Since the lifting of the obligation to do a Covid screening for travelers arriving by plane, Brand USA has taken the opportunity to give advice to visitors.
Free visits to museums
The United States offers a wide range of renowned museums and some of them offer free admission during the day or evening, such as the MoMA in New York, which is free on the first Friday of each month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Other museums are free year-round, such as the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama, and the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City; therefore, it is recommended that you check each museum’s website for this information.
If you’re traveling to the United States in September, don’t miss Smithsonian Museum Day, an annual celebration where hundreds of museums and cultural institutions across the country offer free entry. This year, Museum Day will take place on September 17, 2022, and the reservation to obtain free admission will be open from mid-August.
Visits with a City Pass
Saving money while having access to the city’s main attractions is the principle of a CityPASS, which combines attractions such as theme parks, zoos and museums in a single package. Some passes offer over 50% off and skip-the-line access, in order to bypass the long queues at the counters, and thus save time and money. The CityPASS is a popular formula in the United States, available in 15 major cities, including Atlanta (Georgia), Dallas (Texas), Chicago (Illinois). It gives you access to attractions such as a cruise in Boston (Massachusetts), access to the Metropolitan Hub in Chicago (Illinois), and various amusement parks in San Diego in southern California. For more detailed information.
On foot, by bike, by train
Many cities in the United States can be explored on foot, such as New York, Boston and Chicago, which do not require a car rental.
San Antonio, Texas offers a pedestrian promenade of several kilometers in the city center which winds along the water’s edge. Not far from the boardwalk is Fort Alamo, a historic Spanish Mission, which is free to visit and allows you to explore Texas’ rich history. Charleston, South Carolina, is another walkable city, offering beautiful beaches, outdoor markets, and a gorgeous boardwalk where you can occasionally spot dolphins.
It is also possible to rent bicycles, another popular way to get around, or to travel by train with Amtrak at very affordable prices.
Hikes off the beaten track
National parks in the United States are in high demand. Near Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is just one of many places to experience Colorado’s spectacular scenery. Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness is located 20km southwest of Aspen and offers exceptional wilderness. Experienced hikers can walk the 45km loop of Four Pass, and admire this wild nature. Closer to Denver, Red Rocks Park is a park known for its mythical natural open-air amphitheater in which great bands perform, but it also offers free hiking trails and guided tours. You can also navigate an underground maze for caving in Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky or explore the wilderness of North Cascades National Park in Washington State.
Celebrations and Festivals
With 50 states and five territories, there’s always a special festival or event happening in the United States, and many are affordable. In New York, Restaurant Week is an event that takes place twice a year – usually in the winter – and is attended by more than 300 of New York’s best restaurants, offering visitors a fixed price and very affordable menu. If you are in Illinois at the beginning of Septemberthe Chicago Jazz Festival is an annual event that takes place on Labor Day, completely free, and which highlights internationally renowned artists. November is another festive time to travel to the United States, with Thanksgiving being America’s favorite family holiday. Many cities hold large, free parades on Thanksgiving with bands, singers, floats and giant balloons. Beyond the iconic Macy’s Day Parade in New York, you can experience the Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, Michigan, the HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade in Houston, Texas, or the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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