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USA travel guide - USA
holidays, flights & hotels.
Top destination guides for USA holidays;
Albuquerque
| Amarillo
| Atlanta
| Austin
| Baltimore
| Baton Rouge
| Billings
Boston
| Burlington
| Charleston
| Chicago
| Cleveland
| Dallas
| Denver
Detroit
| Hawaii
| Houston
| Jackson
| Las Vegas
| Los Angeles
| Louisville
Memphis
| Miami
| Minneapolis
| Nashville
| New Orleans
| New York
| Orlando
Pensacola
| Philadelphia
| Phoenix
| Pittsburgh
| Richmond
| Salt Lake City
| San Diego
San Francisco
| Santa Fe
| Savannah
| Seattle
| St Louis
| Tampa
| Washington
Aberdeen
| Albany
| Anchorage
| Birmingham
| Buffalo
| Cedar Rapids
| Charlotte
Colorado Springs
| Fort Dodge
| Flagstaff
| Fort Lauderdale
| Indianapolis
| Kansas City
| Newark
La Guardia
| Oklahoma City
| Omaha
| Ontario
| Orlando Intl
| Palm Springs
| Panama City
Raleigh
| Reno
| Sacramento
| San Antonio
| San Jose
| Steamboat Springs (Hayden)
| Washington Dulles
USA Holidays, USA Holiday Packages Overview
America was discovered by Columbus
in 1492 and for more than 500 years people have travelled here
seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was
fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its
independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of
the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the
world had seen, and ingrained racism (Native Americans were not
granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm
until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in
forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant
nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed
military and economic heavyweight of the world.
The country is made up of 48 neighbouring states of the
continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of
Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km)
out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which
include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and
US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities
such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as
California, Florida and Hawaii where millions of tourists
congregate each year to enjoy the fine beaches, natural wonders and
man-made attractions such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and
Hollywood. Too many miss out on the mind-blowing landscapes of the
interior which can found in the wealth of magnificent National
Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as
spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains.
With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most
Americans have never bothered getting a
passport.
Tourist Offices - United States Tourist Office: www.usatourist.com
Search for a Holiday deal.
There are options for all USA holidays,
USA Flights and USA travel with the
multi-search
booking engine.
Entry Requirements
Visitors entering the country under the
Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) must have a machine-readable passport
(MRP) that has a bar code on the photo page. From 26 October 2006
eligible travellers under the VWP must include biometrics in their
machine-readable passports if they wish to enter the country
without a visa, containing unique personal data such as
fingerprints or iris details. All new passports issued on or after
26 October 2005 must contain a digital photo image in order to
travel visa-free. Due to new security measures, all visitors to the
USA will have a photograph and two fingerprints taken by an inkless
scanner on arrival, including those travelling visa-free under the
Visa Waiver Programme.
- For Australians -
Australian nationals do not require a visa for stays
of up to 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program. Passports must be
valid at date of entry. A return or onward ticket is required if
travelling by sea or air. If the onward ticket terminates in
Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean Islands, travellers must
be legal permanent residents of those countries.
- New Zealand nationals require a valid passport, but do
not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days under the US Visa
Waiver programme. A machine-readable passport is necessary to
qualify for the programme. A return or onward ticket is required
and the final destination must be to a country other than Mexico,
Canada or islands bordering the Caribbean Sea.
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- UK passport holders require a valid passport for
travel to the USA. Under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), most
British citizens do not require a visa for holiday, transit or
business purposes providing their passports are machine-readable,
the stay does not exceed 90 days and a return or onward ticket is
held. Note: Holders of UK passports
with the endorsement British Subject, British Protected Person,
British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen or
British National (Overseas) Citizen do require
a visa.
USA Holidays - Currency of USA
The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is
divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency.
ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are
widely accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars
to avoid hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to
3pm.
USA
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international country dialling code
for the United States is +1. The outgoing code is 011, followed by
the relevant country code (e.g. 01144 for the United Kingdom). The
US has numerous area/city codes, which must be dialled before the
local number required (e.g. New York Manhattan, 212, and Washington
DC, 202). Mobile networks cover most of the country, including all
urban areas, however unless you have a tri-band phone it is likely
your cellular phone from home will not work in the United States.
The largest GSM networks are T-mobile and Cingular. Internet cafes
are prevalent in most towns and cities.
USA
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Travellers to the United States who are
returning residents of the country do not have to pay duty on
articles purchased abroad to the value of $800 provided their stay
was longer than 48 hours and their duty-free allowance was not used
in the 30-day period prior. For passengers arriving from Samoa,
Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a duty-free allowance of $1,200
is allowed. The following items are included in this: 1,000
cigarettes, a reasonable amount of tobacco and 100 cigars.
Travellers over 21 years are allowed 1 US quart of alcoholic
beverages; and perfumes, lotions and other goods for personal use.
Restrictions may apply to goods from Cuba, Cambodia, Korea and
Vietnam. It is prohibited to import Cuban cigars from any country.
Further information may be obtained from the nearest US Consulate.
Travellers to the United States who are non-residents do not have
to pay duty on the following items: 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes or
2kg tobacco, or a proportionate mix of these. Travellers over 21
years can import 1 US quart of alcoholic beverages. Non-residents
may enter the USA with gifts to the value of $100 provided their
stay in the USA is not less than 72 hours and that the allowance
has not been used in the preceding six-month period. Please note
that it is a punishable offence to make false statements to a US
customs officer. Prohibited items for residents and non-residents
include: meat or meat products, poultry, narcotics, marijuana,
dangerous drugs, absinthe (or alcohol containing artemisia
absinthium); plants; seeds, vegetables, fruits, soil, live insects,
snails and other living plants or animal pests. Fish is prohibited
unless it carries disease-free certification. Salmon and trout,
including eggs canned, pickled or smoked may only be imported from
North America. Imports from or exports to Iran and leather
souvenirs imported from Haiti are prohibited. Wildlife and animals
or their by-products carry restrictions. All types of lighters and
matches are not allowed in luggage, unless properly sealed in an
enclosed container. Dairy products and eggs from specified
countries are not allowed. Firearms and ammunition are not allowed
without the necessary license and permit.
USA
Holidays & Packages- Tipping Information
A 15% tip is expected by taxi drivers,
bartenders, hairdressers and waiters, but don't tip in fast-food or
self-service restaurants. In expensive restaurants or for large
parties tip 20% of the bill. It is normal to tip staff in hotels.
In more expensive accommodation there is sometimes a bed tax, often
as high as 15%, and it is worth checking that this is included
within the quote.
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