15 preparation for go on road trip in the western United States: route+visa+car rental+luggage+consumption.

This is my first time to America. Although I have prepared a lot, I will still encounter various problems, big and small.

First, the itinerary

The timetable is as follows:

Los Angeles San Diego Palm Springs Jin Man Grand Canyon Peggy Las Vegas Death Valley Yosemite San Francisco Monterrey Solvan Los Angeles

This is a honeymoon trip, and the time is10.16 ~10.31. Because it is late autumn, some scenic spots in the national park will be closed because of snow. If you want to go to a national park, you must go to official website in each national park in advance to check whether it is closed. Originally, I wanted to go to Yellowstone National Park, but after being reminded by my girlfriends in the United States, I found that some scenic spots in Yellowstone National Park were likely to be closed, so I had to reluctantly withdraw. Another scenic spot, Yosemite, we also check it once a day along the way. Halfway 120 road was closed for a few days, which caused us to almost change our itinerary. Fortunately, the road was opened again the day before we went to Yosemite.

There are all kinds of road information in the page ~

The Grand Canyon and Death Valley we went to are basically closed in winter, but it is recommended to pay more attention to official website information ~ Because official website has reference tourist routes, I will talk about this when formulating specific scenic spots ~

When you first arrive in the United States, everyone must want to visit more. At first, we planned to go to Mei Dong first and then fly to Meixi, but it was actually quite frustrating. It took a long time for the plane to take off, so we gave up the plan. Fortunately, we can play in Meixi for a long time. Mei Dong, maybe next time ~ (unfortunately, I can't see my best friend ~

II. Visa Procedures

When the route is set, start preparing for the visa ~ Because the visa time is long, you must do it well in advance and leave a good time margin!

First of all, of course, the passport. If you have a passport, please pay attention to the expiration date on it. If it expires in six months, you'd better get a new one It's easy to get a passport, just go to the local area for entry and exit, usually 15-20 days ~

Next, I applied for a visa through Everbright Credit Card, provided all kinds of information according to their requirements, and made an appointment to go to Guangzhou for a face-to-face visa ~ (If you want to apply for it yourself, you can also check the strategy online, because it is more convenient.

The materials you need to bring in the interview are:

1. original passport (you should also bring your old passport, probably because you have to check the country you have filled in when applying;

2. A visa photo (it must be consistent with the electronic photo uploaded to the system, signed with a pencil on the back and affixed with transparent tape.

In the middle of the passport; I brought this, but it didn't work ~

3.DS- 160 confirmation page (must be printed in color;

4. Appointment confirmation letter (print, check whether the information is wrong before printing;

You can bring some materials such as marriage certificate, graduation certificate and work certificate, but the visa officer didn't even look at it, haha ~

I have an appointment at 9: 30 in the morning. I arrived more than half an hour early. If I am fifteen minutes late, my appointment will be cancelled, so be careful not to be late.

Arriving at the entrance of the embassy, I found many aunts with countless bags hanging on them. Originally, they could only bring visa materials into the embassy, and nothing else. In addition, the embassy requires that all documents must be put in file bags. I suggest buying an file bag in advance and packing all the information. Other mobile wallets can't be brought in. The aunt at the door will help you manage your bag enthusiastically, of course, it is the management fee of 20 yuan. I hesitated at that time. After all, the mobile phone wallet is in the bag. At this time, my aunt immediately took out a copy of my ID card and brought it to you. Give it back to her when she picks up the bag. Considering that we have no other choice, the embassy does not provide lockers, so I choose to trust my aunt. After that, I went back to find my aunt's bag and found that my aunt's bag was much more. It seems that my business is really booming ~ if I live nearby, I can simply put them in the hotel ~

Next, queue up to enter the embassy. After the security check, you must take off your belt. Therefore, it is recommended that all boys wear casual pants, otherwise it will be quite difficult to lift pants.

When we go in, we will take fingerprints first and then interview. We were on our honeymoon, so the visa officer didn't ask too many questions. First, he looked at his passport and asked us why we went abroad, when we got married and what our jobs were. When he saw my husband's passport, he asked why he didn't take me to Europe a year ago (good question, although it was actually because we didn't talk about it at that time, haha, and then he passed without looking at any supporting materials. But the woman in front was asked about going to the United States for a long time to have a baby, and she actually said that she was going to have a baby. The interviewer asked her about her pregnancy and why she didn't take her husband alone. She explained that her husband was very busy, and then provided a million-dollar deposit certificate (local tyrant, because she thought the medical conditions in the United States were good, and finally the visa officer let her go, so don't be nervous. The interview process will be easy, she won't ask any difficult questions, and the interviewer will speak Chinese.

We choose to mail it to China CITIC Bank and collect it ourselves. After about a week or two, we will be notified to go to CITIC for a visa with our ID cards.

Don't forget to register for EVUS after completing the visa, or you will be refused entry after flying to the United States. . ~ attach the website for handling EVUS: /application.

They are all in Chinese. It's simple. It will be filled out in ten minutes ~

Third, rent a car.

As a country on wheels, America loves speed and passion. It can be said that you can't play without driving unless you join a group.

There will be many car rental companies in the same model, so you can refer to the rating of each company. Some companies don't provide Chinese services, so pay attention. The page operation is very convenient, and you can choose the location and model of the car. And then compare each car one by one. Different dates, different rental locations and different rental fees vary greatly, and there are also many differences between designated vehicles and non-designated vehicles of the same model. (If you don't specify a car that is likely to get other cars of the same class, compare it slightly when choosing a car and choose a car with higher cost performance. When I went, I didn't know if it was because of the off-season. It was relatively inexpensive. Because I played for a long time and often ran on the road, I chose JEEP Free Light, which added up to three or four hundred car rentals a day. Although ordinary cars can be used without getting off the highway, it turns out that choosing an SUV is still beneficial. First of all, it has a lot of space and can hold a lot of luggage (when you buy it in buy buy, you will know that it is very needed. One more thing, some small scenic spots in the national park may have to get off the expressway, and there is still room for SUV to play ~ I found that there are many people driving wild horses on the road, and the rent is much cheaper than that in China, which is similar to or even cheaper than that of Free Light (the price is constantly changing, please refer to the website for real-time price.

The car rental company we chose is yesway opened by Zhongmin, and the price is relatively high. There are many insurance packages on the same car rental page, and there is an option called flash rental. If it is suggested to choose this for the first time in the United States, we will use it for fifteen days, which is quite convenient. After payment, you will receive an email, add customer service WeChat, and apply for an international driver's license. Our English is average. It is very convenient to have Chinese service and provide direct airport transportation. My little brother who took us to the airport chatted with us all the way, which was quite interesting. Ask questions on WeChat at any time every day, although sometimes the reply is a little slow ~ The only drawback is that-expensive, haha, depending on the model, the cheapest insurance package is only tens to hundreds a day, and there will not be more in the off-season, so you can choose according to your personal affordability ~ If your English level is enough, you can choose other car rental companies ~

Fourth, go to go on road trip.

After driving for 15 days, I feel that Americans are really crazy to drive. The distance between cars is about 30-40 speed in China and 70-80 or even 100 in the United States. Sometimes changing lanes will make my heart beat faster (although I didn't drive, haha, I originally said that two people interacted and found that the speed in the United States was so amazing that my husband would never let me touch the car again. I was itchy. I secretly started the car when he went to the scenic spot to go to the bathroom, and he kicked me out.

Please note the following points:

1. American cars show miles, and one mile is equal to 1.6 kilometers, especially when turning, be sure to control the speed;

2. There will be a speed limit sign on the road, even if it is speeding, it should be kept within 10%;

There are often stop signs at intersections, so be sure to stop for three seconds! ! ! Otherwise, you will be given a ticket;

4. If you turn right, there is a sign that says noturnonred, and there is such a slogan that you can't turn right at a red light;

5. When crossing a zebra crossing or intersection, you must let pedestrians go first. If you turn a corner, let the straight car go first.

6. We met two yellow lines on the road, and there were dotted lines in them. Cars in both directions can enter the inside of the two yellow lines and then turn. This is a turning point. I didn't dare to press the line at first, but I detoured for several kilometers. ...

7. Parking spaces in big American cities are sometimes hard to find. If there is a parking meter on the roadside, you can park directly and pay the fee. If there is no sign, you will usually write whether you can park. If parking is prohibited on the roadside painted yellow or red, the fine in the United States is very heavy, so be careful.

The price of the meter is different in different areas, so pay attention to the time when you come back, or you will be fined ~

If you write Sunday, you can park all day on Sunday ~ parking in many places on Sunday is free ~

8. With regard to refueling, the United States is self-help, and many gas stations cannot use foreign credit cards. Be sure to prepare the change, pay in the supermarket at the gas station first, then refuel and go back to get the change. Oil prices vary greatly in different regions, so be sure to refuel before long-distance driving. Sometimes we can't find a gas station on the highway for a long time. Well, later travel notes will write about our hard experience of almost no oil.

9. There are no street lights on American highways at night, and there are no cars on the roads. It's scary and dangerous to just pull out a small piece of light with the headlights. Try to avoid burning the midnight oil.

10. In the United States, it is best to use Google Maps. Offline maps can be downloaded in advance. When there is often no signal on the expressway, it is best to download the map and plan the route in advance. (If there are scenic spots that need to be bypassed on the way, just add stopovers on the route. This function is very easy to use, so it is still unimpeded when offline. We specially bought a GPS as a backup for intercity traffic, which proved to be really necessary. At first, the position of the mobile phone holder was stuck in the air conditioner.

1 1. There are many intersections on American highways, and Google Maps did not prompt them in time. In addition, I am not used to American road conditions, and I often miss the intersection in the first few days and go around my heart. In fact, every highway exit will be marked with numbers. When driving, the co-pilot should always look at the map to remind the driver of various situations and road conditions. Yes, I'm just saying that my excellent co-pilot has made great contributions.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) luggage that must be carried.

1. clothes

Be sure to check the weather of your daily trip before you leave. Many websites can be checked ~ if you can't find some scenic spots, you can check the weather in nearby cities ~

Although it is only fifteen days to go to the United States, the hottest Death Valley is over 30 degrees because of the long route and great temperature difference (it is said that it can reach 39 degrees in summer, and it snows in the Grand Canyon and Yosemite in the coldest time). Prepare a set of clothes for the four seasons (summer clothes can be more than one set, and it is best to bring a pair of slippers. American hotels don't provide slippers, just bring a thick coat. One is the heavy luggage, and the other is that shopping in America can actually be temporary.

I saw someone recommend a portable electric iron on the Internet before, but in the United States, you don't have to consider it at all. Every hotel, including AIRBNB, generally has an electric iron, which can be ironed every day if necessary.

But washing machines are not always available. Some hotels provide paid laundry rooms, and some high-end hotel rooms will be equipped with ~

2. medicine

Common, Baoji pills, ointment coated with mosquito bites, can be brought, not too much, may be checked, just the amount during the trip. I was worried about jet lag with melatonin, but it seems useless to eat it. Let's take it according to the situation. Because of the large temperature difference, you may catch a cold, and you can also bring some medicines to prevent colds.

3. Cosmetics and skin care products

It seems that more than 50 ml of liquid may be detained by security. It is suggested that you can buy the kind of small bottles and repackage too large emulsion and makeup remover. When you are in Death Valley National Park, it is very dry. You must remember to bring sunscreen and some masks.

4. Cosmetics

American hotels will provide shower gel and shampoo. If the requirements are higher, you can bring your own bath towel, preferably thin, because it is difficult to find a place to dry clothes in the hotel except the wardrobe, and towels often can't be dried. American hotels generally don't provide combs, so you must bring one.

5. necessities of life

First of all, be sure to bring the adapter! Otherwise, the phone can't be charged. It's best to buy a car charging cable, which may need to be recharged after driving for a long time.

It is recommended to take several waterproof bags and pack the luggage in different categories, especially toiletries and cosmetics. If you accidentally spill a whole bag, you will be miserable.

I suggest you bring a portable kettle. Everyone has heard many urban legends about kettles. Many hotels in the United States don't have kettles, so this mini-folding doesn't take up space.

6. food

Please note that you must declare bringing food into the country. If it is fresh fruit or something, it is not allowed to enter the country. You must eat it before you get off the plane. The couple sitting in front of us cleverly distributed olives to us in the back seat. Although we appreciate it, raw olives are really sour ~ to avoid trouble, it is recommended not to bring food. If you do, you should ask the flight attendant for a declaration form on the plane. There is also a self-service declaration machine when you get off the plane. Remember to operate ~ We are a flight of Xiamen Airlines, and the airport is guided by Xiamen Airlines staff. You can ask if you don't understand.

Six, change preparation and tipping

When you go to America, you must take money with you. It is recommended to bring about $65,438+0,000. The reason for this is the following：

1. Most gas stations in the United States do not support foreign credit cards, so you must bring your change in advance. You have to change money after filling up, and the refueling fee for 15 days is about $500.

2. When shopping and eating, there will be extra discounts for cash payment in some places;

3. If you are unfortunately robbed, give some money, at least people are still safe, don't try to resist, many robbers carry guns;

As for how to tip, I'm ashamed to say that I didn't get a specific reply after studying online for a long time, so I asked my best friend to know that American restaurants usually have waiters to serve you a table and tip you. When you check out, give your credit card to the waiter, then the restaurant will pre-swipe it, then you sign it, fill in a tip or a percentage, and then the restaurant will automatically deduct the corresponding fee from your credit card. Generally, it is 10%- 15% at noon and 15%-30% at night.

Seven. residence

The trip lasted 15 days and stayed in many cities, including airbnb, motel, lodge, inn, hotels and so on. I can't distinguish so many words. Generally speaking, in addition to Airbnb, there are various hotels of different grades:

Motels are motels. As the name implies, they are hotels suitable for drivers. Although I thought the motel environment was poor, in fact, the motel also has a better environment, so it is more convenient to stop at the door.

Lodge refers to hotels with beautiful scenery, which are often expensive.

Inns are a bit like express hotels, usually located on the roadside, and many of them are chain hotels. The Lodge and Inn where I lived are both two floors, and there is no elevator. Generally, I will arrange to live on the second floor, which is probably more expensive or reserved for people with walking difficulties.

The hotel is a relatively high-end hotel with an elevator.

Considering that the United States is not so safe at night, it is recommended to choose a better hotel accommodation and see the evaluation. I will also introduce the hotel I booked in every travel note. Hotels near national park attractions must be booked at least one month in advance, otherwise it is easy to get a reservation. Hotels in the scenic spot are cheaper than those outside the scenic spot, and of course they are booked early.

Aribnb living in a big city will be better, with more choices and cheaper prices. The most important thing is to experience the accommodation environment of local people. We all order Airbnb from China, so we can chat with the landlord in Chinese ~

Most of the accommodation booked in booking and Honeycomb can be booked through a treasure, but it doesn't feel so reliable ~ If it is not a super popular place, such as a transit station, you can book accommodation a few days in advance. Note that even if you book a room that can be cancelled, you must confirm it 24 hours in advance, otherwise you will still be charged. If you really have to change your decision temporarily, remember to cancel the order. Although the money is not refundable, at least you don't have to pay taxes.

By the way, a little advice. If you drive between American towns, you can usually cross a town in a few minutes, so if you choose a town near a scenic spot or transfer to accommodation, you can choose a relatively less popular town (that is, a town that is not so prosperous but is actually within an hour's drive), which can be much cheaper and the fuel cost is much cheaper!

Eight, diet

As for eating, I really didn't eat anything. The best places to eat are Los Angeles and San Diego, and then they are basically fast food like hamburgers. I ate hot pot once in San Francisco, which was very expensive. After the meat hurts, it degenerates to eating instant noodles every day. In short, this is a trip without any food. Haha ~ We have eaten several kinds of instant noodles in America. I feel that no matter what brand of beef is delicious, don't try other flavors.

Speaking of hamburgers, Inan Dortmund is the most famous in the West. We also went to eat twice. After I took a bite, I really didn't understand why it was the most famous one. The taste is ok, but it's not amazing. The French fries are not the same as those in other places, and they have not been put down. Later, I learned that it was cheap, and I had to queue for a long time every time I went ~ I heard that there was a hidden menu, that is, French fries with different salad dressings, which was not too special. The car rental brother recommended 5gate, but unfortunately we didn't eat it. Burger king has eaten several times. It's big and delicious, but you must eat beef burger. The chicken burger tastes terrible. When eating hamburgers, you can consider homemade hamburgers in special restaurants, which have different exquisite tastes ~

I have also eaten Pizza Hut in the United States, and my personal feeling is much worse than that in China.

By the way, ordering food in America must be slow and heavy! Basically, a set meal for two is enough.

If there is a Wal-Mart, you can buy cooked food, which is much cheaper than eating out. Last time I bought a roast chicken, it was delicious ~

Nine, shopping

This time, we went to three places, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. In contrast, Palm Springs is definitely the best way out. After all, it is the largest outlet in America, and the shopping guide will give you a discount note. Most of them are in Chinese. Compared with the other two branches, China in Palm Springs provides the most services, while Las Vegas is the least favorite. Maybe the shopping state was not good that day?

Many credit cards have discounts for outbound consumption, so be sure to pay attention to your credit card activities.

Remember to go to the service center to get the discount books before shopping. Fill in the information and you can get one for free. There are many extra benefits in it. You can use it when you show it in the store.

Most of the things we buy are clothes, pants and bags. Let's take a few brands we have bought:

Levi's-it's really cheap! ! ! We only spent 100 yuan on four pairs of trousers. I heard that someone bought ten pieces 100 when the discount was stronger in summer!

A/X- great style. I bought a denim jacket (that is, the denim jacket in my desert article, about 50 yuan ~

Coach-the store is very big and has a great style. It is really much cheaper than in China, so there are many people. There are beautiful and ugly styles of bags, and the ugly ones are greatly discounted, but. . . I won't buy it = = it's still worth a visit ~ I bought a cloak coat with a discount of about 200. The original price is 8900, I wonder if there is any water ~

MichaelKors- The classic bag is about 120 yuan after discount, but the larger size I bought is cheaper, 100 yuan, which is very cost-effective ~

CK- Outlets may have two or three CK stores, such as MEN, WEMEN and SPORT. I don't know why they don't cooperate. There are really many styles, and the discount degree is different. Finally, I bought a sweater with a special style, forty or fifty yuan. My husband bought a thick coat, and the style is still very nice, 100 yuan, much cheaper than in China ~

DKNY- I feel that the store is not big, maybe the style is not popular enough? But I quite like this style. I bought a coat and a pair of trousers, both of which are about forty yuan ~

Tumi-my husband's favorite. Although I don't like sports bags, they are really much cheaper than those in China. A big backpack 120 yuan, 3 thousand RMB in China ~

Cosmetics-Outlets has no special brand stores, but a collection of cosmetics stores, including Estee Lauder Clinique Body Shop, with huge discounts. It's a pity that I don't know much, and I didn't buy much, because it's not a brand store and it doesn't sell all. Some are not common in China, so you'd better decide what to buy first ~

Nike Adi-I didn't think it was much cheaper, so I didn't buy it in the end ~

Prada-I don't know if there was no discount when I went or if there was no discount all the time, but why didn't there be any discount when I opened it at outlets ~

Forever 21-this is not discounted and the price is good. You can buy one if you like, so I just browsed it and didn't buy it ~

This strategy comes from the young master of Douban.