Public Transportation

Also, one thing that Europe offers that the US does not is good public transportation. You can get pretty much go to any country by train or bus. Within major cities buses are used, subways, and street cars. Plus, unlike Americans, Europeans walk everywhere, so you really do not need a car while you are there. Their downtown areas are where most of the activities are, and are not so spread out like the states, due to a lack of space. If you do decide to drive while there, you will need an international permit that you can get in the states, at places such as AAA.

Jetlag

Jetlag is something a lot of people have problems with as well when they arrive in Europe. Make sure that you drink a lot of water on the plane to keep you hydrated, stretch as well, and try to get a sleep mask to help you rest. If really needed, you can get sleeping pills through your doctor to help you sleep. Before you go, if you can, try to change your sleep habit in the states a bit to match that of what you will use in Europe.

Airlines

There are some good European airlines that you can fly cheaply on to travel within countries. One is Ryan Air, Easy Jet, or Wizz Air. They are like Southwest in the states and are reasonable to fly with between countries. They do not offer any fringes, but can allow you to take a nice vacation within Europe while you are there.