USA

For a trip to the USA, you need a valid visa. Which type is suitable for your travel plans and whether you can also enter the USA with an E-Visa depends on a number of factors. We support you in applying for your ESTA for traveling to the USA.

Are you planning a vacation in the United States? Then look forward to endless natural wonders, a colorful culture mix, and the world's most spectacular cities! But before you go, here's some essential USA travel advice.

• Location: North America
• Area: 9,525,067 km²
• Currency: US Dollar (USD)
• Official language: English
• Population: approx. 331 million
• Capital city: Washington, D.C.

The US climate is very different in many places due to the country's enormous size. In arctic Alaska, you will experience deep winters and short, fresh summers, while in California, you can enjoy a warm, dry climate mix. In Florida or Hawaii, there is a constant tropical climate.

The landscape of the United States is as diverse as its people and climate. The USA has everything your travel heart desires, from glaciers over deserts to massive mountains, swamps, and rainforests.

Some of the world's most famous natural wonders are located here in the land of opportunity. Leave New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago behind and visit the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite National Park, legendary Yellowstone, or the Everglades.

For a trip to the USA, you need an ESTA or visa. Also, check the current entry requirements for the USA before you travel.

You can get around by car, bus, domestic flight, ferries, or even by train within the USA. The AMTRAK rail network, with its silver-colored trains, has a worldwide icon status. It offers you a unique travel experience, for example, when riding through the Rocky Mountains aboard the panorama coach.

However, a USA road trip is the ultimate vacation experience for many visitors. But also, the dense network of Greyhound buses takes you over the USA's highways in comfort.

In the USA, you can pay almost everywhere with your credit card. A cash payment might be required at older toll booths or in tiny stores in remote places. You will also find ATMs on every corner throughout the States.

Since the local security situation can change spontaneously, keep up to date with current events and forecasts during your trip with the help of news and weather reports.

A unique variety of climates and landscapes make the United States of America a great destination at any time of the year. However, there are big differences from region to region. While the sunny West Coast of California or the exotic Hawaiian Islands offer great conditions for a USA vacation practically all year round, some regions are rather seasonal destinations.

The Northern states of Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota, and the region around the Great Lakes, for example, usually experience high amounts of snow and very cold temperatures in the winter, which is why they should rather be traveled during the summer months.

In contrast, in the desert states of Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona, average daily temperatures above the 30 °C mark make travel during the summer months a trial of endurance. The coastal Southern states (e.g., Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi) experience a particularly high risk of tropical storms or hurricanes during the Atlantic hurricane season between August and October.

The New England states on the US East Coast and the Pacific Northwest have a temperate climate with all four seasons alternating. Here, the best time to travel depends entirely on your preferences. A hike in mild spring temperatures, a balmy summer evening in the big city, a road trip during Indian Summer, or a winter vacation at a ski resort – anything is possible!

No vaccination certificates are required for entry into the United States. The following travel vaccinations are recommended:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Polio
• Dengue fever
• Rabies
• Meningococcal disease (ACWY)

The USA has a total of 63 designated national parks and numerous protected areas, some of which are so spectacular and gigantic that they have achieved world fame. These fascinating natural wonders are guaranteed to leave you speechless:

• Yellowstone National Park: The oldest national park in the USA is located in the middle of a supervolcano and is known for its geysers, hot springs, and great biodiversity.
• Everglades National Park: The unique mix of river and grasslands at the Southern tip of Florida is home to crocodiles, alligators, manatees, and mangroves and is best explored by the typical hovercrafts.
• Death Valley National Park: The record-breaking valley is the hottest and driest point in the USA and the site of many mysterious natural phenomena.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The most visited national park in the United States is particularly impressive when its forests turn into the prettiest autumn colors at the time of Indian Summer.
• Grand Canyon National Park: The most famous canyon in the world stretches for 450 km through the state of Arizona.

In typical American style, the country shines with some of the most spectacular sights in the world! The "Never Sleeping City" of New York City alone is home to a multitude of popular attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, One World Trade Center, Times Square, and Central Park. The "Windy City" of Chicago also features spectacular buildings such as the futuristic Cloud Gate and the Willis Tower, which was the world's highest skyscraper for a long time.

At the other end of the States, Los Angeles, the city of stars and starlets, awaits with glamorous sights such as the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign, and Venice Beach. In laid-back San Francisco, great picture motifs await, for example, the iconic cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge, the most photographed bridge in the world.

American cuisine is as diverse as the country itself. Depending on the geographic location, soul food, Cajun food, Tex-Mex, and seafood are on the menu. Many of the US specialties have turned into export hits that are loved all over the world. Some of the all-time classics include hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, chicken wings, Caesar salad, cheesecake, brownies, and deep-dish pizza.