No! If you are a US or Canadian passport-holder, you receive a visa on arrival when you land in Beirut and go through immigration. But please make sure you passport is valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date. For other nationalities, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Lebanon
The main/only way to get to Lebanon is by air, flying into Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport. Some of the main airlines serving Lebanon from the USA are Delta, Lufthansa, Middle Eastern Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air France, Royal Jordanian and Emirates. These airlines will usually connect in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Istanbul among other main hubs. We personally recommend Turkish Airlines, as they have two bags included, good food, and overall much better service and seating than American based airlines.
You can rent a car, but we highly advise against this. Driving here can be a bit (very) chaotic, and its a better option to get a hired driver to take you to your destinations. We can recommend options for this.
The absolute BEST! Lebanon has a mediterranean climate and in late August the temperatures will range from 77-88 Fahrenheit, and the sun will be OUT. Bring a swim suit!! And maybe make sure your hotel has a pool.
You can hear Arabic, French and English words all in the same sentence when the locals are conversing. Most people speak at least a bit of english, and most signs in Beirut use english in addition to arabic or french, so getting around and talking with locals is easy! Lebanese are also generally extremely hospitable and friendly.
US Sim cards might work for calls, however data may not always be available and can be expensive. We recommend you purchase a Lebanese eSim card prior to your travel virtually, or at the airport upon arrival, as most modern phones can support 2 sim cards. For approximately $20-30 you can have unlimited calls and data for your time in Lebanon.
Easily available!! Almost all stores, cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc have high speed Wi-Fi you can access.
There are no restrictions on what Men or Women can wear in public. Lebanon is a very open and accepting society and is not considered to be conservative.
Foreign credit cards might not work in all places and the commission rate might be greater than expected so we highly suggest you carry cash (US dollars) at all times.
Lebanon's currency is the Lebanese Lira, however the currency is currently experiencing daily fluctuation due to hyper inflation. Most locations have their prices in US dollars and accept dollars (and sometimes credit cards). So, no need to convert any of your money into Lebanese dollars, as the country essentially runs on US dollars.
Lebanon uses the European style 2 prong charger.
International apps like Uber are the main used apps and they only get paid in cash. However, a local taxi company can be a good option for traveling between cities and can be ordered by calling them 24/7. We highly recommend Allo Taxi. More information on this to come. We do not recommend hailing a random taxi/cab.
There are parts of the country that you should not travel to (the southern part of the country) due to the ongoing conflict with Israel. We will not be going anywhere near that area during our time traveling around. Other than that, the country is safe. Beirut itself is a very safe city, (though, like any city, there are a few neighborhoods its best to avoid) and locals are very friendly and happy to give directions or just chat. We can't wait to show you around!