It’s difficult to choose only 5 top travel destinations in the United States because there are so many different towns and attractions. These are the most often mentioned places to see before you die, which is another way of stating they should be on your bucket list—offbeat and trendy destinations are not featured. That’s a different subject entirely.
This list provides an overview of the best and most popular sites to visit in the United States, ranging from New York City hotspots to the best time to see the cherry blossoms in Washington.
1. New York City
The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Times Square are all must-see sites for first-time visitors to New York Metropolis, but they are only a handful of the attractions to see in America’s most populated and popular city. New York City, also known as the “Big Apple,” is a popular tourist destination for both domestic and foreign travellers.
A leisurely stroll along the High Line, an old-railroad-track-turned-park with vegetation, artwork, and stunning skyline vistas, is a must-do. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Frick Collection are among the best places to see the latest plays and musicals, and if you’re an art lover, New York has an embarrassment of riches: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Frick Collection.
Alternatively, go shopping on Fifth Avenue, visit Washington Square, Greenwich Village, and Rockefeller Center, stroll around Central Park, and marvel at Grand Central Terminal. If you’re planning on staying more than a few days, explore New York City’s architecture or take a trip to Brooklyn.
2. Los Angeles
Los Angeles remains at the top of the list of U.S. tourist destinations due to the allure of Hollywood and its celebrities, as well as the warm Pacific Ocean winds. For a lavish stay, look for top-rated hotels on TripAdvisor near LA’s famous beaches, such as Malibu or Santa Monica. Shop on Rodeo Drive, take a tour of Beverly Hills, and stroll along the boardwalk in Venice Beach, LA’s most famous seaside district.
3. Washington
Washington, the nation’s capital, is home to hundreds of museums and monuments, nearly all of which are free. That is only one of the many reasons why it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, particularly among families and school groups. Mount Vernon, George Washington’s plantation; Ford’s Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was shot; the White House; the Capitol; Georgetown; and Alexandria, as well as museums like the Smithsonian, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, and the National Museum of the American Indian, are all great places to learn about American history. If you include the United States Holocaust Museum, the Newseum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the National Gallery of Art, you can easily become museum-obsessed.
The iconic cherry blossoms bloom in late March to early April along the Tidal Basin, where the Jefferson Memorial and memorials to Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are also located. On the National Mall, don’t miss the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam Veterans memorials.
4. Las Vegas
The majority of visitors to Las Vegas come to try their luck at the city’s well-known casinos. Las Vegas, on the other hand, boasts blockbuster performances, world-class shopping, and top-notch restaurants, all of which contribute to the city’s status as a true desert oasis and a top tourism destination. Take a tour of the MGM Grand, try your luck at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino, or stroll through the Neon Museum, which houses a collection of famous Las Vegas signs. What happens in Vegas, after all, stays in Vegas.
5. San Francisco
Symbolized by the red rafters of the Golden Gate Bridge, this legendary city on San Francisco Bay is known for its neighborhoods, like Chinatown and the hippie-turned-haute enclave of Haight-Ashbury. While San Francisco is an ideal city for nature lovers as well as the jet set, it is also a great jumping-off point for trips to the wine country of Napa Valley and Sonoma County or to the colossal tech campuses of Silicon Valley. Before you arrive, look out the best hotel bargains in the Bay Area on TripAdvisor and base yourself in San Francisco to explore Northern California.
