Whether you’re thinking about relocating to start a new life in North America, or you are simply looking for a little insight and better understanding of the culture behind the American Dream, here is a complete A to Z of (some of) the ways to live your life the United States’ way.

Hawaii

Every life begins with your ABC’s, and education is one of the United States’ top priorities. The nation as a whole spends more than one trillion dollars per year on educating and schooling its young, and opportunities and chances to develop academic skills are amongst the highest in the world. A literacy rate of 99% for both male and female students, and some of the top higher education establishments in the world, make the USA a great place for the young to learn.

America is the home of pop music, and nothing represents that better than the letters D,E, and F, or more precisely, the DEF of Def Jam records. This New York label was home to some of the most famous hip hop stars of the 1980s, and represents everything exciting and vibrant about a music industry that remains one of the nation’s top exports to this day.

The United States doesn’t settle for half measures. So instead of the letter G, we have extreme G. America’s theme parks are a tourist attraction that bring in millions of visitors from across the globe each year. But it is the Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio which boasts the Millennium Force: the world’s most extreme roller-coaster, which puts riders through an immense 4.5 G-force through two of its turns!

Hawaii, with its state postal code HI, is the remotest state in the union, lying almost 2,400 miles to the west of the Californian coastline. The volcanic archipelago is home to landscapes and wildlife unlike anything found within the mainland. And if life in the United States is new to you, then Hawaii will give you something in common: its unique culture and way of life is something that most American citizens have never experienced either.

J is for July, or more specifically, the 4th of July. America’s independence was a hard-won prize, achieved as much through clever diplomacy and civil action as it was through blood spilt on the battlefields. The month is a special time in the states, and is celebrated with festivals, re-enactments, and parties across the country.

Next in our alphabet, we arrive at K,L, and M. Or, to reverse it, MLK, the initials of America’s greatest civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. Though he was assassinated in 1968, the legacy of the pastor’s son from Atlanta Georgia is one of the most important in the nation’s history, and his campaigning brought freedom for millions of African Americans.

N.O. Is the abbreviated form of Louisiana’s “Big Easy”, New Orleans. The south’s undisputed city of jazz is a perennial favourite for visitors, who fall in love with it’s unique cultural blend of the deep south and old French influences. The music, the architecture, the night life, and the traditional cuisine of New Orleans are unlike anything else found in the United States.

P,Q and R may seem like a tricky one for our alphabet. But luckily, PQR is also the national weather service’s designation for Portland, Oregon. This quirky and characterful Pacific Northwest settlement is America’s most environmentally-friendly city. As well as boasting impressive green credentials, Portland is home to many of the nation’s top microbreweries, so fans of craft ale will feel right at home!

Florida’s St Thomas University (or STU for short) is the historical training ground of one of the NFL’s most famous franchises, the Miami Dolphins. The team trained here during their golden age, when the Dolphins were one of the teams which introduced the world to American football. The NFL is now America’s favourite sport, and the season culminates in the Super Bowl: where the top two teams compete in the world’s most watched annual sporting event.

VW stands for Volkswagen Group of America, responsible for commercial to high performance vehicle brands, including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Volkswagen cars in US territories. If you are planning to resettle in America, you will need a domestic licence, but with a car hire at Avis, USA road laws allow visitors to get behind the wheel immediately, using their current overseas license.

Nowhere typifies the rock and roll lifestyle of excess like West Hollywood did in the 1980s. And from its legendary nightclub the Whisky A Go Go, we reach the end of our American alphabet with the club’s band-in-residence, the glam rockers XYZ. Like so much of that era, this band is probably best consigned to the past. But “The Whisky” lives on, and is one of LA’s hotspot that most definitely does require revisiting at least once.

They say that Hawaii is a romantic place to visit, which makes it the perfect destination for a holiday for two people in love. But what about if you’re more of a solo traveller? Well, we’ve got some good news for you – Hawaii is great for everyone, regardless of their relationship status.

If you’re going it alone, you have the advantage of being able to do exactly what you want. So whether you fancy lying on the beach with a cocktail for a fortnight (though you might need more than just one) or you’re more in the mood for some volcano trekking, you are free to do whatever you like in the Aloha State.

Here are some of the best things you can do when you’re alone in Hawaii, so get out there and enjoy yourself!

Hike the Days Away

Hawaii isn’t synonymous with hiking, but with so many great trails we can’t help but feel that it should be. Go to Hawai’i (more commonly known as the Big Island) and you’ll find Kileaua, one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

Set in the 300,000 acres of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, there is roughly 150 miles’ worth of hiking trails around Kileaua. There’s more than just one active volcano there, as well as a number of craters and rainforest areas. For an awe-inspiring view of the power of nature, you can often see fresh lava flowing directly into the Pacific from Kileaua.

Play 18 Holes

The island of Lanai has three golf courses available, all of which are world class and used for championship games. If you’re looking for a great game of golf with some awesome ocean views then Lanai is the perfect place, but it can be expensive, so you might want to get more reasonably-priced Hawaii flights at cheapflights.com.

For a truly unique game of golf, Lanai offers a couple of holes where you’ll need to avoid the flowing lava if you want to stand a chance at making par… Created by professionals from the PGA, the courses on Lanai are sure to offer you a challenge, but the real draw would have to be the incredible views that make up the backdrop to your game.

Surf’s Up, Dude!

Hawaii is the home of surfing, so if you don’t pick up a board and ride the waves at least once while you’re out there, you’ll be missing out. If you’ve never tried to surf before, get yourself over to Oahu – the Waikiki Beach Boys have made it their mission to teach visitors how to follow in the footsteps of the Big Kahuna himself, Duke Kahanamoku.

Waikiki Beach is a great place to start, as the waves tend to be a bit gentler than in other places, but if you’re a seasoned pro looking for some fun, head to the Bonzai Pipeline – the waves here are massive, and should be attempted only by those surfers who have years of experience under their belts.

Here’s a little sneak peek of what to expect when you head to the islands of Hawaii:

1) Oahu – you’ll find Honolulu International Airport here as well as the capital. Flights from the UK to Hawaii take around 17 hours, but the long haul is definitely worth it. Oahu is also famous for Pearl Harbour, the North Shore and Waikiki with its beach on South Shore.

2) Maui – this island is great for whale watching and its piratical beaches to stretch out on. You’ll also find Hana at the end of a winding 52 mile-long highway and Haleakala National Park.

3) Hawaii’s Big Island – the clue’s in the name, it’s big. Big enough to be home to two volcanoes. Kilauea is active and Mauna Loa is extremely large. They are part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You’ll also find Kona and Hilo, overlooking Hilo Bay, here.

4) Lanai – aka Pineapple Island due to its former role as a pineapple plantation is home to Lanai City and Hulopoe Bay.

5) Kauai – boasts the rather impressive Waimea Canyon. It’s ten miles long and 3,000ft deep and also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The name Waimea translates as reddish water, which refers to the erosion of the canyon’s red soil. You’ll also find the beautiful Napali Coast here.

6) Molokai – a breathtakingly beautiful, lush tropical island that is home to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

You can island hop by plane from Honolulu International Airport on Oahu and also reach some islands by ferry. Of course you may just decide to stay put on your own little island in paradise…the choice is yours.