United States
Updated October 19, 2026
The United States is one of the most visited countries on Earth, receiving about 68 million international visitors in 2025. Travellers come for skyscraper cities, 63 national parks, road trips across open desert and a pop culture that the whole world already knows from film. The country spans six ti…
Popular Cities in United States
Must-See Places in United States
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is 446 km long, up to 29 km wide and about 1.8 km deep, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years. The South Rim is open all year and lies about 4.5 hours by car from Las Vegas. Sunrise at Mather Point turns the layers orange, red and violet. Ideal for hikers, photographers and families.
Yellowstone National Park
Founded in 1872, Yellowstone holds about half of the world's active geysers, including Old Faithful, which erupts roughly every 60–110 minutes. Bison, elk and wolves roam the Lamar Valley, earning it the nickname America's Serengeti. Most roads are open from late May to October. Ideal for wildlife lovers and families.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Valley in California is framed by El Capitan, a 900 m granite wall, and Half Dome. Yosemite Falls drops 739 m and runs strongest in May and June. The park lies about 4 hours by car from San Francisco, and summer weekends may require reservations. Ideal for hikers, climbers and photographers.
Zion National Park
Zion in southern Utah is a red-and-cream sandstone canyon carved by the Virgin River, with walls up to 600 m high. Its famous hike, The Narrows, wades through the river between cliffs only 6 m apart. From March to November a free shuttle replaces private cars on the main canyon road. Ideal for active travellers and adventurous couples.
Napa Valley
Napa Valley, about 80 km north of San Francisco, has more than 400 wineries along a valley only 48 km long. The 1976 Judgment of Paris, when Napa wines beat French ones in a blind tasting, made its name. Tastings cost $40–100 per person and often require reservations. Ideal for couples and food and wine lovers.
Key West and the Florida Keys
The Overseas Highway runs about 180 km from the Florida mainland to Key West over 42 bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge. Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States, only about 150 km from Cuba. Ernest Hemingway's house and sunset celebrations at Mallory Square are local rituals. Ideal for road trippers, divers and couples.
Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, is the home of country music, with live bands playing for free in the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway from late morning. The Grand Ole Opry radio show has broadcast since 1925, making it the longest-running radio show in the country. Hot chicken is the local dish. Ideal for music lovers and groups of friends.
Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway
Big Sur is a 140 km stretch of California's Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon, where cliffs drop straight into the Pacific. The Bixby Creek Bridge, built in 1932, is one of the most photographed bridges in the country. Landslides sometimes close sections, so check road status before driving. Ideal for road trippers and couples.
Must-Visit Attractions in United States
The Statue of Liberty National Monument is the copper statue that gree
Designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with an iron frame by Gustave Eiffel, it was dedicated in 1886 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The statue stands 93 m from ground to torch, and its copper skin turned from shiny brown to green within about 30 years. The same ferry continues to Ellis Island, where the National Museum of Immigration lets visitors search arrival records of their ancestors. Statue City Cruises is the only official ferry operator, departing from Battery Park, with tickets from about $25. Crown tickets are limited and sell out months ahead. Insider tip: take the first ferry of the morning and sit on the right side for the best photos, or ride the free Staten Island Ferry for a view of the statue without landing.
The National Mall in Washington, D
C., is a 3 km park lined with the country's most famous monuments and the free museums of the Smithsonian Institution. It stretches from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. The Smithsonian, founded in 1846, runs 21 museums and the National Zoo, and almost all are free, including the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened in 2016. The Washington Monument rises 169 m, and timed tickets to the top cost $1 online. The White House can only be toured with a request through an embassy or member of Congress. Insider tip: walk the monuments after dark, when they are lit, the crowds thin and the reflecting pool mirrors the Washington Monument.
The Las Vegas Strip is a 6
8 km stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard lined with themed mega-resorts, casinos and shows in the middle of the Mojave Desert. It holds some of the largest hotels in the world, and the city receives about 40 million visitors a year. Free attractions include the Fountains of Bellagio, which dance to music every 15–30 minutes from the afternoon until midnight. The Sphere, opened in 2023, is a 112 m high venue covered with LED screens visible across the valley. Hotel rooms can be cheap on weekdays, but daily resort fees of $35–55 are added. Insider tip: use Las Vegas as a base for the Hoover Dam, 50 minutes away, and Red Rock Canyon, 30 minutes away, and avoid outdoor walks in July and August, when afternoons exceed 40°C.
The Golden Gate Bridge is the 2
7 km suspension bridge spanning the entrance to San Francisco Bay, and one of the most photographed structures in the world. Opened in 1937, it was then the longest suspension bridge on Earth, with towers rising 227 m above the water. Its colour, International Orange, was chosen to stand out in fog and to match the hills. Pedestrians and cyclists can cross for free on the east sidewalk, while drivers pay a toll of about $9 heading south. Fog often hides the towers in summer mornings, especially in July and August. Insider tip: for the classic view, drive or cycle to Battery Spencer on the Marin side, and ride back by ferry from Sausalito to the Ferry Building. Combine it with Alcatraz Island, whose tours sell out weeks ahead.
Griffith Observatory is the Art Deco observatory on the slopes of Moun
It opened in 1935 and admission to the building and grounds is still free. Visitors can look through the 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope on clear evenings, and the planetarium shows cost about $10. The observatory has appeared in films from Rebel Without a Cause to La La Land. Hiking trails lead from the observatory toward the Hollywood Sign, whose 14 m letters were first erected in 1923 to advertise a housing development. Parking is scarce and costs about $10 per hour, so take the DASH Observatory bus from the Vermont/Sunset metro station. Insider tip: arrive an hour before sunset, watch the city lights come on, and stay for the free public telescope viewing.
Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando is the most visited holiday reso
Opened in 1971, it has four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom, plus two water parks. Universal Orlando Resort opened its third theme park, Epic Universe, in May 2025, adding worlds based on Harry Potter, Super Nintendo and classic monsters. One-day Disney tickets cost about $120–200 depending on the date, and park reservations are no longer needed for most tickets. Central Florida is hot and humid from June to September, with daily afternoon thunderstorms. Insider tip: visit midweek in late January or early May, arrive at opening, and use the paid Lightning Lane or Express Pass for the most popular rides.
The Miami Beach Architectural District is the largest collection of Ar
Pastel hotels with neon signs, porthole windows and racing stripes line Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue in South Beach. The district was the first 20th-century neighbourhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1979, after preservationists saved it from demolition. The Art Deco Welcome Center runs walking tours for about $35. Beyond the beach, Little Havana's Calle Ocho serves Cuban coffee, and Wynwood's warehouse walls are covered in murals. Miami summers are hot and humid, and hurricane season runs from June to November. Insider tip: walk Ocean Drive early in the morning, when the soft light shows the pastel colours best, and come back after dark for the neon.
Millennium Park is Chicago's 10-hectare park on the edge of the Loop,
The Bean, completed in 2006, is made of 168 polished steel plates and reflects the skyline and the clouds. Nearby, the Crown Fountain shows faces of Chicago residents on two 15 m towers, and Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion hosts free summer concerts. The park sits next to the Art Institute of Chicago, home to Grant Wood's American Gothic and Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper, and the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise, about $55, passes more than 40 buildings in 75 minutes. Insider tip: visit the Bean early in the morning for reflection photos without crowds, and come in summer, when winter winds off Lake Michigan are gone.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu marks the Japanese attack o
Its centrepiece, the USS Arizona Memorial, is a white structure built in 1962 over the sunken battleship, where 1,177 crew members died. Oil still rises from the wreck in small drops, known as black tears. Entry is free, but the boat programme to the memorial requires a timed reservation for $1 on Recreation.gov, released up to eight weeks ahead. Nearby, the Battleship Missouri, where Japan surrendered in 1945, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum charge separate fees. Bags are not allowed, so leave them at the storage facility. Insider tip: book the first morning slot, then drive 40 minutes to the Diamond Head crater hike or Waikiki Beach for the afternoon.
The French Quarter, or Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighbourhood of New
Most of its buildings date from the Spanish period after two great fires in 1788 and 1794, which explains the iron-lace balconies and courtyards. Jackson Square is framed by St. Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest cathedrals in the country, while brass bands play on Royal Street. Café du Monde has served beignets and chicory coffee near the river since 1862, for about $5. Bourbon Street gets loud and rowdy at night, so explore quieter Frenchmen Street for live jazz. Mardi Gras, the carnival before Lent, draws over a million visitors. Insider tip: visit in spring for Jazz Fest and the French Quarter Festival, and avoid August's heat and humidity.
Unique Experiences in United States
Raft the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon
Spend one to three weeks on the river at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, sleeping on sandy beaches under walls nearly two billion years old, far from roads and phone signal.
Drive Historic Route 66
Follow the Mother Road from Chicago to the Pacific through eight states, neon motels, Art Deco gas stations and desert ghost towns, in the year after its 100th anniversary.
Watch a Rocket Launch on the Space Coast
Feel the ground shake as a rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral, the launch site of the Apollo missions, now with launches several times a month.
See a Show on Broadway
Sit in a century-old theatre near Times Square for a musical that may be playing to full houses years after opening night, with the original cast album still selling worldwide.
Watch Wolves in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley
Stand on a frozen roadside at dawn with a spotting scope and watch a wolf pack hunt bison across the snow, one of the best places in the world to see wild wolves.
Travel Tips for United States
Add Tax and Tip to Every Price
Prices on menus and shelves almost never include sales tax, which adds 0–10% depending on the state and city, and hotels…
Rent a Car Outside the Big Cities
Public transport works well in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, but national parks and small town…
Buy Travel Insurance with Medical Cover
American healthcare is among the most expensive in the world: an emergency room visit can cost $2,000–5,000, and a hospi…
Plan National Parks Around the 2026 Fees
Since 1 January 2026, non-US residents pay a $100 surcharge per person at 11 of the most visited parks, including Grand …
Apply for ESTA or a Visa Early
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries need an ESTA, which costs $40 since 30 September 2025 and is valid for two yea…
Fly Between Regions, Take the Train on the East Coast
Distances are vast: driving from New York to Los Angeles takes about 40 hours. Use domestic flights between regions, boo…
Must-Try Local Dishes
Texas Barbecue Brisket
Slices of beef brisket with a black, peppery crust and a pink smoke ring melt like butter. In Central Texas, pitmasters rub the meat with only salt and black pepper and smoke it over post oak for 12–18 hours. It is sold by the pound on butcher paper, with white bread, pickles and onions. Famous joints such as Franklin Barbecue in Austin draw queues from 08:00, and plates cost about $25–35.
New York Bagel with Lox
A chewy, glossy bagel split and piled with cream cheese, silky smoked salmon, capers and red onion is New York's classic breakfast. The dough is boiled before baking, which gives the dense crumb and shiny crust. Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe brought bagels to the Lower East Side in the late 19th century. Expect $12–20 for a full bagel with lox at a traditional deli or appetizing shop.
Maine Lobster Roll
Sweet chunks of cold lobster in a toasted, butter-soaked bun taste of the North Atlantic summer. In Maine it comes chilled with a little mayonnaise; in Connecticut it is served warm with melted butter. Roadside shacks along the New England coast sell it from May to October, often with chips and a pickle. Prices follow the catch and usually run $25–40, making it a summer splurge.
Louisiana Gumbo
A dark, smoky stew thickened with a roux cooked until it smells of toasted nuts is the soul of Louisiana cooking. Gumbo mixes African, French, Spanish and Native American influences, with okra, the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper, and either seafood or chicken with andouille sausage. It is served over white rice. A bowl costs about $10–18 in New Orleans restaurants.
Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
A tall, buttery crust filled with mozzarella, sausage and a chunky tomato sauce on top is closer to a pie than a flat pizza. It was first served at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago in 1943. A deep dish takes about 45 minutes to bake, so locals order as soon as they sit down. One medium pizza feeds two to three people and costs about $25–35.
Classic American Cheeseburger
A juicy beef patty seared on a hot griddle, melted American cheese, pickles and a soft toasted bun is the country's most famous meal. Diners and roadside stands across the country serve versions with fries and a milkshake. California's In-N-Out, founded in 1948, still sells a cheeseburger for under $5, while gourmet burgers in New York cost $18–28.
Southern Fried Chicken and Biscuits
Crisp, crackling chicken skin seasoned with paprika and black pepper, with fluffy buttermilk biscuits on the side, is the comfort food of the American South. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, dredged in flour and fried in cast iron. It is a Sunday lunch tradition across the South. Nashville adds cayenne for hot chicken. Plates cost about $15–22.
Hawaiian Poke
Cubes of raw ahi tuna glistening with soy sauce, sesame oil, sweet onion and seaweed taste of the Pacific. Poke, meaning to slice or cut in Hawaiian, began as a fisherman's snack made from offcuts. Locals buy it by the pound at supermarkets and fish counters in Honolulu and eat it over rice. A poke bowl costs about $15–22 in Hawaii.
History
First Peoples and Colonial Footholds
People lived in North America for at least 13,000 years before Europeans arrived, and some evidence points to far earlier dates. By the 11th century, Cahokia near today's St. Louis was a city of 10,000–20,000 people, larger than London at the time.
Cities of earth and stone
Cahokia's Monks Mound, built from about 22 million cubic feet of basket-carried earth, rises 30 m above the Mississippi floodplain. In the Southwest, Ancestral Puebloans built cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde in Colorado, and Pueblo people have lived at Taos in New Mexico for about 1,000 years.
Spanish, French and English colonies
The oldest continuously inhabited European city in the country is not in New England. Spain founded St. Augustine in Florida in 1565, 42 years before the English settled Jamestown in Virginia in 1607.
- The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
- France claimed the Mississippi Valley and founded New Orleans in 1718.
- The Dutch named Manhattan New Amsterdam until the English took it in 1664.
European diseases killed a large share of Native Americans within a few generations, emptying villages before many settlers ever saw them.
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Spring
5–24°C
March to May brings mild days of 15–24°C across most of the country and the best conditions for desert parks in Utah and…
Summer
18–35°C
June to August is peak season, with 25–35°C in most cities and over 45°C in Death Valley and Las Vegas. It is the best t…
Autumn
8–25°C
September to November offers warm, dry days of 15–25°C and fewer crowds after school returns. New England and the Blue R…
Winter
-5–15°C
December to February ranges from -5°C or colder in Chicago and New York to 20–27°C in Miami, Southern California and Haw…
Fascinating Fun Facts
Alaska cost about two cents an acre
In 1867 Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, about two cents per acre. Critics …
More Spanish speakers than Spain
The United States has about 57 million Spanish speakers, according to the Instituto Cervantes, more than the population …
The hottest air temperature ever recorded
On 10 July 1913, Furnace Creek in California's Death Valley recorded 56.7°C, still the highest air temperature officiall…
The world's tallest mountain is in Hawaii
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, but Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island is the tallest from base to …
Route 66 turns 100 in 2026
U.S. Route 66 was created on 11 November 1926 and ran about 3,940 km from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Officiall…
Fifty states, six time zones
The 50 states span six standard time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian. When it is …
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