Adventure World

United States of America

No matter what your interest, the USA has something for everyone, from theme parks to the national parks, from beautiful beaches to big cities; there is a myriad of things to choose from when planning a visit to the USA.

Mickey Mouse, Miami Vice, Sleepless in Seattle… thanks to cinema and TV we all have impressions of the United States of America, yet nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan’s unforgettable skyline, your first ride in a yellow cab, the ubiquitous hamburger joints, the vast expanses of prairie, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz or the neon-lit excesses of Las Vegas.

The USA is a huge country to explore, with 50 states to choose from, flanked by two oceans and covering an incredibly varied terrain. It is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

Top Highlights

Los Angeles: Starlit and moonstruck, LA beguiles scores of curious tourists, hopeful starlets and wannabe rock gods every day. But there's a lot more to it than the siren call of fame and fortune. It's a thriving, multilayered city filled with world-class everything: museums, music, food, architecture, gardens. The peak season in LA is July/August, when every day is sunny and hot; if you prefer smaller crowds and lower prices, the shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) are a good bet, but remember that June often brings heavy coastal fog. The city gets busy around major holidays, especially Thanksgiving.

New York: They don't come any bigger than the Big Apple - king of the hill, top of the heap, New York, New York. If it's first-class international events and gallery openings you're after, the question is when not to go. Despite the fantastic atmosphere around Christmas/Hanukkah and the New Year, the weather can be gaspingly chilly. In summer the prices rise and the tourist numbers soar. It can also be oppressively hot. Aim for spring (March-June) and fall (September-November).

Niagara Falls: Misty sprays and the majestic scale of this roaring cascade make it a marvellous spectacle. Split between New York State and Canada, the Canadian side of the Falls has the more stunning views (as well as a strip of Vegas-like attractions including a towering casino), while the New York side has a handful of low-key, natural-park offerings.

New Orleans: New Orleans has long seduced with its Caribbean colour, sultry Southern heat, sweet-tasting cocktails and voodoo potions. The unofficial state motto, ‘laissez les bons temps rouler’ (let the good times roll), pretty much says it all. Then in August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck, toppling levees, flooding much of the city and drastically changing everything. New Orleans is cleaning up and rebuilding after hurricane Katrina. The city is safe and slowly recovering; the main tourist areas were largely spared, but other parts of the city still bear scars: abandoned neighbourhoods and heaps of debris. City wide, prices and opening hours are subject to change.

New England: This region of the United States is located in the north-eastern corner of the country, consisting of the modern states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. This area is best visited in September and October to witness the spectacular changing colours of the foliage. New England offers something for everyone, from cosmopolitan Boston, to the glorious beaches of Cape Cod, the maritime charm of rustic Maine to the soaring mountains of New Hampshire.

San Francisco: San Francisco has an atmosphere of genteel chic mixed with offbeat innovation. Its hilly streets provide some gorgeous glimpses of the sparkling bay and its famous bridges. The basic pleasures of life here - wonderful food, sparkling nightlife and those glorious views - are there for everyone. Watch the white fog fill the Golden Gate as the sunset lights up the windows across the bay, and prepare to leave your heart. Pick a month of the year and there's always a festival or street party on somewhere in San Fran. Unless a bit of fog or a brisk morning perturbs you, you can't go too wrong visiting the city. The best months to come are either side of the summer peak season, with the September to November period being particularly festive.

Hawaii: The Aloha State welcomes and seduces visitors with its frangipani-scented sea breezes and tropical warmth. This is where East merges with West in a blur of hula and disco, soap operas and creation myths, junk food and Japanese tea ceremonies, Shinto shrines and surf clubs. Mark Twain declared Hawaii to be 'the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean', and not even thirty years of mass tourism have managed to prove him wrong. Whether your thing is volcano spotting, surfing or just lying back and smelling the orchids, this is the place to indulge yourself.

Fact Sheet

• Country Dialling Code: + 1
• When to Go: The US is most popular with travellers during their summer (June, July Aug), but this is when American families pack everything up and head out on ‘vacation’. To avoid mobs (especially throughout the national park system), it's better to go during autumn or early spring.
• Food & Water: The ‘diner’ is an integral part of the US way of life; consisting of a driveway, neon lights and simple food served from the counter; these are generally located in or just outside smaller towns.
• Things to know: The legal age for drinking also varies from 18 to 21 from State to State and the laws on the availability of alcohol run from New Orleans’ policy of ‘anytime, anywhere and to anyone’, to localities, such as in Utah, where drinking is strictly prohibited.
• Currency: US Dollar
• Tipping: Widely practised, as service charges are not usually included in the bill and waiters depend heavily on tips for their income. Waiters generally expect 15 to 20 per cent, as do taxi drivers.
• Language: English
• Email: There are Internet cafes in most urban areas. Many of the hotels and international airports offer Internet access too.
• Electricity: 110V 60Hzhz Plugs are two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin.
• Shopping Hints: Note that a sales tax is levied on most or all items in most States and the addition is not included on the price label; sales tax can be anywhere from 3 to 15 per cent, depending on the State; some States have no sales tax at all.