Introducing USA
Enormous and staggeringly diverse, America harbours an astounding collection of natural and cultural wonders, from teeming city streets to mountains, plains and forests covering vast swaths of the continent.
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Bright Lights, Big Cities America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment. Look more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin, the easy-going charms of antebellum Savannah, the ecoconsciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent waterfront of San Francisco, and the captivating old quarters of New Orleans, still rising up from its waterlogged ashes.
On the Road Again This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where four million miles of highways lead past red-rock deserts, below towering mountain peaks, and across fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush rain forests of the Pacific Northwest and the scenic country lanes of New England are a few fine starting points for the great American road trip.
Food-Loving Nation Cuisine is another way of illuminating the American experience. On one evening in the US, thick barbecue ribs and smoked brisket come piping hot at a Texas roadhouse; over 1500 miles away, talented chefs blend organic, fresh-off-the-farm produce with Asian accents at award-winning West Coast restaurants. A smattering of locals get their fix of bagels and lox at a century-old deli in Manhattan's Upper West Side, while several states away, plump pancakes and fried eggs disappear in a hurry under the clatter of cutlery at a 1950s-style diner. Steaming plates of fresh lobster served off a Maine pier, oysters and champagne in a fashion-forward wine bar in California, beer and pizza at a Midwestern pub – these are just a few ways to dine à la Americana.
Cultural Behemoth The world's third-largest nation has made tremendous contributions to the arts. Georgia O'Keeffe's wild landscapes, Robert Rauschenberg's surreal collages, Alexander Calder's elegant mobiles and Jackson Pollock's drip paintings have entered the vernacular of modern 20th-century art. Cities like Chicago and New York have become veritable drawing boards for the great architects of the modern era. Musically speaking, America has few peers on the world stage. From the soulful blues born in the Mississippi Delta to the bluegrass of Appalachia and Detroit's Motown sound, plus jazz, funk, hip-hop, country, and rock and roll – America has invented sounds that are integral to modern music.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Sign up for an eastbound America roadtrip
- Hike Yosemite & the Canyons
- Take the ultimate Grand Canyon helicopter tour
Last updated: Jul 5, 2012
Tips & articles
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Insurance: don’t leave home without it
16 December 2012
There’s nothing like fine print and legal language to put a dampener on a spontaneous adventure, but many argue that...
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Before you go: immunisation tips for world travellers
15 December 2012
Mystified by array of immunisations and the maze of sometimes contradictory information available for travellers? This basic guide can help...
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Too soon? 5 questions to ask when disaster strikes your travel plans.
15 December 2012
Has a disaster ever forced you to rethink travel plans drastically?When calamity strikes, it’s tough to think of yourself. Earthquakes,...
Hotels & Hostels
Top cities in USA
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USA
Things to do
- All things to do (21,878)
- Activities (4,349)
- Entertainment (3,983)
- Restaurants (5,674)
- Shopping (2,437)
- Sights (5,282)
- Tours (153)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For USA
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1 Dip into the Great Lakes
Be awed by the planet’s largest supply of freshwater, harbored by a chain of lakes strung with beaches, sand dunes, offshore islands and forests.
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2 Make a pitstop at Carhenge, Nebraska
Automobile art at its best, this roadside attraction will forever change your view of Stonehenge
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3 Go zip-lining in Ketchikan
Zip down a 4600ft mountain to a stream full of bears feasting on salmon
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4 Meet Lucy the Margate Elephant in Atlantic City
There's no shortage of eccentric in Atlantic City, but this 65-ft high wooden replica of a pachyderm will stop you in your tracks.
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5 Play Ultimate Frisbee in Washington, DC
Join locals in a game of Frisbee in America's front yard, DC's National Mall
Fast Facts about USA
- Average number of TV channels in a US home
118
- Population
307 million
- Percentage of citizens who have passports
about 24%
