Things not to miss

#01 Tour the Monument Valley, AZ

Massive sandstone monoliths stand sentinel in the iconic southwestern landscape of Monument Valley in Arizona.

© Greg Ward/Rough Guides

#02 Redwood National Park, CA

Soak up the quiet majesty of the world’s biggest trees, wide enough to drive through and soaring upwards like skyscrapers.

© Shutterstock

#03 Skiing in the Rocky Mountains

The Rockies make for some of the best skiing anywhere, with their glitzy resorts and atmospheric mining towns.

Skiing in Colorado ski resort near Aspen, Colorado © LanaG/Shutterstock

#04 Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA

Piled high with salmon, lobster, clams and crabs, Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington as the oldest public market in the nation is also home to some great seafood restaurants.

Lobsters © Linus Strandholm/Shutterstock

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#05 Savannah, GA

Mint juleps on wide verandas, horse-drawn carriages on cobbled streets and lush foliage draped with Spanish moss. Savannah in Georgia, the historic cotton port remains the South’s loveliest town.

Savannah, Georgia, USA w Forsyth Park Fountain © Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

#06 Ancestral Puebloan sites, New Mexico

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.

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde - Colorado, USA © Johnny Adolphson/Shutterstock

#07 Yellowstone National Park

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Yellowstone is 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.

Grand Prismatic pool spring in Yellowstone National Park © Lane V. Erickson/Shutterstock

#08 Going to a baseball game

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.

© Shutterstock

#09 Graceland, Memphis, TN

Pilgrims from all over the world pay homage to the King by visiting his gravesite and endearingly modest home.

Memphis, Tennessee, USA Downtown Skyline Aerial © Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock

#10 Sweet Auburn, Atlanta, GA

This historic district holds the birthplace of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and other spots honouring his legacy.

Skiing in Colorado ski resort near Aspen, Colorado © LanaG/Shutterstock

#11 Niagara Falls, NY

The sheer power of Niagara Falls is overwhelming, whichever angle you view the mighty cataracts from.

Horseshoe Fall, Niagara Falls © Alexander Demyanenko/Shutterstock

#12 Driving Highway 1, CA

The rugged Big Sur coastline, pounded by Pacific waves, makes an exhilarating route between San Francisco and LA.

Big Sur with the Bixby Bridge in California © Songquan Deng/Shutterstock

#13 Crater Lake, OR

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.

Crater Lake, Oregon © Jeffrey B. Banke/Shutterstock

#14 Crazy Horse Memorial, SD

A staggering monument to the revered Sioux leader, this colossal statue continues to be etched into the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The face of the famous Native American Chief Crazy Horse begins to emerge from an ongoing construction project at a stone mountain in South Dakota © James Dalrymple/Shutterstock

#15 Las Vegas, NV

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.

© Shutterstock

#16 Hiking in the Grand Canyon, AZ

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.

Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA © Maridav/Shutterstock

#17 Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL

Though each of Orlando’s theme parks strives to outdo the rest, Walt Disney World remains the one to beat.

Shiny day in Disneyland Orlando © Wadha adnan/Shutterstock

#18 Glacier National Park, MT

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.

Hike in Glacier National Park, Montana © Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock

#19 San Francisco, CA

Enchanting, fog-bound San Francisco remains bohemian and individualistic at heart.

© Shutterstock

#20 Hawaii’s volcanoes

Hawaii’s Big Island grows bigger by the minute, as the world’s most active volcano pours molten lava into the ocean.

Kilauea volcano, Hawaii ©Alex GK Lee/Shutterstock

#21 The National Mall, Washington DC

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.

Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Capitol Building in Washington DC © Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock

#22 Mardi Gras, New Orleans, LA

Crazy, colourful, debauched and historic – this is the carnival to end them all.

© amadeustx/Shutterstock

#23 New York City, NY

With world-class museums, restaurants, nightlife and shops aplenty, the Big Apple is in a league of its own.

© Shutterstock

#24 Yosemite Valley, CA

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.

Yosemite national park, Yosemite Valley, California © christian_b/Shutterstock

#25 Miami’s Art Deco, FL

This flamboyant city is deservedly famed for the colourful pastel architecture of its restored South Beach district.

Miami Beach, Florida Moving traffic hotels and restaurants at sunset on Ocean Drive © fotomak/Shutterstock

#26 Driving US-1 to Key West, FL

Travel one of America’s most tantalizing highways from sleepy Key Largo to heaving Key West, cruising over the sharks and rays on giant causeways and bridges.

Beach view with a vivid sunset at Key West, Florida USA © Shutterstock

#27 BBQ

Perhaps no other cuisine is as essentially American as BBQ – smoked ribs, pulled pork and brisket – with the Carolinas, Texas and Kansas fighting it out as the nation’s top pitmasters.

© Alexandr Vorobev/Shutterstock

#28 Venice Beach, LA, CA

Combines wacky LA culture with Muscle Beach, surfing, sand and good food, all a short drive from the glitz of Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

© Tsuguliev/Shutterstock

#29 South by Southwest, TX

This thriving ten-day festival in Austin is one of the nation’s best music festivals and plays host to bands from around the world – and Texas, too.

© Alfie Photography/Shutterstock

#30 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, OH

Housed inside this striking glass pyramid is an unparalleled collection of rock music’s finest mementoes, recordings, films and exhibitions.

© Korawat photo shoot/Shutterstock

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