Weather天气

By Freelance Chinese Translator Li – English to Chinese translation services - based in China.

America’s size plays to the traveler’s advantage when it comes to weather: it’s always perfect somewhere in the US and just shy of Hades somewhere else.（冰火两重天）

In other words, either your destination or your trip’s timing（时机） may need tweaking（稍稍调整）depending on the season. For current forecasts, visit www.weather.com.

The main holiday season is, naturally, summer, which typically begins on Memorial Day（对阵亡战士的纪念日） (the last Monday in May) and ends on Labor Day (the first Monday in September). But Americans take their holidays mainly in summer because schools are closed, not because the weather’s uniformly ideal: yes, hit the beaches in August, because Manhattan is a shimmering sweat bath（闪闪发光的汗蒸馆） and the deserts are frying pans.（煎锅）

The seasons don’t arrive uniformly either. Spring (typically March to May) and fall (usually September to November) are often the best travel times, but ‘spring’ in parts of the Rockies and Sierras may not come till June. By then it’s only a sweet memory in Austin, while in Seattle, spring often means rain, rain, rain.

And winter? It’s expensive high-season（旺季） at ski resorts and in parts of the southern US (blame migrating snowbirds), but planned well, winter can mean you have the riches of America’s landscape（风景） virtually all to yourself.

Whether you’re planning to join them or avoid them, holidays and festivals are another thing to consider.

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…

Checking current US visa and passport requirements.

Adequate travel and medical insurance（医疗保险）

Up-to-date medical vaccinations（接种）

Hotel reservations, particularly for your first night and near national parks.

Your driver’s license and adequate liability insurance. Not driving? Do it anyway – you might change your mind once you see how big this place is.

A handful of credit cards – they’re easier and safer than cash.

An open mind. You’ll find elites in the Ozarks（欧扎克山脉） and hicks in Manhattan, and everything in between.

Festivals & Events

January

Chinese New Year Late January or early February. Celebrated with parades(检阅), fireworks and lots of food; San Francisco’s Chinatown is a fantastic place to be.

FEBRUARY

Black History Month African American heritage(遗产) is celebrated nationwide.

Valentine’s Day(情人节) The 14th. For some reason, St Valentine is associated with romance; shops sell out of boxes of chocolate candy, flowers and cards.

Mardi Gras In late February or early March, the day before Ash Wednesday. Parades, revelry(狂欢) and abandonment accompany the finale of Carnival(狂欢节); New Orleans’(新奥尔良) celebrations are legendary.

MARCH

St Patrick’s Day(圣帕特里克节) The 17th. The patron saint(守护神) of Ireland is honored; huge celebrations occur in New York, Boston and Chicago. Wear green – if you don’t, you could get pinched(逮捕).

Easter(复活节) In late March or April, on the Sunday following Good Friday (which is not a public holiday); after morning church services, kids hunt for eggs hidden by the Easter bunny.

MAY

Cinco de Mayo The 5th. The day the Mexicans won the Battle of Puebla against the French in 1862; especially in the South and West, communities celebrate their Mexican heritage with parades.

Mother's Day The second Sunday. Children send cards and call their mothers (or feel guilty for a whole year).

JUNE

Father’s Day The third Sunday. Same idea as Mother’s Day, different parent, less guilt.

Gay Pride Month (www.interpride.org) In some cities, gay pride celebrations last a week, but in San Francisco, it’s a month-long party, where the last weekend in June sees giant parades.

JULY

Independence Day The 4th. The historic anniversary of the US becoming independent inspires parades and fireworks; Chicago pulls out all the stops with fireworks on the 3rd.

OCTOBER

Halloween The 31st. Kids dress in costumes and go door-to-door trick-or-treating for candy; adults dress in costumes and act out alter egos at parties – New York and San Francisco are the wildest.

NOVEMBER

Day of the Dead The 2nd. Areas with Mexican communities honor deceased relatives with candlelit(点然蜡烛) memorials; candy skulls(颅骨) and skeletons are popular.

Thanksgiving The fourth Thursday. A latter-day harvest festival: family and friends gather for daylong feasts, traditionally involving roast turkey. New York City hosts a huge parade.

DECEMBER

Chanukkah Date determined by the Hebrew(犹太)calendar, but usually begins before Christmas. This eight-day Jewish holiday is also called the Festival of Lights.

Christmas The 25th. Christ’s birth inspires midnight church services, tree-lighting ceremonies, caroling(唱圣诞颂歌) in the streets and of course, a visit from Santa.

Kwanzaa  From December 26th to January 1st. This African American celebration is a time to give thanks and honor the seven principles