New Zealand Family React to 10 Culture Shocks Foreign Tourists Have When They Visit America
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If you are in the south, especially Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia or the Carolinas don't be surprised if the women call you honey, darlin, sweetheart, or sugar. They arent flirting. Its what we call southern hospitality. Thats just their way of being friendly.
I say Darlin', Sweetheart and Sugar. lol
moved from NC from a young age and noticed the older i’ve gotten i’ve started calling people sugar, thought i could escape lol
I'm southern male, (although not the "deep south"... Oklahoma and Texas mostly) and I also call women darlin', or hon. (Short for honey I suppose). You adults will typically be addressed by Sir or Ma'am. Your son may also get called Sir quite a bit, whereas your daughter will probably be addressed as Miss. Down south we just grew up being polite and once you grow accustomed to it, it's very comfortable.
you mean that southern girl made me catch feelings for nothing? 😢
Also... "Oh honey" in a voice that drops at the end... that's not a compliment.
Just note:
- the cost of a 2 liter soda (along with everything else) went up - after Covid
- A lot of, if not all, Walmarts are no longer open 24 hrs - after Covid
- Choose the 'medium' priced hotel. A 'cheap' hotel may shock you at best, kill you at worst.
- Ice is available literally everywhere in a score of different forms. We have vending machines that sell bags of ice cubes.
- People are very friendly, but in touristy areas, that friendly person may be trying to scam you.
- You can probably use your accents and friendly natures to talk your way out of most police encounters (traffic, not Driving Under the Influence. He was serious about the DUIs).
- Make sure you have at least one working cell and get a navigation app. Most Americans use one most of the time and probably couldn't tell you how to get anywhere beyond their local neighborhood.
- If you end up in an uncomfortable area (and you'll know), just turn around and go back the way you came.
- It takes, on average, 3-6 hours to drive across one state, not counting stops. Some of the big states take even longer. In western states, you could potentially drive for hours and not see another person.
- Nobody is going to be peeking in the bathroom stalls at you while you do your business. If they do, punch them in the eye or tell the police.
- Free refills are same visit only.
Good tips!! I was wondering what Walmart that guy got $1.00 Coke and Pepsi. It’s between $2.00 and $2.50 where I live.
Yeah we are raised to not look at others in the half inch gap in a bathroom door.
Me I hang my coat up , so that solves that. 2 liter soda is now 2.50 but so is a smaller 20 oz
Walmarts in smaller towns are now only left open until 11
Some gas stations are open 24 hours
Reserve a room using an app like Priceline because a few years back I tried renting a room in Nebraska. A convention was in town so I had to drive an hour down the highway to even find vacancies. Even in the winter. Can be busy.
Things didn't go up due to covid. They went up due to inflation and supply chain issues. Everything is up. I bought 2 subs and a salad at a sub shop and it cost over $30. Never cost me more than $20 or so.
@@Rockhound6165 The supply chain issues, labor shortage issues and hence inflation are a direct result of covid. However you view it, both of the first two notes are accurate.
@@ambermac77 This vid must have been from 2019 or thereabouts.
One thing that I think would be surprising about Americans is the way that not only are we patriotic and proud to be American, but we also tend to be pretty proud of where our ancestors came from So you will see Irish festivals like St. Patrick's day, Mexican celebrations like Cinco de Mayo and Dia De Los Muertos, Chinese New Year, Oktoberfest, Swedish and Norwegian fests, and every other nationality. I don't remember ever seeing a New Zealand Day, but I wouldn't be surprised.
Yeah. I find Americans are proud to be two cultures. American and their ancestry. Everyone else just says the country they’re born in.
But not everyone or everywhere. My SIL said when she moved to WI from Iowa, she was shocked by people asking about it... She said she is American. That was kind of eye-opening to me. I thought people cared about origins, but I guess not.Doesnt mean we aren't or don't love America. Maybe younger people don't ID with care?
yep. I have a friend in Mexico and he said it was weird that we celebrated Cinco de Mayo, aka Mexican independence. I was like wait, what?!
Love our festivals don’t forget to add on the fairs .
@LadyChaos1992 in no way do I mean this to nit-pick, but Cinco de mayo isn't Mexican independence day, it is a celebration of a region of Mexico winning a battle- allowing their region to be free.
Watch out! Some road intersections do not allow right turns on a red light. They will have a sign that reads something like “No right turn on red.” Also, if the signal light is in the shape of an arrow (versus a circular shape) and it is lit red, that generally means that a turn in the direction of the arrow is prohibited until the arrow color changes to green.
If it’s flashing red it’s saying stop and proceed when safe.
Good tip
In nyc no rights on red at all so be careful assuming it’s always right on red too
I was just about to say the same thing.
Plus some states I know that's the way it is here in Delaware actually allow left turn on red from a one-way to a one-way in certain circumstances.
I always thought Americans thought of just themselves before moving here lol found out literally day one that's not true at all. We ran out of gas a few kilometers/miles from the gas station and within a few minutes we had 3 cars pull over asking if we needed help. One guy ran down to the gas station and filled up a 5 gallon can for us, wouldn't take any money, he put the gas in our car and then just left lol loved America ever since haha
You’ll be surprised about the hypocrisy of “ignorant Americans” when in reality everyone is just as ignorant. Example. People attack Americans for not going and exploring out of the US… when literally most Americans haven’t even explored their own country. Solely bc of how vast and culturally different it is.
Sounds like you were in the Midwest or deep south..
@@CollinKillian In the South, but in South Western Pennsylvania lol
@@CollinKillian I am from the Midwest but ironically I found in traveling people were more helpful the northeast than they were in the South.
@Merri Cat southerners are just more polite to your face. North Easterners are usually rough around the edges but most are generally happy to help.
Your channel is popular because Americans like to hear good things about ourselves (myself included) and your family is so positive. I hope you're not disappointed when you come here!
I hope they survive. I would recommend they don’t go to too many crowded places. Never know when a “good guy with a gun” will turn bad and start shooting.
@@Ron898 thats like a 0.01 chance of happing stop acting like its common
Tell that to the people of Lewiston, Maine who just wanted to have a night out bowling, and were gunned down by a “trained good guy with a gun”. It’s insanity what is happening in our country, and no one will do anything about it.
@@Ron898 how are you about to go from a mass shooting to a random shooting at night in the random shooting at nigh pick one and stay with it
@@Ron898 your comment looks like a copy and paste to it doesn't even match the first comment
Keep in mind that that video is a few years old. 2 liters of name brand soda are now about $2.50 -3.00 each. You can still get generic soda for a little over a dollar for a 2 liter, but prices have really gone up in the last few years.
Also 24 hours are not the norms today.
Yes I agree. Some of the particulars are a bit dated today.
Thank you Biden
I grew up on generic soda. We called it " Broke-a-Cola".😁
Coke is still $1 for me here in Utah lol
Some things to remember about the "right turn on red light" rule:
1. You don't just cruise through the intersection if you're turning right on a red. You need to stop first (like you would at a stop sign), look to be sure it is clear of approaching traffic, and then make your turn.
2. "Right on Red" is allowed if there isn't a sign or other indicator that says it isn't. If you see a sign saying "No right turn on red", you (obviously) cannot make the turn. What may be less obvious, though, is if the intersection has an lighted arrow (pointing right) to indicate you can turn. If that is the case, and the arrow is red, you cannot make the turn. You can only turn when green or yellow. Sometimes you'll see a flashing yellow arrow which means you have to yield to other traffic -- i.e. turn only turn if clear.
I came to make the same comment. You made this MUCH clearer than Walter, so thanks for saving me the typing.
@@dallasarnold8615
ALL 50 states in the US allow right on red.
Yes, and do not ride in the left most lane of the interstate if you are going slower than those to the right. Slower traffic stays to the right.
Another tricky thing is that if you are driving in one-way streets (usually downtown), you can even turn left on red onto a one-way street. That one confuses even locals around here 😩
And let's also throw in the YIELD sign to add some more confusion. ;-P
One thing people do in America is ask about accents. It’s usually out of genuine curiosity. We also don’t get offended if you ask us about ours. For example I have a southern accent because I grew up in Georgia most of my life.
very proud of my southern accent actually
Americans do not have accents! 😠
That is sweet 😊!! I'm a native Californian and have a accent that doesn't portray it. People always ask me where I am from? I'm told I don't sound American, which is surprising What I take from this is there is no such thing as American accent 😅
I'm from Iowa, and find that it depends on my environment that determines what accent I'll take on. Farm, it'll be a southern twang, with hay in the teeth... Certain people with me, and I'll just take to their accents. I had a buddy from Australia, and he'd say I sounded just like a kid down the street from where he grew up. As a kid, I did impressions. Maybe it stuck.😂
Also about the portion sizes, you're not expected to eat the whole thing. Servers will readily ask you of you want a to-go box to put whatever you don't eat inside to take with you (and a lot of hotels will have refrigerators on them.) When I go out I usually always make at least two meals out if what I get at a restaurant. And like our hotels, the more expensive the restaurant is, chances are the portions are smaller than the cheaper places.
I usually have dinner then my to-go is second dinner later that night or breakfast the next morning lol
What? They usuahave to bring more food
A lot of things are sharable too. At a Mexican restaurant, if you order any specialty nachos, even from the appetizer menu, they're big enough to feed 2 adults. What most foreigners want to do when eating out in the US, is stick to the lunch menu, even if it isn't lunchtime. That's going to be a portion size they're more used to.
If you dont have a way to reheat your food share meals. They are usually big enough for 2. I ate a Carraba’s on Saturday and I have made 2 meals out of it plus that days meal and I can get at least 1-2 more meals out of it. I dont eat a bunch and at the restaurant I ate my salad and only like 2-3 bites of my meal. You really can eat at least 2 meals out of most places.
@@occheermommy Good suggestion! And, at least in my experience, most restaurants will have no problem with you buying a single meal and splitting it!
Considering portion sizes in restaurants…yes, they’re big. Very big in most places. BUT nothing says you have to eat it all in one sitting. In fact, after all the free refills, the next most popular item is the To-Go box where you pack up half your meal and take it home to re-heat the next day. Two meals for the price of one! 😁
we call it a "doggy bag" here. No lie. They are used to it, I gaurentee you. No big deal.
Many foods don't age well. With most, I prefer to order one or two items and share. Start with an appetizer and see how hungry you still are. Some entrees will literally feed your family of four.
Doggie bag is falling out of style where I live. They'd know what you meant, but you can ask for "a to-go box." Fancy restaurants might pack it into a box for you, off at another table or somewhere (and expect a dollar or two extra on the tip maybe), but most places give you the empty container and you put whatever you want to take home in there.
We've used this very often to take something home to a family member who didn't go out for some reason of time or schedule, or for the dad to take to work for lunch the next day or something.
My husband and I like to split one entree and a dessert as some burgers are huge, plus the fries that come with it. Some restaurants will charge for split meals, though, if you want them on different plates, so beware. We just share a plate.😊
I remember going out to a bar with a friend from China years ago and he was shocked to learn that, even as a passenger, it is illegal to drink alcohol in the car. He opened a beer in front of a cop and the cop waved us over and gave him a stern lecture. Henkept telling the cop "that doesn't make any sense, I'm not even the one driving" but he tossed the beer out. Our open container laws apply to everyone in the vehicle.
🤦♀️ I can’t believe he did that. He got lucky . I can state our alcohol laws are pretty strict and there is no sympathy. And stores do have limits and times ,
This varies depending on the state. Some don't prohibit passengers from drinking from open containers.
@@zacmontgomery8684 really? Where? I'm genuinely curious, I always that it was every state.
if I really bend my brain, I can understand why that law is in place, but overall why does it exist.
@@hydrashade1851 It's usually just a open container charge it's probably to discourage you from sipping as your driving. Other states since it's open your considered to be under it's influence even if you haven't drank any. I"m sure if we had a time machine and could go back in time we'd find out why and it would make sense. But usually with laws in the US it was a problem at one point in time that caused a huge issue that makes no sense whatsoever now. I.e my hometown had a law saying you could not tie Giraffes to sign posts. Seeing as I'm not from Africa and Giraffes are not native to North America that law makes no sense at all. But when it was written it probably did.
Several comments:
1) I have helped many international travelers plan trips in the US. The biggest mistake is to try to see the entire country in two or three weeks. Choose what you want to see and plan it out on Google Maps to let you map it out. I have seen people who plan to drive 5k miles in a week or two.
2) There are cheaper chains like LaQuinta and Comfort Suites are comfortable and much more reasonable than Hampton and Holiday Inns. Do realize that "free breakfasts" may be a donut and coffee or a full breakfast. Inquire when booking.
3) Americans are generally friendly as long as you avoid two things. Avoid discussing politics or expressing your opinion on American politics. Also, avoid a trap that I have seen a lot of Australians fall into - that is saying "that not the way we do things in Sydney." It sets people off a lot and you may be told to go home.
4) Many people will hear your accent and ask where you are from. That should be seen as a friendly act. You will find that it takes some of us a minute to understand you with the accent.
5) The gaps in the bathroom are very small. You can see the people's feet underneath which lets you know it is occupied.
6) Do not drink and drive. You will be jailed for a short time.
7) A smart TH-camr planning to come to the US for an extended period of time would start making contacts with people who might be able to arrange some of the travel for them or offer to host them or at the least, will guide them while they are in a locale.
8) A big deal is made about sales tax and tipping. In other parts of the world, those costs are buried in that one inclusive cost. You are still paying them. The advantage of tipping is that the excellent servers make great money. The poor servers don't make a lot and are encouraged to move on to a different job.
Hope that helps.
You are so right! Planning to go to many places means spending most of your time in the car...and some other youtubers I follow had many offers of staying with subscribers, and got to see lots of local events and meet lots of people.
addendum to the accent thing. a LOT of people can't tell the difference between British and Commonwealth accents. Australia and New Zealand especially. we're so used to the Ocker Australian accent a la Mick Dundee and the late Steve Irwin that they won't recognize yours...except a few war vets that served in the Pacific, maybe.
LaQuinta has very comfortable beds too.
Also, when booking a room, look at the hotels review online. Americans are good at giving reviews for excellent service and for bad service with detail.
5 is a lie, and you know it.
Holiday Inn Express is our family's go-to choice. They have them in just about every city (most of the time they have more than one) and they are priced great. They have indoor pools and a great breakfast selection included.
Yes! These are my favorite as well. A lot of them in my state are newer and very nice also.
Choice Hotels are great also. Very fairly priced and quite consistent, and they'll be on the side of any highway.
Yes! We recently discovered Holiday Inn Express and would definitely stay again and recommend them to others! Clean, neat rooms; well-stocked bathrooms; friendly staff; clean, well-stocked breakfast bar with good variety and even "grab and go" items if you don't have time to sit and eat breakfast.👍👍 [Edit:] Oh yeah, and vending machines for after hours snacks and drinks!
I always go with Drury in areas that have them. They are always clean, safe and you can get free breakfast, dinner and even a few drinks.
100% I wouldn’t get any hotel for less than $120-$140 a night depending on what city you’re staying in it can be more expensive.
The friendliness thing is absolutely true, we generally love meeting people from other countries and cultures, because for us, it’s fun to compare and contrast our daily lives and experiences in wherever they’re from. We like seeing that there are in fact similarities with other countries and cultures, especially when food is involved, eating with someone is a great way to bond and make friends. We even do that with different states, which a lot of people don’t realize are almost different countries under a central government, hence the name “United States.”
When we’re not shooting them.
@@Ron898 You shoot people? Wow, must be a northerner or west coaster? Portland? Chicago? St. Louis?
With the hotels it’s more important to make sure the area of the city your staying in is safe. Most holiday inns, holiday inn express, Howard Johnson, best western, etc are pretty much the same. So if you’re in a safe part of town they’re great options for places to stay.
Right on red light means you pull up to the light, come to a complete stop, check to see if anyone is coming then if it’s safe you can turn right even if the light is still red. Just remember you have to stop first because you always stop on red.
Many Americans need that advice about the right on red lol.
I argued with a co-worker because he would drive the company truck right through the red light. He insisted he didn’t need to stop. I showed him the law later. He learned to drive in Los Angeles, and I don’t think they are as strict on the tests compared to other places in California.
Also in New York City, it’s just the opposite. Right on red is illegal at all intersections there. Unless it’s specially posted that it’s permitted.
Something I do not see mentioned often for restaurants is that we do not tip at fast food restaurants. This is only common practice at traditional restaurants where you are served by a waiter/waitress. Also, anywhere you see a tip jar is completely voluntary. If paying with a card, some of the card scanners sometimes may have a screen pop up for a tip on them during the payment process at places you don't generally tip. It is just in the software, you can skip this. It isn't extremely common, but I have ran across it before. Just be aware of it if you end up looking around and buying something in an antique shop (just throwing something random out there) and you see a screen while paying with a card asking what percentage of tip you want to leave, don't feel obligated to leave one as we don't tip at these establishments (unless you really want to), you can skip it.
As for taxes, most of the country is 7-10%. Where I live is 8.8%. ($1 = $1.09 or $10 = $10.88) You get used to it pretty quick if you live here and aren't traveling all over the place. In most of the U.S., if you just expect 10% over the listed price, you won't ever find yourself short. This is combined state, county, and city sales tax that equals the sales tax in the area you are in. Be aware of the tax laws per state you plan to visit because you might find states don't charge taxes on certain items and there are a few states that don't have a sales tax at all. In my state, there are no taxes on groceries. So the price for food items in a grocery store is what you pay. But you will pay sales tax on a can opener if you buy it in the grocery store. But this differs from state-to-state.
Yep, don't feel obligated to tip at the drive thru unless you feel so inclined.
Plenty of us also tip the folks working at the fast food restaurant too. While they earn an hourly wage that is much higher than wait staff at sit-down restaurants, these folks are still underpaid and under-appreciated. They are human beings but are treated horribly by people. No, I don’t tip 20-25% at fast food, but I generally give 8-10% tips in these instances; more if it’s at a drive-up establishment that serves your food to you to eat in your car.
@@TrixieJFerguson I work at Chick-fil-A and am usually surprised when people give me tips (not that I don't want them lol) it's not super common though, I get maybe an average $2/month lol. But it's usually because I gave a tourist some advice for the next day or because they had me outside in extreme weather or smth, which I feel like is what tipping should be
We like our culture because our families are from all over the world. So we love to invite all cultures
That really isnt true, at least not until very recently...
@@thomgizziz I can only speak on myself though
I dont know how recently it's been for others. I have always had an interest in all cultures . mlMy father was french and I always wanted to visit France and explore all the differences . So, I'm Interested in all cultures because they are so different. I will say that my dad would talk when I was younger of how America wasn't open to others..The mindset of the older generation of Americans was that the American way is the only way ..the only right way..That they let foolish pride get in the way of learning new ways of things to do better in areas that they need to work on. I think people are getting better with each other. We need to be because we literally CANT survive without one another...People need to understand that better. Fingers crossed that things get better for everyone.
Hello from Louisiana! As someone that lives in the south, the thing that I’ve heard most people are shocked by is the heat, the humidity and the bugs...especially mosquitoes. I would recommend keeping some allergy meds on hand. We had a foreign exchange student from Norway some years ago and he ended up having a rather severe reaction to an ant bite. Fire ants are a thing here and he didn’t react well. So be cautious of insects you aren’t familiar with. I hope you have an amazing trip and I can’t wait to see the videos from your travels, here and Europe!
If they have ever been to Australia, they know how to beware of bugs, I'm sure.
Louisiana does have a lot of bugs, seems all the bugs in southern US are pretty large.
folks thinking fire ant of the south are just regular bug - Lmao! Florida here - we have them everywhere - I'd rather be stung by a bee than bit by a fire ant.
The problem with fire ants is that by the time one of them bites you, you can look down an see a thousand on you.
@@RebelCowboysRVs Yikes!
WATCH OUT for the right turn on red. Sometimes there are small white signs hanging next to the light that says "NO TURN ON RED." Some of them actually give the hours you can't turn right on red, like 6am - 8am and 2pm - 4 pm, because they are close to a school. They are hard to read sometimes. ALSO, you still have to come to a complete stop first & make sure no cars or pedestrians are coming into the path of your turn.
Yes, I believe there might be some states that don't allow it ever. Not sure about that though. The turn on red
Yeah, it would be best to read up on the driving laws for each state you visit since rules can be different.
I live in AZ where u-turns are ok unless posted, in fact thete are parts of my city where you can only get into certain shop with a u-turn.
But I visited my parents and was out with mom. I did a u-turn cause I passed a entrance and she lost it. Apparently, no u-turns in MI, but backing up is OK.
Just be careful when driving in different states.
To add onto this: Some intersections have signs that read 'Right Turn Yield to U-Turn', this is very important, especially on the 'Right on Red' intersections.
Normally it is between two roads that are quite busy, but some states do not have these.
Some states allow you to turn right on red but since it is a red light you must always stop completely before continuing on cautiously.
@@mactwentytwentyfour I almost had an accident because someone was doing a U-turn at a traffic light. I was turning right. The traffic on my right side had a left turn arrow. I thought it was all clear to make the right turn. I wasn't looking at the cars that were turning onto the road I was on, and I started moving. One of the cars I thought was turning left did a U-turn right into my path & I had to slam on my brakes. I didn't know it was legal to do a u-turn at a red light. I still don't know if it's actually legal.
Rent an RV, there are RV Parks and Campgrounds everywhere. It’s a great way to see certain areas without having to change hotels every time you change location. You can cook your own meals which helps offset a lot of the costs.
I wanted to mention that a good place in Florida to visit is St. Augustine. A lot of Florida schools take the children there from all over for field trips (a day trip away that is usually educational). My children went there, as did I, in elementary school up to high school. The oldest schoolhouse is there and the old Fort (Castillo De San Marcos). Also, Kennedy Space Center. There are many wonderful clear cold Springs in State Parks too.
St augustine is absolutely beautiful. Great food, greT sights. So much history. Highly recommend. I live not too far away.
I would add that probably the best time to visit, not just St. Augustine, but our theme parks would be around the cooler seasons, usually Autumn and Winter. Sometimes early Spring can be cool enough. Florida summers can be miserable. (To get a feel for how a Florida summer can be, turn your heat in your house up to 100 degrees fahrenheit, take a shower fully clothed, then stand around soaking wet). That's the closest way to describe it.
If you are in Florida, definitely visit Sarasota in the southwest part of the state. The white sand beaches of its keys are uniquely beautiful. The Ringling Museum is here which is all about the history of the circus in America. Also worth the time is a visit to Selby botanical gardens overlooking Sarasota Bay. Sarasota is on the Gulf of Mexico. If you're in Florida, you might want to go up to Savannah Georgia and/or Charleston South Carolina for the flowers, the architecture, the food and a little southern hospitality.
Please, please please don’t forget to make time to catch a baseball game while here. Season starts this weekend and runs into the fall, ticket prices increase later in the season and pending on the teams playing. You guys would have a ball watching a Braves game at Truist Park
Hint: carry a cooler in your car with drinks. Get ice for your cooler from the hotel. If you stay at the same hotel chain throughout your trip they may give a discount. My cousin moved from New York City to Denver Colorado and it was a huge culture shock for her. If you go to NYC or Washington DC you might want to plan on taking public transportation or cabs. Some roads change directions for rush hour traffic and lots of multi-lane traffic circles.
I have found that, in the bigger cities, a mix of subway, uber and cabs works, depending on where you are going. The NYC subway network is vast and complex. In DC, the subways are a bit less expansive in terms of where they go. Chicago is sort of in the middle. And also, some lines in all of the cities will go to or through some sketchy areas, so head's up on that.
I have friends from the Netherlands and they always bring up the size of the US. They do business in several east coast cities and talk about how much time/mileage there is to do business. And of course "our" train system is so mashed together compared to Europe. But, they do love the fact that different regions have different cultures.
Another good alternative is staying at Bed and Breakfast inns. They are typically owned and operated locally. It’s a great way to meet local people in the area and get the best and current recommendations to restaurants and fun activities. I also recommend bringing lots of sunscreen and bug spray!
I agree. Bed and Breakfast inns (BnB or B&B are the most common abbreviations) are an excellent way to meet local people as well as people from other places. A few places my wife and I have stayed at over the years not only served breakfast but also afternoon snacks (American portions apply) or even dinner with the cost of the stay.
Have a safe and fun trip!
Yes! Can't recommend BnB's enough!
We always found in our US travels that the Hampton Inn was a very nice hotel to stay in; the beds are very comfy, the pillows are fluffy, plenty of room, very clean, Hi-Fi- and yes, they have ice machines and free full breakfasts. Very reasonably priced. But Disneyland and Disneyworld are quite expensive.
If going to Florida near Disneyworld, stay somewhere in Kissimmee, FL and be sure to visit Medieval Times.
@@anidaralopez5676 great advice! I completely agree
Rent a house in Orlando/Kissimmee! (VRBO, etc.)
@@Caderic Definitely the way to go if there are a lot of you!
@@britking Not even a lot. In my experience, in Orlando, a 4br/2-3bt is cheaper that Hampton Inn.
For our honeymoon I had a 7br/4bt, swimming pool, hot tub, $600 for 9 nights.
In all of my travels, I have found Orlando vacation rentals to be significantly cheaper than hotels. It's the only place i have found that to be true. You have to shop around a little, but there are GREAT deal there.
I only find that great of deals in Orlando, and I have rented in LA, NYC, Branson, Pigeon Forge/Gatliburg, DFW, Austin, San Antonio, and on and on.
I never really heard the whole "America doesn't have history" thing until I watched Lost in the Pond's channel and he mentioned it but he also mentioned something I really enjoyed. America has TONS of history but it is all condensed into a very small time period when compared to most other countries. Like yes many European nations have history going back thousands of years but there are also large gaps of time in that history where nothing of note really happened. American history is packed with noteworthy events happening pretty much every decade. The easiest way to see that is by looking at all the wars we were a part of, there is barely any points in our history where we went more than a decade without being involved in a war. Early on you have things like the French-Indian War, American Revolution, Cherokee Wars, War of 1812, a whole period of off and on wars with different native tribes, Mexican-American War and The Civil War at which point we toned it down on large scale wars, we still had wars but they were mostly small skirmishes between specific states and native tribes. Then we enter the 1900s and we play significant roles in both World Wars (more so in WWII but we did covertly send much needed supplies in WWI) then the Cold War which involved us going into the Korean War and Vietnam. The Gulf War got us into the middle east in the 90s and just as we were starting to back off 9/11 happened and we went into the Afghan war that only just ended. That is all just our wartime history, we still have Manifest Destiny, The Trans-Continental Railroad, The Industrial Revolution, The Golden Age of Invention, and while it isn't pretty the rise and fall of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is a significant part of US history. Then you have entertainment history, American literature, the American music industry, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and the American video game industry all grew insanely fast during the 1900s and had global impact. The point being United States may not be very old as a country but hot damn did we make up for lost time. (also note I didn't even get into pre-colonial native history)
North America has an incredibly long history. There were people here long before colonization by Europeans , indigenous cultures go back thousands of years - I wish people would remember that there is more to the history of the US and Canada than just the European colonization.
Another note - Make sure to check out what "season" each state will be in. Winter in the North and Midwest is much different than winter in the South, for example. Southern states RARELY see snow, if at all. Again, all depending upon the region of the state. Summer time? Some states have dry heat, some states have super hot humid temperatures and some states are more mild. You really do just have to check the weather a lot, wherever you're going lol. Wherever you're going, take note of hurricane season and tornado season. Depending upon the time of year and depending on what states you visit.
Fun(ny) side story: I'm from Iowa. Aka part of "Tornado Alley" during spring and summer. My ex is from Buffalo, New York. Where they get MASSIVELY dangerous blizzards in the winter time. My ex lived with me here in Iowa for a few years. He got stuck in a tornado with me once. It devastated my town and I've never seen a grown man so damn scared in his entire life lol. We lived across the street from my work. My dad owns an autobody shop. We lived in an apartment building directly across. I told him the safest place for us to go was to the shop (brick building is a safer bet) across the street. This 320 lb 6 foot 3 inch man was getting blown around like a rag doll, crossing the street. We get into the shop. I grab tow straps, throw one to him and start strapping myself to the 2 ton frame machine bolted into the cement floor. He looks at me confused and said "what the hell are you doing??" I said "If you think an F4 tornado can't blow this building to smithereens and take everything inside, with it, you are sadly mistaken". He started sobbing, frantically strapping himself to the frame machine. Which soon turned into screaming when the tornado hit us. The next morning, I woke up to him packing boxes 🤣 "You can HAVE your tornadoes! I'll stick with blizzards and getting stuck frozen into my house for two weeks at a time" 🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂Missouri here…yup🤣
MN, here. I can't say he's wrong. We've had a heckuva lot of snow this winter (and today started as rain, then turned to snow), and I'm sick of shoveling it (not to mention annoyed, as my car's now in the shop until sometime in May because of sliding ice), but I'll still take it over tornado weather. 😅
Some friendly advice from a former bad guy. Every state and city has areas you should not go to. Not even by mistake because some people are just plain evil. Y'all be careful, safe and I'll pray for your family.
Yes. Parts of Chicago, NYC and any really big city. Bad areas that you don’t go to
Agreed. And in cities it's a good idea to keep your doors locked even in the nicer areas. Carjackings happen here, at red lights and such. Not often, but better safe than sorry. And ditto on the praying for you, too. :)
As an Uber driver in St. Louis, I fully endorse this comment.
Well said Blade, i live in south Texas, but my job keeps me on the road, and Houston has plenty of places you shouldn't go, especially at night or alone. Keep everything family oriented, and you should be fine. If you can avoid saying its your first time wherever, do it. Too many scammers and thieves around. Be safe.
If you find yourself in one of these bad parts and trust your uncomfy feeling, Detroit included, don’t even stop at a red light. Just keep on going if no one’s around. A cop will understand.
As a Brit who has been to Minnesota, I can vouch for the 'Minnesota Nice' thing. That is 100% true, very friendly people in that state.
I also made sure that I didn't sit down to eat.
Thanks, as a Minnesotan we welcome anyone and everyone. Just know that if we accidentally bump into you, we will likely say "OPE, sowry", or "just gonna sneak right past ya!"
Iowa Nice I’ve heard of, but never heard of Minnesota nice. Wonder who was nice first?!
@@Bardmusic66 No clue, but it is a thing Minnesotans usually embrace. It's on signs and posters etc. lol
I grew up in Minnesota, and had “be nice to others” instilled in me with my baby food! So much so, that in my current home state(Texas) I am still very polite and nice to others. Possibly it is a version of the Golden Rule-do unto others as you would have them do to you! It has worked for 79 years in my case.
People are pretty nice in the Midwest in general. I'm from Chicago and totally notice the difference when I go to the east coast.
We have so many fast foods places here way better than McDonalds! You guys should create some polls for your viewers; best fast food, best national parks, best road trips, etc.! We all are excited for your visit to our country!
One place to NOT skip is Waffle House!
This is a great idea!
I agree. Mc Donald's is the worst ...
That’s a good idea!
Chic-Fil-A and Panda Express are my favorites.
As an American Midwesterner, I'd say go to the smaller neighborhoods outside and around the city centers because, that's where you'll find the good food and the friendly people. There's plenty of people that will tell you where the mom and pop shops are and what's going on in the town. Depending on when you go to certain places there my be festivals and cultural events that are free.
Totally agree with you. Big cities are not the American experience
I visited New York City a couple of times, and shockingly, all the people are met were very friendly.
@@lindakrzyzewski6912 That's utter nonsense. It's all the American experience. There are a lot of fake and bigoted people out in the countryside.
Carver county just outside the twin cities is worth it. I mean Paisley Park 😮
Fax as a Midwesterner
I've been to every state in the lower 48, truck driver of 26 years. You will encounter many different cultures in every region. If you visit Atlanta, downtown area, the change from inner city to driving into the country an hour in every direction is a huge difference. I'm sure that's probably the case in most countries, but here it's quite extraordinary the difference you'll see from inner city to out on the country.
Of course, Atlanta will have to go to Atlanta, just saying.
that's one state you need to be super careful in, you make a wrong turn and end up in the wrong neighborhood, you could be in some serious danger, just like phoenix arizona, after dark there is just some streets you don't go down, i've also been to 48 states, people should tell these folks the truth and not candy coat it. america is seriously overrated in every way.
The lack of ice elsewhere truly shocked me when I found out. Knowing I can't get unlimited ice in Europe made me question if I want to go 😆
And no, it's not because of the heat. I live in the NE united States. It's currently winter and lots of snow here. I still drink my iced coffee every day. I will sometimes go to the corner store to buy a cup of ice for 25 cents if I forget to make a tray of ice or run out. I can't explain why but we do love our ice and I'm grateful our hotels always have ice machines 😆
I struggled in Europe! Most restaurants didn’t even have ice. And the ones that did would literally give you one or two cubes. It was a total culture shock. I am a huge ice person as well, even in winter (Pacific Northwest here), and it was very difficult to drink everything at room temperature. Most drinks were not even chilled. Water was warm. Often they didn’t even bring you water with your meal unless you ask. And then they begrudgingly bring you luke warm water. It was so strange to me as in America, if you sit down to a meal, a large glass of ice water is placed in front of you before you ever even order, and most restaurants have waitresses that walk around with giant pitchers filled with ice and water to pour fresh water in the cups. Most places don’t even ask if you want more water, or a refill, or to top off, they just see your glass is not full and they fill it when passing by. Without saying a word. Its like an unspoken thing. So when you go to Europe, and they look at you weird when you ask for water, and are actually rude if you ask for a refill, it is a total shock. I will never get over the lack of customer service elsewhere in the world.
If you do travel through the US South, just remember that our "sweet tea" is very sweet & is the same thing as iced tea. If you don't like very sweet tea you can ask for unsweetened tea & some sugar or sweetener packs to make it to your liking. Also fast food places don't have hot tea, but sit-down restaurants almost always do (though they may not have a large selection of blends). If you want to have hot coffee or hot tea with dessert you will most likely be able to at those restaurants, but you may simply want to go to a grocery store & buy a couple boxes of the tea &/or coffee blend(s) you like to put in your hotel room. The hotel will have a coffee pot in the room & the breakfast area will have regular & decaf coffee & hot water & tea bags, but their free coffee & tea will only be the most common brands. We're not totally iced tea drinkers, it's just that it's more common to have iced tea with a wedge of lemon. Also a favorite cold drink is a half tea- half lemonade. You won't see it listed on a menu as such, but if they have lemonade & iced tea they are used to having people ask for it, so don't be scared to ask for it. It's not considered an inconvenience to ask your server for half & half drinks & it's very refreshing in hot weather!
As someone from california who traveled to Texas & tried SWEET tea it is Not The same as iced tea xD sweet tea is crazy crazy sweet
No kidding on the southern sweet tea! Southern sweet tea could double as pancake syrup for the rest of the country. 😂 Not saying it’s, bad. Just saying it’s something you have to be prepared for.
Also the lemonade/tea mix is known in the Midwest as an Arnold Palmer after the pro golfer.
@@tamrakwiatt2503you can also get half sweet and half unsweetened tea, in TN we call it half cut. Makes it a lot easier to drink. Sweet tea can be to sweet. But the tea better be strong or all you taste is sugar water.
Just an FYI on motel vs hotel. Motels have access to your room from an outside corridor. You have to go inside through an indoor hallway in hotels. That's the difference. I used to work for Holiday Inn and also Hampton Inn. Holiday Inns are usually all service hotels that have swimming pools, restaurant and bar. Some of them also have a work-out room. You will pay a little more for a Holiday Inn room because of the amenities. At a Hampton Inn, they also have a pool, free wi-fi, free continental breakfast, and free parking. Be aware that not all hotel/motels have free parking. In some of them, you'll have to pay a parking fee. If you forgot to bring a toothbrush/tooth paste, need a sewing kit, etc. you can ask at the front desk and they'll usually give it to you for free. I hope you have fun when you visit the US!
Oh, and not all states allow making a right turn on a red light. Be sure to google so you don't get a ticket for it.
Seems to me that the parking fee would be one more example of the things that tend to be free at cheaper to mid-range motels and hotels.
Yes, hotels are the better choice because of having to go indoors to reach your room. I am an elderly lady who has often traveled alone and I have stayed at both. I always feel safer at a hotel. And they are much quieter. Motels tend to be a little bit more questionable.
@@philipmcniel4908 It all depends on where you are. For example, even in the cheaper to mid-range motels, we've had to pay parking fees in San Francisco. Most places in Colorado, however, do not charge fees unless you're somewhere very pricey like Aspen or Vail during ski season.
The great thing about the large portion sizes is that I get to bring home leftovers. I personally love leftovers. But that leads me to another culture shock, in the US, taking home leftovers from a restaurant is common and completely normal. In some cases, encouraged!
Leftovers are the best part! Most people don't eat those large portions in one sitting.
Yes! I will cut my portions in half and take home half the meal, just ask the waitress for a to go box when your done.
@@jasonnichols6264 My parents always ask for a box as soon as the meal is brought to the table. Portion control!
Yes! A lot of times, if the server sees you have quite a bit left, they'll actually ask you. "Would you like a to go box?"
Exactly! Get a large order, eat some and pack the rest to go, and suddenly that $20 meal is actually three or four meals and therefore much more affordable.
Love you guys I'm really touched by how you react to things we are very proud of.
Definitely keep in mind if your driving in the bigger cities to pay attention to what side of the freeway your exit is going to be on. The exits are generally on the right but down here in Texas they can be on either side of the freeway from time to time which can make it easy for a tourist to get lost after missing an exit. Not sure how the rest of the country is but my family who visits us here in Texas sometimes mentions how the exits can confuse them a bit, especially when they're not on the side that they are use to.
I ran into that in Los Angeles a lot. I was driving north on I-5 and wanted to exit to the 101 to go to the Hollywood district. I didn't realize the exit was on the left and missed it. I spent a long time trying to get to Hollywood, and by the time I did, the place I wanted to go to was closed.
Notice what side the advanced exit sign is on... that will give you a clue of what side you are exiting from.
To follow up on an earlier comment, you need to look at which side the exit number is on TOP of the advanced exit signs. If it’s above the top-left corner, then it’s likely a left exit. If the exit number is above the top-right, then it’s a right exit.
Also, many states don’t give a warning a freeway lane is merging. If your lane suddenly has very short painted white rectangles with minimal space between, it’s likely you need to merge with the lane next to the dotted line.
@platterjockey I've never been to Los Angeles but I can only imagine. Here in Huston, Texas we have quite of few interchanges along the freeways that are confusing if you don't know your way. There are spots where you have several overpasses crossing in different directions. You'll also notice quite a few exits that then split off in different directions also. I tell anyone visiting us that GPS is good, it gives you a good heads up but once GPS says your close to your exit, rely more on the signs along the road. If you follow the signs it really isn't to bad even if it looks like a big interchange is coming up.
In California too
The kindness really varies depending on the state you’re in. Not all states are at the same level of hospitality.
New York...
@@LadyChaos1992New Jersey too
as a Minnesotan I will say we are all overly kind and even to my friends, I am exceptionally nice
Cities very also in hospitality. Like if you're in Chicago and try to order a New York style you might get in a fight 😂
Culvers!! Represent! It's a chain from my state of Wisconsin. They have spread out throughout the country recently, but they are VERY Wisconsin.
In fact, Im craving double deluxe butter burger right now as I type. lol its sooo gooooood.
The reason for the ice is that a lot of people travel with chest coolers. I'm old enough to remember when it became a "thing" because of increasing people doing road trips once the interstate highway was completed. Truckers also -- before they became tiny RVs. They had just a bed and an ice chest. 😉Have a safe trip! oh, btw, if you know you're going to want ice, check to see if the machine is on when you arrive. Nowadays hotels are limiting their use because the machines use a lot of electricity.
One thing he didn’t mention about tipping… when you get your receipt - it will show you your total and tax. Take that tax amount and double it to get your tipping. Most states are between 7-10 percent tax so by doubling your tax to pay your tip you are paying your waiter/waitress 14-20 percent which is a good tip point (especially since a lot of wait staff have to share their tips with bar staff or sometimes even kitchen staff).
That computation only works if state tax is 8% or higher. You can’t pay less than 15%. Don’t mislead them.
And base the tip on the total before tax.
@@vshekar Highly doubt they were trying to mislead anyone. It's just their experience when tipping.
I just always tell people to take 10% and multiply it by 2. It’s super easy and hopefully nobody needs a calculator to figure out 10% of their bill lol, it’s super simple if you can simply move a decimal in your head lol
20% or more if the service is good. If u give a good server 14% tip they're going to wonder what they did wrong and honestly they deserve more.
Just spent over 3 months in a hotel. Our room had two queen size beds, free Wi-Fi and a small refrigerator. The hotel also had an ice machine, beverage and a snack vending machines, a laundry room for guests ($7 a load) and free breakfast. Yes, the coffee is hot. Be careful with the right on red rule. If there are multiple lanes, the lights might be timed so that left turns (across traffic) are possible before a green light for everyone.
Also, one last thing about turning in red: NYC and other large cities may not allow it, that was the first traffic ticket I ever got, just be aware!❤
Does NYC have the "No turn on red" signs?
@@lianabaddley8217 no, it’s just the rule that you CAN’T turn on red there, unless you see a sign saying it’s allowed, but that’s fairly rare. Anything outside of the 5 boroughs in Ny State, you can turn on red.
@@natashaosborne5561 ahhh ok. Here in Utah if you can't ever turn right on red there will be a sign. Otherwise it's just Stop then wait, if any pedestrians. Unless it's a one way road. Then it will say no right turn. Like the exit of freeways will have signs saying not an entrance. Even though people still somehow miss those.
@@natashaosborne5561 except when there is a no turn on red.
for the red light: remember that since we drive on the right, we aren't crossing any lanes of traffic. you stop, make sure the crosswalks are clear and no cars are coming from your left or turning from the oncoming lane. if its all clear, you can turn. there are a few places where you can't, and they'll be clearly marked with a 'no turn on red' sign
Not to confuse anyone but, here in Pennsylvania they just passed a law that if the red light is taking too long, you can look both ways and if there is no traffic, you can proceed through the intersection... I know crazy....
I don't know if it was mentioned, but I know growing up that my parents would go to a grocery store for things like deli meats and such, and then use the ice from the ice machine to keep the food cold in the coolers that we brought with us. It saved a lot of money on food during our trips this way.
You can plan a cross-country trip around Wal-Marts and hotels. They are usually near each other and near the interstate highways. Smaller towns have lower rates for rooms and you can get one with a kitchenette.
Also another tip, Beach towns have the most choices of hotels in one town and those Mid expensive hotels be the best
Uber has really helped the "public" transportation thing here. While not truly public, it is a lot easier to get around without a car because of it in most areas.
There are still a lot of areas that do not have Uber access. Where I live the nearest available Uber is over an hour away
You can be totally scammed too though ... when we were in Las Vegas it cost us $12 to get from airport to hotel, cost us over $70 to get from hotel to airport the next day!!
Once had a foreign exchange student tell me that he was stunned how LARGE everything was. The cities, the food, and the people; he didn't even necessarily mean sideways, he meant how TALL Americans are too. It didn't help that I was a 6'0" 15 year old girl who he told this to, which just made me laugh and agree that we get big. It's a specialty of ours.
If you’re in Minnesota. Mall of America and valley fair are the fun attractions we have. If your looking for nature the north shore is a very pretty and cool place.
I almost never go out to eat and actually finish the food on the plate. It's perfectly normal to ask for a To Go (or Doggy) bag. Then take whatever you didn't finish home and have it at your next meal or the next day.
If you have time, try to visit the Redwood Forest in northern California where the redwood trees are so old and so huge that there are actual roads going THROUGH the tree trunk. Yep, you can drive THROUGH the tree. It is an awesome experience.
French people are sometimes surprised at how helpful and friendly Americans are.
Yeah, because the French people are so UNfriendly to Americans when we are in France! Must be because we saved their”buttox’s” in two different wars! AND, insult added,”WE”, (US gov.) have to pay France RENT on the grounds of the Normandy cemetery where OUR soldiers are buried who DIED liberating France !!! 😡🤬
@suzuki ltz if you ever left the cities you would see people who are still kind, friendly, and helpful. Strangers say hello and offer a helping hand.
@@suzukiltz8902 travel a bit. Americans are far more helpful and friendly than many countries. Lmao.
@suzuki ltz you may have to get out of the big city but then you will find almost any human you see is willing to take a few moments to help you.
I’m an American living in a small town in rural Pennsylvania and every one is friendly and willing to lend a helping hand. I have been to Philadelphia,Detroit, Miami and a few major cities in Europe. No one is more friendly than an American
I hope you all have a great time when you get here. One culture he didn't mention that's fairly prevalent in the Western Southern Western United States is the Hispanic or Mexican culture. I highly suggest you visit some quality Mexican restaurants when you're here. And if you make it to Colorado drop me a note. I'll give you a free tour of the state
As an AZ watcher, I also highly recommend finding genuine and well rated Mexican food. Look for places that are small but busy! A margarita, with good Mexican food, while relaxing on a vacation with family? Truly nothing better! Lol
Except if you move your Margarita drink, quesadillas and fam...beach side. Now that is vacationing.💗
They have watched videos on different culture of cooking which there are many in America. Cultures that would shock them is the Amish. Unless they’ve been to Germany or Belgium.
Or Salt Lake City Utah.
Another they would have to learn about.
@@HollyCranfan there's nothing strange about Salt Lake City. Mormons are no different from anyone else. It's not like walking into an Amish community. There are just more churches. There are a lot of Mormons in New Zealand and there is also an LDS temple.
People smoke, drink and go to clubs and bars here. We don't still live 1847.
@@jonok42 I don't know you personally so I don't know if you intend it to sound like this but what you wrote sounds like you're prejudiced against the Amish.
We in the South and Southwest definitely like our iced drinks; it's how we cool down in our climates. If you order "tea," it will come iced unless you ask specifically for hot tea. In a lot of the South, "tea" will result in iced sweet tea, unless you specify unsweet.
Another fact about sales taxes….not only are they different depending on the locality, here in Pennsylvania you don’t pay tax on “necessities” such as food (grocery, not restaurant) or clothing.
Another tip for you about dining in sit-down restaurants here; if you are paying by card, don't be surprised when the waitperson takes your card and leaves the table. They have a "wait station" where they run your card through the machine. Some places will have a QR code on your bill that you can scan and pay online, but that is still in it's infancy here (at least where I'm located).
I’ve been enjoying your content. I liked how in one vid you guys were happy to see New Zealand on the map, you felt noticed; well a lot of us in the USA have a similar feeling when our state is referenced haha. Fun content, thank you, and God bless your family!
Actually, Springfield Oregon is the "real" Springfield that the Simpson's city was modeled after. There's a plaque signed by Matt Groening in city hall saying as such. There was a mural unveiled in 2014 on the side of the Emerald Art Center when it was announced. Also, Yeardley Smith (Lisa) came to the event. Julius Preite was the mural artist and was a character layout artist for the Simpson's and worked in coordination with Matt Groening on the design for the mural. Matt also signed the mural.
Some of my great-great's traveled in a covered wagon and actually helped found the town of Springfield. They were some of the first settlers.
No they said it was ambiguous still
Yeah no... nice try though.
Just like several other Springfields.
And every single state has a Springfield. I believe that's why they chose it.
You guys are my favorite family on TH-cam. I actually have a good friend from New Zealand so I kind of understand your culture. I just cant wait for you guys to experience the states. Much love!
I would like to add, and of course this is just my observation, that if you happen to strike up a conversation with an American local and mention that you're from outside the states, they will excitedly chat you up about where you're from and what's it like over there, etc, etc. From as much as i can tell, even the most simple Americans love to exchange stories with people from different places. I could be wrong, but that's just something I've noticed.
I’m in St Louis and it’s a combination of MidWest and Southern attitudes-very friendly and helpful! I’m a SCUBA diver and have traveled quite a bit, I must say that when Americans meet New Zealanders and Australians while abroad we feel immediately at ease-y’all are so fun to be around ❤
The wrong turn in St. Louis, like many big cities, will get you to the gates of heaven real quick.
@@psychospyder2283 West is best and East is least, or so I've heard.
I completely agree with that statement.
Yeah dont ever upsale st. Louis. Thats how you end up a saint yourself. You're better off in KC. Smh. Came to Missouri and found out real quick why it's called the show me state. You have to show a lot of people how things are done the good way.
KC has problems too. Saint Louis is a beautiful city. Please come.
There’s no words to describe about this family except that there amazingly beautiful fantastic and terrific I love you 4!💯⭐️🤩❤️❤️❤️
Yes, the medium priced hotels are often very close to the big expensive ones. These hotels tend to be placed near major highway intersections. You can find them pretty easily because on the highway before your exit there will be signs pointing out restaurants, gas stations and hotels near that exit, giving you time to make the exit. The medium priced hotels normally have a coffeemaker in your room and most provide free coffee for them. Many have a small refrigerator freezer and microwave so you can skip some restaurant trips. There are usually small stores nearby where you can pick up some food. Restaurants and grocery stores are usually nearby. You will find that a lot of gas stations sell much more than gas. They have drinks and bottled water, chips and candy, maybe sandwiches in the cooler for a quick snack and many have hot food, some of the best hot food you'll find because these places usually have a grill and the food is made right on site.
We use the ice machines to fill our coolers! Kids sports tournaments, tailgating, taking leftovers home, road trip food ( my family picnics during the drive) I’ve machines mean we don’t usually have to buy ice!😊
Don't know if you have run across it but some ice machines have signs that say "Do not use to fill coolers".
One of the hardest things for me traveling abroad as an American.. is the lack of ice everywhere. Europe was the worst. Restaurants didn’t even have ice. So hard when you are used to full glasses of ice.
Omg your one of those. If the drink is served cold you don’t need ice lol it’s a waste of water and you are saving the buisness money because they are selling you frozen water with a splash of your drink 😂. Ice makes sense to me in water.
Must have ice! I hate being overheated, gives me vicious headaches. Am not a fan of humidity either. Summer is the season that I suffer through the most. I prefer everything to be as cold as it is practical. Even in winter.. iWinter is my favourite season! I will leave my window open at night. And I live in Denver Metro, which is a high altitude desert, and we get into the minuses frequently in the winter. And, no, I don't ski, snowboard, ATV, etc. Rather ride a horse that hates my guts than sliding down a slope of frozen water on a piece 9f wood. Or fiberglass. So, yes, I am one of those. In the South and Southwest it's considered bad.hospitality if you can't give your guests ice!
@@sheilatruax6172 I agree but a coke out of the fridge is like cold enough, but that just me. Lol. Ice water is my ice blood. I hate the heat to, so I try to reduce how much meat and animal products I eat so I don’t contribute as much to warming the planet and billionaires do.
@@DVAMEKAGK Me, unless I can get brain freeze, it's not cold enough. I keep 6 ice cube trays in my freezer, 365 days a year.
I just got back from a couple of weeks in Europe. The lack of ice is a real frustration! Sometimes complaints like this are culture shock, or a "my way is better than your way" mentality. I really don't think that's the case here. I had a seriously difficult time cooling off. As a tourist I spent hours walking in the sun nearly every day. I would have really liked ice to keep the water in my water bottle cold, but there wasn't any ice available in the hotel. At restaurants the drinks were often served warmer than I prefer, and only got warmer as the meal went on. One night I bought ice from a supermarket to cool down drinks in our hotel room, and it cost €1.50 for just enough ice cubes to fill one glass! Ridiculous! For about that same price, I can get a 7 pound bag of crushed ice from my local grocery store here in the U.S.
Gelato helped (and was excellent), but cold water is certainly healthier.
Okay, so I gotta tell yall, the South is very rich in history as well! Yall make sure to visit Charleston South Carolina, that is my favorite city, because it is very rich in history, and it's beautiful! So glad yall are coming to the US!!! When yall get here, holler at me and I'll cook up a nice southern meal for ya!! Happy travels and safe journeys!! Big ol hugs and love from MamaJane in South Carolina USA 🇺🇸
Also, Savannah, Georgia is beautiful.
This is so cool that you do this with you family that’s awesome always spend time with each other from Georgia/USA
It sounds like a lot to think about and it is but remember so much of your time will be a blast. We went to Australia and were overwhelmed by the reverse driving and metric system etc. It didn't take long to figure things out. Just remember the difference between adventure and adversity is attitude. We went for the adventure and it really was so much fun. We actually got to go back. Enjoy your time here. Hugs everyone.
"Just remember the difference between adventure and adversity is attitude. " - I hadn't heard that one before, but I like it a lot!
We were just in New Zealand a few weeks ago. We got used to everything, because we left our American attitude behind. You conform quickly and appreciate the new, quirky experiences. 😊
One “tip” I’ll give: before you pay at a restaurant you will receive a receipt that should tell you the price before sales tax. However, most restaurant receipt programs attempt to suggest tips based on post-tax prices. Always calculate a 20% tip on the pre-tax prices. If a state and county and city combination has a 10% total sales tax, that’s a significant difference in topping costs. Just a heads up!
True! As a server though, make sure you tip accordingly. It’s super necessary for us!
@@angeloc.6550 It's not necessary. It just keeps you from making only minimum wage.
I'm more than happy to tip, but please stop telling people to tip accordingly. They don't owe you a wage or even a tip. It's still optional,, and they still get to choose how much and if your service was of a higher or lower value to them.
Please don't try to tell me how wages working. I'm very aware and capable of googling any tipped employee law in the nation.
Don't forget that restaurants are now charging 3-4% for using a credit card.
@@angeloc.6550 you want me to "tip accordingly" you better give me at least decent service.
@@jonok42 but it’s not optional because they’re making basically $5 per hour before tips. That’s not minimum wage in any state anymore!! Our tips make up for the minimum wage gap, and you should be tipping well anyway because a lot of servers work a lot of hours or a lot of different jobs just to make ends meet. I always tip at 20% and I usually always have exceptional service nowadays, because I’m not a butthole.
Tipping for great service is VERY MUCH like a performance bonus for a factory worker. Think about it. I've never heard anyone say that before, but I think it's worth considering for those who "hate" tipping. We always want to incentivize great work and effort.
When you visit larger cities, look for bus tours that you can hop on and hop off. This is a life-saver in a place like NYC. You hit the highlights, ride when you’re tired of walking and decide if you want to come back to a place to spend more time. Plus the tour guides can be a lot of fun!
Good advice
The Ice machine in hotels is not just for our drinks. It is to fill up a cooler so you can keep our drinks and food items cold while you are on a road trip to your next location to visit. But us American do like our drinks to be as cold as possible. On a hot summers day our temps can be from 80f to 110f degrees depending on location (26c to 43c). So a ice cold drink to help you cool down is great. One big think you might catch onto around here is our Accents. Vocal accents change from city to city and state to state. And our mannerisms change as well. Like if you are in Boston. Some one says it wicked good. They could mean awesome, great, really good or so on. If you go to many parts of Pennsylvania your shopping cart will be called a Buggy and the soda will be call POP. Where down south everyone calls it Coke. There will be a lot of small things here that will just blow your mind or catch you off guard.
So true. So many things are called different things depending on where you are in America. And definitely accents. I live in Indiana. If I say khakis, someone in Boston hears car keys 🤣🤣. Its funny cuz its true.
Buggy is also common in the south.
The ice machine is not to fill up your huge coolers. It's for the small ice bucket in your room if you need ice for a cocktail or drink. The whole floor has to share one machine. If you need ice for your cooler almost every mini mart and grocery stores sell bags of ice for cheap.
Met a girl from South America who was worried when after asking for water she was given tap water. Don't worry, with a few exceptions it is perfectly good but bottled water is widely available.
Check into your hotel (Holiday Inn Express is awesome value), first thing: get ice. You’re probably traveling by car, so you are traveling with a cooler/ice chest. Need ice!!
The 2 Liters of Soda aren't $1 anymore. They typically run about $2.99 (USD) now. The ice machine at hotels come in handy when you are traveling. When my family travel we typically pack a cooler in the car for drinks and food to eat on the road so we don't have to stop as often. So, when you stop for the night at a hotel you can change your ice in your cooler.
2 liters are still $1 at Walmart in texas
@@martinez16chris $2.89 to $2.99 in Florida
@@martinez16chris two liter sodas are anywhere between $2.99 to $3.99 depending on the store you buy them, I’m from Vermont.
@@marydavis5234 like I said not in Texas still $1
Hello from Wyoming! I suppose I'm different than some people from here in the US. I cannot stand ice in my drinks, unless its ice in my water on a hot day. I haven't been to McDonald's in years! I refuse to use public restrooms unless I absolutely have to, unless they offer a lot of privacy. We do tip in restaurants, but our state sales tax is only 5%, so much lower than some states. If you visit Wyoming, you'll appreciate the slow pace here, along with friendly and helpful people.
I graduated high school in Lander many, many years ago. I miss the wide open spaces and dead silence that’s easy to find there. Thanks for your post!
I remember as a kid that Texaco gas stations boasted clean restroom in their TV ads, because most of the time bathroom cleanliness at most gas stations was not a priority or more accurately, non-existent. That marketing strategy really worked out well for them to gain an advantage over the competition. Their revenue shot way up when the travelling public found that they were serious.
Recently traveled most of the state for the first time. I've been to Wyoming before but never as extensively across it. I tried to get around that 55 car pileup in I80 at the beginning of February and then drove up through Thermopolis on my way home. The whole time I didn't realize how low the sales tax was. 😅
@@VikingCarter I'm in Utah, during the winter we always see the I-80 closed at the border. My sister lived in Wyoming for a couple of years. I heard that most of Wyoming hardly ever drives on that road so they would rather close it and plow the rest of the State.
@Liana Baddley I don't doubt it! Salt Lake is where I was going! We traveled from Douglas, to Casper, to Sheridan trying to get around it before going back to Rawlins and going West on I-80 through Evanston to cross the mountains when they opened up 80! On the way home we crossed up by Logan and Garden City instead. That was a much more gentle pass, though also much narrower.
Im from Texas and lived in New York, Canada, Tokyo, and in France for a while. As much as I enjoyed it, I missed my home state. I love everything about Texas. Even in America (when I lived in NYC) people thought we all had horses and used them to get from and to work. 🙄
Holiday inn is a very good chain just sometimes their location might not be exactly right where you want it but it’s close enough for you to either walk or take some transportation. New York’s holiday inn is near Madison square park which is way off from 5th ave and Central Park but the transportation is so easy it doesn’t matter. The holiday inn is on International Drive in Orlando which is close to universal but you can easily jump onto the free shuttle bus to get to Disney. You could also get Ubers or Lyft to downtown Orlando or any shopping location. Miami’s holiday inn is actually on the busiest road in the city and that’s A1A but you could walk to the beach or downtown Miami easily but Miami Beach is a little drive. I myself like the Hilton but the middle price version which has pretty much everything like free breakfast and WiFi and it’s close to what you want.
A little note I'd like to add to this video for y'all: The tipping situation here in the US has gotten out of control! They will ask you to tip at places like Starbucks, McAlister's, and Domino's Pizza (even if you don't get delivery), so do NOT feel obligated to tip in those situations. You really only tip when you have a waiter or waitress at a sit-down restaurant. So keep that in mind so y'all can save a little extra money. Also, if you do go to a sit-down restaurant and the waiter or waitress is not a good server, meaning they don't check on you enough, they take too long to get you a refill, or they just have a bad attitude in general, feel free not to tip them. Typically, the better the service, the better the tip.
But remember that everyone has a bad day. Also, if it's really busy be patient. Typically servers have 4 or 5 tables to wait on. Remember that if you have a bad day at work they don't lower your pay.
I don’t agree with not tipping a rude waitress, etc. They make the majority of their salary off of tips and they can be having a bad day or something. I will tip below average depending upon how bad they were. If it’s exceptionally bad, I’ll make a statement by only tipping 5% or something. But they DID provide you with a service that you’re expected to pay for…whether you like them or not. I’ve never been a waitress, but I believe in being fair to everybody. Even if I don’t like them. That’s the American way. Not skipping a tip just because you didn’t like someone’s attitude or something. That’s not cool and I’m glad I didn’t have to rely on tips because of the people who are petty and unreasonable. Even if I’m not happy, I still treat everyone with respect and kindness.
It's important to understand that in sit-down restaurants that have wait staff, the waiters and waitresses are not paid the minimum wage very often. They are paid less than half the minimum wage and are expected to make up their wage in tips. Never skip on tipping if you are handed a menu and someone takes your order and brings you food. Even if the service is bad - 15 % is the minimum. 25% or more for outstanding service. $1 per drink at the bar for your bartender. But if you are ordering at a counter or drive-thru, no tip is required, even if it is sometimes requested. Those folks make a standard wage, not wait staff wages.
Why is it this way? It's a hold over from when slavery in the US ended and was a way to get cheap labor. The customer was responsible for separately paying or supplementing wages, essentially. It's an unfortunate leftover from that time.
Let me tell you something. As someone that moonlighted delivering pizzas, we learn pretty fast who tips and who doesn't. So if there is any possible way to make sure you're the last one delivered on a particular run, we will. Enjoy your cold pizza, tightwad.
Americans don’t eat cheese that way. He’s being absurd.
Public transportation just isn't feasible in most areas because the distances are so great. Some people from the huge cities like New York don't even understand that you can't ride share with someone to work or take public transportation like the subway. However, for most of the country places are too far apart to have good public transportation. For years I had to drive 50 miles to work--one direction--so I was driving 100 miles. Granted I lived in the country and not in the city, but even so, private cars make much more sense in most places out here. Instead we all have our cars and drive, which is must more convenient anyway because you don't have to wait for a bus or subway train, or watch schedule times. You can leave any time you want and go straight to your destination and not have stops along the way. And yes, as long as no other traffic is coming, we turn right on a red light. Keep in mind we drive on the right side of the road, so we are not crossing traffic to make a right turn. :)
Believe it! I'm eighteen days from seventy years old and I can count on one hand the number of times I have used public transportation, whether trains, buses or taxis. And I have never missed it at all.
I'm older, but when I went to Europe I was amazed at how wonderful the public transportation was. Now that it's a little more difficult for me to get around I really wish we had such great options as subway, trains, busses and such.
What he says about the hotels is so true. When my family and I travel, we generally use the discount apps like hotel tonight but our favorite chain is Holiday Inn Express. They are consistently clean nice rooms and we think they have the best free breakfast.
PS. About the driving… different states do have different rules. What I’d recommend is planning where you’d Like to visit, then downloading the driving test manual for each state. A lot of the laws are the same but there are little differences you could skim through.
Comfort Inn and their subsidiaries are also very nice and great amenities like the Holiday Inn chains. They are basically the same level of Hotel.
I just found your family videos and love them. I just wanted to let you know that back in the 70's there was a push in the US to switch to the metric system. We had new math classes for quite a while. Then it just disappeared. I was a kid so not sure why or what changed.
Poor Atlanta and Denzel looked so scared the whole video!
Can’t wait for y’all to come visit the US and it’s definitely true that with hotels, sometimes you can pay very little and get a whole lot! Two personal examples: I had my honeymoon in Orlando visiting the various parks and the front desk upgraded us to a penthouse suite when they heard it was our honeymoon. I believe we paid $99 a night and got a full on apartment on the roof and chocolates on my pillow.
Then there was when we went to Vegas for a billiards tournament, the room was paid for but the front desk saw my toddler with us, we were sent to a poolside suite with two bedrooms and and obscene amount of gold tile.
Just mention that y’all are from New Zealand and it’s likely you’ll get a free upgrade.
Don’t forget to leave a tip for the housekeepers though.
I am so excited about your trip. I know that everyone is advising you to pick a region of the country and not to expect to see everything. Like everyone of your fans, I want you to see my home state, but mostly I want you to have fun and be well. Really, really take the time of year and area of the country into account. When you have decided where and when let us know. Folks will be happy to make suggestions and tell you where not to go as well. I haven't traveled extensively in years but the US has a traveling culture. We want to be sure that you have all the information you need to have a great time.
I would say the information you were given was mostly accurate, but there are some things that require a bit of nuance. Just a few examples:
1) If you're driving on a highway and you don't see a speed limit sign, assume that the speed limit is 55 miles per hour. This generally won't be the case for interstate highways where most (unless otherwise stated) is 65 miles per hour. Then as kind of a bit of an exception to the speed limit rule, even if you are going 5 miles per hour or so over the posted (or assumed) speed limit, generally police officers will let that go. But in some smaller communities you will run into what's known as a "speed trap" where even a mile or two per hour over the posted speed limit will get you pulled over.
2) He mentioned a lot of cities (New York, Miami, Las Vegas), and maybe that's a popular view of the United States is that it's mostly urban. But there are plenty of open spaces and lesser populated areas to visit that are just as American, if not more authentic American, than just those places. There's something that's called "The National Park Service" that has several parks scattered across just about every state, and each state has a "State Park" system that serves the same purpose, just on a usually smaller scale. These places (outside a handful or so) may not be as well known to those visiting the United States, but they each have a unique history, some of which even predate America's colonial history.
3) The United States is a "melting pot", but I wonder if at times that phrase has a negative connotation to it. To the average American (and that might even be a stretch to say), it simply means that nearly all of us come from other cultures and brought about something great, just like you add ingredients to a stew and the various flavors contribute something to overall flavor. Maybe because of mass media and pop culture, I think people outside of the United States tend to think of "melting pot" as a dumbing down or erradication of cultures. That certainly isn't the case, but if all anyone ever knows about American culture is from television or movies, I can see how that might become the dominant idea.
4) When staying in a hotel, he's right that it can seem like the less you pay, the more you get. But he gave a very surface level treatment of that. Budget hotels offer a breakfast that's usually little more than some cold cereal, toast, maybe they'll have some coffee, tea, milk, and juice, and maybe they'll even have a place where you can make a waffle if you want, but it's usually bare bones cheap and not a whole lot of thought is put into it. In other words, the breakfast they offer is usually not worth getting up for. Higher end hotel chains you do have to pay for breakfast, but that's because there might be an actual restaurant attached to the hotel that is "open" for breakfast for the hotel guests, and those workers need to be paid. And what you'll get with those is a better representation of what a typical American breakfast might be with customizable options. The same goes for hotels having a pool. You might not pay a "resort fee" for a Motel 6 or Super 8 Motel, but the pool is often little more than a concrete ditch filled with water. In other words, things like "Continental Breakfasts" and "swimming pools" are afterthoughts more than they are prime reasons people stay in those chains.
Like anything, it's hard to encapsulate the culture shock that someone visiting the United States might experience from outside the country in a 20 minute video, especially considering how big the United States is in comparison with almost every other country in the world. I guess my best advice would be take a video like this and realize it's not all encompassing, it can't be.
We have a fair amount of Living History Museums that you might find interesting. My favorite is Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. You can learn about our history through public orators that are in period costume stand on a snap box and will interact with others. All of the people working here wear period costume and get fully into their roles. Tailor, Shop clerk, Inn Keepers, Harness makers, Carriage drivers, Bakers, Farmers, etc. The interaction is worth the visit. Quite entertaining, educational and fun.
Do you mean a “soap box” cause I’ve never heard of a “snap box”
@@ItsMeAnn628 That's an excellent idea!!
Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI (also the Henry Ford Museum) and Sauder Village in Archbold, OH are great places to visit.
This was pre-covid. A lot of places that were 24 hours are not anymore. Check hours before you get up and go.
Here from Indianapolis, Indiana USA. I loved the information in this video! He was very accurate on all that he mentioned!!
In smaller towns, the chain hotels will be right smack next to the freeway. In bigger cities, park that car, and take public transport. Boston, for example, is pretty centric. You could stay in a cheaper hotel in the burbs, take the train into the city, walk the Freeedom Trail and do lots of historic activities in a day or two. Just not as much fun to be in the burbs at night because of lack of choices for activities and restaurants
You guys make me so proud to be American! Enjoy your trip!!!
if you really knew your country id think yould say different, im ashamed to be an american these days, this country is as corrupt and evil as the rest of them.
@@markmorenault765 I do really know MY HOME. I love it regardless. My mind state is that everything can be fixed in a generation. I don't have the defeated victim attitude that you clearly possess. Either be a part of the solution or just be quiet. I'm proud of my home and will always be, our nation is NOT the 600 or so people in the government. Stop tryna preach on the internet
America definitely has an expectation that it's cold drinks are very cold. My personal recommendation is to ask for no ice in your drinks at fast food joints, as they are dispersed already refrigerated, and most fast food joints will fill half the glass with ice, leading you to have less drink or quickly watered down drink
Even though you can get a free refill, it's a pain to have to go back. I always go the "no ice" route for that reason.
Just a warning about hotels. Make sure you check the ratings and reviews. There are hotels in dangerous areas, especially in larger cities. The cheaper hotels can be dark and dirty and unsafe. Stay in the medium to high range for pricing to ensure safety. Prices are higher in the U.S. right now. Covid changed alot. I suggest that you check for festivals and seasonal events for the cities that you visit. They are often a great deal of fun and free. For instance, towns have festivals based on things they provide such as the Strawberry Festival. A really fun time to visit the U.S. is during the month of October. It may be cooler, but there are all kinds of fun celebrations. Plan things out ahead of time, so you won't find yourself missing an event because it already happened! The amount of friendliness varies in the U.S. New Yorkers can be downright rude. It's a huge city and people tend to keep to themselves. People in larger cities tend to be more private. Small town America is much friendlier. Good luck you guys! Hope you have so much fun and that it will be the greatest experience ever!
I would ALWAYS come to a complete stop before turning on a red light. Most of the time it is "right on red after stop" or something like that. Also who cares if you wait at a red light for 30 seconds - the world is not going to end! Wish you the best of luck driving here, especially in New England (we're crazy)😂❤️
You have a beautiful family, thanks for giving us great entertainment...love ya guys hope you have a great year
The lack of ice is literally the hardest thing for me about international travel. I miss it SO much! Crazy, I know, but it's true.
I got used to it on my trip to UK in 2001. I still don't like very cold drinks anymore.
Some drinks like sodas were meant to be cold. I can't drink a warm soda.
The different looks that appeared in Atlanta's face throughout this video were pretty funny! She seemed so thrilled by some of the stuff 😂
In California, on the highway, if you notice white dashes painted on the roadway instead of traditional lines... your lane is about to end or you must exit, get over.
Turn right on red unless there is a sign posted NO. Most speed limits on highways are 65 but, you better do 70-75 to stay with the flow of traffic. If a person steps off the curb, you better stop. Pedestrians always have the right of way. I would recommend Orange County, CA. I live here.
Always know, what you see on TV is not the real Hollywood.
Let me know when you visit again, would love to show you around.
In Georgia, people are the most friendly. You will never meet a stranger. Hospitality is the best! Highly recommend Savannah for the history and beauty. If visiting, I can hook you up with a beautiful mansion to stay at. I grew up here.
In Las Vegas (on the strip), don't take the kids out after dark. Just saying... from a mama bear!!
I don't know if you said where you are going yet. I live in Michigan. There are miles and miles (or kilometers) of coast lines. Every city and small town has festivals going. I really like all the states that have the Appalachian mountains running through them also.