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. Wekiwa Springs State Park Wekiwa Springs State Park
    32 1 hour

    Wekiwa Springs State Park

    Wekiwa Springs State Park is a protected natural area in Apopka, northwest of Orlando. Its defining feature is Wekiwa Springs, a first-magnitude spring that feeds the Wekiva River.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Orlando
  2. 18b: The Las Vegas Arts District 18b: The Las Vegas Arts District
    33 1 hour

    18b: The Las Vegas Arts District

    The Las Vegas Arts District, also called the 18b Arts District, is an approximately 18-block cultural area south of downtown Las Vegas.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Las Vegas
  3. Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge
    34 1 hour

    Brooklyn Bridge

    The Brooklyn Bridge carries road traffic, a pedestrian promenade and a protected bicycle path across the East River between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights, and it is working city infrastructure rather than a monument with a gate.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  4. United States Capitol United States Capitol
    35 45 min

    United States Capitol

    The United States Capitol is the working seat of the United States Congress, a civic building whose public meaning is inseparable from its active role on Capitol Hill in Washington.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  5. Lincoln Memorial Lincoln Memorial
    36 45 min

    Lincoln Memorial

    The Lincoln Memorial is a marble temple dedicated to Abraham Lincoln at the western end of Washington’s National Mall.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  6. Georgetown Historic District Georgetown Historic District
    37 45 min

    Georgetown Historic District

    Georgetown Historic District is Washington DC's oldest neighbourhood, established before the federal city itself. It retains a distinct identity with preserved Federal and Victorian architecture, cobblestone streets, and commercial corridors along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  7. Hollywood Walk of Fame Hollywood Walk of Fame
    38 45 min

    Hollywood Walk of Fame

    The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a free, internationally recognised streetscape embedded with more than 2,700 brass stars honouring achievements in entertainment.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  8. Washington Monument Washington Monument
    39 45 min

    Washington Monument

    The Washington Monument is the marble, granite, and bluestone-gneiss obelisk commemorating George Washington, the first president of the United States. Its visible change in stone records the interruption in construction, giving the otherwise simple form a distinctive material story.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  9. Jefferson Memorial Jefferson Memorial
    40 45 min

    Jefferson Memorial

    The Jefferson Memorial is a presidential memorial on Washington, D.C.'s Tidal Basin, dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and one of the Founding Fathers.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  10. Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal
    41 45 min

    Grand Central Terminal

    Grand Central Terminal is a historic railway terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Opened in 1913, it serves as a major transportation hub for Metro-North Railroad commuter trains.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  11. Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island
    42 1 hour

    Alcatraz Island

    Alcatraz Island is a National Park Service historic site in San Francisco Bay, best known for the federal penitentiary that operated from 1934 to 1963.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • San Francisco
  12. Flatiron Building Flatiron Building
    43 45 min

    Flatiron Building

    The Flatiron Building is a triangular steel-frame skyscraper in Manhattan, New York City. Designed by Daniel Burnham and completed in 1902, it stands at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  13. Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court of the United States
    44 45 min

    Supreme Court of the United States

    The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the federal judiciary of the United States. Established by Article III of the Constitution, it serves as the final interpreter of federal constitutional law.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  14. Greenwich Village Greenwich Village
    45 45 min

    Greenwich Village

    Greenwich Village is a historic neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  15. Times Square Times Square
    46 1 hour

    Times Square

    Times Square is a street junction rather than a site with a gate: the point where Broadway cuts diagonally across Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, widened into a chain of car-free plazas that a visitor walks through rather than enters.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  16. Hollywood Sign Hollywood Sign
    47 45 min

    Hollywood Sign

    The letters were erected in 1923 as HOLLYWOODLAND to advertise a housing development. The sign's material history is visible only when its commercial origin, repeated repairs and protected status are considered together.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  17. St. Patrick's Cathedral St. Patrick's Cathedral
    48 45 min

    St. Patrick's Cathedral

    Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

    Saint Patrick's Cathedral is a prominent Catholic cathedral in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It serves as the seat of the Archbishop of New York and functions as a parish church.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  18. New York Botanical Garden New York Botanical Garden
    49 45 min

    New York Botanical Garden

    The New York Botanical Garden is a major botanical garden located in the Bronx borough of New York City. It occupies a significant portion of Bronx Park and serves as both a public garden and a scientific research institution.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  19. National Mall National Mall
    50 1 hour

    National Mall

    National Mall is Washington, D.C.’s great civic landscape: a broad east–west sequence of lawns, memorial grounds, museums, reflecting pools, and monumental views. It is best experienced as a connected outdoor route rather than as one enclosed attraction.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Washington
  20. Grauman's Chinese Theatre Grauman's Chinese Theatre
    51 45 min

    Grauman's Chinese Theatre

    TCL Chinese Theatre

    TCL Chinese Theatre is a historic cinema on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Originally opened as Grauman's Chinese Theatre in 1927, it remains an active movie palace and entertainment venue.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  21. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Vietnam Veterans Memorial
    52 45 min

    Vietnam Veterans Memorial

    Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a National Park Service memorial whose defining feature is Maya Lin’s V-shaped Wall of polished black granite.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  22. SoHo SoHo
    53 45 min

    SoHo

    SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Its name derives from South of Houston Street, marking its northern boundary. The area is renowned for cast-iron architecture, with numerous buildings dating to the late 19th century.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  23. Chicago Water Tower Chicago Water Tower
    54 45 min

    Chicago Water Tower

    The Chicago Water Tower is a historic water tower on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1869, it is one of the few structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Chicago
  24. Bryant Park Bryant Park
    55 1 hour

    Bryant Park

    Bryant Park is a public park located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The park occupies a rectangular plot between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue, and between 40th Street and 42nd Street.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • New York
  25. Federal Hall Federal Hall
    56 45 min

    Federal Hall

    Federal Hall National Memorial

    Federal Hall National Memorial stands on Wall Street in Manhattan's Financial District. The current Greek Revival structure, completed in 1842, serves as a memorial to the earlier building where George Washington took the oath as first U.S.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York

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.