When it comes to places to visit in the United States it is hard to come up with a limited list. From coast to coast, tourists can find pristine beaches, soaring mountains and sparkling lakes. No matter what you are looking for, an outdoor adventure, the shining lights of a city or touring 400 years of history, the U.S. has the perfect place for your visit. Here are five of the best tourist attractions the United States has to offer.
New York City
The Big Apple is the city that never sleeps and is number one on most tourist’s list of top attractions when it comes to travel in the United States. It appeals to Americans and also to visitors from around the world. The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are landmarks recognized by people everywhere. Broadway, Fifth Avenue and Wall Street are places that have worked their way into everyone’s language. Time Square is the center of the American universe.
New York City will appeal to children, adults and seniors; it is a city for everyone. Central Park offers a respite from the skyscrapers and brings a bit of the country mid-town with ice skating in the winter, roller skating in the summer and the zoo year round, With some of the world’s greatest museums and cuisine to tempt any palate, New York City will dazzle, amaze and entertain.
The Grand Canyon
At the other end of the spectrum, the Grand Canyon is all about wide open spaces where the only thing you see when you look up are canyon walls and bright blue skies. When it comes to spectacular scenery, there is nowhere in the United States that can compare to the Grand Canyon. Whether you choose the South Rim or the North Rim, you will have views that are unsurpassed; it is hard to imagine that these colors actually exist in nature. It is even more beautiful than any picture you have ever seen. If you are visiting the north rim it is easy to combine the Canyon with a visit to Sin City, sort of a 2 for 1. You will even feel good about choosing to combine scenery with all the glitz of Las Vegas.
New Orleans, Louisiana
It isn’t just about Mardi Gras in New Orleans. There isn’t another city in the United States like it. The architecture, the jazz, the voodoo and the beignets are all guaranteed to make you fall in love. Walking or driving along the levies holding back the mighty Mississippi makes you realize what a precarious position this city survives in and that makes New Orleans all the more precious and unique. The historic parts of the city were almost untouched by Katrina but it is the rebuilding of this great city that is bringing many tourists back to Nawlins. Don’t wait for Mardi Gras, this is a city that is at its best all year round.
Charlottesville, Virginia
While this city may not be on every tourist’s radar, it should be. Three of our presidents found it charming enough to make it their home. The most famous former resident is Thomas Jefferson, who helped design the University of Virginia, which is also located in Charlottesville. He built his famous home Monticello here and today you can visit it as well as the homes of James Madison and James Monroe. Charlottesville has all the vibe of a college town and much, much more.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
There is no city that is more representative of what the Unites States is all about than Philadelphia. Ben Franklin is probably one of the best known Americans to have ever lived and he is synonymous with the city of Brotherly Love. History, art, entertainment and plenty of outdoor activities guarantee that you can visit here every year and never get bored. Philadelphia has undergone a renaissance and it is the place to really feel the pulse of historic America.
These are just a few of the many outstanding attractions that the United States has to offer. You could spend a lifetime seeing everything this wonderful country has to show you. From east to west, north to south, there are attractions to appeal to every tourist from every country and of course if none of these appeal there is always Orlando or Anaheim, where Disney has proven there is a child in all of us.