Discover the West
The USA’s West is fantastic for experiencing the urban buzz. Rub shoulders with the stars in Los Angeles or hit the bright lights of Las Vegas. For tasty food tours (and America’s greenest city) head to Portland or sample the coffee scene in Seattle. Denver, known as the Mile High City, has a thriving craft brewery scene and some of the West’s best shopping, along with Salt Lake City’s recently opened City Creek Center.
Head to Wyoming’s capital, Cheyenne, to experience cowboy country at its best. Few regions on the planet can claim to be as diverse as America’s glorious West. Here is a place that is vastly well known, thanks in part to the famous California cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Then there is the region’s splendid coastline – sun-kissed and iconic in California, more wild and forested as it runs north into Oregon and Washington. But head inland, and the West also turns to dust. Las Vegas sparkles in its desert setting as the biggest city in Nevada. Utah throws forth epic rock formations – not least amid the high monoliths of Monument Valley and the scarred earth of Canyonlands National Park.
'California' - In many ways, California needs little introduction. This celebrated state is home to three of the USA’s most famous cities: Los Angeles, where family theme parks and the bright glamour of Hollywood light up the map; San Francisco, a metropolitan icon where the A-list landmark of the Golden Gate Bridge and the interesting history of Alcatraz are just two symbols of a city of culture; and (usually) sunny San Diego, with its beaches and laid-back lifestyle. The state is hugely renowned for its wine – produced in viticultural hotspots such as Napa and Sonoma. If you go inland, meanwhile, you can find pockets of scenic drama: Yosemite National Park, with its high peaks and plunging waterfalls; the harsh desert and heat of Death Valley National Park. Where there is sun, there is also snow. California can boast many a first-rate ski zone, with downhill runs aplenty waiting at the likes of Mammoth Lakes and Olympic Valley.
'Nevada' - Nevada means one place: Las Vegas. It is certainly true that ‘The Entertainment Capital Of The World’ is the dominant presence in this arid state (pinned between Utah and Arizona to the east, California to the west). The four-mile icon of The Strip is home to world-famous casinos, 15 of the planet’s 25 biggest hotels (on number of rooms) and lively theatre and music shows that cater to families as much as thrill-seekers.
Las Vegas has long been seen as a good start-point for a road trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona – and the city also makes a fine beginning for a journey into the dust and drama of Nevada that spreads above it (Las Vegas sits in the state’s southernmost corner). Great Basin National Park, 300 miles north, is a rugged enclave of high rocks and limestone arches where Wheeler Peak hits 13,063ft. You can find superb hiking and camping here. Equally, Lake Mead, just east of Las Vegas – the largest reservoir in the USA, formed by the Hoover Dam – is a brilliant spot for a family picnic. And if you want to ski, you can do so at Mount Rose Ski Tahoe near Reno, or Diamond Peak on the edge of Lake Tahoe.
Cities
Nevada, California, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San FranciscoThings to do
- Geology
- Old West Sites
- Film & TV Locations
- Fabulous Food
- Emerging Wine Regions
- Hiking
- National Parks
- Museums
- Native American History & Culture
- Spas & Resorts
- Wildlife
- Beaches
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Celebrity Spotting
- Outdoor Action
- Theme Parks
- Old Hollywood
- Modern & Contemporary Art
- World-Class Entertainment
- Thrills & Spills
Cuisine
- Cheeseburgers, French fries, Buffalo wings, donuts, pizza and marshmallows are the most famous fast foods of the States.
Costs
- Budget: $150- 250
- Hotel double room: $100-150
- Food-truck /Takeout Meal: $6–15
- Food at farmers markets, taquerias: $10–15
- Casual restaurant meal: $20–45
- Bus, Subway, Metro day pass: $7-10
- Economy car rental per day: from $20-30
- Museums, national and state parks: $8–25
- VIP show ticket: $125-plus
- Celebrity-chef dining: $100-plus
- Spa treatment: $125-plus
Visa
- The traveler must select their location in India and start their visa application on the official website of the US Consular Electronic Application Centre.
- They must fill up the DS-160 Visa application form. It is mandatory to answer every query mentioned in the application form.
- They must sign the application form electronically and submit it after uploading a passport-size picture with it.
- The applicant is allowed to pay the visa processing fee within 48 hours post submission of the form. They can pay the fee via internet banking.
- Once the form is submitted, the applicant is advised to take a print of the DS-160 confirmation page that contains the barcode. This document should be kept safely until the traveler reaches the USA.
- Following the submission, the applicant has to attend two interviews. So, they must book appointments soon after submitting their visa application.
- The first interview is held to collect the applicant's fingerprints and photograph. This is a brief process that doesn't take more than 10 minutes. Applicants are always advised to reach a little earlier than their scheduled time slots.
- The second and more important interview is held to get more information about the applicant. During this interview, phones, electronic gadgets, and any kind of bags are not allowed inside the room of the interviewer. The applicant is allowed to step inside only with their forms and documents.
- During the second interview, the immigration officer enquires about how the applicant is going to fund their trip, about the duration of their trip, and their purpose of visit to the USA. The result of the interview is given out at the spot by the immigration officer.
- An Indian traveler seeking a Tourist Visa to the USA has to carry the following documents during the second interview:
- Original valid passport. The applicant must carry all the old and expired passports also to the interview. Also, the current passport must have validation for at least 6 months beyond the applicant's expected date of arrival in the USA.
- Soft as well as the hard copy of the passport-size photograph taken as per the specification.
- Visa application DS-160 with a stamp from the Visa Application Centre (VAC) on the confirmation page.
- Proof of payment of visa fee in the form of a valid receipt.
- The interviewer would want to confirm that an applicant is a legitimate person who meets all the requirements for the Tourist Visa. Hence, the applicant will have to carry a valid identity proof and must have a valid reason to visit the USA.
- The applicant will have to present documents proving that they have sufficient funds to pay for their trip to the USA.
- The applicant will have to prove that they have strong ties back in India that will show that they have a strong reason to come back to their country after the completion of the trip.
- Proof stating the purpose of the trip and intent to leave the USA after the trip is over.
- Detailed and complete itinerary with plans and dates.
- Proof of sufficient funds (copy of passbook and bank statement).
- A copy of last year's tax payment, PAN card, Aadhaar card, and TAX ID.
- Business card (if the applicant has one).
- Invitation letters or cards from relatives inviting the applicant to the USA.
- If the applicant is employed, they have to get a letter of employment from their employer.
- If the applicant is a government employee, they will have to submit a NOC.
- If the applicant is a businessman, they will have to present a proof of the ownership of their business.
- The visa application fee for an Indian applicant is approximately Rs.10,880. The applicant can pay the visa application fee through bank electronic payment via NEFT, IMPS, or over the counter payment with cash at Axis or Citibank branches. (Note: The visa application fee changes according to the foreign exchange rate. It is non-refundable and non-transferable.)
- Applicants with no criminal background are preferred to the ones with a history in crimes of any kind.
Season to Visit
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- septemeber
- October
Typical Duration to Visit
- 06 Days - 10 Days
Known For
- Los Angeles Downtown
- Griffith Observatory & Hollywood Sign
- Hollywood
- Movie Studio Tours
- Coastal Highways
- The Deserts
- California Wine Country
- Yosemite National Park
- Las Vegas
- Disneyland & Disney California Adventure
- Route 66
- The Strip
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Yellowstone National Park
- San Francisco-Downtown
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Alcatraz
- Golden Gate Park
- Mission Mural
Areas to Visit
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
- San Francisco