And for good reason. Its national parks, vibrant cities, and colorful culture provide a myriad of exciting opportunities to have fun, explore, and learn. So we decided to see what non-Americans think of the place and compiled a list of things they remember from their trips to the States, both good and, well, not so much.
Continue scrolling to read the stories and check out the conversation we had with Norwegian traveler Lisa Stentvedt.
Immediate-Steak3980 , Quintin Gellar/Pexels Report
Lustjej , Robby McCullough/Pexels Report
“My expectations for the US all came from movies and TV I had grown up watching,” Stentvedt told Bored Panda. “And for the most part, reality had lived up to them.”
“However, as I have continued my travels to and in the US (and even lived there for a year), I realized that the impression you get from pop culture is mainly facade-related and does not go into the true American culture.”
Sonoftremsbo , Daniel Xavier/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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Other things that surprised the traveler were the sizes of meals and sodas in restaurants, tipping culture, and not being able to just walk anywhere you please unless it’s a city. “I was met with shocked looks when I told security where I lived in Orlando that I was going to the grocery store by foot,” she recalled. “They laughed at me when I said it was just a 10-minute walk because that 10-minute walk was along the I-4!”
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“I loved my every visit. From New Orleans to Seattle, there are some epic places to explore there,” she said. “I have great memories of road trips through several states, visiting the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville (a bucket list experience), and seeing Hamilton in Chicago.”
“However, the lasting impression I have, and that I share with fellow Europeans who want to travel to the US, is that, again, whilst what you see on TV and in movies is a true reflection of certain parts of US culture, this only goes as deep as the facade of things.”
Xingqiao , Aleksandar Pasaric/Pexels Report
mariofan366 , Robin Stickel/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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kananaskis_Country , Tim Durand/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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“Each of the 50 states is unique, so my advice for first-time tourists would differ depending on the one they choose to go to,” Stentvedt said. “But generally, I would suggest to prepare to rely on taxis or a rental car, unless you are staying right in the middle of a big city like New York.”
“Public transportation is seriously lacking compared to Europe. Take it from someone who tried to travel from Hollywood to Disneyland using only public transport!”
Lisa would also advise you to make sure that your travel insurance covers unlimited costs if needed, as the cost of medical care in the US can seriously damage your bank account.
Worth-Ad8369 , Francesco Ungaro/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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kuco87 , Taha Samet Arslan/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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“It’s impossible not to smile there. I love that it’s a cultural melting pot and that will always be why I keep coming back!”
notthegoatseguy , Pixabay/Pexels Report
punkmuppet , John-Mark Smith/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
artifex78 , Pixabay/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
ACoatAlmost , Karthik reddy/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
wps1991 , Liza Summer/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
ISniffButts50 , Vinicius Wiesehofer/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
maz-o , Budgeron Bach/Pexels (not the actual photo) Report
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