The United States is a huge country with 50 states and there are so many different places you could visit.
Whether you are interested in cities, history, beaches, food, parting or seeing some of the most breathtaking natural wonders of the world, you have so much choice.
View our list of the best places to visit in the United States are start planning a dream trip today.
Why Visit the United States?
Here are some reasons why you should consider America for your next trip.
• Unrivalled natural beauty, high tech big cities and a culture of fun and freedom makes backpacking in America a once in a lifetime experience.
• The Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty and Disney Land are just a few tourist attractions that are known around the world.
• First world infrastructure mixed with truly American small town life and rural scenery.
• Accommodation to suit every budget from world class hotels to holiday apartments, motels, backpacker hostels and camping sites.
• Entertainment, activities, sights, sounds and cuisine from across the world – you will never feel home sick when in America.
Backpacking in America, you will discover a land that has assimilated world cultures to brew a lifestyle that can only be termed as 100% American.
Top Places to Visit
We have seen some similar guides put together lists of 50+ places in the USA to check out, but if it is your first time travelling to the USA, we recommend prioritising and going to see some of the most iconic cities and locations.
Here is where you should go:
1. New York
How could we write a guide to the most amazing places to go in the United States and not include New York! This is the city which never sleeps, which you could spend a lifetime exploring and still not experience everything.
New York is an amazing city to visit all year round, every month of the year here allows you to see a totally different side to the city. Some of the best things to do in NYC for the first time include going to the top of the Empire State Building, relaxing in Central Park, watching a live show on Broadway, taking a ferry trip to the Statue of Liberty, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and watching a New York Yankees baseball game.
New York is a hive of activity both day and night, the noise, traffic, yellow cabs, people, restaurants and street food are all what make New York special. Manhattan is where most tourist attractions are located but be sure to venture into some of the other boroughs like super trendy Brooklyn with its shops, markets, bars and clubs.
2. Miami
Miami is one of the trendiest places to visit in the USA with a warm climate, beautiful beaches, amazing nightlife.
What was once a little sleepy retirement community has transformed over the past decades into one of the most popular places to live and visit in the whole of north America.
There are lots of amazing things to do in Miami, including Miami beach, exploring Little Havana, attending one of the famous local pool parties, eating out on South Beach and checking out art in Wynwood.
You could also do day trips to beautiful Keywest, the drive here is amongst the best in the world or if you fancy something a little more adventurous the Everglades National Park to see swamps and alligators should be on your itinerary.
One of the benefits of booking a trip to Miami is the amazing sunny weather all year round, expect 20+ degrees even in winter.
3. Washington DC
Washington DC is the capital of the United States located in the District of Columbia on the east coast.
This is where the federal government is located and there are so many famous attractions here including the White House, Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial.
Washington is a great city for sightseeing as most places are all located close to each other in the National Mall. There are also lots of museums in Washington as well as historic churches and scenic neighbourhoods like Georgetown which are popular destinations to check out.
If you have an interest in history, you might like to do a day trop to the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg which is located near to Washington.
4. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is kind of under appreciated with foreign tourists, and sometimes overlooked of favour of places on the east coast like Boston and New York. But visit Chicago and you won’t be disappointed.
This city has so many fun things to do, popular places to visit include Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, 360 Chicago Observation Deck, Cloud Gate and Wrigley Field.
Chicago is famous for live music and there are so many bars and clubs where you can see live jazz and other genres, this is a special experience.
If you love sports you should try to watch a live game, you could see the Chicago White Sox or Cubs play baseball, Bulls play basketball, or Bears play American football.
5. Orlando, Florida
Orlando is located in central Florida and is one of the most popular travel destinations in the USA with foreign tourists due to being home to world famous theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
If you are looking for a fun action packed family holiday destination then Orlando is our number one place to visit. There are so many amusement parks, rides and live entertainment – there really is fun actives for everyone.
The main attraction in Orlando is Disney World which is one of the most visited places in the USA attracting millions of visitors every year.
Other than theme parks, download Orlando has great shopping, restaurants, bars and there are also lots of gardens and parks, golf courses and sports stadiums. Florida is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the United States.
6. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is one of the most special cities to visit in the USA with a unique culture, food, and architecture.
In 2005 New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina which caused widespread damage to the city but now New Orleans has recovered and tourists are flocking back.
Located in Louisiana, New Orleans is famous for its annual Mardi Gras festival which attractions thousands of tourists from all over the world. The French Quarter of the city has some of the oldest architecture in the whole of the United States with pretty colourful buildings with balconies.
New Orleans is a great destination to enjoy live music and entertainment and there are lots of popular tourist attractions like the lively Bourbon Street, the French Market, St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square.
There are lots of riverboat tours and historic Civil War battlefields which are popular with tourists whilst if you are looking for something different, the local cemeteries attract a staggering number of visitors due to the amount of unique tombs.
Although New Orleans is most famous for the Mardi Gras festival, there is always live music and entertainment all year round with lots of highly rated bars and live music clubs.
7. Los Angeles, California
After New York, Los Angeles is probably the next most well known destination in the country home to lots of move stars, rock stars and celebrities.
You can’t do a trip to the USA without visiting LA, this city is the second largest city in the country with so many tourist attractions.
Popular things to do in LA include walking down Hollywood Boulevard, watching a live tv show, going on a sightseeing bus tour to see famous peoples homes in Beverly Hills and relaxing in Venice Beach or Santa Monica.
Some of the best attractions include the Getty Center, the Kodak Theater, Universal Studios Hollywood, The Grove Farmer’s Market, Griffith Park and Knott’s Berry Farm. If you are travelling with children you might want to visit Disney World which has so many rides and entertainment.
8. San Francisco, California
Located in Northern California, San Francisco is now one of the most desirable and expensive places to live in North America.
The Golden Gate Bridge is the city’s most iconic postcard snap to get, but there are so many other popular tourism destinations like the Alcatraz prison, Fisherman’s Wharf on the waterfront with its seafood restaurants and souvenir shops, the trendy and hippy vibe of Haight-Ashbury and Chinatown which is one of the largest and oldest Chinatowns in north America.
There are so many things to do in San Francisco including riding a cable car to see some of the most pretty neighbourhoods in the United States.
9. Grand Canyon
The U.S. is blessed with some of the most beautiful nature in the world, and not many places are better than the spectacular West Coast National Parks.
The Grand Canyon National Park is a really bucket list destination and somewhere you need to visit once in your life. Founded in 1919, is one of the oldest national parks in the United States and is home to the awesome 227 miles wide Grand Canyon.
To get to the Grand Canyon most tourists fly into Las Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff or Salt Lake City and then hire a car. There are also lots of overland tours available to book from lots of west coast locations.
The Grand Canyon is located in the middle of nowhere in Arizona but really is worth the trip and is even more impressive in person. There are lots of viewing points, walks, hikes, guided tours or if you are looking for the ultimate adventure you could book a helicopter ride to get awestruck seeing the Grand Canyon from above.
10. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is one of the most well known destinations in the United States, and is famous for its casinos, live events, parties and entertainment.
It’s quite unusual for a city literally located in the desert to become as popular as it has, but Las Vegas has developed quite a reputation for itself and has been the setting for so many films.
Las Vegas is a bit seedy to visit in some places, and if gambling isn’t for you it can be a turn off, but this city really does have to be visited once, just so you can make your own mind up.
If you love to gamble, you have to visit places like the Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, the MGM Grand but even if you don’t there is lots of keep you busy. On the main Las Vegas strip you can see fountain and lights shows, an Egyptian Pyramid, a replica of the Paris Eiffel Tower and there are so many street performers.
Don’t be fooled to thinking Las Vegas is just about gambling, year round you can see world class sporting events and also live music from some of the biggest names in the industry. There are also lots of golf courses and day trips available to enjoy climbing, hiking and water sports on the stunning Lake Mead.
Other Places to Consider
Putting together out top 10 places to check out in the USA was difficult as there really are hundreds of amazing destinations.
Our list is dominated by cities, as these really are some of the most famous places known worldwide and must see destinations.
If you have a flexible schedule, or would like to get away from some of the more famous and touristy locations, these are some other great cities and places to visit:
• Austin
• Boston
• Hawaii
• Houston
• Nashville
• San Diego
• Philadelphia
• Pheonix
• Portland
• San Antonio
• Savannah
• Seattle
• Sedona
• Denali National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Yosemite National Park
Top American Tourism Destinations
Hopefully our guide to where to visit in the USA has given you some inspiration for where to go.
If you have a short break you might want to visit a city like New York, Miami or Los Angeles, or if you have more time you could try to take in multiple destinations. You could plan also take an epic road trip driving the legendary Route 66 and stopping off along the way!
There really are options for all interests, and no matter which month of the year you go, you’ll be sure to enjoy an amazing trip.
