Travel Essentials for Your Family Trip to the USA

The USA is the third-most visited country by tourists from around the world, and it’s easy to see why. It has some hugely impressive cities, plenty of beautiful and wild national parks and lots of culture and history to soak up. Whenever you’re travelling, you need to make sure you have everything you need packed, especially so when you have young kids with you. In this article, we’ll share some of the most important travel essentials if you’re planning to visit the USA.

A Connected Smartphone

Smartphones have made so many aspects of our lives easier, giving us access to the internet in the palms of our hands and providing access to a wide range of useful apps, tools and services. Travelling without a smartphone used to be quite an ordeal, but it’s now easier than ever. However, you will need to make sure it’s properly connected once you arrive in the US.

USA travel SIM card options give you a wide range of different ways to connect your smartphone. You should make your choice based on your specific needs and the amount of data you’re likely to use. Remember that using maps, looking up guides, finding restaurant reviews and uploading pictures to friends and family on social media will all use up your data.

Ensure you also have a travel adapter to charge your smartphone while on holiday and a power bank to keep your battery topped up while out and about. You don’t want to suddenly be caught out without power, as it will make it much harder for you to find your way around.

Travel Insurance

It’s always important to have travel insurance when you’re going away on holiday, especially if you have a family. There are often family discounts available, helping you save overall costs. Regardless of the price of health insurance, it’s particularly important when visiting the USA as the healthcare costs there are typically much higher. You don’t want to be stuck with an expensive medical bill after an unexpected visit to the hospital.

Aside from getting travel insurance, bringing a small first aid kit with you is a good idea, so you can easily address any bumps, scrapes, cuts or bruises that inevitably happen while on your holiday. Hand sanitiser is also very useful for keeping everyone safe and free from germs during their travels, helping to prevent any illnesses.

Entertainment

When travelling with kids, entertainment is a must. If you’re going to be on a long flight, train or bus at any point, you need to have ways to distract and entertain your children so they’re not bored. It doesn’t have to be anything particularly complex, as even simple games of I-spy can be great fun while travelling. However, some basic toys, books, sticker books and colouring pens can be a lifesaver.

Many families will also bring devices such as tablets and portable game consoles, which can provide hours and hours of entertainment on long journeys. Make sure you have all the necessary adapters and chargers for these, as they’ll quickly drain their batteries when in use.

Authorised Entry

To visit the USA, you need to make sure you have authorised entry through a valid passport and visitor visa. Depending on where you live, you may need to apply for this in advance, so always check with the current rules and regulations before booking your flight.

Your passport needs to be in date for the total duration of your stay in the country. Additionally, your visa will only cover a certain amount of time. Overstaying could land you in serious legal trouble.  

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot to remember to pack when visiting the USA. Always make sure you and your family have authorised entry and travel insurance. It’s a good idea to stock up on entertainment too, and check that you have the right SIM to stay connected while on your holiday.