A photograph of United States

Country guide

Places to visit in United States — page 20

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. California Academy of Sciences building California Academy of Sciences building
    476 1 hr 30 min

    California Academy of Sciences building

    California Academy of Sciences

    The California Academy of Sciences is a science institution in Golden Gate Park that brings an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest environment and natural-history museum into one building.

    • High
    • Museum
    • San Francisco
  2. Garfield Park Conservatory Garfield Park Conservatory
    477 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
  3. Máximo Gómez Park Máximo Gómez Park
    478 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
  4. Ukrainian National Museum Ukrainian National Museum
    479 1 hr 30 min

    Ukrainian National Museum

    The Ukrainian National Museum is a cultural institution located in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood. It preserves and presents Ukrainian-American history and material culture for public education.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  5. Los Angeles Zoo Los Angeles Zoo
    480 1 hr 30 min

    Los Angeles Zoo

    The Los Angeles Zoo is a municipal zoo located within Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. Established as a city-owned facility, it serves as one of the principal attractions of the park complex.

    • High
    • Family attraction
    • Los Angeles
  6. Chicago Picasso Chicago Picasso
    481 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
  7. Strawberry Hill Strawberry Hill
    482 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
  8. Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago
    483 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
  9. Gesu Church Gesu Church
    484 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
  10. Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery
    485 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
  11. Second Presbyterian Church Second Presbyterian Church
    486 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
  12. De la Cruz Collection De la Cruz Collection
    487 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
  13. Universal Studios Florida Universal Studios Florida
    488 2 hours

    Universal Studios Florida

    Universal Studios Florida is a movie and television-themed amusement park operated by Universal Parks & Resorts. It opened in 1990 as the original Universal Orlando destination, predating the adjacent Islands of Adventure.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Orlando
  14. Universal Studios Hollywood Universal Studios Hollywood
    489 2 hours

    Universal Studios Hollywood

    Universal's Hollywood property differs from a resort park built on an isolated site because film and television production shaped the land around it. The terrain explains much of the park's character.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Los Angeles
  15. Cathedral of the Holy Cross Cathedral of the Holy Cross
    490 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
  16. Fort Funston Fort Funston
    491 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
  17. Gantry Plaza State Park Gantry Plaza State Park
    492 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
  18. Georges Island Georges Island
    493 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
  19. History Miami History Miami
    494 1 hr 30 min

    History Miami

    HistoryMiami Museum

    HistoryMiami Museum is the region's leading history museum in Miami, Florida. It operates as a Smithsonian Affiliate institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of South Florida and the Caribbean.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Miami
  20. Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
    495 1 hr 30 min

    Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art

    The Intuit Art Museum is a specialist museum in Chicago dedicated to intuitive and outsider art. It occupies a distinctive position in the city's cultural landscape by focusing on work created by self-taught artists operating outside the mainstream art world.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  21. Jackson Park Jackson Park
    496 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
  22. Lake Eola Park Lake Eola Park
    497 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
  23. Lands End Lands End
    498 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
  24. National Museum of Mexican Art National Museum of Mexican Art
    499 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Mexican Art

    The National Museum of Mexican Art is a nationally important cultural institution located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Chicago
  25. Washington Square Washington Square
    500 1 hour

    Washington Square

    Washington Square Park

    Washington Square is a public park and civic green in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. The square functions as a neighborhood gathering space and recreational area for residents and visitors.

    • 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.