Compare United States of America Holidays

Overview

America was stumbled upon by Columbus in 1492 and for more than500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powersfor centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native Americanpopulation, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, andingrained racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenshipuntil 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of theworlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinatingmelting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economicheavyweight of the world.The country is made up of 48 neighbouring states of thecontinental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest ofCanada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km)out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, whichinclude Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands andthe US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the greatcities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine statessuch as California, Florida and Hawaii where millions of touristscongregate each year to enjoy the fine beaches, natural wonders andman-made attractions such as Disneyland, Universal Studios andHollywood. Too many miss out on the mind-blowing landscapes of theinterior which can found in the wealth of magnificent NationalParks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well asspectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains.With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why mostAmericans have never bothered getting a passport.

Money

The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs arewidespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widelyaccepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoidhassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.

Time

The USA is divided into six time zones. Eastern Time is GMT -5, Pacific Time is GMT -8, Central Time is GMT -6, Mountain Time is GMT -7, Alaska is GMT -9, and Hawaii is GMT -10. Other than Arizona and Hawaii, all states observe daylight saving time in summer between March and November when clocks go back one hour.

Language

English is the official language.

Climate

The United States of America covers a large region, stretchingfrom east to west across six time zones and therefore it is nosurprise that the country has a varied climate, ranging from arcticregions to deserts. California, on the west coast of the US, has apleasant, Mediterranean climate, and the Pacific Northwest Coasthas more of a maritime climate, with cooler summers and mildwinters, influenced by westerly winds. The central part of the UShas extreme temperature variations and a continental climate - withcold winters and hot summers (with tornadoes). The eastern centralUS tends to be more humid, while the western central US issemiarid. The east side of the country has a continental climatecaused by air masses moving from west to east, with hot summers anda prevalence of tornadoes in the Mississippi River area. Floridahas the warmest winters on the eastern seaboard. It is recommendedthat travellers research the climate in the specific state theywish to visit when choosing when to travel.

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