North America Local Customs

  Asking people at the top of the Pyramid
by Kuznetsov_Sergey
 
  • Asking people at the top of the Pyramid
      Asking people at the top of the Pyramid
    by Kuznetsov_Sergey
  •   Local Customs
    by Ewingjr98
  • House near Canyon Road, Santa Fe
      House near Canyon Road, Santa Fe
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  • Art Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe
      Art Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe
    by goodfish
  •   Embassy Events / Other Festivities
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Most Viewed Local Customs in North America

1.

Tipping   New York City

Tipping, New York City

 38 Reviews  We are going to NYC for our 2nd trip in just under 2 wks, I was looking for info on tipping to remind myself, and came across this. I think it's awful that these people have to rely on tipping to make... 

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2.

Tipping / Money Matters   Las Vegas

Tipping / Money Matters, Las Vegas

 39 Reviews  like the handgun and the bullet which are inseparable. the modern casino invention of the paper voucher to print your winnings at the slot machines and then you can encash it to it's partner, the... 

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3.

S.F. Nicknames / Pride   San Francisco

S.F. Nicknames / Pride, San Francisco

 11 Reviews  When you refer to San Francisco as Frisco or San Fran, you're marking yourself as an outsider. No one here calls it that, and those abbreviations grate on our ears. We say San Francisco or The... 

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4.

Festivals & Holidays   Chicago

Festivals & Holidays, Chicago

 17 Reviews  My husband can't adequately explain to me why he wanted to do the Polar Bear Plunge, it's just one of those things that he felt like he needed to do. So after years of talking about it, he finally did... 

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5.

Drinking   New Orleans

Drinking, New Orleans

 20 Reviews  One of the first things I was told when I arrived in New Orleans was the recommendation to be careful with “hurricane” cocktails, because their sweet taste is deceiving, and there is more alcohol in... 

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6.

Tipping   Orlando

Tipping, Orlando

 13 Reviews  tipping at restaurants and bars is an american custom. by law in the united states servers only receive 1/2 of the minimum wage so to make a living they depend on tips. servers basically are outside... 

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7.

Tipping / Taxes / Restaurants   Los Angeles

Tipping / Taxes / Restaurants, Los Angeles

 14 Reviews  When you are in Los Angeles, either in the city of L.A. or in another part of the county, you'll see several restuarants. On the window of establishments, you will see a letter- either an "A", "B" or... 

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8.

People / Different cultures   Toronto

People / Different cultures, Toronto

 29 Reviews  Tastes of Thailand offered a wealth of activities that surely made a mark to event goers who like cultural dance and music. I have enjoyed the parade of native Thai costumes. It was colourful. You... 

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9.

Speaking Bostonian   Boston

Speaking Bostonian, Boston

 17 Reviews  Visitors from outside of New England are often confounded by local pronunciations, especially of Massachusetts cities and towns. Here’s a guide that’ll help you sound like a local: City:... 

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10.

Manners   Key West

Manners, Key West

 11 Reviews  I'm sorry I lost info on who wrote these tips of Do's & Dont's for Fantasy Fest. It makes sense, so thanks to the creator whereever they are: Don't wear a mask you can't drink in or costume you... 

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11.

Bilinguism   Montreal

Bilinguism, Montreal

 28 Reviews  I was somewhat worried about communicating in Montreal, especially as most of the signs are in French, but I didn't have a problem at all. We didn't run into anyone who didn't speak english.... 

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12.

Tipping   Cancún

Tipping, Cancún

 12 Reviews  I generally tip both the maid(on the bed) and the mini fridge server (normally in fridge so obvious for him) a couple of dollars each day, these are separate jobs (always been female for maids and... 

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13.

Drugs & alcohol   Vancouver

Drugs & alcohol, Vancouver

 5 Reviews  A clever new nickname for Vancouver that I just heard recently. Let me dispel the rumours somewhat. Yes the laws towards marijuana are somewhat less strict here (and everyelse in Canada) than other... 

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14.

Coffee Craze   Seattle

Coffee Craze, Seattle

 23 Reviews  Just try and say Seattle without thinking of coffee. Even my beer-obsessed mind can't fathom a day without the java in this caffeine-infused culture. As you walk around town, you notice the number one... 

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15.

Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter   San Diego

Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego

 8 Reviews  Every year, usually in July, San Diego is host to the surreal world of Comic-Con International. The world's largest comic book and pop art convention. It is the biggest convention held in this city... 

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16.

Native Animals   Playa del Carmen

Native Animals, Playa del Carmen

 3 Reviews  We've seen the large band of coatis on both of our trips to Riu Tequila, in 2009 they were hanging out near the pool and near some of the rooms near the pool waiting for someone to take pity on them... 

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17.

Different Cultures in Hawaii   Honolulu

Different Cultures in Hawaii, Honolulu

 6 Reviews  hawaii truly is a melting pot of cultures! why? since hawaii is the ONLY minority-majority State in the United States where asian-americans, pacific islanders are the majority over caucasians and... 

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18.

Philly Facts   Philadelphia

Philly Facts, Philadelphia

 12 Reviews  I know Philly has a bit of a rough-around-the edges, blue collar reputation, but as long as you're not an opposing team at a professional sporting event, the locals are really friendly! They don't... 

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19.

Local food and drinks   Quebec

Local food and drinks, Quebec

 21 Reviews  Through our trip to the provences of Quebec and New Brunswick we would stop at a restaurant and see the mysterious word "Poutine" on the menu. Finally I was brave enough to ask, "What the heck IS... 

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20.

Drinking/Buying alcohol   Ottawa

Drinking/Buying alcohol, Ottawa

 6 Reviews  It happens for three days, once a year. The Ottawa Wine and Food Show is an excellent place to try different wines, food and other spirits prepared and presented by local businesses among others.... 

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21.

Southern Hospitality (Hi Ya'll)   Atlanta

Southern Hospitality (Hi Ya'll), Atlanta

 8 Reviews  I moved to the Greater Atlanta area seven months ago from Texas. I am a very proud Texan so it was hard for me to leave my state and live in a new one. However, I was pleased that Atlanta was where I... 

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22.

Beaches/South Beach/Art Deco District   Miami

Beaches/South Beach/Art Deco District, Miami

 14 Reviews  For an entire week in January, Miami's Art deco festival celebrates it's design inspiration. Includes historic walks, jazz music, plenty of artwork and dining. Auctions, memorabilia and unique items... 

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23.

Local People   Puerto Vallarta

Local People, Puerto Vallarta

 11 Reviews  Puerto Vallarta, just as it is now, meets all the expectations that visitors may have; however, it isn’t resting on its laurels. Projects are being planned for the development of the area to make it... 

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24.

Driving / Roads   Houston

Driving / Roads, Houston

 9 Reviews  Having lived in houston most of my life, you are not going to be shot if you cut someone off or honk. I honk at people all the time, no one has ever waved a gun at me. this is apparently a common... 

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25.

Tejano Culture and Music   San Antonio

Tejano Culture and Music, San Antonio

 4 Reviews  One of the unique things about San Antonio is the wedding culture of the town. On several occasions, we ran into wedding parties getting their bridal pictures taken in various city locations. Obvious... 

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Comments

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

TYFSAOKMTPCASAHAND

by DAO

Before there was Wal-Mart- there was K-Mart. K-Mart is an absolutely fantastic American institution. When I was a child I noticed these letters on every cash register (till point):TYFSAOKMTPCASAHANDMe being curious I asked a cashier what it stood for, as it does not actually spell a word. It stands for:Thank You For Shopping At Our K-Mart Today, Please Come Again Soon and Have A Nice Day.Nowadays you just get the HAND at the end of your purchase, but it’s still a great place to shop.

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My mailbox collection :-))

by sim1

In The Netherlands we only have boring mailboxes; just plain green. But when you travel through America and Canada you can see lots of different mailboxes. They always make me laugh a lot, and during my trips I made some pictures of them. I think even the standard mailbox are nice. But you can find lots of different ones : normal ones, totally rusty and dented or mailboxes with special shapes. You can see cows, cars, bikes, chicken, etc. Actually everything you can think of can be found on those mailboxes, it can't be crazy enough! I hope you will enjoy these mailboxes and even smile once in a while when looking at these funny ones I spotted on my travels.

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Sunflower man

by sim1

I think this one is absolutely crazy! The man is actually wearing real clothes! How crazy can a mailbox get! It sure made me smile when I took this picture. You really do have click on the picture to get a better look at this photo, hahaha, this mailbox is just great! I've added a few more funny mailbox pics for you, like a flowery mailbox, of course a cow mailbox as they seem a very popular design, a horse and wagon mailbox and finally you can see Uncle Sam who also happily helps you to collect your mail on a daily basis :-) And if you are not tired of seeing all these mailboxes you can drop by on the travelogues, where I added a few more of those fore you.

Sunflower man mailbox :-))
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Again , this is a country 3...

by Luthorkeeper

Again , this is a country 3 times the size of Europe . We are the most culturally diverse country on the planet . Keep that in mind . People come from all over the world to live here . How we all get along is a mystery to me . If you are from another country , study up on local history and culture . We are diverse , but not always nice . There is as much regional pride as there is national patriotism in europe . Respect the locals , no matter how stupid they are . Be aware , some people just don't like who you are , just because of where you are from . There are a LOT of ignorant people here .

Perhaps the Most 'common...

by klarika

Perhaps the Most 'common mistakes made by travelers'visiting Canada and the US is the assumption that the people and the general values are the 'same' on this continent,Having travelled quite extensively, I want to point out that I found a significant difference/change aproximately every 100km.!Much more on this as we go.Infact, this topic is posing me with a Crusade that I will likely accept. If I do take it upon myself to 'make waves' or become Loud about this perspective, I will formulate my thoughts on this page prior to sending the articles to respective media, etc.

Aussies - fanny means...

by mongooser

Aussies - fanny means something else in America, they aren't being rude ok.Speak clearly - Americans sometimes have trouble with our accent - remember WE hear theirs on TV all the time.Americans think our accent is a put on. IT ISN'T!!Be polite to the police, they carry very big guns and are just doing their jobs.Ask for help - Americans generally are very happy to give directions etc. I've found them , at home, to be a generous and friendly people.Be prepared for a food selection and combination/variety which will blow your mind. They have enormous helpings - your eyes will be bigger than your stomach. America is the place for cheap good quality clothing. Places like Gap are eerily cheap to me, while the quality is excellent.Assume you have to tip if you are not sure. It is better to be told ' no, thats ok sir/madam' than to not tip an suffer especially in a Restuarant if you intend...

Tipping is expected at all...

by boroughboy74

Tipping is expected at all restaurants. As a guide, a tip is usually calculated as 10% of your total bill. For exceptional service, tip 15 %. When you ask directions to the toilet, refer to it as the bathroom to avoid confusion. Milk is referred to as cream when you are ordering beverages such as tea and coffee. Finally, remember the differences in pronouciation with a lot of words. For example, the word fillet, as in the McDonald's fillet 'o fish, is pronounced 'fillay'.

You should never interrupt a...

by guidillo

You should never interrupt a conversation between a clerk at a store, department store, etc. with a client because it's not your turn and they'll get mad.In Mexico you can talk to the assistant whenever you want if it's just a simple quiestion and don't have to wailt till it's your turn.

The city is home to the 9:30...

by DCgirl

The city is home to the 9:30 club, a famous music venue/bar/lounge renowned for its excellent acoustics. Urban legends boast that every major musical act passing through town never misses this spot to play even just a set or 2. Nightly shows feature several acts, the last time I went,the acts featured were Eagle Eye Cherry and after that Iggy Pop in one night. But try and cab it there, the road to 9:30 on foot isn't so pretty.

The thing to remember as you...

by rskipk

The thing to remember as you travel across the U.S. is that each Region has its own traditions and ways in which people express themselves. The South is very friendly, but they also like a decent tip at a restaurant. Most of the people I have encountered in my life have responded very well to a nice wave and just a friendly 'hello' it will work for most people.

Top 3 Hotels in North America

Casablanca Hotel  New York City

 1 Review and 2412 Opinions  This is a Hotel /Bed and Breakfast. It is a oasis in the middle of Times Square. It is quiet inside... 

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Argonaut Hotel - A Kimpton Hotel  San Francisco

 4 Reviews and 2395 Opinions  There's no doubt this hotel, provides a level of luxury and convenience, that many travellers will... 

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Four Seasons Las Vegas  Las Vegas

 9 Reviews and 1852 Opinions  Amazing hotel! Everything about our stay was excellent. Our room was gorgeous, service was... 

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North America Local Customs

Reviews and photos of North America local customs posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for North America sightseeing.
Map of North America

North America Members Meetings

May 26, 2013 
Vacation amongst greater southerners!
Jun 20, 2013 
it will be brief
Jun 22, 2013 
Come Explore the Burbs
Jun 22, 2013 
canceled

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