The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country comprising 50 states with a population of over 327 million people.

• Washington D.C. has been the capital city of the United States since 1802.
• The medical use of cannabis is legal with a medical recommendation in 38 states.
• The recreational use of cannabis has been legalized in 21 states.
• Pints aren’t even pints here, they are only 2/3 of a UK pint 20% smaller.
• The face of the Statue of Liberty in New York belonged to Isabella Boyer who was born in Paris, the daughter of an African confectioner and an English mother. At 20, Isabella married Isaac Singer, the sewing machine maker, who was 50 years old. They had 6 children together and lived at Oldway Mansion in Paignton. After Singer’s death, Isabella became one of the richest women in the UK.
  Isabella travelled the world and married the Dutch violinist Victor Robstett and became a countess. He became a prominent figure in America and Europe, and they met the French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi. Bartholdi, impressed by her beauty and history, is said to have used her face as a model for the Statue of Liberty.

Native Americans lived in the Americas for thousands of years. English people in 1607 went to the place now called Jamestown, Virginia. In 1775, a war between the thirteen colonies and Britain began when the colonists were upset over paying taxation to their government in the UK, but were not being given any chance to vote in the UK/British elections, to contribute to how that money was spent.

Just after dawn on April 19, 1775, the British attempted to disarm the Massachusetts militia at Concord, Massachusetts, this beginning the war with the “Shot Heard Round the World.” On July 4, 1776, Founding Fathers wrote the United States Declaration of Independence. They won the Revolutionary War and started a new country. They signed the constitution in 1787 and the Bill of Rights in 1791. General George Washington, who had led the war, became its first president.

• English

Depending on the accommodation you’re looking for there’s lots to choose from. There aren’t many hostels outside of the cities, you’ll more likely find cheap hotels and motels. Hotels in cities start from $70 a night (in the major cities like NYC, they can start closer to $100). If you’re not keen on hostels or the price of a hotel then consider using Airbnb. I’ve used this to stay in some cities with great success. Remember the US is very vast and prices fluctuate a lot depending on what state you’re in, so check out my specific guides for more detailed information on accommodation.

• If booking a hostel go direct and not through sites like hostelworld, there are hidden fees plus the tax on top of the ‘Total’ that they said it would be when you paid. You’ll then have to pay the extra tax and fees upon arrival.

In America Food is very cheap. From fast food to cheap sandwich shops, you can eat really well on a budget. Expect higher prices in the major cities and coastal cities, but remember get talking and find that reasonable establishment all the locals go to!

For breakfast I do have a soft spot for iHop (International House of Pancakes) or a Denny’s Gandslamwich they never fail to disappoint. Remember if you you want eggs like we do back in the UK ask for them to be over easy. They don’t flick the juices over the top of the egg, but they flip it instead essentially giving the same effect. Sunny side up is cracked in the pan and left until the edges are brown and not flipped, leaving the raw yolk & egg white runny on top. Hash browns aren’t the same either. Where we have like a patty, American hash browns are simply shredded potato on a plate (still delicious), it’s what we would call a rösti.

• Dove Chocolate in the US is what the UK knows as Galaxy Chocolate.
• Milky way in the US is a Mars Bar in the UK.

Tip: Raise your hand or index finger and make eye contact to signal a server.

Tip: Order eggs over easy for a traditional English fried equivalent.

The best way to get around is to learn and use the public transport system, especially if you’re in a city. Busses, tubes, monorails all start from as little as $1. If your out of city or travelling then consider renting a car, if your with friends then splitting the costs makes this the cheaper option. Scooter, they are scattered around everywhere in the larger cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco etc. Unlock them with an app on your phone. As an alternative, Uber or Lyft are available in many different US cities.

Update: 28th Oct 2022

At home in the UK I use EE, they now offer a Roam Abroad Pass that includes USA for only £10 a month which allows you to use all of your minutes, txt, and data allowance the same as you would in the UK with no extra roaming charges. Cheaper and less hassle than purchasing a 2nd sim card that you have to keep topping up.

Three allows you to roam in the USA (and many other countries at no extra charge, even if you’re not a Three customer. To do so all you have to do is grab its Feel At Home offer. This is a superb offer for the States considering how expensive it is with other providers.

All you have to do is order a free Three PAYG Sim, you will then need one of its add-on packages. Then your Sim should already be activated for international roaming, so Feel At Home will work automatically when you arrive in any of the countries covered. You’ll be able to use the allowance in your add-on in the same way as in the UK .

Failing that there’s another easy trick to get free roaming simply by swapping to an American Sim. (You’ll need an unlocked phone though) Otherwise, it may be best to stick to free Wi-Fi.

• When travelling to the States you will need to apply for a new ESTA travel authorization this should cost no more than $21.00 ($10.00, 2017) around £18.00.  Always apply from the official site here.
• Many places still don’t have contactless payments or even chip and pin, so you’ll need a physical card to swipe. If like me you bank with Starling or the like, you’ll find swipe payments are turned off as default, you’ll have to go into the settings to turn it on.
• I would suggest always select no tip on the tablets and then tip with cash if you wish to.
• Calculate your tip and divide your bill by typing Tip Calculator on google.
• If booking a hostel go direct and not through sites like hostelworld, there are hidden fees plus the tax on top of the ‘Total’ that they said it would be when you paid. You’ll then have to pay the extra tax and fees upon arrival.
• Free refills If you order a drink, most restaurants allow free refills while you eat your meal or refills at a low cost. Water is usually provided for free.

• Get a national park pass If you’re planning on visiting a number of National Parks, then this will get you into all the parks for free, so you don’t have to keep paying the entrance fee every time. It’s a one-off fee of $80 and will pay for itself after four parks.
• “Please” and “thank you” are very important in the United States. Say “please” and “thank you” to everyone for even the smallest kindness.
• Say “Pardon me” or “Excuse me” if you bump into someone or even get close to someone. Americans also say this if they sneeze or cough or do not understand something someone has said.
• Handshakes are usually brief. Light handshakes are considered distasteful. Use a firm grip.
• Eye contact is important when shaking someone’s hand.
• It is considered rude to stare, ask questions or otherwise bring attention to someone’s disability.
• Smoking is very unpopular in the United States.
• Holding the middle finger up by itself is considered insulting and vulgar.