Worried about a safe trip?
Register your overseas travel with the Department of State! It's fast and easy:

The State Department strongly encourages American citizens planning travel abroad to register their travel with the Department of State. Travel registration makes it possible to contact a traveler if necessary, whether because of a family emergency in the United States or because of a crisis in the place the traveler is visiting. Registration is a free service provided by the State Department, and is easily accomplished online at https://travelregistration.state.gov.

Note that, in accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information about those registered without their express written authorization.

The State Department also advises leaving a detailed itinerary and copies of your passport biographical-data page with a friend or relative in the United States.