USA

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Destination Facts

Full name: United States of America
Population: 295.7 million
Area: 9,630,000 sq km
Capital city: Washington DC
Languages: English, Spanish, Native American

For more information, check out Lonely Planet’s range of books on the USA.

Introduction

The USA is home to several of the world’s most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable locals in the world. So much of the country has been fi lmed, photographed, painted and written about that you need to peel back layers of representation to stop it from looking like a stage setting. This can make the USA seem strangely familiar when you fi rst encounter novelties like 24-hour shopping, bottomless cups of coffee, ‘have a nice day’, drive-thru banks, TV evangelists, cheap gasoline and newspapers tossed onto lawns.

New York

The Capital of the World? Take a bite and see. They don’t come bigger than the Big Apple – king of the hill, top of the heap, New York, New York. It’s got its fair share of the tired, the poor and the huddled masses, but it also has world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings, outrageous excess, and a whole lot of whooo-wheee! It’s pretty hard to pick a few highlights – but for iconic value, you can’t surpass the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park and Times Square. Bookshops, food, theatre, shopping, people: it doesn’t really matter what you do or where you go in New York because the city itself is an in-your-face, exhilarating experience.

Los Angeles

The town of a million shining dreams and a single naked ambition. Los Angeles has littered the world with its paraphernalia. Disneyland, movie stars, TV, fast food and hype – it’s all here in overdrive. LA may be a figment of its own imagination, but if you long to stand in the footsteps of stars and breathe their hallowed air, you’ve come to the right place. Starlit and moonstruck, LA beguiles scores of curious tourists, hopeful starlets and wannabe rock musicians each day. But LA is more than the sum total of its mass-produced fantasies. It’s a thriving hybrid, a conglomeration of 88 independent cities sprawling over a vast urban maelstrom.

Saftey & Security

Travellers should check the travel advice for the United States at smartraveller.gov.au before head ing overseas. Crime rates, including gun-related crime, are higher in the United States than in Australia, particularly in larger cities like Los Angeles, New York and Washington. Be aware of your environment since tourists are often targeted for crime, including petty crime such as pick-pocketing and theft. As you would in Australia, use common sense and be alert to suspicious activities.

Money

Currency American banknotes (bills) confuse visitors quite often: they’re all the same size and colour. Be especially careful not to hand over too much cash, and always check your change carefully. Notes with even small rips can be refused; be careful not to accept torn or incomplete notes. Bills come in denominations of $1, $2 (rare), $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Coins come in 1 (penny), 5 (nickel), 10 (dime) and 25 (quarter) cent denominations; there’s also a dollar coin.
Changing money Major credit and debit cards are widely accepted.

You can also access your bank account using US ATMs, which are ubiquitous. Travellers cheques are easily converted to cash at any bank. You’ll probably need to take your passport along to prove your identity.

Going offshore...know the medicine law.

It’s illegal to take PBS medicine (subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) out of Australia, unless it’s for your own use or the use of someone travelling from Australia with you. Penalties are steep; fines of up to $5000 and/or two years imprisonment.

If you do take PBS medicine overseas, follow these simple steps:

  • contact the embassy of the country you’re visiting to ensure the medicine is legal there
  • carry a letter from your doctor with the medicine, stating what the medicine is, how much you’ll be taking, and that it’s for your personal use
  • leave the medicine in its original packaging, so it’s clearly labelled with your name and dosage.

For more information about taking PBS medicine overseas, call the Travel-ling with PBS medicine enquiry line on Ph: 1800 500 147, or log onto Medicare Australia

Bargains & Basics

France has its food. England its pubs. The USA has shopping. It’s just not a US vacation if you don’t spend some significant time toting logo-bedecked bags. Foreign visitors should make a point of visiting at least one shopping mall or Wal-Mart, simply to get the cultural experience of epic American consumerism. Plus, consumer goods in the USA are generally cheaper than they are anywhere else in the world.

And don’t forget to pick up a little brand-name American kitsch: a mini Statue of Liberty, a pair of Disneyland mouse ears or a baseball cap. Shopping in New York or LA does not mean spending huge amounts of money. You’ll find everything from $1 vintage sweaters at flea markets to walnut-sized diamonds on Fifth Ave or Rodeo Dr. And while ‘Gapification’ (the proliferation of retail chains like the Gap, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and others) is widespread and malls abound in the car-loving city of LA, the countless offbeat shops in both New York and LA’s many neighbourhoods will reward those with a knack for browsing and a flair for the unusual.

Best Buys

Native treasures Many regions are known for excellent local handicrafts or native artwork and goods. Quilts, Pueblo jewellery, Navajo blankets, traditional or modern pottery, Gullah sweetgrass baskets and tooled leather cowboy boots are just a few of the things to look for. Good pieces will be expensive; if they are cheap, they are probably not authentic. Products made with plant or animal material including wood, seeds, feathers, rawhide and bone must be declared for quarantine inspection on your return to Australia.

Cool cachet Some of the coolest and most unusual souvenirs can be found in museum stores, which specialise in items that play off the museum’s collection. However, they also often sell high-quality original designs by local artists. Sure, they’re pricey, but even a paper bag from the Met has its own cachet.

Bargain hunting One piece of advice: track down the local factory outlets. These are usually near a freeway exit on the outskirts of a city. They are typically malls where brand-name stores sell their damaged, left-over or out-of-season stock at discounts ranging from modest to practically giveaway. Alternatively head for thrift shops or flea markets (check the local newspaper for details); good ones can provide a delightful slice of local life. Arrive early
if you’re in the hunt for retro fashions, and expect sellers to ask top dollar.

Old timey A popular purchase for visitors to America is antiques, and there is a booming trade in old stuff from all eras. As with handicrafts, real antiques will be expensive; bargains are rare and sometimes suspect. The most popular types – anything colonial, Victorian, Amish, Shaker, Art Deco or ’50s moderne – are guaranteed to ooze style and come with a hefty price tag.

Worst Buys

When shopping, it’s important to know what you can and can’t bring back to Australia. Common items from the USA not allowed into Australia include:

  • Uncanned meat products – including beef jerky, and meat such as chicken and turkey included in sandwiches and rolls
  • Fresh fruit including apples, cranberries and bananas
  • Trail mixes that include raw nuts and fruit pieces
  • Egg products – mayonnaise and salad dressing, for example Ranch dressing
  • Pet food including canned products and rawhide chews
  • Raw nuts including almonds and those within snack/trail mixes
  • Corn/maize – including popping corn
  • Salmon that is not commercially prepared or packaged
  • Frangipani and other plant cuttings.

Some of these items are allowed in if accompanied by an import permit and/or treated by Quarantine (which will cost you money). Talk to Quarantine prior to departure about obtaining an import permit.

For more information about what you can’t bring back into Australia visit AQIS travel website.

Carrying funds in or out of Australia?

In 2006, the Australian Government introduced stronger laws to protect Australians from money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Under this new law, you have to report travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, postal orders, promissory notes and other bearer negotiable instruments of any amount if a Customs or police officer asks you to.

You still have to report AUD$10,000 cash (or the equivalent amount in foreign currency) using a form available in the Customs area of airports or seaports. Check out the Austrac website for more information.

Top Shops

Don’t get so overwhelmed by all the great buys that you spend your money on stuff that won’t be allowed back into Australia. Bald eagles and grizzly bears are a definite no-no, and anything made from animal products and plant material must be declared to Quarantine (and may need treatment) when you get home.

New York

Bobby’s Happy House
2335 Frederick Douglas Blvd
Ph: 212-663-5240

Part of Harlem’s history, Bobby’s specialises in deep gospel sounds along with R&B, blues and just a few funk albums. The owner, Bobby Robinson, worked with Elmore James and produced Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Annex/Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market
39th St, btwn Ninth & Tenth Aves
Ph: 212-243-5343

Formerly in Chelsea, flea marketeers here comb bins and tables packed with furnishings, accessories, clothing and plain weird stuff from past eras.

Plaza Too
2231 Broadway at 79th St
Ph: 212-362-6871

Find your high-fashion footwear at this brand-new outpost of the suburban favourite. It’s got fancy footwork from the likes of Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Adrienne, Sigerson Morrison and many more. The prices are frequently reduced by nearly half at sales events.
Macy’s

151 W 34th St at Broadway
Ph: 212-695-4400

It claims to be the world’s largest department store, although there’s never been any hard data offered as proof. In any case, it’s a massive old store with lots of quirky touches that have earned New Yorkers’ affection. You’ll find lots of solid classics here.

Los Angeles

Undefeated
2654B Main St, Santa Monica
Ph: 310-399-4195

Sneaker lovers camp outside this pint- sized store for the latest ‘Outside the Box’ styles from Nike, Converse, Vans and Adidas, each pair specially selected from the manufacturer by the manager.

Fashion District
Ph: 213-488-1153

Approximately 700 stores devoted to womenswear cluster on Los Angeles St between Olympic and Pico Blvds and on 11th St between Los Angeles and San Julian Sts; 360 menswear stores and 169 children’s wear shops fill surrounding blocks. On the last Friday of the month a few designer showrooms open briefly to unload samples and overstock at great prices.

Hollywood Book & Poster
6562 Hollywood Blvd
Ph: 323-465-8764

This store has hundreds of TV and movie scripts for sale. If you bring one they want but don’t have, they’ll barter. Also has rare movie posters and life-sized Elvis cutouts. Rodeo Drive area Glamour, glitz and elegance frolic on Rodeo Drive, where a roll-call of Italian finery and fashion commands two fabulous blocks, all culminating in a corner of couture known simply as Two Rodeo. From surrounding streets, upmarket chains and department stores flirt like shameless courtiers, ready to please your every whim.

Beverly Center
8500 Beverly Blvd
Ph: 310-854-0071

Despite the Soviet-style exterior, this is LA’s glamour mall, easily accessed by Hollywood Hills–dwelling celebs in need of some one-stop shopping.

Warning!

Endangered plants and animals. Buying products made from endangered species (for example hunting trophies, tortoiseshell, ivory, scrimshaw, furs and caviar) could contribute to the extinction of the species in the wild. However, some species can be imported with the right permits – for more information see the Environment Travel website

Note: if you import wildlife products without the right permits, your products may be seized by Customs and you could face stiff penalties.

Prior to travel, you should consult your doctor for advice on how to reduce your risk of illness while travelling, including required and recommended vaccinations and whether booster doses of childhood vaccinations are necessary. Monitoring your health whilst away and when you return is important for your own wellbeing. There is a chance that during your travels you could have been exposed to infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis or malaria. It is very important that you consult with your doctor if you feel unwell, even after you return to Australia, and consider your recent destinations as a possible source for your illness.

Shop Smart

Before you spend your shopping money, it’s a good idea to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. That way, you get to keep your travel treasures and save money on any necessary quarantine treatments (or fines).

All food, plant material and animal products from overseas – including many common souvenirs – must be declared for quarantine inspection (and may need treatment) when you get home.

For more information about what needs to be declared to Quarantine visit the AQIS travel website.
Common items from the USA that must be declared (and might need treatment and/or an import permit) include:

  • Native American souvenirs with feathers and/or rawhide – for example dream catchers, headdresses and drums
  • Seeds – for sowing or included on ornaments
  • Cut flowers – carnations, roses and frangipani
  • Bark – including on souvenirs, ornaments, Christmas decorations and in potpourri
  • Rainsticks – musical instruments filled with seeds or gravel
  • Nuts including pecans and walnuts – raw nuts are not allowed
  • Commercially packaged salmon products
  • Potpourri
  • All fishing rods and nets, waders, kayaks, paddles, life jackets or any other recreational freshwater equipment – clean or unclean – must also be presented for quarantine inspection.

In many cases, declared goods are returned to you after inspection. However, any item that presents a disease risk or is found to contain insects or larvae will be withheld by Quarantine. You’ll be given a range of options for the item depending on the quarantine risk. These options include: treatment (for example fumigation) to make the item safe; holding the item until an import permit is presented; re-exporting the item; and destroying the item. Most of these options will cost you money.

Before You Return

  • Make sure you eat or throw away all fruit and vegetables before you land in Australia – they’re not allowed in
  • Leave ALL aircraft food on board, including nuts and snacks
  • Wash shoes that have been worn in rural areas including farms, markets and zoos, or near animals
  • Make sure you clean ALL soil from your hiking boots, sports shoes, golf clubs, camping gear, backpacks and mountain bikes – you still have to declare these to Quarantine
  • Pack items for inspection together, and keep them at the top of your bag so they can be reached easily.

Important Tips

Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online at
smartraveller.gov.au, or in person once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency.

in Washington at 1601 Massachusetts Ave, NW,
Ph: +1 (202) 797 3000;

in Los Angeles at 31st Floor, 2029 Century Park East, Century City,
Ph: +1 (310) 229 4800;

in New York at 150 East 42nd St, 34th Floor,
Ph: + (212) 351 6500,

Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller.gov.au before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time the advice is updated. Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, like adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Obey the law of the country you’re visiting. Don’t expect to be treated differently to the locals just because you’re Australian, even if local laws appear harsh or unfair by Australian standards.
Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers’ cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home. Ensure your passport has a minimum six months’ validity.

For more travel tips and advice, check out smartraveller.gov.au

Important Information

With increased quarantine activity at Australia’s airports, you’d be mad not to declare all items made from food, plant and animal material. The detector dog’s sense of smell (100 times greater than ours), won’t miss a beat – and neither will the X-ray machines or Quarantine officers. Don’t risk an on-the-spot fine or prosecution, or worse, threaten our flora, fauna and important agricultural industries with exotic pests and diseases.

Some people don’t realise that a lot of things you can get overseas are illegal in Australia and will be seized by Customs if you bring them back. These include blowpipes; BB guns; flick knives; crossbows; nunchakus; knuckledusters; electric flyswats; and cigarette lighters designed to look like weapons; coral; orchids; and reptile skin or ivory goods.

Don’t forget to check the Customs website for A Guide for travellers – know before you go or call the Customs Information and Support Centre on Ph: 1300 363 263 for advice about your customs clearance and items that must be declared.

Shopping on holidays?

If you are 18 or over you are entitled to bring A$900 worth of goods back into Australia. This includes goods purchased overseas, in Australia duty/tax free before you left, or goods for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You can also bring back 2.25 litres of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products. Please note: Customs must verify your TRS purchases at least 30 minutes prior to departure. For details contact Customs on Ph: 1300 363 263 or check the Customs website

Remember when overseas, you are subject to local laws. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards. Penalties for drug offences can be severe and include the death penalty.

Last reviewed:
01 Nov 2011
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