Stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunrise
A mile deep and up to eighteen wide. The South Rim is open year-round; the North Rim closes for winter and sees a fraction of the visitors.
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North America
Things to do in the USA
A continent pretending to be a country: deserts, glaciers, swamps, canyons and cities that share a currency and not much else.
Explore United States of America on the map →Budget$$$
Best forVaries widely by region
CapitalWashington, D.C.
VisaESTA (visa waiver) for many nationalities; others need a B-2 visa
CurrencyUS dollar ($)
LanguagesEnglish
InternetExcellent
Typical lodging$70–$180/night
Driving sideRight
Power & voltage120V / 60Hz (Type A/B plug)
Time zoneUTC-5 to UTC-10 (multiple zones)
Emergency number911
Dialing code+1
★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Culture★★★★★ Photography
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Tap water is safe to drink. 15–20% at restaurants is standard.
The distances are the thing people underestimate. Los Angeles to New York is further than London to Cairo, and the national parks system protects landscapes on a scale, canyons a mile deep, trees older than most nations, that doesn't really exist elsewhere.
When to go
SpringApril–May
Desert blooms in the southwest, cherry blossom in Washington, and the shoulder window before park crowds arrive.
SummerJune–August
Peak season for the parks and Alaska, and the only reliable window for high-altitude trails. Southern deserts hit dangerous heat.
AutumnSeptember–October
New England's leaves turn, national parks quieten, and the southwest becomes comfortable again. Widely the best all-round month-and-a-half.
WinterNovember–March
Ski season in the Rockies, Florida and southern California at their best, and northern parks either closed or transformed.
21 things to do
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Wildlife & nature
8Watch geysers and bison in Yellowstone
The world's first national park, sitting on an active supervolcano: hot springs, mud pots, wolves and traffic jams caused by bison.
Look up at Yosemite's granite walls
El Capitan and Half Dome above a valley floor, with waterfalls that run hardest in late spring and often dry by August.
Walk among the world's largest trees
Sequoia and Redwood parks in California, trees wide enough to drive through and older than the Roman Empire.
Watch autumn colour move through New England
Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine turn from late September, tracked by foliage maps updated weekly.
See the Northern Lights from Alaska
Fairbanks sits under the auroral oval, with dark, clear winter nights and hot springs to wait in.
Paddle the Everglades
A river of grass moving inches an hour, with alligators, manatees and 350 bird species. Mosquitoes rule the wet season.
Stand at the mist of Niagara Falls
The Canadian side has the better view, but the American side puts you closer to the base on the Cave of the Winds decks.
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Culture & history
2Take the ferry past the Statue of Liberty
The Staten Island ferry is free and passes close enough. Ellis Island next door is where 12 million arrivals were processed.
Walk the National Mall museums
The Smithsonian's museums are free: air and space, natural history, and the African American History museum that books out weeks ahead.
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Food & markets
2Eat your way through a city's immigrant neighbourhoods
Queens in New York, Houston's Asiatown, LA's San Gabriel Valley, arguably the most interesting food in the country.
Follow the barbecue belt
Texas brisket, Carolina whole hog, Memphis ribs, Kansas City burnt ends, four regions that disagree completely and all have a case.
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Adventure & outdoors
3Drive through Utah's canyon country
Zion, Bryce, Arches and Canyonlands sit within a few hours of each other: red rock, hoodoos and arches, all in one loop.
Cross Death Valley in the cool months
The lowest, driest and hottest place in North America. Summer temperatures pass 50°C and are genuinely dangerous.
Ride the Alaska Railroad
Anchorage to Denali and Fairbanks, past glaciers and moose, with open-air viewing cars in summer.
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Coast & water
2Drive Highway 1 down the Big Sur coast
Cliffs, bridges and fog between Monterey and San Simeon. Landslides close sections regularly. Check before committing.
Snorkel or hike a Hawaiian island
Volcanic craters, waterfalls and reefs: Kauai for greenery, Big Island for lava, Maui for the road to Hana.
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Cities & design
2Hear live music in New Orleans
Brass on Frenchmen Street rather than Bourbon, second-line parades on Sundays, and jazz in rooms the size of living rooms.
Take a college-town Saturday at face value
Tailgates, marching bands and 100,000 people in one stadium, the closest thing the country has to a shared ritual.
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Slow days
2Drive Route 66 in pieces
The original road is broken up now, but long stretches survive through Arizona and New Mexico with the neon still lit.
Sleep out under a dark sky
Big Bend, Great Basin and much of Utah are certified dark-sky areas, with the Milky Way visible to the naked eye.
Common questions
▾Is the United States safe to visit?
Yes, for the vast majority of tourist itineraries, major cities and national parks see huge visitor numbers with low rates of serious incidents against tourists. Petty crime risk varies significantly by specific city and neighborhood, so it's worth checking conditions for wherever you're actually staying rather than treating the country as one uniform risk level.
▾How much does a national park pass cost?
As of January 1, 2026, the America the Beautiful annual pass, which covers entry to over 2,000 federal recreation sites including all national parks, costs $80 for US residents but $250 for non-residents, a significant gap that wasn't there before. Single-park entry fees for a private vehicle typically run $20-35 depending on the park, so the pass usually pays for itself after 3-4 park visits for residents, or a few more for non-residents given the higher cost.
▾How many days do you need for a US trip?
This depends entirely on scope, since the country is enormous, a single-region trip (the Southwest's national parks, or the Northeast's cities) works well in 10-14 days, while trying to combine coasts in one visit usually means factoring in significant flight time between stops.
▾Do I need a visa for the United States?
Citizens of around 40 countries, including the UK, most of the EU, Australia and Japan, can apply for ESTA travel authorization instead of a visa for stays up to 90 days. Other nationalities need a standard tourist visa arranged in advance through a US embassy or consulate.
▾What's the best time to visit US national parks?
Late spring through early fall (May-September) is when most park facilities, trails and lodges are fully open, though it's also the busiest and most expensive window. Shoulder-season visits in April or October can mean better prices and thinner crowds at lower-elevation parks, though some high-altitude trails stay closed until early summer.
▾Is the United States expensive?
The US reads as a $$$ destination overall: accommodation, dining out and car rental costs add up quickly, particularly in major cities and national park gateway towns during peak season. Costs vary enormously by region, so a rural road trip is meaningfully cheaper than a city-heavy itinerary.