GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The United States comprises of 50 states, 48 of them on the mainland between Canada and Mexico, the island state of Hawaii and Alaska. It has two coasts, the west side boarded by the Pacific Ocean and the East by the Atlantic Ocean, it also has states whose coastal line touches the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The population of the United States is approximately 312 million people, spread over large cities and smaller towns throughout the 5o states. The capital is Washington DC with a population of about 645 thousand people, and the most populated city is
New York with approx 8.4 million people (although I wouldn't have believed it while I was there).
The US is a country of diversity from it's big brash cities to small towns. It has amazing landscapes, desolate wilderness and amazing rock formations, from forest to desert, to glaciers and beaches the US has it all.
Americans do not always have the greatest of reputations, often being seen as brash, loud and obnoxious but there is a lot more to the Americans than what is seen in movies and on television, and take the opportunity to see beyond that reputation and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
The population is a mixed bag, bringing traditions and history from the 'old country' which can be both a detriment and a blessing. The country has a turbulent history from the first landing of the Europeans to today, and because of their dominance in world politics will probably continue to do so, but it has managed to endure and thrive in spite of it.
The United States is one of those places that can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be as it offers great variety in accommodation, food, transport etc. Accommodation varies from no star to five star, from hostels to hotels, from motor homes to mansions and everything in between make sure you check online or with your travel agent for the best options.
You can eat in a cheap diner or at a fancy restaurant, pick up fast food from a variety of places the choices are unlimited and don't go thinking that it's just a country of burgers, pizza, hot dogs and fries, a country that has a population with such a diverse background offers food choices beyond belief and varied from region to region so get out there and sample it, you won't be disappointed (although the burgers, pizza, hot dogs and fries are pretty damned good too). Don't be afraid to try something different, take chances and ask advice about where to eat, you may be pleasantly surprised about what you find.
English is the national language but Spanish is widely spoken in some parts, along with many regional languages.
The currency is the dollar, and luckily for us is trading at $1 US to $1.05 AU so almost dollar for dollar which is great news for us travelling throughout the US. The last time I was here it cost me $1.50 AU for $1 US so shopping wasn't as much fun. The currency comes in $100, $50, $20. $10, $5 and $1 bills. ($2 bills exist but they are rare) All the bills are green but the amount is clearly printed on it, but it is easy to make mistakes so be CAREFUL when counting out your money. Coins come in pennys 1c, nickels 5c, dimes 10c (which are smaller than pennys and nickels) and quarters 25c. There are half dollars 50c and golden dollars $1 but they are rare so it is unlikely you will come across them.
Credit cards are widely accepted in most major cities, but like most places in the world may not be accepted in smaller places so make sure you have enough cash on you.
ATM machines are found in most places, but like anywhere be careful about when and where you use them.
Make sure you have a US plug convertor so you can recharge all your batteries/chargers.
Because the United States is so huge you need to plan when travelling here because you are not going to see EVERYTHING in one trip, unless you are staying for months and months and months or longer. So think about where you want to go and what you want to see and how much it is going to cost you. New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando,New Orleans, San Francisco, Hawaii are usually the big draw cards, with the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls as the must do scenic spots, but don't limit yourself to what is deemed to be popular as there is a whole lot more out there (for example my favourite spot Bryce Canyon
)
The flight between LA and NYC is roughly 5 hours but with security checks and transportation to and from your hotels expect to lose most of your day so factor that into your travel plans when you decide what you want to do in the US.
Do you want to do theme parks? Go to shows? See how the film stars live? See museums? Shop? Embrace music, country, blues, jazz? Explore the great outdoors? Do it all? Ask yourself some of these questions and it will make your travel plans a little easier,
The most important thing about any trip you do to the United States is to ENJOY it, appreciate each day each new experience.
As I said, travelling in the US can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be,check out the MY 7 wonders lists from different parts of the USA for more detailed information.