A photograph of United States

Country guide

United States

At 9,833,520 km² the United States has the fourth-largest land area in the world, and its 50 states and federal district span enough longitude that the ordinary...

Photograph · Tuxyso · CC BY-SA 3.0

43,277 Places
10Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

At 9,833,520 km² the United States has the fourth-largest land area in the world, and its 50 states and federal district span enough longitude that the ordinary clock runs from UTC−4 to UTC−10, with the territories reaching −12, +10 and +11. The 2025 population estimate is 341,784,857. Washington, D.C. is the capital and New York the largest city, but neither stands in for the rest of it. Distance is the planning problem here, not choice: a trip works far better as one region covered properly than as anything resembling a national tour.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
English is the principal language; no federal official language
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+1
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
911
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and B · 120 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
Water quality is regulated locally; check the current notice for the destination

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Palace of Fine Arts Palace of Fine Arts
    57 45 min

    Palace of Fine Arts

    The Palace of Fine Arts is the monumental surviving architectural ensemble from San Francisco's 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  2. Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
    58 45 min

    Ulysses S. Grant Memorial

    The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is a monumental sculpture ensemble located on the United States Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C. It honors Ulysses S.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  3. Hollywood Pantages Theatre Hollywood Pantages Theatre
    59 45 min

    Hollywood Pantages Theatre

    Pantages Theater

    Pantages Theatre is a historic Art Deco performance venue on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Opened in 1930 and designed by B.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  4. Titanic Memorial Titanic Memorial
    60 45 min

    Titanic Memorial

    Titanic Monument

    The Titanic Memorial is a granite monument in Washington, D.C.'s East Potomac Park, commemorating the men who died during the 1912 RMS Titanic disaster so that women and children could survive.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  5. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
    61 45 min

    Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

    Lincoln Center is a major performing-arts complex on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The campus brings together venues and resident organizations devoted to opera, orchestral music, theatre, dance and film.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  6. Ghirardelli Square Ghirardelli Square
    62 45 min

    Ghirardelli Square

    Ghirardelli Square is a preserved former chocolate factory complex located in San Francisco near the waterfront. The site occupies a prominent position with views toward the bay and proximity to the wharf area.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  7. Wave Hill Wave Hill
    63 45 min

    Wave Hill

    Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in the Bronx, New York City. It occupies a 28-acre site overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  8. Angels Flight Angels Flight
    64 45 min

    Angels Flight

    Angels Flight Railway is a historic funicular in downtown Los Angeles. It links the lower downtown streets with Bunker Hill through a short, steep ascent.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  9. Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery
    65 45 min

    Mount Auburn Cemetery

    Mount Auburn Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, near Boston. Established in 1831, it was the first garden cemetery in the United States and served as a model for the American rural cemetery movement.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  10. Peace Monument Peace Monument
    66 45 min

    Peace Monument

    The Peace Monument is an outdoor Civil War naval memorial at the foot of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. It commemorates naval deaths during the American Civil War and stands within one of the capital's most prominent civic corridors.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  11. South Street Seaport South Street Seaport
    67 45 min

    South Street Seaport

    South Street Seaport is a historic district and commercial area in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  12. USS Iowa USS Iowa
    68 45 min

    USS Iowa

    Battleship USS Iowa

    USS Iowa, also known as BB-61, is a retired United States Navy battleship preserved as a museum ship in San Pedro at the Port of Los Angeles.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  13. Freedom Tower Freedom Tower
    69 45 min

    Freedom Tower

    Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College

    The Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College is a historic landmark in downtown Miami, Florida.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Miami
  14. King's Chapel King's Chapel
    70 45 min

    King's Chapel

    Kings Chapel

    King's Chapel is a historic Anglican congregation in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1686, it was the first Anglican church in New England during a period of Puritan dominance.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  15. USS Bowfin USS Bowfin
    71 45 min

    USS Bowfin

    The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park is a World War II submarine museum located adjacent to the Pearl Harbor visitor centre on Oahu, Hawaii.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Honolulu
  16. Fort Point Fort Point
    72 45 min

    Fort Point

    Fort Point is a Civil War-era brick fortification situated directly beneath the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Constructed by the United States Army between 1853 and 1861, it was built to defend San Francisco Bay from naval attack.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  17. New York Public Library Main Branch New York Public Library Main Branch
    73 45 min

    New York Public Library Main Branch

    Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

    The New York Public Library Main Branch, locally known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, stands as a landmark research library in Manhattan. Opened in 1911, this Beaux-Arts structure occupies a prominent position at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  18. Lombard Street Lombard Street
    74 45 min

    Lombard Street

    Lombard Street's famous block is the steep, landscaped section between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets on Russian Hill. Eight tight turns carry one-way downhill vehicle traffic through red-brick paving and planted beds, creating the image commonly called the crookedest street.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  19. Aloha Tower Aloha Tower
    75 45 min

    Aloha Tower

    Aloha Tower is a historic lighthouse and landmark located at Honolulu Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The tower was completed in 1926 and served as a welcoming beacon for arriving ships.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Honolulu
  20. District of Columbia War Memorial District of Columbia War Memorial
    76 45 min

    District of Columbia War Memorial

    DC War Memorial

    The District of Columbia War Memorial, often called the DC War Memorial, stands on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  21. Conservatory of Flowers Conservatory of Flowers
    77 45 min

    Conservatory of Flowers

    The Conservatory of Flowers is a Victorian glasshouse in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It is one of the park's most visible botanical attractions. The building features a distinctive white-painted wood and glass structure with a central dome.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  22. Venetian Pool Venetian Pool
    78 45 min

    Venetian Pool

    Venetian Pool is a public swimming pool in Coral Gables, southwest of Downtown Miami, created from a former coral-rock quarry.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Miami
  23. Chicago Union Station Chicago Union Station
    79 45 min

    Chicago Union Station

    Chicago Union Station is a major intercity rail terminal in Chicago, Illinois. It serves as the primary hub for Amtrak long-distance and Midwest corridor trains, as well as Metra commuter rail services.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Chicago
  24. Rookery Building Rookery Building
    80 45 min

    Rookery Building

    The Rookery

    The Rookery Building is a historic commercial structure in Chicago's Loop district, designated a Chicago Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Chicago
  25. Fisherman's Wharf Fisherman's Wharf
    81 45 min

    Fisherman's Wharf

    Fisherman's Wharf is San Francisco's best-known northern waterfront visitor district, stretching across working piers, historic vessels, seafood businesses, museums and bay-facing public space. It is a neighbourhood rather than one gated attraction.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to United States be?

Ten to fourteen days should focus on one US region: New York, Washington, and Boston work together by rail, while San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas form a different trip. Miami, Orlando, and Honolulu each require separate travel time and should not be appended casually.

What entry documents are needed for United States?

US admission depends on passport, visa status, and eligibility for the Visa Waiver Program and ESTA. Confirm both the Department of State visa guidance and Customs and Border Protection requirements for the actual route.

What is the best way to travel around United States?

Domestic flights are often necessary between US regions, while Amtrak is strongest on the Northeast Corridor. A car is unnecessary in New York or Washington but can be useful in Los Angeles and beyond compact city centres.

When is a practical time to visit United States?

April to May and September to October are broad shoulder-season references, not a national weather forecast. Florida heat, western wildfire conditions, hurricane exposure, and Hawaii's trans-Pacific logistics require destination-specific checks.

What money and payment basics apply in United States?

The United States uses the US dollar (USD). Card use is widespread, but taxes, deposits, and gratuities can make the final amount differ from the displayed base price; keep a second payment method for holds or terminal failures.

What practical safety details should I save for United States?

Dial 911 for police, fire, or medical emergencies in the United States. Type A and B sockets use 120 V; national tap-water safety is not recorded here, so consult the local utility or accommodation.