What does the USA do better than Europe re: travel...and vice versa
 

Ok, folks,
You have all traveled around quite a bit. Don't post anything political...just indicate what the USA does better than Europe as far as traveling is concerned and vice versa. Here is my submission:

USA: The USA clearly does better when it comes to showers. I am not sure WHO in Europe thought that the half-pane-of-glass-which-invariably-results-in-water-all-over-the-bathroom-if-you-move-even-the-slightest-bit was somehow a good idea, but European hotels...even 4 star ones...have all bought into this ruse. Puh-lease.

Europe: Transportation. Yes, it's all closer together, but it is still so much easier and more convenient to get from point A to point B that it puts the USA to shame.

There you go. Anyone else?

Showers? Europe is definately catching up. My home in Switzerland has the more powerful shower (with full glass pane) than my family's in the USA.

However, there are many countries (like Switzerland) that needs to work on being more customer friendly. I love going shopping in the states and having the salesperson tell me where I can buy things if they don't supply it themselves. They sure won't do that here.

Europe does these better:
Beer.
Wine.
Cheese.
Trains.
Subways.
Taxis.
History (preservation of, length of).
Art
Lodging with character.
"Fast" food (esp. Italy's lunch counters).
Chocolate.
Variety of (manmade) sites.
Street markets.
Acceptance of dogs in public places.
Tourist information.
Multiple languages (providing museum information in...)
Airport security.
Architecture.


USA does better:
Gas prices.
Pools.
Variety of (natural) sites.
Wildlife.
Water pressure.
Steak (in Midwest).
Vast distances.
Strikes (relative lack thereof, NWA notwithstanding).

Ties:
Hotel hair dryers (too wimpy in Europe, too strong in U.S.)
Hospitality.

I'm sure I'll think of some more....
Street performers (ugh - living statues)

Street performers - meant to be a tie.

Street Performers: Europe blows the US away. In France, I saw a symphonic orchestra playing for spare change at the Place des Vosges in the Marais in Paris; on the Paris Metro, a lady playing lovely violin; a gentleman on the metro, playing surprisingly unschmaltzy accordian.

In Barcelona, behind the cathedral, a small chamber orchestra; a great tenor singing to the accompaniment of an impromptue 8 or 9 member chorus ...

In the US, it's too often just a lone doper with a guitar, playing "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie."

The USA is better at:
Fast food
Showers
One faucet sinks
Free Refills on drinks
Salad Bars
Prices of food
Friendly waitstaff
Ice in drinks
Elevators
Size of rooms
Complementary breakfasts (not just a cold roll and cappuchino)
Mexican food
Hamburgers

Shadow

Europe is best at theater behavior. It is 'civilized'. No late comers, no talking. America is best with highways and automobile travel.

the usa is better for family travel in general. having to pay for xtra beds for little ones in MOST places irks me.

however, the variety of scenery covering less distance cannot be beat in europe, obviously.

i would dare to say that emergency aid in the USA would be quicker than in most places overseas.. but fortunately haven't had to try it out anywhere except spain.

in general, getting what you want or think you were quoted, or asked for, seems easier in the USA if there is a problem. However, i imagine the higher up the ladder you go in europe, the easier it is to have the "customer is always right" attitude. In the USA i think it is fairly widespread as a rule.

food not cooked the way you want?? they eagerly replace it in the USA.
In MOST (notice i do not say ALL) european places.. they shrug their shoulders and practically argue with you that that is how it comes. AND it stays on the bill (MOST of the time).

airline delay information... MUCH better in the USA. Anyone NOT agree on that one????

facilities for laundering your own clothes... wow.. this is a major problem.

US: opening hours of stores
Europe: different wonderful breads

Better in Europe:
Food, particularly cookies, chips, bread, etc. etc. - MUCH more TASTE!!
Cafes - much more 'atmosphere'
Shops, city centers etc. that you can WALK to.
Coffee.

Better in US:
SERVICE in restaurants (polite and attentive waitstaff!)
Service, helpfulness in general

There must be more but I can't think of anything for now...

I don't agree that airline delay info is better in the US.
I have been lied to, or misled, either individually or as part of a passenger group on many occasions, by ground crew, flight crews, etc.
How many times has your flight pulled away from the gate, only to sit on a runway for an hour, or 3 hours? That has to do with official 'pull away from the gate' time, and flight crew time rules, but the passengers are not informed when they board.

And I can't agree with waitstaff service in the US! I much prefer the professional , unpersonal service in Europe.

Better in the US

Store opening hours
BBQ and Hamburgers
Highway signage
Cheap prices

The questions supposes that conditions are the same everywhere in the United States and everywhere in Europe.
I was born and raised in one of those cities that doesn't exist anymore --Gulfport, MS -- and it would never have crossed my mind that I was living in the same kind of country that had NYC or LA in it. I have now lived in Paris for many years, and I do not compare conditions in Paris to those in Crete or Bucharest or Belfast.

Actually, recognising the issue of generalities, I think it's really interesting question.

Given that it's years since I was in the US (but I read a lot and own a television), I think I would divide it as follows:-


US Better

1. Service
2. Cheap internal flights
3. Showers
4. Rudeness(I guess this is the opposite, but it's not true, I think, to say that Europeans are more polite, just that they're less rude)
5. Choice (that would include shop opening hours)
6. Weather (except when it's awful)

Europe better

1. Food
2. World view/cosmopolitanism
3. Holidays
4. Humour
5. Baths
6. less pollution in towns
7. Literature
8. Lifestyle- except mine.

Definitely public transportation and baked goods in much of Europe. Though the USA has improved a lot in the baked goods arena over the past 20 years, I'd still put most European bakeries well ahead.

The number and variety of convenient, reliable, predictable, low-cost accomodation choices in the USA--where you just want a place to sleep and you can expect it will be clean and comfortable with no bells and whistles.

The ability to get something to eat or drink just about any time of day or night in the USA. You can get awful hungry on the road in Europe if you don't stop to eat at the right times or in a limited number of places.

Service in the USA--though service levels have declined in both the USA and Europe over the past 40+ years I've been traveling.

Overall, Europe does quaint and charming better--nothing like a town that's been around for a thousand years or so to develop that special ambiance.

Mrs. Fly would add Europe for any kind of desserts, gelato, etc. I prefer the sweeter, fattier stuff in the USA.

I notice that a several of the differences can be at least partially attributed to the sheer size of the USA compared to European countries and to the American car culture compared to the excellent European railroad system alternative.

US Better

General Standard of Hotels compared to prices especially when using priceline
Outlet Shopping at incredibly low prices
Theme Parks
Car rental pricing

Europe

Lower cost of internal flights (Ryanair, Easyjet etc) I'm trying to find some cheap flights with Southwest & Jetblue and I'm not that impressed with their pricing.
Lifestyle, work to live!
Cafe's, restaurants, no fakeness and pressure to leave
Safety
Transportation
Airlines

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Regarding rudeness I think sometimes people assume someone is being rude because of the way they said something, but remember that often someone is saying it as a second language and they are often translating their own language straight into english and it may come across as being rude when in fact that is not the case. I know this can happen with the German language

Geordie

Why can't Europe provide drinking fountains with clean, drinkable water on tap at any time any place?

Why does America, by and large, make it difficult to find clean rest rooms in public places? The filthiest rest room we ever found, however, was in Canada.

Why is a cup of coffee priced to be a luxury in Europe?

Where can I buy a glass of milk in Europe?

Why are French bathroom fixtures set up so complex that one must be a hydraulic engineer to find which tap does what?

Why is service in Scandinavia -- retail stores, food markets, etc. -- so aloof?

Why is American white bread a cousin of cotton?

Does Europe have any canyons?

Why is it difficult for almost any European to find directions in America using his native language?

A properly made cocktail (and no, apple martinis and their like are not cocktails).

My friend gave up trying to get a martini - and just orders gin straight now.

The USA definitely does air conditioning well...My daughter and I were in London, Paris and Rome in June, and the heat was unbearable! We really missed some good old U.S. air conditioning!

Europe generally does better with food, wine and overall enjoyment of living!

When we were in Paris and paid for a meal with a credit card, the waiter brought a wireless credit card scanner to the table, instead of "disappearing" with our credit card. In this age where so many people are worried about theft of their credit card numbers, I don't know why folks in the US don't insist on this.