British Travel Tips For Visiting America

Welcome to the topic “British Travel Tips For Visiting America.”

Traveling to the land of opportunities can seem like an exciting venture. But something that doesn’t come across in the movies is that America is a wildly different place from Britain, with its own set of rules and regulations.

To help integrate you into the place beforehand, here are some British travel tips for visiting America.

Get An ESTA Before Departure

For British citizens traveling to America for either a stay in the US or a connecting flight to another destination, remember to apply for an ESTA.

An ESTA is an Electronic System for Travel Authorization. For passengers arriving from Britain, this automated system is used.

You can apply for an ESTA online, and it is definitely beneficial to apply for this at least three days before the date of departure. Without having a valid ESTA in hand, you can experience some difficulties during your flight.

For example, you may have to face delays in processing when you arrive in the US, or you may be denied entry. You could also be denied access to the plane during boarding.

An ESTA is valid for two years and costs less than $15 per person. It also covers all travel – from business to personal purposes, even leisure, for up to 90 days.

Public Transport Is Not As Accessible

An important thing to consider is that the public transport facilities in America are not the same as those in Britain.

In some areas, such as New York, you’ll find a very reliable service. However, in most other places, you will have quite the struggle. Traveling between cities is usually not possible via bus or train, and even subways are limited.

You may want to consider cab apps like Uber or find some other car for hire/rent. Perhaps even join a group tour?

Wrong Side Of The Road

If you plan to rent a car during your stay in America, there is one crucial thing you have to note – people in the US drive on the other side of the road. This can be a significant change and cause a bit of confusion.

The cars are also left-handed to find the driver’s seat on the left side, as opposed to the right side of the vehicle.

However, a good thing about most American cars is that they rarely run on a stick shift. Most of them are automatic, so it takes less mental capacity to drive while you are trying to recalibrate and adjust to this change.

Regional Language Differences

It’s a bit of a no-brainer, but the English spoken in Britain is actually different from that spoken in America. And we don’t just mean the accents – the words and phrases can be other, too!

Another exciting thing is that the different states in America also have variations in their spoken English, with different accents and specific phrases being popular in particular areas.

Also read: Best tourist destinations in Indonesia

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