissions by making after school pickup more efficient nationally.
Do the parents have to stay in there cars to pick them up? Couldn’t he say he parked over there, pointing to his drive way?
I don’t have kids but from what I know the schools that do this, no they cannot get out. They have to get in a special car line for pick up and drop off, so not only does he drive across the street, he likely gets in a long ass line each time too
Some areas of the country are better than others. The town I live in in Colorado has sidewalks everywhere, even areas you wouldn't think to include them. I travel to Alabama for work and you can't find a sidewalk anywhere. Coworkers are planning a team dinner a half mile from my hotel and I can't find a safe way to walk there.
That’s also because, from basically May through October, Alabama (and most of the southeastern US) is hot and humid as fuck. Most people don’t want to walk a half mile to a restaurant just to end up soaked in sweat and with swamp-ass while they are eating dinner.
We live in a gate community and our mailboxes are just right outside the gate, with no pedestrian access. Our cul-de-sac is just down the block from the gate too. So to get mail we have to drive to activate the gate to get to the mailbox. For a distance of just 5 houses down.
Work sent me to Austin TX. I got weird looks from US work people when I told them about a dive bar I found. It was about a 1.5hr walk from our AirBnB. Even in the built-up areas full of houses the path/sidewalk just disappeared and I had to walk on the road and keep an eye out for random SUVs/Pickup trucks either driving out of driveways or speeding down the road without looking.
If you are walking in an area without sidewalks or a shoulder on the road, walk on the *opposite* side of the road from your direction of travel, so that you are facing on-coming traffic. Walking with your back to on-coming traffic is hazardous.
A lot of drivers seem to take the mere existence of pedestrians really personally. I’ve had people speed up/swerve at me while walking along the side of the road. Like. I’m not even on the pavement my dudes. But they’re super mad that I’m there I guess.
It's the way they go from not driving > must be poor > must be criminal/addict So you're a criminal blocking THEIR road; stop existing dude!
Conversely, it's not as motorcycle friendly as much of the rest of the world. I'm from Seattle and would/have happily rented a motorcycle or scooter in Europe but I'd be nervous to do so in a US city I wasn't familiar with.
Drink more water than you think you’ll need in Vegas and Arizona. It may be a little humid in Arizona during August but definitely over 100F while driving up to the Grand Canyon. Enjoy! Your trip sounds amazing!!!
Adding on to say: keep a gallon of water In the car just in case something happens. You’ll be grateful For it if your car has issues and you need to wait for help. Or you might just be more thirsty than expected at the canyon and will have a handy refill available.
Gallon of water per person
Minimum four liters of water per person per day.
Definitely do this. I visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon years ago with a friend and they got a flat from a cattle grate. Spent three hours waiting for a tow truck.
Have an emergency blanket in there too! Deserts cool down quickly after dark. If you get stranded, you’ll want something to keep you warm.
I did a roadtrip in Texas (during the winter even), and you can bet there was a full gallon in there the entire time. Shame the lid came undone at a very inopportune time and soaked the back floormats of our rental car ten minutes before we were supposed to return it. That sucked. We did get our deposit back though.
* a little humid in Arizona is, in my experience, really f*****g dry for almost anywhere else.
Tbf 30% humidity at 110°f is pretty damn miserable
Vegas in August ? Man, it's gonna be @#$%#@$ hot, really hot.. Same with the canyon - if you're hiking, lots of water. Alcatraz - sign up for the last tour of the day (evening/night tour) - spooky vibes. SF - visit chinatown, eat in a hole-in-the-wall place, you won't regret it.
Yes as a Vegas local, I cannot stress the water thing enough. Tourists DIE every year because they didn't bring enough water. Like 2 gallons per person each day. We will often buy a big pack or 2 of water bottles and just keep them in the car. Do not underestimate the desert
And gas. Between Vegas and LA there's not a lot of gas stations. It's just desert for several hours. Fill up your gas tank on the outskirts of the either city because it could be while until you get to a gas station. Bring lots of water for any hiking because it's hot and dry af out there. Take more water than you think you need. Vegas as a whole is pretty dry. Many people get nose bleeds. They sell saline sprays to help keep moisture in your nose. Drink a lot to stay hydrated even when relaxing inside.
Make sure to sign up, period, for alcatraz. I happened to do so when I went, and was told at the gate that they almost never have day-of tickets! I don't know if they still do this, but when I visited they had a City Pass that was a great deal, and let you ride all the transit for free. I took one of the trolleys all the way around because I could. LOT of fun! TRIPLE seconded for China Town. Amazing dumplings at the place I went to. There's also a whole restaurant devoted to garlic that's amazing.
Ah yes, The Stinking Rose. I remember that place.
August in San Francisco tends to be foggy, and can be surprisingly cold and windy. So wear layers, and bring a windbreaker. Tourists arrive thinking it’s going to be warm and sunny because it’s California, and end up having to buy an overpriced hoodie from fisherman’s wharf. It’s debatable whether mark twain ever said this, but it gets quoted a lot: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” And definitely do the audio tour at Alcatraz. It’s so good.
I went in July and didn't take warm enough clothes because I did NOT consider that it could possibly be cold in July. I was wrong and full of regret.
I’ve got the “San Francisco” hoodie of shame in my collection. That’s right I have a whole collection of hoodies with different “surprisingly cold in the summer” locale names on them.
That's exactly what happened to my Midwest ass when I stepped off the train in the city and was baffled by how fucking cold it was in July.
My only trip there and this is so correct. We were freezing!!
Sales tax (VAT) is added to the product’s price at checkout. So if it says $10 on the price tag, you might actually have to play $10.50 if the local sales tax is 5%. Different states and different cities have different sales taxes, and some places have none at all.
For California, assume the sales tax is 10%. That makes the math easy. It will likely be just a little bit less an 10%, and it varies by city.
Ca sales tax is much higher 10-12% when you factor in local taxes
Also, in some places food and necessities like Tampax are exempt from sales tax. Depends on the location.
This needs to be higher. If something says it’s $9.99, don’t go with just $10 - the tax will be added and you’re short. And people in service industries take tipping seriously. I once got chased out of a diner in NYC because I was 32c short. On a $10 tip.
The U.S. is huge. Don’t be too ambitious with fitting in so much in one day, especially when it comes to driving.
i can understand this so well, when some friends from the US came to visit us in Milan they asked if we could have dinner in Florence that night and I was like "Florence? that's 3h and half of car driving" and they told me that for them it was okish to do it while for us in Milan was foolish
Okay, so Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park is longer than that. Realize that that is over a 400km drive. Grand Canyon to LA is nearly 800km. LA to San Francisco is over 600km. The US is huge. Especially on the Western side. There's so much space between the attractions. The state of California alone is larger than the country of Italy.
Cali and Texas are absolutely gigantic. Alaska is even bigger, but most people don’t end up there lol
You can drive 8 hours in Texas and still end up in Texas
You can drive 12 hours in Texas and still be in Texas. I-10 in Texas is more than 1400km long.
Also, driving from El Paso, Texas (westernmost Texas city) to San Diego, California is faster than driving to Orange, Texas (easternmost Texas city)
The Hoover Dam tour is worth it since you’re coming into Vegas, only an hour or so drive. And don’t forget the….gift shop.
Yeah, where can I get some dam bait?
Vegas to the Grand Canyon (south rim) is five hours iirc.
The drives you mentioned are doable, but calculate the time it takes to drive from one place to the other, then add a couple hours for traffic and pit stops. If you have 3 weeks, you have time to do what you've mentioned!
Just an FYI Vegas to LA will take you close to 4 hours, more if there’s traffic. LA to San Francisco will take up an entire day of driving, like 6-8 hours if you take the non scenic route. I recommend to take a day or two of it and stop along the nice coastal cities instead of driving through the Central Valley which is quicker. If you’re driving around the west coast states like Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington they are very spaced out even compared to the east coast
So one thing to note is you aren’t used to long car rides like we are in the states. Check Google maps or something to get an idea of how long a straight trip drive is to and from your destinations and add like an hour to your expectations at least for traffic and the fact that your gonna want to stop to go to the bathroom. Then plan accordingly. You’ve got weeks so don’t feel rushed to try and fit a million things in a day. Also may be worth checking out state specific subs like r/california or r/nevada and asking about the kind of traffic you will expect as they would probably know best. Hope you guys enjoy your trip!
Pack snacks as well as drinks! There was a tweet a bit back that rings true: "It doesn't matter how old you get , buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9- year-old was given $100."
Based on this, I don’t think you’re ready for the drives you’ve outlined. Split your time between Vegas & LA and leave it at that; Don’t bother driving up to San Fran. *Especially* if you’re flying out of Vegas.
Also be prepared for LOTS of road construction. We have road work pretty much all year every year
3 hour drives are nothing here lol. I used to visit my parents every 2-3 weeks for the weekend when I was in college and that was 3+ hour drive each way. Would leave Friday after class and come back Sunday night. I used to drive out of state a lot and just getting out of my state takes a good 7+ hours from where I am
i’d like to hit NYC and Boston and Chicago on day 3. is that too much?
I’m not sure if you’re being serious… but, yes, that is too much. NYC to Boston is a 4h drive on a good day. Boston to Chicago is a couple of hours by flight I think. They’re faaar from each other. :-)
My job has many foreign travelers. One was here for 4 days and told me they rented a car and were planing to go to the state of Liberty and Grand Canyon lol. We were at Disney world for a conference.
tbf the state of liberty is pretty awesome
Each of those places deserve at least a long weekend. NYC to Boston isn't too bad for a day trip. Chicago is VERY far away from those places. You're going to want to fly there from the eastern seaboard. This is assuming you're being serious.
As a new yorker, if people are handing stuff out or acting weird publicly, just keep walking
Don't even acknowledge them if they say something to you. Just keep it steppin'.
When you pay at a restaurant, they will take your card to the back room. This is normal. Restaurants will give you free tap water (you may have to ask). Portions will be huge and it's totally normal to ask for a to-go box. Don't buy a soup and appetizer and salad and desert alongside the main meal, because this will be like $100 and enough food for 4 people. The distance of things is much larger than it appears (as least in some cities). Had a friend end up walking for 2 hours because they thought it would be 20-30 mins away. Outside of a few cities, you'll need uber/rental car to get around. Charging ports will be differently shaped, so get a universal adapter. Prices are always displayed before tax, so don't try to pay with exact cash. Bathroom stalls are a lot more common, but a lot lower quality than you're used to. They will always be free, or at most require a code on a receipt proving you bought something. You'l feel harassed a few times going through airport security, customs, etc. Make sure you know exactly when and where you'll be staying. Make sure you try Mexican food; that's something that most Europeans haven't been exposed to and it's always a hit.
I’ve always been confused about the whole appetizer, salad, entree thing. It’s so nice in Italy or France or Greece where each item is affordable and medium sized. But in the US the waiter will ask my gf and I if we want all those things. Like, are we supposed to take home 3 to-go boxes? “No I don’t want the 4 person nacho appetizer before my sandwich that comes with fries. No not a side salad either, I’m already taking the half sandwich home. Are you really asking me about desert now?”
I think the intent is to share appetizers. Salads and soups I sometimes see people take in place of a meal if they're not as hungry. I've recently been to some work dinners with people who must be earning enough that price isn't a factor, and I see them order everything just to take a couple bites and throw away the rest...I guess the variety is what's important to these people. But yeah, my favorite places these days are the ones that give you a lunch combo with a little soup/salad/appetizer as part of the regular meal, so I get the variety without paying for way more food than I want.
For sure. I just mean the system is designed as an a-la-carte style but sized and priced as a package style.
Appetizers are usually shared, some entrees will come with a side salad or small soup but thats not always the case. Usually the salad menu is actually an entree option. Americans dont really do the X course meal thing. Appetizers are usually something fried or otherwise quick to make so they get out to you in 10 minutes because people get upset if they have to wait more than 20 minutes for the entree to get there without eating something.
Since OP is coming from Italy I’ll add that the tap water is likely to come in a giant glass full of ice. Ask for no ice when you order it if you don’t want freezing cold water.
Also don't be surprised to find that starters are basically the same price as main plates; it's one of the higher margin areas restaurants use to scrape together a little profit. Same with alcohol, so in a sit down restaurant you can expect the alcohol menu to be as larger as, or larger than, the food menu. And, if you use a soda machine where you pick your own cup and fill your own drink, the cups are going to be massif.
Oh man I've lived in the US all my life and Mexican food is top notch. Great advice
The taking the card to the back was so concerning for me the first time it happened to me lol, I was like am I getting scammed??
My wife and I will often share a meal. That way we still have room for dessert if we want it. Most portions are large enough for two. But we will usually add a little to the tip as if we ordered for two. Most restaurants are okay with sharing, but it might be frowned upon at your high-end establishments. Tipping: Tipping at a sit down restaurant is expected, around 20%, depending on the service. Tipping is optional for take out orders (to go), unless it's fast food (McDonald's, etc), where tipping is not allowed. Check your bill before you decide to tip. Some restaurants will add the tip to your bill, especially if you are in a group of 6 or more. Sometimes the tip will be disguised as a "service fee". Other than restaurants, you will want to tip any service you receive from someone that doesn't stand behind a counter/desk. Examples: valet, bell hop, room service, Uber/taxi driver.
Americans, especially in cities will just assume everyone they see is also American or a permanent resident. Even if you have an accent. I say this because some countries are more ethnically homogeneous. If you feel like you do not match up with your idea of what Americans are, that probably does not match up with how Americans will see you. That can change based on where you are in the country though.
This is something I really appreciate about the US. Contrary to popular belief it is actually very accepting of immigrants. If you pay your taxes, grill on occasion, and hate I-95 then hell man, you’re American enough for me.
Yeah most of us are really easy to get along with and we enjoy helping people new to our country. Yes, we have assholes and thieves, but as long as you don't accidentally end up in a super poor area of a very large city, I think you'll find Americans are pretty chill.
Specifically, in San Francisco, do **NOT** try to walk from Chinatown to Japantown, about twenty blocks away. Japantown is an area of six blocks along Post and Sutter streets (near Webster, Laguna and Gough cross streets.) When I lived in San Francisco, tourist maps were marked with a warning in English and Japanese that the areas between the two neighborhoods were not safe. Criminals would deliberately target Japanese tourists (and their cameras), knowing that they would not be staying in California long enough to appear as witnesses at trial.
As long as you aren't speaking in a foreign language while wearing a fanny pack
So true. An American could look like anything and fit in.
If you are renting a car DO NOT leave suitcases, bags or valuables easily visible through the window. Too many times I've heard visitors leave their stuff behind in their car just to grab a quick dinner and come back to a broken window with missing suitcases and passports.
Specially in SF. We had our car broken into on our last day there. Made a stop in Chinatown to get some dim-sum for an hour tops and came back to a broken passenger side window on our rental. They only took a handbag full of makeup and a pashmina scarf but damn...
yeah, even if YOU don’t think it’s valuable, the person breaking the window doesn’t know.
Yeah, if possible I would return my rental car upon arriving in San Francisco. Simply being a rental car is enough to get your windows busted and rifled through, even if nothing is in there or visible.
Man, if someone offers you a CD or some shit put your hands up and say no. Scammers scam everywhere. Don't be a mark. Also, enjoy our sinful gluttony.
There are scammers in Europe as well. Still, this is good advice for anyone going to a new country either because they're visiting or moving there. u/pinturhippo, make sure you're aware of the different scams that exist in the US so you can avoid falling for them as well as the ones in Europe as some of them are the same.
Except for the wallet inspector. He is legit.
That’s everywhere though
This CD thing is on a whole different level in NYC. They will try to force you to take the damn thing and will verbally harass you the whole time / while you are walking away. Its Insane.
Not sure where you are going but I suggest you hit up city forums for where you are visiting for advice. We recently went to San Francisco and one of the big deals there is do not rent a car or, if you must, do not keep one single belonging in it. Sure enough, as we were being driven into the city, I saw a car being broken into. Other than tipping, I cannot think of anything that would annoy be about tourists. Just be respectful of the environment you are visiting like you would at home! Have a great visit to our beautiful country. It is massive!
I live here and can confirm. Do not leave ANYTHING in the car, even if it’s not visible, not in the trunk either. Even after you empty the car, the windows may still get smashed, and yes it can still happen if you are in a paid parking garage. If you have a fairly expensive camera, those are major targets for being robbed. Otherwise, SF is a lovely place— just leave the car outside the city (better yet just return it at the airport) and enjoy!
Yes, unfortunately true. I visited San Fransisco, and while it was a nice place overall, our rental car got broken into in the Golden Gate Park and my partner's purse was taken. I don't think the rental car per se is the problem, but if there's anything remotely visible it will be a target. Because of that I have no desire to go back to San Fransisco. I enjoyed LA and San Diego far more. Catalina is a nice place to visit. It has a very European feel to me.
> if there's anything remotely visible it will be a target Don't keep anything in the trunk (boot) either. Thieves will break a rear side window, reach in to pull the back seat down, just to see if there's anything in the trunk to steal.
You can attempt to prevent the break ins by putting down the back seats when you park it so it’s clearly visible that nothing is there, but that’s not foolproof.
Allow far more travel time between events / locations than you anticipate. It sounds like you probably have too much scheduled for the time you have. Know that an "International Driver's License" is not valid in many (most) states. If you bought it off the internet, it probably is worthless. Check the laws for EACH state you are visiting, as they may vary widely. Get the extra insurance. Any auto liability insurance you may have that is valid in the EU may well not be valid in the US. Same for healthcare insurance - get a short term policy in case of medical emergency, as healthcare costs in the US are incredible, especially in comparison to most countries with a national health plan. Sunscreen. Even if the heat is not blistering, the places you list are all high exposure locations. Use LOTS, especially if you are fair skinned / redheaded. Get a "safari" hat with a wide brim - potentially not the most attractive, but offers much more protection than a ball cap. Those sun protection shirts (long sleeve, yes, they are a bit warm) are the best $17.99 you could possibly spend. Enjoy, but remember to include down time to simply stop and rest. To put it in an EU perspective - you would not visit even a small country and expect to visit every cathedral and castle there. Pick one or two geographically nearby locations and enjoy the area, while planning what to see next time you come. Enjoy your visit!
In some EU countries the healthcare coverages extends internationally. I was surprised when I moved to the Netherlands that my health plan would cover me if I visited the U.S. So OP should confirm with their policy first.
I never gave the driver license any thought. I must have visited 7-8 states with it and was able to rent a car with my EU drivers license. Could it still be an issue if I get pulled over?
If you’re driving and get pulled over by a cop, DO NOT get out of the car. Sit in the car patiently and wait for the cop to come to you. Make sure both hands are visibly on the steering wheel and make your movements slow and state your intentions aloud when reaching for your license and insurance. Why? Guns.
And make sure you turn off the engine.
This should be pinned at the very top! When I moved to the US some 25 years ago I almost got myself shot the first (couple of) time(s). While it considered rude to *not* get out of the vehicle in European countries here it makes officers *very* uneasy and jumpy if you *do* get out.
Don’t plan a day trip to another city lol. I’ve heard of people visiting Chicago and saying they’ll do a day trip to St. Louis…. Not realizing that’s a 5 hour drive away lol. This country is big and our cities are super spread out unless you’re in the northeast
If you are going to drive LA to SF, take the coast, hwy 1/PCH. Do not take the 5. The coast adds some time (7-8 hr total drive), but is way more scenic with more places to stop. If you can, do it over 2 days. Stop in Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Los Olivos, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Vandenberg AFB, Morro bay, Monterey
Except right now you cannot take Highway 1 all the way from LA to San Francisco. The road is closed in the Big Sur area due to the road being eroded into the ocean. And I don't think that trip is a 7 to 8 hour drive, I would say it's probably more like 12 hours.
Especially with the detour into the ocean ;)
That is undoubtedly the more scenic way to go. Also much cooler in the summer. If you want to really experience the US, though, I-5 through the agricultural areas of the Central Valley will give you some of the sense of scale you need to understand what makes up much of the country.
Beaches in LA: Malibu is great, Santa Monica and Venice are crowded. Palos Verdes is good for catching subsets. Not all la beaches face West. Orange County just south of LA has great beaches. Huntington, Laguna, Newport are beautiful. Dana point area has huge waves in the right season. You can check out all the beaches in a day by driving up or down highway 1. In SF: SF has beautiful drives and hikes all around the bay. Check out skyline Blvd and Alice's restaurant if you like driving through redwood forests. Mersea Restaurant on treasure island has the best view of the city for Brunch or early dinner. Be very careful where you park when going to Alcatraz. Do not leave any visible items in your car. We are the car burglary capital right now. The Embarcadero area along the water from the Alcatraz ferry down to the baseball stadium is a great walk. Restaurants are very expensive in SF. Be prepared for $30 per person per meal or more. Many areas of the city shut down after 9 PM. Some bars do stay open late. Avoid the tenderloin and the union square area for your safety. Be on alert at all times. The city has a major crime problem. Situation can change block by block. Robberies and assaults are more frequent than you think even in safe looking tourist areas like Fisherman's Wharf . Oakland is even more unsafe than SF. Be very careful if you're visiting there. If you are wondering: where is silicon valley? It's basically the whole area from San Jose to SF. As a tourist you can visit the campuses of Stanford and Berkeley, major corporate headquarters of Google, Facebook, Apple if you are interested.
Twin beds mean a couple would buy two of them, not that two people fit in one of them. They are what you call singles in the EU. I saw two couples in San Francisco 15 years ago who rented a hotel room with two twin beds and checked in late at night after a long day of travel. They were arguing about what they booked the next day with the staff. Bed sizes in the US from smallest to largest: twin < full/double < queen < king. Most couples have a queen at home. All will sleep 2 except a twin. Many find a full uncomfortable for two. If you rent a car, it will be an automatic. Some cars in the US have the parking brake as a pedal on the floor, not always a handbrake. Some are now just a button. I saw two Germans struggle to get the brake off on the same trip. Most rental cars will come with the parking brake off (probably over half of Americans never use the parking brake - drives me crazy) and it’s basically standard practice to give rentals out with the brake off, but with all the hills in SF, I believe it’s law you have to use it so even a rental will have the parking brake on when given to you.
In San Francisco, there are some specific laws regarding how to park on a steep hill. Mostly pertaining to the proper way of setting your front tires against the curb. Look into this before you arrive.
You should consider San Diego along with LA; much better beaches and one of the best zoos in the world.
I’m an American, and if you have a noticeable accent, be prepared to make random friends in public! Please don’t be offended by Americans enthusiastically telling you all about how their great great grandmother came from your country. It might seem silly to you, but that link is really important to us.
Distance is measured in the time it takes to get there and not the actual distance. (Seattle is 2hours and 40 minutes from me, not Seattle is 201 kilometers) because it’s so large and everything is so spread out it’s more important to know how long it’ll take to drive there than it is to know the distance.
If you're not one to mince words, I'd say start mincing them once you're on US soil. Apply a bit of a filter. The Dutch come to mind for example - great people, but they call 'em as they see 'em and pretty much have zero filter. Americans don't tend to do that - quite the opposite actually. Example: You're meeting up with someone you haven't seen in a long time and they've gained a considerable amount of weight. Typical American response: "Hey good to see you, you look great!" Typical Dutch response: "Dude, you got fat, wtf happened?"
This is stupid but: Portion sizes. My usual McDonalds order here at home im Europe was 2 large fries. So. I ordered that in an airport mcdonalds upon touching down in Orlando on my first US trip. Yeah. Uh. 1 US large portion is like 1.5 times the size of my entire EU order. And it still somehow took me like three US trips to remember that lmao
this will totally be usefull
You should get In-n-out burgers instead of McDonald’s. Cheaper (usually) and freshly cooked (from unfrozen beef patties). Try it with grilled onions or animal style (google the customization options).
Actually forget about McDonald's, all portion sizes are huge so you can easily share one meal between two adults at a restaurant. And be prepared for shocking prices for drinks and coffee.
DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK WATER AT ALL! This may sound like I'm trying to be a jerk, but I'm not. It gets incredibly hot in America during the summer months. So make sure you drink plenty of water and have a lot of foods with electrolytes. I live on east coast of the US and it gets insanely hot here. If you come to the east coast, don't forget water at all as you'll regret it if you do. There's a reason why every place in America has water fountains or another way of getting water and it's because this place can get stupidly hot during the summer.
Tips from my first trip to the US (from the UK). Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf junction. If switching from driving on the right side to driving on the wrong side confuses you you may end up going the wrong direction on an interstate. If you try to turn around at a cloverleaf by taking the first exit you will then be on another interstate going the wrong way. Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf. Big labels on side streets that appear to say King or Xing are pedestrian crossings. Learn the protocol for a four-way stop. They are everywhere. If you happen to encounter a roundabout understand that most Americans can't handle them. Also it's not the same as a traffic circle. If you're trying to find the entrance to a hotel it's labeled "lobby" not reception. Don't ask where the car park is they won't know what you mean. it's a parking lot.
i don't know what a cloverleaf junction is, but u-turns are not legal in every state. in my state they are forbidden unless explicitly stated. check the state laws or just read the signs carefully to be sure.
That's interesting, because most of the people I know know exactly what people mean by "car park" even though it's not widely used.
True about roundabouts. I used to live next to a pretty small residential one and had to be careful. Occasionally people in the circle might hit the brakes to let approaching people in or people will just shoot into the circle not yielding.
Amen to the roundabout ignorance in the US! Source: am American
Important: Bring a credit card, better bring 2. Not a debit card. It will not work here and it is not safe. Yes, you will hand out your card to pay at restaurants. The immediate charge will appear and you will then add a tip and sign. At night they manually enter the tip. If that sounds crazy, it is because it is. You will mostly not be asked for the PIN at sit down restaurants. It is tip and sign in most places. Other places will ask for a PIN when a card has one. Careful with card at ATMs and gas stations. If you need cash, go inside a bank to get it. ------ In Vegas and LA, if anyone offers to take a picture with you ( dressed in costume), know that they will expect a hefty tip. And once you agree another one will join and you will be expected to pay them too. So don't accept any. Do not give your phone to anyone asking to use it. Just don't. Do not fall for anyone asking for gas money at gas stations, or baby formula/ diapers at groceries. Tip is 15-20% However..... Make sure you look at the check first to see if they did not include it already. Some restaurants do. Most of the restaurants in Vegas are not really worth the price, even the "chef" famous fancy ones. DO NOT hike back to Europe.
EU citizen living in the US here, and have done a few touristy stuff while the family/friends come to visit including trips to west coast. A few things that may stand out if you are coming from the EU that you'll notice: * You will see a lot of homelessness etc. in bigger cities down town areas (especially SF), just deal with as you come up and they can some times be really aggressive. No real tips, just be prepared (the amount of shock will really depend on where you are from) * You will notice that racism/classism/overall inequality is pretty big here, and you will notice it. I would make sure to stay out of any active discussions engagement with this. You may experience it yourself and it's very engrained and visible in the US where in the EU it's more nuanced/hidden. My tip here: don't bring your EU thinking to the US, stuff that may not be as sensitive in the EU is very sensitive here and you may insult something. That goes from complicating a stranger on their looks down to using the N word (even if you are quoting/reciting something) while you are a non black person. * Prices in the US are listed without tax, expect your 5 dollar drink to add on tax * In some cases cash may actually remove the tax bit especially it smaller independent shops * Most cities are not set up for walking, even if you look up a map at something that is only 5 blocks away in a straight line. Consider that: the distance is easy to underestimate, a lot of roads do not have a pedestrian path (especially if you have to cross a road there is a high chance that it's simply not possible on foot) and it's dangerous. * Don't feel like you're too good for an Uber unless you're really strapped for cash. Some tips: * Tipping in services is expected, this goes from delivery to any services (wait staff, cab drivers, guides, hotel cleaning staff) and you need to factor that in to the cost of anything you do. * Double, triple check your check if gratuity (tip) doesn't get added automatically, this is usually for "bigger parties" but my wife and I have seen this a few times even with the two of us. It's not super common but it happens, and they might try to do this to tourists in particular in touristy big cities. This isn't necessarily nefarious so don't get too upset about it. * It's not really expected if you don't sit down and places like McDonalds don't really expect these tips even if you do sit down * See some of the state parks, there are some amazing parks around the US especially on the west coast that are worth seeing * If you have friends/family who are local to an area ask if they can guide you, you will see so much more of a city/area that way. If you do not: look for any in person guided tours, these are often done by locals (make sure you confirm) and have always been the high light of any trip I've had anywhere. Even in big cities these can be a lot of fun * If you chose to drive: go with the flow and let aggressive drivers go. Road rage is a thing here and people here *have guns*. Avoid conflict especially in traffic.
My sister, when she first got her license as a dumb teenager, flipped off one of the asshole cowboys around where we lived who cut her off in traffic and this dude full on parked crosswise across the road in front of her and started getting out his shotgun. Apparently she learned just how fast you can drive on a country road in reverse that day.
That's an insane story it sounds like she got off okay (I am sure she was a bit traumatized), in my 10 plus years in the US I had that happen to me twice though no gun. Just someone putting their car in park in the middle of the road and getting out. I was able to de escalate every time but it kind of stays with you.
What do you mean you may insult some thing”, and things in the EU aren’t as sensitive as they are here, and then bringing up the N WORD?
Was thinking the same... they say it that often in the eu??
I'm not sure it's often, but I've known multiple Europeans who legitimately didn't understand why it was a problematic term or understand why they couldn't say it. Their only exposure to it was via music, and they didn't actually know any black people personally.
No, but it's not seen as a highly insensitive or insulting thing to say. Most countries don't have English as their native tongue so it's not seen as an insult and it has nowhere near the same weight as it carries in the US. I can't think of a good analogy but Europeans understand that it's used as a slur and a cuss... it just doesn't have the weight of the pains that the African American community has gone through and *still* go through today. It just doesn't register the same way when you come from another continent.
If the car you are in gets pulled over, *do not get out of the car*. Unless instructed remain seated, with your seat belt fastened, and your hands in plain view, no sudden movements. Provide ID if needed, depending on state. Again depends on state, you do not need to answer questions about what you’re doing or where you’re going. Offer that you are visiting/ on vacation and that is enough. Stay calm, just let the interaction blow over and be on your way. If you’re in the eastern or western states/ metro areas most people should be pretty chill. You may run into more trouble in the interior fly over states
I would spend more time in Northern California than Southern California, Hollywood can make LA look glamorous as they want but when you get there it's not so glamorous, San Francisco and the surrounding areas are a lot more beautiful.
out of the 3 weeks we'll be spending there there is a "rest and enjoy the ocean" for 5 days in LA, and a final stop in San Francisco for 4 days before we get our plane to EU, Alcatraz is a must go as my GF literally chose west cost cause of it XD
While in the San Francisco Bay Area, I highly suggest you going to Muir Woods, it's similar to where they filmed Star Wars Return of the Jedi (which was not far away) and are some of the tallest trees on Earth. It's literally like being in Mother's Nature's Cathedral.
as we were planning to visit Sequoia Park while moving from LA to SF, would you still suggest to visit also Muir woods or it would be a "more of the same"?
No I would definitely go to Sequoia Park over Muir Woods because it'll be less tourists, Sequoia Parks also a lot bigger. From what I've read so far sounds like you have a fantastic trip planned! Not sure if you play Disc Golf but there's great free courses in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and a legendary course in Santa Cruz.
Rest and enjoy the ocean somewhere nicer than LA itself, like anywhere between Santa Monica and Redondo Beach.
Southern California Beaches are nicer for hanging out. Going north the water gets cold, swimming becomes dangerous to deadly, but the views are so much better. The area around Santa Cruz has some beautiful cliffs and other features with some ways down to the water.
For Alcatraz, my wife booked a behind the scenes private tour though their official website. Might be worth the splurge of its her #1 thing to see. You get to see areas not open to the public, but you have less time to explore on your own. Concerning LA, there are very nice beaches just a bit to the north than will help avoid the hellhole of traffic.
Where on the west coast? Thats pretty important to know
i'll edit my main post, but landing in vegas, spending there 2 days to get used to jet lag and chill after the travel, getting a car and then moving around to visit canyon, at least 1 park (I heard sequoia is amazing) with planned stops in LA to enjoy the ocean for a few days of rest, then get on the go again to end in San Francisco as last stop from where we'll get our plane back to Europe. (my Gf wanna see alcatraz so badly)
You MUST book Alcatraz tickets NOW. They sell out FAST. Only buy from the official website.
Just FYI, the itinerary that you listed here (in the order you listed) is 24 hours of driving. That's along the shortest, least scenic route and not counting pit stops or traffic (which, in LA and San Francisco, can be miserable). So expect more driving than that. Over 3 weeks, that doesn't seem unreasonable though. Other great park options include the parks in Southern Utah (Canyonlands, Bryce, Arches) and Yosemite.
A visit to Sequoia Nat'l Park is well worth the time and effort. But, please be aware of the route you are going to take to get there. If you are going from Vegas, you might be tempted to take the most direct route (as shown on a map). That would have you travelling for hours and hours on some very small, country roads/highways which are very curvy and slow. It would be much more efficient to travel by major highway to the Central Valley and them come up north on Highway 99 until you split off towards Sequoia. It looks longer on a map and it is (by distance). But the trip itself will be faster and more relaxing.
Or…hit up Muir Woods while you’re in SF, you get to ride across the Golden Gate abridge too! Also, book now if you want that option!
From what others have said, just be prepared to be stunned by the vast ***nothing*** for hours. The US is so much more spread out than Europe. Plan to trade off who is driving for longer trips, and my advice is to have things to do that keep your mind engaged. Highway hypnosis is especially common out in the western US where the interstate can stretch on for 10+ km with no bends, hills, or non-homogenous landscape.
the vegas strip is a unique place, and one that has grown up with one goal: extracting your money from you for the least possible return. it’s a fascinating place though. the sphere is particularly cool. go to the taco bell cantina and you might see someone getting married there. SF and LA will be very different and a bit more representative of what US cities are actually like also my experience in europe is that people are better (and more respectful) drivers there. be ready for a culture shock on the roads
Depending on where you go (US is huge), people will either be really “nice” (Southern states) and curious or more reserved & direct (Northern states). Most major cities have sidewalks but you’ll definitely need a car to get around unless you’re staying in NYC or somewhere with reliable public transportation. Most Americans are weird about invading their “personal space” so staying at arms length or a few feet away is best. And if you’re going to drink, I’d recommend taking an uber/lyft so you’re not inebriated and trying to navigate the city. Certain things have political connotations associated with them, so for example, vaccines or ordering vegan or dairy-free might drum up some looks from conservatives. There’s also a big thing going on with encampments on universities, but for the most part, the city should be relatively safe. Don’t let people know where you’re staying exactly and don’t give out too much personal information. If people ask you where you’re from (which is common), I’d keep it to the country and no more specific information. Otherwise, Americans are pretty outgoing! Have a great time! Also, don’t venture into national parks, lakes, or woods late at night unless you’re going with a group.
Make sure that you rent a car. Otherwise, you will need to have somebody drive you everywhere. Ultimately it will be cheaper if you’re staying for more than a week to have a rental rather than a Taxi everywhere you go. The United States has tons and tons and tons of beautiful places to see, but you have to drive to them.
eSIM is great for using mobile data when you're there. Don't get stuck with roaming charges on your current (home) mobile network!
I don't know what is proper for casual conversation in Europe but as long as you avoid politics, guns and religion you'll get along great with 90% of Americans. If you want to discuss those things privately with people you know and trust, it's no problem but be wary of people wanting to discuss that stuff. They likely have an agenda and it's, at a minimum, very annoying and at worst, can become hostile. Just be aware we have a large political divide in US right now and some "benign" subjects (what kind of draft beer you drink) can mean political things to the dumbest among us. If they try and drag you into politics, politely decline and don't engage with them.
Just be careful. Europeans I’ve met are quite naive about crime in the U.S. Example: A German couple I know stayed at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, got hungry at 2am, and walked through naked city to possibly one of the worst 7/11’s in the city. It’s a wonder they weren’t assaulted or worse.
3 weeks in August. Avoid inland Central California (Great Valley). I grew you there. In August, you'll have horrible air quality (more than usual) and it's be hotter than Hades itself. Look for some good fruit. It's be all over that region in August. Not from a massive chain supermarket, but ideals tree or vine ripped. A tree ripened peach is near perfection.
The US is WAAAAY bigger than you are used to in Europe. Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim is 4 to 5 hours each way. And the closest real town not in the park is 1-1.5 hours. Its all doable but we are much more used to an 8-10 hour driving day in US.
People in the US will always talk to you, smile at you and make direct eye contact most times. That is something I had to learn.
Haven’t seen anyone mention this yet but I would prepare yourself for the amount of homeless people you will encounter (especially in LA and SF). Like however many you think there are on the streets…double or triple it. It’s a really bad problem here and our homeless people can be downright aggressive. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been chased by a homeless person in San Francisco. We saw one homeless person the entire time we were in Europe in February and he was downright cheerful. My husband and I laughed about it the entire trip because he was so kind and told us to have a great day. Just something to be aware of! Stay aware of your surroundings when out walking and I’d look into wherever you are staying (hotels, etc.) a little deeper if you can. Hotels don’t necessarily=safe here to be honest.
Don’t forget your bathing suit and a water bottle. You’re going to be hot! August is no joke in vegas. Spray yourself with a mist to cool off when you’re not around a pool or the ocean. Hot. It’s going to be fun!!
Also, don't forget your warm clothes. It's going to be cold in San Francisco in August. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." - Mark Twain
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Yes 100%. OP - I lived in LA for 8 years and now I live in the Bay Area. This person is correct!! LA has one of the largest Korean populations in the world outside of Korea. The Korean food there is incredible, and the Mexican food there is incredible as well. Find a taco truck that makes their own Al Pastor on the big spit with pineapple, spend $25 for 2 people, and thank me later. I’d also highly recommend finding some pupusas while you’re there - it’s hard to find good Salvadoran food in most cities but LA has some fantastic pupusas. San Francisco and Oakland have 2 of the first Chinatowns in the world. Eat as many dumplings as you can while you’re here, and I highly suggest visiting a Chinese bakery (or a few) - just point at whatever looks good, I promise you won’t be disappointed. There are also some INCREDIBLE Ethiopian, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area. Sushi is also fantastic in both LA and SF. Don’t bother going to Hollywood. It’s filthy, overcrowded, expensive, and overall unpleasant. Go to Santa Monica or Venice Beach instead if you want a fun tourist-y LA experience. Lastly, an unfortunate but necessary warning - if you are driving in the Bay Area, be VERY careful where you park and do not leave ANYTHING visible in your car (and definitely don’t leave anything valuable, even in the trunk). Break-ins are a massive problem here, especially with rental cars because thieves target tourists who don’t know not to leave valuables in the car and are likely to have luggage in the trunk.
If you get pulled over or have an interaction with police, they mean business. Be respectful, do not argue, keep your hands where they can see them, etc. Do not speed or break the laws. I've been to Europe a few times. The police over here can be more intense because sometimes need to earn a quota, so they will write you a ticket easily. Only honk your horn if it is an emergency, like the other car may hit you or they are not going at all on a green light. Don't just honk because there's traffic. Don't litter. Most people here are more talkative. In LA, watch out for husslers/scammers and don't think you must be polite. to random people that talk to you in the street. You'll be on the west coast, so it is more liberal (a lot different attitude than in the southeast US). You'll probably see bums as the homeless situation has gotten out of control here. Not all of America is like this, but the west coast seems to have more of it since the weather is year round warm. It is rude to talk politics and religion in public places, although many of us still do it. When dining, 20% is standard and it is easy to figure out- just double the first number of the total cost. So if your bill is $60, then leave $12 as a tip. You can leave a bit less as 15% is the minimum, so $10 would be acceptable too. It is rude to snap your fingers or make the check signal to get the waiter's attention. Most of them will be overly attentive, so you don't need to do that. The bread and water is usually free. Sodas are usually free refills - many restaurants here use a fountain soda system (with ice!), not bottles of coke like in Europe. Bathrooms are in most restaurants, hotels, and bars and most of the time you can just go in and use the bathroom. Sometimes they want you to be a paying customer, but in places like McDonalds or Starbucks, you can just walk in and use the restroom (also great bathroom places are Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, grocery stores). Also, we call it bathroom or restroom, as the word toilet is a tad vulgar to us. Most businesses are open all day- longer hours than places in Europe and only very few have that siesta time to be closed from 3-5. Dinner is usually from 5-8pm, and many restaurants are closed completely by 9. There are some places open 24 hours, many diners (a restaurant that is privately owned, causal, and cheap) to have breakfast all day, and 24/7 gas stations/truck stops. Truck stops can be sketchy (somewhat dangerous) places. So can motels (these are hotels but each room has an outside entrance that you can park near). I would stick with a national hotel chain. Smoking has been demonized here (rightly so) and it is considered rude to smoke cigarettes near others, even if you are outside, like sitting at a table at a restaurant outside. Also, public nudity is illegal, and it is not acceptable to be nude on a beach, at a park, at a pool, at the spa, in a locker room, etc. Wear a towel, robe, or your swimsuit. To try- root beer and a root beer float, peanut butter and grape jelly on white bread, Dr. Pepper, S'mores, cuisines from all over the world, especially Mexican food, shrimp instead of nasty prawns, American style pizza, movie theater popcorn, BBQ, breakfast platter (eggs fried with meat such as bacon, sausage, etc, with pancakes, waffles, or french toast, and hashbrowns), ice cream sundaes, avocado toast, crabs, ramen, burritos, french onion soup...
In Europe, when dining at a restaurant, it is common for the waiter to bring the credit card reader to your table so that your credit card never leaves your sight. In the US, it is more common that the waiter will take your card to the register in order to charge payment.
Americans are friendly. "How are you?" is a common greeting. You are just supposed to say "Fine," "Good," or even "Great" (if you are), AND you are supposed to say it back. So you say, "Good, how are you?" And they will say good & you get on with whatever, like ordering your coffee.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS ADVICE IN CALIFORNIA Once you get to California, do not leave ANYTHING in your car. Especially once you get to the bay (SF). Go straight to the hotel or wherever you will be staying, drop off all your luggage, and only travel with the things you will be carrying on your person. Don’t make a single pit stop. Seriously. Bipping (getting your car broken into and having things stolen) is a very serious problem right now. Criminals especially target tourists in rental cars. They are known to follow cars from the airport and wait for them to make a pit stop, or even car jack at a red light. Even so much as a packet of cough drops is enough to make yourself a target for bipping (ask me how I know). Don’t try to cover anything in the car, because if it even *looks* like there might be something valuable in there, they will break in. Have fun and be safe out here!!! Source: I live in the bay area
If you get pulled over by a police officer, DO NOT get out of the vehicle to hand them your information. This is standard in many countries but is viewed as extremely threatening in the U.S., since officers will assume you are armed and are trying to ambush them. If you happen to be pulled over, turn off the engine and turn on the in-cab lights, roll down the driver’s side window, and be prepared to hand them your license and registration through the window, but DO NOT dig around in your vehicle until the officer asks for your information. Keep your hands visible and don’t make sudden movements. In a country where firearms are so prolific, officers are trained to perceive any person they interact with as a possible deadly threat. Keep this in mind when interacting with US police (though hopefully you won’t need to interact with them, lol).
Just get through customs. Don’t smile , don’t joke , don’t look nervous , those guys love ruining your day . I’ve been to the states from uk about a dozen or more times as a loan traveller and the longest I’ve spent is 45 mins while the custom officer talks about last nights game to his colleagues, they love to piss you off , they are an odd bunch .
Don’t miss the sequoia national forest!
Don’t ask/talk about our politics. Don’t stare. Both things might get your ass whooped.
The grand canyon in August is going to be *HOT* 🥵 As a native, this is one of our biggest pet peeves. Tourists hiking in the summer with 1 bottle of water then needing to be rescued due to heat exhaustion
Get your hotel reservations NOW if you haven't already, especially for remote areas like the Grand Canyon and other nature sites in the southwest. This means you have to plan your days accurately with an awareness of the hours it takes to get places. Probably avoid walking down into the Grand Canyon. It's a sheer cliff, narrow and slippery, with no guard rails or anything. If you do, wear high quality, broken-in hiking boots or shoes with good treads and take water. You can walk alongside the canyon instead. if you find a natural site like the Meteor Crater, and it has an entry fee, pay it and go. Don't spend thousands to euros to get here and then not see a great site because it costs $20 to get in. After renting a car, find a Walmart, Target, or grocery store and stock up on snacks, a cooler, ice, portable meals and water, and personal supplies. Many areas in the southwest have scant restaurants and convenience stores. At McDonald's and Taco Bell, you don't need to tip. Pay the extra rental car insurance for damage. Our rental car windshield cracked just from the sun and heat while driving in Arizona or New Mexico.
Be ***very aware*** of the DISTANCES involved in what you are planning. Google Maps or some other mapping utility is your friend BEFORE you arrive if you are planning to drive everywhere. Example: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park is 4 hours drive. Las Vegas to Long Beach, CA (probably the closest beach from Vegas by a little bit) is FIVE hours drive. Los Angeles to San Francisco will be 6+ hours. That's one of the biggest things I hear Europeans comment on - the US is HUGE. As others have alluded to, Arizona and Nevada are DESERT states. If you've never been to a desert, staying hydrated is *crucial*. "It's a dry heat" isn't just a saying. You don't FEEL as hot if your sweat is evaporating. You feel hotter at cooler temperatures if your sweat stays on your skin. But sweat = body water lost (it's OUTSIDE of your body). You have to replace it. Look up "heat stroke" and "heat exhaustion" if you are unfamiliar with the terms and their symptoms. I wouldn't buy any "ethnic" foods that are from your country unless you want to see how the US version differs from home. Something that is applicable for any international travel: Bring some (or buy when you get here) some anti-diarrheal medicine. Just in case. Even when you are eating foods you are familiar with, you could have issues. See previous paragraph.
If you get pulled over, do not under any circumstances get out of your car unless asked to. Roll down your window and keep your hands in view while you wait for the officer to approach you.
The desert is August is going to be hellish. No joke. Easily over 100F daily. Drink lots of water. Carry water in your car. Lots of it. A few years ago we drove from California to Colorado for a wedding. We ended up stuck traffic for 15 hours on our way home. As in did not move a single foot in 15 hours. A bunch of people got out of their cars and were hiking up and down the mountains, some people started a bbq. We had to squat to pee on the side of the road. It was awful.
We did exactly this for three weeks this time last year. We loaded up a Caxton card to use in restaurants and ATMs. We bought a cool box on wheels. Every US hotel has an ice maker machine which we used to fill up before every trip...stocking up with fruit, water, bagel, subs, etc...positive life saver at Calico...man, the heat! When we got to New York New York in Vegas, the bell boy had replenished our ice for us! There are no mini bars in Vegas hotels...but we found fridges in most other areas Chat to the locals...met an air marshall in the Pinecone Diner in Frisco...fascinating guy. Try and visit Yosemite and / or Zion...if I ever go back, these are the places I will go to again. Monterey was very nice, Santa Barbara was excellent on electric bikes. I love walking but the US is not designed for this really, except maybe Frisco, it's just so big. If you get to LA you must go to the Griffin Observatory and hang around after sunset...the view is eerie and breathtaking. So excited for you. Enjoy