Trip readiness checklist for United States
America is friendly, enormous, and strict about exactly one thing at the bar. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for United States: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my free United States checklistWhat to pack
The US is a continent wearing a country's name — pack for your specific region and season, not 'America' in general. A week in Miami and a week in Denver need different suitcases.
Layers for the local climate
US weather ranges from desert to alpine to tropical. Check your destination's forecast and pack for that, not the whole country.
Comfortable walking shoes
Cities, national parks, and theme parks all mean long days on your feet.
A refillable water bottle
Tap water is safe almost everywhere; refill rather than buy.
Chargers (US plugs, Type A/B, 120V)
US travelers are set; international visitors need a plug adapter and should check device voltage.
When to go
Summer and the big holidays — Memorial Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/New Year — are the busiest and priciest, with airports at their worst. Late spring and early fall are the sweet spot in most regions.
Money & getting around
The US runs on the dollar (USD) and is almost entirely card- and tap-friendly. Two things catch visitors out: sales tax is added at the register (the sticker price isn't final), and tipping is expected and significant — roughly 15–20% at restaurants, plus tips for bars, taxis, and hotel staff.
Local quirks worth knowing
America is friendly, enormous, and strict about exactly one thing at the bar. International visitors: a few local rhythms worth knowing.
Small talk is sincere
Cashiers, servers, and strangers in elevators will chat with you. It's warmth, not an angle — 'How's it going?' expects only 'Good, you?'
Carry ID for alcohol, whatever your age
Bars and shops card hard — a passport works everywhere; foreign licenses sometimes don't. Drinking age is 21, enforced with a straight face.
Portions are shareable by design
Entrées often feed two, and taking leftovers home ('a box, please') is completely normal — expected, even.
The map is lying about distances
States are country-sized. New York to Los Angeles is a 6-hour flight; 'let's also see the Grand Canyon' is a separate trip, not a detour.
A week in United States, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once the app has your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from TripHappens for a sample week in United States, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
A week in New York, five weeks out, bag still empty.
- 1.
Layers for late-October New York
Late October in the northeast can swing from mild afternoons to raw, wet evenings in the same day. Pack a warm mid-layer and something rainproof, and check the forecast again a few days before you fly.
- 2.
A carry-on that survives the wait
You're checking a bag, which means anything you need in the first 24 hours should not be in it. Keep medication, chargers, documents and one change of clothes with you.
- 3.
A tipping and tax plan
Sticker prices here don't include sales tax, and tipping is expected at roughly 15–20% in restaurants plus bars, taxis and hotel staff. Budget for it, and keep small bills for the people a card reader doesn't reach.
Entry, advisories & health
Safety-critical — always confirm live at the official source before you book.
Traveling within the US as a US citizen needs no passport — but from May 7, 2025 you must show a REAL ID-compliant license (or another TSA-accepted ID such as a passport) to board domestic flights. International visitors need a visa or an approved ESTA before they travel.
There's no U.S. government travel advisory for domestic travel. The domestic equivalents are weather and disaster alerts — check the National Weather Service for severe weather and Ready.gov for local emergency guidance.
No special vaccinations are needed for travel within the US. For current health notices and routine vaccine guidance, see the CDC. US medical care is excellent but expensive — travel insurance is wise for international visitors.
Get the full United States checklist
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