You are welcome! Public transport in America is a multi-faceted problem. Each state is sovereign in many ways, while participating in the larger nation. Similar to the EU. So why would North Dakota pay their part to allow people quick transit across their boring and featureless state? They want people to stop. Buy gas. Buy food. Pay local taxes. Fill the local coffers. They don't want to offer people a simple and effective way to get across the state without dropping some money along the way. Many capital cities in Europe have brilliant transport infrastructures - Paris, Budapest, Berlin, etc - because the city was the Capital City, the gleaming jewel of the country. So the investment was made. Here in America, we grew too fast, and simply didn't give a shit about anyone else. "I got mine, you go get yours" was, and remains, the dominant philosophy. There is no "social contract", and no big thinkers any more. AirBnB is definitely more focused on amateur hoteliers. CouchSurfing is a better way to find real people, who charge reasonable rates, who want guests, and want to introduce you to their city. AirBnB is mostly just a yuppie money grab, with some hidden gems in there. Yosemite. Yes. Just, yes. Make sure you can get in, though. National Parks are very busy and sometimes limit admission so they don't get overrun. Do your research ahead of time and buy any passes you may need long before you need them. Culture. I chose that grouping of cities because they reflect distinctly different types of American culture. And, each of those cities have places you can easily "get away" to, so you can experience some of the countryside as well. Except LA. LA is just... unique. Sure, there are a hundred different cities around there, but the difference between them all are just signs you pass on the freeway. They flow seamlessly into one another into a totally featureless concrete landscape, spanning from the mountains to the ocean. But, you gotta experience it at some point in your life. The beaches. Hollywood. The freeways. You just have to see it to understand it, and you can't see it without... A rental car. This is going to be your big cost, but also your big lifesaver. I hate that you can't really experience "America" without a car, but... America is cars, and cars are America. And honestly, no matter what you do, you are going to have an American Experience. You are going to be here, eating our food, navigating our traffic, experiencing our customs, and seeing Americans you will never see anywhere else in the world. Only something like 20% of Americans will ever have a passport in their entire lives. That means 80% of Americans will never even go to Canada, much less another continent. You know those annoying loud Americans with the backpacks in the cafe in your home town, who drive you crazy with their loud laughing, lack of understanding of local customs, and brash "me first" hubris? Yeah... those are the GOOD ones. The ones who have actually gotten outside their own country once in their lives and experienced some of the world. When you come here you will see the other 80%. Should be an eye-opening trip for you, my friend!