10 Best places to visit in the United States
There are many spectacular places to visit in the United States. It’s an immense country that brings together large metropolises such as New York or Chicago, natural wonders that will leave you speechless, such as Yellowstone or Niagara Falls, and car or motorcycle tours to discover the deepest America through roads such as Route 66.
To enjoy all these gems, you would need several months. Therefore, it is highly recommended to divide the country into zones, especially between the west and east, where most of the points of interest are concentrated, and visit each of them on a journey.
The best time to travel to the US is in spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October). During these seasons, you can avoid the extreme heat of summer and the cold of winter. There is not as much tourism, and accommodation prices are more affordable.
Remember that to enter the country, it is mandatory to request the ESTA document through this official page. Additionally, make sure to have the best travel insurance for the United States, as healthcare is very expensive, and any problem can mortgage you for life. Top of Form
Based on the numerous trips I have made to this great country, I have made a list of what I believe are the 10 Best places to visit in the United States. Let’s go!
1. New York
New York, full of nicknames such as the city of skyscrapers, the city of asphalt, or the city that never sleeps, is one of the tourist places in the United States that never disappoints and always exceeds all expectations.
If it is your first time in the city, I recommend investing between 7 and 10 days to see its most famous buildings and attractions. These include the Empire State Building, Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty. In addition, explore its neighborhoods like Harlem, Queens, or Brooklyn, where you can feel like just another New Yorker.
Although, for me, the best thing about New York is that no matter how many times you visit, something new always appears that will surprise you. It could be a museum, a theater show, a musical, a design store, an original cafe, or a new viewpoint.
In order not to miss anything important in the city, I recommend that you read this guide to New York and the top tourist attractions in New York.
2. Yellowstone
On my first trip through the Western United States, if there is any place that left its mark on me, it was Yellowstone Park. It is the oldest national park and one of the world’s great natural wonders.
A circular itinerary by car between geysers, hot springs, boiling mud pools, fumaroles, and canyons of this gigantic volcanic caldera will take you about 4 or 5 days. Among its highlights are the Old Faithful geyser, the Grand Prismatic, the Lower Falls or Great Falls, and the limestone terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. However, the experience of driving and coming across herds of bison, maples, or even a bear is unique.
I arrived at Yellowstone from San Francisco on a trip of more than 11 hours. Another faster option is to take a flight to Jackson, located 70 kilometers from the south entrance, or to Idaho Falls, about 200 kilometers from the west entrance.
You can stay at the Lazy G Motel, a 5-minute drive from the entrance, in the West Yellowstone area. However, it is also a good option to sleep inside one of the park’s hotels.
3. Route 66
Another of the best things to do in the United States is to complete Route 66 in about two weeks, either by car, motorcycle, or motorhome. It goes from the city of Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles on a journey of almost 4,000 kilometers.
With more than 100 years of history, Route 66 is considered one of the legendary trips that any traveler would like to make. This mythical route passes through several sections of the United States, connecting iconic destinations and offering a nostalgic glimpse into America’s past. Along the way, you’ll see preserved motels, gas stations, and roadside cafes with the same decoration from the 50s, which give it an authentic character, although also focused on tourism.
Among the essential stops are Las Vegas, Cadillac Ranch, the towns of Williams and Seligman, the Wigwam motel, the Mr. D’z restaurant in Kingman, and especially the Grand Canyon, one of the most incredible places to visit in the United States, which I will talk about later.
4. San Francisco, One of the Best Places to Visit in the United States
San Francisco, located in a beautiful bay, is considered the most European city in the country. Along with New York, it is one of my favorite places in the United States and a mandatory stop on a route along the West Coast of the United States.
This city is full of charm and diversity. It also has a pleasant climate for most of the year. It’s perfect for spending a few days relaxing and enjoying neighborhoods such as the Castro and Fisherman’s Wharf. You can also climb the steep streets with its historic tram, cross the emblematic Golden Gate, or visit the cinematic Alcatraz prison in San Francisco.
To know the best of this city, I advise you to follow this guide to San Francisco, which has interesting posts such as the best things to see in San Francisco and the itineraries of San Francisco.
If you have extra time in the city, I recommend renting a car and taking a trip to Yosemite Park, Sequoia, and Death Valley, or taking the scenic highway to Los Angeles, another of the cities to visit in California.
5. Niagara Falls
Located between the borders of Canada and the United States, Niagara Falls is one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world and one that I am sure you will not forget.
This spectacular waterfall of the Niagara River is 1,000 meters wide and 54 meters high. It is one of the best excursions in New York, having a good daily connection by bus (7 hours) and plane (1 hour).
Once at the falls, you can enjoy the views from the viewpoints of both countries (those on the Canadian side are more photogenic). You can also see the Horseshoe Falls and board the Maid of the Mist boat to feel the power and sound of the water up close. Additionally, you can fly over them with a helicopter flight or have fun with some of its most popular attractions, such as the Whirlpool Aero Car, the Mistrider Zipline, and the Journey Behind the Falls.
To complete the experience, you can stay in one of the hotels with views of Niagara Falls, such as the Hilton Niagara Falls, the Niagara Falls Marriott, or The Oakes Hotel.
6. Hawaii
After a route through the most popular places to visit in the United States, you can spend a few days relaxing on the paradisiacal beaches of Hawaii. Hawaii is an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean and has direct flights from large cities on the West Coast, such as San Francisco or Los Angeles.
The only way to move between the different islands is by plane. Once there, it is advisable to rent a good car to explore the fantastic landscapes of volcanoes, hidden coves, and lush forests. Many scenes from the popular series Lost were filmed in these beautiful locations.
Although the archipelago has many islands, those that are usually visited are the four largest: Oahu (the most touristy and with the greatest accommodation offer), Maui (impressive beaches and good atmosphere), Big Island (large volcanoes), and Kauai (the most virgin and green).
The minimum time to be able to see all the tourist places on these four islands, without much rush, would be about 15 days. So, if you have less time, I recommend you invest more time in enjoying the beaches and the hiking routes.
7. Chicago, One of the Cities to See in the United States
Chicago, known as the Windy City or the Second City, is another place in the United States that you cannot miss.
Destroyed by a great fire in 1871 and terrorized by gangsters like Al Capone during the Prohibition period, this city has managed to rise from its ashes to become a great metropolis. It boasts imposing skyscrapers, well-kept parks, modern architecture, interesting museums, and sandy beaches around the lake where you can sunbathe or have a picnic.
Although its main points of interest, such as Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Art Institute, or the Willis Tower, can be seen in about two days, it is advisable to invest more time to enjoy all the experiences that the city offers. These include trying its pizza style or seeing the best-preserved T-Rex skeleton in the world at the Field Museum.
8. Grand Canyon Of the Colorado
After a great route through the National Parks, you can put the cherry on top with a visit to the Grand Canyon, another of the natural treasures of the world.
This immense canyon ranges from 6 to 40 kilometers wide and reaches depths of more than 1,500 meters. It was created by the erosion of the Colorado River bed over millions of years.
Currently, it is divided into three visitable areas. Although the most popular is the South Rim, as it concentrates the most points of interest, if you come from Las Vegas, it is more convenient to visit the West Rim area. This area is located just two hours away and has the incredible Skywalk observation deck, a transparent platform hanging from the cliff.
If you come by private car, you can leave it in one of the available parking lots and get around with the park shuttles that stop at the different viewpoints. Also, don’t forget to book this helicopter ride in the South Rim or this one in the West Rim, one of our most breathtaking experiences of the trip.
9. Florida
A few days of vacation on the Florida peninsula enjoying the beach and the attractions of the Orlando theme parks is another of the best things to do in the United States.
The best way to get to know this area is to land in Miami and spend one or two days in this city with a Latin rhythm and beautiful beaches where you can sunbathe.
Once the visits are completed, you can rent a car to travel the Florida Keys Highway, observe alligators and crocodiles in Everglades National Park, visit historic St. Augustine, see space rockets at the Kennedy Space Center, and above all, spend some fun last days at the Walt Disney World and Universal complexes that have the best parks in Orlando and the world.
For more information, you can check out this list of top attractions in Miami.
10. Alaska
To finish this list of tourist places to visit in the United States, I suggest taking a motorhome trip through the wild landscapes of Alaska, ideal for lovers of the most virgin nature.
Known as the “last frontier,” this state offers enough attractions to spend about three weeks discovering its incredible mountain landscapes, rivers, fjords, and glaciers. You also have the possibility of seeing bears hunting salmon and the northern lights if you travel in winter.
Also Read: A First Time Traveller’s Guide to Barbados
