Page 140 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - New England

138 ❯❯ Streetsmart

Currency and essential for renting a car US Postal Services
Banking or reserving a hotel room.
MasterCard and Visa The majority of post
Money in the United credit cards are almost offices are open from
States of America comes universally accepted, as 8am to 6pm Monday to
in dollars, which are is the Discover card. Friday and 8am to noon
divided into 100 cents. American Express is also Saturday. Properly
Coins come in denomi- widely accepted, but stamped letters and
nations of 1, 5, 10, 25, small mer chants tend to packages less than 12 oz
and 50 cents, and 1 dollar. balk at the company’s (340 g) can be dropped
Dollar coins are used high fees. Diners Club is into blue mailboxes. For
mostly to buy from vend- accepted at some high- current rates, see the US
ing machines, while end establishments. Postal Service website.
50-cent pieces are rare.
The quarter (the 25-cent Internet Newspapers and
piece) is the handiest coin Magazines
for vending machines and Many hotels, B&Bs, and
parking meters. motels provide Wi-Fi Although the dominant
Notes (bills) come in Internet access for newspaper in the region
denomina tions of $1, $5, travelers carrying their is the Boston Globe, the
$10, $20, $50, and $100. own devices. Free and New York Times, the Wall
Small businesses will open Wi-Fi is also usually Street Journal, and USA
often decline $50 and found at public libraries, Today are also popular.
$100 bills. coffee shops, as well as For entertainment listings
Currency exchange many public parks. outside Boston, check
facilities are available at local papers. Yankee
the main branches of the Telephone Magazine has an online
larger banks, but harder guide and the web site of
to find elsewhere. In Pay phones are rare, and the Boston Globe is also a
general, you will get a when you do manage to valuable source of local
better rate making ATM find one, it will usually information and listings.
withdrawals than by accept coins, charging 50
exchanging cash, even cents to $1 for a local call. Television and Radio
taking into account the The cheapest way to call
additional banking fees. is by using a prepaid Most lodgings with
ATMs are usually found calling card available at television provide “basic”
near the entrances of the gas stations, convenience cable that includes local
bank branch. The main stores, and newsstands. stations, broadcast
banking systems that are Note that calls within networks, and a handful
honored in the US are greater Boston require of cable-only channels.
Cirrus, Plus, and NYCE. dialing the area code in Local radio is found on
Most ATMs also accept addition to the 7-digit the FM band (88–108mHz).
MasterCard and Visa phone number. Dial 1 for
credit cards. Many shops long-distance calls within Opening Hours
will let you pay with a the US and Canada, or 011
debit card and get cash for calls to other countries. Most attractions and
back – usually fee free. If you have an unlocked stores open daily, but
Dollar-denominated cell phone that operates many museums close on
traveler’s checks issued on the GSM bands, you Mondays. Museums are
by American Express or can also purchase a typically open from 10am
Thomas Cook are widely SIM card for AT&T or to 6pm on weekdays, from
accepted, but personal T-Mobile service on a 10am to 5pm on Saturday,
checks drawn on foreign pay-as-you-go basis. and from noon to 5pm
banks – or even out-of- Many Target, WalMart, on Sunday. Hours and
state banks – are not. and Radio Shack stores days of opening may be
Using a credit card is sell disposable phones reduced in winter so it is
generally much safer for as little as $15; calling best to check before hand
than carrying cash, and minutes cost extra. with the venues. Shops

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