Hi, I'm Mike

Behind amerika-tipps.de is one person who has travelled the USA over many years. No algorithm, no copied guidebook, just first-hand experience.

More than fifteen trips

Since the 1990s I have travelled to the USA again and again, more than fifteen times in total. From the national parks of the Southwest to the West Coast and the Pacific Northwest, all the way down into the South and Florida. Some places I have seen on a single trip, others I have returned to many times.

My second home: Jacksonville

A special part of my USA story is Florida. My English-speaking relatives live in Jacksonville, and over the years I have spent many weeks with them, not as a tourist, but right in the middle of everyday life. That is why I know the Southeast and Florida from a different angle than most guidebooks.

The USA-TALK.DE forum

For many years I ran the travel forum USA-TALK.DE, a meeting place for travellers to the USA with tens of thousands of posts. This treasure of real experience, combined with my own trips, is what this site grew out of. When you read a voice from the forum here, it comes from a real traveller, anonymised, but genuine.

Why this site

Most USA sites sound alike because they copy from each other. I wanted something different: clear assessments, even when a well-known place doesn't quite convince, money-saving and practical tips instead of glossy marketing, and above all personal experience instead of interchangeable boilerplate.

Feel free to get in touch if you have questions or would like to contribute. And for English impressions from my travels, find me on Instagram as Mike’s USA Moments.