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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Off to the States soon, what have I forgotten?

42 replies

HermioneWeasley · 15/02/2014 09:44

I've done the ESTAs and website says they're approved (is there anything else I need to do?)

I've got lots of small notes for tipping

I've got travel adapters

What have I forgotten?

OP posts:

CouthyMow · 15/02/2014 21:36

Me. In your suitcase...

Original poster

HermioneWeasley · 16/02/2014 09:46

Wow, so many good ideas!

I have checked travel insurance, it is worldwide family cover with £10m for medical expenses, so I reckon that will do!

OP posts:

NickNacks · 16/02/2014 11:30

Did you have to pay for your esta?

frenchfancy · 16/02/2014 11:49

Yes you have to pay. I can't remember how much, about $20 each I think.

Minion · 16/02/2014 11:49

Esta is £14 and valid for 2 years.
I know you have enough small notes for tipping, but be wary of who you will have to tip. Ie if you get a taxi from/to airport, that's another 10% on top of the fare, restaurants vary from 15-20% depending on what you are having there. Anyone carrying your bags, opening doors (obvs not just people who are using said doors themselves) a dollar or two.
If you are just having a drink in the bar, there's a tip for the hostess for a good table, tip for the servers and the coat check folk... It really is never ending!
IMHO if you can, take the train/subway to and from anywhere. So much cheaper and quicker...no traffic too.. Always a bonus!
Where in USA are you going? We go places every year and may have been somewhere you are off to. X

Minion · 16/02/2014 11:50

Oops, I meant just having a drink in a bar, still have to tip servers/tenders there too. It's the meal places that a hostess is in.

Minion · 16/02/2014 11:55

And as tempting as it is to use a bit of humour with the TSA... Don't bother! It's really not worth it. Adopt a 'I want to get out of here as quickly as possible without making friends' mentality, ie serious, businesslike and you'll get out much faster. They seem to just not get humour. That's not Americans btw, just the TSA.
Also have a quiet giggle to yourself when you compare what the Brits do in airports 'welcome, please remember to use a plastic bag for your liquids, yes you do have to take your shoes off and iPad out, ok, yeah no problems, bye' the TSA will literally bark order at you, whilst standing legs akimbo, hands behind back 'you MUST take your shoes off, you WILL take your laptops out of your bag, I WILL not do this for you, we are NOT here to do that for you', so very entertaining when stuck in the security queues.

Original poster

HermioneWeasley · 16/02/2014 13:31

Thanks minion. We are going to New York. Been a while since I've been there but have been elsewhere in the US so familiar with the tipping etiquette!

OP posts:

RatherBeOnThePiste · 16/02/2014 13:34

Oh how lovely, send it my love. We were there for New Year, got snowed in, but despite all that we had a fab time!

NickNacks · 16/02/2014 13:44

Thank you.

mathanxiety · 16/02/2014 19:33

Oh YYY about the TSA.

Their orders can be abbreviated - 'Shoes off', 'Laptop out of the bag', 'X on the belt' etc. and they do not appreciate having to repeat anything. Be very alert when you approach your turn.

LettertoHermioneGranger · 16/02/2014 19:45

TSA has gotten much nicer in the US recently, within the last few months. Any flying I've done, the TSA agents were chatty, personable, it's a lot more pleasant. Er, but I still wouldn't joke around or fuss.

And I wouldn't tip the hostess in a restaurant/bar separate from the server. Generally the staff split tips, your tip to a server is a tip to all. If you're served a drink at the bar you tip the bartender, put a dollar or two in the tip jar - if you're ordering at the counter in a cafe, coffee or sandwich type place, tip in the jar is a nice extra thing to do, but not a necessity.

Dragonlea · 18/02/2014 13:08

Take some change coins for the toll roads - some of them aren't manned and don't accept notes.

frenchfancy · 18/02/2014 15:51

How do you know which roads are toll roads? Is it marked on Google maps?

mathanxiety · 18/02/2014 16:18

Yes. They are identified on Google Maps.

Turnpikes are toll roads on the east coast. In the midwest they are called tollways. Don't know about further west. Signage is generally really good in the US so you will probably not miss one or end up on one that you don't want to be on.

Watch out for crazy driving when approaching and leaving a toll plaza.

If you go on a turnpike, use the services on the pike or you'll have to pay to leave and then again to get back on. If in doubt about how far off the next services are, top up your tank.

In some cases, you get a ticket when you first enter the turnpike/tollway and pay when you exit. On some, you pay tolls at intervals along the way and also when you exit, with no ticket involved. DO NOT lose your ticket .

Most services are nice and clean, and safe.

frenchfancy · 18/02/2014 16:26

Thanks math

credence · 19/02/2014 17:56

take walky talkies to make life easier when the family goes different ways at hotels or theme parks, very useful and cheaper than using mobiles! Look out for automatic tip add on if paying by card, a lot of restaurants automatically include the tip, you pay it without realising you have to opt out then leave a second tip on the table, very annoying.

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