We should start an "Andre visits America" fund, so he can visit during 4th of July.

95 -100% chance you will get carded if buying alcohol. They do it because there is a $250,000 fine if caught selling to minors/underage people and a good chance the business will lose its license as well. Looking older than 21 doesn't mean anything. If you look under 40 they will card you.

When buying alcohol, you will 100% be asked for your ID. For example, every store I have gone to have asked for an ID when buying 18+ or 21+ items. Furthermore, cigar and alcohol stores can get in very big trouble if they don't ask for ID.

I've caught Koreans talking smack about America while speaking Korean. Once in Arches National Park while we were hiking to delicate arch, the Korean group behind me were talking smack about the native folk of Utah. It was a religious dogma conversation they were having amongst themselves. I finally turned and gently spoke in Korean that they must be very careful speaking in Korean in Utah for there are many Caucasians that speak fluent Korean that could be offended by what they were saying, not that any would be bothered about them speaking the truth, but that they weren't.

😂 I heard "rockey mountain oysters" and spit my drink on my phone, I didn't expect him to sneak that joke in there 😂😂

"Americana" usually refers to iconic, typical American things. Saturday evening Post art, route 66, apple pie, baseball, blue jeans, hotdogs.

Americans are so friendly that we freak out people from other countries/cultures. We can strike up a conversation with a lamppost. We smile, we wave, we say good-morning to strangers we pass on the street. You will never feel alone when waiting in line, wherever you are. And, horror of horrors, yes, even in an elevator.

They also speak Portuguese in Brazil and people from Brazil sometimes move to the US so you never know who can understand you ;)

Some friendly advice from someone who has lived all over the US, you DONT want to go to Texas in the summer. The northern states are wonderful but the south, especially Texas, is hot as hell with humidity up in the 80’s and 90’s! Beware of heat strokes!!! Please!!!🙏

In regards to tipping: Tipping is only for when you are sitting down at a restaurant or at a bar and you have a sever bringing you food. Sometimes there will be a prompt to tip at carry out restaurants, but you don't need to tip unless the server is bringing you food and/or drink.

Most loyalty programs are free and most give you something immediately. Renting a car? You might get a little off the gas immediately, the store might be cheaper, it's not just the stuff you get with the points.

I'm 72 and I still get carded at the Wal-Mart, of all places!!🤣

What do you mean you got mixed answers? Literally every comment on the topic told you you will be asked for ID when buying alcohol regardless of your appearance. 😂 But yeah, It's a legality thing. They could get in some real trouble if they make a mistake because they didn't ask for ID. There is no "1-10 chance." You WILL be asked for ID when buying alcohol.

Andre, if you buy alcohol at a supermarket like Krogers which has stores all over USA, the machine scanner that scans the prices will beep for the cashier to alert them to check your ID no matter what age you are.. I am 54 years old and I have to show my ID when the check out machine at the cash register beeps, must show ID card no matter what age you are.

As for the right on red, he said "it's like a yield." In fact a red stop light is treated as a stop sign when turning right. If you see blinking yellow lights (usually really late at night), that means yield. Blinking red is also a stop sign (again usually late at night).

I’m a 41 year old American who travels a lot and there are regions in the US I’ve still never seen. It’s huge!

I'm 33 and have been carded basically 95% of the time I buy alcohol.

There are MANY Portuguese speakers in America. There are neighborhoods and sometimes even close to entire towns that are mostly Portuguese people or people of Portuguese decent here on the east coast. There is also a huge Brazilian immigrant population so there is a lot of Brazilian Portuguese spoken as well. Trust me, there are a lot more people here speaking a lot more languages than you might expect.

He did touch on it some in the video, but emphasis on the don't about being dumb in the National Parks and other wilderness areas. There are countless stories about visitors getting seriously injured or killed by underestimating the wildlife and environment. People fall into the thermal pools at Yellowstone, they get stranded in the Grand Canyon with no supplies, and they rub themselves down with peanut butter to entice bears for a selfie. Park rangers have seen it all - they're happy to answer questions and give advice on how to make sure your visit is fun and safe.

In my state, 100% they literally cannot make the sale unless they scan the ID.

Hi from NYC: Your personality and attitude are endearing, but don't be disappointed when you find that this country's huge size limits how many areas you can visit in one trip.

Just a heads up, when he was in Cheyenne, Wyoming, he mentioned "Rockey Mountain Oysters," just so you know those are testicals. They can be from beef or bison, but they are testicals, not oysters. You may know this already, but just in case, my friend. It's a 10 on the ID issue. You look 15, I'm 53 and still get carded.

Americana usually means traditional/classic American culture. Usually from the early 20th century when the US really started developing it's in cultures when it was quickly developing

Getting out of the big cities is the best recommendation for visitors. Americans are friendly, but they are generally more friendly if you’re not in a big city. When I was young, I was told people knew I wasn’t from a big city because I would meet their eyes and smile when I went by them. I had to learn to walk by a person without looking at them, or greeting them in the city. It was strange. Smaller cities and towns seem more like real America to me.

The chances? As Andre would say.... 100 percent.

Hi Andre... just for your own kowledge, the entire south western part of Massachusetts (Attleboro, New Bedford, Fall River etc.) is almost all Portuguese. They are either first generation immigrants, or second and third generation immigrants from Portugal. Those people obviously have jobs all over including Rhode Island, Connecticut and up in the cities of Boston, Worcester etc. So to prevent you from being surprised when you come to America, there are a ton of Portuguese speaking people here. AND... I am not even counting the people here from Brazil who as you know also speak Portuguese. 🙂

Chance of getting carded will depend on where you are. It's very high though. It's not worth it to chance it. Carry your ID with you EVERYWHERE in the US.

for the chicken sandwich thing. its not about the bun, its about the meat. a burger (beef, turkey, chicken, veggie, etc) is called a burger if the protein is a ground/minced patty. if its a filet like the fried chicken, its typically called a sandwich. same reason pulled pork, chicken-fried steak, or roast beef sandwiches are called that is because they aren't minced patties.

Get a travel based credit card. Use it for everyday purchases including petrol, save up the points by paying it off every month. Have the card pay for your flights and even give you discounts on rental cars and hotels. Especially if you save it up for years. Totally worth it.

Every time I’ve had to go to the ER, I’ve paid $2,000 each time!!! And that’s WITH insurance!

San Diego is loaded with Portuguese people! I worked with a lot at a bank in Point Loma. Also in central California there are a lot of Portuguese dairy farmers.

On a scale of 1 to 10, what chances will you get carded to buy Alcohol, depending on where you're buying it, a solid "8".

We saw the video where you learned how to say Yosemite, and you chose to say it your way... lol 😂

1.37 million Portuguese Americans (luso-americanos) here in the States. Large populations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, California and Florida. I got carded in some places until I was 40. And I’m bald. Your plan I understand given your interests but you’re better off staying in one region rather than flying from NY to Texas to CA or FL. That’s too many days lost to airports and flying. It’s like saying I’m going to Europe for a trip and I’m going to hit Lisbon, Sophia, Oslo and/or Tuscany. Better off picking an area (say start in Boston and do New England in the fall; or start in Atlanta and do the Sooutheast like Charleston, Savannah etc.; fly to Seattle and do Seattle, the nearby National Parks, Vancouver, the Oregon Coast and Crater lake, etc) that’s far less time in airports and airports and planes and far more time soaking up a region and seeing it at ground level by car and foot. Unless you have say 3-4 weeeks, it’s best to focus. You can do NYC and then head to Philadelphia and do Pennsylvania and Baltimore and DC or go north and do Boston and New England. Much shorter plane rides (even some train options) and you will use your time better. Also, as the video mentioned - you need to visit regions in part based on time of year. New England is very cold in the winter months with lots of snow. Texas and Florida are most bearable then. But Summer is gorgeous in the Pacific Northwest but Dante’s 4th circle of Hell in Texas and Florida and Atlanta etc. Westherspark is a great website for looking up year round climate variations for cities and towns including temps / humidity / precipitation / water temps etc. A·mer·i·ca·na noun things associated with the culture and history of the United States. "several important pieces of Americana"

Many restaurants have apps that tell you their specials, often they will have signs on the outside of the store or on a poster inside. My local Mexican restaurant has a chalkboard that they put their daily special on.

15:08 the pizza thing is totally right.... It cost me $24 to get a pizza delivered to my house, but that same pizza if I pick it up $8 You get a massive incentive to pick it up They can make a pizza in 5 minutes Delivering that pizza has their driver gone for a half an hour

A co-worker at the store I worked at sold alcohol and didn't ask for Identification. The guy trying to buy looked old enough. Bearded and tall. But he was only 18. Well it was someone the local Sheriff Department sent in to make sure the store employees were asking for identification properly according to the local county law. The store clerk was arrested and fined. And the store owner paid a huge fine and had his liquor license to sell suspended for 30 days. So if you look younger than 40. Or if you are a regular visitor and they absolutely know you are over 21, you will be asked for identification. The government is just strict and no excuses. So don't get mad at the store clerk when they ask or refuse to sell alcohol or tobacco to you if you don't have a valid identification. 😊

Hey, our beloved sister-in-law is from Brazil, so Portuguese is her 1st language. In east TX (directly east of Dallas, about a 90 minute ➕ drive, depending on traffic), she was not the only Portuguese speaker! Students at the local UT campus, for example! Blessings, Andre!

Massachusetts and Rhode Island probably have the highest concentration of Portuguese in the US you probably hear them there, followed by California and Florida.

Oh, & 1 nephew's wife is from Japan. Our nephew learned Spanish at a young age, visited Mexico a lot, spoke it with friends. He understands & speaks a lot of Japanese. & he is a tall, middle aged white guy. I studied Spanish from about age 10 or 11 on . . .chose to take 4 years of HS Spanish & continued at University, literature classes. So, I am now a tall, very pale old lady. Cúidese con sus palabras, por favor.

Maine mentioned! If you wanted to come here but are looking to do a regional trip then do New England all at once. I suggest coming at the end of October when the leaves will be colorful. Come up to Maine before hunting season starts and check out Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park. Also, I would recommend going to Salem Mass for Halloween if you can. It's very... Witchy.

My suggestion is to make a list of things you want to do or see (theme parks, BBQ, aim a pew pew, college football, changing leaves) and work from there. Except for the Florida parks, the autumn is the best time to visit almost anywhere in the US. Comfortable temperatures, football season, smokers on full. I'd do Florida early in the year, as hurricane season is June 1- Nov 30. And no, it's not all hurricanes all the time in the fall, it's just the probability is much much higher. I was born in Florida and have family there, and even I got evacuated from a vacation there due to Hurricane Ian. But either figure out what you want to do/see, or what season you are available to travel, and work backward from there.

There are a lot of people from Portugal in my area of New Jersey. Also there are a lot of Brazilians in the US as well. So, yes there are many Portuguese speakers in the US

Andre- I have been to California 27 times and based on your preferences, I suggest you fly into Sacramento California and rent a car. It is only a three hour drive to Yosemite and you can camp in a tent cabin (raised wooden base and walls and canvas roof.) Bathrooms are communal, a short walk away. These are not too expensive. Yosemite basically closes down around October. The snow can get 15 feet deep IN THE WINTER and a lot of roads are impassable. Sometimes the park is crowded so be sure to make reservations. A trip to Virginia city is really cool. An old silver Town where Mark Twain lived and worked. .Cowboys and poker tables from the 1800s. Even a short train ride. After, Yosemite, may I suggest you head south to Big Sur country. It is absolutely the best scenery in the US, in my opinion. It is a 4 hour drive, much closer than Oregon. Carmel is at the northern end. Clint Eastwood used to be the mayor. Also, check out the Carmel mission from the 1700s

Backroads and small cities and towns are the best...full of interesting sites and places. .

In terms of planning your visit, think of it as planning to visit a REGION not a state (although some states are large enough to be their own regions). And then assume you’ll need 1-2 weeks as a minimum to enjoy any region. The regions are more analogous to EU countries in terms of trip planning. Within a region (Texas, california, Pacific Northwest, New England, etc) you’ll want to explore by car. Going from one region to another you’ll probably want to fly unless you’re ok with 1-2 days of driving. IMO you should do Utah+Colorado as part of your first trip. They are right next to each other and easy to do both by car with 2+ weeks (although you could easily spend longer!). Also flying from either Salt Lake City or Denver you can hop to Texas or California or Washington/Oregon in a short 2-3 hour flight, or drive up to the Tetons and Yellowstone (Wyoming borders Colorado to the north) with an extra 1-2 weeks.

03:35 It depends upon the state you are in. Some states require ID for anyone to purchase at any age and some states only require it if you appear to be under a certain age

Remember, each states is different.

In reference to medical care in the US, hospitals must by law treat everyone who comes into their ED to stabilize them. Insurance or no insurance, but be assured you will receive a bill in the mail and in some cases your national insurance will pay for it, but if they don’t you should always have travel insurance for Health circumstances.

There was a Brit who posted to Twitter a picture in Yellowstone of someone carrying a pistol with the caption, "imagine being that scared of nature." He was bored by a bison when he tried to get a selfie with it.

Used to work a store that sold items that I’d have to ask ID. You would definitely be asked. If they don’t ask they could be in trouble and the company could even lose the license to sell those items.

Andre, you are forgetting that in south america and some caribbean islands they have high numbers of portuguese speaking populations, and a lot of them have immigrated to or visit the US and Canada....pretty much throughout the americas. So you never really know where the person standing beside you or in front of you are from. Even if you see an asian for example, dont assume they are from asia or the other traditional asian countries. They could be from argentina or great britian, you just never know. Its the cool thing about living here, so many languages can be heard, and so many cultures can be enjoyed. Another of the reasons we dont need to travel the globe to experience that diversity. Now, we americans have been trained to have your ID ready when buying alcohol. Im 61 and i get my drivers license out immediately at the cashier just to speed up the process. Some stores like walmart require the ID be swiped to allow the transaction to go through. So like i said, just have it ready for them, it helps and we are well trained circus animals.

You would have to fly quite a bit. New York and Texas are 1,767 miles apart ( about 33 hours nonstop drive)

one time when my mom was 50 she got id-checked cause the cashier though that she might have been 40. she was buying bb gun ammo, which required her to be over 16 to buy. the ID thing is 100% real and the cashier can 100% lose their job if they're caught by their boss or an undercover inspector not following id laws.

Driving Note: Before turning right on red, you have to come to a complete stop before you turn. I once got a $200 ticket for rolling through the stop after checking to see if no one was coming. It won't happen everywhere, but some places are more strict than others.

Mostly, your plan depends entirely on how many days you will have to see the states you want to see. I'd suggest concentrating on one region. Decide how you would like to travel? Rent a car? Where do you want to stay? Airbnb motels or hotels? OR rent an RV?

Blues , Blue Grass, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Rock n Roll , Country, Jazz, Gospel, Native American. Lots of music styles originated in America

Montana is beautiful, but if you're going there, you must go to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It's the most amazing place. Yosemite? Pronounced (yo-SEH-muh-tee)

Ironically, the newest credit card machines ignited the controversy about tipping. They show you a screen where you can select how much to tip. And it's not just sit-down restaurants and taxis that show that screen. Even places that don't traditionally expect tips turn that screen on. McDonald's? Tip screen. Movie theater? Tip screen. Grocery Store? Tip screen. Self-service gas station? Tip screen! Even the places that use paper receipts are getting in on the action. They'll often calculate a variety of recommended tips and print a table of them "for your convenience". Sometimes, you can just tick a box next to the desired tip. And the amounts... woof! They don't suggest 15 and 20%. No, no, no, no, no! They suggest 20, 25, and even 30% tips! As you can probably tell, I've gotten a bit annoyed about the whole thing. The ironic part was, before so many places shoved it in my face, I didn't think anything of a 20% tip!

I've noticed your love for the western states you should really take some time and look at the beauty east of the Mississippi. Places like the Great Smoky Mountains and The Breaks Interstate State Park also known as the grand canyon of the south. The Application Mountains are just so beautiful. With several water falls, nature drives. Historic cabins and family hiking it's a remarkable place to visit.

We have lots of people who speak Portuguese, we have lots of citizens from Brazil which speaks Portuguese.

Andre, are there any tips you would have for visiting Portugal? It's definitely on my list. Would love to see some more videos on your country as well :)

For you, Andre, there is a HUGE Portuguese community in Mineola, Long Island, NY. Mineola is only 30 minutes outside of New York City. Yes you may get asked for ID. A friend has owned a store in NYC for 30 years that sells cigarettes and the local bureau that enforces the law will send in an underage male that will have facial hair and look much older. Employees of his have been caught not asking for ID and he has incurred heavy fines. Basically, they set you up to collect the fines.

André, your baby will grow up so fast. With our now almost middle aged sons, I used to say that the first few months lasted 1 year. And each year went by more quickly. So, plan you enjoy your family while also planning your visit to the US. I know people who not only traveled outside the US with very young children, but avid hikers & backpackers who took their baby along. Blessings from an old lady in Southern California.

Texas has a lot of scrub land, desert like. It's not very lush & green. Also, BBQ is good in most of the USA. I have eaten Bbq all over this country & my fav pulled pork is right here in my little home town.

My aunt speaks Portuguese. She's a 5'1", round elderly Christian woman, born in the 40's. Completely harmless, you'd think. Play nice and she will too. It's all about manners and intent.

As to the ID thing, I turned 21 in the 1990s, and for the first several years I could legally drink, most places were still pretty lax about checking IDs. I don't remember when exactly (late 90s/early 2000s maybe?), but there was a big crackdown on businesses not checking IDs and underage sales, and from then on, yeah, your ID gets checked no matter who you are. (There was a big ad campaign with little old ladies saying "even me," that sort of thing.) So don't take it personally, tourists. Happens to all of us. (And I'd say your personal chances of getting carded are about 10/10. 100%, pretty much guaranteed.)

10:17 loyalty programs often have benefits right from the moment you sign up, like a free upgrade just for signing up. What you are really doing is getting a reward for letting them have access to your data. Corporations love it when you give them data about you, their customers. Pro: free upgrades. Cons: spam emails for life.

In Oregon, the chances of getting IDed for alcohol is closer to 100%. I work in retail, and in every single instance of a customer buying alcohol, every single cashier asks for ID. We HAVE to, it's a very very strict corporate policy. I understand getting IDed being very frustrating, but if you visit the USA, you just need to get used to it and expect it.

I highly recommend you choose a region of the USA to visit. You will be so exhausted from traveling if you try to do New York, Florida, Texas, and California. When planning your trip ask yourself : do you want to enjoy the places you visit, or just see them?

I am 67 years old and they ask for an ID at all airports, even when I pick up beer or wine at the grocery store! So just about everywhere! Gail

My favorite way to travel is just pick a direction and start driving. See what you find along the way. Stop a few times each day and explore. I don't even book hotels ahead of time so I can change course if something interest me. When I stop to eat in the evening, look at what hotels are near. Try to stick with the same chain and get the rewards points. One time I went Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, back through Arkansas and Illinois, Kentucky, and back home in Indiana. During COVID, I want to go somewhere where I could spend most of my time outside. I flew to Arizona in January and drove all over the state. I got a national and state parks pass. If you plan on going to Arizona and spend time outdoors, January is a good time to go.

New York and texas are so far apart, if you visit America you should take your time and see the sites between the two. Depending on the route you take you would be passing through tons of beautiful places with lots of history.. its literally a 3 day drive from texas to new York

Loyalty programs - YES! They're free and give you perks. Even if you never get enough loyalty points for free stays - you still get other things. The biggest perk is going to be discounts on rooms just for being a member.

I’ve been to Yosemite and it is absolutely breathtaking and unbelievable!! I would definitely recommend it!! It depends on the year, but we visited in late March and thankfully the weather was beautiful!! The only sad part was that we couldn’t visit the Giant Sequoias because the roads still had snow at higher elevations

In a lot of stores, the computer won't allow the sale unless it scans a valid id first. It's entirely out of the clerks hands.

I am in my 40's and I have never NOT been asked for my ID. I would say 8 out of 10 times you'd get asked for it and would certainly expect it.

If you visit America, please stay away from New York and California!!

The only time they won’t ask for ID is if they personally remember selling to you in the past (mostly small towns), but that’s rare. Some stores and gas stations have to actually scan the barcode on the back of your card to sell alcohol.

I'd also add that tourists should be careful traveling to the southeast during the spring. That is peak tornado season, so storms and rain are very common. I'm from Alabama, and the storms are brutal from March to May.

They will ask for your ID. I'm retired, and they always ask when I buy beer or wine at a grocery store.

on the topic of tipping, it really varies from place to place. The best guide I can give is: Fast Food: don't tip Coffee, Bars, etc: $1-2 (dollars) per round of drinks Buffets: 10-15% of PRE-TAX amount (NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pay on the tax) Restaurants: 15-20% of PRE-TAX amount. You can always pay more if you are really impressed with the service. If the service isn't worth 15% then ask to speak to the manager; the manager will know if the server is having a bad day or if retraining is required but they can't know if you don't address it. Also, make sure to talk to the manager if the server does something REALLY WELL. Most of the time, managers only hear the bad things but the really good things deserve just as much, if not more, attention then the bad does. Delivery: 10% of pre-tax amount, even if there is a delivery fee. The fee rarely makes it to your delivery person.

We have a lot of Brazilians who speak Portuguese in South Florida.

We live outside of Houston and December it can be still in the 70s fahrenheit and some times higher!

Even though I am American, I dislike the custom of tipping and firmly believe that any employer should pay a decent wage to employees and charge what is required to make a reasonable profit from their business. Employees shouldn't treat non tippers in a discriminatory way. It is also strange that when I was growing up the level of the tips was around 5% to 10%, whereas even though inflation has affected the prices of services and goods greatly, the tipping percentage has also gone up--strange.

One cost saving measure is to plan a camping trip instead of hotels. There are tons of private campgrounds, state parks, and wilderness areas where you can set up a tent.

'Americana' carries a sense of roots, of the historic, especially 18th and 19th Centuries. But also things like quirky roadside attractions stereotypically seen along Route 66 but actually found coast-to-coast and kitschy handcrafts sold in roadside souvenir shops in holiday areas.

4:35 FYI "Rocky Mountain Oysters" as food = the testicles of bulls, cooked.

It's about three days driving from NY to Texas.

Also agree with other posters you will one hundred percent be carded for alcohol. I am 56 and still get carded in a nice sit down restaurant. And TAKE ADVANTAGE of the DISCOUNTS. this place is pricey sometimes.

Let me tell you, Maryland and Virginia even Pennsylvania which are close to Washington DC the capital, are overlooked states. Don't be afraid to check these states out not only do we have beautiful places to visit but the food is so diverse too. We are in the Mid Atlantic region and there's lots to see here without it being overcrowded with tourists like New York for example.

I work as a cashier at a rite aid, I card everyone who isn’t a regular. The register prompts the cashier to scan their liscence, but you can manually type in a date which is what I often do to skip it.

Love that he just casually threw Rocky Mountain oysters in there😂 for those who don’t know, those are edible bull testicles

The "talking smack" thing is so true! I once held a yard sale and a couple of girls were making fun of me in Spanish. They were with their elderly mother and when I was giving her change for her purchases, I spoke to her in Spanish and just grinned really big. There are pockets of the U.S. with lots of Portuguese-speaking people, like parts of central California. I grew up with friends from the Azores and there were enough people who spoke Portugese that their mother never even learned English. There are also quite a lot of people of Brazilian descent scattered throughout the US. I have a classmate who is from Brazil. She was adopted and her mother speaks fluent Portuguese (even though she had no obvious connection to the language). The main thing is that you can't assume what language anyone knows based on how they look or where you are. I live in Arkansas, which people think is culturally ignorant, but we have a large German-speaking population, the largest Marshallese population outside of the Marshall Islands, a historical Italian region, many Vietnamese people, a large Afghan population, and many French- and Spanish-speaking residents. I have neighbors and classmates from Iran, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, the UK, Tanzania, Albania, India, and more. It's true that many Americans aren't very good with languages because we don't get a lot of chance to practice them. But thats a stereotype. Many Americans are bilingual or multilingual. But definitely don't talk smack about anybody in Spanish because a lot of us speak Spanish. 😂

Good tip to remember also . If you plan to visit zoos or aquariums most of them are apart of the national zoological society, if you get a membership with 1 you may get into places for free or at large discount as long as they are associated all over the country. (They have to meet certain animal quality of life standards to join, so these places also treat their animals very well)

You’re 100% right that money and time are two large factors in traveling the United States. I feel like my parents got me a great start with so many road trips when I was young, and I’m still missing a dozen states and so many interesting cities or regions I’d love to explore. You’re also right that road tripping is the best way to see the country. Choosing to explore one region at a time cuts down on costs by removing domestic flights. Based on your interests from the two videos I’ve watched, here are a few possible “first trip” itinerary sketches: New York to DC (Apr-May, Oct-Nov) 3-4 days NYC 2 days Philly 1 day Lancaster 1 day Gettysburg 1-2 days Baltimore 1 day Jamestown/Yorktown 1 day Colonial Williamsburg 3-4 days DC Louisiana and Texas (Mar-May, Oct-Nov) 2-3 days New Orleans 1 day River Road 1-2 days Houston 2-3 days San Antonio 1 day Hill Country 2 days Austin 2-3 days Dallas Grand Canyon and Los Angeles (Apr-Sep) 1-2 days Las Vegas 1-2 days Zion National Park 2 days Grand Canyon National Park (north rim) 2 days Grand Canyon South Rim 1-2 days old Route 66 3-4 days Los Angeles

10 because it is the law. Most states are very strict about this law so you will be carded. If your wife is with you she will also be carded. If she doesn't have an ID with her you will bot be allowed to make the purchase. I was carded into my 60s. One other thing to think about when you come here is what do you want to accomplish here. It seems food is first on your wish list and a college/university football game/tailgate party.. Football starts in late August with demonstration games and regular games start in autumn once classes start. Many national parks, especially in the north, close by late September. Once you decide on times and places buy your tickets to any special events and make reservations for a place to stay. If you wait too long you may miss out. For example, to get a hotel near the Grand Canyon you should get your reservation one year ahead of time.

Native New Yorker here: (1/2) It’s true that the US has tremendous differences in weather seasonally and regionally and that you should take those into account. But, sometimes it’s not so straightforward. A season with weather you find undesirable may have other advantages. Weather-wise, the best times to visit NYC are October and April. The temperatures are moderate, and nature does wonderful things to complement the urban landscape. In Spring, there are flowers blooming everywhere and you can see our botanical gardens in the Bronx and Brooklyn at the best advantage. In Autumn, the colors are beautiful in Central Park, Fort Tryon Park, and Prospect Park. Trips upstate for one-day “leaf-peeping” or apple-picking trips are easy to do via car, bus, or train. If you trek out to Brooklyn or Queens you can even go on whale-watching boat trips. But, even the unpleasant seasons have their advantages. Summer in NYC is hotttt and humid and sometimes smelly. But there are tons of events, many of them free that happen only in the summer. Movies and concerts in the parks! Dance lessons in Lincoln Center! Shakespeare in the Park! The classic experience of rides and beach at Coney Island or on a side trip to the Jersey Shore. Winter can be snowy and icy, but Christmas in New York is famous for a reason. All the stores and many neighborhoods get decked out in lights and there’s something just indescribable about it. Later in winter (January and February) there are great deals on restaurants and theater, if you do your research to time your dates right.

I think first time visitors to the US should decide the time of year they want to travel then plan where to go. Do not go to the south in hurricane season, do not go to the north in the winter.

Every state has a visitors' bureau. For example, here in Texas it is Travel Texas. They have information about festivals and other events (county fairs) as well as tourist attractions. The information can help you plan your trip.