Thinking about going to America for a week

[SteppeWanderer]

What do I expect from borders and customs? I've never been to America before, I'm nervous about crossing the border. Will I be grilled over?

 

[birdsnestfern]

Which city or cities are you interested in?

I know Canada wants to know why you are there, what you are doing and how long you’ll be. Don’t pack anything they’d confiscate that you like and learn what you would or wouldn't need to declare.

U.S. Travelers' Top Ten Travel Tips

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Know Before You Visit

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/29/frequently-asked-questions-guidance-travelers-enter-us

Video version:

Know Before You Visit

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Wear two pairs of socks so you can walk thru scanners in the outer socks then put your shoes back on in your clean inside pair.
Bring a dark blue rain jacket to cover your face if you are next to someone on a plane that is sick.

Are you needing ideas for where to visit? www.lonelyplanet.com has a lot of good ideas. www.tripadvisor.com has a lot of recommendations about hotels. But generally, if you like comfortable beds and good accomodations, Residence Inn Hotels are a good pick. Hyatt hotels are always ideally located and both generally have shuttles to and from airports. Westin is also quite good. Hyatt charges a LOT on the card to cover any incidentals and then they refund it back if you didn't use it. So, if the room rate says 400 per night, expect another 500 charged for incidentals that will later be refunded. So have a large cushion on your card basically if you stay at a Hyatt. I used to have to do all of the travel arrangements for my entire division, so I usually booked Westin, Renaissance, Hyatt or Residence Inn for people. But if I'm traveling, I like Residence Inn, you get free breakfast if you get there between 7 and 9, it has stove, fridge, pool, nice grounds, and laundry.

Typical Residence Inn:
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mcosw-residence-inn-orlando-at-seaworld/overview/

Typical Hyatt:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60956-d858424-Reviews-Grand_Hyatt_San_Antonio_River_Walk-San_Antonio_Texas.html

 

[SteppeWanderer]

My INTP son crossed into Canada from New York and back again to visit so he could use the French language. I know Canada wants to know why you are there, what you are doing and how long you’ll be. Don’t pack anything they’d confiscate that you like and learn what you would or wouldn't need to declare.

U.S. Travelers' Top Ten Travel Tips

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Know Before You Visit

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/29/frequently-asked-questions-guidance-travelers-enter-us

Video version:

Know Before You Visit

Securing America's Borders

www.cbp.gov

Wear two pairs of socks so you can walk thru scanners in the outer socks then put your shoes back on in your clean inside pair.
Bring a dark blue rain jacket to cover your face if you are next to someone on a plane that is sick.

Are you needing ideas for where to visit? www.lonelyplanet.com has a lot of good ideas. www.tripadvisor.com has a lot of recommendations about hotels. But generally, if you like comfortable beds and good accomodations, Residence Inn Hotels are a good pick. Hyatt hotels are always ideally located and both generally have shuttles to and from airports. Westin is also quite good. Hyatt charges a LOT on the card to cover any incidentals and then they refund it back if you didn't use it. So, if the room rate says 400 per night, expect another 500 charged for incidentals that will later be refunded. So have a large cushion on your card basically if you stay at a Hyatt. I used to have to do all of the travel arrangements for my entire division, so I usually booked Westin, Renaissance, Hyatt or Residence Inn for people. But if I'm traveling, I like Residence Inn, you get free breakfast if you get there between 7 and 9, it has stove, fridge, pool, nice grounds, and laundry.

Typical Residence Inn:
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mcosw-residence-inn-orlando-at-seaworld/overview/

Typical Hyatt:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60956-d858424-Reviews-Grand_Hyatt_San_Antonio_River_Walk-San_Antonio_Texas.html

It says you need a covid vaccination, but here it says "
People also ask


Do you need to be vaccinated for COVID to enter the USA?


If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19. U.S. citizens going abroad, check with the Department of State for travel advisories.Dec 6, 2023

https://www.usa.gov › covid-inter...

COVID-19 international travel advisories | USAGov"

I haven't looked at hotels yet, thanks that was quite helpful.​

 

[birdsnestfern]

Ok, fantastic, maybe that website wasn't updated. I guess you can use the more recent post that you don't need it.
Also, this Summer they expect another variant called Flirt that is mostly going to affect people that were already vaxed or had covid. But a mask is still a good idea.

Generally, the Southeast is super humid and hot from May to October and you need a lot of water and showers even if you just step outside for a few minutes. Mosquitos are bad too. But its green and rains and thunders almost every day in Summer.
If you are here in Summer, the West or the Northwest or Northeast are better bets. The adirondacks are nice, the smokey mountains are nice, lake tahoe, monterey, santa cruz, seattle, Northern California, Oregon and Washington in Northwest are nice. Lots of lakes to enjoy. I wouldn't say the dry Southern California are as good as Northern area. Chicago has nice art museums, Washington DC has incredible museums, spy museums, smithsonian, etc. New Orleans is fun, but a little dangerous if traveling alone. New York City is totally thrilling, but also not super safe. Pick pockets and don't take your hand or eyes off your baggage for a minute.

The USA travel

Explore The USA holidays and discover the best time and places to visit.

www.lonelyplanet.com

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Um, what I originally meant was, aren't there some type of border security or agents that talk with you before you enter the country and they look at your passport and everything? That's what I was unsure about, I am nervous about the possibility of being asked questions, I am not sure what the best questions would be, how I should answer etc

 

[SteppeWanderer]

"
How many times can you visit us in a year?


There's no set limit to the number of times you can visit the U.S. in a year, and it depends on the specific circumstances and discretion of the CBP officers who review your case each time you enter."

what does that involve? Is there paperwork?

 

[birdsnestfern]

Yes, paperwork. They can check with your country to see if any records or if you had any legal issues in a prior visit to USA. They want to know the Length of time you are here, who visiting, address, photos, fingerprints, passports, probably what you do for a living, whether here on business or pleasure, what you are doing, and yes, searches, and dog sniffers and X-rays, and they do hold people back if any issues. So you should know why you’re visiting. If business or Pleasure. Sightseeing, shopping, visiting family or friends, etc. If you look unsavoury they will take even longer to check you out. Don’t be drunk or high obviously or try to sneak anything in.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Yes, paperwork. They can check with your country to see if any records or if you had any legal issues in a prior visit to USA. They want to know the Length of time you are here, who visiting, address, photos, fingerprints, passports, probably what you do for a living, whether here on business or pleasure, what you are doing, and yes, searches, and dog sniffers and X-rays, and they do hold people back if any issues. So you should know why you’re visiting. If business or Pleasure. Sightseeing, shopping, visiting family or friends, etc. If you look unsavoury they will take even longer to check you out. Don’t be drunk or high obviously or try to sneak anything in.

What do you mean by photos and fingerprints?

 

[birdsnestfern]

Why do 'foreigners' have to give their fingerprints at USA airports? Are they checked against criminal records of your home country (or w...

Answer (1 of 7): Probably not checked against foreign criminal records, and certainly not worldwide. Most country’s criminal records are not connected to any international system, and one of the reasons is because countries are not dumb to give out all this personal data about their citizens to f...

www.quora.com

 

[ZenRaiden]

Just go to Mexico, and visit the South of US, nice swim in the ocean, and good weather in Texas. Passing the border, just follow the crowds of South Americans.
I know I know not funny, but just in case, ......

I hate the fact ordinary citizens have to be searched over and scanned like cattle and dudes that legit have no jobs or identity are treated like wind.

I honestly thought going from Canada to US is like regular border crossing, you show your passport, you say you the neighbor and just pass.
How dumb to guard the Canadian border.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Yep, I'm going to America, to take someone's job. I expect to see a lot of Mexicans and Hispanic

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Why do 'foreigners' have to give their fingerprints at USA airports? Are they checked against criminal records of your home country (or w...

Answer (1 of 7): Probably not checked against foreign criminal records, and certainly not worldwide. Most country’s criminal records are not connected to any international system, and one of the reasons is because countries are not dumb to give out all this personal data about their citizens to f...

www.quora.com

Can you explain more what you mean by socks? It's kind of hard to understand the way you wrote it. Wear two layers of socks and take one layer off after taking off your shoes and plastic baggie what?

 

[birdsnestfern]

That is only if you are flying in. If you walk thru a scanner they make you take your shoes off. If you wear two pairs of socks as you walk thru and go to a bench to put shoes back on take the dirty outer pair off so the clean pair is underneath. Put dirty pair in a ziplock bag.

you just don’t want to walk thru the scanner with bare feet because you can get foot fungus and other diseases since hundreds of people walk barefoot thru those. The extra socks allow you to keep feet clean.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

I feel really emotional going to Los Angeles, the population in California is higher then all of Canada. I am just like a speck among millions of people. The crime rate is different, I had to spend time finding a place in an area that is considered safe. I can't believe the levels of crime that exist in America.

The level of competition that must exist just blows my mind.

 

[birdsnestfern]

I don't know Los Angeles well enough to comment. LA drivers are a little wild though I've heard. Default facial expression is a smile, and cute summer dress.

Personally, I've never been afraid of homeless people, I am usually the first to say, could you use a cup of coffee to them.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Holy crap I made it to LA, I don’t know what to think I thought I booked a relatively safe area but there’s homeless people everywhere just drifting along it’s kind of startling and strange. I got lost in the airport ive
Never been in an airport that big before it was massive I was swearing the whole time America is really an example of anti architecture (I thinnk
That’s the right word ) there’s notoriously no places to sit down, if you get tired and
Need to rest for a little while you’re screwed being lost I was sweating buckets and carrying my backpack I was just so tired
I don’t know what to say about the people, usually Uber drivers don’t talk much but my Uber driver was wondering why I don’t smile ugh loud boisterous American black woman singing along to the radio.

Los Angeles is so sprawling I didn’t plan my trip at all I was taken back by border security all my luck nobody I know has ever been taken to the back to be grilled more, they just kept grilling me and grilling me like oh man.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Boy that was a lot for an introvert being in super busy airport terminals then getting lost in the airport getting grilled repeatedly by airport security.

I came to America because I wanted to scout it out, I wanted to truly test if there’s a difference in America compared to Canada, I’ve been having a lot of problems in Canada and I thought it was so bad I would have to apply for asylum but the thing is hardly anyone believes me because I live in Canada, but the countries been awful. I think I was right. I just don’t know what to do it’s very emotional.

This Mexican guy just smiled at me on the street in kind of an acknowledgment about how crazy all the homeless people are , there’s so many Mexicans. Either way I’m going to be grilled by security. I don’t know.

It’s such a relief not to feel high for once and I don’t feel on edge so much and I don’t have inflammation not too long ago I think they started putting all these chemicals in the air like the equivalent of drugs too I don’t know how they do it that’s the thing it’s really hard to prove I don’t know they manage to envelope the entire country in this thick fog of chemicals it’s really taken a lot out of my health and there’s gas everywhere just terrible air has ruined my lungs.

It makes sense I am relaxed here with all
those chemicals gone Los Angeles air is like pure in comparison. God it’s just so weird.

I know nobody cares and everyone thinks it’s poposterous but what am I supposed to
do? Something is going on in Canada it’s not that great of a country I don’t think. Please does anyone out there care. Why is the country doing this?

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Hostile architecture that’s the correct term for it America is really hostile architecture

 

[birdsnestfern]

Sounds like you need to take the rest of the day to find your hotel and unwind. Maybe ask the desk which tours are good. Get a tour and let them do the work and take it easy. Every city is entirely different. Every neighborhood too. Don’t be out after dark. PS Amtrak will get you to other cities if you can’t stand LA. Most smile on West coast.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Products-g32655-zfg11873-a_contentId.37940485580+714390233-Los_Angeles_California.html

Amtrak Train Routes in California

Get a train to LA or another West Coast destination with one of the Amtrak California routes. Stay green and book your trip now.

www.amtrak.com

 

[birdsnestfern]

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[SteppeWanderer]

I

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was thinking about mostly going to music shows but most of those are at night would it be safe taking an Uber?

 

[SteppeWanderer]

I

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was thinking about mostly going to music shows but most of those are at night would it be safe taking an uber

 

[birdsnestfern]

Can’t advise further.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Another example of hostile architecture I went to a Starbucks and it was fairly roomy but yet there was no tables or chairs to sit at! wtf a Starbucks without tables or chairs.

I saw a homeless guy with a swollen leg walking barefoot from doing needles oh my god

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Oh my god I had a hamburger and it was so big American sized hamburger

 

[birdsnestfern]

Did you go to a concert? Or the Ferris wheel? If you can, post some pictures!
I looked up hostile architecture and learned a lot. surprising there are no benches in airports! I think I would signup to get airport workers to push me in a wheelchair thru the airport if I were old or needed help. I’m not, but if you had to walk a long way, I think you can rent a wheelchair. Or maybe a Segway to do a self tour.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Did you go to a concert? Or the Ferris wheel? If you can, post some pictures!
I looked up hostile architecture and learned a lot. surprising there are no benches in airports! I think I would signup to get airport workers to push me in a wheelchair thru the airport if I were old or needed help. I’m not, but if you had to walk a long way, I think you can rent a wheelchair. Or maybe a Segway to do a self tour.

No not yet i just went to Hollywood boulevard today

It’s funny I heard there are a lot of out of work and struggling actors in LA, and that there are a lot of beautiful people as a result among other reasons but I haven’t seen many women who really blow me away look wise

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Looks so real in person I wanted to like have sex with some of the wax models

 

[birdsnestfern]

Thats funny on the wax actors. Ok, my power is going out, wind storm here.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Saw Boris Johnson at the beach today don’t know what he was doing there he got on some rented bike there was a truck full of bicycles and he was spending a lot of time talking to people in front of the truck

 

[ZenRaiden]

Of all people right?

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Of all people right?

Yeah people were pointing at him and going “its Boris” what the fuck was he doing in Los Angeles

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Well I landed back in Canada and I already miss America, the whole time I was overwhelmed and I wasn’t sleeping well so I ended up sleeping a lot and I didn’t do that much because Los Angeles is so big but I thought I would be happy to be back in Canada but I actually miss America now for some reason, it really started to grow on me and I feel weird being back in Canada.

Immediately getting on my blame I was like “this is lame” because it filled up with people that reminded me of the reason I wanted to leave Canada and at the Canadian airport I felt that way too like god there’s some identifiable often times that makes someone Canadian. I have experienced so much discrimination or racism that it’s like I just see some of them and think that they’re not my kind. I just feel ad nausea seeing some of them, I think I am more like Americans ethnicity wise or what ever but even then I think I experienced what I suspected was racism in America, but still it wasn’t the same type of behaviour and such.

It feels weird missing America and I don’t know why that I do. I didn’t think it was that great, but Canada is not that great either, so I don’t know.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

America supposedly has a high crime rate compared to America but I think possibly that such facts of life are for a reason and they may be at a cost, just because Canada has less crime doesn’t mean it’s this perfect utopian society though being in America I see why everyone says how good Canada is but it’s easy to go “oh yeah America is obviously worse because of the crime and social issues” but like I said I think it comes at a cost that for many people they maybe haven’t ever been affected by these standards of living.

For one Canada never fought for it’s freedom and it feels a lot less free to me but these are not important aspects to many people when comparing living standards.

 

[SteppeWanderer]

Ugh I just feel like I’m surrounded by aliens in Canada maybe that’s the best way to describe it I think about going out but I’m a recluse and at the airport and on my plane ride I didn’t want to associate with any of the people there

 

[birdsnestfern]

It seems like everything on East coast is alien. Everything on West coast feels more comfortable and free spirited. Perhaps you can drive next time to get around better.