Don’t order your In-N-Out burger animal style.
And showing the students that they can set fire to other things…not just couches.
I agree. Going to an NFL game is more than just watching a game–it’s an experience. I’ve only been to one NFL game (I caught the Broncos at a home game once when I was in Denver), but there’s something about being at the game at the stadium among the home town fans that just doesn’t match what you might see on TV.
While you should try to get to an NFL game, you could also consider going to a CFL (Canadian Football League) game. It’s pretty much the same game with a few different rules, but with the same basic idea: big guys in helmets and pads moving an obling ball up and down a gridiron. Most of the trappings are the same as the NFL though: rabid home town fans, cheerleaders in skimpy outfits, and so on. You can catch the BC Lions in Vancouver, or the Argonauts in Toronto.
I’ll be well and truly home by November 
September and the first half of October is when I’ll be there…
Sorry to hijack, but…what? People in Seattle don’t carry umbrellas? Umbrellas mark people as tourists? Are you serious?
Regarding Pittsburgh, one view of the city you’ll want to see, AT NIGHT, is coming from the west, heading east toward the city, through the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Of course the tunnel is just a tunnel, but when you come out of the tunnel onto the Fort Pitt Bridge, it’s a spectacular sight. I’ve always had a soft spot for the city because I did that completely unintentionally when I was on my way to New York, and the view literally made me gasp.
Don’t eat at a cheep diner–it’s fowl. Try a cheap diner, where the damage to your pocket is minimal. 
We here in the USA do indeed have dollar coins–we have ones with Sacajaweha (sp?) on them as well as Andrew Jackson. They’re legal tender; use them with abandon.
Things you won’t find here: (for the most part)
pay toilets
bringing your own liquor to any public establishment
risque ads in any medium
cops with a sense of humor
local law enforcement or any official capacity can be amazingly un-global. Expect to be asked, “you’re not from around here?” if you head anywhere rural. ( I say this based on experience in rural Utah and other states–and I’m from here!)
smoking in any public anything. Most cities have banned it in restaurants (but again, rural areas may not have)
girls who don’t think much of your accent–trust me, you’ll be beating them off. If you’re female, the line (not the queue) of guys will form to the right.
Not a ton of Asian food here-EXCEPT on the West coast. It’s increasing in popularity. Ditto Indian food–Mexican food is the cheap take away here in the states.
In September, depending on where you are, you will need everything from shorts to a jacket. By November, when you’re leaving, you may need a heavier coat (depending on where you are).
We are much um, moister country than Oz-excepting southern California and the desert states, we get rain–especially Seattle etc. Buy an umbrella once you get here-that’s what I do when I go to UK.
Not a damn thing. Wait staff deserves to be tipped because not only are they providing personal service, they are getting paid less than minimum wage. Tip jars for counter help came from the staff at Starbucks as far as I can tell. Sorry, but you’re working at a fast-food place and are getting paid well over minimum wage so no…you don’t get a freaking tip.
Sorry, someone else said something about November, and it got stuck. Okay, you can definitely go to a ballgame in September. If the local team is in the pennant race, it might be tough to get tickets, but if they’re not, it should be easy. I recommend going in Pittsburgh, if possible. They have a really great new ballpark there.
Or look up minor league teams! There are hundreds of minor league teams in the US and Canada. Tickets are inexpensive and it’s a fun way to see some local color.
No one at the ballpark needs a tip.
There is great Chinese food in San Francisco though, and good Indian in LA. You MUST eat some Mexican food while you are in LA. Good Mexican food is hard to come by in the rest of the country (excepting parts of the southwest).
I can’t provide you with links because the good places don’t have websites. But if you make it to Olvera St you will find something close to really good Mexican food. If you are interested in venturing further than that I can recommend a handful of great local stands and small restaurants, but not many in the Santa Monica area.
While you are in Santa Monica though make sure you check out the boardwalk in Venice Beach and walk around Abbot-Kinney in the Venice arts area. If you can make it up to Malibu, beach and Point Dume are fantastic, but I am not sure how into beaches you will be.
If you have a choice, skip Minneapolis and go to Chicago instead. Much more interesting place.
If you go from Minneapolis to Chicago, you’ll be going right past me in Madison. Stop and we’ll have lunch.
In Minnesota:
Be aware that some Ports of Entry between America and Canada close at posted times, potentially stranding you in one country or the other.
There’s a lot of cheap Chinese restaurants (not fast-food, just inexpensive sit-down dining), mostly family-run and all atrocious. Avoid these places: The town’s steakhouse is usually better. This applies more to small towns, but I doubt you’ll stay entirely in the Twin Cities. They just aren’t that interesting and Minnesota has famous wilderness. Taking a trip to the North Woods and the Iron Mountains is well worth the time.
Minnesota in September/October can be bitterly cold. Or not: It entirely depends on the year. Be prepared for anything from mildly brisk to blizzard conditions. Driving on ice in an unfamiliar area of the world is not a pleasant experience, so make arrangements if the weather looks like it might glaze the roads over.
Seeing a high school football game at that time of year should be easy, and it is well worth the effort to seek one out and experience the enthusiasm. They will always be on a weekend.
The people will be willing to make conversation, but northerners are more taciturn than southerners in America. Midwestern hospitality is legendary, but don’t expect them to know much about Aussie politics or mores. Do not bring up gun rights if you expect people to agree with Australian laws on this subject: Many Midwesterners are hunters and most of them dislike strict gun control laws, especially in the rural areas.
Don’t worry about tipping: 15-20% is very easy to remember and will get you through just fine. Fast-food places don’t require tips and some restaurants will automatically add a ‘gratuity’ for parties over a given size. (And, no, don’t ever expect to see a dollar coin in circulation. The Mint makes them and the rest of us ignore them completely.)
Aussies know about big countries and long drives, but look at maps with an eye to drive times and the kinds of roads between two points: A two-lane highway will add a significant amount of time compared to a four-lane freeway, and dirt roads may be monopolized by very slow farm equipment. It is a very good idea to get a recent Rand McNally map for all of the regions you’re interested in.
Seconded, the Apple Pan is legendary and for good reason. If you go to the Apple Pan, you may as well head up the road to UCLA - incidentally, it’s a fantastic place to watch squirrels, especially in the Sculpture Garden. Be forewarned, however, that the little bastards will hop right into your lap for sunflower seeds, and a few have a peculiar bent for Kashi GoLean peanut butter bar.
Uh, not that I’ve fed the animals there or anything. Nope.
And don’t eat Mexican on Olvera Street, unless you want to pay through the nose for mediocre food. You are better off finding a random place nearby - or better yet, Phillipe’s is right across the street. It’s a Los Angeles institution, along with the Apple Pan.