The United States is a nation that, like ours, is extremely diverse. This diversity makes it a must-see destination for travellers from around the world. Tourism is a large industry that caters to millions of international and domestic tourists annually. Tourists visit the US to see natural wonders, cities, cultural and historical locations and entertainment venues. By 1915, city touring had marked noticeable shifts in the way Americans perceived, organized and moved in urban environments. Urban tourism became a profitable industry in 1915 as the number of agencies, rail road passenger services, tourbook publishers and travel writers grew at a rapid rate.
So pack your bags and get ready to take in some of the most wonderful sights and scenes that the United States has to offer.
1. Times Square, New York
Times Square, bustling centre of New York, is known for its Broadway theatres, cinemas and large neon signs. It offers all sorts of fun, exciting and informative tours to explore lesser known parts of the city. Times Square Alliance projected that an average of more than 2,000 pedestrians traverse the block of 7th Avenue during a 15-minute weekday period. It’s a madhouse, but half the fun is just taking to the other tourists and meeting people from all around the world. Tired of all the hustle and bustle? Go underground to the subway and watch some extremely talented performers exhibit their abilities. There is never a dull moment at this American landmark.
2. Las Vegas Strip, Nevada
Everyone that’s watched movies like the Hangover knows that Las Vegas isn’t your run of the mill tourist destination. In Vegas everything is bigger, better and crazier! From zip lines and automobile racing to the casinos and the Mandalay Bay Beach, experiencing all of Las Vegas’ draws is like taking a roller coaster ride. Going through everything there is to see and do is a gargantuan task.
Amid all the revelry and glitz of the Las Vegas Strip are a surprising array of things to do that are completely free of cost. You could watch workers roll cigars by hand at the Don Pablo cigar company, visit artists’ studios and galleries in the Art or take a free tour of the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and even access the botanical cactus gardens available on the site.
3. Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area under the administration of the National Park Service that surrounds the San Francisco Bay area. It is one of the top tourist destinations, and includes the well known orange bridge along with various other spaces throughout the Bay Area, drawing 14.3 million visitors annually. This landmark chronicles the areas rich history, from the Native American influences and the Spanish frontier , to maritime history, the great Gold Rush, the evolution of American coastal refurbishments, and the growth of the urban lifestyle in San Francisco. Important tourist locations include 739 historical structure, 9 cultural landscapes, and 61 recorded archaeological sites. More than half of the bird species of North America and about one third of California’s plant life are found within the park’s perimeter.
4. Disney World, Florida
It’s every kids dream, to see their favourite characters in the flesh. This theme park has been bringing dreams to life since 1959. Ever since its opening, Disney World has been a place with a universal charm and appeal. It has maintained its original appeal of being a place where families can come together and enjoy a clean, safe environment.
Evocative of 1930’s boardwalks along the Atlantic coast in their prime, the Disney boardwalk is a restaurant and shop lined area that gives you a chance to just walk along its perimeter or join in the jamboree which includes jugglers, mimes and musicians. Also a must visit is the Animal Kingdom for an adrenaline-rushing, informative experience.
5. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the USA and gets 20 million visitors, houses four historic sites in one location — Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North and South Market, all set around a quaint cobblestone gallery where jugglers, magicians and a host of other forms of entertainers are on display.
6. Niagara Falls, New York
The falls have been a tourist Mecca for many years now. Water rushes all around as you “soak” in the excitement and experience the roar of the Falls. A historical ride aboard the world-famous Maid of the Mist is a thrill of a lifetime! One of North America’s oldest tourist attraction, millions of visitors have enjoyed the boat tours since 1846. The Cave of the Winds trip takes you closer to the waters of Niagara Falls than you would have assumed possible. An elevator ride takes you 175 feet deep into the gorge. Then, clad in a yellow poncho and wearing the footwear provided, you follow a tour guide over a series of wooden walkways to the famous “Hurricane Deck”. As you stand at the railing, you are a mere 20 feet (6 meters) from the surging torrents of Bridal Veil Falls. The experience is truly captivating.
7. Navy Pier, Chicago
You can’t truly experience Chicago without visiting the Navy Pier. This 50-acre area is a mixture of entertainment, museums, activities, restaurants, and shops and is the perfect place to spend some quality family time.
The Pier Park is known for a ride on the 150-foot Ferris wheel, which offers great city and Lake Michigan views and is open year-round. Also on the check-list is the whimsical musical carousel, Wave Swinger lift-and-twirl ride, miniature golf course, remote control boats, and more. The highly commercialized tourist attraction facing Lake Michigan, will bear on a more park-like feel under the first phase of renovation. It includes an array of modifications aimed at making the state’s most visited tourist attraction a place where visitors can jump into an interactive fountain that converts to a skating rink in winter, walk along a more heavily planted promenade that edges close to the lake and rest on a stairway that has a clear view of the lake.
8. Universal Studios, California
Its official punchline is “The Entertainment Capital of LA,” though during the summer it is often advertised as “The Coolest Place in LA.” and manages to live up to the claim. Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the universal city community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use. Tours of the studio have been allowed from the beginning. It includes the signature park ride, a 40-45 minute ride on a tram to the theme park’s back-lot, King Kong 360 attraction, JAWS, Earthquake, and Curse of the Mummy. Also on display are a number of the studio’s most well loved costumed characters.
9. Metropolitan Museum, New York
Receiving over five million excursionists per year, the Met is New York’s most popular single-site tourist attraction, with one of the richest coffers in the world of art. The Met is a a hub of great cultural significance, with two million individual objects in its collection and an annual budget crossing $120 million. Since the completion of a multimillion¬-dollar renovation project that brought works out of storage, redid the halls of 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and sculptures, expanded the Ancient Hellenistic and Roman areas and strikingly remade the American Wing, the place looks more stunning than it ever did – despite currently running under financial constraints.
The Rockefeller Collection contains arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, followed by the Greek and Roman art section. The museum has recently restored much of its Greek and Roman collection, including the 2nd-floor Cypriot Gallery, which contains some of the most splendid Cyprian artwork outside the country.
10. The Grand Canyon, Arizona
Vast, majestic and indubitably serene, the Grand Canyon is easily America’s most distinguishable landmark – and a natural wonder that you simply have to see to believe. Spanning 277 miles from end to end, steep, rocky walls descend more than a mile to the canyon’s floor, where the wild Colorado River traces a swift path towards the south-west. Exploring the Canyon from the Colorado River is an exciting way to gain an insightful perspective on this Arizona wonder. Most trips start out at Lees Ferry near Page, Arizona. With miles of cave channels to explore, more than 1,500 unique plant types to discover and 300 species of birds to spot, the canyon offers an incredible opportunity to experience nature at its diverse best.
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