A photograph of United States

Country guide

Places to visit in United States — page 6

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. Flatiron Building Flatiron Building
    107 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
  2. Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court of the United States
    108 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
  3. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
    109 1 hr 30 min

    Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

    Guggenheim Museum

    The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is an art museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, its distinctive spiral rotunda opened in 1959.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • New York
  4. Greenwich Village Greenwich Village
    110 45 min

    Greenwich Village

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

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • New York
  5. USS Constitution USS Constitution
    111 1 hr 30 min

    USS Constitution

    USS Constitution is the United States Navy’s wooden-hulled frigate known as “Old Ironsides,” preserved afloat in Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Boston
  6. Little Italy Little Italy
    112 2 hours

    Little Italy

    Little Italy is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was historically known as a large settlement of Italian immigrants and their descendants.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • New York
  7. Griffith Observatory Griffith Observatory
    113 1 hr 30 min

    Griffith Observatory

    The observatory opened in 1935 through the bequest of Griffith J. Griffith's gift specified that the observatory should make astronomy accessible rather than exclusive. That principle explains why a public telescope, a planetarium and hands-on interpretation coexist here.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Los Angeles
  8. Times Square Times Square
    114 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
  9. Hollywood Sign Hollywood Sign
    115 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
  10. St. Patrick's Cathedral St. Patrick's Cathedral
    116 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
  11. Wall Street Wall Street
    117 2 hours

    Wall Street

    Wall Street is a famous thoroughfare in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It runs from Broadway to South Street along the East River. The street gained prominence as the center of American finance and remains synonymous with the financial industry.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • New York
  12. Field Museum of Natural History Field Museum of Natural History
    118 1 hr 30 min

    Field Museum of Natural History

    Field Museum

    Field Museum is Chicago's major natural-history museum, developed from World's Columbian Exposition collections. Its visitor experience is defined by Stanley Field Hall, Máximo, SUE, dinosaurs, evolving life, ancient Americas, Egypt, gems, and cultural collections.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  13. New York Botanical Garden New York Botanical Garden
    119 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
  14. National Mall National Mall
    120 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
  15. Grauman's Chinese Theatre Grauman's Chinese Theatre
    121 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
  16. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Vietnam Veterans Memorial
    122 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
  17. ʻIolani Palace ʻIolani Palace
    123 1 hr 30 min

    ʻIolani Palace

    ʻIolani Palace is the former royal residence of Hawaiʻi’s monarchy and a central landmark of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Honolulu
  18. SoHo SoHo
    124 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
  19. Chicago Water Tower Chicago Water Tower
    125 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
  20. Bryant Park Bryant Park
    126 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
  21. National Gallery of Art National Gallery of Art
    127 1 hr 30 min

    National Gallery of Art

    The National Gallery of Art is a United States national art museum with a distinctly divided physical identity: the classical West Building, the modern East Building, and the outdoor Sculpture Garden.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Washington
  22. Federal Hall Federal Hall
    128 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
  23. Grant Park Grant Park
    129 1 hour

    Grant Park

    Grant Park is a large urban park located in the central lakefront area of Chicago, Illinois. It serves as a major public green space connecting several significant cultural and recreational destinations along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Chicago
  24. Golden Gate Park Golden Gate Park
    130 1 hour

    Golden Gate Park

    Golden Gate Park is a long urban landscape running from the central city toward Ocean Beach.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • San Francisco
  25. Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall
    131 1 hour

    Radio City Music Hall

    Radio City Music Hall is a prominent entertainment venue in New York City, located within the Rockefeller Center complex in Midtown Manhattan. Opened in 1932, it was designated a New York City landmark in 1978.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • 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.