You will not be permitted to travel back to the United States if your passport expires within 3 months! Passport renewal typically takes 4-8 weeks, so double check and reach out to Eva for more info :)
There are many hotels in the area! For larger groups, Airbnb and Booking.com have great options too. We recommend to book in advance as most of them are boutique hotels, please see the Hotel and Accomodations page.
International phone plans start at $12 per day depending on carrier! If you are tech savvy you can also purchase a SIM card in Europe
In stresa there is not much need for a car, as taxis and trains are typically used. If you want a car, renting a car from Milan might be more cost effective, but international drivers permit may be required ($20 from AARP)
Only Visa and Mastercards are accepted, check your provider for foreign transaction fees!!! Ensure to select “euro” when prompted after using your credit card. It is recommended to have cash on hand as well (Whitney bank downtown will exchange cash for euro)
Digital cameras are fine to go through TSA. Film photography and videography may need special approval from TSA to come back to the US as TSA cannot scan film without disrupting the images taken
Its a good idea to bring a universal outlet converter and portable charger. However REFRAIN from bringing any appliances that heat (hair straightener/hair dryer) your plugs will explode.