General Questions

What is a 'tailor-made' holiday?

A bespoke holiday means that it has been fully custom-made specifically for your needs and wishes. We almost exclusively book local, small-scale accommodations, run by locals because of their sustainable choices, regional products, and care for their environment; but also to support local employment.

Why only work with small-scale businesses?

• Our hosts know and love their local area, and are happy to share their local tips with you. This allows you to discover the local gems, away from the crowds
• Enjoy over 2000 hand-selected accommodations
• We have direct contact with ALL of our hosts, which allows us to offer you special rates

Does Little America have a sustainability initiative?

Here at Little America, we are committed to making travel more sustainable and minimising the impact of the travel industry.

In addition to partnering with small, local businesses within their communities, we purchase three tonnes of CO2 compensation from United Nations Gold Standard offset programmes and support reforestation projects in New Zealand. Read more about how we work to reduce the environmental footprint of your holiday here.

Do I need travel insurance?

• Check your travel insurance policy thoroughly before setting off to the United States.
• If you have an annual policy, make sure it is up-to-date.
• If you are taking out cover for the duration of the trip, make sure it covers everything from repatriation to lost luggage.

End of Covid-19 travel restrictions

As of 12 June 2022, all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are no longer required to show a negative viral COVID-19 test result, or documentation of recovery from COVID-19, before boarding a flight to the U.S.

Money in North America

How do payments, sales tax and cards work in the United States?

• The national currency of the United States is the US Dollar. Dollar notes go up to 100 Dollars. There are also dollar coins, but these are rare.
• You can also pay with a credit card or a debit card with the Cirrus or Maestro logo.
• To withdraw cash, you can use an ATM. These can be found at banks, supermarkets and petrol stations. Before you travel, check that your bank card has a world cover, otherwise it will not work in the United States.
• Most prices you see at the counter do not include sales tax. This tax will vary from state to state, but is often at least 10%, so be prepared to pay more than is displayed.
• Tipping at least 15% or more is standard in the United States because in many states the minimum wage for restaurant staff is far below the federal minimum wage. Waiters and waitresses expect to be tipped well, and may even ask you if there was anything wrong with their service if you tip below ten percent.

How does tipping, sales tax and credit cards work in Canada?

• The Canadian dollar is the official currency of Canada. Canadian notes come in $5, $10, $20, $50 and CA$100. There are $2 and CA$1 coins, known as the loonie and the toonie. They also use a 25 cent quarter, a 10 cent dime, and a 5 cent nickel.
• Credit and debit cards are accepted throughout the country, and ATMs are easy to find in most places. Check that your bank card has global coverage, otherwise it will not work in Canada. Please note that some ATMs charge a service fee of approximately $2- CA$5 per transaction.
• Canada adds a federal and provincial sales tax to all goods and services. Depending on where you are in Canada, your bill will add an extra 15% in taxes to the subtotal. Remember that when you buy something in a store, the price you see on the label is not the final price.
• Tipping in Canada is similar to the US. When you are receiving services from waiters, hairdressers, cab drivers, hotel employees, and others, you are expected to give a tip. In most cases, a tip is 15% to 20% of the bill's subtotal.

Travel pace and length of travel

How much time do I need?

You need at least three weeks in the United States or Canada to make your journey worthwhile. This allows you to get a good experience of the variety and diversity Australia has to offer.

To visit everything, you probably need a year (or two), but of course most people travelling to North America have 3-to-6 weeks.

What travel pace do you recommend?

We recommend a relaxed travel pace, instead of rushing past all the highlights and returning home exhausted. Spend 2-to-4 nights at each location and discover each place through the eyes of the locals.