A trip to the United States is a dream almost everyone carries around in their head – but the moment you sit down to plan it, the practical doubts kick in. How much will the whole thing cost? When’s the best time to go? Can we pull it off on our own, or should we just book a tour? America is huge, and every corner calls for a completely different plan: you can map out New York over a weekend, but for Alaska we happily start fine-tuning things half a year ahead.
Right here in one place you’ll find three things: up-to-date tour and flight prices that we refresh every morning, our tips from our own travels, and a plan for when and what to book so you don’t end up overpaying.
What to see and do in United States
The United States isn’t a single destination – it’s more like ten different worlds. We’ve logged the most miles in two of them: buzzing New York and wild Alaska. And these two extremes show exactly how varied America can be.
- New York – a city you can cover in 3 days, or take your time over 5 days. Skyscrapers, Central Park, museums and Broadway in the evening. It’s pure magic at Christmas and in winter.
- Denali National Park in Alaska – the highest mountain in North America, bears and caribou. The gateway is the little town of Talkeetna with its flightseeing tours.
- The Northern Lights – the best conditions draw people to Fairbanks and Chena Hot Springs.
- Glaciers and fjords – Kenai Fjords, Prince William Sound or UNESCO-listed Glacier Bay.
- Bears in the wild – iconic bear viewing in Katmai and at Brooks Falls during Fat Bear Week.
- Wilderness without the crowds – the largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias, and the least-visited Gates of the Arctic.
- The Inside Passage – historic Sitka, the road-less capital of Juneau, Haines and Skagway and the fishing town of Homer.
- The desert south – Big Bend National Park in Texas, a wild and beautifully empty corner of the US.
When to visit United States
When should you head to the United States? It mostly depends on where you’re going. New York is most pleasant in spring (May–June) and autumn (September–October), when it’s neither sweltering nor freezing. Christmas in New York has its own irresistible magic – but expect cold weather and crowds, so sort out your accommodation and tickets well in advance.
Alaska has a very sharply defined season. For travel, hiking and the fjords, June to August is best. That’s when the roads are open and the boats and flightseeing tours are running. The Northern Lights need the exact opposite – you chase them from late August to April, ideally in the winter months with their long, dark nights. We go into the details in our article on when to visit Alaska.
Texas’s Big Bend is ideal in winter and early spring – from November to April. In summer the heat there is extreme. So save summer for the north and winter for the south.
Here are the experiences we swear by in the United States – all drawn from places we’ve explored and written up ourselves. Below this text you’ll find booking cards where you can lock them in right away.
- An evening musical on Broadway – an experience that’s simply part of New York; we share how to score cheaper tickets in the article.
- A flightseeing tour of Denali from Talkeetna – a view of North America’s highest mountain from above, ideally with a glacier landing.
- Chasing the Northern Lights near Fairbanks – the aurora paired with the warm waters of Chena Hot Springs.
- Cruising among the glaciers in Kenai Fjords – whales, sea lions and calving glaciers from the deck of a boat.
- Watching bears in Katmai at Brooks Falls – bears catching salmon at the waterfall, one of Alaska’s most iconic scenes.
- A hike in Texas’s Big Bend – desert canyons, hot springs by the Rio Grande and a night sky full of stars.
How to get to United States
From the Czech Republic you’ll almost always reach the United States with one layover at one of Europe’s hubs (Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Munich) or via Istanbul. Don’t expect a direct flight from Prague to the US right now. Getting to New York (JFK or Newark airport) takes roughly 9–12 hours, even with the connection.
Alaska is more of a logistical challenge – you’ll usually fly via one of the big American airports (Seattle tends to be the main gateway) and only then on to Anchorage or Fairbanks. The whole journey from the Czech Republic can easily take 18–24 hours including layovers. Before you set off, don’t forget to sort out your ESTA – we cover the whole process plus tips on flights and car hire in our article Alaska from the Czech Republic: the logistics.
Renting a car
In New York you really don’t need a car – it’ll be more of a burden, parking is pricey and the subway gets you everywhere. A car only makes sense for a road trip, mainly across Alaska or in Texas, where you can barely move without one. For an Alaska road trip, a car (or an RV) is absolutely essential.
- Book ahead through a comparison site for rental firms – capacity in Alaska fills up in season and on-the-spot prices are usually much higher.
- Check the insurance and deposit – the basic package often isn’t enough. Add full coverage and expect a sizeable hold on your card.
- In Alaska some rental firms don’t allow driving on unpaved roads (e.g. the Denali Highway) – check this in advance.
- Factor in ferries (the Inside Passage) and toll tunnels – for example, the tunnel to Whittier charges a toll and runs at set times.
Where to stay in United States
In big cities like New York, choose mainly by location. From the heart of Manhattan you can walk or take the subway anywhere, but you’ll pay for it. Brooklyn, Queens or New Jersey tend to be cheaper, with the subway or train getting you into the centre. Hotels here aren’t cheap, so we often go for an apartment or a smaller boutique hotel away from the very middle.
- Cities (New York, Anchorage): hotels, apartments, hostels – book as early as you can, as prices climb the closer the date gets.
- National parks: lodges right inside the park or campgrounds – capacity is limited and fills up months ahead in season, especially in Alaska and Denali.
- Alaska road trip: a mix of motels, cabins and campgrounds; an RV saves you on both accommodation and transport at once.
- Inside Passage (Juneau, Sitka): small inns and guesthouses – with limited capacity, so book early.
Package tour or independent travel?
The United States can be done beautifully on your own, but in some regions a tour operator saves you a lot of hassle. Here’s our honest comparison:
A tour is worth it when…
- you want to see lots of places in a short time without worrying about logistics;
- you’re going to Alaska for the first time and the organising of flights, cars and boats scares you;
- you’d rather not deal with ESTA, accommodation in the parks and booking activities yourself;
- you’re travelling without a driving licence or don’t feel confident on American roads.
Go it alone when…
- you want to stay flexible and change plans with the weather (priceless in Alaska);
- you enjoy planning and want to save on the middleman;
- you’re heading to New York – anyone can handle that with ease;
- you want to spend more time in specific places rather than just ticking off an itinerary.
The two of us love travelling independently best – mainly for the flexibility. But in Alaska, especially when you’re combining glaciers, bears and flights into the wilderness, a tour, or at least activities booked ahead, makes a lot of sense. For New York we’d clearly recommend your own plan – we’ve got ready-made itineraries for it.
Budget: daily costs in United States
| Level | Accommodation | Food | Transport & activities | Total/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | 30 $–65 $ (hostel, campsite) | 20 $–35 $ | 17 $–35 $ | approx. 70 $–130 $ |
| Standard | 105 $–190 $ (hotel, apartment) | 40 $–65 $ | 45 $–105 $ | approx. 185 $–360 $ |
| Comfort | 230 $ and up (nicer hotel, lodge) | 75 $ and up | 130 $ and up | approx. 430 $ and up |
Prices are a rough guide per person per day and vary a lot by region — New York and Alaska are among the pricier corners of the US. Keep in mind that on top of these figures, restaurants add a tip of around 15–20%, and goods carry a sales tax that isn’t shown on the price tag.
How to save when planning
- Buy flights 3–6 months ahead – it pays off most on long-haul flights to the US, where last-minute deals almost never appear. Search for flights in our finder.
- Book accommodation in New York and the national parks as early as possible – Alaska’s lodge capacity fills up months in advance and in-season prices keep rising. Our accommodation tips.
- Lock in fixed-capacity activities and tours (flightseeing, bear viewing, boats) ahead of time – they tend to sell out on the spot. What to book early.
- Keep an eye on current tours – we refresh the selection every morning, and you can catch some great dates. Current tours.
- Where people overpay the most: spur-of-the-moment Broadway tickets, last-minute accommodation and changing money at the airport. Plan ahead and you’ll avoid it.
Practical information
- Language and entry: English. Before you travel, sort out your ESTA online (your visa-waiver authorisation) – just apply a few days in advance.
- Payments: a card handles practically everything, but cash for tips comes in handy. Watch out for the tax that’s added at the till.
- Connectivity: the easiest option is an eSIM – activate it at home and it works the moment you land. In Alaska, though, expect no signal at all out in the wilderness.
- Safety: in cities normal caution is enough, and out in nature respect the rules – above all around bears in Alaska.
- Health: travel insurance is a must in the US. Healthcare here is extremely expensive, and travelling without insurance is a huge risk.
