 | COVID-19 inligting: Die VSA het die grootste aantal bevestigde COVID-19-gevalle ter wêreld, met alle state wat geraak word. Alle regeringsvlakke het maatreëls ingestel om die verspreiding te beperk. Afhangend van die onlangse reisgeskiedenis en ander faktore, word baie buitelanders verbied om die VSA binne te gaan, en alle reisigers (insluitend Amerikaanse burgers) is onderhewig aan beperkings, wat op kort kennisgewing kan verander. Sien Gaan in hieronder. Baie staats- en plaaslike owerhede het beperkte kapasiteit vir restaurante en ander ondernemings. Vermy druk plekke en groepbyeenkomste, en bly ten minste 2 meter van ander af. Dra 'n gesigbedekking op openbare plekke; dit word deur die hele land aanbeveel en benodig in die meeste vorme van vervoer, op lughawens en in baie state en stede. Sekere state en stede het vrywillige of verpligtend self-kwarantyne vir sommige besoekers uit ander state. U kan ook vereis dat u voor of na aankoms getoets word en inligting oor u reise en kontakte aan plaaslike gesondheidsamptenare moet rapporteer. Toets en kwarantyn is dalk nie nodig indien dit volledig ingeënt is teen COVID-19 nie. Gaan met die CDC en met staats- en plaaslike owerhede vir die nuutste besonderhede. |
| (Inligting laas opgedateer 07 April 2021) |
Die Verenigde State van Amerika is 'n uitgestrekte land in Noord-Amerika ongeveer die helfte van die grootte van Rusland en ongeveer dieselfde grootte as Sjina. Dit het ook die wêreld se derde grootste bevolking, met meer as 330 miljoen mense (in 2020). Dit bevat stede met digbevolkte voorstede en uitgestrekte onbewoonde natuurskoonareas. Dit is 'n “smeltkroes” van kulture van regoor die wêreld wat die grootste enkele ekonomie ter wêreld verteenwoordig met sy geskiedenis van massa-immigrasie uit die 17de eeu.
Dit word beskou as die magtigste en invloedrykste land ter wêreld, en speel 'n dominante rol in die wêreld se kulturele landskap en is bekend vir sy wye verskeidenheid gewilde toeristebestemmings, wat wissel van wolkekrabbers van Manhattan en Chicago, tot die natuurwonders van Yellowstone en Alaska, na die canyonlands van die Suidwes, na die warm, sonnige strande van Florida, Hawaii en Suid-Kalifornië.
Streke
Die Verenigde State bestaan uit 50 state en die hoofstad van die land Washington DC., wat vir die doeleindes van Wikivoyage in die volgende streke gegroepeer is:
| Nieu-Engeland (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode eiland, Vermont) Die tuiste van gewelkerke, rustieke oudhede en deurdrenk van Amerikaanse geskiedenis, bied New England strande, skouspelagtige seekos, ruige berge, gereelde wintersneeue en van die oudste stede van die land, in 'n gebied wat klein genoeg is om (haastig) binne 'n week te toer . |
| Midde-Atlanties (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington DC.) Die Mid-Atlantiese Oseaan, wat wissel van New York tot Washington, DC, is die tuiste van sommige van die land se mees bevolkte stede, historiese terreine, golwende berge en kusoorde. |
| Suid (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgië, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Noord-Carolina, Suid Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wes-Virginia) Die Suide word gevier vir sy gasvryheid, kos van buite en sy blues, jazz, rock 'n roll, bluegrass en boeremusiek tradisies. Hierdie welige, grootliks subtropiese streek bevat koel, groen berge, plantasies en uitgestrekte sipresmoerasse. |
| Florida Noord-Florida is soortgelyk aan die res van die Suide, maar dit is nie so in die oorde van Orlando, aftree-gemeenskappe, tropiese Karibiese Eilande beïnvloed Miami, die Everglades, en 1 900 myl sandstrande. |
| Midde-Ooste (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin) 'N Streek van eenvoudige en gasvrye mense, landbougrond, woude, skilderagtige dorpe, industriële stede en die Groot Mere - die grootste stelsel van varswatermere ter wêreld, wat die Noordkus van die VSA |
| Texas Die tweede grootste staat is soos 'n aparte land (en was dit inderdaad eens) met sterk kulturele invloede uit sy Spaanse en Mexikaanse verlede. Die terrein is redelik uiteenlopend, met moeraslande in die suidooste, plat land en katoenplase in die Suidvlaktes, sandstrande in Suid-Texas en berge en woestyne in die verre Wes-Texas. |
| Groot vlaktes (Noord-Dakota, Suid-Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma) 'N Voormalige grensland van die Wilde Weste word dikwels beskryf as' platter as 'n pannekoek ', en hierdie streek het vroeër uit eindelose grasvelde bestaan. Baie daarvan is nou die een enorme plaas na die ander, met af en toe dorpe, maar die oorblywende weivelde is steeds groot en ietwat verlate. |
| Rotsgebergte (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming) Die skouspelagtige sneeubedekte Rockies bied voetslaan, vlotvaart, uitstekende ski, woestyne en 'n paar groot stede aan. |
| Suidwes (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah) Hierdie gebied word sterk beïnvloed deur Spaanse, Mexikaanse en Inheemse Amerikaanse kulture. Dit is die tuiste van enkele van die land se mees skouspelagtige natuurlike besienswaardighede en bloeiende artistieke gemeenskappe. Alhoewel dit meestal leeg is, bevat die woestyne 'n paar groot stede. |
| Kalifornië Soos in die suidweste, word Kalifornië sterk beïnvloed deur sy voormalige Spaanse en Mexikaanse heersers, en ook deur die Asiatiese kultuur en kookkuns. Kalifornië bied wêreldberoemde stede, woestyne, reënwoude, sneeuberge en pragtige strande. |
| Stille Oseaan Noordwes (Washington, Oregon) Die aangename milde Stille Oseaan Noordwes bied buitelugaktiwiteite en kosmopolitiese stede. Die terrein bevat skouspelagtige reënwoude, skilderagtige berge en vulkane, pragtige kuslyne en saliebedekte steppe en woestyne. |
| Alaska Alaska is 'n vyfde so groot soos die res van die Verenigde State en bereik tot in die Noordpoolgebied en het bergagtige wildernisse, waaronder Noord-Amerika se hoogste berg, Denali, en die inheemse Alaska-kultuur wat elders in die Verenigde State nie gesien word nie. |
| Hawaii 'N Vulkaniese eilandgroep in die tropiese Stille Oseaan, 3 700 km suidwes van Kalifornië (die naaste deelstaat), is 'n ontspanne Hawaii. |
Die VSA bestuur ook 'n versameling nie-state gebiede regoor die wêreld, hoofsaaklik in die Karibiese Eilande (Puerto Rico en die Amerikaanse Maagde-eilande) en Oseanië (Guam, Amerikaanse Samoa, die Noordelike Marianeneilande, en verskillende onbewoonde eilande en eilandgroepe). Aangesien hierdie vanuit die oogpunt van 'n reisiger heeltemal verskil van die 50 state, word dit in aparte artikels behandel. Sien Amerikaanse kolonialisme vir bestemmings waar u kan leer oor huidige en voormalige Amerikaanse oorsese gebiede.
Stede
Die Verenigde State het meer as 10,000 stede, dorpe en dorpe. Die volgende is 'n lys van nege van die bekendste. Ander stede kan in die ooreenstemmende vorm gevind word streke.
- 1 Washington DC. - die hoofstad van die land, gevul met groot museums en monumente
- 2 Boston - veral bekend vir sy koloniale geskiedenis, sy passie vir sport en universiteite
- 3 Chicago - die hart van die Midde-Ooste, die vervoersentrum van die land en die wêreld se grootste handelsentrum vir kommoditeite, met massiewe wolkekrabbers en ander argitektoniese juwele
- 4 Los Angeles - die tuiste van die filmbedryf, musikale kunstenaars en branderplankryers, met pragtige sagte weer, groot natuurskoon van berge tot strande, en eindelose snelwegpaaie
- 5 Miami - hierdie stad met 'n lewendige Karibiese kultuur wat deur die Latyn beïnvloed word, trek noordelike noordelike inwoners
- 6 New Orleans - "The Big Easy", die geboorteplek van jazz, is bekend vir sy sonderlinge Franse wyk, kenmerkende kookkuns en jaarlikse Mardi Gras-viering
- 7 New York Stad - die land se grootste stad, die tuiste van Wall Street, groot media en advertensies, kookkuns van wêreldgehalte, kuns, argitektuur en inkopies
- 8 San Francisco - die City by the Bay, met die Golden Gate-brug, lewendige stedelike buurte, dramatiese mis en hoë tegnologie
- 9 Seattle - ryk museums, monumente, ontspanning en die Space Needle
Ander bestemmings
Dit is van die grootste en bekendste bestemmings buite die groot stede.
- 1 Denali Nasionale Park - 'n afgeleë nasionale park met die hoogste piek in Noord-Amerika, Denali (voorheen Mount McKinley)
- 2 Grand Canyon - die wêreld se langste en mees besoekte kloof
- 3 Groot Smoky Mountains Nasionale Park - nasionale park in die suidelike Appalachen
- 4 Mesa Verde Nasionale Park - goed bewaar wonings van die voorouers van die Puebloanse krans
- 5 Mount Rushmore - die ikoniese gedenkteken van vier voormalige presidente wat in 'n kranswand uitgekap is
- 6 Niagara waterval - die massiewe watervalle wat oor die grens met Kanada lê
- 7 Walt Disney World - die gewildste vakansieoordbestemming ter wêreld
- 8 Yellowstone Nasionale Park - die eerste nasionale park in die VSA, en die tuiste van die Old Faithful geiser
- 9 Yosemite Nasionale Park - die tuiste van El Capitan, Half Dome en beroemde Reuse Sequoia-bome
Verstaan
 | |
| Kapitaal | Washington DC. |
| Geldeenheid | Amerikaanse dollar (USD) |
| Bevolking | 331,4 miljoen (2020) |
| Elektrisiteit | 120 ± 6 volt / 60 hertz (NEMA 1-15, NEMA 5-15) |
| Landelike kode | 1 |
| Tydsone | UTC − 12: 00 tot UTC 12:00 en Central Time Zone, Alaska Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone |
| Noodgevalle | 911 |
| Rykant | reg |
| wysig op Wikidata | |
Die Verenigde State (ook bekend as die "VSA", "die VSA" of net "Amerika") is nie die Amerika van televisie en films nie. Dit is groot, kompleks en uiteenlopend, met duidelike kulturele en streeksidentiteite. As gevolg van die betrokke afstande, kan reis tussen streke tydrowend en duur wees.
Aardrykskunde
Die aangrensende Verenigde State of "Laer 48" verwys na die gebied, uitgesonderd Alaska en Hawaii. 'N Groot deel van die bevolking woon aan die kus van die Atlantiese Oseaan, die Stille Oseaan of die Golf van Mexiko of langs die Groot Mere. Sy enigste landgrense - albei redelik lank - word gedeel Kanada na die noorde en Mexiko na die suide. Die kontinentale Verenigde State is die 48 aangrensende state, D.C. en Alaska, maar Hawaii uitsluit.
Die land het drie groot bergreekse. Die Appalachians strek vanaf Kanada na Alabama, 'n paar honderd kilometer wes van die Atlantiese Oseaan. Dit is die oudste van die drie reekse en bied skouspelagtige besienswaardighede en uitstekende kampeerplekke. Die Rockies is gemiddeld die hoogste in Noord-Amerika en strek van Alaska tot New Mexico, met baie gebiede wat as Nasionale parke wat stap-, kamp-, ski- en besienswaardighede bied. Die gekombineerde Sierra Nevada en Kaskade reekse is die jongste. Die Sierras strek oor die "ruggraat" van Kalifornië, met webwerwe soos Lake Tahoe en Yosemite Nasionale Park, maak dan plek vir die nog jonger vulkaniese Cascade-reeks, met van die hoogste punte in die land.
In die middel van die land is die Groot vlaktes, wat die geheel van insluit Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Suid-Dakota, Noord-Dakota, en gedeeltes van die omliggende state. Hierdie streek word gekenmerk deur lang stukke plat land en gebiede van sagte heuwels. Dit bestaan grotendeels uit landbougrond en prêrie.
Die Golf van Mexiko is in die suidooste van Texas, suid van Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama en Floridase Panhandle, en vorm die Weskus van Florida.
Die Groot Mere 'n groot deel van die grens tussen die oostelike Verenigde State en Kanada definieer. Hulle het meer varswater binnelandse seë as mere gevorm deur die druk van terugtrekkende gletsers aan die einde van die laaste ystydperk. Die vyf mere strek oor honderde kilometers en grens aan die deelstate Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania en New York, en hul oewers wissel van ongerepte wildernisgebiede tot industriële "roesgordel" -stede.
Klimaat
Alhoewel baie van die VSA 'n gematig klimaat, is daar ook 'n wye verskeidenheid van Arktiese toendra in Alaska tot die tropiese weer in Hawaii en Suid-Florida. Die Groot vlaktes is droog, plat en grasagtig, en verander in woestyn in die Verre Weste en Mediterreense langs die Kaliforniese kus.
In die winter, kan groot stede in die Noord- en die Midde-Ooste tot 60 cm sneeuval op een dag sien, met koue temperature. Somers is vogtig, maar sag. Die temperatuur binne 38 ° C (100 ° F) val soms die Midwestelike en Groot Vlakte binne. Sommige gebiede in die noordelike vlaktes kan gedurende die winter koue temperature van -34 ° C (-34 ° C) ervaar. Temperature onder 18 ° C (soms 0 ° F) bereik soms so ver suid as Oklahoma.
Die klimaat van die Suid wissel ook. In die somer is dit warm en vogtig, maar van Oktober tot April kan die weer wissel van 60 ° F (16 ° C) tot kort koue periodes van 20 ° F (-7 ° C) of so.
Die Great Plains en Midwestern state ervaar ook tornado’s van die laat lente tot vroeë herfs, vroeër in die suide en later in die noorde. State langs die Atlantiese kus en die Golf van Mexiko kan dit ervaar orkane tussen Junie en November. Hierdie intense en gevaarlike storms mis die Amerikaanse vasteland gereeld, maar ontruimings word gereeld bestel en daar moet op gelet word.
Die Rockies is koud en sneeuagtig. Sommige dele van die Rockies sien in 'n seisoen meer as 1.300 cm sneeu. Selfs gedurende die somer is die temperatuur koel in die berge, en sneeu kan amper die hele jaar val. Dit is gevaarlik om in die winter onvoorbereid op te gaan in die berge en die paaie daardeur kan baie ysig word.
Die woestyne van die Suidwes is warm en droog gedurende die somer, met temperature wat gewoonlik 38 ° C oorskry. Donderstorms kan in die suidweste gereeld verwag word vanaf Julie tot September. Die winters is sag en sneeu is ongewoon. Die gemiddelde jaarlikse neerslag is laag, gewoonlik minder as 250 mm.
Koel en klam weer kom 'n groot deel van die jaar algemeen in die noordweste aan die kus (Oregon en Washington wes van die Cascade Range, en die noordelike deel van Kalifornië wes van die Coast Ranges / Cascades). Somers (Julie tot September) is gewoonlik redelik droog met lae humiditeit, wat dit die ideale klimaat vir buitelugaktiwiteite maak. Reën kom meestal voor in die winter, sneeu is skaars, veral langs die kus, en ekstreme temperature is ongewoon. Reën val byna uitsluitlik vanaf laat herfs tot vroeg in die lente langs die kus. Oos van die Cascades is die noordweste aansienlik droër. 'N Groot deel van die binnelandse noordweste is halfdroog of woestyn, veral in Oregon.
Noordoostelike en Bo-suidelike stede is bekend vir somers met temperature tot 32 ° C of meer, met 'n uiters hoë humiditeit, gewoonlik meer as 80%. Dit kan 'n drastiese verandering in Suidwes wees. Hoë humiditeit beteken dat die temperatuur warmer kan voel as die werklike metings. Die noordooste ervaar ook sneeu, en ten minste een keer elke paar jaar sal die wit goed in enorme hoeveelhede gestort word.
Geskiedenis
| Verenigde State se historiese reisonderwerpe: Inheemse nasies → Voor-burgeroorlog → Burgeroorlog → Ou Weste → Industrialisering → Naoorlogse |
Inheemse Amerikaners, of Amerikaanse Indiane, het 13 500 tot 16 000 jaar gelede aangekom van mense wat noordoos-Asië trek, wat die Beringstraat oorsteek Alaska, en het 'n wye verskeidenheid gesofistikeerde samelewings verteenwoordig wat bestaan het voor die eerste aankoms van Europeërs in die laat 15de eeu. Die Mississippiese kulture het groot nedersettings regoor die suidooste gebou, en die Anasazi het uitgebreide kransdorpe in die suidweste gebou. Hierdie samelewings is vernietig deur ou-wêreldse siektes soos pokke en is wes gestoot deur oorlogvoering en die aanval van Europese setlaars. Hul verminderde getalle het gelei tot verdere marginalisering, hoewel hul kulture vandag verduur en steeds bydra tot die Amerikaanse ervaring.
Europese kolonisasie begin in die 16de en 17de eeu. Engeland, Spanje, en Frankryk groot besighede verkry; die Nederland, Swede, en Rusland ook buiteposte gevestig. Die eerste Engelse kolonies, gestig in Jamestown, Virginia (1607) en Plymouth, Massachusetts (1620), vorm die kern van wat nou bekend staan as die Verenigde State.
In die noorde, Massachusetts is deur godsdienstige immigrante gevestig - Puriteine - wat later die meeste van die ander versprei en gestig het Nieu-Engeland kolonies, wat 'n hoogs godsdienstige en idealistiese streek skep. Ander godsdienstige groepe het ook kolonies gestig, waaronder die Quakers in Pennsylvania en Rooms-Katolieke in Maryland. Die middelkolonies van New York, New Jersey, Delaware en Pennsylvania die Noorde se kosmopolitiese sentrum geword.
Langer groeiseisoene in die suidelike kolonies, wat steeds deur Virginia oorheers is, het hulle ryker landbouvooruitsigte gegee, veral vir katoen en tabak. Soos in Latyns-Amerika en die Karibiese Eilande, ingedien slawe, veroordeeldes en later Afrikaanse slawe ingevoer en gedwing om groot plantasies te bewerk. Slawerny is in Noord en Suid beoefen, maar die groter belang daarvan vir die Suide se ekonomie het uiteindelik geweldige omwenteling veroorsaak.
Teen die vroeë 18de eeu, Groot Brittanje die Atlantiese kus vanaf koloniseer het Georgië noord in wat nou Kanada is. Die laaste groot Britse migrasie na die gebied wat die Verenigde State sou word, het in die middel dekades van daardie eeu plaasgevind toe die Appalachia-streek gevestig is. In 1763 is die Britse oorheersing in Noord-Amerika tot stand gebring ná die wêreldwye Sewejarige Oorlog. Deels om die Noord-Amerikaanse veldtogte van die oorlog, bekend as die Franse en Indiese oorlog, te finansier, het Brittanje ongewilde belastings en regulasies aan sy koloniste opgelê. Dit het revolusie in 1775 laat plaasvind en op 4 Julie 1776 het koloniste van 13 kolonies onafhanklikheid verklaar. Die Revolusionêre Oorlog geduur tot 1783, toe die nuwe Verenigde State van Amerika soewereiniteit oor alle Britse land tussen die Atlantiese en die Atlantiese Oseaan verkry het Mississippi-rivier. Diegene wat steeds lojaal aan die Britte was, het meestal noordwaarts gevlug na wat vandag is Kanada, wat onder Britse bewind gebly het.
Stoei oor die vorming van 'n nasionale regering het geduur tot 1787 toe ooreengekom is op 'n grondwet. Sy idees van die Verligtingstydperk oor individuele vryheid het sedertdien die stigtingsbesluite van baie state geïnspireer. George Washington, die hoof-generaal van die rewolusionêre leër, is verkies tot die eerste president. Teen die draai van die 19de eeu, die nuutgeboude Washington DC. is gestig as die nasionale hoofstad.
Nuwe state is geskep toe wit setlaars weswaarts verder as die Appalachian-gebergte getrek het. Die inheemse Amerikaanse bevolking is verdring en verder deur oorlog en siektes geteister. Die 1803 Louisiana Aankoop van Franse lande ten weste van die Mississippi (in kaart gebring deur die Lewis en Clark-ekspedisie) die grootte van die nasie effektief verdubbel en 'Indiese gebied' in die huidige Oklahoma voorsien vir die talle inheemse Amerikaanse stamme uit die ooste wat tydens die Trail of Tears van die 1830's.
Verdere meningsverskille met die Britse handelsbeleid wat voortspruit uit die Napoleontiese Oorloë en die indruk van die Royal Navy het gelei tot die Oorlog van 1812. Daar was meer as twee jaar van dramatiese optrede op land en see, wat 'n inval in Kanada en die verbranding van die Withuis en openbare geboue in Washington, DC, insluit. Die oorlog het feitlik geen grondveranderings gehad nie, maar die oorlog het afsonderlike Amerikaanse en Kanadese gegalvaniseer. identiteite. Die volkslied, "The Star-Spangled Banner", is tydens hierdie oorlog bedink. Westerse inheemse Amerikaanse stamme wat hulle aan die kant van die Britte geskaar het, het swaar gekry terwyl hulle gebied aan wit setlaars gegee is.
Na die oorlog is die industrie en infrastruktuur baie uitgebrei, veral in die noordooste; sien Amerikaanse Nywerheidstoer. Paaie en kanale het eerste gekom en mense gehelp om die binneland te versprei. In 1825 het die Erie-kanaal verbind die Atlantiese Oseaan met die Groot Mere. Teen die laat 1860's het spoorlyne en telegraaflyne die oos- en weskus verbind via die industriële middelpunt van Chicago in die Midde-Ooste. In die vroeë 19de eeu het 'n reeks godsdienstige herlewings, die Tweede Groot Ontwaking, gelei tot verskillende hervormingsbewegings wat hulle beywer vir doelstellings soos matigheid, die afskaffing van slawerny en vrouestemreg.
Amerikaanse uitbreiding suid en wes het Spaanse en Mexikaanse gebied afgeskaaf. Spanje verkoop Florida in 1813 na Amerikaanse militêre ingryping, en 'n rebellie in 1836 deur Amerikaanse setlaars in Mexikaanse Texas, het 'n onafhanklike republiek gestig wat tien jaar later in die Unie opgeneem is. Dit het die Mexikaans – Amerikaanse oorlog waarin Mexiko verloor het wat nou is Kalifornië, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, en New Mexico, en die aangrensende Verenigde State het in wese sy moderne uiteensetting aanvaar. Inheemse Amerikaners is afgesit van besprekings en is steeds gesuiwer deur verdrag, militêre mag en siektes van setlaars op die Oregon-roete en ander weswaartse roetes. (Sien ook "Ou Weste".)
Federale regering was lig en die state was baie outonoom. Teen die 1850's was daar 'n onversoenbare verskil tussen die geïndustrialiseerde en meer stedelike Noordelike state, wat binne drie dekades na die rewolusie die slawerny verbied het, en die plantasie-afhanklike landelike Suide. Baie in die Noorde wou 'n nasionale verbod instel op die uitbreiding van slawerny, terwyl die suidelike state probeer het om slawerny in nuwe gebiede uit te brei. Afskaffers het 'n Ondergrondse spoorweg voortvlugtende slawe in die noordelike state lei tot vryheid in Kanada. In 1861 het elf Suidelike state gevrees vir marginalisering en die uitgesproke president van die slawerny Abraham Lincoln, het van die Unie afgebreek en 'n onafhanklike Gekonfedereerde State van Amerika gevorm. Die daaropvolgende Amerikaanse burgeroorlog bly die bloedigste konflik op Amerikaanse bodem en het honderdduisende mense gedood. In 1865 het die Unie-magte die oorhand gekry en die gesag van die federale regering oor die state stewig bevestig. Slawerny is landwyd afgeskaf en die Gekonfedereerde state is tydens 'n periode van heropbou weer tot die Unie toegelaat. Die voormalige slawe en hul nasate sou 'n ekonomiese en sosiale onderklas bly, veral in die Suide.
Rusland het in 1867 sy grondgebied van Alaska verkoop, en onafhanklike Hawaii is in 1898 geannekseer. Die beslissende oorwinning van die Verenigde State oor Spanje in 1898 Spaans – Amerikaanse oorlog het dit koloniale gebiede verwerf: Kuba ('n paar jaar later onafhanklikheid verleen), die Filippyne (kort daarna onafhanklikheid verleen Tweede Wereldoorlog), Puerto Rico en Guam (wat Amerikaanse afhanklikhede bly). Die grense van die Verenigde State het die vorm aangeneem wat ons vandag ken in 1959, toe die gebiede Alaska en Hawaii staatskaping gekry het.
Aan die einde van die 19de en in die 20ste eeu het Suid- en Oos-Europeërs, Russiese Jode en Iere die voortgesette industrialisering van die oostelike stede versterk deur goedkoop arbeid te lewer. Baie Suider-Afro-Amerikaners het gevlug vir landelike armoede en rassisme vir industriële werk in die Noorde. Ander immigrante, waaronder baie Skandinawiërs en Duitsers, het verhuis na nuwe gebiede in die Weste en die Midde-Weste, waar grond gegee is aan almal wat dit sou ontwikkel.
Die Verenigde State se toetrede tot Eerste Wêreldoorlog in 1917 was die begin van 'n era waarin dit 'n wêreldmoondheid sou word. Kort na die oorwinning het die VSA egter van internasionale betrokkenheid afgewyk en geweier om by die ontluikende Volkebond aan te sluit en die organisasie effektief verlam. Reële rykdom het vinnig gegroei en in die brullende 20's het aandelespekulasies 'n geweldige finansiële "borrel" geskep. Dit bars in 1929, wat lei tot die wêreldwye ekonomiese verwoesting van die Groot depressie. Die gevolglike vooroordeel het 'n kultuur van opoffering en harde werk gekweek wat die land goed sou dien in die komende konflik. Dit het ook president Franklin D. Roosevelt ingelui. Sy 'New Deal' was 'n reeks regeringsprogramme wat duisende geboue en brûe regoor die land gebou het, terwyl dit die basis van die Amerikaanse welsynstaat geskep het.
In 1941 val Japan aan pêrelhawe, 'n Hawaise vlootbasis, wat die Verenigde State in stort Tweede Wereldoorlog aan die kant van die Geallieerde Magte - sien Tweede Wêreldoorlog in Europa en die Stille Oseaanoorlog. Die VSA het atoombomme ontwikkel en dit in 1945 twee keer op Japan laat val en die oorlog skielik beëindig. Teen die einde van die oorlog het die Verenigde State hulself sterk gevestig as die wêreld se dominante ekonomiese mag, verantwoordelik vir byna die helfte van die wêreldwye industriële produksie. Gedurende die daaropvolgende Koue Oorlog, die Verenigde State en die Soviet Unie getwis vir mag terwyl hulle hul eie onderling versekerde vernietiging met kernwapens beywer. Alhoewel oorlog tussen die twee supermoondhede nooit voorgekom het nie, was albei kante indirek betrokke by geheime operasies en militêre pogings deur middel van verskillende volmagstate wat steeds die siening van mense oor die Verenigde State en die rol daarvan in die wêreldpolitiek (dikwels negatief) beïnvloed.
Gedurende die eeu na die Burgeroorlog het swart mense, hoewel hulle oënskynlik gelyke burgers was onder die wysigings aan die Amerikaanse Grondwet na die burgeroorlog, gely onder sterk sosiale, ekonomiese en politieke diskriminasie en staatsgesanksieerde segregasie, veral in die Suide. 'N Beweging wat veg vir volle burgerregte vir swart Amerikaners, het ná die Tweede Wêreldoorlog krag gekry toe swart swart veterane wat in die buiteland teen rassisme geveg het, terugkom om te vind dat daar steeds teen hulle gediskrimineer word. Die burgerregtebeweging het heftig, maar grotendeels vreedsaam, om gelyke regte getwis. Met Martin Luther King, Jr., 'n charismatiese prediker, as die mees sigbare leier, het die beweging in 1963 op die spits gekom toe 200,000–300,000 mense die hoofstad oorstroom het om na hom te luister. Die kenmerkende wet op burgerregte wat in 1964 aangeneem is, het diskriminasie op grond van ras, kleur, godsdiens, geslag of nasionale oorsprong verbied, hoewel sulke diskriminasie steeds bestaan, meestal in minder blatante vorme. Dit was eers met die verkiesing van Barack Obama 44 jaar later in 2008 dat die land sy eerste Afro-Amerikaanse president sou hê. 'N Herlewende vrouebeweging in die 1960's het ook gelei tot wydlopende veranderinge in die Amerikaanse samelewing.
Na-oorlogse Amerika is gekenmerk deur welvaart en industrialisering. Mense het die landbou verlaat en na die stede getrek om deel te word van 'n toenemend tegnologie-gebaseerde ekonomie. Amerikaanse motorkultuur het in die vyftigerjare ontstaan en is ondersteun deur die bou van 'n omvattende Interstate Highway System. Hierdie neigings het ook gelei tot die opkoms van voorstede en 'n afname in openbare vervoer en treinreise, wat toerisme in die land gemaak het Verenigde State sonder motor besonder moeilik tot vandag toe. Hulle het ook gelei tot wit vlug na die voorstede in baie Amerikaanse stede, en baie swart mense in agtergeblewe woonbuurte in die stad agtergelaat. Die Amerikaanse verbruikerskultuur, Hollywood-flieks en vele vorme van populêre musiek het die Verenigde State as 'n kulturele supermoondheid in die wêreld gevestig. Die VSA het uitgegroei tot een van die wêreld se belangrikste sentrums vir hoër onderwys en is tans die tuiste van baie van die wêreld se mees gesogte universiteite, wat meer internasionale studente lok as enige ander land.
Sedert die ineenstorting van die Sowjetunie was die Verenigde State die wêreld se enigste supermoondheid, en hoewel sy hegemonie toenemend uitgedaag word deur 'n opstander Sjina en Rusland, speel dit steeds die dominante militêre, ekonomiese, politieke en kulturele rol in wêreldsake. Die hoop dat duur en soms rampspoedige oorloë (soos die Viëtnam-oorlog) na die val van Amerika se vernaamste mededinger nie tot die verlede behoort nie, is ongelukkig nie waar nie. Administrasies het sedert die einde van die Koue Oorlog almal in die een of ander vorm te make gehad met wat hulle noem die bedreiging van 'skelm state', terrorisme en 'n vinnig veranderende wêreldwye politieke landskap. Die terreuraanvalle op 11 September 2001 is nog steeds 'n oop wond en beïnvloed die politieke debat tot vandag toe, met verhoogde veiligheidsmaatreëls op lughawens wat net een manier is waarop terrorisme (of die vrees daarvoor) reisigers geraak het. Ekonomies het die "Groot Resessie", wat in 2007 veroorsaak is deur die ineenstorting van die huismarkborrel, in 2009 tot 'n einde gekom, maar die gemiddelde Amerikaner het die negatiewe gevolge vir baie jare aanhou voel.
Regering en politiek
Die Verenigde State is 'n federale republiek. Die belangrikste bestanddele daarvan is die 50 state en die District of Columbia (Washington D.C.); dit het ook verskillende eilandgebiede in die Karibiese Eilande en die Stille Oseaan wat sterk, maar dikwels nie volledig nie, in die unie geïntegreer is.
Die federale regering put sy mag uit die Amerikaanse Grondwet, wat die oudste geskrewe grondwet is wat deurlopend gebruik word. Binne die oorkoepelende federale wette handhaaf elke staat sy eie grondwet, regering en wette, en behou dus aansienlike outonomie binne die federasie. Staatswette kan in hul besonderhede verskil, maar is meestal van staat tot staat redelik eenvormig.
Die President word elke vier jaar verkies en is die hoof van die federale regering en staatshoof. Die president en hul administrasie vorm die uitvoerende gesag. Die tweekamer-kongres (bestaande uit die Laer Huis van Verteenwoordigers en die Bo-Senaat) word ook in die volksmond verkies en vorm die wetgewende tak. Die Hooggeregshof is die top van die regterlike tak. Staatsregerings is soortgelyk georganiseer, met goewerneurs, wetgewers en regters.
Twee belangrike politieke partye het sedert die einde van die burgeroorlog op staats- en federale vlak gedomineer: die Republikeinse Party (dikwels na verwys as die GOP, afkorting vir "Grand Old Party") en die Demokratiese Party. Sedert die 1960's het die Republikeinse Party oor die algemeen die meer regse of 'konserwatiewe' party geword, terwyl die Demokratiese Party gewoonlik die meer linkse of 'liberale' party is. Alhoewel daar kleiner politieke partye bestaan, beteken die wenner-neem-alles-kiesstelsel dat hulle selde op enige vlak slaag. Alhoewel rooi en blou in baie van die wêreld onderskeidelik linkse en regsgedeelde partye aandui, is hulle in die VSA omgekeer, sodat die Republikeine rooi en die Demokrate blou is.
Kultuur
Die Verenigde State bestaan uit baie uiteenlopende etniese groepe en die kultuur wissel baie oor die groot gebied van die land en selfs binne stede - 'n stad soos New York sal tientalle, indien nie honderde, verskillende etniese groepe in 'n omgewing hê. Ten spyte van hierdie verskil, bestaan daar 'n sterk gevoel van nasionale identiteit en sekere oorheersende kulturele eienskappe. Oor die algemeen is Amerikaners geneig om sterk te glo aan persoonlike vryheid en verantwoordelikheid, en dat 'n individu sy of haar eie sukses of mislukking bepaal, maar daar is baie uitsonderings. Mississippi in die Suide sal kultureel baie anders wees as Massachusetts in die Noorde.
Godsdiens is baie belangrik in die Verenigde State, met 80% van die mense wat identifiseer met 'n godsdienstige verbintenis. Huidige beramings is dat 49% van die Amerikaners tot 'n Christelike protestantse kerk behoort en nog 23% Rooms-Katoliek is. 5% van die Amerikaners behoort tot nie-Christelike godsdienste soos Judaïsme, Islam, Hindoeïsme en Boeddhisme. Baie besighede en instellings is op Sondae gesluit, en 'n aantal gebiede in die Suid- en Midde-Weste verbied dat sekere aktiwiteite op Sondae plaasvind, terwyl sommige Joodse ondernemings Vrydagaande en Saterdae vir die Sabbat sluit.
Alhoewel grondwetlik 'n sekulêre staat is, is die Verenigde State in die praktyk meer godsdienstig as ander Westerse lande soos Australië, Kanada en die meeste Europese lande. Hierdie neiging verskil egter baie per streek, met die Weskus en Noordooste grootliks sekulêr en die Amerikaanse suide sterk Evangelies Christen wees. Verskille in godsdienstigheid korreleer dikwels met politiek, dus is die noordoostelike, Westkus, Hawaii en Chicago metropolitaans oor die algemeen progressief en demokraties; die meeste van die Suid- en swaar Mormoonse state soos Utah, Idaho en Wyoming is baie konserwatief en Republikein; en 'n groot deel van die res van die land (bv. verskeie Midwestern, Southwestern / Rocky Mountain en suidelike kusstate) is byna eweredig verdeeld tussen Demokrate en Republikeine. Selfs dit kan egter misleidend wees, want baie konserwatiewe state het universiteitsdorpe en groot stede wat baie liberaal is, terwyl liberale state dikwels landelike gebiede het wat baie konserwatief is. 'N Tendens van die afgelope paar dekades is die toenemende geografiese politieke polarisasie. Die meeste Amerikaners woon nou in provinsies waar hul politieke neiging 'n meerderheid van 20% of meer het en stede - oor die algemeen - al hoe liberaler word, terwyl landelike gebiede al hoe meer konserwatief word met die middelgrond wat verdwyn.
Vakansies
Moet altyd anders wees Terwyl die meeste lande op 1 Mei die Dag van die Arbeid vier ter herdenking van die Haymarket-aangeleentheid van 1886, het die VSA verkies om dit in September te vier, uit vrees dat 'n Mei-viering soortgelyke betogings in die Haymarket-styl sou aanmoedig en die radikale linkse sou laat energie kry. 11 November, wat die gedenkdag in Europa en Kanada is, is uitgebrei om alle veterane van die Amerikaanse weermag te vier; Gedenkdag het die doel om oorlogsdood te erken. |
Daar is geen landswye, verpligte openbare vakansiedae nie. Federale vakansiedae is die sentraalste gekoördineerde vakansiedae, maar dit is slegs verpligtend vir die federale regering en banke. Alle federale regeringskantore, poskantore en banke sluit op federale vakansiedae, maar private ondernemings kan kies of hulle dit wil waarneem.
Byna alle state en gemeenskappe hou die federale vakansiedae in ag; die meeste neem ook 'n ekstra handjievol van hul eie waar. As 'n federale vakansie op 'n naweek val, sal die nakoming na die naaste weekdag (óf Vrydag óf Maandag), met sluitings soortgelyk aan Presidentsdag in Februarie. Die feestelikheid en die groot afsluitings van die kleinhandel vind op die jaarlikse datum plaas, selfs al is dit die naweek.
Die tyd tussen Thanksgiving (die vierde Donderdag in November) en 1 Januarie het so 'n groot konsentrasie van groot vakansiedae dat dit gewoonlik 'die vakansieseisoen' genoem word. Baie mense neem vakansies gedurende hierdie tydperk, met mense wat familie en vriende besoek. Airports, interstate highways, bus stations, and train stations will be very crowded near the major holidays. If you must travel, allow extra time to check in and clear security. This is also a major gift-giving season: most shopping malls and department stores will be crowded, especially on the day after Thanksgiving, the week before Christmas, and the day after Christmas.
As in most other countries where alcohol is legal, be careful on the roads at and around major holidays, such as New Year's, Memorial Day, or Independence Day, as there are more drunk drivers on the roads then.
In the list below, federal holidays are listed in bold italics. In addition to federal holidays, the following list includes holidays that may inconvenience travelers, and nationwide celebrations of other events that may be of interest to travelers:
- Nuwejaarsdag (1 January) — most non-retail businesses closed; parades; brunches and football parties.
- Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January) — many government offices and banks closed; people volunteer in their communities; speeches, especially on African-American history and culture.
- Chinees of Maan-nuwejaar (January/February — varies based on the lunar calendar) — Chinese-, Korean- and Vietnamese-Americans hold cultural celebrations.
- Super Bowl Sunday (usually the first Sunday in February) — This annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) is the most-watched sporting event of the year; supermarkets, bars, and electronics stores busy; big football-watching parties.
- (St.) Valentine's Day (14 February) — private celebration of romance and love. Most restaurants are crowded; finer restaurants may require reservations made well in advance.
- Presidents Day of Washington's Birthday (third Monday in February) — many government offices and banks closed; many stores have sales.
- St Patrick's Day (17 March) — Irish-themed parades and parties. Expect bars to be crowded. They will often feature themed drink specials. The wearing of green clothes or accessories is common.
- Goeie Vrydag (the Friday before Easter) — Christian (especially Catholic) religious observances. Some restaurants and shops close. The governments of some states with large Catholic populations (e.g. New Jersey) observe the holiday and close government offices on this day.
- Paasfees (a Sunday in March or April) — Christian religious observances. Many fast-food restaurants are closed, but sit-down restaurants are more likely to be open. Major retailers generally open; smaller shops may or may not close.
- Passover (varies based on the Jewish calendar, eight days around Easter) — Jewish religious observances. Many American Jews invite non-Jews to their Seder on one of the first two nights. Expect very heavy traffic on Seder afternoons and evenings in areas with large Jewish populations such as the New York Metro Area and South Florida.
- Cinco de Mayo (5 May) — A minor holiday in Mexico that celebrates the 1862 Battle of Puebla against the French, but a major cultural celebration for Mexican-Americans. Expect bars to be crowded, even in places without large Mexican-American communities.
- Mother's Day (second Sunday in May) — Children and adults give gifts to their mothers. Most restaurants are crowded, especially for brunch and lunch; finer restaurants may require reservations made well in advance.
- gedenkdag (last Monday in May) — most non-retail businesses closed; some patriotic observances; trips to beaches and parks; traditional beginning of summer tourism season.
- Vadersdag (third Sunday in June) — Children and adults give gifts to their fathers. Many restaurants and sporting events are crowded, although not to the same extent as Mother's Day.
- Juneteenth (19 June) — Commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.; not yet widely celebrated outside majority-Black areas, but observance is spreading as of 2020; civic ceremonies and speeches.
- Independence Day/Fourth of July (4 July) — most non-retail businesses closed; patriotic parades and concerts, cookouts and trips to beaches and parks, fireworks at dusk, often continuing well into the night. Almost every town puts on some sort of festivity to celebrate the day.
- Labor Day (first Monday in September) — most non-retail businesses closed; cookouts and trips to beaches and parks; many stores have sales; traditional ending of summer tourism season.
- Rosh Hashanah en Yom Kippur (varies based on the Jewish calendar, September or early October) — Jewish religious observances.
- Columbus Day (second Monday in October) — many government offices and banks closed; some stores have sales. Italian-themed parades in some cities. Columbus Day can be controversial, especially among Native Americans and Latinos, and is not as widely observed as it was in the past. In some places, Columbus Day has been renamed as Indigenous People's Day, with celebrations of tribal cultures occurring.
- Halloween (31 October) — Children dress up in costume and go trick-or-treating (knocking on other houses' doors to get candy and other treats). There are spooky attractions, such as haunted corn mazes, hayrides and costume parties. Some small family-owned shops and restaurants may close early in the evening. Adults get in on the action too: boozy Halloween parties and bar-hopping in costume is common.
- Veterans Day (11 November) — government offices and banks closed; some patriotic observances.
- Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) — Family dinners with roast turkey as the centerpiece; many people fly or drive to visit extended family. New York Stad en Chicago host parades, Detroit and many other cities hold races. Many other smaller events fill the landscape, including a recreation of the original Thanksgiving dinner in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Airports are extremely crowded on the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving. Most businesses closed, including grocery stores and many restaurants.
- Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) — Major Christmas shopping traditionally begins, most stores have sales and many open in the very early morning (with a few now opening on Thanksgiving night). Most non-retail employees are given Friday off or take it as a vacation.
- Hanukkah/Chanukah (varies based on the Jewish calendar, eight days usually in December) — Jewish religious observances, often culturally associated with Christmas.
- Christmas (25 December) — Families and close friends exchange gifts; Christian religious observances. Almost all businesses, grocery stores, and many restaurants closed the evening before and all day. Some government offices close at noon on the 24th, with everything closed on the 25th. However, many Chinese and Jewish businesses remain open.
- Kwanzaa (26 December – 1 January) — African-American cultural observances.
- Oujaarsaand (31 December) — many restaurants and bars open late; lots of parties, especially in big cities. Some government offices close at noon.
All U.S. embassies are closed on the federal holidays in addition to the holidays of the host country.
Maateenhede
- Sien ook: Metrieke en keiserlike ekwivalente
The United States is the only industrialized country that eschews the metric system. Instead it uses "customary units" (feet, miles, gallons, pounds, etc.), which are largely derived from the English units of the 18th century, and are sometimes different from the imperial units that occasionally linger in Britain. Road distances are given in miles and speed limits in miles per hour (1 mile is 1.61 km, or 1 km is 0.62 miles). One of the more confusing things is that an "ounce" can be either a measure of weight or (as a "fluid ounce") a measure of volume. The U.S. fluid ounce is also slightly larger than its imperial counterpart, while U.S. gallons, quarts and pints are smaller than their counterparts. Gasoline and other liquids are usually sold per gallon, quart, or fluid ounce (a U.S. gallon is 3.78 liters, so a U.S. quart [a quarter gallon] is slightly less than a liter). Beverages such as soda are sometimes sold by the liter and other times sold by the fluid ounce, with just under 34 ounces to a liter. Temperatures are usually reported in Fahrenheit only; 32° is actually freezing, not warm! Most cars' speedometers show both miles and kilometers per hour (good for trips to Canada and Mexico), and almost all packaged foods and other products are labeled in both systems. Outside of science, medicine and the military, there is little day-to-day exposure to the metric system, so Americans will assume you understand the U.S. customary measures.
There is no formal regulation of clothes or shoe sizes, and the only thing you can count on is that sizes tend to be consistent within the same brand. For shoe sizes some trial and error will be needed for each model.
Tydsones
Taking into consideration even the small territories in the Pacific Ocean (some of which cannot be easily accessed) the U.S. spans eleven time zones. Just four time zones are used in the contiguous 48 states, with an additional two covering Alaska and Hawaii. Time zone borders do not always correspond to state borders.
- Eastern Time (UTC-5): Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode eiland, New York, Michigan except extreme northwestern counties, Indiana except the southwest and northwest corners, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, eastern Kentucky, Wes-Virginia, Virginia, Washington DC., Maryland, Delaware, eastern Tennessee, Noord-Carolina, Georgië, Suid Carolina, Florida except western part of panhandle.
- Central Time (UTC-6): Wisconsin, Illinois, the southwest and northwest corners of Indiana, westelike Kentucky, western and middle Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, north and east Noord-Dakota, eastern Suid-Dakota, middle and eastern Nebraska, Meeste van Kansas, Oklahoma, Meeste van Texas, part of western Florida(panhandle).
- Mountain Time (UTC-7): southwest Noord-Dakota, westelike Suid-Dakota, westelike Nebraska, a sliver of Kansas, Montana, a sliver of Oregon, southern Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, a corner of Texas, West Wendover, Nevada
- Pacific Time (UTC-8): Washington, northern Idaho, Meeste van Oregon, Kalifornië, Nevada except West Wendover
- Alaska Time (UTC-9): Alaska, except the Aleoetiese eilande
- Hawaii-Aleutian Time (UTC-10): Hawaii, die Aleoetiese eilande
Most parts of the U.S. observe Daylight Saving Time; Hawaii and Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) do not.
Talk
"Two countries divided by a common language" Speakers of British English will find many terms which differ in American English. Here are a few:
Sien die artikel Engelse variëteite for more words that differ across both versions. |
Almost all Americans speak Engels. Most Americans speak in accents that are recognizably similar to one another and to one traditionally associated with the Midwest, which was popularized in the 20th century by American radio, TV and movies. Although many Americans can discern differences between quite a few accents, the ones most likely to be heard as distinctive by foreign visitors include those commonly spoken in the South and Texas, the Boston area, the New York City area, the upper Midwest and Hawaii.
American English differs somewhat from the English spoken in other parts of the English speaking world. These differences are mostly minor, and primarily around minor spelling and pronunciation differences. One important difference, though, is that dates are always written MM/DD/YYYY or MM/DD. See the article on Engelse variëteite for a detailed discussion.
Many African-Americans and some other Americans also speak African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), which has somewhat different grammar and vocabulary from styles of American English usually regarded as standard. Nearly all African-Americans can switch back and forth between AAVE and standard American English effortlessly. Generally, if you are not African-American, you should not try to speak AAVE, even if it's spoken to you; it would be considered odd and possibly offensive. Spanglish — an admixture of Spanish and English — is similarly commonplace in many areas with large Hispanic populations, and code-switching between Spanglish and standard American English is similarly commonplace.
Visitors are generally expected to speak and understand English. While many Americans study a foreign language in school (overwhelmingly Spanish followed by French), few progress past the basics. Popular tourist sites often have signs and information available in other languages. Americans have a long history of immigration and are very accommodating towards foreign accents, and will sometimes take the effort to help you by speaking in a more standard accent. Major cities often have groups of foreign language learners who meet up regularly to practice their language skills, and these can be a good way to meet locals if you speak the language in question. Meetup.com is the most popular web-site listing many of these groups, though other less well-known web-sites also exist.
Spaans is the first language of Puerto Rico and a large minority of residents on the mainland (with the fifth-largest Spanish speaking population in the world). Spanish speakers in the United States are often Puerto Ricans or first- and second-generation immigrants from Latin America. As a result, the Spanish spoken is almost invariably a Latin American dialect. Spanish is the primary second language in many parts of the United States such as California, the Southwest, Texas, Florida, and the metropolitan areas of Chicago and New York City. Many of these areas have Spanish-language radio and television stations, with local, national and Mexican programs. Most publications from the federal government, and those of some state and municipal governments are available in Spanish. Many establishments and government offices in major commercial and tourist areas have Spanish-speaking staff on duty, and it is possible with some difficulty to get by in the major cities and main tourist attractions speaking only Spanish.
You may encounter other languages in some regions, like Hawaiian, French, American Indian languages (Navajo being the most commonly spoken one), Yiddish, and Pennsylvania Dutch. These are covered in regional articles.
American Sign Language (ASL) is the dominant sign language in the United States. When events are interpreted, they will be interpreted in ASL. Users of French Sign Language and other related languages may find ASL intelligible, as they share much vocabulary, but users of Japanese Sign Language, British Sign Language, or Auslan will not. Closed-captioning on television is widespread, but far from ubiquitous. Many theaters offer FM loops or other assistive listening devices, but captioning and interpreters are rarer.
For the blind, many signs and displays include Braille transcriptions of the printed English. Larger restaurant chains, museums, and parks may offer Braille menus and guidebooks, but you'll likely have to ask for them.
Gaan in
| COVID-19 inligting: Entry will be denied to foreign nationals who have been to China, Iran, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil or South Africa in the past 14 days, except immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The Canadian and Mexican borders are closed to non-essential travel. All air passengers permitted to travel to the U.S., including U.S. citizens, must take a COVID-19 test within three days of their departure with a confirmed negative result, or show documented proof that they have recovered from COVID-19. Airlines have been directed to refuse boarding to those who do not meet these requirements. All travelers, upon arrival in the United States, should stay home for 10 days per the guidelines established by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This time is shortened to 7 dae for those who choose to take a COVID test 3-5 days after arrival. Travelers that are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least 14 days since the final dose):
Let daarop dat state and local mandates may supersede all of these recommendations, even if fully vaccinated, so it is important to check on any requirements prior to travel. |
| (Information last updated 07 Apr 2021) |
The United States has exceptionally onerous and complicated visa requirements. Read up carefully before your visit, especially if you need to apply for a visa, and consult the Buro vir Konsulêre Sake. Travellers have been refused entry for many reasons, often trivial. Since 2019, visitors to the US have also been required to fully document mobile phone numbers, e-mail addresses and on-line identities they've used in the past five years, during the application process.
Planning and pre-arrival documentation
Visa-free entry
Citizens of the 38 countries within the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), as well as Canadians and Bermudians do not require visas for entry into the United States. Canadians en Bermudians are normally allowed to visit for up to six months. Permanent residents of Canada are nie eligible for visa-free entry, unless they are also citizens of a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program, or one of the separate provisions for a few other countries.
The Visa Waiver Program permits visa-free stays of up to 90 days; it applies to citizens of Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (must include ID card number), and the United Kingdom (must have right of abode in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man).
Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau may enter, reside, study, and work in the U.S. indefinitely with only a valid passport.
Citizens of the Bahamas may apply for visa-free entry enigste at the U.S. Customs pre-clearance facilities in the Bahamas, but a valid police certificate that was issued within the last six months is required for those over the age of 14. Attempting to enter through any other port of entry requires a valid visa.
Citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands may enter the U.S. without a visa enigste if they are travelling on a direct flight from there, but a valid police certificate issued within the last six months is required for those over the age of 14. Attempting to enter from any other country requires a valid visa.
Cayman Islands citizens, if they intend to travel directly to the U.S. from there, may obtain a single-entry visa waiver for about $25 prior to departure. A valid police certificate that was issued within the last three months is required for those over the age of 13. Attempting to enter from any other country will require you to have a valid visa.
With only a few exceptions — traffic violations, civil infractions (e.g. littering, noise violations, disorderly conduct), purely political offenses (e.g. non-violent protest in countries where it is not allowed), and offenses committed before the age of 16 — a criminal record will likely revoke any right to visa-free travel to the U.S. Anyone with a criminal record, including Canadians and Bermudians, should seek advice from a U.S. embassy on whether they need to obtain a visa.
Visa Waiver Program requirements
 | Visumbeperkings: Under new rules passed in 2015, travellers who have visited Iran, Irak, Libië, Noord-Korea, Somalië, Soedan, Sirië of Jemen on or after March 1, 2011, are not eligible to enter under the VWP. They remain eligible to apply for a regular tourism or business visa – at the expense of more cost and hassle than with the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).Similarly, dual citizens who hold the citizenship of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria in addition to a nationality otherwise eligible for a visa waiver cannot enter under the VWP. |
The program is open only to travellers who are in the United States for tourism or business purposes. You cannot be coming to the U.S. for formal education, to get a job, or to conduct journalism; if you are, you must get an appropriate visa in advance no matter how short your trip to the U.S. may be.
The 90-day limit is not extendable. A short trip to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean will not allow a fresh 90 days upon return to the U.S. An extended absence to the neighboring countries may reset the limit, particularly if your first trip to the U.S. was short. Take care if transiting through the U.S. on a trip around North America that exceeds 90 days.
Having a criminal record, having been refused entry, or having been denied a U.S. visa will make you ineligible to enter on the VWP; you will have to apply for a U.S. visa instead.
Entry under the VWP by air or sea requires the completion of an online form and a payment of $14, preferably 72 hours before arrival. The form is called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ESTA approval covers multiple trips and is valid for two years (unless your passport expires earlier). This requirement is waived if entering by land.
All passports must be biometric. If your passport is an older one that was issued before biometric passports were available, you will need to obtain a new passport to travel to the U.S. on the VWP.
Entry under the VWP by air or sea requires travel with a signatory carrier. Any commercial scheduled services to the U.S. will be fine, but if you are on a chartered flight or vessel you should check the status of the carrier, as you may require a visa. Flying your own personal aircraft, or sailing your own personal yacht to the U.S. will require you to obtain a tourist visa in advance.
Travellers entering by air or sea should also have a return or onward ticket out of the United States. This requirement is not necessary for residents of Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean.
Entry under the VWP does not allow you to change your immigration status, and if you are denied entry, the decision can't be appealed and you will immediately be placed on the first flight out.
Obtaining a visa
U.S. Visa/Residence Status Overview
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For the rest of the world, the visa application fee is a non-refundable $160 (as of October 2018) for visas that are not issued on the basis of a petition and $190 for those that are; this fee is waived under very limited circumstances, namely for people requesting certain exchange visitor visas.
Depending on your nationality and the category of visa you are requesting, you may need to pay an additional fee (ranging from $7–200) only if the visa is issued. Dit word a genoem reciprocity fee and is charged by the U.S. to match the fees charged by other countries on U.S. citizens.
Additionally, Chinese (PRC) citizens (that is, anyone travelling to the US on a PRC passport) must enroll in die Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) for travel into the United States on any 10-year B-type visa. The enrollment is valid for two years (or until passport/visa expiry, whichever comes first) before it needs to be updated again.
The Immigration and Nationality Act states that all persons requesting entry into the U.S. as non-immigrants are presumed to be immigrants until they overcome that presumption by showing evidence of "binding ties" to their home country, and sufficient proof that the visit will be temporary. Applicants also need to demonstrate that they are genuinely entitled to the visa they are applying for. Face-to-face interviews at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate are required for almost all nationalities, and waits for interview slots and visa processing can add up to several months.
Embassies are closed on U.S. holidays en on holidays of the host country, so you need to know both holidays when setting dates to apply for a visa. You should start planning your trip far in advance, as the application process is known to take up to six months.
Do not assume anything. Check on documentation requirements with the U.S. State Department or with the nearest U.S. consulate.
Your visa is generally not tied to your permitted length of stay; for example, a 10-year visa does not allow a stay of 10 years. On the other hand, you can enter the country on the last day of validity of your visa and still be allowed to stay, for example, up to 180 days as a tourist.
Travel to U.S. possessions
America's overseas possessions have slightly different rules. See each destination's article for details.
In brief, Guam, Puerto Rico, die U.S. Virgin Islands en die Noordelike Marianeneilande all have the same entry requirements as the 50 states. However, Guam and the Northern Marianas apply the visa waiver program to a few additional countries, while the U.S. Virgin Islands also allows visa-free entry to citizens of the British Virgin Islands.
American Samoa lies outside the federal immigration jurisdiction and has separate entry requirements.
Arriving in the United States
Immigration
- Sien ook: Globale toetrede, NEXUS
On arrival, you will be questioned briefly at immigration to determine if your purpose of entry matches your visa class. If you are unable to convince immigration officers that you intend to abide by the terms of your visa, you will be refused entry and deported.
Once they decide to let you in, you are fingerprinted en a digital photograph is taken. Entry will be denied if either of these procedures is refused.
At selected airports, Canadian and VWP nationals may be able to use automated passport control (APC) kiosks to record their passport and biometric details. Household members traveling together can do this at once. VWP nationals need to have ESTA clearance, and have entered the U.S. at least once since 2008. If successful, the traveller gets a receipt and goes to the designated CBP desk to continue the inspection process. Canadians and other selected nationals may be eligible to participate in various trusted traveler programs such as Globale toetrede en NEXUS, which allow pre-approved passengers to use a designated kiosk for the inspection process. Unlike APC, these programs require prior application, background checks, an interview, and an application fee, but allows the passenger to bypass intense questioning and skip the lines at immigration for up to 5 years.
Because marijuana is illegal under federal law, if you have consumed marijuana or invested in the marijuana industry, you can be banned from entering the United States. This is true even if marijuana is legal in your country and even if it's also legal in the state you're trying to enter. Border officials don't usually ask about marijuana, but if they see a reason to ask, they might. Even a single copy of "High Times" magazine or anything similar is enough to draw suspicion. If you admit to having used marijuana (or any other drug illegal under U.S. federal law) or invested in the industry, or if you are caught lying about it, you can be turned back and banned for life from entering the country. To appeal the ban, you have to apply for a $585 waiver.
Doeane
Each household (i.e. family members living and traveling together) needs to complete one customs declaration form. Travellers eligible for APC, as well as Global Entry and NEXUS members, can do this electronically using the respective kiosks and need not fill up the paper form. Those eligible for Mobile Passport Control (U.S. citizens and some Canadian citizens) also do not need to fill out the form, provided they have completed the app's questions and have a QR code ready to go. Detailed and up-to-date information on prohibited and restricted items can be found at the relevant government website.
Do not attempt to import items originating from countries against which the U.S. has imposed economic sanctions (Kuba, Iran, Sirië en Soedan); they will be confiscated by customs if discovered. An exception to this rule is cigars and alcoholic beverages (mainly rum) originating from Cuba. With the ongoing thaw in U.S.–Cuban relations, the U.S. has lifted sanctions against importation of these items for personal use (limits are the same as for tobacco and alcohol originating elsewhere).
The United States has very strict biosecurity laws, and imposes restrictions on the types of food that may be brought into the country. In general, fresh food may not be brought into the country, though some types of processed, commercially packaged food may be allowed, depending on the country of origin. Gaan met die United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) vir meer besonderhede. Almal food and plant items being brought into the country must declared and inspected by customs, even if permitted. Failure to declare agricultural products can result in a fine, or in serious cases even prosecution.
Besides your personal effects, which will go home with you, you are allowed to import individual gifts with a value of $100 or less per item. If you're 21 years of age or older, you may also import limited quantities of tobacco en alkohol products duty-free:
- Up to 200 cigarettes (one carton), or up to 50 cigars, or up to 2 kg of loose tobacco products such as snuff, or a proportional combination thereof.
- Up to 1 liter of alcohol. Unlike some countries, the one-liter restriction applies irrespective of strength: a fifth of Scotch at 40% ABV or a standard 750 mL bottle of wine at 14% ABV are both within the allowance, but a six-pack of 12-ounce beers at 5% ABV is almost 2 liters and is over the duty-free allowance.
If you are over the alcohol exemption by a small amount (e.g. a six pack of beer or a second bottle of wine) most customs officers will let this slide for wine and beer if you've made a full and accurate declaration. Anything more than this, or any hard spirits over the limit will likely result in duty and tax being assessed, the amount of which depends in part on the state you're entering to and the country the goods are from. (Duty from Canada, for example, is minimal owing in part to NAFTA.) Customs officers do not show this leniency with tobacco products; expect to pay if you are even one cigarette over!
A reasonable quantity of perfume of cologne can also be imported provided the brand is not under a "Trademark Restriction in the United States". There is no restriction on the amount of geld you can bring into or out of the U.S. However, if you are travelling with $10,000 or more (or its equivalent in foreign currency) per household, you must declare it on your customs form and you will be given a special form to fill out; not declaring exposes you to a fine and possible seizure of that cash. Checks, bonds and other financial instruments must also be declared. ATM/Debit cards linked to non-U.S. bank accounts carrying the said amount do not need to be declared (although your bank may impose some withdrawal restrictions and fees to access this money in the U.S.).
The U.S. possessions of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands are outside the federal customs jurisdiction and each have their own separate requirements. Travel between these regions and the rest of the U.S. requires a customs check. There are some differences (mostly larger) in duty exemptions for U.S. citizens returning from these destinations.
Leaving the United States
| Thinking of Overstaying?: Overstaying the period granted at passport control or violating your terms of entry (e.g. work on a B1/B2 status) will automatically invalidate your visa. It will also make it extremely difficult to re-enter the United States and may also bar you from re-entry for at least three years, if not permanently. If you overstayed on the Visa Waiver Program, you will need a visa vir almal future visits. If you overstay for compelling reasons such as medical emergencies and flight delays or cancellations, you will need to keep immigration officials informed of your situation in order to avoid any of the above sanctions. |
Unlike most countries, the U.S. has no formal passport control upon exit, especially for those travelling by air or sea. As such, your airline or shipping company will document your departure and report it to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP then updates your immigration record. Aliens who arrived in the U.S. by air or sea after mid-2013, and depart by air or sea do not need to do anything further.
If you fall into one of the following categories, you may need to take further action to actively prove that you left the U.S. on time:
- last arrived in the U.S. before mid-2013 through any means (when the paper I-94 card was still physically issued to foreigners): turn over the I-94 card to the airline staff at check-in, or to the Canadian or Mexican immigration officer if departing by land
- arrived in the U.S. via land or private vehicles (paper I-94 cards are still issued here): turnover the I-94 card to the airline staff at check-in, or to the Canadian or Mexican immigration officer if departing by land
- left the U.S. via land or private vehicles: save any evidence that you were outside the U.S. before your authorised stay expired
In any case, on future visits, consider bringing the necessary documents to prove you left legally. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has inligting about what to do if your slip is not collected.
If you take a side trip to Canada or Mexico by land and return within 30 days or the allowed time of your stay (whichever is shorter), you may re-enter the U.S. provided that you do not yet return any issued I-94 card before you proceed to Canada or Mexico. This can also be done even if you entered the U.S. on a single-entry visa, or the visa you entered the U.S. with has expired. However, you will only be admitted for the remainder of your original allowed time; the deadline to leave the U.S. won't be extended by just leaving for somewhere else in North America. If you return the I-94 while on the side trip, you will have to apply all over again to enter the U.S. (which means a new visa for single-entry visa holders) and be subject to the usual questioning.
Try to avoid re-entering the U.S. a few days, weeks or months after one visit. Even if you don't overstay, planning several U.S. visits spaced shortly after each other may be interpreted by immigration officers as "immigrant intent" and cause you grief.
Met die vliegtuig
| Enhanced Security Measures: Passengers on flights to the United States are subject to rigorous checks and security measures prior to boarding. This may include a comprehensive bag search, and rigorous questioning by security personnel for all passengers prior to being allowed to board the aircraft. Arrive at the check-in counter at least 3 hours before your scheduled departure time, and at the boarding gate early so you have enough time to complete all security procedures. |
Most visitors from outside Canada and Mexico arrive in the United States by plane. While many medium sized inland cities have an international airport, there are limited flights to most of these and most travelers find themselves entering the U.S. at one of the major entry points along the coasts. The international airports in Atlanta (ATL IATA), New York Stad (EWR IATA & JFK IATA; vir all airports, NYC IATA), Los Angeles (LOS IATA), Chicago (ORD IATA; for all airports, CHI IATA), San Francisco (SFO IATA), Seattle (SEE IATA), Miami (MIA IATA) en Houston (IAH IATA) are the main points of entry to the United States by plane.
In general, major cities on the east coast have the best connections to Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East, while major cities on the west coast have the best connections to East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania. Most sizeable cities would be served by at least one flight to a major Canadian city, while New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and Houston generally provide the best connections to Latin America. Direct air travel from Kuba was restored to Miami after a 55-year embargo was relaxed in 2014, but some restrictions continue to apply; sien die Amerikaners in Kuba artikel.
The "big three" carriers, United Airlines, American Airlines en Delta Air Lines, are among the largest airlines in the world, and operate flights from various cities around the globe into their respective hubs. Other smaller U.S.-based airlines also fly internationally, though options are usually limited to destinations within the Americas. Die meeste belangrike Europese en Oos-Asiatiese lugdienste vlieg ook vanaf hul onderskeie lande na verskeie van die belangrikste hubs, met British Airways veral met een van die mees omvattende netwerke in Amerikaanse stede vanaf hul middelpunt in LondenHeathrow.
Die VSA vereis volledige inskrywingsformaliteit, selfs vir internasionale vervoer. As u normaalweg 'n visum benodig om die VS te besoek en dit nie kan doen nie vermy 'n transito, benodig u ten minste 'n C-1-transitvisum. As u na 'n binnelandse vlug oorskakel, moet u deur die douane en immigrasie gaan by u eerste Amerikaanse stop; sorg dat u genoeg tyd gee om enige oordragte te doen.
Die meeste lughawens het 'n muur met 'telefone' met die beskrywing en die pryse van motelle in die omgewing. U kan hierdie motelle gratis skakel en vir 'n kamer vra en 'n pendeldiens sal u op die lughawe kom haal. Die pendeldienste is gewoonlik gratis, maar u moet die bestuurder laat weet.
Lughawe sekuriteit
Veiligheid op Amerikaanse lughawens is beswarend, veral gedurende besige vakansietydperke. Laat genoeg tyd toe (minstens 15 minute, soms meer as 1 uur) en pak so liggies as moontlik in. Sekuriteit word hanteer deur die Administrasie vir vervoerveiligheid (TSA). Volwassenes moet wys goedgekeurde foto-ID ('n paspoort is voldoende).
Wanneer u vanaf 'n internasionale vlug aansluit, almal passasiers moet deur die veiligheidskontrole gaan om voort te gaan met die voortvlug, nadat immigrasie- en doeane-inspeksies skoongemaak is. Dit beteken alle vloeistowwe en verbode items (per TSA reëls) wat in 'n belastingvrye winkel gekoop is of toegelaat word as vervoer vanaf 'n buitelandse lughawe, moet dit weer in die ingecheckte bagasie verpak word nadat dit uit die doeanegebied gekom het en voordat die bagasie weer nagegaan word. In die meeste lughawens is daar 'n inklokbank buite of vervoerband buite die doeane om passasiers te vervoer om hul bagasie weer na te gaan. Items kan nie weer ingepak word of gereël word voordat doeane-inspeksies in die bagasieherwinningsarea plaasvind nie.
Daar is beperkings op vloeistowwe (insluitend gels, aërosols, ys en pasta) in handbagasie. Maak seker dat vloeistowwe in houers van nie meer as 3,4 onse (100 ml) gehou word nie. Die houers moet almal in 'n enkele plastieksak met rits geplaas word wat 946 ml of minder groot is. Slegs een so 'n sak, met soveel vloeistof, word per passasier toegelaat. Medisyne (insluitend soutoplossing vir kontaklense) en voeding vir babas en kinders is vrygestel, maar onderhewig aan addisionele toetse; stel TSA-agente in kennis as u hierdie items dra, bewaar dit apart van u ander vloeistowwe en merk dit duidelik vooraf.
As u u ingecheckte bagasie wil sluit, vereis die TSA dat u spesiale slotte gebruik wat die Travel Sentry TSA-sluitstelsel het. Hierdie slotte kan deur TSA-amptenare met 'n hoofsleutel oopgemaak word indien u u tas wil ondersoek. As u nie een van die TSA-goedgekeurde slotte het nie, sal die TSA dit oopbreek en is u nie geregtig op vergoeding vir die skade nie.
Voorafklaring
- Van Kanada
Passasiers wie se reise op groot Kanadese lughawens begin en Amerikaanse of Kanadese lugdiens betrek, sal dit doen gewoonlik in staat wees om Amerikaanse formaliteite (paspoortbeheer en doeane) by hul Kanadese uitgangspoort skoon te maak. Hierdie vlugte word dieselfde behandel as Amerikaanse binnelandse vlugte, en die meeste Kanadese lugdiensdienste is in die Amerikaanse lughawens of in die Amerikaanse lughawes geleë. Sommige lughawens (soos die LaGuardia-lughawe in New York) wat nie doeane- en immigrasie-fasiliteite het nie, ontvang vooraf opgeklaarde vlugte vanaf Kanada.
Reisigers op VSA-Kanadese vlugte wat deur buitelandse lugdiensmaatschappye soos Philippine Airlines en Cathay Pacific bestuur word, en diegene van klein Kanadese lughawens wat nie voorafleidingsfasiliteite het nie, sal steeds toegangsformaliteite ondervind by hul eerste Amerikaanse stop; 'n Kanadese transito-visum kan vereis word, selfs al is passasiers die hele transito-tyd beperk tot 'n houarea.
Sommige lughawens in Kanada, insluitend Vancouver Internasionale Lughawe, Terminal 1 van Toronto-Pearson Lughawe, en Montréal-Trudeau-lughawe vereis oor die algemeen nie dat passasiers wat deur die buiteland vervoer, deur die Kanadese doeane- en immigrasiebeheer moet gaan voordat hulle deur die Amerikaanse voorafklaringsformaliteite gaan nie. Selfs as u deur hierdie lughawens ry, moet u seker maak dat u dokumente u in staat stel om Kanada binne te gaan: as u nie op dieselfde dag na die VSA kan reis nie, gaan u deur die vooropklaring, as u nie goedgekeur is vir toegang tot die Verenigde State, of as u en / of u bagasie nie deur u lugdiens deurgesoek word na ten minste u eerste bestemming in die Verenigde State nie, moet u by Kanada Doeane aanmeld; 'n Kanadese visum of tydelike inwoner mag nodig wees. Hierdie reëling is nie in die omgekeerde rigting van toepassing nie, wat beteken dat u op u vlug deur die Kanadese gebruike en immigrasie moet gaan.
- Van ander lande
Opruimingsfasiliteite is beskikbaar by die Queen Beatrix Internasionale Lughawe in Aruba, Grand Bahama en Lynden Pindling Internasionale Lughawens in die Bahamas, Bermuda Internasionale lughawe, Dublin en Shannon Internasionale Lughawens in Ierland, en Abu Dhabi Internasionale lughawe in die Verenigde Arabiese Emirate.
Passasiers op British Airways-vlugte vanaf Londen na New York City wat via Dublin of Shannon, Ierland, reis, kan voordeel trek uit Amerikaanse paspoortbeheer en doeleindes by Dublin of Shannon.
Met die motor
| COVID-19 inligting: Die Amerikaanse grense met Kanada en Mexiko is gesluit vir nie-noodsaaklike reise. |
| (Inligting laas op 11 Desember 2020 opgedateer) |
| Visumbeperkings: Alle persone wat per land die Verenigde State wil binnekom moet oor 'n geldige paspoort beskik; NEXUS, VINNIG, Globale toetrede, SENTRI, of paspoortkaart; Laser Visa; of 'n 'verbeterde rybewys' (uitgereik deur sekere Amerikaanse state en Kanadese provinsies) |
Die grense tussen Amerika en Kanada en Amerika en Mexiko is twee van die grense wat die meeste oorgesteek word, met miljoene kruisings per dag. Gemiddelde wagtye is tot 30 minute, maar sommige van die besigste kruisings ondervind baie vertragings — hulle kom in die spits tye (naweke, vakansies) 1-2 uur aan. Huidige wagtye (uurliks opgedateer) is beskikbaar op die Amerikaanse doeanedienswebwerf. Die grens tussen Amerika en Mexiko is winsgewend vir dwelmhandel, dus kan voertuie wat kruis, deur middel van 'n dwelm-snuifhond X-straal of deursoek word. As daar vermoede bestaan, kan u voertuig deursoek word. Aangesien dit 'n baie algemene gebeurtenis is, moet u geen geduld van grensagente verwag nie.
Buitelanders wat per land binnekom, moet 'n fooi van $ 6 betaal wanneer hulle die grens oorsteek. Geen fooi is betaalbaar as u 'n byreis na Kanada of Mexiko onderneem het en bloot weer die VSA binnegaan nie.
Met die bus
Greyhound bied goedkoop grensoverschrijdende dienste vanaf Kanada en Mexiko. Sommige roetes, soos Toronto na Buffalo, het uurlikse diens. Megabus U.S. bestuur ook daaglikse reise vanaf Toronto (ook 'n middelpunt vir Megabus Kanada) na New York City via Buffels vir so laag as $ 1.
Een van die roetes van die stadsbusstelsel van Windsor, Ontario (die Tunnelbus) neem passasiers na Detroit - voetgangers of fietse word nie op die brug, in die tonnel of op die veerboot toegelaat nie.
Buspassasiers ervaar dikwels groter ondersoek van Amerikaanse doeanebeamptes as motor- of treinpassasiers.
Per boot
Toegang per see kom vandag nie baie voor nie. Die mees algemene toegangspunte vir private bote is Los Angeles, of Florida en ander Oosterse kusstate. Sommige passasiersferries vanaf Kanada bestaan, meestal tussen British Columbia en Washington-staat of Alaska.
Cunard bied 'n trans-Atlantiese skeepsreis tussen die Verenigde Koninkryk en die stad New York aan.
Die veerbote tussen British Columbia en Washington word as landgrensoorgange eerder as see-toegangspunte behandel. Dit beteken dat hoewel ESTA nie vir VWP-besoekers benodig word nie, moet besoekers wat die VSA binnegaan op hierdie manier die insetfooi van $ 6 betaal wat by landgrensoorgange gehef word.
Met die trein
Amtrak bied internasionale diens vanaf die Kanadese stede Vancouver (Amtrak-kaskades na Seattle), Toronto (Maple Leaf Stad New York via Niagara waterval), en Montreal (Adirondack na New York City via Albany).
In internasionale treine vanaf Montreal en Toronto word immigrasieformaliteite aan die grens uitgevoer; dit neem aansienlik meer tyd as in 'n bus, wat beteken dat die bus goedkoper en vinniger as die trein is.
Reisigers van Vancouver verwyder Amerikaanse immigrasie en gebruike by die Pacific Central Station voordat hulle in die trein self klim, net soos vir lugreise. Sorg dat u genoeg tyd gee vir inspeksies.
Vanaf Mexiko is die naaste Amtrakstasies San Diego, Yuma, Del Rio en El Paso. Amtrak-treine steek nie die grens na Mexiko oor nie, dus reis passasiers na die grens met plaaslike openbare vervoer of per taxi vanaf die Amtrak-stasie. Daar is geen passasierstreine na die grens van oral in Mexiko nie.
Te voet
Daar is baie grensoorgange in stedelike gebiede wat deur voetgangers oorgesteek kan word. Kruisings soos in of naby Niagara waterval, Detroit, Tijuana, Nogales, en El Paso is gewild vir persone wat 'n dag aan die ander kant van die grens wil deurbring. In sommige gevalle kan dit ideaal wees vir dagtogers, want dit kan langer wag om met die motor oor te steek.
Kry rond
| COVID-19 inligting: Die CDC, hoewel hy nie noodsaaklike reise ontmoedig nie, het aangekondig dat binnelandse reisigers wat ten volle teen COVID-19 ingeënt is (ten minste 14 dae sedert die finale dosis), nie die aanbevelings vir die toets of kwarantyn hoef te volg nie. Volgens CDC se mandaat moet reisigers maskers dra op alle openbare vervoer in die Verenigde State, behalwe as hulle aktief eet of drink. Maskers is nie nodig vir kinders jonger as 2 jaar nie, of vir 'n reisiger wat weens 'n gestremdheid nie een kan dra nie. |
| (Inligting laas opgedateer 07 April 2021) |
Die grootte van die VSA en die afstand wat groot stede van mekaar skei, maak lug die dominante manier van langafstandreis vir korttermynreisigers. As u tyd het, of 'n kort reis ry, reis dan per motor, bus of spoor kan interessant wees.
Sommige lande bied verkeers- en openbare vervoerinligting deur 511 op u telefoon te skakel.
Kwarantynbeperkings in plek is wanneer u tussen die kontinentale VSA en Hawaii.
Met die vliegtuig
- Sien ook: Vlieg in die Verenigde State
Die vinnigste en dikwels die maklikste metode om langafstand-reis in die VSA in die VSA te neem, is per vliegtuig. Kus-tot-kus-reis duur ongeveer 6 uur van oos na wes, en 5 uur van wes na oos (wissel vanweë wind), vergeleke met die dae wat nodig is vir landvervoer. Die meeste groot stede in die VSA word deur een of twee lughawens bedien; baie kleiner dorpe het ook 'n passasierslugdiens, hoewel u dalk deur 'n belangrike lughawe moet gaan om daarheen te kom. Afhangend van waar u begin, kan dit goedkoper wees om met die bus, trein of motor na 'n nabygeleë groot stad te reis en te vlieg, of andersom om na 'n groot stad naby u bestemming te vlieg en met die grond na u bestemming te reis.
Die grootste lugdienste is American Airlines, Delta, en Verenigde en twee van die land se laekostedieners, Suidwes en JetBlue. Alaska Airlines en Hawaiian Airlines groot streeksverskaffers, terwyl kleiner lugdienste Gees, Grens, Allegiant en Sonland probeer indringings maak. Daar is ook kleiner plaaslike lugdienste wat filiale is van die hooflyndienste en wat deur hul ouers bespreek kan word.
Groot vervoerondernemings ding mee op groot roetes, en reisigers wat bereid is om twee of meer weke vooraf te bespreek, kan winskopies kry. Die meeste kleiner bestemmings word egter slegs deur een of twee streeksdiensdiens bedien, en die pryse daar kan duur wees. Daar is bykans geen verskil in fooie en diens tussen "goedkoop" en "hooflynnetwerkers" nie. Laekostelugdiens bied soms meer geriewe as hooflyndienste, soos vermaak vir selfs 'n kortafstandvlug, of gratis ingecheckte bagasie. Southwest Airlines laat passasiers byvoorbeeld toe om tot twee stukke sakke in hul basisprys in te check.
Veiligheid
- Sien § Veiligheid onder § Klim in - Met die vliegtuig
Met 'n privaat vliegtuig
- Sien ook: Algemene lugvaart
Die koste van die huur van die kleinste privaatvliegtuig begin by ongeveer $ 4000 per vlieguur, met die koste aansienlik hoër vir groter vliegtuie met lang afstand en goedkoper vir kleiner skroefvliegtuie. Alhoewel privaatvlieg geensins goedkoop is nie, kan 'n gesin van vier of meer gereeld saamvlieg teen 'n koste soortgelyk aan of selfs gunstig vir die koop van eersteklas kommersiële vliegkaartjies, veral na kleiner lughawens waar die geskeduleerde kommersiële vlugte die duurste is, en privaat vlieg is op sy goedkoopste. Al vind u dit goedkoper as om 'n gesin van vier eersteklas internasionaal te vlieg, is dit selde die geval, behalwe as u van Wes-Europa reis. Algemene lugvaart is die mees praktiese manier om die buitenste stadsdele van te bereik Alaska.
Lughandves verwys na die huur van 'n privaat vliegtuig vir 'n eenmalige reis. Jet Cards is voorafbetaalde kaarte wat die eienaar op 'n spesifieke vliegtuig 'n spesifieke aantal vliegure verleen. Aangesien alle uitgawes vooraf op die kaart betaal word, hoef u uself nie oor doodkoptyd, retoervlugte, landingskoste, ens. Te bekommer nie.
Baie lughawes in klein dorpies aan die Amerikaanse grense verwelkom klein vliegtuie wat individueel besit word. Gee hulle 'n uur of twee vooraf kennis, sodat hulle grensamptenare kan haal om die klein privaat vliegtuig van eksotiese en buitelandse lande te ontmoet Brockville, en u het net die verskoning gegee wat hulle nodig gehad het om "Internasionale lughawe" by hul name te voeg.
Met die trein
- Sien ook: Treinreise in die Verenigde State
As gevolg van die gewildheid van vlieg en motors, is die passasierspoornetwerk in die Verenigde State 'n skaduwee van wat dit 'n eeu gelede was. Terwyl die Verenigde State steeds die langste spoorwegnetwerk ter wêreld het, word dit deesdae hoofsaaklik vir vragvervoer gebruik. Behalwe vir sekere gange (meestal in die noordooste waar 'n tweede neef van hoë spoed spoor beskikbaar is), kan passasierstreine in die Verenigde State verrassend skaars, stadig, onbetroubaar en duur wees. Die nasionale spoorstelsel, Amtrak☏ 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245), lewer diens aan baie stede, en is dikwels duurder as 'n vlug. Op stedeliker plekke kan Amtrak baie doeltreffend en gemaklik wees, maar in landelike gebiede is vertraging algemeen. Beplan vooruit om te verseker dat die treinreis tussen u bestemmings beskikbaar en gerieflik is. Daar is geen toegewyde nie hoë spoed spoor netwerk in die Verenigde State, en om self te ry, sal dikwels vinniger wees as om trein te ry as jy lang afstande reis.
Amtrak het promosiekortings van 15% vir studente en bejaardes, en 'n Amerikaanse treinpas vir 30 dae slegs vir internasionale reisigers. As u van plan is om binne 'n week na u reis 'n gewone kaartjie te koop, is dit die moeite werd om na die webwerf te kyk vir soms belangrike "weeklikse aanbiedings".
Amtrak bied baie geriewe en dienste wat nie by ander vervoermiddels ontbreek nie. Amtrak se roetes deurkruis sommige van Amerika se mooiste gebiede. Reisigers met 'n beperkte tyd vind dit miskien nie maklik om met die trein te reis nie, bloot omdat die land dit doen groot, en dat "grootsheid" veral duidelik is in baie van die natuurskone gebiede. Vir diegene met genoeg tyd bied treinreise egter 'n ongeëwenaarde uitsig oor die VSA. Sommige van die mooiste roetes sluit die Kalifornië Zephyr wat tussen loop Emeryville in die San Francisco Bay Area van Kalifornië na Chicago en die Rykbouer dit gaan van Chicago na Seattle of Portland. Albei het 'n sitkamer met vensters van vloer tot plafon en motors met dubbeldekker.
Gedurende gewone Amerikaanse vakansietye kan sommige langafstandtreine (buite die noordooste) weke of selfs maande vooruit uitverkoop. As u vroegtydig bespreek, lei dit ook tot 'n laer prys vir alle treine. Besprekings op dieselfde dag is gewoonlik maklik, en afhangende van die reëls wat u gekoop het, kan u reisplanne op die dag self verander sonder fooie.
Baie groot stede bied baie betroubare pendeltreine wat passasiers vanaf die voorstede of ander betreklik nabygeleë gebiede vervoer. Sommige pendeltreinstasies het parkeer-en-ry-fasiliteite vir die pendeltrein om in die middestad van die stad te kom waar verkeers- en parkeerprobleme die motorgebruik bemoeilik. Sommige pendeltreinstelsels en -dienste werk nie oor naweke en vakansiedae nie, en selfs diegene wat gereeld die frekwensies verminder, is dus die beste om die webwerf van die stelsel na te gaan om vooruit te beplan. Koop kaartjies voorheen U klim op die trein, want u sal aansienlik duurder tariewe of 'n stewige boete kry.
Verskeie groot stede is ook bedrywig moltrein of spoorweg diens vir plaaslike reis binne die stads- of metrogebied.
Per boot
Amerika het die grootste stelsel van binnelandse waterweë van enige land ter wêreld. Dit is heeltemal moontlik om per boot in die Verenigde State rond te navigeer. U kies watervaartuie, van selfaangedrewe kano's en kajaks tot uitgebreide huisbote en rivierboot-vaarte.
Riviere en kanale was die sleutel tot die ontwikkeling van die land, en om per boot te reis, gee u 'n unieke perspektief op die land en 'n unieke landskap. Enkele voorbeelde van waterweë wat oop is vir ontspanningsvaart en / of gereelde vaarte is:
- Die New York State Canal System bedryf vier kanale (waaronder die beroemde Erie-kanaal) wat 843 km waterweg bevat wat oop is vir ontspanning en kommersiële gebruik. Sien New York staat vir besonderhede.
- Die St. Lawrence Seaway is nou die primêre toegangspoort vir groot skepe na Noord-Amerika. Ontspanningsbootvaarders is welkom, maar die Seaway is ontwerp vir baie groot vaartuie en 'n minimum bootlengte van 6 m (20 voet) is van toepassing. Die Seaway begin in die ooste van Kanada en gaan na die Groot Mere.
- Die Mississippi-rivier bied noord-suid toegang deur die binneland van die VSA tot die Golf van Mexiko en verbind met al die belangrikste binnelandse waterweë, insluitend die Missouri en Ohio-riviere.
Jaarliks vaar baie beginnende bootryers suksesvol deur hierdie waterweë. Enige soort bootvaart vereis voorbereiding en beplanning. Oor die algemeen doen die owerhede van die kuswag, die kanaal en die seewater baie moeite om ontspanningsvaarders te help. Hulle sal ook soms instruksies gee wat van u verwag word om onmiddellik na te kom. Klein vaartuie kan byvoorbeeld gevra word om plek te maak vir groter vaartuie op kanale, en die weersomstandighede kan vereis dat u stop of u roete verander.
Daar is gereelde veerbote na 'n verskeidenheid bestemmings langs die kus. In die noordweste van die land kan u met die veerbote van die Alaska Marine Highway System van Bellingham (Washington) al langs die suidelike kus van Alaska tot Nederlandse hawe-Unalaska. As 'n bonus kan u die pragtige natuurskoon van die berge en die argipel geniet. Boonop is baie van Alaska buite die gebaande paden net per boot bereikbaar. Daar is geen kommersiële passasiersdiens tussen die kontinentale VSA en Hawaii.
Met die motor
- Sien ook: Bestuur in die Verenigde State
Amerika se liefdesverhouding met die motor is legendaries, dus reis die Verenigde State sonder motor kan moeilik wees. Die meeste Amerikaanse stede het ontwikkel met die oog op motors, en dit is gewoonlik 'n goeie idee om u eie motor te huur of saam te bring. Daar is slegs 'n paar groot stede waar die gebruik van openbare vervoer verkieslik is om te ry: New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco en Washington. Ander baie groot stede soos Los Angeles, Atlanta en Miami het beperkte opsies vir openbare vervoer, en die opsies word net erger in kleiner stede. Daar is gereeld huurmotors en ry-dienste beskikbaar, maar dit kan duur word en taxi's (veral) kan moeilik wees om buite lughawens te vind. Alhoewel die meeste Amerikaners graag rigtingaanwysings wil gee, moet u nie verbaas wees as baie mense nie vertroud is met die plaaslike opsies vir openbare vervoer nie.
Die belangrikste Interstate Highway-stelsel verbind gewoonlik net die belangrikste dorpe van elke staat. Die Amerikaanse snelweg en staatsroetes kan u lei na baie interessante toerisme-aantreklikhede as u nie wil om by verkeersligte te stop en voetgangers te hanteer nie. Die meeste dele van die paaie is gratis om te gebruik, maar daar is sommige wat fooie hef.
Groot Amerikaanse Road Trip
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'N Romantiese beroep is geheg aan die idee van langafstand motor reis; baie Amerikaners sal jou vertel dat jy nie die 'regte' Amerika kan sien nie, behalwe per motor. Gegewe die skaarste aan openbare vervoer in die meeste Amerikaanse stede, is die verlies aan tydsverloop tussen stede per motor eerder as om te vlieg, kan opgemaak word deur die gerief om rond te ry binne stede sodra u daar aankom. Daarbenewens het baie van die land se belangrikste natuurlike aantreklikhede, soos die Grand Canyon, is amper onmoontlik om sonder 'n motor of op 'n bustoer te kom. As u tyd het, is 'n klassieke Amerikaanse roadtrip met 'n gehuurde motor baie maklik om te bereik. (Miskien moet u 'n bietjie rondkyk vir 'n eenrigtinghuur. Let op hoeveel kilometers u dit met die voertuig kan aanbring, aangesien u waarskynlik ompaaie wil maak vir besienswaardighede.) Vanweë die afstande is hierdie soort reis kan baie lang dae agter die stuur beteken, dus let op die gemak van die motor wat u gebruik. 'N "Kust-tot-kus" -rit met meer as een bestuurder en 'n paar haltes duur minstens vyf dae (4½ as u 'n sterk blaas het).
Bestuurswette
Amerikaners ry aan die linkerkant in voertuie met links stuur, dieselfde as Kanada en Mexiko. Bestuursreg is hoofsaaklik 'n kwessie van staatsreg en word deur die staats- en plaaslike polisie toegepas. Alhoewel daar 'n paar klein afwykings van staat tot staat is, is die padreëls redelik konsekwent in die hele land.
Buitelandse besoekers van 18 en ouer kan gewoonlik tot 'n jaar op hul buitelandse rybewys ry, afhangende van die wetgewing van die staat. Lisensies wat nie in Engels is nie, moet vergesel word van 'n internasionale rypermit (IDP) of 'n gesertifiseerde vertaling.
Die meeste Amerikaanse bestuurders is geneig om kalm en veilig in woonbuurte te ry. Strate in die middestad en snelwegsentrums in die stad word egter dikwels oorvol met baie 'haastige' bestuurders, wat die spoedgrense sal oorskry, onveilige baanveranderings sal aanbring of ander motors op onveilige nabye afstande sal volg ('tailgating'). Toepassing van spoedbeperkings is onvoorspelbaar en wissel baie van staat tot staat. As u tred hou met ander bestuurders, sal u moeilikheid vermy. Pasop vir klein dorpies langs andersins vinnige plattelandse paaie (en medium-snel voorstedelike paaie); die laer spoedbeperkings binne hierdie dorpe word streng toegepas.
Met die bus
Busverbindings per bus is wydverspreid, maar nie oral beskikbaar nie. Diens tussen groot nabygeleë stede kom gereeld voor, en verbind baie kleiner dorpe met streekstede. Dit word algemeen beskou as 'n 'laer klas' manier om te reis, maar is oor die algemeen betroubaar, veilig en bekostigbaar. Busstasies in sommige stede is egter in rowwe woonbuurte geleë (bv. Los Angeles).
Windhond-buslyne (☏ 1-800-231-2222) en verskeie geaffilieerde lyne soos Bolt Bus het die oorgrote deel van die Amerikaanse busreis in 45 deelstate. Afslag is beskikbaar vir reisigers wat hul kaartjies 7–14 dae voor hul reisdatum koop. Windhondbusse ry gewoonlik in 5-7 uur-segmente, en dan moet alle passasiers uit die bus klim sodat dit gediens kan word, selfs al is dit in die middel van die nag. Voortgaande passasiers word ingeklim voordat diegene wat net aangaan. Sitplekke is op die eerste-plek-basis, behalwe in sommige stede, waar u 'n fooi van $ 5 kan betaal vir prioriteits sitplekke.
MegabusGreyhound se grootste mededinger, is hoofsaaklik in 30 state in die Midwestern en die oostelike helfte van die land bedrywig tussen die middelpuntstede Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, New York, Washington DC en verskeie ander stede rondom en tussen die spilpunte. Dit bied ook verbindings na Montreal en Toronto in Kanada. Dit het ook 'n paar roetes in die weste wat nie verbind is met dié in die Midde-Weste en die Ooskus nie.
Chinatown-busse is klein onafhanklike maatskappye wat 'n goedkoop standaard kontantprys aan die randkant bied. Hierdie lyne werk hoofsaaklik in die noordooste tussen Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC en Baltimore. Sommige gaan verder uit na bestemmings in die Midde-Weste en die Suide vanaf die noordooste. Ander werk tussen Kalifornië, Nevada en Arizona. Raadpleeg die betrokke stadsgidse en GoToBus.com vir meer inligting.
Spaanse busmaatskappye het gewoonlik die ruimste busse in die land. Baie is aangeslote handelsmerke of filiale van Mexikaanse busondernemings wat grensoverschrijdende dienste buite die grensgebiede tot in die noorde van Chicago, tot in die ooste van Atlanta en in die suide van Mexiko-stad aanbied. Sien Langafstandbusreise in die VSA
Verskeie kleiner ondernemings bied busdienste regoor die land aan. 'N Aantal daarvan is onder die Roetes handelsmerk, wat u gereeld ruimte met Greyhound sal vind.
Die kleinste dorpies behalwe 'n soort plaaslike busdiens, maar dit sal dikwels beperk wees in vergelyking met stede van 'n soortgelyke grootte in ander lande. In die algemeen stop plaaslike busse in die algemeen nie by elke halte nie. In sommige stede sal hulle stop as hulle iemand by die bushalte sien wag, maar in ander moet u dalk 'n bietjie waai om te laat weet dat u wil aangaan. As u in die bus is en by die volgende halte wil afklim, is daar gewoonlik 'n knoppie wat u kan druk of 'n toutjie om die bestuurder aan te dui.
Per ontspanningsvoertuig (RV)
- Hoofartikel: Motorkampeer
Ontspanningsvoertuie - groot, soms busgrootte voertuie wat slaapplek en woonkamer insluit - is 'n duidelike Amerikaanse manier om die land deur te reis. Sommige motorfietsryers hou van die gemak om hul huis te kan bestuur waar hulle wil en geniet die kameraderie wat kampplekke bied. Ander mense hou nie van die probleme en instandhoudingskwessies wat met RV's gepaardgaan nie. En dink nie eens daaraan om met 'n RV 'n groot metropool soos New York in te ry nie. As u uitgebreid in die Verenigde State wil ry en gemaklik is om 'n groot tuig te hanteer, is dit 'n opsie om 'n RV te huur.
Per motorfiets
Die opwinding en opwinding van langlaufreise word vergroot as u per motorfiets ry. Harley-Davidson is die voorste Amerikaanse motorfietsmerk en Harley bedryf 'n motorfiets huurprogram vir diegene wat gelisensieer is en in staat is om 'n motorfiets met volle gewig te hanteer. In sommige dele van die land kan u ook ander soorte motorfietse huur, soos sportfietse, toerfietse en dubbelsportfietse. Vir diegene wat nie motorfiets het nie, bied Harley en ander handelaars klasse vir beginners aan. 'N Helm dra, hoewel dit nie in alle state vereis word nie, is altyd 'n goeie idee. Die gebruik om tussen laer stadige motors te ry, ook bekend as 'baan-deling' of 'baan-splitsing', is onwettig, behalwe in Kalifornië waar dit geduld en wydverspreid is. Alleenstaande motorfietsryers kan wettig 'n voertuig met 'n hoë besetting 'of' saamry 'gebruik tydens hul werksure.
Amerikaanse entoesiasme jeens motorfietse het gelei tot 'n motorfietsry-subkultuur. Motorfietsklubs is eksklusiewe klubs vir lede wat toegewyd is aan die bestuur van 'n spesifieke motorfiets binne 'n baie gestruktureerde klubhiërargie. Ryklubs kan al dan nie georganiseer word rondom 'n spesifieke motorfiets en bied 'n oop lidmaatskap aan almal wat belangstel om te ry. Motorfietsbyeenkomste, soos die beroemde in Sturgis, Suid-Dakota, is groot byeenkomste van motorfietsryers van regoor die land. Baie motorfietsryers is nie verbonde aan enige klub nie en verkies om onafhanklik of saam met vriende te ry. Oor die algemeen word motorfietsry as 'n stokperdjie gesien, in teenstelling met 'n praktiese vervoermiddel; dit beteken byvoorbeeld dat die meeste Amerikaanse motorfietsryers verkies om nie in gure weer te ry nie. U kies egter om te ry, en watter motorfiets u ook al verkies, motorfietsry kan 'n opwindende manier wees om die land te sien.
Deur duim
N lang geskiedenis van ryloop kom uit die VSA, met 'n rekord van motor-lifters al in 1911. Die spesifieke kenmerke van die wet verskil van staat tot staat, maar oor die algemeen is lifte self wettig in die grootste deel van die land, hoewel dit gewoonlik nie op Interstate snelweë is nie (waar voetgangers is normaalweg verbode) of as hulle binne verkeersbane staan (gewoonlik aangedui deur 'n soliede wit lyn aan die skouer van die pad). As u van plan is om te ry, is die beste manier om duimritte te maak by ingange, of (beter nog) rusplekke op die snelweg.
As gevolg van toenemende versigtigheid oor die moontlike gevare (gedeeltelik aangevuur deur opspraakwekkende verhale in die nuusmedia), is hitchhiking in die VSA baie minder algemeen as wat dit vroeër was. Internasionale reisigers na die VSA moet hierdie praktyk vermy, tensy hulle 'n besonder sterk gevoel van sosiale avontuur of baie min geld het. Selfs baie Amerikaners self sal net gemaklik voel om 'n rit te beduie as hulle 'n goeie kennis van die omgewing het, en Amerikaanse bestuurders is ook om dieselfde redes versigtig.
Craigslist het 'n afdelingsafdeling wat soms nuttig blyk te wees om vooraf ritte te reël. As u oop is vir u bestemming, is dit amper altyd moontlik om 'n rit êrens in die land te vind, met die betaling van brandstofkoste.
Sien
Die Verenigde State is buitengewoon uiteenlopend in sy verskeidenheid besienswaardighede. U sal nooit dinge raaksien om te sien nie; selfs as jy dink jy het uitgeput wat een plek te bied het, is die volgende bestemming slegs 'n reis daarvandaan.
Die Groot Amerikaanse Road Trip (sien hierbo) is die mees tradisionele manier om 'n verskeidenheid besienswaardighede te sien; spring net in die motor en ry met die Interstates af, stop as dit nodig is by die gerieflike hotelle en restaurante langs die pad, en stop by elke interessante toeristeval onderweg totdat u u bestemming bereik.
Onbeskryflike pragtige natuurskoon, geskiedenis wat lees soos 'n draaiboek, vermaakopsies wat u dae lank kan hou en van die wêreld se grootste argitektuur - maak nie saak wat u plesier is nie, u kan dit byna oral in die Verenigde State vind.
Natuurlike natuurskoon
Van die skouspelagtige gletsers van Alaska tot die beboste, verweerde pieke van Appalachia; van die buitewoestyne van die Suidweste tot by die uitgestrekte waters van die Groot Mere; min ander lande het 'n wye verskeidenheid natuurskoon as die Verenigde State.
Amerika s'n Nasionale parke is 'n wonderlike plek om te begin en te sien Noord-Amerikaanse wild. Yellowstone Nasionale Park was die eerste ware nasionale park in die wêreld, en dit bly een van die bekendstes, maar daar is 60 ander. Die Grand Canyon is moontlik die wêreld se mees skouspelagtige kloof; Sequoia Nasionale Park en Yosemite Nasionale Park is albei die tuiste van die wêreld se hoogste lewende organismes; Glacier National Park is 'n wonderlike plek om ysvelle te sien; Canyonlands Nasionale Park kan maklik met Mars verwar word; en die Groot Smoky Mountains Nasionale Park beskik oor 'n oorvloed wild onder pragtige beboste berge. En die nasionale parke is ook nie net vir besienswaardighede nie; elkeen het ook baie buitelugaktiwiteite.
Tog is die nasionale parke net die begin. Die Nasionale Parkdiens is ook werksaam Nasionale monumente, Nasionale gedenktekens, nasionale historiese terreine, nasionale strande, nasionale erfenisgebiede ... die lys gaan aan en aan. En elke staat het sy eie staatsparke dit kan net so goed wees as die federale weergawes. Die meeste van hierdie bestemmings, federaal of deelstaat, het toegangsgeld, maar dit gaan alles vir die instandhouding en bedryf van die parke, en die beloning is die moeite werd.
Dit is egter nie u enigste opsie nie. Baie van die natuurskatte in Amerika kan gesien word sonder om deur die toegangshekke te gaan. Die wêreldbekende Niagara waterval oor die grens tussen Kanada en die VS; die Amerikaanse kant laat jou regop langs die oprit kom en die krag voel wat die Niagara-kloof gevorm het. Die 'pers majesteit' van die Rocky Mountains kan honderde kilometers in enige rigting gesien word, terwyl die rustige kusgebiede van die Midde-Weste en die Midde-Atlantiese Oseaan Amerikaners vir geslagte lank verslap. En hoewel hulle baie van mekaar verskil, is Hawaii en Alaska miskien die twee mooiste state; hulle doen nie net nie het besienswaardighede — hulle is besienswaardighede.
Historiese besienswaardighede
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The U.S. has a tremendous wealth of historical attractions—more than enough to fill months of history-centric touring.
Die prehistory of the continent can indeed be a little hard to uncover, as most of the Native American tribes did not build permanent settlements. But particularly in the Wes, you will find magnificent cliff dwellings at sites such as Mesa Verde en Bandelier, as well as near-ubiquitous rock paintings (Petroglyph National Park has some of the best rock art in the country, and it is located only 17 km outside of Albuquerque). The Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC. is another great place to start learning about America's culture before the arrival of Europeans colonists.
The first successful British colony on the continent was at Jamestown, Virginia, although the settlement at Plymouth, Massachusetts, may loom larger in the nation's mind. The eastern states of New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the South have more than their fair share of sites from early American history as they make up what are known as the 13 Original Colonies.
In the 18th century, major centers of commerce developed in Philadelphia en Boston, and as the colonies grew in size, wealth, and self-confidence, relations with Great Britain became strained, culminating in the Boston Tea Party and the ensuing Revolusionêre Oorlog.
There are a large number of historic sites related to the Amerikaanse burgeroorlog, the most destructive conflict on American soil.
Monuments and architecture
Americans have never shied away from heroic feats of engineering, and many of them are among the country's biggest tourist attractions.
Washington DC., as the nation's capital, has more monuments and statuary than you could see in a day, but do be sure to visit the Washington Monument (the world's tallest obelisk), the stately Lincoln Memorial, and the incredibly moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The city's architecture is also an attraction—the Capitol Building and the White House are two of the most iconic buildings in the country and often serve to represent the whole nation to the world.
A number of American cities have world-renowned skylines, perhaps none more so than the concrete canyons of Manhattan, part of New York City. There, a new World Trade Center tower has risen on a site adjacent to the fallen twin towers, and the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building still stand tall, as they have for almost a century. Chicago, where the skyscraper was invented, can no longer claim the tallest building in the country, but it still has an awful lot of really tall buildings. Other skylines worth seeing include San Francisco (with the Golden Gate Bridge), Seattle (including the Space Needle), Miami, and Pittsburgh.
Some human constructions transcend skyline, though, and become iconic symbols in their own right. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Statue of Liberty in Manhattan, the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, and even the fountains of the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas all draw visitors to their respective cities. Even the incredible Mount Rushmore, located far from any major city, still attracts two million visitors each year.
Museums en galerye
In the U.S., there's a museum vir practically everything. From toys to priceless artifacts, from entertainment legends to dinosaur bones—nearly every city in the country has a museum worth visiting.
The highest concentrations of these museums are found in the largest cities, of course, but none compare to Washington, D.C., home to the Smithsonian Institution. With almost twenty independent museums, most of them located on the Nasionale winkelsentrum, the Smithsonian is the foremost curator of American history and achievement. The most popular of the Smithsonian museums are the National Air and Space Museum, die National Museum of American History, en die Nasionale Natuurhistoriese museum, but any of the Smithsonian museums would be a great way to spend an afternoon—and they're all 100% free.
New York City also has an outstanding array of world-class museums, including the Guggenheim Museum, die Amerikaanse natuurmuseum,the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), die Metropolitan Museum of Art, die Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, en die Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
You could spend weeks exploring the cultural institutions just in D.C. and the Big Apple, but there are also many other cities with world class museums such as Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Pittsburgh en Boston. Many universities also operate small museums that have interesting exhibits and are often free to enter, while those interested in specific sports or topics will often be able to find museums even in some small towns that suit their tastes.
Reisroetes
Here is a handful of itineraries spanning regions across the United States:
- Appalachian Trail — a foot trail along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine
- Braddock Expedition — traces the French-Indian War route of British General Edward Braddock (and a younger George Washington) from Alexandrië, Virginia through Cumberland, Maryland to the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh
- Interstaat 5 — the primary interstate highway along the west coast from the Mexican border with California to the Canadian border with Washington state, passing through the major west coast cities and the capitals of three states
- Die Jazz Track — a nation-wide tour of the most important clubs in jazz history and in jazz performance today
- Lewis and Clark Trail — retrace the northwest route of the great American explorers along the Missouri River
- Oregon-roete — the mid-19th century path taken by western settlers from Missouri to Oregon
- Pacific Crest Trail — one of the original National Scenic Trails; travels along the west coast from Mexico to Canada
- Pony Express National Historic Trail — commemorates the mail service route through the Old West, between St. Joseph, Missouri and San Francisco, California
- Roete 66 — tour the iconic historic highway running from Chicago to Los Angeles
- Santa Fe Trail — a historic southwest settler route from Missouri aan Santa Fe
- Toerende Shaker-land — takes you to one current and eight former Shaker religious communities in the Mid-Atlantic, New England and Midwest regions of the United States
- Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail — follows the route of the forced westward migration of many American Indian tribes in the 1830s
- U.S. Highway 1 — travelling along the east coast from Maine to Florida
Doen
Arts and music
Mid-size to large cities often draw big ticket concerts, especially in large outdoor amphitheaters. Small towns sometimes host concerts in parks with local or older bands. Other options include music festivals such as San Diegose Street Scene of South by Southwest in Austin. Classical music concerts are held year round and performed by semi-professional and professional symphonies. Many cities and regions have unique sounds. Country music is popular throughout the U.S. but is particularly concentrated in the South and rural West. Nashville is known as "Music City" because of the large number of country artists who live in the city. It's home to the Grand Ole Opry, the most famous country music venue in the nation, and numerous other live music venues. African-Americans in the South gave rise to jazz en die blues, with numerous music scenes and venues in cities nationwide. Many of the most popular mainstream bands are based in Los Angeles due to the large entertainment presence and concentration of record companies.
America is considered to be the spiritual home of musical theater, and many of the world's most famous musicals have had a run on Broadway in New York Stad at one time or another. No trip to New York would be complete without catching at least one musical on Broadway. The United States is also home to one of the world's premier opera companies, the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
A quintessential American experience is the marching band fees. You can find these events almost every weekend between September and Thanksgiving throughout the country and again from March to June in California. Check local event listings and papers to find specifics. Also notable is the Bands of America Grand National Championship held every autumn in Indianapolis. To see the best of the best, get tickets to the "finals" performance, where the ten best bands of the festival compete for the championship. Both "street" or parade marching bands as well as "field" or show bands are found at almost every high school and university in America.
Sport
The United States has a professional league for virtually every sport, including pillow fighting. America's passion for sports is rivaled hardly anywhere in the world, with the leagues with the world's highest attendance both per game (NFL) and total (MLB) and other leagues that are the best and most popular in their respective sport. Watching a game is a good way to meet and interact with the locals. A few of the most popular sports are:
- Bofbal, often referred to as "America's pastime", is one of the most widely played sports in the country. The U.S. is home to 29 of the 30 MLB (Major League Baseball) teams. The season lasts from April to September with playoff games held in October, with the championship games known as the World Series. With each team playing 162 games per team per season and the cheapest seats usually $10-20, this is possibly the best sporting event for international travellers to watch. There are also several hundred minor league teams scattered across the U.S.; while quality of the games is lower, prices are cheaper (even free in a few leagues).
- The U.S. is home to 29 of the 30 NBA (National Basketball Association) teams, and the world's premier men's basketball league. The season runs from November to April, with playoffs in May–June. Its counterpart the WNBA (Women's NBA), which plays during the NBA offseason, is one of the most stable and popular women's team sports leagues in the world.
- Die NFL (National Football League), with 32 teams (all in the contiguous U.S.) is the leading promoter of Amerikaanse voetbal in the world. It has virtually nothing in common with association football (Americans know daardie sport as soccer). It developed from rugby football, and still has some things in common with its cousin from England. It is extremely popular, and the day of the championship game, the Super Bowl, is an unofficial national holiday and perennially the most watched event in American sports. Most games are on Sundays, and watching games in the stands or on TV on Sunday is an important tradition for many Americans. The season lasts from September to December, with playoffs in January ending with the Super Bowl in February.
"Hockey" vs "Ice hockey" In most English-speaking countries, "hockey" is used for a game played on grass and "ice hockey" for the one on ice. In North American usage, however, the former is called "field hockey", while "hockey" alone almost always means "ice hockey" (or, rarely, roller hockey). |
- Die NHL (National Hockey League) is the premier ice hockey league in the world. 24 of its 31 teams are in the U.S., with another U.S. team to be added in 2021. Slightly under 50% of players are Canadians, another 25% Americans, and the rest come from many other parts of the world, mainly northern and eastern Europe. The season runs from October to April, followed by playoffs that culminate in the Stanley Cup Finals in June, the titular cup of which is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.
- Auto racing draws big crowds all over the country, with hundreds of thousands attending the marquee events—the Indianapolis 500 for the open-wheel IndyCar series, and the Daytona 500 vir die NASCAR stock car circuit. IndyCar racing is closer, faster, and arguably far more dangerous than that of NASCAR. NASCAR almost exclusively races on oval tracks, while IndyCar competes on a wide variety of tracks including city streets. Both sports' seasons run from late winter through mid-fall, with races almost every week. Daar is ook die United States Grand Prix, a race on the Formula One calendar that is usually held in Austin, Texas every year.
- As of the 2020 season, MLS (Major League Soccer) has 26 teams—23 in the U.S. plus three in Canada—with four more U.S. teams to be added by 2022. While it may not be as popular with the media, MLS is still widely viewed and enjoyed (particularly by Hispanic communities), and is a preferred destination for top players from European leagues who are past their prime. The season does not coincide with soccer in most other countries: the regular season runs March to October, with MLS Cup playoffs from October to December. The women's equivalent is the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which has 9 teams, all in the US, with another US-based team confirmed to be joining in 2021 and plans to expand to 12 or 14 teams in the early 2020s.
One unique feature of the American sports landscape is the extent to which sports are associated with educational institutions. In many regions, especially the South and Midwest, college sports enjoy followings that rival or surpass those of major professional teams, especially football and men's basketball. (In fact, 8 of the 10 largest non-motorsports stadiums in the world — all seating more than 100,000 spectators — are for U.S. college football teams, and the country's three largest basketball arenas house college teams.) The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) has over 1,000 member schools, including almost all of the country's best-known colleges and universities. Die college football en college basketball seasons roughly coincide with their professional counterparts; the NCAA Division I men's basketball playoff tournament, "March Madness", is especially widely followed even by casual sports fans. Rowing enthusiasts may wish to watch the Harvard–Yale Regatta, a 4-mile-long (6.4 km) race held in Connecticut every year modeled after The Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge in the Verenigde Koninkryk, between the men's coxed eight rowing teams.
Many communities also take great pride in their high school sports teams, and especially in smaller locales, those teams are a major part of local culture. From August to May, a high school game can be a great (and cheap) way to meet locals and discover the area in a way many visitors never experience. The most popular sports are usually football and boys' basketball (and to a lesser extent girls' basketball), plus hockey in New England and the upper Midwest. In some areas, a particular high school sport enjoys an elevated cultural position. Examples include football in Texas, basketball in Indiana, hockey in Minnesota, and wrestling in Iowa.
The United States is home to many of the world's most famous gholf courses. The most famous is the Augusta National Golf Club, which is the home of the Masters, one of the world's most prestigious professional golf tournaments, and also one of the four majors in men's golf. The U.S. is also home to 2 of the other 3 majors in men's golf, namely the U.S. Open en die PGA Championship, which rotate between different golf courses in the U.S. every year. Golf is popular both as a participation and spectator sport, and the U.S. supports several major professional tours. Sien ook Golf#United States of America.
The United States hosts many tennis tournaments in the ATP and WTA tours, with the US Open being the most prestigious among them. It is regarded as one of the four Grand Slams. The US Open is held every year from late August to Early September at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York Stad.
Die rodeo celebrates the traditions of the Ou Weste, especially in Texas en die Groot vlaktes. A subset of rodeo, bull riding, enjoys a moderate degree of popularity as a standalone event, with the main circuit being Professional Bull Riders.
Festivals and fairs
Many towns and/or counties throw fairs to commemorate the establishment of a town or the county with rides, games, and other attractions. Almost every state has one or more state fairs. These began as competitions and shows to promote agriculture and livestock; now they include industrial product exhibitions, concerts, and carnival rides and games.
Aard
There are numerous Nasionale parke throughout the United States, especially the vast interior, which offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities, including Ontspanningsskiet, ATV riding, hiking, bird watching, prospecting, and horseback riding. National parks are the crown jewels of the much larger National Park System, which also includes historic and cultural landmarks.
- Nasionale roetesisteem is a group of 21 "National Scenic Trails" and "National Historic Trails", and over 1,000 shorter "National Recreation Trails" for a total length of over 50,000 mi (80,000 km). While all are open to hiking, most are also open to mountain biking, horseback riding, and camping and some are open for ATVs and cars.
Pretparke
The United States is the birthplace of the modern pretpark, and to this day, amusement parks form an integral part of American childhood and teenage culture. The first-ever permanent amusement park was built on Coney Island in New York Stad, and while not as glamorous as some of the newer ones, is still home to a famous historic wooden roller coaster and numerous other attractions.
Die Los Angeles en Orlando areas in particular are home to numerous well-regarded amusement parks, with giants Universal en Disney operating parks in both locations. Another chain of amusement parks that is well-regarded locally, though not so well-known internationally, is Ses vlae, which has multiple locations throughout the country, and is particularly known for its innovative roller coasters and other thrill rides. Other chains include the marine-themed SeaWorld, which is known for its marine mammal shows, and Cedar Fair.
Koop
Geld
The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar ($), divided into 100 cents (¢, but often written as decimal dollars). Foreign currencies are almost never accepted, though some major hotel chains may accept traveller's checks in other currencies. Establishments close to the Canadian border accept Canadian currency, though usually at poor exchange rates. The Mexican peso can also be used (again at poor exchange rates) in border towns like El Paso en Laredo. Japanese yen is sometimes accepted in Hawaii.
The dollar is sometimes colloquially known as a buck, so "5 bucks" means $5. Common American banknotes (or bills) are the $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. The $2 bill is still produced but rarely seen in circulation and is occasionally refused as payment; bills beyond $100 haven't been produced since the 1960s and are removed from circulation when found. The $100 and sometimes $50 bills are too valuable for small transactions, and may be refused. All $1 and $2 bills and older bills of the other denominations are greenish and printed with black and green ink (thus the nickname "greenbacks"). Newer versions of the $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills are slightly more colorful. All the bills are the same size. Banknotes never expire and several designs of each note can circulate together, but older designs that lack modern anti-counterfeiting features may (rarely) be refused by some retailers.
The standard coins are the penny (1¢, copper color), the chunky nickel (5¢, silver color), the tiny dime (10¢, silver color) and the ridged-edge quarter (25¢, silver color). These coins only have their values written in words, not figures: "one cent", "five cents", "one dime", and "quarter dollar". When it comes to value, size doesn't matter: the dime is the smallest coin, followed by the penny, nickel, and quarter. Half dollar (50¢, silver) and dollar ($1, gold or silver; not to be confused with the quarter) coins exist but are uncommon. Coin-operated machines usually only accept nickels, dimes, quarters, and $1 bills, though some may also accept dollar coins. Larger vending machines, such as for buses or postal stamps, may take $5, $10, or even $20 bills. Though Canadian coins are sized similarly, machines usually reject them. Humans, on the other hand, generally won't notice (or care about) a few small Canadian coins mixed with American, particularly in the northern parts of the country. As with most currency, coins are generally not exchangeable abroad and UNICEF provides donation boxes at airports to let you dispose of them for a good cause before flying abroad.
Currency exchange and banking
Exchange rates for U.S. dollars As of 04 January 2021:
Wisselkoerse wissel. Huidige tariewe vir hierdie en ander geldeenhede is beskikbaar vanaf XE.com |
Currency exchange centers are rare outside the downtowns of major coastal and border cities, and international airports. Some banks also provide currency exchange services, though you may sometimes be required to call in advance. Due to the high overhead of exchange rates and transaction fees, it is often better to acquire U.S. dollars in your home country before travel; rates at currency exchange desks in airports, tourist areas and shopping areas in particular are often terrible.
OTM's can handle foreign bank cards or credit cards bearing Visa/Plus or MasterCard/Cirrus logos. They usually dispense bills in $20 denominations and generally charge about $2-4 to cards issued by other banks. Smaller ATMs in restaurants, petrol stations, etc., often charge higher fees (up to $5). These fees are in addition to your card issuer's own fees. Some ATMs, such as those at courthouses or other government buildings, have no fee. As with anywhere else in the world, there is a risk of card skimmers installed on these machines that can steal your credit card details.
Another option is withdrawing cash (usually up to $40 or $60 over the cost of your goods) when making a debit card purchase at a supermarket, convenience store, or a large discount store such as Walmart. Stores almost never charge for this service (though it may be contingent on signing up for the store's loyalty program, which is also usually free); however, the bank that issued your card may impose a fee.
Opening a bank account in the U.S. is a fairly straightforward process, and there are no restrictions on foreigners having them.
Credit and debit cards
Major credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard (and their debit card affiliates) are widely used and accepted. Nearly all large retailers will accept credit cards for transactions of all sizes, even as small as $1 or $2. However, some small businesses and independently-owned stores specify a minimum amount of money (usually $2 or $5, but sometimes $10) for credit card use, as such transactions cost them $0.30–0.50 (this practice is also common at bars when opening a tab). Almost all sit-down restaurants, hotels, and shops will accept credit and debit cards; those that do not post a sign saying "Cash Only." Other cards such as American Express and Discover are also accepted, but not as widely. Many retailers have a window sticker or counter sign showing the logos of the credit cards they accept.
JCB, UnionPay (China) and RuPay (India) have alliances with Discover, so they can be used at any retailer that accepts Discover cards even if the store does not display the logo on its window.
Shops may also ask for photo identification for foreign-issued cards. When making large purchases, it is typical for U.S. retailers to ask to see some form of photo identification. Sometimes, credit/debit cards are the only means to perform a transaction. If you do not have one, you can purchase a prepaid card or gift card with Visa, MasterCard or AmEx logo in a good number of stores, but you may have to provide identification before the card is activated.
Transaction authorization is made by signing a paper sales slip or a computer pad, although many retailers will waive the signature requirement for small purchases. The U.S. is implementing the EMV "chip-and-PIN" credit card authorization system used overseas. Cards and devices (e.g. iPhones and Apple Watches with Apple Pay) issued abroad with contactless or near-field communication (NFC) capabilities may not work in some merchants where NFC/contactless is used; in such cases, swipe or 'chip-and-pin' will be used.
Gas station pumps, some public transportation vending machines, and some other types of automated vending machines often have credit/debit card readers. Many of these ask for the ZIP code (i.e., postal code) of the U.S. billing address for the card, which effectively prevents them from accepting foreign cards (they are unable to detect a foreign card and switch to PIN authentication). At gas stations, you can use a foreign-issued card by paying the station attendant inside. If you have a Canadian Mastercard, you can use it at all pumps that require a ZIP code by entering the digits of your postal code (ignoring letters and spaces) and adding two zeroes to the end. When using a debit card, some stations will place a hold on your account for a specified amount (a notice will be present on the pump, typically $75) and then update the charge once you've filled up (but there is often a 1-2 day delay between removing the "hold" and updating the amount charged).
Sales tax
There is no federal sales tax (such as VAT or GST), so you cannot claim a tax refund when you leave the U.S.
Most states have a retail sales tax between 3% and 10%, as do some cities. The goods that are taxed and those that are exempt (often groceries, and pharmaceuticals) vary widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Restaurant meals are usually taxed.
Taxes are usually not included in posted prices but are added to your bill, so be prepared for the total to be higher than the listed prices would indicate!
Some cities have tax zones near airports and business districts that are designed to exploit travellers — sales taxes can vary up to 2% in a matter of a few miles. Regional price variations, however, will usually have more impact on a traveller's wallet than the savings from seeking out a low- or no-sales-tax destination. Some municipalities, such as New York City, also impose a hotel tax on accommodation, which is levied on top of the sales tax.
Places for shopping
Sien ook Inkopies in die Verenigde State
America is the birthplace of the modern enclosed inkopiesentrum and the open-air shopping center. In addition, American suburbs have miles and miles of small strip malls — long rows of small shops with shared parking lots. Large cities have central shopping districts that can be navigated on public transport, but pedestrian-friendly shopping streets are uncommon and usually small. American retail stores are gigantic compared to retail stores in other countries, and have some of the longest business hours in the world, with many chains open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Department stores and other large retailers are usually open from 10AM to 9PM most days, and in November and December, may stay open as long as 8AM to 11PM. Discount stores tend to stay open as late as 10PM or midnight, or may be open 24 hours a day. Most supermarkets are open late into the evening, usually until at least 9PM, and many stay open 24/7. Sunday hours tend to be somewhat shorter, or the stores may close.
The U.S. pioneered the factory outlet store, in which branded goods are sold for bargain prices, and in turn, the outlet center, a shopping mall consisting primarily of such stores. Outlet centers are found along major Interstate highways outside of most American cities.
If you see a driveway or yard full of stuff on a summer weekend, it's likely a garage sale (of yard sale), where families sell household items they no longer need. Churches often hold rummage sales, with proceeds generally going to their church or a mission or project they support.
Flea markets (called "swap meets" in Western states) have vendors selling all kinds of usually inexpensive merchandise. Bargaining is expected.
Thrift stores are retail stores run by churches, charities, and not-for-profit organizations that take in unwanted or un-needed household items as a donation and re-sell them to support projects they are engaged in.
Kostes
The U.S. is generally considered duur although the cost of living is typically lower than in many other Western countries, whose residents often come to the U.S. to shop.
A bare-bones budget could be $30–50/day, and you can double that if you stay at motels and eat at cheap cafés. Add on a rental car and hotel accommodation and you'll be looking at $150/day and up. There are regional variations too: large cities like New York en San Francisco are expensive, while prices go down in rural areas. Most U.S. cities have suburbs with good hotels that are often much cheaper than those in the city center. Thus, if you plan to rent a car and drive between several major cities on a single visit to the U.S., it is usually a better idea to stay at safe suburban hotels with free parking, rather than downtown hotels that charge exorbitant parking fees.
If you intend to visit any Verenigde State se nasionale parke, such as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Nasionale Park, it is worth considering buying a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which gives you access to almost all of the federal parks and recreation areas for one year.
Many hotels and motels offer discounts for members of certain organizations which anyone can join, such as AAA (the American Automobile Association). If you're a member, or are a member of a club affiliated with AAA (such as the Canadian Automobile Association, the Automobile Association in the UK, or ADAC in Germany), it's worth asking at check-in. Many chain motels/hotels also have frequent customer plans that offer loyalty discounts.
Kantel
Kantel is widely practiced in the United States. Standards vary, but gratuities are always given to servers in restaurants and bars, taxi drivers, parking valets, and bellstaff in hotels. The salaries made in these professions, and even their taxes, take into account that they will be tipped, so it really is inappropriate to leave them out.
Thinking about Tipping Tipping in many countries is very rare or often not done at all, and unthinkable to some visitors. It is, however, an essential part of your trip to the United States, and you will upset people greatly by refusing to tip or tipping too little, as doing so deprives servers of what is often the main component of their income. A good way to approach this is to treat all prices in a restaurant or other service as having a 20% tax and adjust accordingly — i.e. that $40 meal actually costs $48. |
Tipping in the United States is so common and expected in some cases that in many service establishments, such as hair salons and restaurants, customers who did not tip are often asked to pay a tip, or in rare cases verbally scolded by staff for "stiffing" them.
While Americans themselves often debate correct levels and exactly who deserves to be tipped, generally accepted standard rates are:
- Huurmotors — 10–20%. For livery cabs, if you hail the cab on the street and negotiate the fare in advance, then pay the negotiated amount plus an extra $1–2.
- Shuttle bus drivers — $2–5
- Private car & limousine drivers — 15–20%
- Parking valet — $1–3 for retrieving your car (unless there's already a fee for parking)
- Tour guides/activity guides — Between $5 and $10 depending on the size of the group (tips are lower in large groups), the cost of the tour, how funny/informative the guide was.
- Full-service restaurants — 15–20%; tip higher (~20%) in higher-cost cities like New York and San Francisco. Many restaurants include a mandatory service charge for larger groups, in which case you do not need to tip an additional amount – check the bill.
- Food delivery (pizza, etc.) — $2–5, 15–20% for larger orders
- Bartenders — $1 per drink if inexpensive or 15–20% of total
- Housekeeping in hotels — $1–2 per day for long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays
- Porter, skycap, bellhop, hotel doorman — $1–2 per bag if they assist ($3–5 minimum), $1 for hailing a taxi or calling a cab
- Hairdressers, masseuses, other personal services — 10–15%
- Bicycle messengers — $3–5
The legal minimum wage for restaurant waitstaff and other tip-earners is quite low (just $2.13/hour before taxes in some states where minimums for other workers are $7.25 or more). Therefore, tipping for this service is regarded as even more essential. If you receive exceptionally poor or rude service and the manager does not correct the problem when you bring it to their attention, a deliberately small tip (one or two coins) will express your displeasure more clearly than leaving no tip at all (which may be construed as a forgotten tip).
If paying your bill by cash, leave a cash tip on the table when you leave (there is no need to hand it over personally or wait until it's collected), or if paying by credit card you can add it directly to the charge slip when you sign it. Look carefully, as the bill will generally inform you whether a gratuity or "service charge" has already been added, in which case you do not need to leave an additional tip; this is especially common with large groups.
The rules for tipping at fast-food places are different and a bit more complicated. The key thing to remember is that tipping is associated with table service. The procedure at fast-food restaurants and when ordering takeout (even from what is otherwise a sit-down restaurant) is inherently self-service, therefore tipping is not necessary. Some eateries, mostly in the fast-casual sector, have a "tip jar" at the checkout station, but tipping in that scenario is purely optional, and you wouldn't be expected to contribute much more than the coins you're handed back as change. By cafeterias en buffets, a small tip is expected since staff often clear the table for you and provide refills of drinks and such.
The rules for tipping concierges are also arcane. For most services — asking for maps, information, tours, etc. — a tip is not expected. But for things above and beyond like special, unusual, time-consuming requests, if you receive a lot of attention while others are waiting, or even just for an exceptionally high level of service, tips should generally be large, usually starting at $5 (a $1 tip would be insulting).
Tipping well can make you look good in front of your American friends, dates and business partners, and could even earn you preferential treatment from staff, with the reverse also being true for tipping poorly.
Eet
- Hoofartikel: Amerikaanse kookkuns
American cuisine is far more than the bland McDonald's/Coca-Cola monolith that international stereotypes make it out to be. It's as diverse as the American people themselves, sporting regional variations between different parts of the country and incorporating localized versions of ethnic dishes from around the world.
The variety of restaurants throughout the U.S. is remarkable. In a major city such as New York, it may be possible to find a restaurant from nearly every country in the world. In addition to the usual array of independent restaurants, the U.S. possesses a singularly baffling array of kitskos and casual chain restaurants; even if you think you know U.S. fast food from the chains' international outlets, the sheer variety domestically is immense.
Many restaurants, especially those serving fast food or breakfast, do not serve alcohol, and many others may only serve beer and wine. Portions are generally huge, regardless of restaurant style, although this trend has moderated as customers are becoming more health-conscious. Many restaurants offer several portion options, though it may not be immediately obvious. Ask when ordering if portion choices are available. Taking home "leftovers" is very common and is a good way to get two meals for the price of one. Ask for a to-go box at the end of your meal if you have not cleared your plate.
In much of America, home-cooked food is as good as or substantially better than typical restaurant fare. This is particularly true in rural areas and small towns. If you have the opportunity to attend a potluck of carry-in dinner, this is a chance not to be missed.
Eetplekke
Large cities host many examples of every type of restaurant imaginable from inexpensive neighborhood eateries to extravagant full-service restaurants with extensive wine lists and prices to match. Most medium-sized cities and suburbs will also field a decent selection. In the most upscale restaurants, rules for men to wear jackets and ties, while once de rigueur, are becoming more relaxed. Check with the restaurant if in doubt.
Takeout food is common in larger cities for meals that may take a little longer to prepare than in a fast-food place. Place an order by phone or online and then go to the restaurant to pick it up and take it away. Many places also offer delivery; in some cities, it is easier to have pizza or Chinese food delivered than to find a sit-down restaurant. Pizza and Chinese are especially ubiquitous for delivery or takeout in the U.S.; towns as small as 5,000 typically have at least one pizza shop and one Chinese takeout/delivery restaurant, and often more than one. Hardcore pizza fans will usually prefer local pizza places to the big national chains; many such restaurants also offer takeout and delivery.
Fast-casual restaurants offer a fast-food dining style (i.e. no table service), but the meals tend to be fresher and healthier. The food takes a bit longer to prepare — and costs a few dollars more — than at fast food joints, but it's generally worth it. Some fast-casual places even serve alcohol.
Diners are quintessentially American and have remained popular since their heyday in the 1940s and 50s. They are usually individually run, open 24-hours and found on major roads, though they also appear in large cities and suburbs. They offer a wide variety of huge meals that often include soup or salad, bread, beverage and dessert. They are usually busy for breakfast, in the morning, at the end of factory shifts, or after the bars close.
No compendium of American restaurants would be complete without mentioning the truck stop. U sal hierdie plekke slegs teëkom as u met 'n motor- of busreis reis. Hulle word op die snelweë tussen die lande gevind en is voorsiening vir vragmotors. Daar is diesel en aparte parkeerplek vir die "groot tuigies" en storte vir bestuurders wat in hul kajuit slaap. Hierdie spoggerige restaurante bedien wat op die pad verbygaan vir 'gewone huiskos': warm braaivleisbroodjies, vleisbrood, gebraaide hoender, en natuurlik die alledaagse klubtoebroodjie of burger en patat, wat in groot porsies bedien word, dikwels 24 uur per dag. "All you can eat" -buffets en groot ontbyte is volop. Truckers weet dat hulle eet: as daar baie vragmotors buite is, sal dit goed wees.
Ketting sitrestaurante het 'n meer voorspelbare gehalte en prys in vergelyking met plaaslike eetplekke en vragmotors, hoewel diegene met oordeelkundige verhemelte waarskynlik nog teleurgesteld sal wees. Sommige spesialiseer in 'n soort kos (byvoorbeeld seekos, 'n heeldag ontbyt) of 'n spesifieke nasionale kookkuns, terwyl ander 'n wyer aanbod het.
Vir die rugsakreisiger of diegene met baie beperkte begrotings, Amerikaans supermarkte bied 'n byna oneindige verskeidenheid verpakte of verwerkte voedsel wat gereed of amper gereed is vir gebruik, insluitend ontbytgraan, ramen-noedels, ingemaakte sop en bevrore maaltye.
In die grootste stede, hoekwinkels in oorvloed. Hierdie klein geriefswinkels het 'n verskeidenheid versnaperinge, drankies en verpakte voedsel. In teenstelling met die meeste geriefswinkels, word hul produkte teen relatief lae pryse verkoop (veral volgens stedelike standaarde) en kan hulle snacks of selfs eenvoudige maaltye bied vir 'n begroting van nie meer as $ 5 per dag nie.
Tipes kos
Gewilde Amerikaanse voedselitems sluit hamburgers, worsbroodjies, pizza, roomys en tert in. Alhoewel baie soorte voedsel in die Verenigde State onveranderd is, is daar 'n paar verskillende soorte voedsel (veral in die Suid).
Kitskos restaurante is alomteenwoordig, maar die verskeidenheid van hierdie soort restaurant in die VSA is verstommend: hamburgers, worsbroodjies, pizza, gebraaide hoender, braai, TexMex en roomys begin eers daaraan raak. Alkoholiese drankies word nie in hierdie restaurante bedien nie; koeldrank is standaard. Moenie verbaas wees as u 'n koeldrank bestel nie, of u 'n papierbeker kry, en u moet dit self uit die soda-fontein vul (hervulling is dikwels gratis). Die gehalte van die kos wissel, maar vanweë die streng beperkte spyskaart is dit oor die algemeen goed, veral bedags. Die restaurante is gewoonlik skoon en helder, en die diens is beperk, maar vriendelik. 'N Paar restaurante, gebel inry, bedien u direk in u motor. Die meeste kitskosplekke bied ry deur diens, sodat u vanaf die spyskaart van die onderneming 'n bestelling kan plaas wat aan die kant van 'n toegewyde motorbaan geplaas word en dan daarvoor kan betaal en dit aan u moet afgee (verpak om te gaan) by 'n aparte syvenster voordat u na u volgende bestemming ry.
Op sy beste, barbecue (dikwels afgekort as "BBQ") is vark- of beesrib, beesbors of varkskouer wat stadig ure lank houtgerook word. Ribbes word as 'n geheel- of halfrak bedien of in individuele ribbes gesny, die borskas word gewoonlik dun gesny en die skouer kan geknip ("getrek") of gekap word. Souse van verskillende pittigheid kan op die gereg bedien word, of aan die kant voorsien word. Daar is ook 'n unieke streekstyl vir braai, met die beste wat in die algemeen gevind word Suid. Gebraaide vleis kan met verskillende kante bedien word, insluitende chili, maïskolf, koolslaai en aartappelslaai. Barbecue-restaurante is pretensieloos en die beste kos word gereeld in baie gemaklike ondernemings gevind. Verwag plastiek-eetgerei, piekniektafels en toebroodjies op goedkoop witbrood. Barbecue wat op die spyskaart in 'n luukse ketting of nie-spesialiteitsrestaurant gevind word, is waarskynlik minder outentiek. Ribbes en hoender word met jou vingers geëet; pak vark en bors met 'n vurk of in 'n toebroodjie. Sommige Amerikaners (hoewel nooit Suidlanders nie) gebruik 'barbecue' as sinoniem vir 'cookout': 'n partytjie waar hoender, hamburgers en worsbroodjies in die buitelug gebraai word (eerder as gerook). Dit kan lekker wees, maar moet nie met die bogenoemde verwar word nie.
Met 'n ryke tradisie van immigrasie, het Amerika 'n wye verskeidenheid etniese voedsel - alles van Ethiopiese kookkuns tot Laotiese kos is beskikbaar in groot stede met groot immigrantepopulasies - en hulle begin selfs kruisbestuiwing in samesmelting restaurante, met spyskaarte wat 'n mengsel van twee of meer verskillende soorte kookkuns is.
Italiaanse kos is miskien die mees deurslaggewende etniese kookkuns in Amerika, amper tot op die punt waar die 'vreemdheid' aanvegbaar is. Alhoewel meer outentieke pryse in gewildste restaurante beskikbaar is, het Italiaanse kos in die VSA dikwels 'n ander rigting ingeslaan as dié van Italië self, veral wat pizza betref, wat in die Verenigde State is beskikbaar in 'n magdom tuisgemaakte style wat regstreeks en soms landwyd bekend is, maar onbekend in Italië. Daar is ook restaurante wat spesialiseer in Grieks en Midde-Oosters kombuise (met feta kaas en hummus redelik wydverspreid op supermarktoonbanke), en in ietwat kleiner getalle ook Duits en Frans restaurante.
Chinese kos is wyd beskikbaar en aangepas vir Amerikaanse smaak. Outentieke Chinese kos kan gevind word in restaurante in Chinatowns, benewens gemeenskappe met groot Chinese bevolking. Japannees soesji, Viëtnamese, en Thai kos Hulle is ook aangepas vir die Amerikaanse mark, met toegewyde restaurante in groter dorpe. Indiër en Koreaans restaurante is ook aanwesig.
Ook baie gewild is Latyns-Amerikaanse kombuis, veral Mexikaans, wat jare lank byna uitsluitlik in die vorm van Tex-Mex kombuis: 'n tuisgemaakte baster wat oorspronklik ontwikkel is in Texas maar gebaseer op 'n veramerikaniseerde interpretasie van die kookkuns van Noord-Mexiko. Nietemin, die klein outentieke Mexikaan taquerias wat eens meestal beperk was tot Kalifornië en die Suidwes het nou deur die land versprei. U sal dit ook vind Kubaans kos in Suid-Florida en Puerto Rikaanse en Dominikaans restaurante in noordoostelike kusstede, wat gewoonlik 'n meer outentieke en minder veramerikaniseerde produk bedien.
Die Joodse gemeenskap het baie aan die kulinêre toneel gegee. Terwyl hy volwaardig is Kosher-delis is 'n sterwende ras wat deesdae meestal na New York City en ander plekke met buitengewoon groot Joodse bevolkings verplaas word, sommige spesialiteite soos bagels en pastrami het die kulinêre hoofstroom betree en word nou landwyd deur Amerikaners van alle soorte geniet. Die meeste Amerikaanse Joodse kookkuns (soos die meeste Amerikaanse Jode) is van Ashkenazi-oorsprong; Sephardi- en Mizrahi-voedsel is grotendeels onbekend in die VSA.
Dieetbeperkings
Restaurante wat voorsiening maak vir vegetariërs word meer algemeen in die VSA. Die meeste groot stede en universiteitsdorpe het restaurante wat uitsluitlik of hoofsaaklik vegetariese geregte bedien. In kleiner dorpe het u dalk 'n groter uitdaging. Bedieningspersoneel kan vrae beantwoord oor spyskaartitems, maar kan geregte met vleis of varkvleis, vis, hoender of eier as vegetaries beskou. Dit kom veral voor by groente-bykosse in die Suide. Vleisvrye ontbytkos soos pannekoeke of eiers is maklik beskikbaar by die etes. Veganisties restaurante (en veganistiese opsies by ander restaurante) kom toenemend voor, veral in groot stede.
Mense met 'n lae-vet of 'n lae-kalorie-dieet moet in die VSA redelik goed bedien word. Selfs kitskosrestaurante is geneig om 'n paar gesonder opsies op die spyskaart te hê, en kan op aanvraag kaarte van kalorie- en vettellings gee.
Bewustheid van voedselallergieë wissel. Verpakte voedsel moet gemerk word as dit melk, eiers, vis, skulpvis, grondboontjies, boomneute, koring of soja bevat. Verpakte voedsel moet ook die bestanddele daarvan bevat, alhoewel dit nie-spesifieke items soos 'speserye', 'geurmiddels' of 'ekstra kleur' kan insluit. Maar daar is gewoonlik geen verpligting om allergene in onverpakte voedsel te etiketteer nie, bv. in restaurante, bakkerye en vars kos by kruidenierswinkels (maar wette verskil volgens staat). Sommige restaurante merk allergene op, en is diegene met voedselallergieë. Kitskosrestaurante en kitsrestaurante met 'n gemaklike eetplek is dikwels 'n veiliger keuse vir mense met voedselallergie, omdat hulle bestanddele en metodes bevat. Laat weet u kelner by sitrestaurante, stel vrae, en as u kelner onseker is, moet u dit kontroleer of daarop aandring om met 'n sjef te praat. N groot verskeidenheid van Glutenvry voedsel is beskikbaar, maar soos ander allergene, is die etiketteringswette (moet minder as 20 dpm gluten bevat) van toepassing op verpakte voedsel, maar nie op restaurante nie.
Mense aan godsdienstige diëte mag nie probleme ondervind om te vind wat hulle in die groot stede benodig nie. Die meeste groot stede het ten minste een halal en kosher slagter, en daar is dikwels ook restaurante wat die betrokke gemeenskappe bedien. The Halal Guys is 'n unieke Amerikaanse ketting halalrestaurante wat takke in baie groot stede bedryf. Sulke voedsel is egter dikwels glad nie in klein dorpies en landelike gebiede beskikbaar nie.
Etiket
Dit is gewoonlik onvanpas om aan te sluit by 'n tafel wat reeds deur ander aandete beset is, selfs al het dit ongebruikte sitplekke; Amerikaners verkies hierdie mate van privaatheid as hulle eet. Uitsonderings sluit in kafeteria-eetplekke met lang tafels en oorvol informele eetplekke en kafees waar u suksesvol kan wees om 'n vreemdeling te vra of u die tafel kan deel waaraan hulle sit. Om in hierdie situasie 'n gesprek aan te knoop, mag wel of nie welkom wees nie.
Tafelmaniere, hoewel uiteenlopend, word tipies deur Europa beïnvloed. Slurp of ander geluide tydens eet word as onbeskof beskou, asook harde gesprekke (insluitend telefoonoproepe). Dit is redelik algemeen om te wag totdat almal aan u tafel bedien is voordat hulle eet. U moet doekdoeke oor u skoot lê; jy kan dieselfde doen met papierservette of op die tafel hou.
Baie kitskositems (toebroodjies, hamburgers, pizza, taco's, ens.) Is ontwerp om met die hand te eet; 'n paar kosse word byna altyd met die hand geëet (patat, spek, braaibroodjies en baie voorgeregte) selfs by matige restaurante. As u nie seker is nie, sal dit waarskynlik niemand aanstoot gee om sogenaamde "vingerhappies" met 'n vurk en mes te eet nie; vurk-en-mes-kos met die hand eet.
Aanstoot word nie geneem as u nie klaar is nie; die meeste restaurante sal die res wat u moet saamneem, verpak, of 'n boks voorsien om dit self te doen (soms eufemisties 'n 'doggy bag' genoem, wat impliseer dat die reste vir u troeteldier is). As u dit wil doen, vra die bediener om die restant te laat gaan "; dit sal byna universeel verstaan word en sal geen verleentheid veroorsaak nie. Sommige restaurante bied 'n "all-you-can-eat" -buffet of ander diens aan; dit is nie toegelaat om porsies van so 'n maaltyd saam te neem nie, of dit hou ekstra koste in.
As u na 'n maaltyd in 'n privaat huis genooi word, kan u vra of u iets kan bydra tot die maaltyd, soos 'n nagereg, 'n bygereg, wyn of bier, of 'n buitekook, iets nuttigs soos ys of weggooibare koppies of borde. . Die gasheer sal dikwels afneem, veral omdat u 'n reisiger is. As u nie gevra word om tot die maaltyd by te dra nie, word dit as goeie maniere beskou om 'n klein geskenkie saam te bring vir die gasheer (dikwels 'n gasvrougeskenk). 'N Bottel wyn, kersfees of vars snyblomme kom meestal voor. U mag nie verwag dat u geskenk saam met die ete as dit kos is nie; die gasheer het reeds die komponente van die ete gekies. Geskenke kontant of baie persoonlike items (bv. Toiletware) is nie geskik nie.
'N Uitsondering is die potjie of dra in ete, waar elke gas (of groep / gesin) 'n kosgereg saambring om met almal te deel; hierdie gedeelde disse vorm die hele maaltyd. Gewoonlik is geregte gegroepeer (bv. Slaaie, hoofgeregte of braaivleis, bykosse, hors d'oeuvres, nageregte); moet u die gasheer vra of hulle wil hê dat u iets spesifiek saambring. Ideale disse vir 'n potjie moet van 'n groot tafel af bedien word potskottel, of bak, en word gewoonlik as buffetstyl bedien - vandaar die klem op slaaie, kasserolle en bytgrootte voedsel. Hierdie soorte etes bied gewoonlik 'n wye verskeidenheid goed voorbereide kosse, en dit is miskien die beste manier om outentieke Amerikaanse kookkuns te ervaar - en u buitelandse spesialiteit kan dalk net die ster-aantrekkingskrag wees!
Rook
Of u in 'n kroeg of restaurant of in 'n ander openbare binnehuisruimte mag rook, wissel tussen en selfs binne state. In die meeste gevalle is dit verbode. As daar 'n "Geen rook" -teken is, kan u, bo en behalwe vuil voorkoms, uitgegooi, beboet of selfs gearresteer word.
Rook het 'n sosiale stigma gekry, selfs waar dit toegelaat word. Miskien wil u die mense rondom u vra of hulle omgee voordat hulle aansteek. Baie state het wette oor rook in die buurt van openbare ingange: hou die bordjies wat op die minimum afstand tot die deur staan, hoewel die toepassing nie konsekwent is nie, dop. As u 'n asbak of 'n kolstasie vind, is u veilig om daar te rook.
Vanaf 2018 het sommige state ontspannings- en / of mediese gebruik gewettig dagga. In lande waar cannabis / mediese dagga wettig is, is 'n groen kruis - soortgelyk aan die logo van die Rooi Kruis, en verwarrend soortgelyk aan die tekens vir normale apteke in ander lande - 'n onderneming wat mediese dagga verkoop. Verkope in sommige gebiede kan beperk word tot plaaslike inwoners of aan mense met spesifieke mediese toestande. Daarbenewens verbied die federale wetgewing die hantering van cannabis, en die vervoer van cannabis na die land of oor staatsgrense, selfs tussen state waar cannabis wettig is, is 'n misdaad. Dit is verder onduidelik hoe staatswetgewing (of die jurisdiksie van Indiese voorbehoude) en federale wetgewing in terme van cannabis bots.
Drink
Drinkgebruike in Amerika is so uiteenlopend soos die agtergronde van die baie mense. In die stede kan u alles vind, van taai plaaslike 'shot en 'n bier' bars tot luukse 'martini bars'; stedelike kroeë en nagklubs bedien dikwels net eenvoudige kos, of glad nie. In die voorstede word alkohol hoofsaaklik in restaurante eerder as kroeë bedien. En in landelike gebiede word die grens tussen 'kroeg' en 'restaurant' dikwels tot betekenisloos vervaag; met min besighede in die omgewing, gaan plaaslike inwoners na dieselfde plek vir maaltye en naglewe. 'N Paar state het droë provinsies, plekke waar dit onwettig is om alkohol vir plaaslike verbruik te verkoop; dit is meestal in landelike gebiede.
Wette
Datum verwarring Sommige 21-jariges wat probeer om 'n vreemde identiteitskaart te gebruik om alkohol te koop, kan verward wees deur 'n onverwagse probleem: die datum is dikwels in die verkeerde volgorde! In die meeste van die wêreld, 'n geboortedatum van 12 Januarie 1996 sou geskryf word 12-1-1996, gebruik dag-maand-jaar bestelling. Maar die VSA gebruik telkens die maand-dag-jaar-volgorde, waarin hierdie getalle beteken word 1 Desember, amper 'n volle jaar later! Tensy u ID spesifiek vermeld dat dit dag-maand-jaar-formaat gebruik, of [Engelse] name vir die maand gebruik soos sommige paspoorte, is dit waarskynlik dat u ID nie aanvaar sal word nie, aangesien die werknemer u andersins na u 'n woord dat jy oud is om te drink. As u die probleem wil vermy, kry 'n alternatiewe ID wat u geboortedatum in 'n ondubbelsinnige formaat toon. |
Die drinkouderdom is 21 in die VSA behalwe in die meeste afgeleë gebiede (waar dit 18 is). Die handhawing hiervan verskil, maar moet altyd 'n geldige foto-ID hê as u gekaart word. Algemene aanvaarde vorms van identiteitsbewyse is 'n Amerikaanse rybewys, staats-ID of paspoort. Sommige kroeë en kleinhandelaars benodig identiteitsbewyse vir alle transaksies, en sommige aanvaar miskien nie 'n buitelandse rybewys nie (behalwe moontlik Kanada), en daarom word dit sterk aangeraai om u paspoort beskikbaar te hê as u alkohol koop. In sommige state kan mense onder 21 nie eens wettig 'n kroeg of drankwinkel betree nie - en selfs waar die wet dit toelaat, kan individuele kroeë steeds kies om minderjariges op te neem.
Alkoholverkope is gewoonlik na 02:00 verbode, hoewel daar stede is waar kroeë later of selfs die hele nag oop is. In sommige state kan die meeste winkels slegs bier en wyn verkoop; harde drank word by toegewyde drankwinkels verkoop. Verskeie 'droë provinsies' - meestal in suidelike state - verbied sommige of alle soorte alkohol in openbare instellings; privaat klubs (met nominale ledegeld) word gereeld ingestel om dit te omseil. Sondagverkope is in sommige gebiede beperk.
Die meeste dorpe verbied drink in die openbaar met verskillende mate van handhawing. Al is dit toegelaat, is 'n sigbare bottel (eerder as een in 'n klein sakkie) onwettig of regverdig dit die polisie se aandag. Om "dronk en wanordelik" te wees, is onwettig. Dronk bestuur kom taamlik hard onder die loep. 'N Bloedalkoholvlak van 0,08% word as' onder die invloed 'beskou en baie state beskou 'n vlak van 0,05% as' gestremd '. As u jonger as 21 is, het die meeste lande perke van 0,00-0,02%. Amerikaanse polisie hou dronk bestuurders skerp dop (veral oor vakansie-naweke) en beskik oor 'n verskeidenheid gereedskap wat vinnig kan bepaal of u onder die invloed is. As u betrap word dat u onder die invloed van alkohol bestuur, sal u sekerlik in hegtenis geneem word. Buitelanders sal gewoonlik gedeporteer word, selfs gevestigde permanente inwoners. Dit is ook gewoonlik strydig met die wet om 'n oop houer alkohol oral in 'n motor as in die kattebak te hê; dit kan swaar beboet word. As u in 'n situasie kom waar u meer gedrink het as wat u bedoel het, en onseker is of u sou ry, is taxi-taxi's redelik vrugbaar in medium tot groot stede, en ry-app's het bestuurders selfs in klein stede. Baie motorklubs bied blitslyne om huis toe te ry.
Drankies
Bier en wyn is die belangrikste nie-gedistilleerde alkoholiese drankies, met whisky die hoof sterk drank (d.w.s. gedistilleerde drankie). Harde sider is die alkoholiese drank uit gefermenteerde appels; hoewel dit twee eeue gelede entoesiasties verbruik is, neem die gewildheid daarvan nou weer toe na dekades van duisterheid. "Cider" sonder verdere kwalifikasie is net 'n ongefiltreerde verskeidenheid appelsap, maar in die konteks van 'n staaf word die woord na die alkoholiese drank verstaan.
Bier vorm ongeveer die helfte van die alkohol wat in die VSA verbruik word. Nasionaal bekende ligte lagers (wat goedkoop en middelmatig is) bly die algemeenste, ondanks die opkoms van ander soorte bier sedert die 1990's. Mikrobrouerye, wat spesialiseer in klein bondels van hoë gehalte wat volgens tradisionele metodes vervaardig word, voeg die broodnodige verskeidenheid by. Mikrobrouke, ook bekend as "ambagsbier", is dikwels vindingryk en eksperimenteel; sommige is uitstekende voorbeelde van klassieke bierstyle, terwyl ander die perke verskuif en nuwe, unieke geure ontwikkel. Die meeste is slegs plaaslik beskikbaar, maar heelwat het plaaslike of selfs nasionale verspreiding bereik. Sommige kroeë en restaurante bedien ambagsbiere, terwyl ander blykbaar lukraak nie. Die meeste winkels (selfs geriefswinkels) het ten minste 'n paar, en baie het 'n wye verskeidenheid. Brou kroeë kombineer mikrobrouery en kroeg en bedien hoog aangeskrewe bier wat op die perseel gemaak word.
Wyn is beskikbaar in die gehaltespektrum. Amerikaanse wyne word hoofsaaklik deur die druifsoort gemerk. 'N Ruwe gids vir kwaliteit kom in die spesifiekheid van die etikettering. Kleur alleen ("rooi", "wit" en "rosé" of "pienk") dui die laagste laag aan. Hierbo word streke gemerk deur die staat (bv. "Kalifornië"), 'n gebied van 'n staat (bv. "Sentrale kus"), 'n provinsie of ander klein streek (bv." Willamette Valley "), of 'n spesifieke wingerd (bv." Dry Creek Vineyard ").
Die goedkoopste wyn is geneig om in 'n plastieksak in 'n doos te kom. "Versterkte wyne", bekend as "boemelaarswyn", is presies die teenoorgestelde van hoëklas Europese port, sjerrie of Madeira.
Al 50 lande beoefen 'n soort wynmaak, alhoewel 90% van Amerika se wyn - ook die hoog aangeskrewe wyn uit Amerika - Napa-vallei—Is Kaliforniër. Wyne uit Oregon's Willamette Valley en Staat Washington goeie waarde verteenwoordig, aangesien dit minder bekend is. Michigan, Colorado se wynland, en die staat New York s'n Finger Lakes blankes in Duitse styl te produseer wat internasionale kompetisies gewen het. Die Llano Estacado streek van Texas is ook opvallend vir sy wyne.
Vonkelwyne is per bottel beskikbaar in eksklusiewe restaurante, en word ook soms per glas bedien. Die beste Kaliforniese vonkelwyne is vergelykbaar met vooraanstaande Franse sjampanje, maar dit word nie algemeen in supermarkte buite Kalifornië verkoop nie.
Vonkelende sider is gewoonlik 'n nie-alkoholiese drank wat in die vorm van 'n sjampanje bottel kom en gegeur kan word. Harde ciders is dit wat alkohol bevat.
Die meeste kroeë, behalwe stedelike wynkroeë, bedien onmerkbare wyn. Wyn word deur sommige restaurante baie ernstig opgeneem, maar verwag, soos met alle ander alkoholiese drankies in restaurante, tot vier keer die prys van drank vir 'n bottel.
Harde alkohol (dws sterk drank) word gewoonlik met mengers gedrink, maar dit word ook "op die rotse" (met ys) of "reguit" (onvermengd, sonder ys, ook genoem "netjies") bedien. Whisky, die tradisionele keuse, bly gewild ondanks die toenemende gewildheid van wodka en ander sterk drank. Whisky word uit baie verskillende korrels gedistilleer. Die hooftipes is rog, mout (gemaak met hoofsaaklik gort) en bourbon (met hoofsaaklik mielies, d.w.s. mielies).
Naglewe
Nagklubs in Amerika bedryf die gewone reeks verskillende musiektonele, van diskoteke met top-40 danswysies tot obskure klubs wat klein snye obskure musiekgenres bedien. Boeremusiek dansklubs, of honky tonks, is redelik dik gelê in die suide en weste, veral in landelike gebiede en weg van die kus, maar een of twee kom in byna enige stad voor. Daar bestaan ook gay / lesbiese nagklubs in byna elke middel- tot groot stad.
"Happy hour", gedurende 'n tydperk wat gewoonlik van 30 minute tot drie uur duur, gewoonlik tussen 17:00 en 20:00, word daar aansienlike afslag op uitgesoekte drankies. "Damesaande", waartydens vroue afslag kry, kom al hoe meer voor.
Tot 1977 was die enigste Amerikaanse staat met wettige dobbelary Nevada. Die staat het sedert die dertigerjare toevallige speletjies toegelaat, wat sulke vakansieoorde soos Las Vegas en Reno in die proses. Veral Las Vegas, wat 'Sin City' genoem word, het ontwikkel tot 'n speelplek vir volwassenes vir eindbestemmings, en bied talle ander na-ure aktiwiteite soos pretparke, nagklubs, ontkleeklubs, skoue, kroeë en viersterrestaurante. Dobbelary het sedertdien buite Nevada versprei na 'n oorvloed Amerikaanse stede soos Atlantic City, New Jersey en Biloxi, Mississippi, sowel as rivierbote, buitelandse vaarte en Indiese reservate. Staatsloterye en "krapspeletjies" is 'n ander, gewilde vorm van gewettigde dobbelary. Aanlynspel en weddenskap op sport oor staatslyne bly egter onwettig in die VSA.
Nie-alkoholiese drankies
Die Verenigde State het 'n wye verskeidenheid gaskoeldrank met van die bekendste handelsmerke wat hier afkomstig is. Terwyl Pepsi en Coca-Cola regoor die wêreld verkoop word, is sommige geure skaars bekend buite Noord-Amerika. Vonkelwater, wat eens as 'n Europese nuuskierigheid gesien is, het al hoe gewilder geword as 'n gesonder alternatief vir suiker koeldrank en is nou in die meeste winkels beskikbaar. Kraanwater word gewoonlik gratis by restaurante bedien, en in die meeste dele van die land behalwe die omgewing van New York, kry u gewoonlik koffie, tee en (ietwat minder dikwels) koeldrank. Amerikaners hou baie van ys in hul drankies, dus, tensy u spesifiek anders vra, verwag dat enige nie-alkoholiese drank wat u in 'n restaurant bestel (water insluit) 'n groot hoeveelheid ysblokkies bevat. Wanneer u water by kitskosrestaurante bestel, kan gebottelde water aanvaar word as u nie kraanwater spesifiseer nie.
Slaap
Verreweg die mees algemene vorm van verblyf in die platteland van die Verenigde State en langs baie Interstate is die motel. Die meeste motelle is skoon en billik met goedkoop kamers aan reisigers in die motor, met 'n beperkte verskeidenheid geriewe: telefoon, TV, bed, badkamer. Motel 6 (☏ 1-800-466-8356) is 'n nasionale ketting met billike tariewe ($ 30-70, afhangende van die stad). Super 8 Motels (☏ 1-800-800-8000) bied ook redelike akkommodasie in die hele land. Besprekings is gewoonlik onnodig, wat gerieflik is omdat u 'n lang reis nie na willekeur hoef te onderbreek nie; jy kan eenvoudig ry totdat jy moeg is en dan 'n kamer kry. Dikwels sal hulle ook hul bord buite aansteek om te bepaal of daar vakature is, in welke geval u eenvoudig kan instap as hulle een het. Sommige word egter gebruik deur volwassenes wat 'n nag wil bespreek vir seks of onwettige aktiwiteite, en baie is in ongewenste gebiede.
Besigheids- of verlengde verblyf-hotelle is toenemend beskikbaar regoor die land. Dit kan in kleiner dorpe in die Midde-Weste of in stedelike gebiede aan die kus gevind word. Oor die algemeen is dit duurder as motelle, maar nie so duur soos volskaalse hotelle nie, met pryse tussen $ 70 en $ 170. Al lyk dit asof die hotelle die grootte van 'n motel het, maar hulle kan geriewe van groter hotelle aanbied.
Sommige hotelle met 'n lang verblyf is gerig op sakereisigers of gesinne op langtermynverblyf (wat gereeld verhuis weens besluite van die maatskappy). Hierdie hotelle het dikwels kombuise in die meeste kamers, sosiale geleenthede in die middag (gewoonlik by 'n swembad) en bedien 'n kontinentale ontbyt. Sulke "suite" hotelle is ongeveer gelykstaande aan die hotel versorgde woonstelle in ander lande gesien, alhoewel die term gewoonlik nie in Amerikaans-Engels gebruik word nie.
Hotelle is in die meeste stede beskikbaar en bied gewoonlik meer dienste en geriewe as motelle. Kamers kos gewoonlik ongeveer $ 80-300 per nag, maar baie groot, glansryke en duur hotelle kan in die meeste groot stede gevind word, en bied luukse suites wat groter is as sommige huise. In- en uitkloktye val byna altyd in die omgewing van onderskeidelik 11:00 en 14:00. Sommige hotelle in die VSA sal mense onder die ouderdom van 21 jaar nie neem as hulle nie by ouer volwassenes inklok nie. Baie Amerikaanse stede het nou 'randstede' in hul voorstede met luukse hotelle van hoë gehalte wat op welvarende sakereisigers gerig is. Hierdie hotelle bevat dikwels al die geriewe van hul neefs in die middestad / middestad (en meer), maar teen minder buitensporige pryse. 'N Minderheid van die hotelle is hondvriendelik, met nog minder ander troeteldiere; in elk geval sal u waarskynlik 'n toeslag en 'n terugbetaalbare skadedeposito moet betaal. Geriewe soos wi-fi en ontbyt is gewoonlik gratis in middelgroot hotelle, maar dikwels glad nie beskikbaar op die goedkoopste motelle nie, en slegs beskikbaar vir buitensporige pryse in luukse hotelle.
In baie landelike gebiede bed en ontbyt (B & B) akkommodasie kan gevind word wat gewoonlik in verboude huise is. B & B's bied 'n meer tuisagtige akkommodasie-ervaring met gratis ontbyt wat bedien word. B & B's wissel tussen ongeveer $ 50 en $ 200 per nag en kan 'n goeie blaaskans wees vir die onpersoonlikheid van hotelle en motelle. Anders as Europa, is die meeste Amerikaanse bed-en-ontbyte ongemerk.
Die twee bekendste hotelgidse wat oor die VSA handel, is die AAA (voorheen American Automobile Association; gewoonlik uitgespreek "Triple-A") TourBooks, beskikbaar vir lede en geaffilieerde motorklubs wêreldwyd by plaaslike AAA-kantore; en die Mobil Travel Guide, beskikbaar by boekwinkels. Daar is verskeie webwerwe wat hotelle aanlyn bespreek; weet dat baie van hierdie webwerwe 'n klein kommissie by die kamertarief voeg, dus dit kan goedkoper wees om direk deur die hotel te bespreek. Aan die ander kant vra sommige hotelle meer vir 'drop-in' sake as gereserveerde kamers of kamers wat deur middel van makelaars en makelaars verkry word. Dit is dus die moeite werd om dit na te gaan.
Jeugherberge het nie regtig in die VSA opgestyg nie, maar dit is regoor die land. Sommige is verbonde aan die Amerikaanse Jeugherberg organisasie ('n lid van die Hostelling International). Die gehalte van koshuise wissel baie, maar teen $ 8– $ 24 per nag is die pryse onverbeterlik. Ondanks die naam is AYH-lidmaatskap oop vir mense van alle ouderdomme. Nie-AYH hostels is ook beskikbaar, veral in groter stede. Koshuise is op meer toeristiese plekke saamgevoeg: moenie aanvaar dat alle middelgroot stede 'n koshuis sal hê nie, en selfs baie groot stede het net een of twee.
Kampeer dit kan ook 'n bekostigbare akkommodasie-opsie wees, veral met goeie weer. Die nadeel is dat die meeste kampeerterreine buite stedelike streke is, dus dit is nie veel van die opsie om na groot stede te reis nie. Daar is 'n groot netwerk van Nasionale parke (☏ 1-800-365-2267), met die meeste state en baie provinsies wat ook hul eie parkstelsels het. Die meeste staats- en nasionale kampeerterreine is van uitstekende gehalte, met 'n pragtige natuurlike omgewing. Verwag om $ 7– $ 20 per motor te betaal met die inskrywing. Kampterreine van Amerika (KOA) het 'n reeks kommersiële franchises vir kampeerterreine regoor die land, met aansienlik minder bekoring as hul eweknieë in die openbare sektor, maar met aansluitings vir ontspanningsvoertuie en geriewe soos wasserye. Ontelbare privaat kampeerterreine wat onafhanklik besit word, verskil in karakter.
Sommige ongewoon verblyfopsies is beskikbaar in spesifieke gebiede of indien vooraf gereël. U kan byvoorbeeld daarvan hou om op 'n huisboot in Lake Tahoe of die Erie-kanaal. Of bly in 'n boom huis in Oregon. Meer konvensionele akkommodasie kan gevind word in universiteits- of universiteitslosies, waarvan sommige gedurende die somer kamers aan reisigers verhuur. Uiteindelik kan u in baie toeristegebiede sowel as in groot stede bedags 'n gemeubileerde huis huur.
Leer
- Hoofartikel: Studeer in die Verenigde State
- Sien ook: Toer gesogte en noemenswaardige universiteite in die VSA
Voltydse studie in die Verenigde State is 'n uitstekende geleentheid vir jong volwassenes wat op soek is na gevorderde opleiding, 'n kans om 'n vreemde land te sien en 'n beter begrip van die VSA en sy mense. Dit kan onafhanklik gedoen word deur direk by 'n kollege aansoek te doen vir toelating, of deur die afdeling "studie in die buiteland" of "buitelandse valuta" van 'n kollege in u eie land, gewoonlik vir 'n enkele termyn of een jaar. Laasgenoemde is gewoonlik die maklikste; die twee instellings sal baie van die reëlings hanteer, en u hoef u nie te verbind tot vier jaar in 'n vreemde land nie. Die VSA is die tuiste van baie van die wêreld se mees gesogte universiteite en lok meer internasionale studente as enige ander land ter wêreld, en daar is baie kulturele diversiteit in sy topuniversiteite.
Werk
- Hoofartikel: Werk in die Verenigde State
Die Verenigde State, as die grootste ekonomie in die wêreld, lok buitelanders met werksgeleenthede oor die hele reeks vaardigheidsvlakke en ekonomiese sektore. Soos ander lande, het die VSA egter immigrasie- en visumwette aangeneem wat daarop gemik is om Amerikaanse inwoners voorkeur te gee. Maak seker dat u begryp watter wettige hindernisse u het om 'n werk in die VSA te kry, moenie probeer om onwettig in die VSA te werk nie, want u kan in hegtenis geneem word, deportasie of 'n verbod op hertoegang hê. Onwettige werkers loop ook die gevaar van onveilige werksomstandighede.
Bly veilig
Misdaad
Opvallende groot misdade gee die VSA 'n reputasie vir misdaad, maar min besoekers ondervind probleme; algemene voorsorgmaatreëls en om waaksaam te bly, is oor die algemeen voldoende om probleme te voorkom. Geweldsmisdaad hou gewoonlik verband met bendes en dwelms in spesifieke woonbuurte, en met hewige geskille. Vermy dit en dit gaan goed met jou. Stedelike toeristegebiede is swaar onder toesig en is veilig teen klein misdade.
Landelike misdaad in Amerika is gewoonlik baie skaars en baie plaaslik, veral in baie arm, ontsteld gemeenskappe wat maklik vermy kan word. Stedelike gebiede het gewoonlik hawelose mense wat aggressief geld kan vra. As u geteister word, sê "nee" vas en loop weg.
Onwettige immigrasie en dwelmsmokkelary, en die owerheid se swaarhandige behandeling daarvan, maak die Mexikaanse grens ongewens om te besoek. Amptelike grensoorgange is veilig om te gebruik.
There has been a reported increase in mass shootings and white nationalist terrorism since 2016, albeit against the backdrop of a declining number of homicide deaths overall. While these occur in random locations that are nearly impossible to predict, as a tourist, your chances of encountering one are slim.
Polisie
The police are generally polite, professional, and honest. The police will however draw and use their weapons much faster and with more deadly force than police forces in other Western countries. When in uniform, they are more formal, cautious, cold and sometimes aggressive than police in, say, Europe or Latin America—especially in large cities. If stopped by police, do not feel scared or anxious. Stay calm, be polite and cooperative, avoid making sudden movements, and state what you are doing if you need to reach for your purse or wallet to present your identification. It is particularly important for you to appear calm and cooperative if you are a person of color, since non-white people are much more likely to be subjected to police harassment.
If you have been pulled over by a police officer, turn on your car's lights and keep your hands on the wheel; do not exit the vehicle unless told to do so.
Doen nie offer bribes to a police officer under any circumstances. U.S. police culture categorically rejects bribes, and even the mere suggestion can result in your immediate arrest. If you need to pay a fine, don't try to pay the officer; he or she can direct you to the appropriate police station, courthouse, or government office. Most minor traffic infractions can be paid by mail. Increasingly fines can be paid online or over the phone within a matter of minutes of receiving the ticket, though often for a convenience fee of a few dollars. Instructions are often printed on the ticket. Unlike in much of the world, fines are not tied to income and can be rather steep as many towns and counties—controversially—rely on them as a major source of revenue. You should thus be especially careful to comply with the less obvious rules.
There are three types of police you are most likely to encounter: state police or highway patrol units on major highways, rural areas and/or state government offices, deputy sheriffs employed by county governments in rural areas, and police officers employed by city or town governments in urban areas. There are also smaller police departments, like transit or airport police which patrol public transportation, and university or campus police which patrol universities. Federal law enforcement officers, such as FBI agents, are generally found only in or near federal facilities, such as ports of entry, national parks, and federal government offices. If you encounter them elsewhere, it is usually because they are investigating specific allegations of federal crimes.
Emergency services
Dialing 911 at any telephone will reach the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, etc.). Any U.S. phone, regardless if it is "active" or not, must be able to dial 911 if it is connected to the network, and such calls are always free. Unless you are calling from a mobile or Internet-based phone, the operator should be able to locate you from the phone you are using even if you do not say anything. Modern cell phones will send a GPS fix of your location down to a few meters within a few seconds of dialing 911. Dialing 911 and leaving an open line will bring all 3 emergency services to your location in under 5 minutes in most populated areas. Response time may be longer in sparsely populated areas or along the Interstates.
On any GSM mobile phone (the standard technology in most of the world, especially in Europe), you can also dial 112, which is the standard emergency number for GSM networks worldwide. U.S. GSM carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and smaller regional operators) automatically redirect 112 calls to 911.
Grenspatrollie
The United States Border Patrol works near both the Canadian and the Mexican borders, as well as in Southern coastal areas like the Florida Keys. They can verify immigration status and enforce immigration laws in the "border zones"—generally within 40 miles of Canada and 75 miles of Mexico (although the law allows for 100 miles from any border, including sea and the Great Lakes). Near Canada they tend to be unobtrusive and generally focus their work on long-distance buses and trains. Near the southern border, systematic vehicle checkpoints or being stopped on the street with a friendly "Papers, please..." is much more likely. They tend not to target tourists specifically.
Foreigners are always required to carry their passports, visas, and landing cards (or Green Cards). Being found without them near the border could lead you to being detained until your status is verified, or possibly fined. If your documents are in order, you generally won't be questioned. In most states (Arizona is a notable exception), police and other local authorities are not allowed to question you about your immigration status or to ask to see your passport or visa unless you're arrested and charged with a crime, and then only for the purpose of connecting you with your embassy. As a result of the 9/11 attacks, some statistics have shown that Muslims or those who are assumed to be Muslims may be disproportionately targeted for additional screenings at airports despite claims that passengers are chosen at random.
Natural disasters
The U.S. is a huge country with very varied geography, and parts of it are occasionally affected by natural disasters: orkane en tropical storms from June through November in the Suid and along the East Coast, blizzards in Nieu-Engeland, near the Great Lakes, and in the Rotsgebergte, tornado’s mostly in the Groot vlaktes and Midwest, earthquakes on the West Coast and in Alaska, floods in areas of the Midwest and Texas en wildfires in the late summer and early fall in the western half, particularly Kalifornië en die Suidwes. See the regions in question for more details.
Because tornadoes are so common between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, this area has earned itself the colloquial name Tornado Alley. Hawaii contains several active volcanoes, but they are not usually a threat to life and limb. The last high profile eruption in the mainland U.S. was that of Mount Saint Helens in 1980.
In the case of a natural disaster, local, state or federal authorities can issue a warning over the Emergency Alert System. It has a very distinctive electronic screeching followed by a sound similar to a dial tone prior to any message. It will override AM/FM radio broadcasts as well as TV systems. Smartphones sold since about 2011 will often receive an alert message based on the current location of the phone (depending on the phone's settings, this may include a loud alert tone). Coast Guard weather is broadcast continuously on VHF marine radio for seafarers; a separate system (seven frequencies around 161 MHz) provides conditions ashore. Special "weather radios" are able to monitor the frequency, even in standby mode, and sound the alarm if deadly storms (such as tornadoes or hurricanes) are brewing. In most tornado-prone regions, a system of sirens will sound when a tornado warning is issued. If you hear the siren, seek shelter immediately. (For more information, see tornado veiligheid.)
Gay and lesbian
In general, the U.S. is a safe destination for gay and lesbian travelers, though as a whole, homosexuality is not quite as well accepted as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada or Western Europe. Most Americans take a live-and-let-live approach to sexuality, and anti-gay violence is very uncommon (though not totally unheard of), but you may receive unwanted attention or remarks in some situations or regions. In general, acceptance of homosexuality is most widespread (to a degree generally on par with Western Europe) in larger cities, college towns, in the Northeast and along the West Coast. However, this is just a general rule of thumb: you'll find homophobes (and, conversely, LGBT-accepting folks) in all corners of the country.
Die rainbow flag of gay pride flag is widely known even outside the gay community, and is commonly used by both individuals and businesses to signal that they (as individuals) are LGBT themselves or tolerant thereof, or that they (as businesses) are LGBT-owned and/or welcoming to LGBT customers. Other symbols (such as the pink triangle, or specific flags for bisexual or transgender people) exist but are much less widely recognized.
Gay-friendly destinations include New Yorkse Chelsea, Austin, Chicagose Boystown, Seattlese Capitol Hill, San Franciscose Castro Street, Washingtonse Dupont Circle, Miami Beachse South Beach, Atlantase Middestad, Los Angeles' West Hollywood en New Orleans. An increasing number of resort areas, too, are gay-friendly, including Vuureiland, Key West, Asheville, Provincetown, Ogunquit, Rehoboth Beach, Saugatuck, en Asbury Park. Even leaving aside major tourist destinations, most cities have specific neighborhoods where gay people tend to congregate, and many have resource centers for LGBT people.
If you're married to someone of the same sex, you may encounter some difficulties in more conservative areas of the country, but Supreme Court rulings have made it clear that no municipal, state or federal authority is allowed to treat same-sex relationships differently from opposite-sex ones, and employers are also not allowed to discriminate against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In most jurisdictions, individual businesses remain free to refuse service to gays and lesbians; fewer than twenty states list sexual orientation as a protected category (like race and gender) and fewer still extend these protections to transgender persons. Terwyl transgender persons are not prohibited from travel, some have reported undue scrutiny at airport security checkpoints. A few large cities have enacted local anti-discrimination ordinances, and many places have alternative monthly or weekly publications providing LGBT-relevant news and event listings. National LGBT publications include Out magazine and Die advokaat.
Men planning to engage in any sexual activity should be aware of the heightened risk of HIV and other infections in the United States. A gay American man is 44 times more likely to contract HIV than a heterosexual one, and 46 times more likely to contract syphilis. This risk grows greatly among men likely to engage in one-night stands and other higher-risk behavior. In a nation where 0.5% of the population are infected with HIV, unprotected sex is a very real risk. Precautions, including using protection, are strongly advised during your stay. Most cities have affordable or free testing and treatment centers for STIs, though hours may be limited and waits may be long. Planned Parenthood clinics are often an affordable alternative. Seeking healthcare elsewhere can be very pricey.
Dwelms
| Nota: You can be turned away from the U.S. border if you are carrying any substance prohibited by U.S. federal laws, including marijuana. You can also be turned away if you are employed in the cannabis industry where this is a legal activity. You can be banned from entering the U.S. for life if you lie to a customs official. Crossing the U.S. border with any quantity of cannabis in any form is a federal offense. |
In general, U.S. drug laws can be pretty severe: even possession or transportation of small amounts can lead to prison or deportation. However, laws and attitudes concerning the most commonly available drug, marijuana, vary wildly from state to state. States like Louisiana and Florida impose large fines and lengthy prison sentences, while in other states marijuana use has been largely decriminalized. 18 states allow medical use of marijuana, where persons can obtain marijuana for medicinal use with a doctor's prescription and a "medical marijuana card". In some states, particularly cities on the West Coast, medical marijuana dispensaries are so commonplace that they seem almost ordinary. Many states also allow limited recreational use of marijuana, as does the District of Columbia, although the status of legalization there is in doubt due to the District's unique Federal status.
In 2020, Oregon became the first U.S. state both to decriminalize the use of hard drugs and to fully legalize the use of psilocybin (so-called "magic mushrooms"). Additionally, some more liberal-minded cities (e.g. Denver, Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Ann Arbor) have decriminalized hard drugs by municipal law.
However, both marijuana and hard drugs remain illegal under federal law. Under no circumstances should they be transported across state lines (even when it's legal on both sides of the border), onto Indian reservations, onto federal lands or properties (such as federal office buildings, military bases, and post offices), onto flights or across international borders (including Canada, where marijuana is legal). Doing so is considered drug trafficking and subject to the aforementioned harsh penalties. Airports such as Denver International increasingly have "cannabis amnesty boxes" pre, and sometimes bizarrely post security, where one can get rid of any cannabis products without facing a penalty.
Prostitusie
Prostitution is illegal except at licensed brothels in rural Nevada. Tolerance varies considerably between states. Police officers occasionally pose as prostitutes to catch and arrest anyone offering to pay for sex.
Guns
It's true: the U.S. has a strong gun culture, and many (but by no means all) Americans own a firearm. Possession of firearms is regulated by individual states, and while these regulations (obtaining necessary permits, the kinds of arms permitted) vary greatly from state to state and, sometimes, from city to city within the same state, the U.S. is generally considered to be a place with lenient attitudes towards firearm ownership, especially compared to Europe and Asia.
Although U.S. citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed right to own and carry firearms, non-immigrant aliens present in America for fewer than 180 days cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition, unless they travelled specifically for hunting or sport shooting, of they have a valid hunting license from the state they are shooting in. Entry in a recognized shooting competition also qualifies. Anything else is strictly illegal.
Warning: People who have renounced U.S. citizenship are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition, even for sporting purposes.
Your chances of getting shot are very low, maar:
- In a city, a civilian with an openly visible firearm is generally a rare sight, and thus potentially more of a concern than one in the country. Nonetheless, since many states do permit "open carry", you may encounter somebody with a holstered firearm. Police officers, even detectives who wear civilian clothes on duty, will almost always carry firearms. Many states also have "concealed carry" laws which permit the possession of a concealed firearm in clothing or in a vehicle. Keep in mind that people with permits to carry a firearm, openly or concealed, are usually not criminals and not going to harm you. Though if you witness somebody brandishing a gun, dial 911, as brandishing a firearm is a crime in many states.
- Hunting is popular in rural America. Use of marked trails is generally safe, but if you plan to venture off the beaten path, find out where any hunting may be afoot. If so, everyone in your party (including your dog!) should wear bright colors, particularly "Blaze Orange", to be highly visible to the hunters. The timing and length of hunting seasons, and any applicable permits and regulations, vary between states—see respective state government websites for more information. Hunting is not normally allowed in national or state parks, but is permitted in some national forests.
- Target shooting is a popular sport. Many ranges welcome tourists and will have a variety of firearms available to rent and shoot at the range. Many implement a "two person minimum" rule and consider it unsafe to rent firearms to lone individuals.
- The legal carrying of firearms for protection by individuals hiking, exploring or camping in the wilderness is on the rise due to a small number of highly publicized incidents along well-known hiking trails. This is a controversial issue in the hiking/camping community, with strong arguments on both sides. The proponents argue that legal possession of a firearm does not increase the level of danger for bystanders: those who carry may very well have military or police backgrounds and be more than willing to assist others in an emergency.
- Private property is more strongly protected in the U.S., both in law and in custom, than it is in many other parts of the world. In some areas, it is legal for owners to shoot people in defense of their property. While such incidents are rare, don't risk it - make sure you avoid taking shortcuts across land that might be privately owned, even if unfenced. In all cases, it's considered to be trespassing, which is a crime. If you are in an urgent situation where you have to seek refuge on someone's property, be sure to appropriately notify the owner, or you risk being mistaken for a trespasser.
Mass shootings occasionally make headlines in the U.S., but in such a huge country the risk to any individual is very low. dit is extremely unlikely to happen to you on your visit. If you would like to prepare for this remote possibility anyway, see this section.
Rassisme
Compared to many European and Asian countries, the U.S. is, at least publicly, a racially tolerant country. The U.S. Constitution, coupled with both state and federal law, prohibits racial discrimination in a range of public spheres such as employment, university admissions and receiving services from retail businesses. However, the Constitution also guarantees freedom of speech to a greater degree than in most other Western democracies, so it is unfortunately possible to encounter racist comments (both blatant and subtle) in public forums.
Still, most Americans are, or at least profess to be, tolerant of other races, and it is uncommon to face open aggression from random people solely as a result of one's race. The country goes through occasional periods of increased animosity toward racial minorities or immigrants, but the longer-term trend has been one of increasing tolerance and acceptance.
Amid the Covid-19-pandemie, there has been a spike in racist incidents targeting people of East Asian descent, with some East Asians having become victims of hate crimes including assaults.
Bly gesond
Kraanwater is potable, but sometimes avoided due to the taste imparted by the chlorine used to purify it. It's of good quality in many places, including New York Stad; however, it tastes bad in certain low-rainfall areas, such as Santa Barbara, so you might prefer to drink bottled water or seltzer in those places. Bottled water is near ubiquitous and available for a variety of prices. Quality tends to be high and the chemical difference between a 50 cent bottle of water and a 5 dollar bottle of water is oftentimes negligible. Lead plumbing is still a problem in some places, as became evident in the high profile case of Vuursteen, Michigan, but hotels and public water dispensers are unlikely to be affected.
Disease
Being a highly industrialized nation, the United States is largely free from most serious communicable diseases found in many developing nations; however, the HIV rate is higher than in Canada and Western Europe, with about a 0.5% infection rate in the overall population.
For the latest in traveler's health information pertaining to the United States, including advisories and recommendations, visit the Sentrums vir Siektebeheer en -voorkoming (CDC) website for health information for travellers to the United States.
Daar is twee aansteeklike siektes that are worth becoming educated about:
- Human cases of rabies are quite rare in the United States, though the disease is more prevalent in eastern regions of the country. Rabies is usually contracted from animal bites or saliva. If you are bitten by any mammal, even if it's "just a scratch", see a doctor as soon as possible. If you wait until you get symptoms of rabies, you are almost certain to die; if you get the vaccine before symptoms occur, you have a high chance of surviving. Bats and other small, wild animals are especially prone to carry the rabies virus. If you happen to find a bat in the room (particularly upon waking up, or in the room of an unattended child), call or see a doctor since there may have been an unnoticed bite. Avoid other wild mammals like raccoons, skunks, and foxes, even if they seem tame and approachable.
- Lyme disease is spread via the deer tick, which is prevalent in the woodlands and open fields of many rural areas. There have been cases of Lyme disease in every state, but the great majority have been reported in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic states and Great Lakes states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota en Illinois. When venturing into the outdoors, it is a good idea to apply an insect repellent onto exposed skin surfaces that is effective against deer ticks. Should you get flu-like symptoms after hiking through wooded areas, make sure to get tested for Lyme disease, as it is often confused with other diseases, and early treatment is usually quite effective.
Other diseases that are endemic within the United States, but are of far less concern, include Hantaviral Pulmonary Syndrome (found in western regions), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (mostly in the Rocky Mountain region), West Nile Virus (all regions) and Eastern/Western Equine Encephalitis (particularly in the Midwest).
Due to the high amount of travel and the fact that diaspora communities from almost every country in the world have some presence here., the U.S. is somewhat more likely than other places to have "imported" cases of pandemics, as seen in the case of the Ebola epidemic of 2014. Again this is unlikely to be of concern to you.
Gesondheidssorg
American health care is generally first-class, but very expensive. Make sure that your travel insurance is valid for the U.S. Given the high costs, some "world-wide" insurance specifically does not cover the U.S. But if you can afford it, the U.S. is by far the world's leading nation in medical research, and you have at your disposal the most cutting edge treatments that are often not available anywhere else. Long-term visitors to the U.S. (e.g., work or student visa holders) are generally required to take up private health insurance as part of their visa conditions. If you are planning to work in the U.S., check with your employer to see if health insurance is provided as part of your employee benefits.
To the patient, America's public (20%), private for-profit (20%), and private not-for-profit (60%) hospitals are generally indistinguishable. Inner city public hospitals may be more crowded and less well maintained, but as a whole both costs and service levels are consistently high in all types. No hospital can refuse a life-threatening emergency case. Private hospitals may only stabilize such patients before sending them to a nearby public hospital, which will generally act as the regional center for 24-hour emergency treatment.
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In a life-threatening emergency, dial 911 to summon an ambulance to take you to the nearest hospital emergency room ("ER"), or in less urgent situations get to the hospital yourself and register at the ER's front desk. Ambulance fees typically range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and though they will never refuse to transport you in an emergency, the ambulance fees will be billed to you at a later date. Emergency rooms treat patients regardless of their ability to pay, even though their services are not free. Expect to pay at least $500 for a visit, plus the cost of any specific services or medications you are given. Avoid using ERs for non-emergency walk-in care; they are 3–4 times more expensive than other options and your non-urgent condition means you will have a wait of hours or maybe days. Most urban areas also have minor emergency centers (also called "urgent care", etc.) for conditions that don't require a visit to the emergency room (e.g. superficial lacerations). Their hours may be limited; few are open at night.
Walk-in clinics can provide routine medical care; to find one, check the yellow pages (see Per telefoon below) under "Clinics", or call a major hospital and ask. Patients see a doctor or nurse practitioner without an appointment (but often with a bit of a wait). They are typically very up-front about fees, and always accept credit cards. Make sure the clerk knows you will be paying "out of pocket"; if they assume an insurance company is paying, they may inflate the bill with unnecessary extras.
Dentists are accustomed to explaining fees over the phone, and most will accept credit cards. Health insurance typically does nie provide dental coverage; you will need to take up separate dental insurance vir dit.
Government-supported clinics offering free or low-cost testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases are widespread. Local Health Departments will provide more details. Planned Parenthood (1-800-230-7526) is a private agency with clinics and centers around the country providing birth control and other reproductive health services.
Note the difference between a red cross and a green cross: in the United States, anything medically related will have a red cross, whereas medical marijuana dispensaries will have a green cross.
Hanteer
Godsdienstige dienste
Christian visitors looking to attend religious services should have no problem locating a house of worship, even in small towns. A typical medium-sized American town or city probably has one or more Catholic parishes, several Protestant churches (the most common being Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal/Anglican), and possibly other houses of worship depending on the demographics of the area (such as synagogues or mosques).
Most churches in the United States practice an "open table", meaning they welcome you to participate in worship, and some or all rituals, even if you're not a member of their religious denomination. Some churches, and some entire denominations, welcome LGBT individuals.
Some churches also have after-church luncheon for free or at a nominal cost. Visitors are always welcome to stay for lunch and fellowship as a way to meet locals.
News and media
The United States has a free and vibrant press industry, with a wide array of news outlets covering the gamut in terms of focus, factual accuracy and political biases.
Though it's not as ubiquitous as before the advent of the Internet, print media isn't dead yet. Just about every mid-sized city (and many small ones) has a daily newspaper covering local news and often some national news. Major metropolitan areas will usually have more than one paper to choose from. With a few exceptions (mostly tabloids like the New York Post en New York Daily News), most papers provide reasonably balanced coverage of hard news, with their political biases manifesting themselves only in their editorial or opinion sections.
The national paper of record is The New York Times ($2.50 daily, $6 Sunday); its coverage of national and international issues makes it daily reading just about anywhere in the country. For financial news, The Wall Street Journal (also based in NYC, $2) is similarly well-respected and widely read. For a more casual but still informative format, USA Today ($2) is published five days a week; it's the most widely circulated print newspaper in the country. Many hotels offer free copies of either the local paper or USA Today; ask at the front desk. Other widely read papers include the Los Angeles Times (known for its West Coast coverage) and The Washington Post (with exemplary political reporting from the nation's capital). Time en Newsweek are newsmagazines published weekly that offer more in-depth feature coverage.
Major metropolitan areas also have a full suite of broadcast television stations; small cities might have only two or three local stations, especially if they're within broadcast range of a larger city. The major broadcast networks are ABC, CBS, NBC, jakkals, en PBS (taxpayer-subsidized public broadcasting); each has local stations in each market that broadcast local and national news, syndicated shows, and in-house TV series. Almost the entire country is wired for cable TV, with hundreds of channels running the gamut from news to sports to entertainment.
Broadcast radio is a much more fragmented market than television; major cities have dozens of stations on both AM and FM bands. The AM band is mostly used for talk formats; music stations are almost exclusively found on the FM band. Many rental cars come equipped with satellite radio van SiriusXM, which offers hundreds of channels of music, comedy, news, talk, and sports, without the need to keep finding new stations as you drive across the country.
Respek
The United States is a very diverse country, meaning that cultural norms can vary significantly from region to region, and it is difficult to generalize what could be offensive and what could not. For instance, while making homophobic statements would be very offensive in a liberal area like New York City, the opposite could be true in a strongly Evangelical rural town in the South.
- It is polite to firmly shake hands when meeting someone or being introduced, and when concluding a business meeting or departing for a long time, though handshaking is often skipped in less formal situations. In casual situations, some people may offer a fist bump, a more complicated handshake or even a hug. Just follow along; mistakes in those situations are no big deal at all. Kissing on the cheeks in greeting is rare and usually done only between close friends and family.
As an adult, once you're introduced to someone, you can usually call them by their first name. If someone gives enigste their first name when being introduced, you can definitely call them that way. Calling someone by their last name is more formal, and with rare exceptions (e.g. sports teams) is always done with "Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss", or with a professional title (e.g., "Doctor [last name]" or "Professor [last name]" or "Officer [last name]"). Such professional titles can also be used alone without a name ("Doctor" [only for a medical doctor], "Professor" or "Officer"), but not so with "waiter", "bus/taxi driver", "flight attendant", etc., which are jobs, not titles. If you don't know someone's name, use "sir/ma'am".
If you're still not certain, and there are no locals around to set an example, it's safer to be overly polite and use last names. Many people will soon respond with "Please, call me [first name]". Alternatively, you can ask someone how they would like to be addressed.
Students should call teachers "Professor [last name]" or "Professor" (at college level), or "Dr. [last name]" or "Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss [last name]" (at any level) depending on whether the teacher has a doctoral degree. "Instructor" and "teacher" are jobs, not titles, so you can talk about "my instructor" or "your teacher", but should not call someone "Instructor" or "Teacher". That being said, it is fairly common for PhD students to address their supervisors by first names; when in doubt, just follow the example of your fellow students.
There's no set way to address a college TA (teaching assistant); calling them "Professor" is totally inaccurate, and "teaching assistant" is not a title. Sticking with "Mr./Ms." is a safe option, although since TAs are fellow students, most will accept or prefer first names.
- At a homestay, a safe choice is to call your homestay parents "Mr./Mrs. [last name]" (in this instance, you don't need to use "Dr." in place of "Mr./Mrs."); in most of the country, that's what their children's friends would normally call them. Depending on the family, they may ask you to call them by their first names, or even to call them "mom" and "dad".
- Unless it is really crowded, leave about an arm's length of personal space between yourself and others.
- Stiptelikheid is valued: being five minutes late is not usually a problem, but if you will be any later, try to call ahead in order to give a warning.
- Americans often draw a strong distinction between their work en personal life. As a general rule, it is inappropriate to ask people more than superficial details about their family and other aspects of their personal life.
- As a result of the country's history of racial discrimination and the modern push toward equality, Americans are exceptionally touchy about issues of race. If you have to reference race, Swart of African-American, Asiatiese, Latino of Hispanic, Native American of American Indian, Pacific Islander, en Wit of Caucasian are acceptable terms.
- There are some racist tropes that have historically appeared in caricatures, and it is best to avoid alluding to any of them in normal conversation. A lot of this is probably common sense, but there are a few that might not be obvious to some foreign visitors to the United States. For example, African-Americans have been caricatured in print and film countless times eating fried chicken and watermelon, so tread carefully when asking an African-American where to get these.
- Do not tell jokes about race or ethnicity; some of these may be told casually in many other countries, but they are very likely to cause offense in the U.S.
- Avoid showing or talking about Confederate symbols, especially Confederate flags or the song "Dixie". Although regarded by some as an integral part of Southern identity, these are controversial throughout most of the country and increasingly associated with white supremacy, racism and other negative stereotypes about the South.
- Die Swastika symbol is very offensive in the U.S. owing to its association with anti-Semitism, Nazism and white supremacy. You should avoid displaying the symbol, even for religious reasons.
- Gender en sexuality are also sensitive issues and best avoided as conversation topics with people you don't know well. As with race, jokes about these are also very likely to offend and best avoided.
- Daar is Indian reservations scattered throughout the country. Many of these reservations are home to sites that are sacred to the tribe, and certain places may be off-limits to all but tribe members. If you enter a reservation, respect its land and people.
- Gun control is a very polarizing and sensitive issue. Visitors (particularly to rural areas, which tend toward vehement opposition to any legal restrictions on firearm ownership whatsoever) should avoid this topic of conversation if at all possible, and tread very lightly otherwise.
- Since at least the 1990s, the trend has been for Americans to become increasingly polarized in their political beliefs, and nowadays, political allegiance can take precedence over reason and civility. If it even sounds like you are saying something positive about a political figure or policy that someone is against (or speaking ill of a figure or policy they support), you may receive some verbal hostility. However, physically violent reactions to political statements remain rare.
Also see the section on tipping, and the section on rook.
Dress
Dress in the U.S. tends to be fairly gemaklik. For everyday clothes, jeans and T-shirts are always acceptable, as are shorts when the weather is suitable. Sneakers (athletic shoes) are common; flip-flops and sandals are also popular in warm weather. In the winter seasons in northern states boots are commonly worn.
In general, dress code is a bit more formal in the metropolises of the East Coast, and in the South (where "Southern style" is a surviving concept), and more relaxed the further west you go.
Generally, Americans accept religious attire such as yarmulkes, hijabs and burqas without comment.
At the workplace, business casual (slacks, understated collared shirts without a tie, and non-athletic shoes) is now the default at many companies. More traditional industries (e.g. finance, legal, and insurance) still require suits and ties. Other industries (e.g. computer software) are even more casual, allowing jeans and even shorts for everyday wear; as a business visitor, a safe choice would be business casual, or jeans and a collared shirt.
When dressing up for nice restaurants or upscale entertainment, a pair of nice slacks, a collared shirt, and dress shoes will work almost everywhere. Ties for men are rarely necessary, but jackets are occasionally required for very upscale restaurants in big cities (such restaurants will almost always have jackets to lend).
At the beach or pool, men prefer loose bathing trunks or boardshorts, and women wear bikinis or one-piece swimsuits. Nude bathing is not generally acceptable and is usually illegal except at certain private beaches or resorts; even women going topless is not usually accepted by most people, and is also illegal in some states.
Breastfeeding in public can be a touchy subject. While most mothers in the U.S. do breastfeed at home for at least a little while, a woman doing so in public, whether covered or not, can elicit complaints about indecent exposure, often from other mothers. All states/territories except Idaho and Puerto Rico have laws explicitly allowing women to breastfeed in public, and 29 states plus D.C. and the Virgin Islands also exempt breastfeeding from prosecution for public indecency or indecent exposure; some businesses have also changed their policies in the last few years to allow and protect breastfeeding mothers. However, public attitudes vary, and a mother breastfeeding in public, particularly uncovered, may receive some unwanted stares and in rare cases negative comments.
Verbind
Per telefoon
Domestic calls
Die country code for the U.S. is 1. The long-distance prefix (trunk code) is also "1", so U.S. telephone numbers are frequently written as an eleven-digit number: "1-nnn-nnn-nnnn". The rest of the telephone number consists of ten digits: a three-digit area code, and a seven-digit number. There can be many area codes in large cities, and only one or two for the entirety of a mostly rural state. The area code does not indicate whether a number is a mobile or a landline. Also, many Americans do not change their numbers when they move, so the area code of their mobile number may not match landlines in the region.
From a mobile phone, a domestic call is simple: always dial ten digits without the "1".
From a fixed line, you can usually dial a local number using ten digits. New York Stad, Los Angeles, Chicago en San Francisco require eleven digits. Regions with only one area code usually allow seven digits. If a number is written or given without the area code, you can usually dial it like that locally, but dialing ten digits also works. For long-distance and toll-free, always dial eleven digits.
Domestic calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833 are toll-free. From a fixed line, they must be dialed using the full 11-digit pattern. With few exceptions (such as Canada or, rarely, Mexico) these are not reachable from abroad. (VoIP en Skype-gebruikers kan hierdie beperking omseil deur te bel via 'n Amerikaanse gateway.)
Internasionale oproepe
Om in die buiteland vanaf die VS te skakel, kan die internasionale toegangskode is 011. Op 'n selfoon sal "" ook werk.
Kanada, Amerikaanse gebiede, Bermuda en 17 Karibiese lande is deel van die Noord-Amerikaanse nommerplan, en het dieselfde landkode as die Amerikaanse oproepe wat tussen hierdie lande gemaak word, word slegs met die volledige 11-syfernommer gekies, sonder die "011" of "" toegangskode, maar byna almal word teen internasionale tariewe gehef. Oproepe tussen die VSA en sy gebiede kan duurder wees as oproepe binne die aangrensende 48 state en DC, of selfs oproepe tussen die Amerikaanse vasteland en Kanada (wat gewoonlik teen 'n hoër tarief gehef word as binnelandse oproepe, maar laer as ander internasionale oproepe) . Alaska en Hawaii kan 'n toeslag betaal, selfs vir binnelandse oproepe, afhangende van die vervoerder en tariefplan.
Telefone en gidse
Betaaltelefone kan moeilik wees om te vind. Waarskynlike plekke sluit in of naby winkels en restaurante, ingange van winkelsentrums en naby bushaltes. Die meeste word deur muntstukke (kwarte, sent en nikkel) bedryf en aanvaar nie banknote nie. Die pryse is normaalweg $ 0,50 vir die eerste drie minute, en $ 0,25 vir elke ekstra minuut. 'N Aanlyngids van betaaltelefone kan gevind word by Betaal Telefoongids. Oproepe na 911 (om noodgevalle aan te meld) en gratis telefoonnommers (800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 en 833) is gratis van betaaltelefone. 'N Paar kommersiële tolvrye nommers blokkeer inkomende oproepe van Amerikaanse betaalfoone
Telefoongids word dikwels in twee boeke verdeel: die wit bladsye lys telefoonnommers alfabeties volgens van, en die geel bladsye lys besighede volgens kategorie (bv. "Taxicabs"). Baie vaste vaste telefone en alle selfone is ongenoteer. Gidshulp kan verkry word (teen ekstra koste) deur te skakel 411 (vir plaaslike nommers) of 1-[area code]-555-1212 (vir ander gebiede). As 411 nie werk nie, probeer 555-1212, [area code]-555-1212 of 1-[area code]-555-1212. Gratis gidsinligting (met advertensies) is beskikbaar: skakel 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-3733-411) of blaai free411.com of 411. inligting. Regionale telefoonmaatskappye se webwerwe (meestal AT&T, Verizon of CenturyLink) verskaf ook gidsinligting. As u belangstel in die webwerf van die onderneming wat in die streek werk, lewer dit die beste resultate.
Langafstand telefoon telefoonkaartjies is by die meeste geriefswinkels beskikbaar. Hulle is gewoonlik gerig op spesifieke soorte oproepe (bv. Binnelandse of na bepaalde lande). Krediet kan dikwels telefonies aangevul word met 'n krediet- of debietkaart, maar buitelandse bankkaarte kan geweier word. Kaartoproepe vanaf betaaltelefone via tolvrye nommers wat op die kaarte gedruk is, kan duurder wees. Daar kan ook effektiewe koste per verbinding sowel as per minuut wees; sommige kaarte bevat ook verborge weeklikse of maandelikse heffings wat die waarde daarvan verswak.
Selfone
Die drie grootste selfoonnetwerke in die VSA is AT&T, Verizon Wireless, en T-Mobile. Dit het almal 'n goeie dekking van feitlik alle stedelike / voorstedelike en baie landelike gebiede van die land, hoewel elke netwerk sterk en swak gebiede het.
Daar is geen toeslag vir oproepe na 'n selfoon nie (oproepe na selfone word dieselfde gehef as oproepe na landlyne), en selfone betaal geen toeslag as u binnelandse langafstand bel nie. In plaas daarvan, selfone word self gehef vir alle gebruik, uitgaande en inkomende. Met ander woorde, 'n oproep van / na 'n selfoon het dieselfde koste na daardie selfoon, maar dit maak nie saak of dit plaaslike, binnelandse langafstand- of tolvry is nie. Met kredietpakkette vanaf $ 25 per maand kan u honderde minute bel. 'N Mislukte oproep (of 'n' gemiste oproep ') word gehef, aangesien u vanaf die oomblik wat u skakel, in rekening gebring word.
As u 'n selfoon in die VSA wil hê terwyl u reis, het u verskeie opsies:
- Gebruik u foon van die huis af is moontlik as dit versoenbaar is. Noord-Amerika en die westelike helfte van Suid-Amerika gebruik die 850 en 1900 MHz frekwensies, in plaas van 900 en 1800 MHz wat elders gebruik word. As u 'n telefoon uit dieselfde streek het of 'n telefoon wat dit is drie- of vierband (wat baie moderne telefone insluit), dit moet goed gaan met jou; anders werk hierdie opsie nie vir u nie. Alle operateurs gebruik dieselfde 4G LTE-standaard wat internasionaal gebruik word. Vir 3G-telefone moet u egter ook let op of u telefoon GSM / UMTS is (gebruik deur AT&T en T-Mobile; algemeen in Europa) of CDMA (wat gebruik word deur Verizon en die voormalige vervoerder Sprint, wat nou 'n filiaal is van T-Mobile). 2G-slegs GSM-diens word uitgefaseer en sal na 2020 nie beskikbaar wees nie.
- Swerfdiens (om u huis-telefoonnommer te gebruik deur eenvoudig deur 'n Amerikaanse netwerk te bel) is duur en hang af van die netwerke waarmee u huisverskaffer kontrakte het, asook die fooie van u eie verskaffer. Internet-data-planne kom oral in die VSA voor, maar die normale hoë pryse word buitensporig sodra roamingfooie bygevoeg word.
- Kanadese selfone kan teen C $ 1,50 / min of meer dwaal, hoewel die planne wissel; gebruikers met voorafbetaalde kontant mag glad nie ronddwaal nie. Freedom Mobile bied 'n goeie pakket.
Koop 'n SIM-kaart is 'n beter manier om u persoonlike foon te gebruik; deur die SIM-kaart op u telefoon te installeer, sal u 'n plaaslike Amerikaanse telefoonnommer vooraf betaal sonder kontrak, honderde minute se oproepe en groot hoeveelhede data. Die pryse maak dit voordeliger vir langer verblyf, maar die gemak van goedkoop oproepe en data maak dit 'n aantreklike opsie vir elke besoeker.
SIM-kaarte is te koop by die meeste elektronika-winkels, sowel as 'n groot "big-box" handelaar, waaronder Wal-Mart en Target. Maak seker dat u telefoon nie SIM-gesluit is nie en versoenbaar is met die SIM-kaart en die frekwensies van die netwerk. Lees die voorwaardes aandagtig deur, want sommige planne is maandelikse kontrakte eerder as eenmalige voorafbetaalde planne.
Verskaffers wat voorafbetaalde SIM-kaarte verkoop, sluit in AT & T se GoPhone, Krieket (wat deur AT&T besit word), Straight Talk's bring jou eie telefoon en T-Mobile.
- Swerfdiens (om u huis-telefoonnommer te gebruik deur eenvoudig deur 'n Amerikaanse netwerk te bel) is duur en hang af van die netwerke waarmee u huisverskaffer kontrakte het, asook die fooie van u eie verskaffer. Internet-data-planne kom oral in die VSA voor, maar die normale hoë pryse word buitensporig sodra roamingfooie bygevoeg word.
- Koop voorafbetaalde minute en 'n basiese selfoon is jou naasbeste opsie. Dit kan gevind word by sommige kruidenierswinkels, by die meeste elektronika, kantoorbenodigdhede en geriefswinkels, en natuurlik ook aanlyn. 'N Basistelefoon (sonder internettoegang) en 60–100 minute tyd kan vir minder as $ 50 gekoop word. In bykomend tot minute, betaal sommige voorafbetaalde dienste 'n vaste fooi per maand (bv. $ 20 / maand), of 'n fooi vir dae waarop die telefoon werklik gebruik word (bv. $ 1,25 / dag). Voorafbetaalde, kontrakvrye selfoondiens is beskikbaar by baie voorafbetaalde verskaffers, soos Boost Mobile, Krieket, Reguit praat, TracFone, en Virgin Mobile VSA, sowel as beperkte aanbiedings van die grootste vervoerondernemings: AT & T se GoPhone, T-Mobile, en Verizon voorafbetaalde draadlose.
- Huur 'n telefoon kos ongeveer $ 3 per dag en kan by winkels in die meeste groter lughawens gedoen word. Afhangend van hoe lank u bly en hoeveel u van plan is om te bel of data te gebruik, kan dit goedkoper of makliker wees om eerder 'n voorafbetaalde SIM-kaart of voorafbetaalde telefoon te gebruik.
- Kry 'n telefoonkontrak kan sinvol wees as u van plan is om langer te bly. Tensy u al 'n paar maande in die VS woon, sal u nie 'n kredietgradering hê wat deur Amerikaanse diensverskaffers erken word nie en sal u nie op hierdie planne kan inteken nie (hoewel sommige verskaffers u toelaat om een met 'n deposito te kry. , gewoonlik minstens $ 500). Kontrakte vereis gewoonlik 'n verbintenis van 24 maande (kansellasiefooie kan $ 300 beloop!) Vir 'n maandelikse tariefplan, en in ruil daarvoor subsidieer dit die koste van die telefoon (basiese telefone is dus "gratis", en slimfone "kos" slegs $ 50– $ 200) ).
Deur pos
As u e - pos met 'n behoorlik geformateerde adres adresseer, sal dit die reis met die Verenigde State Posdiens (USPS, moet nie verwar word met die privaat afleweraar UPS nie). Die Poskode (poskode) is belangrik, en u kan soek poskodes en korrekte adresformate na aanlyn. 'N Poskode met vyf syfers identifiseer 'n hoofposkantoor; 'n uitbreiding van vier syfers (aanbeveel maar opsioneel) kan dit beperk tot een onderneming of 'n individuele gebou. Adresse moet in drie tot vier reëls geskryf word met die naam van die ontvanger, huisnommer en straatnaam, suite of woonstel of gebou nommer, stad of dorp, afkorting van twee letters, poskode, byvoorbeeld:
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
149 New Montgomery St.
San Francisco, CA 94105-3739
Eersteklas internasionale lugposkaartjies en -briewe (tot een gram / 28,5 gram) kos $ 1,20. Alle plekke met 'n poskode word as binnelandse beskou, insluitend die 50 state, Amerikaanse besittings, Mikronesië (FSM), Marshall-eilande, Palau en oorsese militêre basisse, skepe (APO of FPO) en diplomatieke poste (APO of DPO). Binnelandse poskaarte kos $ 0,35, en gewone letters tot 'n ons, $ 0,55 (2019). "Vir ewig" seëls is beskikbaar vir die eerste gram binnelandse en internasionale posgeld, en beskerm teen toekomstige toenames. Die stuur van dik of rigiede voorwerpe, of nie-standaard vorms, verhoog die portokoste.
Poste Restante, word die ontvangs van pos by 'n poskantoor eerder as 'n privaat adres genoem Algemene aflewering. Daar is geen koste verbonde vir hierdie diens nie. U moet ID soos 'n paspoort toon om u pos op te tel. Poskantore sal gewoonlik tot 30 dae pos hou. As die stad groot genoeg is om verskeie poskantore te hê, net een (gewoonlik in die middel van die middestad) sal algemene aflewering moontlik wees.
FedEx en UPS het ook 'n "Hold for Pickup" -opsie en het plekke in groter stede in die VSA. Alhoewel dit gewoonlik duurder is, kan dit 'n beter opsie wees as u iets belangriks uit die buiteland ontvang.
Per internet
Gegewe die alomteenwoordigheid van privaat internettoegang, is internetkafees wel skaars buite groot stede en toeristegebiede. U het egter 'n paar opsies, behalwe in die mees landelike gebiede. Toeganklike Wi-Fi-netwerke is egter algemeen.
Draadloos
Die mees algemene WiFi-plekke is in koffiewinkels, kitskoskettings en boekwinkels, alhoewel u dalk eers iets moet koop. Sommige stede bied ook gratis WiFi in hul middestad.
'N Paar minder voor die hand liggende Wi-Fi-plekke kan gevind word in:
- Openbare biblioteke - Daar is byna altyd gratis WiFi beskikbaar, alhoewel u dalk by die inligtingstoonbank moet aanmeld. Die netwerk is selfs 24/7 toeganklik, dus selfs as die biblioteek gesluit is, kan u buite sit en surf.
- Hotelle - hotelle in kettings het dit gewoonlik in die kamers en die gemeenskaplike gebiede; kleiner onafhanklike hotelle wissel. 'N Te duur prys by luukse hotelle, maar dit is standaard ingesluit by die meeste ekonomie beperkte dienskettings.
- Kolleges en universiteite - kan netwerke in hul biblioteke en studentesentrums hê wat oop is vir nie-studente. Sommige het netwerke wat regdeur die kampus toeganklik is, selfs buite.
- Lughawens - selfs kleiner streeksgebiede bied WiFi. Hulle kos egter dikwels geld. Lughawesitkamers bied gewoonlik onbeperkte gratis WiFi.
- Betaalde WiFi-kettings - gee u toegang tot talle hotspots teen 'n lae koste, bv. Boingo.
Mobiele breëband via 'n USB-modem is ook 'n opsie. Diensverskaffers sluit in Verizon Wireless en Virgin Mobile (wat die Sprint-netwerk gebruik). Maak seker dat u 'n dekkingskaart nagaan voordat u koop. Elke maatskappy het groot gebiede met 'n slegte of geen dekking. Hierdie planne is ook onderhewig aan datalimiete wat maklik onwetend oorskry kan word! Vermy die kyk van video's via 'n mobiele netwerk.
Openbare rekenaarterminale
Internetkafees kan steeds in sommige groter stede gevind word. Lughawens en winkelsentrums bied terminale vir toegang tot die internet vir vinnige gebruik, hoewel dit gewoonlik verdwyn. Toegang kos gewoonlik $ 1 vir 1-2 minute webtyd. Enige openbare rekenaar sal waarskynlik toegang tot ongewenste webwerwe blokkeer.
U kan ook oorweeg:
- Openbare biblioteke - het rekenaars met breëband vir openbare gebruik, maar u het dalk 'n biblioteekkaart nodig. Sommige biblioteke gee gratis internetkaarte uit wat geen regte vir boeke-uitleen vir besoekers buite die omgewing het nie.
- Fotostaatwinkels - sal rekenaars beskikbaar hê vir openbare gebruik (teen 'n koste), bv. FedEx-kantoor (☏ 1-800-GOFEDEX (4633339); sê 'FedEx Office' of druk op '64') as dit deur die stemmenu gevra word. Dit is 24 uur oop en is landwyd. Sommige is ook agente vir kommersiële posontvangs (soos The UPS Store) en bied faksdienste aan.
- Hotelle - almal behalwe die meeste Spartaans het 'sakesentrums' met rekenaars, drukkers, en soms ook kopieermasjiene en faksmasjiene.
- Elektronika winkels - die rekenaars wat vertoon word, is dikwels aan die internet gekoppel. 'N Vinnige e-pos sal met 'n glimlag geduld word; ses uur Warcraft nie. Die Apple Store is besonder vrygewig en kan blaai sonder om te koop koop; sommige webwerwe, soos Facebook, word egter geblokkeer.
- Universiteitsbiblioteke - hoewel privaat universiteite toegang tot hul studente en fakulteite kan beperk, is openbare universiteitsbiblioteke volgens die wet verpligtend om oop te wees vir die publiek, en hulle kan ook 'n rekenaar of twee vir openbare gebruik hê.