A photograph of United States

Country guide

Up to 1 hour in United States — page 12

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. Runyon Canyon Park Runyon Canyon Park
    257 1 hour

    Runyon Canyon Park

    Runyon Canyon Park is a public park located in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It occupies a canyon area near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Fuller Avenue.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Los Angeles
  2. Sandy Beach Sandy Beach
    258 1 hour

    Sandy Beach

    Sandy Beach Park is a public beach park on the south-east shore of Oahu, Hawaii, within the city and county of Honolulu. It is known for its powerful shorebreak and is a notable destination for body-surfing.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Honolulu
  3. Venice Beach Venice Beach
    259 1 hour

    Venice Beach

    Venice was founded as a seaside resort by Abbot Kinney, and the surviving canals and beachfront spectacle reflect different chapters of that experiment.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Los Angeles
  4. Yerba Buena Gardens Yerba Buena Gardens
    260 1 hour

    Yerba Buena Gardens

    Yerba Buena Gardens is a public garden complex in downtown San Francisco. It occupies a two-block area between Mission and Folsom Streets, adjacent to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • San Francisco
  5. Boston Opera House Boston Opera House
    261 45 min

    Boston Opera House

    The Boston Opera House is a historic downtown theatre and major performance venue in Boston, Massachusetts. It stands as a significant cultural landmark in the city, hosting a variety of performing arts events.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  6. Dragon Gate Dragon Gate
    262 45 min

    Dragon Gate

    Dragon Gate is the ceremonial southern gateway to San Francisco’s Chinatown, standing at Grant Avenue and Bush Street. Gifted by the Republic of China, it is one of the city’s clearest neighborhood landmarks.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • San Francisco
  7. Mapparium Mapparium
    263 45 min

    Mapparium

    The Mapparium

    Mapparium is a three-storey stained-glass globe inside the Christian Science complex in Boston’s Back Bay. Visitors enter the globe and stand within a world map, viewing countries, borders, and oceans from the inside of a hollow sphere.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  8. James A. Garfield Monument James A. Garfield Monument
    264 1 hour

    James A. Garfield Monument

    The James A. Garfield Monument is a large memorial on the grounds of the United States Capitol honoring James A. Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Washington
  9. Bloomingdale Trail Park Bloomingdale Trail Park
    265 1 hour

    Bloomingdale Trail Park

    The 606 is an elevated linear park and trail system on Chicago's Northwest Side. Built on a former railway embankment, it runs through several neighborhoods.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Chicago
  10. Garfield Park Conservatory Garfield Park Conservatory
    266 1 hour

    Garfield Park Conservatory

    Garfield Park Conservatory is a large historic glasshouse complex on Chicago's West Side. Established in the early twentieth century, it ranks among the largest conservatories in the United States.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Chicago
  11. Máximo Gómez Park Máximo Gómez Park
    267 1 hour

    Máximo Gómez Park

    Máximo Gómez Park is a public park located in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida. It serves as a significant social gathering space, particularly renowned for its domino-playing culture.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Miami
  12. Chicago Picasso Chicago Picasso
    268 1 hour

    Chicago Picasso

    The Chicago Picasso is an untitled monumental sculpture by Pablo Picasso, installed in 1967 in Daley Plaza.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Chicago
  13. Strawberry Hill Strawberry Hill
    269 20 min

    Strawberry Hill

    Strawberry Hill is a wooded island hill in Blue Heron Lake, the body of water also known as Stow Lake, inside Golden Gate Park. The hill gives a small but distinct change of elevation within the park’s carefully designed landscape.

    • High
    • Viewpoint
    • San Francisco
  14. Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago
    270 30 min

    Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago

    Fourth Presbyterian Church

    Fourth Presbyterian Church stands on North Michigan Avenue beside the Magnificent Mile, where Gothic Revival architecture meets one of Chicago’s busiest commercial corridors.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Chicago
  15. Gesu Church Gesu Church
    271 30 min

    Gesu Church

    Gesu Church is a Catholic parish church in downtown Miami, Florida. It holds distinction as Miami's oldest Catholic parish, serving the community since the city's early development.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Miami
  16. Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery
    272 30 min

    Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery

    Franciscan Monastery and Memorial

    Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery, commonly called the Franciscan Monastery, is a Romanesque religious complex in Washington, D.C.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Washington
  17. Second Presbyterian Church Second Presbyterian Church
    273 30 min

    Second Presbyterian Church

    Second Presbyterian Church is a historic landmark church in Chicago, Illinois. It was built following the destruction of the congregation's previous building in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Chicago
  18. De la Cruz Collection De la Cruz Collection
    274 1 hour

    De la Cruz Collection

    de la Cruz Collection

    The de la Cruz Collection is a contemporary art space in Miami's Design District. It was established by Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz to present their private collection to the public.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Miami
  19. Cathedral of the Holy Cross Cathedral of the Holy Cross
    275 30 min

    Cathedral of the Holy Cross

    The Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Boston
  20. Fort Funston Fort Funston
    276 1 hour

    Fort Funston

    Fort Funston is a coastal recreation area in southwestern San Francisco within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It occupies high Pacific bluffs shaped by wind and erosion, with broad ocean views and sandy terrain.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • San Francisco
  21. Gantry Plaza State Park Gantry Plaza State Park
    277 1 hour

    Gantry Plaza State Park

    Gantry Plaza State Park is a public park on the East River waterfront in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. The park occupies a former industrial site where gantry cranes once loaded and unloaded rail car floats and barges.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • New York
  22. Georges Island Georges Island
    278 1 hour

    Georges Island

    Georges Island is a harbor island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. The island is dominated by Fort Warren, a historic military fortification that played significant roles in American coastal defense.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Boston
  23. Jackson Park Jackson Park
    279 1 hour

    Jackson Park

    Jackson Park is a large public park on Chicago's South Side lakefront. Its landscape is closely associated with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, whose planning and legacy shaped this part of the city.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Chicago
  24. Lake Eola Park Lake Eola Park
    280 1 hour

    Lake Eola Park

    Lake Eola Park is a civic lakefront park in central downtown Orlando, arranged around Lake Eola, its shoreline path, open lawns, public gathering areas, and views of the city skyline.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Orlando
  25. Lands End Lands End
    281 1 hour

    Lands End

    Lands End is a rugged coastal park on San Francisco's northwestern shore, managed by the National Park Service as part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • 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.