North America

North America offers an incredibly diverse range of landscapes: the breathtaking canyons of the Grand Canyon, the skyscrapers of New York, the Canadian Rockies, and Mexico's ancient Mayan ruins. The United States alone has 63 national parks, with the Grand Canyon featuring bedrock over 1.8 billion years old and Yellowstone hosting about half of the world's geysers. Canada's Banff was the country's first national park (established in 1885), and its turquoise lakes, like Lake Louise, are legendary. Road trip culture is the heart of North America: the iconic Route 66 runs nearly 4,000 kilometers from Chicago to Los Angeles. Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula combines Mayan ruins, cenote swimming spots, and Caribbean beaches into a unique experience. New York, the cultural capital of the world, attracts over 60 million visitors annually. Practically, North America is a road trip continent: public transport is limited outside cities, so a rental car is usually essential. The United States requires an ESTA and Canada an eTA, and healthcare in both is expensive, making comprehensive insurance mandatory. Budget EUR 120-180 a day at mid-range level, and remember tipping: 18-22 % in restaurants is part of the normal price.