the United States Travel Essentials
Everything practical you need before you go — power plugs, voltage, a quick adapter check, tap-water safety, emergency numbers and tipping for the United States.
⚡ Do you need a plug adapter?
Power plugsType A & B
Voltage / frequency120V · 60Hz
Tap waterTap water is safe to drink throughout San Francisco — it flows from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite and is some of the most rigorously tested municipal water in the US, though it can taste different from European tap water, which is a matter of taste, not safety
Emergency911
TippingTipping is expected, not optional, in San Francisco — service is never included in the price, so factor it into your budget
Good to know
- the United States uses Type A & B sockets — flat blades, with Type B adding a round earth pin — at 120V / 60Hz.
- Travellers from Europe (Type C/E/F, 230V), the UK (Type G, 230V) and most of the world need a plug adapter, and should check their devices are dual-voltage (100–240V, which phone and laptop chargers almost always are). A single-voltage 230V appliance — a hair dryer, a travel kettle, a curling iron — won't work properly on 120V and needs a converter, not just an adapter. Visitors from Canada, Mexico and Japan already have compatible plugs; Japan runs 100V, close enough for most chargers.
- Emergency services: dial 911 anywhere in the United States for police, fire or ambulance — it's free from any phone and there's no separate number per service. Text-to-911 is available in much of California, and the non-emergency police line varies by city.
- Need to pack for it? See our packing list generator.