About United States Of America: The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.The US was fashioned from an incredibly disparate population who, with little in common apart from a desire to choose their own paths to wealth or heaven, rallied around the ennobling ideals of the Declaration of Independence to forge the richest, most inventive and most powerful country on earth.

Places to See
The USA is all about choice, diversity and glut, and its attractions run the gamut from cities divided between glitz and gloom to every kind of awe-swelling landscape imaginable. Its wealth and population of immigrants has brought it an unparellelled art trove, but it also excels in giddy kitsch

Events Overview
Americans love parades and pageantry, so there's no shortage of events and festivities. Half the country comes to a standstill during the Super Bowl, the roving American-football finale held in late January. New Orleans' Mardi Gras, in February or March, is a rowdy, touristy, bacchanalian knees-up. St Patrick's Day, in mid-March, is celebrated with parades and pitchers of green beer; it's especially fervent in New York and Chicago. The Kentucky Derby is raced in Louisville in May.Independence Day (the Fourth of July) is celebrated with lots of flag-waving patriotism, fireworks and the odd beverage. Inveterate travellers should drop into the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa, in August. Halloween (October 31) is a big deal for kids, who go trick-or-treating around their neighbourhood; in Greenwich Village, West Hollywood and San Francisco the holiday is subversively celebrated with glam parades. Americans go home to mom and pop for a big feed on Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November

Weather Overview
The climate is temperate in most of the US. Generally, it gets hotter the further south you go and seasonally more extreme the further you are north and inland from the coasts. Winters in the northeast and upper Midwest can bring long periods below freezing even though it's still warm enough to swim at the beaches in Florida and southern California.

Health Overview
Because of the high level of hygiene in the US, infectious diseases will not be a significant concern for most travellers. The high cost of medical care could leave you feeling a little poorly though.

Dangers & Annoyances
Despite its seemingly Babylon-like dangers - guns, violent crime, earthquakes, tornadoes - the USA is actually a very safe country to visit. Perhaps the single greatest danger for travellers is posed by car accidents on America's highways, and the two greatest annoyances will be auto traffic in the cities and crowds at popular sites.Outdoor activities have their own sets of dangers and annoyances, but these vary with the terrain and the sport. The best advice is to talk to rangers about any risks posed by wildlife or the elements, and whether bugs and mosquitoes will be a particular problem when you'll be visiting.
In most major cities, pickpocketing is unfortunately par for the course, so take sensible precautions when dealing with your valuables

Visas Overview
Canadians need proof of Canadian citizenship or a passport to enter the USA. All other visitors must have a valid passport, which should be valid for at least six months longer than their intended stay in the USA.

Travellers from countries such as Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom can enter the USA for up to 90 days under a visa-waiver program if they have a round-trip ticket that is nonrefundable in the US, and have a passport valid for at least six months past their scheduled departure date. All other travellers will need a visitor's visa. Visas can be obtained at most US consulate offices overseas; however, it is generally easier to obtain a visa from an office in one's home country.
The USA is regularly adjusting entry requirements in an effort to reduce the threat of terrorism. It is imperative that travellers double- and triple-check current regulations before coming to the USA, as changes will occur for several years. A procedure introduced in 2004 requires most visitors travelling on visas to the United States to have two fingerprints scanned by an inkless device and a digital photograph taken by immigration officials upon entry at US air and seaports.
Under new regulations to be phased in toward the end of 2005, travellers from VWP-eligible countries will need to present a biometric passport or US visa to enter the country. You don't need a visa if: your passport was issued before October 26, 2005, but is 'machine readable'; if it was issued on or after October 26, 2005, and includes a digital photo as well as being machine readable; or if it was issued on or after October 26, 2006, and contains a digital photo and 'biometric data,' such as digital iris scans and fingerprints. Further details and information on the changes to the visa system can be found at www.travel.state.gov/visa.

Customs Overview
All incoming travellers must fill out customs declarations. Travellers must specifically disclose all agricultural products and all cash and cash equivalents worth US$10,000 or more.

Duty Free
Overseas visitors may bring in up to US$100 in goods or gifts duty free, together with 100 cigars, 200 cigarettes and a litre of alcoholic beverages. As of this writing, Cuban tobacco products are still prohibited in the USA.

Preferred Form
If you can't use your credit card in the US then you probably can't use it anywhere. ATMs are hard to miss, well networked and offer an even cheaper option if your card is set up to use them. Otherwise travellers cheques are almost as good as cash; you'll save yourself hassle and expense if they are in US dollars.

Changing Your Money
Major credit and debit cards, including the Visa Cash Passport Card, are widely accepted. You can also access your bank account using US ATMs which are ubiquitous. Travellers cheques are easily converted to cash at any bank. You'll probably need to take your passport along to prove your identity.

Tipping
Tipping is expected in cafes, restaurants and better hotels. The going rate in restaurants is 15% or more of the bill; never tip in a fast-food or self-service environment. Taxi drivers, bartenders and hairdressers depend on similar-sized gratuities. Sales taxes vary from state to state but are typically 5-8%, though some states have no sales taxes at all. Top-end accommodation also often attracts a bed tax, which can be as high as 15%. It's worth checking whether quoted prices for lodging include all relevant taxes.

Money Tips
If you camp or stay in hostels, catch buses and cook your own food, you could feasibly explore the country on around US$50.00 a day. Staying in motels and eating at modest cafes will mean you'll hit the US$100.00 mark, and enjoying the convenience of a rental car will push your daily budget up to US$150.00.

Currency Notes
American banknotes (bills) often confuse visitors: they're all the same size and the same colour. Be especially careful not to hand over too much cash, and always check your change carefully. Be careful not to accept incomplete or severely torn notes, as they can be refused; small rips are usually not a problem. Bills come in denominations of 1, 2 (rare), 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars.

Currency Coins
Coins come in 1 (penny), 5 (nickel), 10 (dime), 25 (quarter) cent and 50 cent denominations; there is also a dollar coin.