r/USTravel

Hey! City guy here who loves the idea of getting out into real wild America, national parks, ranches, the whole thing.

Doing some research on how people plan these trips and would love to hear your experience:

1. How do you plan your trips — Reddit, apps, Google?
2. How long does planning usually take you?
3. Biggest frustration in the process?
4. Any apps you actually love for this?
5. What's missing that you wish existed?

Thanks in advance every answer helps a lot 🤙

Hi everyone,

I've travelled extensively to - and within - the US (probably 10+ times in the last 20 years).

I'm almost always held at the airport for extra questioning (anywhere between 20 mins to 1hr ... once for over 2 hours ... spent time in Pakistan as a child). The last time I travelled was in 2024.

While I follow US politics super closely, I'm curious what the picture looks like today. There's an important occasion coming up, and I'd love to take my family to Disneyland in Florida. My wife is as blonde and white as they come, though when she travels with me, she also gets questioned about me. Kids are of course a beautiful mix of us two.

I've been publicly quite critical of Trump and the US govt on my socials recently.

My guess that once in, there won't really be any problems. Planning on sticking to the parks this year and not traveling further afield.

Any help massively appreciated!

I'm going on a solo trip in July this summer and at a loss of where to go! I also want to check off a new state on my bucket list (never been to Mass. or CA). I live on the east coast near D.C. for context.

Boston appeals to me as a history nerd, museums, coastal New England sounds picturesque, can take a day trip to Salem, it's literary/academic, etc. Wasn't sure if I should save it for the fall though and take the Amtrak up instead. Would love recommendations for day trips from Boston as well! I love nature as well, but I don't know how much nature you can find in a city like this?

San Diego appeals to me since I've never been to the west coast, and I'm intrigued by LA actually but I've read SD is LA's friendlier cousin haha. Excited about the Mexican food, the water, proximity to theme parks and aquariums, CA coastal drives, can drive to national forests and mountains potentially. I also have some family there! I thought I could use flight credits on a more expensive flight like this so it's not so expensive out of pocket at the moment.

Both cities appeal to me due to the weather. I don't do well in extreme heat (highs in the 80s are usually fine). I can't tell which city would be more expensive to stay in. I already booked an Airbnb in La Jolla just to have it, but I can cancel and get reimbursed anytime before the trip if I change my mind.

Anyone who has been to either of these cities in July, could you offer your perspective or recommendation between the two? Thanks!

Edit: thank you all for the info, its unfortunate that servers have to rely on tips for a proper wage :( I'm so sorry that's how it is :/

Heya, I'm from Australia where tipping is like minimal and only if you reallllly want to and it's not a very big deal. My family is going to America in July we're worried we're going to have to budget an extra couple grand just to tip workers otherwise we'll get bad service at restaurants and stuff. Is this the case?

We are staying in Orlando Florida for 3 nights then Las Vegas for 5 nights. I know Vegas is going to be insane... Is it actually cooked for pricing over there?

hey guys, i am coming down to the barefoot landing area this weekend and i am struggling to find a solid place for a morning meal where i can actually bring my pup.

usually when i search for the best dog friendly breakfast north myrtle beach i just get a list of spots that have like one tiny metal table on a hot sidewalk. someone mentioned that blueberrys grill has a decent patio for pets but i wanted to check if that is actually true before i show up with a dog.

is the seating covered or is it just out in the sun? also i am curious if the food is actually good or if people just go there for the convenience. we really want somewhere with a chill vibe where we can hang out for a bit without feeling like we are in the way. if you guys have any other suggestions near barefoot please let me know!

I’m travelling to Charleston to be with my boyfriend for roughly 2 1/2 months. I have some questions to help calm my nerves (yes they may be stupid)
1)I personally don’t have a lot of money but he will be working and providing, will customs have an issue with this?
2) is travel insurance legal requirement?
3) will I be turned away for a 2 1/2 trip on a brand new ESTA ?

Landing in San Francisco on July 5th around noon and need to be in Las Vegas by July 11th afternoon. First time doing the West Coast and planning to rent a car + drive.
I definitely want to spend around 2 days in LA (Santa Monica, Malibu, WB Studio, general touristy stuff) but trying to figure out the best route between SF and Vegas.
A few questions:
Is July too hot/unpleasant for Sequoia/Yosemite?
Is doing both coast + national parks too ambitious in this timeline?
Would you recommend:

SF → Monterey/Big Sur → LA → Vegas
OR
SF → Yosemite/Sequoia → LA → Vegas

I enjoy scenic drives, pretty towns, cafes, viewpoints etc more than hardcore hiking. But since it’s my first West Coast trip, I also don’t want to miss out on a major national park if it’s truly worth it.
Would love realistic recommendations on pacing, where to stop overnight, and whether I’m trying to cram too much in 😅

Planning to travel to the U.S. later this year on a valid B1/B2 tourist visa and wanted to hear from people who have recently entered the country as tourists.

I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed information online, so I wanted to ask about current experiences at immigration and overall travel safety.

A few questions:
- How has the immigration process been recently?
- Are tourists on B1/B2 visas facing any unusual issues?
- Any advice for someone traveling alone for the first time?
- What documents are important to carry besides hotel bookings and return tickets?

For context:
- Valid B1/B2 visa
- Temporary tourism/vacation trip only
- Employed outside the U.S.

Would really appreciate recent experiences or advice from travelers. Thank you!

Hi guys, this is gonna be my first trip to the states. My sister lives in Kansas. Im going from Sydney. Gonna watch a couple of world cup matches as well.
Now if i wanna drive from kansas to colorado > utah > las vegas > arizona > new mexico > kansas. How realistic this js gonna be? In a span of 6 days? Or better take flights? How safe are the roads for roadtrips?
Do i need to know anything?
What about new york? 7 days is enough or i need more.
Please let me know.

Thanks in advance

I am gonna be traveling to the northeast sometime in June (its work related need to get the confirmation first so waiting for that). Currently I am in Arkansas and I just realized my passport is expired. My License isn't a realid and if I try and renew my passport right now I won't be able to fly if it takes more than 4 weeks to get here.

Anything I can do?

Edit: thanks yall, I'll just fly with it expires right now then renew it when I get back on September

I have a week-long trip coming up soon to Boston via Logan International from London Heathrow. I study and live in the UK but look obviously east asian with a Hong Kong passport. I've heard lots and am quite worried about ICE detaining random people, being sent to camps, etc. I'm just wondering how safe it is for a solo female to be passing through immigration in the US and leaving with a family member picking me up? Is there anything I should prepare in advance? Thanks a lot!

Hey guys, so I’m going to NYC in a few months for a 2 week trip to meet up with some cousins. But i probably will only see them a few times whilst I’m there so if you have any suggestions or recommendations on things to do, places to visit and/or safety tips?

I’m coming all the way from Australia so I want to maximise my holiday to make it worth while.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

Hello, I (21F), will be travelling solo to America for the very first time. I will be doing a work and travel program for a few months but before that, I will be solo travelling in Boston and New York. I was thinking maybe 2 days in Boston and then 3 days in New York. I wanna know if this seems like a reasonable timeframe or would it be too rushed? I'm used to travelling in Europe but the way people talk about America, it just seems so huge, like I don't know whether I'll be able to see and do everything the cities have to offer. Do you guys suggest more days in each city? I'll try my best to stretch out my budget if you guys think it's worth it. Also, feel free to give some travel recommendations, what are must see's , must do's, where to eat!!! I've done most of my research on TikTok and I find myself saving everything but I wanna know from the locals! (if there are any reading this post). I also want to know if solo travelling in these 2 cities are dangerous for a 21 year old girl like me? I feel like a lot of non-Americans are scaring me saying how dangerous it is and telling me I might get shot and stuff, but is all that true? Like can I safely roam around the city alone at night or is that not the best idea? Any and all help are much appreciated! Would mean a lot! Thank you!!

EDIT: I completely forgot to ask where can I stay that's not too expensive and what areas do you guys think is good? Are airbnbs in America a safe options?

Couple flying in & out of Denver in July. We love the outdoors, hiking (beginner), water sports, museums, scenic views, brews, and adventures.

Would love recommendations on

White water rafting
Paddle boarding
Hiking
Small town or city to stay (ideally two)

Coming from Florida. Planning on renting a car for the week

I have a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage with 113k miles, should I be ok to drive it 3k miles to go on vacation?

My best friend and I (both 25 and female) are both in law school and want to take a trip at the end of the summer (early August) before we start our last year. We both go to school on the east coast and are from the south. We also have different budgets: I have paid summer job, while she does not. I’m happy to pay more of the hotel costs & stuff, meaning we don’t have to go to an extremely affordable destination, but I guess the takeaway here is that we ideally can go somewhere where there are free / inexpensive activities.

With that being said, neither of us have really been to the west coast/ Midwest. I went to Seattle and Vancouver when I was a kid and LOVED. For California, i have only been to San Francisco… I have spent a good bit of time in Colorado, so that’s not a top pick.

We both like a balance of activities and rest on vacations. And I prefer “quieter” places (i.e., I don’t love places like New York). An ideal day for us would be an activity, like a hike, museum, etc., + good food, + relax and read, + exercise, + lots of sleep and naps, but with pretty scenery. One goal of the trip would definitely be to relax and recharge. I get bored on beach-only vacations, but would love to be somewhere outdoorsy, and my friend also loves the beach lol. Does anyone have any suggestions? Favorite places they’ve been?

As someone born and raised in the US, I know all-inclusives are not all that common here. However, I'm tired of traveling outside of the country for all-inclusive experiences, because there is so much I want to see in the US. Just going off an initial google search, it seems like most of the all-inclusive places here are HIGHLY priced... we're talking $33,000 total for 4 adults, 4 nights (The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana).

Does anyone have any recommendations for more affordable all-inclusive resorts in the US? And, any you would stay away from?

Thanks so much!

A friend and I are planning a two week road trip starting in Indiana and heading out to the Pacific for his bachelor's party! I've done similar roadtrips a few times and have some locations that I consider a must for him to see, like Redwood National Park in California, Yellowstone National Park, the Utah salt flats, and the Grand Canyon, but I was wondering if there were any hidden gems or must-see locations anyone could recommend!
I have no issue with long driving; I've had days where I do 1000+ miles a day without issue, and neither does he, so distance isn't too much of a concern. We're both interested in nature, and both have a passionate interest in Abstract art, so any park or museum recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
I'd be grateful for any tips on making the drive easier/more comfortable. We'll be driving a 2024 Toyota GR Corolla, so space is definitely limited.

Hello, I would like to visit my ldr this summer, he lives in the US. Is it safe to travel there this year with everything that's been going on? I am from EU, I will be applying for a visitors visa, but I heard stuff like all flights being cancelled, people being stuck there and not able to come back. All the ICE bs, I don't know what to believe anymore.

Please if you have been there or know what's going on let me know