The USA is the second-largest country in the world and consists of a mix of large urban areas and vast, thinly populated plains with beautiful natural landscapes. The cultures in the United States are likewise very diverse. In part due to the influx of immigrants that have entered America since the 17th century, the US consists of a colourful mix of cultures from all over the world.

The country itself can feel overwhelming; everything is big, bigger, biggest. For instance, the supermarkets are enormous, the food portions are large, and the skyscrapers are huge. Americans think big and everything seems possible there. There is a reason why America is known as the country of unlimited possibilities. The “American Dream”, the diversity and the contrasts in nature and culture make the United States a very popular holiday destination.


Facts and numbers

Capital Washington D.C.
Size 9,826,675 km2
Inhabitants 328,869,759 inhabitants (2018)
Religion Christian: 79.8%, Jewish: 1.4%, Muslim: 0.6%
Time difference 5 to 10 hours earlier
Travel time 7 to 8 hours from the UK or Ireland
Electricity 110V (travel plug recommended)
Life expectancy Men: 74.4 years, women: 80.0 years
Tap water Safe to drink

Map

The United States used to consist of 13 states, but in the 19th and 20th centuries 37 states were added to the US, making the total number of states 50. The five largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia.


History

The United States is a relatively modern country, so it does not have many old structures unlike, for example, Italy. This is partially due to the way America came to be. America was not discovered by Columbus in 1492, as many people believe, but was likely discovered much earlier by Asian explorers. At the time, Native Americans already lived on the continent. When the Dutch came to the US, they called it “New Netherlands”, and New York became known as “New Amsterdam”. This is why to this day many streets and shops bear Dutch names. Likewise, many American last names sound Dutch, even though America was under Dutch occupation for a relatively short while.

Independence
On July 4, 1776 (Independence Day), thirteen British colonies declared themselves independent. England was none too pleased about this, and a war erupted between the (former) colonies and England. After many brutal years of war, the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, and in 1789 George Washington became the first president of The United States of America.

Other important historical events
Some of the most impactful events in US history are the American Civil War (1861-1865), and the Great Depression in the 30s. During the Civil War, the northern states fought against the southern states, and many bloody battles and campaigns took place. During the Great Depression, the American economy fell into a deep crisis and roughly a quarter of the total population lost their jobs.

Interesting fact 1 America

How America got its name
America is named after the Italian sailor Amerigo Vespucci. He was one of the first to realise that America was not in Asia, but an entirely new continent of its own. He described this in “Quator Americi navigationes” and ”Mundes Novus”. These letters spread through Europe, and eventually cartographers named it “Terra Americi” after Amerigo Vespucci. Eventually the name changed to “America”, referring to the southern half of this new part of the world.


Language and culture

In The United States, English is the main language. Because America is big and consists of 50 different states, during your trip you might be confronted with other languages, such as Spanish, Chinese and French. Navajo, a Native American language, is still spoken by 178,000 people.

Flag USA

National holidays
The United States have quite a number of national holidays. Take note that if a holiday takes place on Monday, this can impact activities in the preceding weekend.

Holiday Governments, companies, and banks open/closed
January 1: New Yearʼs Day Most institutions are closed
Third Monday in January: Martin Luther King Day Most government institutions and banks are closed
February 14: Valentineʼs Day Most institutions are open
Third Monday in February: Presidentʼs day Most government institutions and banks are closed
March 17: St. Patrickʼs Day Irish holiday, most institutions are open
A Sunday in March or April: Easter Most institutions are open
Last Monday in May: Memorial Day Most government institutions and banks are closed
July 4: Independence Day Most institutions are closed
First Monday in September: Labour Day Most institutions are closed
Second Monday in October: Columbus Day Most government institutions and banks are closed
October 31: Halloween Most institutions are open
November 11: Veterans Day Most government institutions and banks are closed
Fourth Thursday in November: Thanksgiving Most institutions are closed
December 24: Christmas Eve Most institutions are closed
December 25: Christmas Day Most institutions are closed

Weather and climate

Because the USA is so large, it has a wide variety of climates: from cold tundra climates to tropical rainforest climates. The North West of America is predominantly wet, while the middle part of the USA is rather dry and warm. Be sure to check the weather and climate of the state or place you are travelling to. Adequately prepare yourself for the different weather circumstances, so that you can make the most of your trip.

Best travel period in terms of weather
Regarding the weather, it is generally best to travel to the USA in spring or autumn. The temperatures then are pleasant in most places, and you can snag a bit of spring to boot. In the winter it rains more, while the summer can bring very high temperatures in certain states.

Hurricanes and tornadoes
Hurricanes and tornadoes occur relatively frequently in America, although this differs from area to area. There can be hindrances during the hurricane season from June-November (although most active during late July-early September), when hurricanes occur much more often in areas with warm sea water (like Florida).

Check the weather forecast
Because America is so large and has so many diverse climates, it can be difficult to accurately tell what the weather and climate can be in the country. Be sure to do some research about the local weather (including averages as well as the forecast). It is also important to keep in mind that the end of December up to March can be a very busy period in the United States; this too, however, differs from area to area.


Travel

In America you can travel comfortably by plane, train, bus, boat, metro, taxi, motorhome, or (rental) car. Public transport is generally well organised in the cities. However, outside of these cities, this is not always necessarily the case. If you want to cross long distances in a short period, a plane is often the best option, as domestic flights are often cheaper than the bus or train for this purpose. The metro and taxi are mostly suited to quickly move through the cities, and the prices are often reasonable. In general, renting a car is the best option to travel in the USA; with a car you have the freedom to go and stop wherever and whenever you like.

Taxis in New York

Immigration service
Everyone needs a valid passport to travel to America, and it has to be valid until after the end of your trip. Children and babies are also required to hold their own passport; you cannot travel to the USA with your baby if the child is included in your own passport. If you intend to travel across a US border (in or out) with more than 10.000 euros in cash, you are required to report this to the immigration service. It is forbidden to import drugs, fruit, meat, seeds, dairy and lottery tickets.

Interesting fact 2 America

US Visa or ESTA
If you intend to travel to the United States, you will need a US visa or an ESTA (meaning). An ESTA is an alternative to the US visa which you need to travel to the USA. British and Irish citizens can travel to the US without needing a visa, by using an ESTA (check the requirements). An ESTA can be applied for if you intend to travel to America for business or a holiday, and you plan to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. An ESTA can often be acquired within minutes, while a visa costs more time and money. Should you not qualify for an ESTA, then you can always apply for a US visa.
Read more about the ESTA


Money

In the US, people pay with the American dollar. The value of the dollar can fluctuate compared to other currencies such as the euro; make sure to check the exchange rate of your national currency compared to the dollar before your trip.

American Dollar

Cashless payments
In general, you can use your debit card to withdraw cash at banks and for cashless payments in stores in the US, as these cards often come with a Maestro logo. Take note that you often have to pay a small fee to be able to pay with a debit card, and to convert your money to dollars. Also take note that before departure, you might have to enable cashless payments abroad through your personal bank. Many banks have implemented this feature to make banking affairs abroad safer. Contact your bank for more information.

Credit card
In the USA, it is considered normal to pay for everything with a credit card (or cash, of course). This also makes it so you do not need to carry cash on you, which can make the trip and stay safer in general.

Tipping
Most Americans give a healthy 15% tip in restaurants when given good service. The wages in American restaurants are often very low because it is expected that this will be compensated through tips.


Safety

America is a safe country to travel to. However, some larger cities in the country also have neighbourhoods which you are better off not going to. Be sure to check on arrival where you should best travel to on your trip, and which places should be avoided. Should you stay in the wilderness, be wary of the wild animals that live here, like bears. Never leave food scraps behind.

Travel advice
No special warnings apply to travelling to the USA. Be sure to always keep your travel documents with you at all times (such as your driving licence and passport). Also make a digital copy of your travel documents; in case you should lose them, you can always print them again.

e-Visa.ie is a commercial and professional visa agency, and supports travellers in obtaining, among others, the ESTA USA. e-Visa.ie acts as an intermediary and is in no way part of any government. You can also apply for an ESTA directly with the immigration service (21 USD per ESTA, via esta.cbp.dhs.gov). However, not with our level of support. If you submit your application via e-Visa.ie, our support centre is available to you 24/7. In addition, we manually check your application and all the documents you provide before submitting it to the immigration authorities on your behalf. If we suspect any errors or omissions while doing so, we will personally contact you to ensure that your application can still be processed quickly and correctly. To use our services, you pay us 21 USD in consular fees, which we pay to the immigration service on your behalf, as well as € 30,53 in service fees as compensation for our services, including VAT. Our services have saved many travellers from major problems during their trip. Should an application be rejected despite our support and verification, we will refund the full purchase price (unless an application for a previous ESTA USA was rejected for the same traveller). Read more about our services here.