by Daniel B

Created on: February 06, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Traveling in the United States is a little bit like traveling in Europe, politically. There are a whole bunch of states, which all agree about some things, but have different approaches to other things.

For example, all states agree that you should drive on the right. (Sorry, former-British-empire folks!) But states do not agree on how fast you should drive. If you're on an interstate highway in the middle of nowhere, the maximum speed limit might be 60, 65, 70, or 75 mph (96, 105, 113 or 120 km/h) depending on what state you're in - and if you're in a state where the maximum speed is 60 mph, you don't want to be clocked doing 75!

If you're coming from anywhere other than Russia, Canada, China, Brazil or Australia, the U.S. will be a lot bigger than what you're used to. If you're from any European country other than Turkey or Russia, the state of Texas alone is bigger than your whole country!

So the US isn't somewhere you should expect to drive across in a day. And that brings up the topic of just how one gets around somewhere so big, when its mass transit system is so lousy compared to most of the world. If you're going to Hawaii, you'll most likely wind up flying. Flying's probably your best bet for getting to Alaska as well. But if you're spending your vacation in the 48 contiguous states, you can fly on mainstream or low-cost airlines, drive, or even get most places through a combination of national, regional and local trains and buses. Long-distance trains are operated by Amtrak, and long-distance buses by Greyhound and its affiliates. Bicycling is also an option, if you have the time and the legs for it.

Lodging in the US is much like anywhere else, with a range of hotels, motels, and in the larger cities, hostels. If you're backpacking or traveling on a tight budget, Hostelling International USA at www.hiayh.org has hostels in roughly half of the states, including Hawaii. And since the US is a cultural "melting pot," even small towns often have restaurants offering cuisine based on that from other countries, so you will probably have a lot of food options in your travels.

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