Canyons, skyscrapers, national parks, micro-food scenes, and beautiful beaches must be conquered one bite at a time in this massive nation.
A vast and diverse country like the US is impossible to sum up, which makes it so enjoyable to visit. There is a mainstream American culture, but each state and region has its own identity, dialect, cuisine, and culture based on its geography, colonial legacies, and histories.
The US is as diverse as Europe, with places like New York, the Navajo Nation, the Great Lakes, the southern Bayou, and rainy Seattle to sunny Santa Fe. The best way to see the US is to plan a large trip or take it slow by exploring one state at a time. Visit repeatedly over decades and you won’t see everything.
Inclusion criteria
Travelers from the UK need a visa or visa waiver to enter or transit through the USA. These can be applied for online and are valid for two years.
When to go
The US has something to see, do, and enjoy almost year-round due to its size and geography. Go to California beaches or outdoor festivals in summer. Winter, ski in Colorado, enjoy the sun with Florida’s “snowbirds,” or spend a magical Christmas in New York. Explore a national park during shoulder season or take a spring or autumn road trip to see the country’s amazing wildflowers and leaves. Remember that Midwest tornado season runs from March to June and Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November.
Top cities, regions
California
Beach and sun; redwood trees and San Francisco trolleys; surfer babes and Silicon Valley techies; Hollywood charm and Haight-Ashbury grit. It’s no secret that California is famous worldwide. Beyond its vast collection of big-hitters, California is best off the beaten path, whether exploring eco-conscious dining, learning about Hispanic and Chicano heritage, or sipping a velvety Cabernet overlooking a Sonoma vineyard.
NY
Manhattan is many Americans’ first and only stop, and why not? The Big Apple has everything, from Broadway’s glittering stages to Brooklyn’s hipster hangouts and every international cuisine imaginable. Driving upstate through antique Hudson River towns, settling in along Lake Champlain, or visiting Buffalo for its industrial heritage and hot wings is easy to forget that there’s a whole, big state outside the city.
Vegas
Your first visit to Vegas is like riding a rollercoaster for the first time: thrilling, scream-worthy, beautiful views, and leaving you sick. You come for the lights, casinos, pool parties, drinks, and debauchery, but Vegas has more. Off The Strip, Fremont Street has great live music, museums about its entertainment and mob history, and the Grand Canyon and Valley of Fire are nearby.
Florida
Florida is ideal for escaping grey skies year-round with over 235 sunny days per year. Families, road trippers, and solo travelers will enjoy Florida’s diverse theme parks, beaches, historical sites, and cultures. If beaches and Disney don’t interest you, take an airboat tour of the Everglades, explore Miami’s art deco architecture and Cuban culture, take a bridge-based road trip across the Florida Keys, or visit the Kennedy Space Center on the Space Coast to learn about rocket launches.
