By Amara Osei · Co-founder, Nomapal
Reviewed · Covers United States
Quick answer
Is United States good for solo travelers in 2026?
Yes. United States is a regular destination for Nomapal solo travelers: 1,390 Nomapal travelers set United States as a destination last year. Mid-range travel runs about $235 per day. Travelers who want variety and do not mind long drives or a rental car budget. Matches peak in May, and 75 percent of matches end up traveling together, so plan your trip for that window if you want the biggest match pool.
Cities
329
Events
17
Airports
9
Typical trip
10 to 14 days per region
Currency
USD
Mid budget
$235/day
Which cities in United States should I visit first?
Where the Nomapal community is most active. Each city links to buddies, dates, and cost tips.
temperate
New York
Budget from $120/day · Best Apr to Oct
Meet travelers →
tropical
Miami
Budget from $100/day · Best Nov to Apr
Meet travelers →
temperate
New York City
Population 8.8M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Los Angeles
Population 3.8M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Brooklyn
Population 2.7M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Chicago
Population 2.7M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
What is United States actually like to travel in?
Best for
Travelers who want variety and do not mind long drives or a rental car budget.
Heads up
Distances are brutal. New York to Los Angeles is a 6 hour flight, not a weekend drive.
Standout
The national parks loop through Utah and Arizona. Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley in one 10 day drive rewires what you think a landscape can do.
MONEY ON THE GROUND
Cards everywhere, but tip 18 to 20 percent in restaurants. Tipping is wage replacement here, not optional.
Nomapal data · United States
What Nomapal travelers actually do in United States
Pulled from Nomapal match and trip activity over the last 12 months. Updated monthly.
Active travelers
1,390
set United States as a destination in the last year
Avg nights together
9 nights
matched travelers overlap on a typical trip
Typical group size
2 travelers
one matched buddy is the norm
Most-shared cost
Car Rental
the single most common split on matches here
Peak match month
May
when Nomapal matches for this country peak
Match to trip rate
75%
of matches end up traveling together
5-step playbook
How to find a travel buddy for United States on Nomapal
The exact flow Nomapal travelers use. Takes around 4 minutes to reach your first match.
- 1
Install Nomapal and verify your profile
Download from the App Store or Google Play, verify your email and phone, and add a short intro. Verified profiles get 3.2x more matches, which matters for United States where the active traveler pool is regional.
- 2
Set United States as your destination and lock your dates
Pick United States from the destinations list, set arrival and departure. If you're flexible by 3 to 7 days, enable the fuzzy-date toggle: it opens up ~40 percent more potential matches, especially around the May peak window.
- 3
Filter by trip style and city
Narrow to solo, couple, backpacker, digital nomad, or luxury. Add the cities you actually plan to visit in United States, not every city in the country. Tighter filters beat wide filters for match-to-travel conversion.
- 4
Swipe and match
Spend 5 minutes swiping on traveler cards. Each card shows overlap days, city overlap, and trip style. Match only with people whose overlap is at least 4 days, otherwise you'll end up in chat that never converts to a meet-up.
- 5
Plan the first 48 hours together
Once matched, agree on one thing for the first two days. Splitting the car rental is the most common opener on United States trips, so suggest a shared booking. From there the trip plans itself.
How much does it cost to travel United States per day?
Daily costs rolled up across curated cities in United States. Accommodation, food, and local transport. Splitting with a Nomapal buddy drops your share on shared items (hotel, cab, rental).
Budget
Solo $110/day
Split $83/day
Save ~$27/day with a buddy
Mid-range
Solo $235/day
Split $165/day
Save ~$70/day with a buddy
Luxury
Solo $650/day
Split $423/day
Save ~$227/day with a buddy
What events bring travelers to United States this year?
Festivals, races, and cultural events in United States. Match with travelers heading to the same one.
Music festival · Mid-April 2026 (two weekends)
Coachella 2026
Splitting a Palm Springs Airbnb for a weekend crushes the cost. Find a crew before you buy passes.
Culture · Late August to early September 2026
Burning Man 2026
Camp placement, gear splits, and the RV drive from Reno all work better with a crew. Find yours before tickets drop.
Music festival · Late March 2026
Ultra Music Festival Miami 2026
Hotel prices triple during MMW. Splitting with two other travelers means a beachfront room for the cost of a hostel.
Music festival · Mid-May 2026
Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas 2026
Shuttle passes, hotel splits, and festival kandi trades are all crew activities.
Music festival · Early November 2026
EDC Orlando 2026
Theme park combo trips turn into group adventures. Match before you book.
Music festival · Late July to early August 2026
Lollapalooza Chicago 2026
Chicago hotels book out fast. Match with a crew to lock in early.
Which airports should I fly into for United States?
Landing or transiting here? Find Nomapal travelers passing through the same terminal.
JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
New York · 62 million passengers/yr
LAX
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles · 75 million passengers/yr
SFO
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco · 51 million passengers/yr
ORD
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago · 79 million passengers/yr
MIA
Miami International Airport
Miami · 56 million passengers/yr
ATL
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Atlanta · 104 million passengers/yr
Browse all cities in United StatesPage 1 of 6
temperate
New York
Budget from $120/day · Best Apr to Oct
Meet travelers →
tropical
Miami
Budget from $100/day · Best Nov to Apr
Meet travelers →
temperate
New York City
Population 8.8M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Los Angeles
Population 3.8M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Brooklyn
Population 2.7M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Chicago
Population 2.7M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Queens
Population 2.3M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Houston
Population 2.3M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Phoenix
Population 1.7M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Philadelphia
Population 1.6M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
San Antonio
Population 1.5M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Manhattan
Population 1.5M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
San Diego
Population 1.4M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
The Bronx
Population 1.4M · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Dallas
Population 1.3M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Jacksonville
Population 1M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Fort Worth
Population 1M · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
San Jose
Population 997.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Austin
Population 974.4K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Columbus
Population 913.2K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Charlotte
Population 911.3K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Indianapolis
Population 887.6K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
San Francisco
Population 827.5K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Seattle
Population 781K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Denver
Population 729K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Washington
Population 689.5K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Nashville
Population 689.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Oklahoma City
Population 681.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
El Paso
Population 678.8K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Boston
Population 653.8K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Portland
Population 652.5K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Detroit
Population 645.7K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Las Vegas
Population 641.9K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Memphis
Population 633.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Louisville
Population 624.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Baltimore
Population 585.7K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Albuquerque
Population 564.6K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Milwaukee
Population 563.5K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Tucson
Population 542.6K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Fresno
Population 542.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Sacramento
Population 524.9K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Atlanta
Population 510.8K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Omaha
Population 486.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Raleigh
Population 482.3K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Kansas City
Population 475.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Long Beach
Population 474.1K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Mesa
Population 471.8K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Staten Island
Population 468.7K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Colorado Springs
Population 456.6K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Virginia Beach
Population 454.8K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Oakland
Population 419.3K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Tampa
Population 414.5K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Tulsa
Population 413.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Minneapolis
Population 410.9K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Wichita
Population 396.1K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
Arlington
Population 388.1K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Bakersfield
Population 373.6K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Cleveland
Population 365.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
mediterranean
New Orleans
Population 362.7K · mediterranean climate
Meet travelers →
temperate
Aurora
Population 359.4K · temperate climate
Meet travelers →
Frequently asked about United States
How do I find a travel buddy for United States?
Download Nomapal and set United States as your destination. Swipe through travelers heading to the same cities on overlapping dates, match, and chat to plan. You can filter by trip style (solo, couple, backpacker, digital nomad) and city within United States.
How long should I spend in United States?
Most travelers spend 10 to 14 days per region in United States. The national parks loop through Utah and Arizona. Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley in one 10 day drive rewires what you think a landscape can do.
How much does it cost to travel United States per day?
Budget travelers spend around $110 per day in United States. Mid-range averages $235 per day, and luxury runs $650 per day. Splitting hotels and transport with a Nomapal buddy typically drops your share 25 to 35 percent.
Is United States safe for solo travelers?
United States is a regular destination for Nomapal solo travelers. Distances are brutal. New York to Los Angeles is a 6 hour flight, not a weekend drive. Matching with another traveler for shared cabs at night and split-cost accommodation is a common Nomapal pattern in United States.
What events bring travelers to United States?
Nomapal tracks 17 major events in United States, including festivals, sports, and cultural gatherings. These are peak times to match with travelers because most attendees plan 3 to 6 months out.
Which airports are best for meeting travelers in transit to United States?
Nomapal covers 9 airports in United States for layover matching. See the Airports section above for terminal info and best meetup spots.
Do I need a visa to visit United States?
Most Western nationalities get 90 days under ESTA or 6 months with a B1/B2 visa. Apply online before travel.
What do I need to know before traveling to United States?
Region
North America
Currency
USD
Languages
English
Visa
Most Western nationalities get 90 days under ESTA or 6 months with a B1/B2 visa. Apply online before travel.