Mickey Mouse, Miami Vice, Sleepless in Seattle… thanks to cinema and TV we all have impressions of the United States of America. Yet nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan’s unforgettable skyline, your first ride in a yellow cab, the ubiquitous hamburger joints, the vast expanses of prairie, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz or the neon-lit excesses of Las Vegas.

The USA is a huge country to explore, with 50 states to choose from, flanked by two oceans and covering an incredibly varied terrain. For five centuries, since the ‘New World’ discoveries of Christopher Columbus, people from every corner of the globe have come here in search of ‘the American Dream’. Between them, they have created the richest, most powerful country on earth, and a fascinating melting pot of cultures and traditions.

Tourism centres mainly on the subtropical states of Florida, California and Hawaii, the winter ski resorts and the huge metropolises. But it is the astonishing, vast landscapes that make the USA truly distinctive – spectacular National Parks like Yosemite and the Everglades, rugged ice fields, the Great Lakes and the desert plains – and such awe-inspiring sights as the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains should be on every visitor’s must-see list. As Gertrude Stein remarked: “In the United States there is more space where nobody is than where anybody is. That is what makes America what it is.”


ESTA – Electronic System for Travel Authorisation
The USA is changing its entry procedures for travellers to the USA under its Visa Waiver Program and has introduced a system called ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authoristaion). From 12 January 2009, all non-US citizens visiting the US will need prior authorisation to enter the country before they board the plane, to gain this authorization they must submit details to ESTA.

Anaheim	Arizona	Boston
Chicago	Colorado	Florida Gulf Coast
Hawaii	Las Vegas	Los Angeles
Memphis	Miami	Nashville
New York	Orlando	San Franciso