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    An Extensive Travel Guide to The USA

    An Extensive Travel Guide to The USA

    By Richard CampbellTrip Guides

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    The film industry enlightened the rest of the world on the United States’ thriving metropolis from New York to Los Angeles to Las Vegas. People around the globe dream of being in Times Square on New Years Eve, hitting up slots in Vegas, or basking in Los Angeles’ sunny, busy vibes. But there’s much more to this North American country than the stories shared in the media, books, and movies.

    Our extensive travel guide to the USA will take you deep into the wonders of America, highlighting other renowned locations worth visiting, including the range of phenomenal national parks boasting of surreal scenery. Read on for USA travel tips, incredible adventure suggestions, and other necessary information to ease the trip planning process!

    Disclosure: This post contains references to products or services from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you buy one of these products or services. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

    Yellowstone National Park

    Yellowstone National Park

    About The United States of America

    Within the sunny coastlines, soaring Rocky Mountains, and bustling cities, you’ll find over 328 million residents of the United States! This large number may be intimidating, but there’s a range of secluded, calm spots nestled within America’s 9.834 million km². And while several tourists and visitors flock to New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Las Vegas, Chicago, Portland, Boston (and the list of great cities goes on and on), it’s not too difficult to get away from the noise. You can find fresh air in the collection of epic national parks, quiet beachfront spots, or on a park bench in one of the green spaces nestled within the cities.

    USA’s past (and arguably, its present) has experienced an onslaught of turmoil, deceit, tension, and war. Still, the people are welcoming, friendly, and proud to show off their country to visitors! In 1775, the United States began to fight for independence in the American Revolutionary War. Their success in separating from a European power was the first of the many wars of independence to come! On July 4, 1776, the USA became their own country.

    America’s emergence as a superpower occurred in 1898 (according to some stats), but they only started dominating the globe after World War II. Since then, the world has turned to its media, political situation, movies, books, and more. Hollywood has helped to depict an American Dream that attracts people across the globe each year, whether from Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, and even its upstairs neighbor (who don’t live in igloos, by the way), Canada! There are 37 ancestry groups in the USA, with over a million people in each group.

    While most people speak English in America, there’s no official language. However, some states and US territories recognize local or Indigenous languages alongside English, such as Hawaiian in Hawaii, and people in Puerto Rico speak more Spanish than English.

    Okay, now that we’ve got some history out of the way, let’s get into the fun stuff: where to go and what to do when you travel to America!

    New York City skyline

    New York City skyline

    Best Places To Visit in The USA

    The USA boasts of some of the biggest, greatest natural wonders globally—and no, we aren’t exaggerating. You’ll find soaring red-tinged rocky formations lining areas of Utah, the famed Grand Canyon attracting thousands and thousands of visitors each year (don’t let the fear of crowds stop you going here—it’s a must), and the Rocky Mountains act as an attention-grabbing backdrop in Colorado and Glacier National Park. Or get away from it all and immerse in Alaska’s moody, gold-rush-tinged landscape.

    Not in the mood for more rugged adventures? Just chase the sun, catch some waves, or beach-laze in California, Florida, Arizona, or skip the mainland and lay your towel down on a beach in Hawaii! Outside of the natural wonders and outdoorsy activities, you’ll find sights you see in the movies: Times Square and Broadway in New York, casinos in Las Vegas, quirky cafes in Portland, Walk of Fame in Hollywood, and the White House in Washington, DC.

    USA’s diverse, staggering scenery paired with cityscapes makes for one remarkable, unforgettable vacation. All you need to do is pick your location—good luck! Hopefully, our list of best places to visit in the US narrows down where you want to go. Before you continue reading, think: do you want mountain adventures? Cities? Beach activities? Or a little bit of everything?

    Mount Rainier Washington

    Mount Rainier Washington

    Grand Canyon National Park

    The only way to truly feel the wonder of the Grand Canyon is to explore it yourself.

    One of the best ways to experience the magic of America’s incredible national park is to hike! Avid hikers will love the long, challenging, but mesmerizing 24.2 km South Kaibab Trail or the 28.5 km Bright Angel Trail. Families and those seeking more expansive views and less exercise will enjoy the short 1.6 km Bright Angel Point! Other adventures include biking, camping, or a scenic drive.

    Yellowstone National Park

    America’s first national park is a true marvel, replete with deep canyons, misty geysers, shimmering lakes, and hiking paths carved across 1,448.4 km. The hot spring steam swirling among the trees looks even better in winter, too!

    When snow sprinkles in the park, you can go on snowshoeing, cross country skiing, hiking, or winter camping adventures. Imagine exploring this winter wonderland of a national park when the crowds dip and the hums of nature lull you into a soothing, relaxed state? If you’re here when it’s warm, do yourself a favor and try out one of the many hiking routes. The 8.1 km Avalanche Peak is a popular, moderate hike, and super fit hikers will fall in love with jagged scenery on the 31.2 km Sky Rim Trail. One hike that can’t be ignored is the Upper Geyser Basin. This classic 8.2 km hike winds to a collection of geyser views. It’s phenomenal!

    Yosemite National Park

    California has it all, but we’ll get more into the state of California later. For now, we want to highlight one of its gems: Yosemite National Park. With towering granite peaks, ancient sequoia trees, the intimidating Half Dome, staggering valleys, and pristine alpine lakes, Yosemite paints a masterpiece of the Great Outdoors. Discover its unreal scenery on foot via hiking the epic 23.5 km Panorama Trail or the family-friendly 4.6 km Sentinel Dome to Glacier Point. Adventurers will fall in love with hiking in Yosemite Park. Other outdoor adventures are camping, unforgettable backpacking, and during winter in Yosemite, you can go snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and winter camping.

    Giant old sequia redwood trees

    Giant old sequia redwood trees

    Glacier National Park

    Glacier National Park is a paradise for outdoor lovers. Amid the giant peaks, staggering valleys, and secret bright blue lakes tucked high somewhere in the mountains, hikers, backpackers, road bikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers, and cross country skiers will find something to entertain them at Glacier National Park year-round. If Glacier National Park is your choice of destination in America, opt to stay in the nearby town of Whitefish!

    Utah

    We’re giving the state of Utah its very own section because there are five supernatural, extraordinary national parks. Hitting up all five national parks can emulate a night of bar hopping (except you’d likely want to spend weeks exploring the various otherworldly views spanning these national parks)! The five parks in Utah are Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park. If you were to go to just one national park in Utah, we’d suggest Zion National Park—and it’s even more magical in winter!

    Hawaii

    Skip the mainland altogether and head to the place where the sun shines, surfers unite, and intoxicating scenery awaits. The sweeping tropical vibes will transport you to an epic, fantastic vacation land, where your worries wash away with Hawaii’s fun, inviting culture. This state is located in the Pacific Ocean and is America’s lone island state.

    California

    The state of California is rich with adventure—there are nine national parks here! Some of the most notable are Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Sequoia National Park. Then there’s Big Sur, which boasts of America’s longest stretch of untouched coastline. Surfers will get a chance to explore their passion in Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Newport Beach, and more. To top it off, you’ll find Hollywood and Los Angeles in this diverse state, too!

    Yosemite National Park

    Yosemite National Park

    Denver

    Denver, Colorado, is the ultimate platform for adventures: hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, where a network of trails and mountain-backed lakes, waterfalls, imposing peaks, and staggering views await. In the winter, head to ski and snowboard resorts, such as Winter Park Resort and Keystone Resort. You'll find a series of snow-related adventures across Denver! If you want chill vibes, cool people, and never-ending experiences, Denver is your destination.

    Portland

    These words sum up Portland: quirky, hipster, hip, foodie, unique, artsy, and fun. Situated in the state of Oregon, Portland intertwines art with outdoor adventures. You’ll find a collection of things to do here that will keep you entertained, such as trying local doughnuts or chilling at Portland’s Living Room. Nestled within the city sits a myriad of green spaces worth exploring, too. If you’re here, you definitely don’t want to miss out on a road trip along the coast, where the Pacific Ocean flanks the shoreline! It takes around 1.5 hours to drive from Portland to the scenic Cannon Beach.

    New York, New York

    Looking for the ultimate city experience? The City That Never Sleeps has a collection of tourist attractions: Broadway, Times Square, Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. If you want a breath of fresh air, you can always venture to Central Park for relaxing meanders!

    Sedona, Arizona

    With phenomenal outdoor adventures amid soaring red rocks and decent weather year-round, Sedona, Arizona, is a fantastic place for intrepid explorations. Plus, if you’re already in Arizona, you can spend time in both Sedona and the famous Grand Canyon!

    Portland Oregon Old Town neon sign

    Portland Oregon Old Town neon sign

    Best Things to do in The United States

    If you think the portions served at restaurants are big, you'll be happy to know that the United States' adventures are even bigger! That's right. You can find some of the most incredible, epic explorations and outdoorsy experiences in the world carved into national and provincial parks, ski resorts, and more. America boasts of outstanding skiing and snowboarding opportunities (look at Colorado), amazing hikes (we're eyeing Grand Canyon, the five national parks in Utah, Yosemite, Yellowstone, etc.), mountain biking (hello: Oregon), and surfing (California, here we come). When it comes to the best things to do in the United States, you'll find a never-ending list of adventures, and we want to tell you all about the best places to go to do the following activities!

    Hiking and Backpacking in the US

    A USA adventure travel guide would be incomplete without mentioning the bombardment of hikes stretching across its phenomenal backyard. Thankfully, we’ve mentioned a few incredible hikes in Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park already (helping to make this section just a little bit shorter), but there are still a lot more to talk about. We’ll try and keep this brief!

    Let’s start with some backpacking adventures! If you’re looking for unforgettable trips exceeding one day of exploring the mountains, head to Yosemite National Park. You’ll find some epic backpacking excursions here, such as the High Passes Backpacking trip, which traverses four elevation passes, or the 83.0 km Red Peak Pass Backpacking adventure. For unreal backpacking routes spanning the USA, check out our article on America’s 10 Best Backpacking Trips for long trails etched all across the USA (Alaska, Wyoming, Maine, Utah, etc.).

    Other places to find epic hikes are Glacier National Park (best hike: The Epic Grinnell Glacier Trail), Zion National Park (best hike: Observation Point Hike), or around Anchorage, Alaska (best hike: Harding Icefield Hike).

    Skiing in the US

    Skiing slots into some of the best adventures in the United States! Exceptional ski resorts dot this massive country. For the best skiing, pack your gear and go to Colorado, where a long list of top-notch places to ski and snowboard await. This list includes Vail Mountain Resort, Aspen Snowmass, and Telluride Ski Resort. Vermont and Utah also boast of incredible skiing! Head to Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont or Snowbird in Utah.

    Hiking volcanic island mountains

    Hiking volcanic island mountains

    Mountain Biking in the US

    You won’t find a better place to mountain bike in the U.S. than near Bend in Oregon! This town is dubbed the “Best Mountain Bike Town in the U.S.” Basically, you need to go here if you’re craving mountain biking adventures. The best part is that all levels will find routes here that cater to their abilities and experience.

    Some sweet routes are the Mckenzie River Trail, Tiddlywinks Mountain Biking Trail, or the shorter Whoops Loop. For more biking trails near Bend, take a look at this article, detailing the top 10 routes in this area.

    Surfing in the US

    “Everybody’s gone surfin’; surfin’ USA.” The Beach Boys had it right: if there were an ocean across America, everyone would be surfing, just like they do in California. For the best surf towns in California, head to Santa Cruz, San Clemente, Ventura, Huntington Beach, Malibu, Santa Barbara, or Newport Beach. But California isn’t the only place with an inviting surf-ready coastline. Hawaii is definitely one of the better places to catch a wave—and you get to bask in tropical wonders while you’re there. Surfers will fall in love with Haleiwa and Pa’ia.

    Outer Banks in North Carolina, Ocean City in New Jersey, and New Smyrna Beach in Florida are also excellent surfing locations.

    Surfing in the US

    “Everybody’s gone surfin’; surfin’ USA.” The Beach Boys had it right: if there were an ocean across America, everyone would be surfing, just like they do in California. For the best surf towns in California, head to Santa Cruz, San Clemente, Ventura, Huntington Beach, Malibu, Santa Barbara, or Newport Beach. But California isn’t the only place with an inviting surf-ready coastline. Hawaii is definitely one of the better places to catch a wave—and you get to bask in tropical wonders while you’re there. Surfers will fall in love with Haleiwa and Pa’ia.

    Outer Banks in North Carolina, Ocean City in New Jersey, and New Smyrna Beach in Florida are also excellent surfing locations.

    Rock Climbing in the US

    The USA doesn’t come up short when it comes to ideal rock climbing adventures. Embark on unforgettable climbs in the Pacific Northwest, climb secret gems in the southeast, and explore arid scenery in the deserts—all you need to do is pick your desired view, and off you go. Yosemite National Park hosts several notable climbing routes, including the sheer face of El Capitan.

    Joshua Tree National Park also encompasses a network of climbing routes. Beginners will like Intersection Rock or Quail Springs Rock. Advanced climbers will feel an adrenaline rush on Loose Lady and Big Moe!

    Great Adventure Trips in the United States

    Seriously considering a trip to the United States? To ensure you see the best that this country has to offer (in a way that caters to you), it's a good idea to join a pre-planned tour. This way, you can ditch the detailed planning process and discover USA's best, worry-free. We've handpicked our three (current) favorite tours sprawled across the United States. Are you ready to be even more tempted to travel here? Read on for a list of great adventure trips in the United States.

    Alaska and Yukon Adventure Tour: Catch a glimpse of Canada’s north and America’s Alaska on the epic 22-day Alaska and Yukon Adventure Tour. Wind along subarctic passes by foot and paddle along the enchanting, wild Yukon and Teslin Rivers. This tour begins with a seven-day canoe trip, where you’ll paddle to scenic, remote campground stays while murmurs of the gold rush past and phenomenal natural scenery will whisk you away to another land, where the worries of haunting reality no longer exist. You’ll then ditch the paddles for hiking boots, exploring the best that the Yukon and Alaska have to offer.

    Rock climbing in Castle Rock

    Rock climbing in Castle Rock

    Rae Lakes Backpacking Tour: Wind by a montage of surreal views sprawled throughout Kings Canyon National Park in California’s intimidating Sierra Nevada mountains. Traverse a section of the famous John Muir trail (yes, he’s the guy who created most of the inspiring nature quotes shared on social media) and admire the exceptional scenery unfolding before your eyes as you hike. At night, you’ll get the chance to fall asleep to nature’s lullabies, waking up to sunrises over lakes and creeks.

    Yosemite Falls Backpacking Tour: If you want to squeeze in a hiking adventure amid city ventures or other explorations, this 3-day backpacking tour in the incredible backpacking tour in Yosemite is a must-do. The Yosemite Falls Backpacking Tour has you staying at two different remote creekside spots for two nights. It's also a great trip if you've never gone backpacking before. The scenic highlight is the mighty, roaring Yosemite Falls!

    Outdoors in the US

    Despite the United States' massive population, the untouched landscapes are still so vast that it sits fourth on the list of the countries holding the world's wilderness—the United States sits below Russia, Canada, and Australia. However, only 23% of the planet’s land falls into the “wilderness” category. These are areas with zero industrial activity!

    You can find most of America's sprawling wild in Alaska! If you want to listen to the whispers of the wild over bustling crowds, Alaska is your go-to. But, the US's outdoors aren't just tucked into Alaska's staggering landscapes and mountainscapes; you can find diverse scenery all over the States.

    Geography

    The United States' geography is broad! Find yourself exploring the stunning Pacific Coastline in the northwest, the intimidating Appalachian Mountains in the northeast, desert lands sprawled across the southwest, the midwest region containing vast prairies, or the Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains, and lengthy coastline lining the west.

    Glacier National Park

    Glacier National Park

    Wildlife

    Catch a collection of wildlife thriving in their natural habitat in the United States! You may even find a handful of U.S-only animals sprawled across the land, such as American bison, black-tailed jackrabbit, eastern cottontail, black-tailed prairie dog, white-tailed deer, to name a few native mammals. Discover most of these mammals dotting the central states. There are also reptiles here!

    Yellowstone National Park is home to 67 species of mammals, making it one of the easiest places to spot wildlife in the United States.

    US Travel Costs

    The following U.S. Travel Costs are taken from Numbeo, personal experience from our 10Adventures team, and other websites. One of the biggest USA travel tips we have? Save money before you fly here. This is an expensive country, but your splurging will all be worth it in the end. Plus, it’s easy to budget here, too. For example, you could buy food from a grocery store instead of spending every meal at a restaurant.

    Food and drink

    One benefit of eating at a restaurant in America is that you’ll likely end up with many leftovers, so you can turn one massive meal into two (if you have a fridge to store it!). Either way, the American restaurant experience is fun, lively, and should be considered when planning your trip budget. Here are some numbers to help provide an outline of general food and drink costs in America:

    Bottle of wine (not the worst, but not the best) at a grocery store/liquor store: 12 USD

    Skiing in Breckenridge

    Skiing in Breckenridge

    Transportation

    So you want to hail a cab in New York City? The base fee starts at 2.50 USD, and the meter goes up every ⅕ mile at 50 cents if you’re traveling higher than 12mph or every 60 seconds when you’re in a classic New York traffic jam or a stopped vehicle.

    Most of the United States cities boast of an exceptional transit system, such as the subway in NYC, Boston, Washington, D.C., and the Muni fleet in San Francisco. The average cost of a single subway ticket isn’t too expensive, either. Suppose you have a MetroCard in New York City, a subway ride costs around $2.75. The other prices in the cities mentioned also average around $2.50 per ride. Although, Washington, D.C., can get up to about $6 during peak hours.

    In these cities, bus tickets range from $1.70 to $2.75!

    Accommodation

    Choosing where to stay is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make on your adventure in the United States! First, you need to consider your budget. Would you prefer to stay in hostels, campsites, fancy hotels, quirky Air BnBs? Thankfully, America has it all. These are the average costs per night for the varied accommodations in the United States:

    Camping: $15-23
    Hostels: $20-35 per dorm bed
    Motels: $45-80
    Hotels: $100-200

    USA Travel Safety

    In general, the United States is a safe country to travel to. Most travelers often leave without any hindrances! However, according to Travel Safe - Abroad, the increase in mass shootings and tourist attacks has elevated the overall risk of traveling here from low to medium. Pickpocket and taxi transport risks rank as low. And female travelers should be able to roam the United States without any problems.

    As with almost all countries, it’s best to follow typical safety protocols: don’t walk along abandoned streets at night and don’t wave your money around. Most tourist attractions are chaperoned by police, making these popular areas safer to travel to.

    Devils bridge trail

    Devils bridge trail

    Best Time to Visit the US

    The best time to visit the US depends on where you want to go!

    The climate differs vastly across the country. For example, the prairies (such as Minnesota) are crazy cold in the winter (Canadian cold—if you get what we’re saying). In contrast, the southern states (Texas, Florida, Arizona, and parts of California) boast of warmer weather when winter rolls around. And the East Coast and West Coast are a little chilly. Still, they offer phenomenal adventure and travel opportunities when snow blankets the land (the Rockies in Colorado and Glacier National Park in Montana in the west, and fantastic cities in the East: Chicago, Boston, New York).

    However, during the summer, you can find enjoyable weather all across America. Texas and Florida are ranked as the hottest states in the summer, so if you want to avoid the intense heat, skip these areas.

    Best Ways To Get Around the United States

    Take a look at some of the best ways to get around the United States!

    By car

    To make the best use of your time, it’s easiest to travel around the United States via car. Just think about how all of the American road trip movies! When you settle in a city with a good transit system, you may want to ditch your car and take that instead, as you probably don’t want to spend hours stuck in New York City traffic. If you need a car as soon as you land, you can rent from one of the many rental companies set up at the airport, but it may be cheaper to wait until you’re in the city to rent. As far as rental car companies go, Enterprise offers some of the best deals. Alamo is another fantastic option if you’re traveling with a group. And rentalcars.com has one of the biggest selection out there too.

    By plane

    Traveling by plane in the United States is an option, albeit an expensive one. It’s tempting to save hours and hours by flying, but you can’t precisely book cheap flights on a whim here; you’ll need to plan your itinerary and book everything far in advance. It’s probably best to research which area suits your travel style best and stick around there instead of jetting all over the country. The expenses will add up. If you plan on ignoring this USA travel tip, you can look into budget airlines, such as Virgin America, Jetblue Airways, and Southwest Airlines.

    Grand Canyon Arizona

    Grand Canyon Arizona

    By bus

    Another budget-friendly option is to travel by bus. This may be the most time-consuming way to travel, but, hey, all you need are good books and some downloaded movies, and you’re good to go. The Greyhound bus is the best way to travel across the country. And the new busses provide WiFi, outlets, and decent legroom. It’s safest to travel during the daylight as many bus stations are located in sketchy areas! The other downfall with Greyhound is that they don’t guarantee a seat. Be sure to head to the station early and to stand in line! If you are at the station, but you don’t stand in line, you may not get on the bus.

    Side note: Budget travelers may want to give hitchhiking a try!

    Best Places to Stay in the US

    There are tons and tons of options when it comes to finding a place to stay in the U.S. Budget-travelers will hit the jackpot with the collection of hostel, camping, couch surfing, and motel options. Check out couchsurfing.com, classic motels like Super 8 and Motel 6 dot the country, and HI-AYH is a great place to search for hostels.

    For more mid-range prices and quirkier options, check out AirBnB or hotel chains like Marriot. Amp up the luxury with stays at swanky Four Seasons hotels or glamorous heritage hotels tucked into America’s array of national parks.

    Useful Travel Tools

    To help ease your adventure planning process to the United States, we’ve gathered a list of our favorite, useful travel tools and websites.

    To Book Accommodation

    We use the following websites to book hotels, hostels, and campsites when traveling to the United States.

    Hostels: HI-AYH

    Other great tools are couchsurfing.com and AirBnB. For reserving campsites in national parks, look to the National Park Service for all your booking needs.

    Surfing USA famous pipeline wave

    Surfing USA famous pipeline wave

    To Book Flights

    When booking flights across the United States, we suggest taking a look at the prices on Skyscanner.com or cheapoair.com.

    To Rent a Car

    For a widespread list of best rental car offers, sift through rentalcars.com! Start here and see what deals you can find before researching other sources.

    To Get Gear

    If you’re planning on a rugged adventure in any of America’s national parks, you’ll want to load up on some gear tailored for the Great Outdoors. For winter expeditions, hit up Arc’teryx, Helly Hansen, and Patagonia. You’ll find long-lasting hiking and trail running gear at Salomon and Running Room. Meanwhile, REI, Backcountry.com and MSR will cater to any backpacking, hiking, or camping needs.

    Other Useful Travel Services

    One great way to travel across the United States is by RV! You can find a list of rentals on RVshare.com. And an awesome tool for saving money on airport parking is Airport Parking Reservations.

    Denver Colorado Keystone ski resort

    Denver Colorado Keystone ski resort

    Visa Requirements When Traveling to the US

    Citizens from specific countries can travel to America for 90 days without a visa. These countries are on the Visa Waiver Program: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom.

    If your country isn’t on this list, you’ll need a nonimmigrant visa to visit the USA. You can take a look at the requirements at USA Gov.

    Canadians also do not require a visa to enter the United States for tourism purposes, but some circumstances, such as having a criminal record, may cause issues at the border. No matter where you’re from, be sure to check all visa requirements when traveling to the US before packing your suitcase and hopping on a flight.

    Interesting Facts About the US

    While we hear a lot about the United States in the news, these interesting facts about the U.S. often fly under the radar!

    • The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France in 1886. And then America gifted France with a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty three years later!
    • Before Alaska belonged to the USA, it belonged to Russia. Maybe Canada will claim it next?
    • Mitchell, a small town in South Dakota, is home to the World’s Only Corn Palace.
    • The North Pole is actually a town name in Alaska! This festive town celebrates Christmas year-round, and we’re here for it.
    • Their national animal is the American bison.
    • The United States tends to dominate at the Olympic Games, making their athletes the most decorated in the world.
    • Escape to the hush of the forest! America ranks fourth on the list of countries with massive square miles of forested land.

    Frequently Asked Questions About the USA

    Some questions may have popped up while you read this USA adventure travel guide. Here are some frequently asked questions about the USA:

    Are there 50 or 52 states in the United States?

    The United States has 50 states. Some people think there are 50 states plus Alaska and Hawaii, but these two states are included in the total count of 50.

    Why are there only 48 stars on the American flag?

    The American flag actually has 50 stars. In 1959, Alaska and Hawaii became official states of the USA. When July 4th rolled around in 1960, America unveiled 50 stars on its flag. Each star represents the 50 states in the USA.

    What is the number 1 vacation spot in the US?

    The most popular vacation spot in the USA is the Grand Canyon, thanks to the phenomenal scenery and exceptional, exhilarating outdoor activities, such as rafting down the Colorado River.

    Bryce Canyon rock formations

    Bryce Canyon rock formations

    How long would it take you to visit all 50 states?

    This answer depends on how long you want to spend in all 50 states? But for fact’s sake, it would likely take around 160 hours. If you plan on visiting the contiguous states (48) while averaging 55 mph driving speed, it’ll take around 124 hours. It adds time flying to Hawaii and Alaska. Naturally, if you want to enjoy each state, you’d probably want to take your time to map out a road trip that has you hitting up the best attractions and landmarks across the country.

    What is the prettiest city in the USA?

    While all lists of the prettiest cities in the USA range, a couple of metropolises consistently make the top 10: Honolulu, Hawaii; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Charleston, South Carolina; Seattle, Washington.

    What is the friendliest city in the US?

    According to Conde Nest Traveler and their 33rd annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, these cities list as the top five friendliest in the US: Greenville, South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Key West, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Alexandria, Virginia.

    What is the most visited state?

    The most visited state in America is the one and only California! With a glistening coastline, phenomenal national parks, and fun, famous cities, a visit to California is desired worldwide.

    Other Related Stories

    Learn more about the United States with these additional links and resources:

    We hope that our USA travel tips will help along the planning process and propel your adventures in this vast, stunning country to the next level.

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