Traveling to the US can be very exciting and also super fun. But that is, if you end up traveling on your own it can be rather tricky to enjoy everything. You need a lot of preparation, and you have to do everything in your power to make your experience as fun as possible. That will be quite an opportunity for you to enjoy and explore. And there are some unique benefits from going alone.
You get to visit whatever place you want, and there’s no one there to stop you. But there are some obvious challenges. One of them is that you need to travel solo and that on its own can be a huge problem for some people. On top of that, there are some important things to consider.
Adjust your budget
When it comes to solo travel to the US, there is only one single and certain thing. You need quite a bit of money, especially if you come from Europe. Ideally, you want to make a budget for the trip, and you need to make sure that you have enough money for everything. Otherwise, you can end up overspending and not be having enough to pay stuff with. Which is what you want to avoid in the end.
Get the right documents
A lot of people that do solo travel to the US will notice that there can be some legal problems when you enter the country. So, do I need to apply for ESTA and VISA is what most people will ask. Yes, most of the time you need to apply for an ESTA or VISA. It all depends on where you go, how much you want to spend in the US and other factors.
You will also need to make sure that the passport is valid too. All these things are super important, and they can bring in front some amazing benefits in the end. You just have to consider all potential challenges that can appear here, just to be safe.
Research the routes you want to take
It’s important to study the routes and locations you want to visit. It may sound odd, but this can help you save quite a lot of money. The idea here is to study all the routes and figure out which one works for you the most. It’s definitely not a simple science, and you need to consider all the possible options here. It’s crucial to identify the locations that you want to visit the most and adjust everything to your own needs. At this time you also need to identify the method of transportation you want to use here. You want to visit it via bus, or you want to reach new places via plane? That’s all up to you.
Find accommodation
The US is full of hotels, motels and hostels you can visit. So it’s super easy to find the right accommodation option no matter where you go. That being said, you have to realize that many of these accommodation options vary in price. Some are super expensive; others are way inexpensive than you may imagine. So it’s crucial to find the right ones for you.
Create a packing list
The last thing you want is to forget an item that you really need. So you do need to create a packing list and focus on finding the right items for your trip. There are essentials like grooming products or your phone, and there are some other items that you may need as well. Take your time with this and adapt everything to your own needs. If you come from outside the US, it’s essential to take a US SIM card for your phone as well. This will help bring in front some amazing results, and it will surely offer you the benefits and results that you expect. So you should totally keep that in mind if you can.
Use cards to pay everywhere you can
Since you’re basically in a new country, the last thing you want is to carry a lot of cash around with you. So it does make a lot of sense to focus on solo traveling with your card. It makes a lot of sense to use credit cards for paying everywhere, and you can even get no card fees and other benefits depending on the bank and financial institutions you work with.
Free stuff to do at the city welcome centers
Most cities in the US, especially the large ones, have such a center. They will guide you to the best spots in town, share some great tips for your stay and so on. If you don’t really have the time to plan ahead, visiting these places will help a lot. Plus, it’s also a great way to get a feel for the local region. You may also want to get a guide too. That can definitely help you a lot, and it will bring in front some really nifty ideas for you to consider. One thing is certain; there are a plethora of things to visit in the US, so having a local help you will be quite handy. That’s why chatting with locals is a very good idea.
Safety tips
Finding a temporary travel buddy that you can trust is very important. It can be unsafe to visit some regions alone in the US, so finding a person to share your travel experience with may help you a lot. Do your research and don’t go into places that you don’t really know, care or trust that much. You want to avoid any safety problems, just to stay safe.
Don’t walk alone at night and also, remember that you have to stay in contact with the friends and family back at home. That will help you avoid any signs of trouble, and it’s actually very easy to do as well.
Remember, it’s important to have the documents, accommodation and plan ready to go when you travel to the US. Granted, it’s not going to be easy to achieve the goals you want, but once you start working hard and achieving the results you expect, nothing is impossible!
