Places to visit in America
It’s the ‘land of the free and the home of the brave’, according to its national anthem. And when you take your first step down into the Grand Canyon or up into the Rocky Mountains, for example, the sense of freedom will certainly hit you. As for being ‘home of the brave’, you really don’t want to leave it too late in life to come here. Rafting down the Colorado River, climbing up the granite facades of Yosemite, watching grizzlies in Alaska, or dancing all night in New Orleans might seem ‘daunting’ but the USA is all about pushing your boundaries. If you want to really delve into the depths of the USA, its wild places and exhilarating cultures, the best way is to feel your fear and do it anyway. And if you do, it will have your heart beating louder than any rousing version of the Star Spangled Banner.
1.
Alaska
2. Appalachian Trail
3. California
4. Colorado
5. The Deep South
6. The Grand Canyon
7. New York State
8. Hawaii
9. Utah
10. Vermont
11. Washington State
12. Yellowstone National Park
13. Yosemite National Park
2. Appalachian Trail
3. California
4. Colorado
5. The Deep South
6. The Grand Canyon
7. New York State
8. Hawaii
9. Utah
10. Vermont
11. Washington State
12. Yellowstone National Park
13. Yosemite National Park
Alaska
1. Alaska
A land of extraordinary national parks, including the USA’s largest, Wrangell St-Elias National Park, a giant of glacial gorgeousness which is the size of Switzerland alone. Head to Alaska for hiking on glaciers, ice climbing, kayaking through frozen fjords, and taking in the tumultuous taiga and sub-arctic tundra with its resident wildlife wonders such as orca and humpback whales, grizzly bears and wolves.
Appalachian Trail
2. Appalachian Trail
Over 3,000km long, seek out the best stretches. Such as the White Mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, just 200km from Boston. Here you can cover over 150km of the Trail climbing Mt Guyot and Mt Zealand, passing elevated lakes and waterfalls. Do as locals do and stay in traditional hiking cabins which have hosted hikers along the Trail for as long as it has existed.
California
3. California
The San Francisco Bay Area is a good starting point with its blue skies and green planet thinking. A walking vacation is perfect, along the Pacific coast to the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where you can go California dreaming through coastal redwood forests. Try surfing on San Diego’s beautiful beaches, hiking through Joshua Tree National Park or explore the Mojave Desert, which feels as much like another planet as LA does.
Colorado
4. Colorado
Everywhere you go in Colorado people talk about elevation. And with the Rocky Mountains taking over vast swathes of this the state, you can soon see why. These peaks are everywhere, with four national parks protecting the wildest heights, but small skiing resorts in ex mining towns welcoming guests all year round too. You also can’t go to Colorado without rafting a river or riding a ranch.
The Deep South
5. The Deep South
Music echoes throughout any vacation here, not just for country, bluegrass or Elvis fans, but blues rules too with Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans must visits. The stories of struggle and civil rights that were, still are, the backdrop of so much of this creativity, also play a major part of visiting this area, with places like Birmingham and Memphis’ National Civil Rights Museum important wake up calls.
The Grand Canyon
6. The Grand Canyon
This plunging desert landscape will make you realise how the expression ‘take your breath away’ came about. You will have to catch it again though when you take on one of its many hiking trails, either around the rim or escape the crowds and descend into the canyon itself. Which is 1.6km deep and 29km wide by the way.
New York State
7. New York State
Few people know anything of this state beyond Manhattan, or that you can build a two week vacation of hiking, kayaking and cycling into a visit to the Big Apple. Ski or walk in the Catskill Mountains just an hour from the city, explore serious wilderness of the Adirondacks and its 46 peaks or bask in the Atlantic waves of Long Island. It’s one big green apple, ripe for the picking.
Hawaii
8. Hawaii
A land of ancient gods, fiery volcanoes and beaches that look like 3D picture postcards, America’s 50th state is an alluring mix of laidback lifestyle and thrilling adventures. You might be splashing around in the surf, admiring flowing and bubbling lava the next, sailing out into the ocean to spy whales, manta rays and dolphins, or touring the historic Pearl Harbour to learn about an infamous chapter of American history.
Utah
9. Utah
There’s more to Utah than Mormons, and what a spectacle it is. Zion National Park with its vast red cliffs that glow majestically in the sunset, the famous Emerald Pools and the iconic Angels Landing Trail; Bryce Canyon and its incredible forest of crimson hoodoos reaching up into the sky, and the painted desert of Monument Valley on the border with Arizona, a regular backdrop in classic Westerns and home to the Navajo Tribal Park.
Vermont
10. Vermont
For many modern day pilgrims to the USA, this is heaven. Famous for its autumnal array of beauty, when every Pantone shade of green, yellow, red and brown spread throughout these New England forests. Similarities with ‘Old England’ are striking, with working farms, rolling hills, old-growth forests, and picture-perfect villages. Try it in the winter snow, spring blossom or summer freshness too, for all year round flavours of paradise.
Washington State
11. Washington State
Not to be confused with DC, this state, with super chic Seattle at its core, boasts a magical mix of North Pacific coast, Puget Sound archipelago and a plethora of national parks. Such as the mountains of the Olympic National Park, active volcanoes of Mount Rainer National Park and Mount St Helens. For slopes that slide you down to coast rather than desert, this one’s for you.
Yellowstone National Park
12. Yellowstone National Park
The mother of them all as this was America’s first national park. The thermal geysers are iconic, the most famous being Old Faithful although there are five hundred others to boot, making this the largest collection in the world. Although this extraordinary lunar landscape is revered by many, Yellowstone is not actually as packed with visitors as some parks, because it is harder to access.
Yosemite National Park
13. Yosemite National Park
Welcome to the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. With green forests just made for camping, trekking and some wild swimming, it drives many people up the walls. Literally, as its climbers’ paradise of granite facades seem to go on forever. The Nevada Falls do too and you can follow its course on the aptly named Mist Trail. Get there early though, or the mist turns to a fog of tourists.
Our USA Vacations
Self drive tour of the National Parks of America
Explore the United States fantastic National Parks.
From
£6500
24 days
inc UK flights
Family camping vacation in America
Camp under the stars in America
From
US $3849 to US $4649
12 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure vacation, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $4880 to US $4980
20 days
ex flights
Denali National Park vacation in Alaska
Experience untouched wilderness off the beaten path
From
US $2990 to US $3090
12 days
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Maine and Massachusetts self drive vacation
Tailor-made itinerary to coastal Maine and Massachusetts.
From
£3380
11 days
inc UK flights
Los Angeles to Las Vegas tour, USA
Discover California, Arizona and Nevada's best attractions
From
US $1085 to US $1670
5 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about USA or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
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usa sample itineraries
7 day walking itinerary in California
San Francisco > Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park > Monterey > Yosemite National Park > Lake Tahoe > San Francisco
12 days around the Deep South:
Atlanta >; Nashville > Memphis >; Tupelo > Natchez >; New Orleans > Birmingham > Atlanta
7 day trip around south-west USA’s national parks:
Las Vegas > Zion National Park > Bryce Canyon National Park > Monument Valley > The Grand Canyon > Route 66 > Las Vegas
San Francisco > Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park > Monterey > Yosemite National Park > Lake Tahoe > San Francisco
12 days around the Deep South:
Atlanta >; Nashville > Memphis >; Tupelo > Natchez >; New Orleans > Birmingham > Atlanta
7 day trip around south-west USA’s national parks:
Las Vegas > Zion National Park > Bryce Canyon National Park > Monument Valley > The Grand Canyon > Route 66 > Las Vegas
TRAVEL TIMES IN THE USA
The following times give you a rough idea of the travel times between the main attractions in the USA.
San Francisco – Yosemite National Park: 3.5 hours by car
Seattle – Anchorage, Alaska: 3.5 hours by air
Denver – Rocky Mountain National Park: 1.5 hours by car
Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim: 5 hours by car/coach
Route 66 from LA to Chicago, crossing eight states: At least a month by car
New York to San Francisco: 3 nights by train
Anchorage – Wrangell-St. Elias National Park: 8 hours by car
More about USA
The best time to visit America is all year round, although the winter season on the east coast can often find flights brought to a standstill due to thick snow or fog.
Our USA travel guide takes you around the national park wonders in the Rocky Mountains, the deserts and canyons of the West, the culture-rich Deep South and the littoral loveliness of both east and west coasts, as well as roadtrips!
Vacations in the USA are all about enjoying the Great Outdoors. And when you look at all the things to do in America, we guarantee you'll see just how great it really is.
Home to America’s 10 highest peaks, vast glaciers, volcanoes, fjords and all of it populated by an extraordinary range of wildlife from bears and wolves to whales, Alaska is one of the world’s last great wildernesses.
The Grand Canyon National Park is an American icon, a great slash in the desert carved by the Colorado River over millions of years: 446km long, 29km at its widest point, and almost 2km deep.
The National Parks of the USA are crown jewels in the country’s natural heritage, some such as Yellowstone and Yosemite are renowned for their wildlife, others such as the Grand Canyon have become iconic.
Forget the people dressed up as cartoon animals in theme parks, the most exciting wildlife sightings in America are those to be had in the Great Outdoors, especially the country’s superb network of national parks.
Where would you guess is the most geothermally active place on Earth? No Googling to cheat: Not Iceland, not New Zealand - it’s Yellowstone National Park, with around 10,000 geothermal features.
Yosemite National Park, high in the mountains of California’s Sierra Nevada, is true Land of the Giants territory, with some of the largest living trees on Earth and the tallest waterfall in the United States.
Traveling in America with kids takes you way beyond the clichés into natural theme parks and, although it often does feel out of this world, we mean that in the best way possible.
Our main USA travel advice is to leave your pre-conceptions at home - be prepared for a very outdoorsy vacation, with slow food, wildlife at every turn, and unforgettable landscapes.
There are various responsible tourism issues in the USA, from the Leave No Trace campaign in national parks, to being safe around wildlife, and taking care in the Great Outdoors.
All of our USA guides in one place, featuring particular locations such as Alaska or Colorado. Or perhaps you want to know more about different types of USA vacations we offer such as cruising or wildlife in the USA.
