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  • Things not to miss
Massive sandstone monoliths stand sentinel in this iconic southwestern landscape. The history of modern architecture is writ large on Chicago’s skyline, site of the world’s first skyscraper. The Rockies make for some of the best skiing anywhere, with their glitzy resorts and atmospheric mining towns. For more information, see Aspen, Crested Butte & Southern Idaho. Piled high with salmon, lobster, clams and crabs, the oldest public market in the nation is also home to some great seafood restaurants. Mint juleps on wide verandas, horse-drawn carriages on cobbled streets and lush foliage draped with Spanish moss; this historic cotton port remains the South’s loveliest town. Scattered through desert landscapes like New Mexico’s magnificent Bandelier National Monument, the dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans afford glimpses of an ancient and mysterious world. The national park that started it all has it all, from steaming fluorescent hot springs and spouting geysers to sheer canyons and meadows filled with wildflowers and assorted beasts. America’s summer pastime is a treat to watch wherever you are, from Chicago’s ivy-clad Wrigley Field to Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest in the country. For more information, see Sports & Wicker Park and Bucktown Pilgrims from all over the world pay homage to the King by visiting his gravesite and endearingly modest home. This historic district holds the birthplace of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and other spots honouring his legacy. The sheer power of Niagara Falls is overwhelming, whichever angle you view the mighty cataracts from. The rugged Big Sur coastline, pounded by Pacific waves, makes an exhilarating route between San Francisco and LA. Formed from the blown-out shell of volcanic Mount Mazama, this is one of the deepest and bluest lakes in the world, and offers some of the most evocative scenery anywhere. A staggering monument to the revered Sioux leader, this colossal statue continues to be etched into the Black Hills of South Dakota. From the Strip’s erupting volcanoes, Eiffel Tower and Egyptian pyramid to its many casinos, Las Vegas will blow your mind as well as your wallet. Explore the innermost secrets of this wondrous spot on many of its superb hiking trails at the heart of one of America’s best-loved parks. Though each of Orlando’s theme parks strives to outdo the rest, Walt Disney World remains the one to beat. Montana’s loveliest park holds not only fifty glaciers, but also two thousand lakes, a thousand miles of rivers and the exhilarating Going-to-the-Sun road. Enchanting, fog-bound San Francisco remains bohemian and individualistic at heart. Hawaii’s Big Island grows bigger by the minute, as the world’s most active volcano pours molten lava into the ocean. From the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol by way of the towering Washington Monument – this grand parkway is an awesome showcase of American culture and history. Crazy, colourful, debauched and historic – this is the carnival to end them all. With world-class museums, restaurants, nightlife and shops aplenty, the Big Apple is in a league of its own. The Northeast’s breathtaking autumn foliage presents an ever-changing palette of colour and light. Enclosed by near-vertical, mile-high cliffs and laced with hiking trails and climbing routes, the dramatic geology of Yosemite Valley is among the country’s finest scenery. This flamboyant city is deservedly famed for the colourful pastel architecture of its restored South Beach district.