3 Things You Should Know Before Visiting the United States

Visiting the United States often feels familiar before you even arrive. Movies, TV shows, and social media make it seem like a place you already understand. That sense of familiarity is part of the appeal, and it is one reason travel to the U.S. continues to grow.

According to the National Travel and Tourism Office, 2025 was forecasted to have 77.1 million visitors. This would be a 6.5% increase compared to the 72.4 million in 2024. They also project visitor numbers to reach over 96.7 million by 2029. 

Yet once you land, small differences begin to show up. Knowing a few things before you go can help you move through the country with more confidence and fewer awkward moments. Think of it as learning the unwritten rules that make the experience smoother, not more complicated. Below are three to keep in mind.

#1. Safety in the U.S. Is as Much About Systems as It Is About Awareness

When people think about staying safe while traveling, they often focus on physical safety alone. In the U.S., safety also involves understanding how systems work when something goes wrong. Accidents, even minor ones, can trigger processes that feel unfamiliar if you are visiting from another country.

USA Today highlights data from WalletHub, which evaluated the 150 most populous cities in the country and evaluated them on 41 weighted metrics. They found that the top three safest cities were Warwick, RI, Overland Park, KS, and Burlington, VT. In contrast, the most dangerous were New Orleans, LA, Memphis, TN, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

The fact is that the U.S. is a litigation-heavy country. Say, you get injured in a car accident, at a hotel, or in a public space. The legal process can look very different from what you’re used to back home. Sometimes, you might need legal help even for minor problems, which is something to be aware of.

Thankfully, this will rarely affect you in terms of finances. As experts like Frank Piscitelli, attorney at law, explain, you will often not have to pay any upfront costs. Why? Well, many law firms in America work on a contingency fee basis. That’s where your fee gets deducted from any compensation the court awards you. 

This structure exists largely because healthcare and insurance systems in the U.S. are complex and expensive. While most trips pass without incident, knowing how things work ahead of time can reduce panic if something unexpected happens. 

#2. Be Prepared for the Stink Eye if You Don’t Tip

Tipping culture in the U.S. confuses many visitors, and even locals admit it has become harder to navigate. Unlike in many countries where tipping is optional or symbolic, tipping in the U.S. often functions as part of a worker’s income. Because of that, it carries strong social meaning.

Data from the Pew Research Center shows that 7 in 10, or 72% of adults, believe that tipping is more common now. That said, it depends on the context. At sit-down restaurants, 92% of participants said they always or often tipped. However, that percentage drops to only 25% at cafes. 

What matters most is context. In full-service settings, tipping signals basic awareness of how service jobs are structured. In casual environments, the expectation is looser, which is why the social reaction changes. When people react negatively to not being tipped, it is usually about the setting rather than the amount.

Understanding tipping as a social cue rather than a rigid rule helps take the pressure off. You are not expected to master every scenario. Showing that you recognize the norm in the moment often matters more than calculating the perfect percentage.

#3. Avoid Talking About Politics

Americans are often friendly and open in everyday conversation, which can make it seem like most topics are fair game. Politics is one area where that assumption breaks down. Political beliefs in the U.S. are closely tied to identity, values, and emotion, even when the conversation starts casually.

As the American Psychological Association found, 72% of adults wanted to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays. In fact, 38% of adults were avoiding meeting family because of the potential for arguments. That level of avoidance shows how charged the topic has become, even among people who know each other well.

For visitors, this means political discussions with strangers can escalate faster than expected. What feels like curiosity or cultural interest can be interpreted as confrontation. Many Americans prefer to keep interactions light, especially with people they have just met.

Focusing on travel experiences, food, sports, or local recommendations usually leads to warmer exchanges. Thus, steering away from political opinions is less about censorship and more about respecting emotional boundaries. Keeping conversations easy allows connections to form naturally without tension hanging in the air.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What not to do in America as a tourist?

Try not to assume the U.S. works the same way as your home country. Avoid skipping tips in full-service settings, being overly blunt with strangers, or diving into political debates. Small social missteps usually matter more than breaking any formal rule.

2. What is considered disrespectful in the U.S.A.?

Talking loudly in quiet places, cutting lines, or ignoring service staff can come off poorly. Bringing up politics or personal topics too quickly also makes people uncomfortable. Respect here is mostly about personal space, basic courtesy, and reading the room.

3. Is it mandatory to tip in the U.S.?

Tipping is not legally mandatory in the U.S., but in many situations it is socially expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers rely on tips as part of their income, so not tipping can be seen as rude unless there was a serious problem with the service.

At the end of the day, your trip to the U.S. will most likely be enjoyable, memorable, and far less complicated than people fear. You do not really need to prepare for every scenario or memorize every rule. It just helps to have a general sense of how Americans approach responsibility, service, and personal beliefs. 

holidaylandmarker

I am a passionate traveler, city explorer, and digital publisher focused on documenting real journeys, local cultures, and everyday travel experiences across India and beyond. Through my platforms, I share practical travel guides, city blogs, and daily travel logs that help readers explore destinations with confidence and local insight.

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