Be well prepared for your trip with the following tips

Apply for your ESTA on time! 

• We advise you to apply for your ESTA four weeks before your trip to The United States. Apply for your ESTA at least 72 hours before your trip, since the American CBP is allowed to take 72 hours to make a decision. 
  Your passport must be valid during your entire stay in The United States. 
  It is required that everybody has their own passport. Which means that children are not allowed to travel to The United States on their parents’ passport. 

Search for the addresses of the sights you wanted to visit before you start your trip. 

• Put all the addresses in a little note book and take this with you during your travels. This will prevent you from forgetting one of them during the trip. It is also advisable to write down emergency numbers in this note book this way you will always have the important addresses and numbers close. 

Before you start your trip make sure you will have service with your mobile phone in The United States. 

• The costs of making phone calls in The United States can rise quickly. If you have a SIM lock free phone, you could consider getting an International SIM in The United States. This will allow you to call from The United States to Europe for 7 cents per minute. 

Make notice which electrical devices you take with you: 

• In The United States they make use of 110-volt systems. Which is very different from the 220-volt systems we might know. That is why it is very important to see if your device also works at 110 volt, if you are unsure ask an electronics store for advice. 

What baggage are you allowed to take with you on the plan:

• For flights to The United States there is a maximum of 23 kilos per suitcase. 
  It is no longer permitted to lock your checked baggage, since they want to be able to check for explosives. It is allowed to lock your checked baggage with a Transpiration Security Administration approved lock. Suitcase stores sell these TSA-locks. 
  Fluids in the carry-on luggage are not allowed to excess 100 milliliters per package and must be put in a transparent resealable bag. 
  You are only allowed to take essential medications in your carry-on luggage when the medication is in their original packaging and you have a doctor’s note. This doctor’s note needs to be written in English. 

If you are planning to make a road trip through The United States and you are planning to rent a car, there are some things to keep in mind: 

• The United States knows a lot of car rental companies. It is important to search for a large company that is well known. These often have a lot of branches and will be able to help you faster if you get in any type of trouble. 
  The largest car rental companies: Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, Dollar and Thrifty.
  You should start thinking about what type of car you would like to rent for your trip. This depends on what your wishes are for the car. When you have decided about the car you can start comparing prices.  
  It is often easiest to arrange for a rental car in The Netherlands. Do keep in mind that most companies ask for payment by credit card. 
  
  We wish you an amazing trip in The United States! No doubt it will be great with these tips!