United States travel guide

One region, properly. The Northeast route fits four rail-linked cities; the desert loop gives three parks room to breathe; the South gets three cities and a train. Adding both coasts turns sightseeing days into airport days. ^{1, 2}

Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington by Amtrak, with each city's own transit locally. Choose hotels near useful stations; a hotel with the city in its name can be an hour from the platform. ²

Give either its own week. Alaska's excursions depend on season and weather, and Denali's buses stop at Mile 43 in 2026; Hawaiʻi rewards a single island for a week. A short flight on a map is still an airport day. ^{23, 39}

AirTrain to Jamaica ($8.75) and the E subway ($3), both paid by tapping a bank card or phone: $11.75 on 13 September 2026. The LIRR from Jamaica is a separate $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 peak ticket and is faster to Penn Station or Grand Central. ^{8, 9, 54}

The Manhattan flat fare is $70, then surcharges, tolls and tip: 50 cents state, $1 improvement, $2.50 below 96th Street, $5 in the weekday evening rush and a 75-cent congestion toll. Expect roughly $80 to $95 before the tip, depending on tolls and the hour. Other boroughs are on the meter. ¹⁰

Take the official taxi queue, keep the hotel address on paper, and confirm late check-in in advance. A preselected airport hotel with a shuttle beats improvising a distant connection after midnight. ^{10, 71}

$40.27: a $10.27 processing fee plus $30 on approval, paid on the official ESTA site. It authorizes travel under the Visa Waiver Program; the border officer decides admission. An approval lasts two years or until the passport expires. ^{5, 7}

No. The six-month rule has nationality-specific exemptions; British passports, for example, need only cover the stay. A transit country may impose its own rule. ^{7, 68}

Yes. Presence in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 generally removes Visa Waiver eligibility, which means a visa application instead of an ESTA. ⁷

A refundable bond some B-visa applicants must post, tied to nationality. The program became permanent on 3 August 2026 and immigration counsel report bonds of $10,000 to $20,000 across 50 countries; the consulate's instructions govern. ^{66, 67}

Yes. As of 11 September 2026 the CDC bars boarding for anyone who was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the prior 21 days, transit included, and screens arrivals from Uganda and South Sudan at designated airports. Re-check immediately before travel. ⁶⁹

No timed-entry reservation this year. Lodging, camping, wilderness permits and Half Dome cables are separate; Half Dome is a lottery at $10 to apply and $10 per person if awarded. ^{11, 13}

For two adults visiting three of the eleven surcharge parks in one car, yes: $705 at the gates against $250 for the pass. For one adult visiting one park, the gate wins ($135 against $250). The pass covers the car and its passengers, or the holder plus three adults at per-person sites. ^{3, 4}

No. Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park run by the Navajo Nation: $10 per person per day, with the Nation's authorized guides for the valley floor. Havasu Falls and Grand Canyon West are likewise tribal, not federal. ^{15, 16, 36}

Through the Havasupai Tribe's reservation system only: $455 per person for a fixed four days and three nights, no transfers or resale, and a 50 percent refund only 90 days out. Older advice about picking up someone else's permit is now a bannable offense. ¹⁶

The shuttle needs nothing but patience. The trail beyond Scout Lookout to Angels Landing needs a permit from the day-before lottery: $6 per application for up to six people, $3 per person if awarded. ^{34, 12}

Not as a road trip. Most roads close to cars after 31 October 2026, Dunraven Pass on 12 October, and the oversnow season runs 15 December to 15 March with snowcoaches and guided snowmobiles. The Gardiner-to-Cooke City road stays open all year. ⁶²

A gumbo with rice, chicken-and-andouille or seafood, or a po-boy if you want a sandwich; a muffaletta if you want to share. Ask about stock and shellfish if you have restrictions; the dish name leaves the ingredients open. ^{42, 43}

Not reliably. Packaged-food labeling rules stop at the package; a made-to-order plate is unlabeled. Name the allergy, ask about fryers and sauces, and order elsewhere if nobody can answer. ⁴⁸

15 to 20 percent at table service, with 20 the easy planning figure. Read the bill for included gratuity first. Counter-service screens are a prompt, not an obligation. ¹⁹

Sales tax is added at checkout in most states: 8.875% in New York City, with clothing under $110 exempt. Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware and Alaska have no statewide sales tax. ^{17, 18}

T-Mobile's U.S. Pass must be bought and activated inside the United States; install the app at home, then use arrival Wi-Fi. No ID is required for that product. Keep a second way to reach the hotel until it activates. ^{22, 53}

Count on gaps. Check the operator's map for your lodging, save maps and tickets offline, and ask excursion operators how they communicate beyond coverage, especially in Alaska and the canyons. ^{70, 71}

Regulated public water is usually safe unless a local advisory says otherwise. Boil-water, do-not-drink and do-not-use notices mean different things, and boiling handles microbes only; chemical contamination needs a different response. Streams in parks are a separate question. ^{72, 73}

Only if the policy says so. Confirm rescue, helicopter evacuation and the specific activity before buying the excursion; the operator's insurance protects the operator. ²¹

No: narrow stairs and no elevator. The ferry, the island paths and the pedestal are separate questions worth asking; the crown is one part of a much larger visit. ²⁹

Ask the community or organizer first and follow its rules. A park permit or a tour ticket covers the park or the tour; a ceremony, private property and a person's image each need their own permission. The Navajo Nation lists a special-use permit for photography and filming in its parks. ^{15, 79}

Generally no. A short trip to Canada, Mexico or a nearby island uses the remainder of the original Visa Waiver admission. Plan around the date actually granted. ⁷

An extension can be requested on Form I-539 with evidence, and approval is a decision made case by case. Employment is excluded from visitor status, and remote work needs its own assessment before travel. ^{80, 65}