Planning Your Trip to the USA: My Best Travel Tips

First time in the USA? Then this article is just what you need. Whether it's entry, rental cars, accommodations, or internet - here you will find all the important information and travel tips you need for your trip preparation.

Ideal for first-time visitors to the USA and anyone looking to plan their trip independently. I've been to the USA over 10 times and certainly not for the last time. Enjoy reading our travel tips!

The USA is vast, diverse, and full of contrasts - that's what makes it so exciting for first-time visitors. Whether you're traveling independently or want to plan your tour thoroughly: you'll definitely find the right travel destination in the United States.

Whether it's a road trip, beach vacation, or city break - the choice is yours. In national parks like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or the Great Smoky Mountains, you'll experience breathtaking nature. Big cities like New York, San Francisco, Miami, or Chicago offer culture, cuisine, and entertainment.

Beach lovers are also in for a treat: Florida, Hawaii, and California entice with sun, sea, and a relaxed atmosphere. In the southern states, you'll discover the roots of blues, jazz, and country - and savor the diverse regional cuisine.

My tip: at the beginning, think about what interests you most - nature, city, culture, or beach. After that, you can compile your travel route purposefully and make good use of your time.

The USA is so large that there is no single best time to visit. Depending on where you want to travel, the climate and season can differ significantly.

For the East Coast (e.g., New York, Boston, or Washington D.C.), the months of April to October are especially suitable. The weather is pleasantly warm and not too humid.

Florida and the Deep South are ideal destinations especially between November and May. In the summer, it can get very hot and humid, plus there's the hurricane season.

The West Coast with California can be visited almost year-round. For national parks like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, spring and fall are perfect - the weather is stable and there are fewer tourists.

In the Southwest or the Midwest, the months of April to November are good. The main travel season is during the summer months of July and August, when school is out and it's hot almost everywhere. You can also travel to the southern part of the West Coast year-round while San Francisco and everything north of it is considered autumn or winter destinations after October.

For the southern states (we visited Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana), we highly recommend the months of October and November. The advantage: it's not as hot as in other months. The further south you go, the higher the humidity gets. April and May also seem to be excellent months for travels in the southern states.

In large cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or Los Angeles, a visit is worthwhile in spring or fall - during these times prices are often lower and the cities are less crowded. Additionally, sightseeing is not as hot then.

My takeaway: avoid summer vacations if possible - both because of prices and visitor numbers. If you're flexible, travel during the off-season instead.

For your USA trip, you don't need a traditional visa - with the ESTA application (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), you can enter visa-free for up to 90 days as a German citizen.

You should complete the application online at least 72 hours before departure - it's best to do it right after booking your flight. You'll need:

The fee for the approval is currently $21 (as of July 2025) and is valid for two years. Important: Without a valid ESTA approval, you cannot board the plane. Make sure to apply only through the official website ( here) of the U.S. government - there are many overpriced third-party providers.

There are plans to increase the cost of ESTA to $40 - however, a specific date for the change has not yet been set. So if you plan to travel soon, it's worth submitting the application as early as possible.

(If you haven't booked your accommodation yet, you can actually indicate 'unknown' as your address in the form.)

The USA has strict import regulations, especially regarding food and medications. To avoid unpleasant surprises upon entry, make sure to inform yourself well in advance.

Only take the medications you really need - preferably in the original packaging and with a doctor's note (especially for prescription or controlled substances like sleeping pills or tranquilizers).

Caution: Some cough syrups and antidepressants may be considered problematic in the USA. By the way, I've never been checked, so I can't make any statements about that. I often bring medications without packaging (just strips).

Generally, the import of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products is prohibited. Even an apple from the airplane snack must be declared or disposed of.

On the other hand, the following is generally allowed:

All travelers should expect that their luggage may be opened and searched randomly - without warning. Therefore, you should not use a conventional lock, but a TSA lock. This allows your suitcase to be opened without destroying the lock.

At the airport, you will likely encounter the 'Beagle Brigade' - specially trained sniffing dogs that specifically search for food in carry-on luggage. I've only encountered them in Miami when I entered from Central America.

My tip: Don't pack prohibited items and keep important medications handy in your carry-on - with proof if required.

In the USA, almost everything is paid for with a credit card - even small amounts. Without a card, you cannot book a hotel or pick up a rental car. You only need cash for tips and small things, ideally in $1 bills. Even the tips can be indicated when paying by credit card.

Important: Most prices are displayed without tax - depending on the state, sales tax of up to 14% will be added at the register.

My recommendations for the best credit cards for the USA can be found here: These are the best credit cards for the USA

Roaming in the USA is expensive - so it's best to get an American SIM card or eSIM for your trip. This way, you're flexible while on the move and can easily use apps like Google Maps, Booking.com, or translators.

Wi-Fi is available in hotels and cafes, but often it's slow or unreliable. With a data plan, you'll be much more relaxed on the go - especially on a road trip.

My tips & recommendations can be found here: The best SIM card for the USA

Medical care in the USA is very good - but also extremely expensive. A simple doctor's visit can quickly cost several hundred dollars. Therefore, you should definitely take out travel health insurance before you fly.

Make sure that:

Additionally, pack a small first aid kit with the essential medications you regularly need. Because getting medications in the USA isn't as cheap and easy as it used to be a few years ago.

Always keep receipts and prescriptions in case you need to submit them to your insurance later.

A rental car is the best way for most USA travelers to explore the country - especially on a road trip. The roads are well developed, driving is relaxed, and parking is mostly available.

Important when booking:

Info: When refueling, payment is usually made upfront - either via credit card at the pump or directly in the shop. And: In most states, you are allowed to turn right at red lights as long as there is no sign prohibiting it.

More tips and important traffic rules can be found here: Experiences with tips on renting a car & driving in the USA

LOOKING FOR A RENTAL CAR?

For searching for a rental car, we recommend the platform check24 or Billiger Mietwagen. I also compare prices with Sunny Cars.
-> Tips for booking a rental car can be found here. -> Do you not have a credit card? Then read here how to get a rental car without a credit card.

The USA is ideally traveled independently. Thanks to numerous motels, gas stations, and restaurants, you can remain flexible on the road. Still, I recommend booking your flight, rental car, ESTA, and first accommodation in advance.

For heavily frequented areas - such as national parks, metropolises, or during holiday seasons - you should reserve early. Otherwise, a rough route with stopover points is sufficient - this way, you remain spontaneous.

The USA is massive; therefore, you should carefully consider how much time you have and which region you want to explore. A one-week trip can be worthwhile if you focus on a specific city like New York, San Francisco, or Chicago. However, a round trip requires significantly more time.

My tip: Stick to one region instead of trying to see too much in a short time. This way, the trip remains relaxed and enriching.

If you want to travel flexibly, a multi-city flight can be sensible (e.g., flying into San Francisco, returning from Los Angeles). Keep in mind the one-way rental fee that may apply.

Many people start their first USA trip in California, Florida, or New York - and for good reason: These regions offer good infrastructure, diverse highlights, and are perfect for beginners.

You'll be most flexible with a rental car or camper. You can stop spontaneously, explore national parks, and travel independently.

We prefer road trips with a rental car, combining cities with nature and avoiding classic circular routes where you drive in circles.

Direct flights are more comfortable and reduce the risk of lost luggage. If you have to transfer, airlines like KLM, Air France, or Icelandair are great options. My last flight to the States was from Stuttgart via Amsterdam to Chicago. It was wonderfully relaxing, and the crew at KLM is always super friendly.

Tip: We specifically use flight search engines and compare direct bookings with airlines.

BOOK FLIGHTS ✈️ We always search for cheap flights on Kayak. Here you can find my tips for booking cheap flights. Be sure to specify checked luggage because Basic flights only include carry-on. This can make the prices initially appear misleadingly lower.

Accommodations in the USA can be quite expensive, especially in metropolises like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, or Miami.

Our tips for finding accommodations:

We now book almost exclusively through Booking.com, as we're not fans of dormitories or shared bathrooms.

LOOKING FOR A HOTEL?

For finding a good hotel, we recommend the platform Booking.com. We always book our accommodations on this platform or directly with American Express, as we receive additional discounts with the American Express Platinum credit card (check out the details, it only makes sense for frequent travelers).

The USA offers an incredible landscape diversity with 63 official national parks and hundreds of state parks.

If you plan to visit several national parks, the Annual Pass 'America the Beautiful' is worth it. It costs $80 and is valid for a year for entrance to almost all national parks and federal recreation areas. (Source and order)

The pass usually pays off after the 3rd or 4th park visit. You can purchase it on-site at park entrances or online.

Additionally, each state has its own state parks with their own entrance fees. Many states also offer a state park pass - often worthwhile if you want to explore several parks in one state (e.g. California, Utah, or Arizona).

My tip:

Hiking is almost always worthwhile to escape the crowds and experience the great nature. Sometimes your rental car may already have a pass attached. Make sure to check this when picking it up.

Once you know where you want to travel to, it's time to find a good flight. I say 'good', not the cheapest. We're not fans of having to transfer multiple times. Firstly, it takes quite a bit of time, secondly, it's worse for the environment than the long-haul flight anyway, and thirdly, the chances of your luggage getting lost drastically increase.

We prefer direct flights. Nevertheless, you should also check flights with KLM via Amsterdam, Air France via Paris, or Iceland Air via Reykjavik.

Currently, finding the truly cheapest flight displayed in search engines is an issue. Basic economy class flights do not include a checked bag. This causes prices to initially appear distorted.

BOOK FLIGHTS ✈️ We always search for cheap flights on Kayak. Here you can find my tips for booking cheap flights. Make sure to specify checked luggage because basic flights only include carry-on. This may initially misrepresent and show a misleadingly lower price.

In general, you need to decide whether to travel by bus, rental car, or camper/RV.

If you're using a rental car and camper, you should note that expensive one-way fees apply if you drop off the rental car at a different location. If you're traveling by bus (Greyhound), you often can't stop at the most beautiful places.

With a camper, you're simply the most flexible; you can stay at beautiful campgrounds by the sea or in national parks and cook for yourself.

Unfortunately, campers may not always be affordable for longer trips. This has thwarted some of our recent trips. Who knows, soon we'll plan a trip with an RV or camper. Maximum freedom is exactly our thing!

If you are entering from Europe, no vaccinations are required for normal tourists traveling to the USA. However, standard vaccinations for rural areas such as Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B, Rabies, and Typhoid are recommended.

For the USA, I packed the essential medications. Even though you can get almost all medications without prescriptions in the USA, when you're sick, you don't want to get up and go to the nearest drugstore.

For those like me with chronic problems, you should always have this medicine handy. That's why I always take the following with me:

View my first aid kit with a printable PDF

Many travelers only think about travel insurance shortly before departure. But it may be too late by then. If you severely injure yourself shortly before your trip while playing sports or at work, you could lose a lot of money.

To avoid this, you can read here about which travel insurance is sensible in advance (baggage insurance, trip cancellation insurance, ...).

For North America, you'll need a plug adapter to charge your electronic devices. The voltage is 110 volts and the plug type A is used. You can also use the needed adapter in Canada.

If you are looking for a universal travel adapter for all your trips, I can recommend this universal adapter. Since the adapters are quite wobbly, I also bought an adapter on-site. However, it was very expensive, so I highly recommend purchasing a travel plug adapter before the trip.

The USA has eleven time zones, including the time zones for Hawaii and Alaska. Note: In some states, the time changes, and in others, it does not. The most important ones are listed here (daylight saving time):

In general, it's hard to provide a blanket cost for a trip to the United States. The travel destinations are so different.

We would classify Hawaii, New York, Florida (Miami South Beach and Key West), as well as California (especially San Francisco) as expensive travel destinations. Our 4-week road trip from Chicago to New Orleans with a rental car cost approximately €4,000 to €5,000 per person. The inflation in the United States pushes prices higher, and the unfavorable dollar exchange rate adds to that.

Affordable accommodations are always available. However, since we aren't hostel types, we prefer to book an apartment via Airbnb, a motel, or a hotel room. Be sure to check whether events or shows are happening in urban areas, as that can significantly drive up hotel prices.

LOOKING FOR A HOTEL?

For finding a good hotel, we recommend the platform Booking.com. We always book our accommodations on this platform or directly with American Express, as we receive additional discounts with the American Express Platinum credit card (check out the details, it only makes sense for frequent travelers).

For flights, we often wait until we find a good deal. We prefer direct flights over making connections.

Direct flights to New York sometimes start at €360. Flights to San Francisco or Los Angeles usually cost around €500 or more. There are no direct flights to New Orleans. However, affordable deals often appear for flights to New York, Chicago, or Las Vegas.

Rental cars are relatively inexpensive compared to campers. RVs are generally quite pricey.

For admission to national parks, the annual pass is suitable for a whole year. It costs $80 and is worth it after the 3rd or 4th visit to a national park (depending on which park you wish to visit, prices vary between $5 and $30 for tickets.

Americans are drivers. Except in New York and other large cities, you'll also need to rely on this. Public transport is often limited. Even in Los Angeles, the metro network is quite limited.

In cities, bicycles are a good alternative for getting around. Taxi services like UBER and Lyft are also worthwhile.

If you want to cover larger distances, I recommend taking the Amtrak train or Greyhound bus. I've traveled with both and found it very comfortable, though not recommended for a round trip.

You can also book excursions in national parks from cities. These are often more expensive, and you have less flexibility.

The official currency of the USA is the US Dollar (USD or $). One US Dollar is made up of 100 cents. Coins are available in denominations of 1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, and 25 cents.

In principle, you can exchange some cash at your trusted bank before your trip. However, it's generally sufficient to withdraw cash at the airport in America with a credit card that has no foreign fees. ATMs are everywhere, and thanks to credit cards like the DKB Visa Card, you can withdraw cash in local currency without incurring charges.

Additionally, you get a better rate when withdrawing cash directly in the USA. Banks in Germany charge fees for this service. We always avoid these fees.

In general, everything in the USA is paid for with a credit card. You don't really need cash.

Continue to my tips for the best credit cards for the USA

As of 2025, the best credit cards for the USA are the Genial Card (Hanseatic Bank), the TF Bank MasterCard, and the DKB Bank Debit Card. With these cards, you can withdraw cash from ATMs free of charge and pay on-site without foreign transaction fees! Make sure to have at least 2 of these mentioned cards.

For the USA, I also recommend the American Express Platinum (my review with everything you need to know), as you can pay everywhere with it, receive upgrades and late check-outs at hotels, rental car insurance is included, and you can earn points along the way.

Here you can find all tips for the best travel credit card 2025 for the USA, with comparison.

Tipping is practically mandatory in the USA. Neither taxes nor tips are included in bills here. Occasionally, however, it may already be included in the bill (check carefully). Especially in Florida, often everything was included and listed in the bill.

Typically, you tip 15% to 20%. Waitstaff and service workers earn very low basic salaries and rely on tips. If you are particularly satisfied, you should tip around 25%. Currently, nearly everywhere suggestions starting at 20% are shown at payment stations and have become established. We often tip less since we find it a bit excessive.

Hotels in the USA are often exorbitantly expensive. We found especially places like New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Key West, Miami, and San Francisco to be costly. Therefore, we always check regularly before the trip for affordable accommodations.

When looking for accommodations, it depends on your requirements. Do you want a large room with a private bathroom, or can it also be a dormitory with a shared bathroom? We prefer having a private room with a WC and shower.

LOOKING FOR A HOTEL?

For finding a good hotel, we recommend the platform Booking.com. We always book our accommodations on this platform or directly with American Express, as we receive additional discounts with the American Express Platinum credit card.

As of today (July 2025), the USA has 63 national parks. Each one is more beautiful than the last. These parks will certainly make your heart and mine as a nature lover race.

You must book accommodations or campsites in national parks well in advance. Link to reservation.

The most popular national parks (measured by visitor numbers) are the Great Smoky Mountains NP (Tennessee / North Carolina), Grand Canyon (Arizona), Rocky Mountains (Colorado), Zion (Utah), Yellowstone (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho), and Yosemite National Park (California).

Especially during the summer peak season, it can get quite crowded in these areas. Most holidaymakers tend to be less active than we are (on average) and only visit the easy-to-reach viewpoints. Go for a hike to escape the crowds.

For entrance fees, the Annual Pass 'America the Beautiful Passes' might be worth it for you. It costs $80 and usually pays off after the 3rd or 4th visit to a national park. Regular entrance prices in parks start at about $20 and up. The passes can be purchased at each park entrance.

Tip: Officially not desired but common in reality: Check eBay for someone who is likely selling their still valid pass.

In cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or Miami, there are so-called sightseeing passes. These passes often include the most important attractions and sights. You pay a one-time fee and have sort of a 'flat rate'.

Public transport is often included, along with tickets for popular hop-on hop-off buses.

In general, you should always consider whether a pass is worth it for you. Create a list of the attractions you want to visit. Note the prices for tickets. Compare this total with the cost of the respective pass and check whether the attraction is included.

Do you need the internet during your trip or want to make phone calls while on vacation? Then you should get a prepaid USA SIM card for your mobile phone.

Roaming costs are quite high, and the USA is not included in our international rates.

In the past, we've liked using apps like Holafly or Telekom USA (download the app via the app store). You can choose from different tariffs; with Telekom, you get a phone number, while the eSIM from Holafly does not. The big advantage of both providers is that you are online directly upon arrival. Brilliant.

Recently, T-Mobile customers can use their plan in the USA for less than €50. Based on the data volume (mine is unlimited), you can surf and call directly.

If you only need data, Airalo also offers small data packages. You purchase this via the app on your smartphone for the USA (it is also available for other countries), and you are online right after landing.

A little insider tip that many don't know: If you are traveling for a longer time and also working while on the road, you can conveniently book a data flat rate (30 days for €60) via the Telekom app for the USA. If you stay longer, you can just recharge the same amount again and use the eSIM longer. Important: You need an eSIM capable phone (for example: the new iPhone can store multiple eSIMs). The app is called T-Mobile Prepaid eSIM in the App Store and is from T-Mobile USA.

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