“First time visiting the USA! What tips do EU tourists wish they knew before their trip? What should US citizens warn tourists about? #USATravelTips #EuropeanTourists #WestCoastTravel #AvoidingTouristMistakes
Looking for helpful advice as a first-time tourist heading to the USA’s West Coast for 3 weeks in August? Here are some insider tips and things to be aware of:
**Restaurant Tipping:**
– In the US, tipping at restaurants is expected and crucial for servers. Don’t forget to leave a tip, as it is considered rude not to.
– Waiters in the US are often more talkative and attentive compared to those in Europe, as they rely on tips for their income.
**Travel Itinerary:**
– Landing in Vegas and renting a car to explore the Grand Canyon, national parks, and more is a great plan.
– Relax on the beaches of LA before heading to San Francisco for Alcatraz and hiking adventures.
**Overall Tips:**
– Be prepared to tip at restaurants and for other services during your visit.
– Stay aware of your surroundings and be cautious in busy tourist areas.
– Embrace the friendly, talkative nature of US waitstaff and enjoy engaging with locals.
Hope these tips help make your first trip to the US memorable and enjoyable! #USATravel #WestCoastAdventures“
Where on the west coast? Thats pretty important to know
The U.S. is huge. Don’t be too ambitious with fitting in so much in one day, especially when it comes to driving.
I would spend more time in Northern California than Southern California, Hollywood can make LA look glamorous as they want but when you get there it’s not so glamorous, San Francisco and the surrounding areas are a lot more beautiful.
A lot of the US is very car centric. Expect to have to take an Uber etc to get many places rather than being able to walk.
Not sure where you are going but I suggest you hit up city forums for where you are visiting for advice. We recently went to San Francisco and one of the big deals there is do not rent a car or, if you must, do not keep one single belonging in it. Sure enough, as we were being driven into the city, I saw a car being broken into.
Other than tipping, I cannot think of anything that would annoy be about tourists. Just be respectful of the environment you are visiting like you would at home! Have a great visit to our beautiful country. It is massive!
Don’t bring food.
This is stupid but: Portion sizes. My usual McDonalds order here at home im Europe was 2 large fries. So. I ordered that in an airport mcdonalds upon touching down in Orlando on my first US trip. Yeah. Uh. 1 US large portion is like 1.5 times the size of my entire EU order. And it still somehow took me like three US trips to remember that lmao
Man, if someone offers you a CD or some shit put your hands up and say no. Scammers scam everywhere. Don’t be a mark. Also, enjoy our sinful gluttony.
Tipping is the custom here. 15% is the minimum expectation when you receive good service at a sit down restaurant. It’s just the way it is.
Don’t forget your bathing suit and a water bottle. You’re going to be hot! August is no joke in vegas. Spray yourself with a mist to cool off when you’re not around a pool or the ocean. Hot. It’s going to be fun!!
eSIM is great for using mobile data when you’re there. Don’t get stuck with roaming charges on your current (home) mobile network!
August in San Francisco tends to be foggy, and can be surprisingly cold and windy. So wear layers, and bring a windbreaker. Tourists arrive thinking it’s going to be warm and sunny because it’s California, and end up having to buy an overpriced hoodie from fisherman’s wharf.
It’s debatable whether mark twain ever said this, but it gets quoted a lot: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
And definitely do the audio tour at Alcatraz. It’s so good.
Sales tax (VAT) is added to the product’s price at checkout. So if it says $10 on the price tag, you might actually have to play $10.50 if the local sales tax is 5%. Different states and different cities have different sales taxes, and some places have none at all.
My personal opinion is, that might be too much driving for 3 weeks. Driving gets very tiring. Plan ahead of time if it’s more than a 4-hour drive in a day whether there are hotel stops at the midpoint where you can split it up. There will be stretches between cities where there’s basically nothing.
EU citizen living in the US here, and have done a few touristy stuff while the family/friends come to visit including trips to west coast.
A few things that may stand out if you are coming from the EU that you’ll notice:
* You will see a lot of homelessness etc. in bigger cities down town areas (especially SF), just deal with as you come up and they can some times be really aggressive. No real tips, just be prepared (the amount of shock will really depend on where you are from)
* You will notice that racism/classism/overall inequality is pretty big here, and you will notice it. I would make sure to stay out of any active discussions engagement with this. You may experience it yourself and it’s very engrained and visible in the US where in the EU it’s more nuanced/hidden. My tip here: don’t bring your EU thinking to the US, stuff that may not be as sensitive in the EU is very sensitive here and you may insult something. That goes from complicating a stranger on their looks down to using the N word (even if you are quoting/reciting something) while you are a non black person.
* Prices in the US are listed without tax, expect your 5 dollar drink to add on tax
* In some cases cash may actually remove the tax bit especially it smaller independent shops
* Most cities are not set up for walking, even if you look up a map at something that is only 5 blocks away in a straight line. Consider that: the distance is easy to underestimate, a lot of roads do not have a pedestrian path (especially if you have to cross a road there is a high chance that it’s simply not possible on foot) and it’s dangerous.
* Don’t feel like you’re too good for an Uber unless you’re really strapped for cash.
Some tips:
* Tipping in services is expected, this goes from delivery to any services (wait staff, cab drivers, guides, hotel cleaning staff) and you need to factor that in to the cost of anything you do.
* Double, triple check your check if gratuity (tip) doesn’t get added automatically, this is usually for “bigger parties” but my wife and I have seen this a few times even with the two of us. It’s not super common but it happens, and they might try to do this to tourists in particular in touristy big cities. This isn’t necessarily nefarious so don’t get too upset about it.
* It’s not really expected if you don’t sit down and places like McDonalds don’t really expect these tips even if you do sit down
* See some of the state parks, there are some amazing parks around the US especially on the west coast that are worth seeing
* If you have friends/family who are local to an area ask if they can guide you, you will see so much more of a city/area that way. If you do not: look for any in person guided tours, these are often done by locals (make sure you confirm) and have always been the high light of any trip I’ve had anywhere. Even in big cities these can be a lot of fun
* If you chose to drive: go with the flow and let aggressive drivers go. Road rage is a thing here and people here *have guns*. Avoid conflict especially in traffic.
Drink more water than you think you’ll need in Vegas and Arizona.
It may be a little humid in Arizona during August but definitely over 100F while driving up to the Grand Canyon. Enjoy! Your trip sounds amazing!!!
You should consider San Diego along with LA; much better beaches and one of the best zoos in the world.
Americans, especially in cities will just assume everyone they see is also American or a permanent resident. Even if you have an accent.
I say this because some countries are more ethnically homogeneous. If you feel like you do not match up with your idea of what Americans are, that probably does not match up with how Americans will see you.
That can change based on where you are in the country though.
If you are going to drive LA to SF, take the coast, hwy 1/PCH. Do not take the 5. The coast adds some time (7-8 hr total drive), but is way more scenic with more places to stop. If you can, do it over 2 days.
Stop in Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Los Olivos, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Vandenberg AFB, Morro bay, Monterey
Vegas in August ? Man, it’s gonna be @#$%#@$ hot, really hot.. Same with the canyon – if you’re hiking, lots of water.
Alcatraz – sign up for the last tour of the day (evening/night tour) – spooky vibes.
SF – visit chinatown, eat in a hole-in-the-wall place, you won’t regret it.
Don’t plan a day trip to another city lol. I’ve heard of people visiting Chicago and saying they’ll do a day trip to St. Louis…. Not realizing that’s a 5 hour drive away lol.
This country is big and our cities are super spread out unless you’re in the northeast
Beaches in LA:
Malibu is great, Santa Monica and Venice are crowded. Palos Verdes is good for catching subsets. Not all la beaches face West.
Orange County just south of LA has great beaches. Huntington, Laguna, Newport are beautiful. Dana point area has huge waves in the right season.
You can check out all the beaches in a day by driving up or down highway 1.
In SF:
SF has beautiful drives and hikes all around the bay. Check out skyline Blvd and Alice’s restaurant if you like driving through redwood forests.
Mersea Restaurant on treasure island has the best view of the city for Brunch or early dinner.
Be very careful where you park when going to Alcatraz. Do not leave any visible items in your car. We are the car burglary capital right now.
The Embarcadero area along the water from the Alcatraz ferry down to the baseball stadium is a great walk.
Restaurants are very expensive in SF. Be prepared for $30 per person per meal or more.
Many areas of the city shut down after 9 PM. Some bars do stay open late.
Avoid the tenderloin and the union square area for your safety.
Be on alert at all times. The city has a major crime problem. Situation can change block by block. Robberies and assaults are more frequent than you think even in safe looking tourist areas like Fisherman’s Wharf .
Oakland is even more unsafe than SF. Be very careful if you’re visiting there.
If you are wondering: where is silicon valley? It’s basically the whole area from San Jose to SF. As a tourist you can visit the campuses of Stanford and Berkeley, major corporate headquarters of Google, Facebook, Apple if you are interested.
If you are renting a car DO NOT leave suitcases, bags or valuables easily visible through the window. Too many times I’ve heard visitors leave their stuff behind in their car just to grab a quick dinner and come back to a broken window with missing suitcases and passports.
I’m American but spent years living and traveling in Europe. Serms like tipping has been pretty well covered in the comments here, but I’d add about restaurants—When you sit down to eat here it’s not like the table is ‘yours for the night’. Most restaurants are turning these tables pretty quickly, and the server is likely going to be checking often if you if need anything else and will probably just drop the check on the table at some point. It always feels waaay more rushed to me than abroad, but it’s not considered rude here it’s just kinda how it works?
That said, you’re under no obligation to rush your meal or pay quickly, but I’m just telling you that that’s what the vibe from your server will probably feel like LOL
As a new yorker, if people are handing stuff out or acting weird publicly, just keep walking
3 weeks in August. Avoid inland Central California (Great Valley). I grew you there. In August, you’ll have horrible air quality (more than usual) and it’s be hotter than Hades itself.
Look for some good fruit. It’s be all over that region in August. Not from a massive chain supermarket, but ideals tree or vine ripped. A tree ripened peach is near perfection.
Avoid BART or public transport in SF.
Avoid the tenderloin.
If possible carry pepper spray.
Trust your instincts.
The bridges have automated toll booths. Just drive straight through.
If pulled over by police, keep your hands visible. Wait for them to come to you. Let them know you’re a tourist. Do not step out of the car.
SF streets can be very confusing for people new to the city. Consider using Uber.
If parking in the twin peaks area for city views, be aware that there is significant property crime.
Downtown SF hotels are cheap outside of major conventions because the areas around them have deteriorated.
There are apps that let people rent motorized bikes. Good way to move around the city if you are used to riding bikes.
Everything is more expensive than in Europe.
Make sure that you rent a car. Otherwise, you will need to have somebody drive you everywhere. Ultimately it will be cheaper if you’re staying for more than a week to have a rental rather than a Taxi everywhere you go.
The United States has tons and tons and tons of beautiful places to see, but you have to drive to them.
DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK WATER AT ALL!
This may sound like I’m trying to be a jerk, but I’m not. It gets incredibly hot in America during the summer months. So make sure you drink plenty of water and have a lot of foods with electrolytes.
I live on east coast of the US and it gets insanely hot here. If you come to the east coast, don’t forget water at all as you’ll regret it if you do. There’s a reason why every place in America has water fountains or another way of getting water and it’s because this place can get stupidly hot during the summer.
If the car you are in gets pulled over, *do not get out of the car*. Unless instructed remain seated, with your seat belt fastened, and your hands in plain view, no sudden movements. Provide ID if needed, depending on state. Again depends on state, you do not need to answer questions about what you’re doing or where you’re going. Offer that you are visiting/ on vacation and that is enough. Stay calm, just let the interaction blow over and be on your way.
If you’re in the eastern or western states/ metro areas most people should be pretty chill. You may run into more trouble in the interior fly over states
Allow far more travel time between events / locations than you anticipate. It sounds like you probably have too much scheduled for the time you have.
Know that an “International Driver’s License” is not valid in many (most) states. If you bought it off the internet, it probably is worthless. Check the laws for EACH state you are visiting, as they may vary widely.
Get the extra insurance. Any auto liability insurance you may have that is valid in the EU may well not be valid in the US.
Same for healthcare insurance – get a short term policy in case of medical emergency, as healthcare costs in the US are incredible, especially in comparison to most countries with a national health plan.
Sunscreen. Even if the heat is not blistering, the places you list are all high exposure locations. Use LOTS, especially if you are fair skinned / redheaded. Get a “safari” hat with a wide brim – potentially not the most attractive, but offers much more protection than a ball cap. Those sun protection shirts (long sleeve, yes, they are a bit warm) are the best $17.99 you could possibly spend.
Enjoy, but remember to include down time to simply stop and rest. To put it in an EU perspective – you would not visit even a small country and expect to visit every cathedral and castle there. Pick one or two geographically nearby locations and enjoy the area, while planning what to see next time you come.
Enjoy your visit!
If you’re driving and get pulled over by a cop, DO NOT get out of the car. Sit in the car patiently and wait for the cop to come to you. Make sure both hands are visibly on the steering wheel and make your movements slow and state your intentions aloud when reaching for your license and insurance. Why? Guns.
Tips from my first trip to the US (from the UK).
Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf junction.
If switching from driving on the right side to driving on the wrong side confuses you you may end up going the wrong direction on an interstate. If you try to turn around at a cloverleaf by taking the first exit you will then be on another interstate going the wrong way. Learn how to do a U-turn on a cloverleaf.
Big labels on side streets that appear to say King or Xing are pedestrian crossings.
Learn the protocol for a four-way stop. They are everywhere.
If you happen to encounter a roundabout understand that most Americans can’t handle them. Also it’s not the same as a traffic circle.
If you’re trying to find the entrance to a hotel it’s labeled “lobby” not reception.
Don’t ask where the car park is they won’t know what you mean. it’s a parking lot.
The US is WAAAAY bigger than you are used to in Europe. Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim is 4 to 5 hours each way. And the closest real town not in the park is 1-1.5 hours.
Its all doable but we are much more used to an 8-10 hour driving day in US.
All get lift app and set it up, later in US u might get decent promo codes for first rides, could be useful for saving few bucks.
Twin beds mean a couple would buy two of them, not that two people fit in one of them. They are what you call singles in the EU. I saw two couples in San Francisco 15 years ago who rented a hotel room with two twin beds and checked in late at night after a long day of travel. They were arguing about what they booked the next day with the staff.
Bed sizes in the US from smallest to largest: twin < full/double < queen < king. Most couples have a queen at home. All will sleep 2 except a twin. Many find a full uncomfortable for two.
If you rent a car, it will be an automatic. Some cars in the US have the parking brake as a pedal on the floor, not always a handbrake. Some are now just a button. I saw two Germans struggle to get the brake off on the same trip. Most rental cars will come with the parking brake off (probably over half of Americans never use the parking brake – drives me crazy) and it’s basically standard practice to give rentals out with the brake off, but with all the hills in SF, I believe it’s law you have to use it so even a rental will have the parking brake on when given to you.
If you get pulled over or have an interaction with police, they mean business. Be respectful, do not argue, keep your hands where they can see them, etc. Do not speed or break the laws. I’ve been to Europe a few times. The police over here can be more intense because sometimes need to earn a quota, so they will write you a ticket easily. Only honk your horn if it is an emergency, like the other car may hit you or they are not going at all on a green light. Don’t just honk because there’s traffic. Don’t litter.
Most people here are more talkative. In LA, watch out for husslers/scammers and don’t think you must be polite. to random people that talk to you in the street. You’ll be on the west coast, so it is more liberal (a lot different attitude than in the southeast US). You’ll probably see bums as the homeless situation has gotten out of control here. Not all of America is like this, but the west coast seems to have more of it since the weather is year round warm. It is rude to talk politics and religion in public places, although many of us still do it.
When dining, 20% is standard and it is easy to figure out- just double the first number of the total cost. So if your bill is $60, then leave $12 as a tip. You can leave a bit less as 15% is the minimum, so $10 would be acceptable too. It is rude to snap your fingers or make the check signal to get the waiter’s attention. Most of them will be overly attentive, so you don’t need to do that. The bread and water is usually free. Sodas are usually free refills – many restaurants here use a fountain soda system (with ice!), not bottles of coke like in Europe. Bathrooms are in most restaurants, hotels, and bars and most of the time you can just go in and use the bathroom. Sometimes they want you to be a paying customer, but in places like McDonalds or Starbucks, you can just walk in and use the restroom (also great bathroom places are Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, grocery stores). Also, we call it bathroom or restroom, as the word toilet is a tad vulgar to us.
Most businesses are open all day- longer hours than places in Europe and only very few have that siesta time to be closed from 3-5. Dinner is usually from 5-8pm, and many restaurants are closed completely by 9. There are some places open 24 hours, many diners (a restaurant that is privately owned, causal, and cheap) to have breakfast all day, and 24/7 gas stations/truck stops. Truck stops can be sketchy (somewhat dangerous) places. So can motels (these are hotels but each room has an outside entrance that you can park near). I would stick with a national hotel chain.
Smoking has been demonized here (rightly so) and it is considered rude to smoke cigarettes near others, even if you are outside, like sitting at a table at a restaurant outside.
Also, public nudity is illegal, and it is not acceptable to be nude on a beach, at a park, at a pool, at the spa, in a locker room, etc. Wear a towel, robe, or your swimsuit.
To try- root beer and a root beer float, peanut butter and grape jelly on white bread, Dr. Pepper, S’mores, cuisines from all over the world, especially Mexican food, shrimp instead of nasty prawns, American style pizza, movie theater popcorn, BBQ, breakfast platter (eggs fried with meat such as bacon, sausage, etc, with pancakes, waffles, or french toast, and hashbrowns), ice cream sundaes, avocado toast, crabs, ramen, burritos, french onion soup…
In Europe, when dining at a restaurant, it is common for the waiter to bring the credit card reader to your table so that your credit card never leaves your sight.
In the US, it is more common that the waiter will take your card to the register in order to charge payment.
Tip your servers. 20%.
Distance is measured in the time it takes to get there and not the actual distance. (Seattle is 2hours and 40 minutes from me, not Seattle is 201 kilometers) because it’s so large and everything is so spread out it’s more important to know how long it’ll take to drive there than it is to know the distance.
I’m an American, and if you have a noticeable accent, be prepared to make random friends in public! Please don’t be offended by Americans enthusiastically telling you all about how their great great grandmother came from your country. It might seem silly to you, but that link is really important to us.
Important: Bring a credit card, better bring 2. Not a debit card. It will not work here and it is not safe.
Yes, you will hand out your card to pay at restaurants. The immediate charge will appear and you will then add a tip and sign. At night they manually enter the tip. If that sounds crazy, it is because it is.
You will mostly not be asked for the PIN at sit down restaurants. It is tip and sign in most places. Other places will ask for a PIN when a card has one.
Careful with card at ATMs and gas stations. If you need cash, go inside a bank to get it.
——
In Vegas and LA, if anyone offers to take a picture with you ( dressed in costume), know that they will expect a hefty tip. And once you agree another one will join and you will be expected to pay them too. So don’t accept any.
Do not give your phone to anyone asking to use it. Just don’t.
Do not fall for anyone asking for gas money at gas stations, or baby formula/ diapers at groceries.
Tip is 15-20% However….. Make sure you look at the check first to see if they did not include it already. Some restaurants do.
Most of the restaurants in Vegas are not really worth the price, even the “chef” famous fancy ones.
DO NOT hike back to Europe.
If you’re not one to mince words, I’d say start mincing them once you’re on US soil. Apply a bit of a filter.
The Dutch come to mind for example – great people, but they call ’em as they see ’em and pretty much have zero filter. Americans don’t tend to do that – quite the opposite actually.
Example: You’re meeting up with someone you haven’t seen in a long time and they’ve gained a considerable amount of weight.
Typical American response: “Hey good to see you, you look great!”
Typical Dutch response: “Dude, you got fat, wtf happened?”
Americans are friendly. “How are you?” is a common greeting. You are just supposed to say “Fine,” “Good,” or even “Great” (if you are), AND you are supposed to say it back. So you say, “Good, how are you?” And they will say good & you get on with whatever, like ordering your coffee.
People in the US will always talk to you, smile at you and make direct eye contact most times. That is something I had to learn.
I don’t know what is proper for casual conversation in Europe but as long as you avoid politics, guns and religion you’ll get along great with 90% of Americans. If you want to discuss those things privately with people you know and trust, it’s no problem but be wary of people wanting to discuss that stuff. They likely have an agenda and it’s, at a minimum, very annoying and at worst, can become hostile. Just be aware we have a large political divide in US right now and some “benign” subjects (what kind of draft beer you drink) can mean political things to the dumbest among us. If they try and drag you into politics, politely decline and don’t engage with them.