Don’t overbook your visit. 

不要把行程安排得太满。

If you only have two or three weeks in the US, don’t try to hit every major attraction in the country. You can’t, and you’ll exhaust yourself trying. It’s a better idea to plan a trip in one or two regions of the country, based on your personal interests.

如果你在美国只有两三周的时间，就别琢磨着能把所有的主要景点都逛完了。你真的逛不完，尝试的过程会让你筋疲力尽。较为合理的做法是根据你自己的兴趣，选择一两个地区进行游玩：

Southern California or Florida if you love theme parks. The East Coast corridor (Boston, Philadelphia, NYC, Washington DC) for history and museums. Hawaii for beaches, volcanoes and surfing. If you love the outdoors, try the national and state parks in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Alaska, Utah, California, Washington or Oregon.

喜欢主题公园的话，可以去南加州或佛罗里达州；东海岸地区（波士顿，费城，纽约，华盛顿DC）主要内容是历史和博物馆；夏威夷的特点则是海滩，火山和冲浪；如果你是户外爱好者，可以去这几个地区的国家公园/州公园：怀俄明州、蒙大拿州、科罗拉多州、阿拉斯加州、犹他州、加州（加利福尼亚州）、华盛顿州或俄勒冈州。

A road trip is a classic, all-American way to see large parts of the country. It will cost more money and take more time than you think. I would say three to four weeks is the minimum, if you want to cross from one coast to the other at a leisurely pace, with time to stop and see things on the way.

自驾游是一个非常经典的美国全民出行方式，如果你想多逛些地方的话可以选择，但它比你想象中的花费要高得多，无论是钱还是时间。我个人觉得最少你需要腾出3-4周的时间，才能以一种比较舒适的速度横跨美国大陆，并在途中自在地游览、休息。

Do keep in mind that a lot of the “heartland” (the area between the coastal states) is empty and really boring. There are wonderful things to see in the middle of the country, but expect hours and hours of driving past cows, oil wells, and endless open land. Download some good audiobooks.

值得注意的是，很多“中心地带”（就是在海岸州之间夹着的内陆州）空空荡荡，索然无味。确实不乏一些有趣的看点，但你得准备好长时间驾车经过牛群，油井和漫无边际的空旷地。下点有声书会是个明智的选择。

Don’t settle for bad food. 

不要吃得太将就。

There is amazing food in the US, you just have to seek it out. Please don’t eat fast food for your entire visit and then complain that the food was bad!

美国有很多美食，你只是需要一双发现它们的眼睛。千万别全程只知道吃垃圾食品，然后又抱怨吃得太差！

Most major cities, states and regions have their own food specialties. Lobster in Maine. New York style pizza in NYC, or deep-dish pizza in Chicago. Gumbo and jambalaya in Louisiana. Giant burritos in California. Tex-Mex in Texas and the southwest. Barbecue in Memphis. Grilled salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Philly cheesesteaks. Georgia peach pie.

大部分的主要城市、州和地区都有自己独特的美食。缅因州的龙虾；纽约的“纽约式”pizza，或芝加哥的深盘多料pizza；路易斯安纳州的秋葵和卡津人什锦杂烩饭；加州超大的墨西哥馅饼；德州和西南地区的德州特色墨西哥餐厅；孟菲斯的户外烧烤；西北大西洋地区的烤三文鱼；费城的奶酪牛肉三明治；乔治亚州的桃味馅饼。

Research and seek these out. Ask locals you meet for their restaurant recommendations. Try the local wine or beer, and maybe the local ice cream too!

你需要自己边查边找。可以找你遇到的当地人推荐餐厅，顺便尝尝当地的红酒或啤酒，也许还有特色冰淇淋也说不定！

If you’re visiting a big city, you can find excellent food from all over the world, from Ethiopian to Thai to Mexican. Food carts are gaining in popularity in many American cities as well. They often serve really innovative and tasty food for less than the restaurant price.

如果是在游览大城市的话，你能吃到来自世界各地的美食，从埃塞俄比亚特色食品、到泰式菜、到墨西哥餐应有尽有。现在在美国许多城市，小餐车也越来越多了，他们经常贩卖一些不仅新颖、美味，而且价格比餐厅便宜不少的小吃。

Don’t count on speaking any language besides English. 

不要指望通过英语以外的语言和人交流。

Most Americans only speak English and will expect you to do the same. If you go to a doctor or hospital they can call an interpreter for you, but otherwise you need to speak English fluently to get around. You could probably manage with just Spanish if you are visiting the southwest, but keep in mind it will be a Mexican/Latin American dialect. It’s best to brush up on your English skills before your visit.

大多数美国人只说英语，同时他们希望你也一样。除非你去医院就医，他们会帮你找一名口译，其他情况你必须有流利的英文能力才能应付各种局面。也许在西南地区，你的西班牙语能派上用场，但要记住那里的人都有很浓的墨西哥或南美口音。所以，最好还是在出发前把你的英语好好捡捡吧！

Don’t stress out about clothes. 

不要总纠结穿什么。

Outside the big East Coast cities, the US is a very casual country. You’ll see people in workout clothes, sweats and sneakers everywhere. A common outfit in the US, for both men and women, is jeans, a T-shirt, sneakers, and a fleece jacket or hooded sweatshirt depending on the weather. Only very nice restaurants require men to wear sports coats.

除了东海岸那些大城市，美国是个非常随意的地方。你会发现穿着健身服、宽松毛衣和运动鞋的人到处都是。无论男女，最常见的装扮就是牛仔裤，T恤，运动鞋，随季节变化的羊毛夹克衫或带帽运动衣。只有那些高档餐厅才会要求男士必须着西装上衣。

Do some research on the local climate during the dates of your visit, and pack comfortable clothes that are appropriate for the expected weather conditions and the activities you plan on doing. If you forget something, you can buy it here (and if you’re from Europe, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by the low clothing prices!).

提前了解当地的气候动态，带上与天气和你想进行的活动对应的衣物。当然了，如果忘了带什么，这里也可以买到（如果你是从欧洲来的，也许会惊喜地发现这里的东西真的便宜！）。