A photograph of United States

Country guide

Places to visit in United States — page 27

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. 16th Avenue Tiled Steps 16th Avenue Tiled Steps
    651 1 hour

    16th Avenue Tiled Steps

    The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps are a colorful public mosaic staircase in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset neighborhood. Community collaboration shaped the artwork, which turns an ordinary pedestrian route into an outdoor gallery.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • San Francisco
  2. 1893 Chicago Harbor Lighthouse 1893 Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
    652 45 min

    1893 Chicago Harbor Lighthouse

    Chicago Harbor Lighthouse is a historic harbour light on a detached breakwater east of Navy Pier. Dating to 1893 and associated with the World's Columbian Exposition, it remains an active aid to navigation on Lake Michigan.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Chicago
  3. Abbot Kinney Boulevard Abbot Kinney Boulevard
    653 45 min

    Abbot Kinney Boulevard

    Abbot Kinney Boulevard is a prominent retail and dining corridor located in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Los Angeles
  4. Acorn Street Acorn Street
    654 45 min

    Acorn Street

    Acorn Street is a historic cobblestone lane in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood. It is widely regarded as one of the most photographed streets in the United States due to its distinctive Federal-style row houses, gas lamps, and narrow brick-paved thoroughfare.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  5. American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora
    655 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
  6. Armenian Heritage Park Armenian Heritage Park
    656 1 hour

    Armenian Heritage Park

    Armenian Heritage Park is a public memorial park in Boston dedicated to commemorating the Armenian genocide and celebrating the contributions of Armenian immigrants to Massachusetts.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Boston
  7. Audium Audium
    657 1 hour

    Audium

    Audium is a purpose-built sound-art venue in San Francisco where compositions unfold around the audience through a surrounding loudspeaker system. Performances take place in complete darkness, removing visual distraction and making spatial sound the central subject.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • San Francisco
  8. Back Bay Fens Back Bay Fens
    658 1 hour

    Back Bay Fens

    Back Bay Fens is a linear park in Boston's Emerald Necklace, the connected park system associated with landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Boston
  9. Ball & Chain Ball & Chain
    659 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
  10. Beacon Hill Beacon Hill
    660 20 min

    Beacon Hill

    Beacon Hill is a historic residential neighbourhood in central Boston, Massachusetts. It sits directly north of Boston Common and the Boston Public Garden. The district is renowned for its well-preserved Federal-style rowhouses, narrow gaslit streets, and brick sidewalks.

    • Notable
    • Viewpoint
    • Boston
  11. Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake
    661 1 hour

    Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake

    Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is a large City of Orlando park near International Drive.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Orlando
  12. Boston Fire Museum Boston Fire Museum
    662 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
  13. Boston Massacre Site Boston Massacre Site
    663 45 min

    Boston Massacre Site

    The Boston Massacre Site marks the location of the March 5, 1770 confrontation between British soldiers and colonists that resulted in five civilian deaths.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Boston
  14. Boston Public Market Boston Public Market
    664 45 min

    Boston Public Market

    Boston Public Market is a year-round indoor marketplace in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Opened in 2015, it was created as a permanent producer-focused market for New England food and drink.

    • Notable
    • Market
    • Boston
  15. Boston Tea Party - Ships and Museum Boston Tea Party - Ships and Museum
    665 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
  16. Burlesque Hall of Fame Burlesque Hall of Fame
    666 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
  17. Calle Ocho Walk of Fame Calle Ocho Walk of Fame
    667 45 min

    Calle Ocho Walk of Fame

    The Calle Ocho Walk of Fame is an outdoor cultural landmark along Southwest 8th Street in Miami’s Little Havana. Stars set into the pavement honour Latin American and Caribbean entertainers, musicians, and cultural figures.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Miami
  18. Central Union Church Central Union Church
    668 30 min

    Central Union Church

    Central Union Church is an active Honolulu church campus centered on a Gothic-revival sanctuary. The building serves worship and community life, so visitors encounter a functioning religious institution rather than a museum arranged for sightseeing.

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Honolulu
  19. Charlestown Navy Yard Charlestown Navy Yard
    669 1 hour

    Charlestown Navy Yard

    Charlestown Navy Yard is a historic naval shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, operated as part of Boston National Historical Park by the National Park Service.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Boston
  20. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
    670 45 min

    Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

    Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves a 184.5-mile canal corridor running from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Washington
  21. Chess Records Chess Records
    671 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
  22. Chicago Magic Lounge
    672 1 hour

    Chicago Magic Lounge

    Chicago Magic Lounge is an Andersonville performance venue devoted to close-up magic. Instead of presenting conjuring from a distant stage, its format brings sleight-of-hand and interactive illusions close to the audience.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Chicago
  23. Chicago Maritime Museum Chicago Maritime Museum
    673 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
  24. Chicago Sports Museum Chicago Sports Museum
    674 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
  25. Chinatown Chinatown
    675 45 min

    Chinatown

    Chinatown is a densely populated neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is one of the oldest and largest ethnic Chinese enclaves outside Asia.

    • Notable
    • 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.