United States: In the country
In this page: Eating Out | Getting Around | Time and Time Difference | Climate | Electrical Standards and Measurement Systems | Paying | Speaking | Emergency Numbers | Communications
Eating Out
- Rules For Eating Out
- Lunch is usually served between 11 am and 1 pm and dinner 5 pm to 10 pm. Do not forget to tip your waiter or waitress (20 % at a "sit-down" restaurant). Service is almost never included in the price of the meal. Sometimes, if you eat with a group of people over a certain number, the restaurant will add a service charge to your bill, which means you do not have to leave a tip.
- Food Specialties
-
American culinary specialities vary considerably by region. Some popular examples include:
Appetisers: crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller, crab soup and Waldorf salad.
Main courses: chili con carne, burgers, chicken or shrimp gumbo, jambalaya and country ham.
Alcohol and cocktails: bourbon, eggnog and mint julep.
Baked goods: corn bread and peanut brittle.
Desserts: president's cake, red velvet cake and King cake. - Drinks
-
Soft drinks like Coca Cola, Fanta, etc. are the most commonly consumed beverages.
The legal drinking age is 21 years old. American beers, such as Budweiser and Coors, are popular with younger adults. High quality wines, beer and spirits (especially bourbon) can be found in the United States. Imported international alcoholic beverages can be easily found.
- Dietary Restrictions
- None
Getting Around
Means of Transport Recommended in Town
- Urban transport services
-
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- Find an Itinerary
-
San Francisco Bay Area Transit Information
Ferrocarta
- Taxi services
-
Call Taxi USA
Transportation From Airport to City Centre:
Airport |
Distance |
Taxi |
Bus |
Train |
Car Rental |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Intl (LAX) | 24 km / 15 miles | USD 30 / 30-35 min | USD 3 / 30-45 min | Available | Available |
Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | 9 km / 5 miles | 10 min | Available | Available | Available |
New York - Kennedy Intl (JFK) | 21 km / 13 miles | USD 45 / 40-60 min | Available | USD 5 /1 0-15 min | Available |
Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country
- Train reservation services
-
Amtrak
Major airlines
Name | Type | Domestic Flights | International Flights |
---|---|---|---|
American Airlines | Major | Yes | Yes |
United Airlines | Major | Yes | Yes |
Continental | Major | Yes | Yes |
Delta | Major | Yes | No |
Jet Blue | Low Cost | Yes | No |
Southwest Airlines | Low Cost | Yes | No |
You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Travelling By Yourself
- Car rental agencies
-
Advantage
Budget
Dollar
National
- Real-time traffic conditions
-
National Traffic and Road Closure Information
Rules of the Road
- National Roads Organizations
-
Federal Highways Administration
Department of Motor Vehicles
Time and Time Difference
- Current Local Time
-
It is %T:%M %A In New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia
It is %T:%M %A In Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas
It is %T:%M %A In Los Angeles, San Diego
- Summer Time
- From April to October.
Map of the Time Zone
Climate
- Type of Climate
-
Temperatures and climate vary considerably across the United States. Below are some average temperatures in several U.S. Cities:
Chicago: -7°C in January, 20°C in June
San Francisco:12°C in January, 18°C in June
New York from 0°C in January, 22°C in June
- Hotel reservation websites
- U.S. Department of Commerce: Climate Analysis Branch National Weather Service Federal Emergency Management Agency - Disaster Information
Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall
Electrical Standards and Measurement Systems
- System of Measurement Used
- The U.S. still uses the English Imperial units. It still has no definitive plan for the adoption of the International Metric System.
- Unit of Measurement of Temperature
- Degrees Fahrenheit (F).
Use our service Measurement converter.
- Electricity
-
- Voltage
- 110-120 volts
-
- Frequency
- 60 Hertz
- Type of Electric Socket
- For the USA, these are the electric sockets that can be used: Type A & B (National Electrical Manufacturing Association) (North American 15 A/125 V ungrounded).
- Type of Telephone Socket
- RJ11, found in most homes and offices in North America for single line telephones. RJ14 and RJ25 also fairly common, using the same size connector as RJ11, but with two and three phone lines, respectively, connected.
- DVD Zoning
- Zone 1
Paying
- Domestic Currency
- American Dollar
- ISO Code
- USD
- To Obtain Domestic Currency
- It is helpful to have some dollars with you upon arrival into the United States. If that is not possible, you can change foreign currency into USD at a bureau de change or withdraw USD directly from ATMs.
- Possible Means of Payment
- Credit cards can be utilised nearly everywhere. Traveller's cheques may be used; however, they are becoming less commonly accepted in retail locations and less popular.
To Find a Cash Machine Where You Need, Use the ATM locator
Speaking
- Official Language
- There is not an official language at the national level; however, English is the official language of the majority of American states and the most commonly spoken language.
- Other Languages Spoken
- Spanish is the most commonly spoken language after English. While regionally concentrated in states such as Arizona, Texas, California, Florida and New Mexico, there are Spanish-speaking enclaves across the country. In communities with large immigrant populations, other languages are spoken, including Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, Polish or Greek. Moreover, there are many languages spoken by Native American populations (Navajo, Cree, Cherokee, etc.).
- Business Language
- English
Communications
- Telephone Codes
-
To Make a Call From the United States, Dial 011
To Make a Call to in the United States, Dial +1 - Mobile Telephone Standards
- The U.S. mainly uses Analog, TDMA, CDMA and GSM 1900. It is important to note that each standard may have multiple frequencies. Phones that can support multiple GSM frequencies may be able to work in the US, but another option is to purchase a pre-paid card.
- National Mobile Phone Operators
- AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, SBC, BellSouth, Sprint, Qwest
Availability of Internet
- Internet Suffix
- .us
- National Internet Access Providers
- Comcast, Earthline, Aol.
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Latest Update: July 2024