Tourists Speak Up About What Surprised Them Most When Visiting the United States

American air conditioning can feel intense, especially when stepping from hot sidewalks into freezing stores, hotels, restaurants, offices, or buses. Visitors may dress for summer weather, then find themselves shivering indoors. In some places, the temperature difference between outside and inside can feel more dramatic than the weather itself.

Air conditioning became central to American life during the 20th century, especially as hot-weather states grew rapidly. It made offices, malls, suburbs, hotels, and Sun Belt cities more comfortable year-round. Because many buildings were designed around indoor climate control, strong AC became normal instead of something used only occasionally.