United States United States

There really is something for everyone when it comes to the United States of America. Diversity is the defining and reoccurring feature of this great nation, a melting pot of cultures, which have fused together over years of people coming in search of the ‘American Dream’. Almost everyone on the planet can tell you something about the USA, even if they’ve never been, an unavoidable powerhouse in global politics, economics and popular culture but be prepared to be surprised as you’re likely to find it’s not always the America often portrayed in the movies; it’s large, it’s complex and has many differing regional identities.

Incredible natural beauty can be found throughout this vast country, whether it be the steep mountain ranges of the Rockies to the deep Grand Canyons of Arizona, from the icy glaciers in Alaska to the dense forests of Oregon and California, from the impressive Pacific and Atlantic coastlines to the long meandering Mississippi river, from the Everglade swamplands in Florida to the harsh dessert plains of Arizona. It’s this abundance of diverse and majestic scenery that draws visitors back year on year.

Quick Facts

Name

United States of America (USA)

Population

324 million

Capital

Washington DC

Language

English

Currency

Currency: US Dollar (USD)

Time Zone

UTC -4 to -12, +10, +11

Flag United States

Climate

There is no common denominator when it comes to the US climate, a country which spans 4 different time zones and boarders which touch both Mexico and Canada the temperature really can be at opposite ends of the spectrum depending on when/where you are. New York and the upper east coast experience very seasonal weather with cold/snowy winters and hot/humid summers. Over on the West Coast you can find year-round sun the further south you go. The US also is home to one of the hottest places on the planet; Death Valley (California), with a hottest temperature recorded of 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913, at Furnace Creek.

Culture

It’s hard to point to one defining feature of American culture, again due to the country’s sheer diverse nature. Years of immigration have culminated in a mixture of cultures and American identities. Links to the country’s original indigenous population can be found through the Native American, Hawaiian and Alaskan populations and it’s well worth investigating more about these original cultures, which were commonplace before the first European settlers arrived. In contrast most will be very familiar with mainstream American culture, with the US arguably having the biggest global impact with it comes to television, movies, music and celebrity.

Gastronomy

The cuisine in America very much reflects it’s multi-cultural beginnings, you can find pretty much every cuisine on the planet here and they don’t do food lightly either, expect portions to come large – XXL-kind-of large. Burgers, pizzas, hotdogs, pretzels, bagels, mac n cheese, peanut-butter-jelly sandwiches, meatloaf, grilled cheese, southern-fried chicken wings, chilidogs and S’mores may be some of the more stereotypical (and unhealthy) foods that are associated with America but also expect to find many other regional specialties such as clam chowder in New England, shrimp gumbo in Louisiana, Tex-Mex platter in Texas and BBQ ribs with cornbread in Tennessee.

Transportation

By Plane
The USA is the 2nd most visited country on the planet and has the highest number of airline passengers in the world so as you can imagine it is incredibly well connected. All major international airlines flying multiple US flight routes daily and very competitive domestic flights so getting to/around the states is relatively easy. Surprisingly Atlanta (Georgia) holds the title of not only being the busiest airport in the US but in fact the entire world too.

By Bus
A great way to see America on the cheap is via bus. The famous Greyhound bus service is celebrated by travellers the world over as being an economic and flexible way of hopping between states. Greyhound buses are extremely connected and can take you to any of 3700 locations throughout the US.

By Train
Equally as competitive way to travel USA is by train where you can travel coast-to-coast from as little as $270. America has an excellent rail network, operated by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (better know as Amtrak), which connects all the major towns and cities in comfort at affordable prices.