Last updated on December 23rd, 2023 at 01:54 pm

The US operates somewhat differently than the rest of the world. Without getting political, I am talking about the smallest of things in day-to-day life. In order to avoid any surprises for first-time visitors in America, we decided to pen down a list of our Do’s and Don’ts.

The Reason For This USA Travel Tips Post?

We had more family & friends visiting us in the last few weeks than we ever did in the last 15 years of living here. Some of them traveled to the US from India for the first time.

We started sounding like a broken record as we advised them on how to navigate in the US. Things that we took for granted living here came as a surprise to our family. This is what lead to this post!

So here it is, a comprehensive list of practical tips that every first-time visitor to the USA needs to know. Moreover, these are also great tips for students or workers coming to the US on their maiden visit. These tips are assuming you already have a valid travel/work visa for the US.  Don’t hesitate to ask any questions as you read along; we’ll be happy to answer.

TIPPING

• Tipping is an important part of US culture. Whether or not you are used to tipping in your home country, make sure to tip anywhere between 15% – 20% of the total amount at restaurants, bars, taxis, tour guides, etc. You do not need to tip when getting ‘take out’ or ‘to go’ food or beverage orders, but if there is a tip jar you can toss some change or a dollar in it if you want to.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

DRIVING

• If you don’t already know, the US follows left-hand driving. The most important thing to get used to especially for those coming from right hand driving countries is the wider left turns.
• People in the US diligently follow traffic rules. Make sure you do too as the last thing you want on your trip is to be pulled over by a cop car. The traffic violation tickets can be hefty on the pocket too!
• You will very rarely hear cars honking on the streets except for big cities like NYC or Chicago. Try your best to avoid honking.

CAR RENTAL

• It is very important to understand how to rent a car in the US in order to avoid any extra charges.
• You can rent a car in the US using your home country driver’s license. However, some states require an international driver’s license in addition. You can read more about Foreign Nationals Driving in the US on their official website.
• You need driver’s insurance in order to rent a car in the US. This is an additional charge on top of the rental car. Make sure you understand what you are signing up for very carefully as there are multiple coverage options some that are not mandatory. Most locals in the US have their rental car insurance covered with their US credit cards but not with international credit cards.
• Rental car companies charge a deposit on a credit card which is returned within 7-8 business days after you return the car. This deposit is charged only for foreign travelers using a non-US driver’s license.
• Request the car rental company to add an EZ-Pass or I-pass or a similar transponder for automatic deduction of highway tolls if you are going on a long road trip. In case you don’t get one, drive by the cash-only toll lane.
• In case if you cross a toll lane without paying, then make sure you pay it online within 7 days to avoid late charges. A $2 toll can end up costing you almost $50 or more with late fees. 
• Consider using Turo as an alternative to car rentals. It’s a start-up company that is like the Airbnb of car rentals. If you sign up with our Turo referral link you get $25 off on your first Turo car!

STREET CROSSING (WALKING)

• As a pedestrian, you have to press the button on the pole in order to get the walk sign at most signals.
• Avoid jaywalking, you could get fined for that by a cop.
• Red hand signal means DO NOT cross. Blinking red hand signal means there is limited time left to cross. A green/blue walking person signal means you can cross the road.

FLYING

• You will need to carry some form of ID to fly domestic airlines. 
• Mobile boarding passes are accepted at all airports in the US. You can receive your mobile boarding pass in an email when you check-in online 24 hrs in advance.
• Some of the more commonly known domestic airlines are United, Delta, and American Airlines. However, some other domestic airlines you must know of which are priced very competitively are Southwest Airlines, Spirit, and Frontier. We love flying Southwest!
• Luggage allowance on domestic flights in the US has become very tricky. Read the fine print very carefully before purchasing your flight tickets. For e.g. both United and American Airlines charges extra for a carry on if you buy the Basic Economy fare (usually the cheapest). Whereas Delta does not charge for a carry on Basic Economy. All airlines, with exception of Southwest, charge extra for check-in luggage. Southwest allows 2 free check-in bags in addition to the free carry-on bag. For Spirit or Frontier or any other low budget airlines please read their policies prior to booking in order to avoid heavy luggage charges at the airport. They charge for both carry-on and check-in bags but a personal item is free of cost.
• Domestic flights allow liquids less than 3oz only in carry-on bags. Make sure you do not carry a big bottle of perfume or shampoo in your carry-on. They will throw it away at security. It is okay to carry bigger bottles over 3oz in check-in luggage though.
• Some of the local websites that are great for comparing flight prices are Momondo, Kayak, Google Flights, Skyscanner, Expedia, CheapOair, Justfly. Southwest deals are published on its official website only. Take a look at these tips to book cheap flight tickets.
• Except for Southwest, all other airlines will charge you a change fee for any flight changes. Be aware of additional charges if you booked through a 3rd party booking portal instead of directly through the airline. 

ACCOMMODATION

• Hotels check-in timings are usually after 1 pm. If you arrive early at your hotel, request the front desk to see if they can arrange any room for you at the earliest.
• Similarly, most hotels in the US have check-out by noon policy. However, you can request a late checkout and extend it by another hour.
• Some of the local websites that are great for comparing hotel prices are Booking, Momondo, Expedia, Tripadvisor, Kayak, Priceline.
• We also love doing Airbnb especially when that’s the most budget-friendly option. Highly recommend AirBnB if you have a bigger group. If you don’t already have an account already, you can create one with our Airbnb referral code and get $40 off on your first stay. 

TAXIS & RIDE SHARES

• If the taxi cabs rooftop light is turned on it means they are open for a fare. If the light is off then it means there is already a passenger inside the taxi.
• Uber app in the US will require you to link your credit card as opposed to other countries like India where Uber and other shared-ride apps allow you to pay with cash.
• Lyft is another shared ride app commonly used here just like Uber. Many of our friends prefer Lyft to Uber.
• Look for pool options in both Uber and Lyft to save some money on your ride. With pooling, you will be sharing your ride with other passengers.
• If you don’t have these apps, you can use our referral links to create your Uber and Lyft. accounts. Using our referral link you can get $5 credit on your first Uber and get $15 credit towards your first Lyft ride. 

ATTRACTIONS

• For travel attraction passes consider investing in city passes if you are going to visit multiple places in one city with entrance fees.
• Search for Groupons for famous attractions to get you a better deal than buying it online on the company’s website. For e.g. I got a great deal on Chicago’s architectural boat tour on Groupon for my family essentially saving them $15 per person.
• The USA as a country covers a huge footprint which many do not realize until they get here. It takes 6 plus hours to fly directly from the East coast to the West coast. Unless you are coming here for over a month, do not be an overachiever trying to see everything possible. You will burn yourself out in the process.
• On that note, if you do have the time, visit at least one National Park here. The US National Parks are true gems of the country.

Explore our posts about different National Parks in the US:

• One Day in Bryce Canyon National Park
• Yellowstone National Park: What Makes It the Most Unique Place in the World
• Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway This Fall: 3-Day Itinerary For America’s Favorite Road Trip

FIND FUN THINGS TO DO IN USA

SHOPPING

• Credit Cards are accepted almost everywhere, make sure to carry a card with zero international transaction fees.
• Remember that your credit card deduction will be in your home currency and not in USD.
• Don’t bargain at stores in the US. The price marked is final and if you want discounted stuff then look for the clearance section inside the stores.
• The best part about shopping here is the Return Policy. Almost everything you buy can be returned at a later time if you do not want it anymore. Of course, the product needs to be in good condition or even unopened to return. Every store has different return policies lasting from 30 days to 3 months so confirm with the cashier at the time of check out. 
• Make sure to keep your receipts safely in order to return your product. If you lose the receipt, you might be asked to show the credit card used at the time of purchase. On the same note, keep the product tags (esp the barcode) safely to be able to return it.
• Sales tax is added to the tag price at the time of check out which varies from one state to the other. Be ready to pay a little extra at check-out.
• Unfortunately, you cannot obtain a refund of this sales tax when you leave the country. Here is an explanation by US Customs and Border Protection. 

DINING/DRINKS

• You have to be over 21 to order drinks at a bar in the US. Do not be offended if the server asks for your ID before taking your order, they are doing their job. In most states, even a 99 year old man must have a form of ID on them in order to drink.
• Sales tax is also added to your food bills just like on merchandise in most states.
• Most fast food places serve free water in the US. You just have to ask for a cup of water instead of bottled water. Bottled water will be an additional charge.

PUBLIC WIFI

• Not many cities in the US have public wifi, unlike Europe. But you can find wifi in most restaurants, cafes, malls, and airports.

SAFETY

• The US is very safe compared to many other countries around the world. But as a golden rule always be careful when walking alone especially at night and in lonely places. We’d not recommend you carrying a lot of cash as credit cards are easy to cancel if your wallet is stolen.
• For health safety reasons it is very important is to buy travel health insurance before your trip. The fees to visit a doctor without insurance can cost you a fortune here.

MISCELLANEOUS USA TRAVEL TIPS

• While the rest of the world uses the Metric System, the US works on the Imperial system. Instead of measuring in meters and grams, it is feet and pounds. The biggest difference you will find is distance is measured in miles instead of kilometers and weight is measured in pounds instead of kilograms.
• Oh and don’t forget the temperature is measured in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius here.
• There are also 4 different time zones in mainland US considering it is so widespread. They are – Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time and Pacific Standard Time (PST). EST is 1 hour ahead of CST, 2 hours ahead of MST and 3 hours ahead of PST. Make sure you understand this concept as you traverse through different cities in the country.
• Carry basic medicines from your home country such as anti-allergy, painkillers, antacids, eye drops, etc. Although some of these medicines are readily available off the counter in pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS or Walmart, it might cost you twice as much as you’d pay in your home country.
• Make sure to carry some form of ID with you at all times. You just never know where you might need it from a liquor store to a restaurant to train station to the airport.
• Toilets are called Restrooms most of the time, look for appropriate signs.
• Don’t forget to carry an electronics adapter with you. The US runs on 120V if you have any electronics that require a different voltage then make sure to also carry the appropriate step-up or step-down transformer. Or get a combo adapter and converter that will work in most countries worldwide.

And a final tip, smile at strangers! People in the US are very friendly and you will often hear a hello and hi from strangers.

Phew.. the list finally ended. Yes, we feel the same way as you! Hope these tips were helpful. Please do share this along with folks you know are traveling to the US now or in the future.

Happy Traveling!