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. Chicago Lakefront Trail Chicago Lakefront Trail
    251 2 hours

    Chicago Lakefront Trail

    The Chicago Lakefront Trail is an extensive multi-use path running along the western shore of Lake Michigan. It stretches through Chicago's lakefront park system, connecting numerous neighborhoods and recreational areas.

    • High
    • Activity
    • Chicago
  2. Universal's Volcano Bay Universal's Volcano Bay
    252 2 hours

    Universal's Volcano Bay

    Universal Volcano Bay

    Universal Volcano Bay is Universal Orlando’s dedicated water theme park, built around a prominent volcano-themed aquatic setting.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Orlando
  3. Roxie Cinema Roxie Cinema
    253 2 hours

    Roxie Cinema

    Roxie

    Roxie Cinema is an independent nonprofit movie theater in San Francisco’s Mission District. It is a focal point for repertory film culture, presenting independent, documentary, foreign, classic, and hard-to-find works instead of concentrating on mainstream releases.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • San Francisco
  4. Sea Life Park Hawaii Sea Life Park Hawaii
    254 2 hours

    Sea Life Park Hawaii

    Sea Life Park

    Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi is a marine park and education attraction at Makapuʻu Point on Oʻahu’s southeastern coast. Its oceanfront setting places marine-animal exhibits and educational experiences between the Pacific Ocean and the Koʻolau Range.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Honolulu
  5. Museum of Craft and Design Museum of Craft and Design
    255 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Craft and Design

    The Museum of Craft and Design is a contemporary museum in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood. The nonprofit institution focuses on the meeting point between skilled making, material experimentation and modern design.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • San Francisco
  6. Franklin Park Zoo Franklin Park Zoo
    256 1 hr 30 min

    Franklin Park Zoo

    Franklin Park Zoo is Boston's principal zoological institution and a major family destination. Located within Franklin Park in the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods, it occupies part of the historic Emerald Necklace park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Boston
  7. Brookfield Place Brookfield Place
    257 2 hours

    Brookfield Place

    Brookfield Place is a commercial complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It occupies a prominent position in the Financial District near the World Trade Center site.

    • Notable
    • Activity
    • New York
  8. Oculus
    258 2 hours

    Oculus

    The Oculus is a transportation hub and shopping center in Lower Manhattan, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. Its distinctive white ribbed structure resembles a bird in flight or a dove released from a child's hands.

    • Notable
    • Activity
    • New York
  9. Rosehill Cemetery Rosehill Cemetery
    259 2 hours

    Rosehill Cemetery

    Rosehill Cemetery is a historic burial ground located on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1859, it is the largest cemetery in the city of Chicago.

    • Notable
    • Activity
    • Chicago
  10. Green Mill Cocktail Lounge Green Mill Cocktail Lounge
    260 2 hours

    Green Mill Cocktail Lounge

    Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is a historic jazz club in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Its story reaches back to the early twentieth century, and the venue is closely connected with Chicago’s Prohibition-era nightlife.

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Chicago
  11. Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery
    261 2 hours

    Green-Wood Cemetery

    Green-Wood Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Established in 1838, it spans extensive grounds and serves as both an active cemetery and a significant cultural landscape.

    • Notable
    • Activity
    • New York
  12. Coral Gables Art Cinema Coral Gables Art Cinema
    262 2 hours

    Coral Gables Art Cinema

    Coral Gables Art Cinema is an independent cinema in Coral Gables serving travelers and residents who want films outside the mainstream multiplex circuit. Its program is associated with art-house, international, documentary, repertory, classic, and festival cinema.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Miami
  13. Kinzie Street Bridge Kinzie Street Bridge
    263 2 hours

    Kinzie Street Bridge

    Kinzie Street Bridge is a Chicago River crossing in the downtown area, carrying road traffic and pedestrians across the North Branch.

    • Notable
    • Activity
    • Chicago
  14. American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora
    264 1 hr 30 min

    American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora

    The American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora is a cultural institution in Miami dedicated to documenting and preserving the art, history, and experiences of Cuban exiles and their descendants.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Miami
  15. Ball & Chain Ball & Chain
    265 2 hours

    Ball & Chain

    Ball & Chain is a historic music and dance venue located in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. The establishment operates as a nightlife and entertainment destination with Cuban cultural influences.

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Miami
  16. Boston Fire Museum Boston Fire Museum
    266 1 hr 30 min

    Boston Fire Museum

    Boston Fire Museum occupies the historic Congress Street Fire Station near Boston's waterfront in South Boston. The museum preserves the history of one of America's oldest fire departments through antique apparatus, equipment, documents, and memorabilia.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Boston
  17. Boston Tea Party - Ships and Museum Boston Tea Party - Ships and Museum
    267 1 hr 30 min

    Boston Tea Party - Ships and Museum

    The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is an interactive heritage attraction located on the Fort Point Channel in Boston, Massachusetts.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Boston
  18. Burlesque Hall of Fame Burlesque Hall of Fame
    268 1 hr 30 min

    Burlesque Hall of Fame

    The Burlesque Hall of Fame is a specialist museum in Las Vegas dedicated to documenting the history and performance culture of burlesque. It preserves costumes, photographs, props, and personal effects from performers across decades of American entertainment history.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Las Vegas
  19. Chess Records Chess Records
    269 1 hr 30 min

    Chess Records

    Chess Studio

    Chess Records was a landmark American record company and recording studio on Chicago's South Side. Founded by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, it became one of the most important labels in blues and early rock and roll history.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  20. Chicago Maritime Museum Chicago Maritime Museum
    270 1 hr 30 min

    Chicago Maritime Museum

    Chicago Maritime Museum is a Bridgeport museum devoted to the waterways that shaped Chicago. Its story joins the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, and the Illinois and Michigan Canal, showing how water supported commerce, transport, work, recreation, and naval activity.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  21. Chicago Sports Museum Chicago Sports Museum
    271 1 hr 30 min

    Chicago Sports Museum

    Chicago Sports Museum is an interactive downtown attraction devoted to the sporting life of Chicago. It brings together stories from the city’s professional and amateur teams and presents them in a format that invites participation rather than quiet gallery viewing.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  22. Coral Gables Museum Coral Gables Museum
    272 1 hr 30 min

    Coral Gables Museum

    Coral Gables Museum is dedicated to the history, architecture, and planning of Coral Gables, the carefully designed Miami suburb. Housed in a historic building, it explains how George Merrick’s vision shaped the city from the 1920s onward.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Miami
  23. Downtown Cocktail Room
    273 2 hours

    Downtown Cocktail Room

    Downtown Cocktail Room is a cocktail bar and nightlife destination in Fremont East, downtown Las Vegas. It suits travelers who want a drink-focused evening away from the larger resort complexes of the Strip.

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Las Vegas
  24. Fun Spot Fun Spot
    274 2 hours

    Fun Spot

    Fun Spot America

    Fun Spot America Orlando is a compact amusement park on Orlando’s International Drive. It focuses on rides, go-kart tracks, arcade games, and midway entertainment rather than the expansive themed lands found at larger resorts.

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Orlando
  25. Heurich House Museum Heurich House Museum
    275 1 hr 30 min

    Heurich House Museum

    The Heurich House Museum is a preserved Gilded Age mansion in Washington, D.C., built for and owned by Christian Heurich, a German immigrant who became one of the city's most successful brewers.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Washington

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.