USA Travel Guide For Film Fans

August 25th, 2017 Sonja DESTINATIONS, NORTH AMERICA, USA

(Last Updated On: 10th July 2021)

The USA is one of those countries I thought I had already seen long before I ever set foot there myself. From the iconic big cities (like New York City in Sex and the City), countryside romantic in the South (Sweet Home Alabama) or those typical all-American suburbs (Desperate Housewives) – you can see it all on screen. Nevertheless, nothing compares to actually seeing this vast country with your own eyes. So in this brief USA Travel Guide for Film Fans, you'll find my best tried-and-tested tips for your next film-inspired trip to the United States…

USA Overview:

Films to watch for inspiration
When to go
Where to go
How to get around
What to do: All USA Posts at a glance
Good to know before you go: Four Travel Tips for the USA

1. What to watch for inspiration

36 films and series that were set and / or filmed in the USA!

"Caesar's Palace" in Las Vegas was the setting for "The Hangover" (2009)

2. When to go

All year round, but I would recommend off-season due to fewer tourists. Since the USA is such a vast country though, it really depends where you go. October / November is a good time for the West Coast and the South, as it's still pleasantly warm, but not too hot.

Spring flowers and New York brownstones in May 2017

According to my experience, May is the best month to visit New York City because this is when the city is blossoming with beautiful spring flowers and it is neither too hot nor too cold (New York City weather can be extreme in the summer and winter).

"Indian Summer" in Washington D.C.

Finally, for beautiful changing autumn colours (the so-called Indian Summer), visit America's East Coast during the autumn months (September-November).

3. Where to go

1. The East Coast:

"Hipster New York City" is best to be discovered on a neighbourhood walking tour

With Central Park being the most frequently used filming location of the world (!) and literally tons of films that have been shot here, New York City is a travel destination that film fans should definitely not miss. In New York City, you will even find a specialised tour provider for Film Location Tours. The budget-friendly walking and food tours by Free Tours by Foot are equally fun ways to explore the city.

The Abraham Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. was one of the film locations of the movie "Philomena"

Other highlights on the East Coast include Boston (lots of history and the world-famous Harvard University, which was the setting for The Social Network), Philadelphia (Silver Linings Playbook), Baltimore (Ted) and of course the capital Washington D.C. (the setting for Philomena don't miss the excellent and FREE national museums here). The must-see natural wonders of this region are the Niagara Falls!

2. The West Coast:

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

From cosmopolitan Seattle in the cool Pacific North (the setting of Fifty Shades of Grey) via the Hollywood hub Los Angeles (La La Land) and Silicon Valley techie city San Fransisco (The Internship) all the way to the biggest playground for adults, Sin City Las Vegas (The Hangover), – it will never get boring on America's West Coast!

You might see the guy from "The Hangover" hanging around in Las Vegas! 😉

Reload your batteries in the many national parks here, such as Yosemite, or the lesser known Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeastern California, where Reese Witherspoon hikes to on her "pilgrimage" in Wild.

3. The Mid West:

The Mid West might be a less popular choice for (oversea) tourists and frankly, I only became aware of the city of Cincinnati because several of my American relatives live in the area. However, as I found out on my three visits in 2011, 2015 and 2017, Cincinnati in Ohio as well as Louisville in Kentucky, have a lot to offer… especially in terms of food, history and even filming locations…

Minneapolis, the largest city of Minnesota, is also called "The Mini Apple"

On my most recent visit in 2017, I also passed through Chicago (The Dark Knight) and Minneapolis (Young Adult), which both offer a lot in terms of art and culture.

The skyline of Chicago

4. The Deep South:

Oak Alley Plantation near New Orleans, Louisiana

The Southern States are great to travel back in time and for Old School America at its best! Check out the plantations around New Orleans (12 Years A Slave), countryside romantic in Alabama (Sweet Home Alabama), Memphis, Tennessee (home of "the king" Elvis and his "Graceland"), and Albuquerque in New Mexico (Breaking Bad) for a steak challenge in Amarillo, Texas (as seen in The Guilt Trip).

At the "Big Texan Steak Ranch" in Amarillo, you can test your appetite in a "steak eating competition"

Read more in my post New Mexico, USA – 3 Ways to Get Your Film Fan Fix

4. How to get around

Rental car: If you want to experience one of those epic road trips you've seen in the movies, a rental car is your best bet. As you can stop anywhere you like, even in the tiniest of villages, this is the most flexible way to see the country. Remember to clearly plan your route beforehand though as distances are very long! Cars drive on the right side of the road and gas is a lot cheaper than in Europe.

A road in Utah, which was made famous through the film "Forrest Gump"

Trains: The train network in the USA is unfortunately very limited and very slow. I once took the 24-hour train ride from Seattle to San Francisco with Amtrak (the main train company). The train ride was scenic, but very long, so do keep that in mind. In terms of standards though, the Amtrak trains are comparable to those in Europe, so for shorter distances (for example Vancouver in Canada to Seattle in the northeastern USA, which takes about 4 and a half hours), trains can be a budget-friendly and stress-free travel option if booked a few weeks in advance.

Buses: Long-distance bus services connect the major cities and are a particular good way of transport in the Midwest. On my most recent trip in 2017, I took the Megabus from Louisville to Chicago and from Chicago to Minneapolis for just 10 Dollars each! It depends on the time of your booking, but if you book a few weeks or better months in advance, you can bag yourself a really great bargain! Just keep in mind that the Megabus is pretty popular and can get crowded, so it's advisable to book an assigned seat as well (it's only 1 Dollar more).

Guided Tours: Tour companies such as Contiki offer various group tours for young people aged 18 to 35. Some of these even go all the way from East Coast to West Coast. This is certainly your best bet if you want to see and learn as much as possible in a limited amount of time.

Seattle from above

Public Transport: If you stay in a big city, public transport is usually the cheapest and easiest option to get around. However, the only city where you can truly get everywhere by public transport is New York City. Other US cities, such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Minneapolis, Cincinnati or L.A. usually limit their reliable public transport opportunities to their Downtown areas. So if you want to use public transport in these cities, it's best to stay at a centrally hotel or hostel in Downtown.

UBER: A lot of American cities have no public transport system at all. But thanks to the arrival of Uber, you can now get a ride with your smartphone everywhere you have an internet connection (even in small towns). Thus, getting around American cities without a car has become much easier and cheaper.

Airplane: If you travel on longer distances and / or you have limited time, flying is your best travel option.

5. What to Do

All USA Posts at a glance

For film-inspired travel ideas, check out my USA Destinations Category or this list of all my posts:

USA Bucket List For Film Fans

Eating My Way through North America – 3 North American Food Tours you absolutely have to try!

Spotlight on Chicago: All you need to know before you visit Chicago, USA

Spotlight on Cincinnati: All you need to know before you visit Cincinnati, USA

Sweet Stroll Food Tour in Cincinnati

Sex and the City Hotspots Tour in New York City

When in Hollywood – Four Must-Do's for Film Fans

New Mexico, USA – 3 Ways to Get Your Film Fan Fix

Brooklyn at its Best – 7 Sightseeing Tips for Film Fans

5 Steps to Plan your Stay in New York City

On the Duck Tour in Seattle, you cruise through the beautiful marina

6. Good to know before you go:

Four Travel Tips for the USA

1. Tipping: In the USA, tipping is absolutely mandatory! Even if you order a beer at a bar, you have to give the waiter at least a 1 Dollar bill as a tip. Otherwise, you will not get a second beer… In general, tipping is expected everywhere within the service industry (restaurant waiters, bar staff, porters in hotels, even massages, hairdressers and so on…)

2. Credit Cards: You can pay with credit cards in almost all places, so keeping huge amounts of cash is usually not necessary. However, for the compulsory tips (see point 1), you should always keep some one-dollar bills in your pocket. For tipping tour guides, you should also have some ten and / or twenty dollar bills handy. Furthermore, you may also need some quarter coins (25 cents) for things such as washing machines and dryers in laundrettes (although at some of them, you can even pay by credit card these days).

Sunset at the Grand Canyon

3. Budget-friendly Accommodation: For budget travellers, hostels can be a good alternative to hotels, although not everywhere. In New York City, for example, I found that an AirBnB usually offers better value for money than hostels (which unfortunately have become quite expensive). I you book an AirBnB though, make sure you carry out a thorough research on the area.

4. Tax: The value added tax is different in every state. Thus, the tax is not always included in the prices you order from a menu. Instead, tax is often added at the end, but will be visible on your bill (or "the check" as the Americans say).

New York City's skyline and its most famous symbol – The Statue of Liberty

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