10 Surprising Things All Tourists Love about America ...

There are so many things that tourists in our country love about America that I just never considered til I hosted some European friends for a few weeks. Some struck me as odd at first, but with a little explanation, they all make sense. Ready?

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Our Candy

... but not our chocolate. Twizzlers, Dots, Sour Patch Kids, and Swedish Fish are all faves.

Petrol Prices

While we're whining that gas is hovering around $3 a gallon, they'repaying a heck of a lot more - like, $10 a gallon. Also a bonus: we apparently have a lot more gas stations than most European countries.

Target Stores

I kind of hate Target (because somehow I always, always end up spending at least $100 there), but my friends love the place.

Free Restrooms

Most malls, stores, theaters, museums, restaurants and other public places have restrooms, and we tend to take them, and the fact that they're free here, for granted.

Unrelenting Friendliness

We Americans are pretty friendly, walking around with smiles on our faces, always ready to help a stranger find directions and to recommend a good restaurant. That's a plus!

American Sports

Baseball is a hit, but another surprising favorite is American football. Who knew?

Our Accents

Tourists especially adore southern accents, with extra points for funny expressions and Texas accents, in particular.

Yards

Again, something I kind of hate (lawn mowing, ugh!) but something most Europeans may not have - a front and/or back yard.

Minivans/SUVs

While most of my European friends have driven a small SUV at home, most are mystified and then enamored of minivans.

Huge Serving Sizes & Free Refills

Our "normal" serving sizes are about twice what my friends are used to - which may explain our ample waistlines? And high cholesterol?

If you've spent time in the U.S. as a tourist, what did you love? What surprised you?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Great article Jennifer! I absolutely agree with the free restrooms. Not only is it free to use but it comes stocked(most times) with toilet paper and hand dryers while in other countries you also pay for that. Definitely love living in the good ol' US of A!

While visiting Russian seeing family, at the train station, you had to go to the bathroom in a hole in the ground. You had to qwuat. Nothing to hold on to and no privacy. Makes you appreciate American plumping!

Have been several times to the States. Love travelling around there. Huge open spaces like the ones I miss in Africa. I live in UK being English. Travelled around Florida,Arizona ,Nevada and visited San Franscisco. Always found people approachable and friendly. Usually public toilets are spotless - some of ours are ghastly !

I'm from the U.S. and take like all of these granted haha

Not that true actually. When I was in Europe people would always ask if I was American and when I said no, they were like oh good! It was odd

Wait... People have to pay to go to the bathroom..? That's horrible. I'd die

All of this in Britain-except target 💫 personally I think England is 50% better lol

Well soon it might change after election . Who knows

What I loved in LA is that you can take your bike with you when you take a bus, you simply put it on the bike rack at the front! We should have this in the Netherlands, with our 18 million bicycles!

Its truw that you have to pay for bathrooms in Europe

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