Travel Initiative
With the full implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which went into effect in June 2009, all U.S. and Canadian citizens, as well as citizens of Bermuda and Mexico, must have a current passport to enter or re-enter the United States. This new law has many travelers wondering where they can go outside the country without the expense and the time it takes to get a passport.
U.S. Territories
Travel to the Caribbean basin is not out of the question. You do not need a passport to travel to any of the U.S. territories. These include Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa. In addition, you can travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands, which include the islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. The only requirement is that travel must be made directly to and directly from these territories.
Cruises
No U.S. passport is required when travelers take certain cruises, even if there are international ports of call. But there is one requirement for this exception to the passport law: The cruise has to be a closed-loop cruise. This means the ship must depart from and return to the same U.S. port.
Hawaii
Although part of the United States, Hawaii is another alternative travel destination where U.S. citizens do not need a passport. Because it is off the mainland in the Pacific Ocean, many travelers find the destination just as exotic and exciting as traveling in the Caribbean. Tourism to Hawaii is likely to trend upward with passage of the travel initiative.
U.S. Beaches
And if you don't mind staying in the continental U.S., Atlantic coast, California and Florida beaches are affordable and accessible. Beaches on both coasts and the Gulf of Mexico offer satisfying alternatives to traveling abroad, especially if you don't have to the time it takes to get a passport processed.
