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NEW YORK CITY NY / U.S.A.
Country Information
The United States of America ("USA," "US," "United States," "America," or simply "the States") is a large country in central and north-western North America. The U.S. also includes several Pacific islands (primarily represented by the state of Hawaii) and an unincorporated Caribbean territory (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico).
One of the most powerful and wealthy nations on earth and third largest in territory and people, it has a mixture of densely-populated urban areas with wide areas of low population and incredible natural beauty. There is also plenty of land in the United States covered with houses, lawns, parking lots, and strip malls - perhaps more so per major urban area than in most other countries.
With a history of mass immigration dating from the 17th century, the U.S. prides itself on its "melting pot" of different cultures from around the globe. Even the briefest visit to the United States is a study in contrasts.
Regions
The U.S. stretches across the midsection of North America, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, with non-contiguous states to the north west and in the Pacific. As such, its many regions are varied. Following the admission of the state of Hawaii in 1959, the United States has 50 states as well as the city of Washington D.C. (a federal district independent of any state) and a few territories which are not states, such as Puerto Rico. Below is a rough grouping of the country into regions relevant to the traveler, from the Atlantic to the Pacific:
Holidays
The US has a number of holidays - official and/or cultural - of which the traveller should be aware (special events, closures, changed schedules, disruption, etc.) Note that holidays observed on Mondays are usually treated as weekend-long events. (A weekend consists of a Saturday and a Sunday.)
New Years Day
(January 1) - most businesses closed;
hangovers from parties the previous
night, football parties. Primarily a
secular holiday, and the major
celebration occurs the previous night.
Martin Luther King Day (third Monday
in January) - many government offices
and banks closed; diversity-awareness
programs.
St. Valentine's Day (February 14) -
no significant closures; romantic
evenings out.
Presidents Day (third Monday in
February) - (also Washington's
Birthday) - many government offices
and banks closed; few observances, many
stores have sales.
St. Patrick's Day (March 17) - no
significant closures; Irish-themed
parades during the day, and parties in
the evening. Travelers may want to be
wary of the drunken revelry and
associated drunk driving crackdowns.
Easter (a Sunday in March or April)
- few significant closures; Christian
religious observances.
Passover (timing somewhat similar to
Easter; lasts a week) - Jewish religious
observances.
Memorial Day (last Monday in May) -
most non-retail/tourism businesses
closed; some patriotic observances;
extensive travel to beaches and parks;
traditional beginning of summer
tourism season.
Independence Day / Fourth of July
(July 4) - most businesses closed;
patriotic parades, fireworks after dark.
Labor Day (first Monday in
September) - most businesses closed;
extensive travel to beaches and parks;
traditional ending of summer tourism
season.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
- Jewish religious autumn holidays.
Columbus Day (second Monday in
October) - many government offices and
banks closed; few observances.
Halloween (October 31) - no
significant closures - trick-or-treating
and costume parties in the evening.
Veterans Day (November 11) - many
government offices and banks closed;
some patriotic observances.
Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in
November, unofficially the Friday and
weekend after) most non-retail
businesses closed; family gatherings, on
Friday major Christmas shopping begins.
Christmas (December 25) - most
businesses and restaurants closed the
evening before and all day; exchanging
gifts, Christian religious observances.
If you need food from a restaurant, your
best bet will be hotels and Chinese or
Indian restaurants. People from
non-Christian religions often go to the
movies and eat at Chinese restaurants on
Christmas.
The 6-storey, air-conditioned city hotel offers a total of 247 rooms. The hotel features a foyer with a 24-hour reception desk, a hotel safe, a lift, a bar and a restaurant. Also featuring at this hotel are a public Internet terminal, conference facilities, room and laundry services as well as a car park....
Complimentary 24-hour shuttle service from Newark International Airport. The hotel also offers an expensive shuttle service to the local train, which goes to Manhattan for under 5 USD....
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