I am going to the United States in January for a week before heading to Central America, and in this article, I will talk to you about the different steps I took for this trip.
Essential to remember
The USA demands a certain mindset: huge distances, a car is essential, expensive hotels. A West Coast road trip (LA – San Francisco – Las Vegas – national parks) remains the most memorable first-time itinerary. Plan for at least 3 weeks.
Travel on the East Coast of the United States
I have already been to the USA several times; my first and second trips were at the ages of 15 and 20 when I stayed with family. For my third trip, I toured several cities (Chicago, Portland, and San Francisco).
My fourth trip was the longest and most interesting; I went to Hawaii, Seattle, and took a little tour of the West Coast passing through Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego!
Having never been on the East Coast, I decided to take the plunge this year by going through New York and Miami before heading to Central America. I found plane tickets at a very affordable price, whereas a direct or connecting flight would have cost me the same or been 100 euros more expensive.
Did you know?
The United States has 63 national parks and 423 sites managed by the National Park Service. The annual “America the Beautiful” pass at 80 USD grants access to all these sites for one year for a single vehicle.
Choosing destinations for your trip to the USA
My goal being to avoid winter in Europe, I decided to spend several months in Central America (Costa Rica, Panama, then Colombia). I first used flight search engines and comparison sites like Easyvol to find affordable plane tickets.
I first searched for plane tickets to Costa Rica using a flight comparison tool, then I looked at the different ticket prices with or without stopovers.
I noticed that plane tickets with a stopover in the United States were the cheapest (under 400 euros) for a one-way ticket, whereas other non-stop tickets or those with Latin or North American airlines were around 500 euros for the same period of the year (second week of January).
Although it is winter in Europe, it is the dry season in Central America, so it is the best season to go there. Latinos travel a lot during this time of year because it is their longest vacation of the year, whereas for us, our main holidays are in July and August.
| Itinerary | Duration | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| West Coast (LA-SF-Vegas) | 3 weeks | ~2,500 km |
| East Coast (NY-Boston-Washington) | 2 weeks | ~1,200 km |
| South (Florida-Louisiana-Texas) | 3 weeks | ~3,000 km |
| Western Parks | 2-3 weeks | ~2,000 km |
I had several destination choices in the United States and the tickets to Costa Rica at a price of 400 euros went through Miami. Knowing that I wanted to stay for a week, I looked for some other destinations in the USA that I liked, so I chose New York, which is an attractive city and is well served by Paris, which means the prices will be more affordable.
My experience
My first US road trip, I thought I could cross Nevada in one day from Vegas. 800 km without a gas station on some stretches, with lunar landscapes. That’s when I realized that driving in the USA is a journey in itself, not just a transfer.
I used a flight comparison tool (Easyvols) and found my plane tickets:
Paris – New York at 170 euros: departure on January 10, 2019, I will stay 4 nights in New York.
New York – Miami: 56 dollars = 49 euros, departure on January 14, 2019, I will stay 3 nights in Miami.
Miami – Costa Rica: 102 dollars = 90 euros, departure from Miami to San José in Costa Rica.
Advantages
- Exceptional national parks
- Easy road trip (straight roads, cheap gas)
- Multicultural cuisine
- English spoken everywhere
- Many hotels and motels
Drawbacks
- ESTA mandatory (21 USD)
- Prohibitive healthcare costs (insurance essential)
- Huge distances
- Ubiquitous tipping (15-20%)
- Taxes added to displayed prices
Total: Paris – NY – Miami – San José = 310 euros with only cabin luggage (under 10 kg) and minimum luggage size.
Breaking down my plane ticket, I found several positives: instead of having a stopover in the United States, I managed to get departure times where I won’t have extra costs because I chose schedules where I can take public transport! I leave late enough or arrive early enough at each destination (no extra taxi costs).
I choose the amount of time I want for each stopover; I could have stayed a week at each stop if I wanted. I could very well have stayed longer in the United States!
For example, I could have gone to Washington and Philadelphia or even Boston on the American east coast, but I wanted to get to the sun faster.
The classic trap to avoid
Never underestimate distances in the USA. A “Las Vegas-Yellowstone” trip on the map is 1,500 km or 15 hours of driving. Book roadside hotels in advance in summer; they fill up quickly.
Administrative matters when traveling to the USA
When making a stopover of several hours or staying for several days, you must apply for an ESTA (Travel Authorization Request for the USA).
Some additional resources if this topic interests you: travel to the United States to lay the foundations, accommodation during for practical aspects, and traveling to go further.
It is a form to fill out with your personal data; it allows you to have a preliminary approval to travel to the USA, but the final decision will be made when you go through customs. However, there is normally no problem if you have specific accommodation and you stay for a few weeks or the duration of the visa.
A little anecdote: during my customs check in 2015 from New Zealand to Hawaii during my 2-year world tour, I was asked what I would do after my trip to the USA and what the purpose of my stay was, in a rather aggressive tone. But once I said I was visiting family and that it was not my first time here, I had no problem.
And you? What is your first trip in 2019?
Do you need a visa for the USA?
For a tourist stay of less than 90 days, an ESTA is sufficient (21 USD, valid for 2 years). Beyond that, a visa is required.
What budget for 3 weeks in the USA?
Between €3,000 and €5,000 per person all included (flight + car + hotels + parks). It is possible to spend less in motels and fast food restaurants.
What is the best time to visit the USA?
May-June and September-October: pleasant weather, parks open, prices lower than in July-August.
