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

California freeways can look enormous to visitors, especially around Los Angeles and other major metro areas. Multiple lanes stretch in each direction, ramps twist over each other, and traffic can seem endless. For someone used to smaller roads or compact cities, the scale can feel more like infrastructure from a movie than everyday commuting.

The system grew with California’s car-centered development after World War II. Suburbs expanded, cities spread outward, and freeways became the main way to connect homes, jobs, beaches, airports, and downtown areas. Instead of building around trains and walkable centers, much of modern California was shaped around the automobile.