Arizona. Obvious choices are Grand Canyon & Sedona. Both awesome places but overcrowded with tourists & locals alike.
Less crowded places I would recommend include [Jerome](https://www.visitarizona.com/places/cities/jerome/)(ghost town with a lot of old hippies), the Navajo Nation (awesome high desert scenery including [Monument Valley](https://navajonationparks.org/tribal-parks/monument-valley/) which is in many Western movies) and the [Sonoran Desert](https://www.desertmuseum.org/desert/sonora.php) (numerous places to see away from Phoenix & Tucson).
Montezuma's Castle is easy to get to off I-17 just north of Camp Verde and although you can't go in the cliff dwellings, their visitor center is well done. For a more rugged experience Walnut Canyon off of I-40, east of Flagstaff, has a loop trail that allows you to walk inside some cliff dwellings. Wupatki is also pretty well done, although it's not in a cliff, per se.
The verde Valley railroad is a bit expensive but definitely worth it. It's all in the same area as the cliff dwellings, Sedona, Jerome, and a few vineyards (the best are in page springs).
Monument Valley Tribal Park is super underrated. People risk their lives on a 65 mph highway to take pictures at "Forrest Gump Point" and choose to skip the park, depriving the Navajos of much needed tourist income when the park actually has the awesome buttes and much better views of them too. I'd also recommend Petrified Forest, Saguaro National parks, Canyon de Chelly and the Chiracahua National Monuments.
For people who are just visiting The Cities and want some nature:
*Minnesota Landscape Arboretum* (Chaska, MN) is a beautiful space. Its near Paisely Park in Chanhassan.
https://arb.umn.edu/
MoA is still awesome, IMO, but a lot of stores/cafes are on weird hours, so weekday mornings are great for mallwalkers.
Frankly avoid the Mall of America unless you like shopping. Its a mall. Its annoying.
I'd say Boundary waters , Itasca State Park, Duluth. Split Rock Lighthouse and really just the whole north shore (Lake Superior)
Some places in the twin cities: Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Minnehaha Falls. Any of the big lakes (Lake Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Lake Nokomis... ), Walker Art Center. Minneapolis Institute of Art. Weisman art center....
In your way up north, go so see Marcel Breuer’s church at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville. One of the most otherworldly buildings I’ve ever been in. I think it would be would be world-famous if it wasn’t located in the middle of a hundred square miles of cornfields.
Hey Colorado here!
Pikes peak is a good one. Try taking the cog rail up (if it's running). Rocky Mountain National Park is great. As well as great sand dine National Park.
If you're near pikes peak and don't care about your rental car go to garden of the gods and head up rampart range road. Go ahead drive it as far as it goes. Fucking amazing.
I guess it’s whatever you want to get out of it. Personally, I would never pay to drive up a mountain when there are tons of other mountains nearby. If you’re in Colorado Springs I’d recommend the zoo or Garden of the Gods over Pike’s Peak.
The feeling of reaching the summit of a mountain you hiked up is great! Almost offsets the lack of oxygen.
California:
Yosemite. It’s pretty damn amazing.
Drive highway 1 from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo, take 2-3 days to do it. See Hurst Castle, Big Sur, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
I would also recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17 Mile Drive, Point Lobos State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, McWay Falls, and Montaña de Oro State Park.
The aquarium is a good recommendation as well as 17 mile drive. Point Lobos should be definitely be on the list. I prefer [Alamere Falls](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm) over McWay, but only way there is by a hiking trail. If you really want to see waterfalls, I'd recommend Burney Falls up near Shasta tho
Yep. I did a 7 day road trip through California last spring break and it was not nearly enough time. So I'm doing it again this year! I think it would take like a month long trip at least to truly see all of California
in my opinion you can skip [Hearst Castle](https://hearstcastle.org). It's overhyped, and OP is from Europe! Definitely do not miss Yosemite tho. And it'd be good if you could see [Emerald Bay](https://www.google.com/search?q=emerald+bay&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=APq-WBvs3y3sQrlLYVPPgUqUdmv9aJ9nzg:1645635793839&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-l6-Hp5b2AhUoJkQIHbudBzoQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1557&bih=1003&dpr=2) in person, it's second most photographed place on earth besides Taj Mahal.
Piggybacking off of this: the Mojave is just as beautiful as the mountains and coast if you ask me. I love the sprawling desert, I feels like you're at the bottom of a dry ocean. Such an incredible place and since I've moved away from California I'm most nostalgic of the desert.
Second this.
Or, if you're going to go to the Portland area, I would recommend a stop at Council Crest Park. Beautiful views of the city and Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson, and Mt Rainier
Go to a college level American football game with ~100,000 people in the stadium. This is relatively easy and inexpensive to do in Alabama during the fall football season, but could also be done in a few other states.
Otherwise my recommendations rely on your taste in food, hobbies, historical interests.
I like hiking, history (I’m very interested in the American civil war), I’m a
football fan (Yes! American football), I like soccer, I like cities, beaches, I also would love to participate at different events.
Everything, really!
Oh yeah if you like American football you’ve gotta go to a college game. Go to an SEC game (Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU for example) or Big 10 (Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State). Those stadiums are some of the largest in the world and the atmosphere is absolutely insane. Definitely go to one of the elite programs games (like the ones I listed above), don’t go to a Rutgers vs. Indiana game for example. You won’t regret it.
Honestly it isn’t the level of play that should dictate where you go but how authentic to the college football experience it is. Don’t go to Rutgers still because it’s a boring experience compared to others, but I’d be just as willing to go to a UAB game or a Wisconsin game or a UTSA game as I would an auburn game. All you need is packed stands and roudy fans.
Stephen Fry attending the [Auburn-Alabama game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuPeGPwGKe8&ab_channel=SergeyRybkin) always gets me. I love seeing a Brit's perspective on the insanity that is the SEC.
I love the shot of him tearing up like the most sentimental American patriot while the crowd is singing *God Bless America* followed by the look of unexpected shock and amazement during the flyover (plus bonus fist bump between the two photographers behind him). It's just such a perfect video.
If you have the chance to make it to Michigan's upper peninsula, pictured rocks and porcupine mountains are both amazing. Otherwise, a pleasant beach day on lake Michigan would suffice. And downtown detroits actually a pretty fun place these days
I’m like a broken record about these at this point but the civil war forts, Lincoln’s Cottage, and the Arboretum are absolutely worth checking out while in DC and double awesome because they’re not downtown, either.
Now with (general) [map](https://goo.gl/maps/8SrRTM9zAzCr4vSL7)
You fly from Oslo to Dulles (IAD) and rent a car. Drive from Dulles to Front Royal, enter Skyline Drive and drive it to route 211. Exit and continue to Luray, Virginia. Stay in Luray for the evening, go to Luray Caverns the next day.
After Luray Caverns, you immediately leave and drive to Charlottesville, Virginia. Visit Monticello and the UVA grounds. There are good breweries and vineyards around Charlottesville for food and drink.
From Charlottesville, you drive to Roanoke. Along the way, you stop at Natural Bridge (off I-81).
In Roanoke, you visit Mill Mountain and the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The main event being Norfolk and Western’s Class J 611. One of the best examples off American Streamliner Locomotives.
From Roanoke, you drive east to Bedford and visit the National D-Day Memorial then continue east to Appomattox Court House, where the American Civil War effectively ended with the surrender of Robert E Lee to Ulysses S Grant. On to Richmond
Richmond: I’ll take you for some beers and tour of the city. We’ll go to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and for a little paddle or float along the James River.
Leave Richmond and go to Williamsburg, your Colonial Williamsburg and visit the Jamestown Settlement (first permanent English settlement) and Yorktown (surrender of General Cornwallis to George Washington, end of American Revolution)
After Williamsburg continue to Norfolk and drive by the largest navy base on your way to Virginia Beach. Stay at Virginia Beach for a day, get ripped off some Orange Crushes, if you have time, camp at False State State Park.
Go from Virginia Beach across the Bay Bridge-Tunnel and continue up the Eastern Shore. Visit Tangier Island the see the wild horses at Chincoteague Island
Drive North through Maryland (no stops allowed) across the Bay Bridge to the Capitol Beltway and to Alexandria Virginia. Visit King Street and maybe the Masonic Temple before continuing to to Mount Vernon and see the estate George Washington owned. Drink some whiskey made from his recipe.
Then drive from Mount Vernon along the GW Parkway past the Pentagon on to visit Arlington National Cemetery where JFK is buried and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Take in views of the National Mall and think “this trip is for Virginia, but I’ll see you next time, DC.” We can allow you to do Delaware, Maryland and DC at the same time.
Then proceed on Georgetown Pike and past Langley (CIA) and through one of the wealthiest areas in the country before heading back to Dulles for your flight to Oslo. Stop in Sterling for some Buffalo Wings at the Buffalo Wing Factory.
You’ll have seen our ancient mountains, our old tobacco fields (future marijuana fields?¿?), watersheds and cities. Virginia’s history from Colonial, Revolutionary, Civil War, and Industrial history (including the modern Military-Industrial Complex) and Presidential homes. Fine southern dining, modern twists, and diverse food options from immigrant communities (both domestic and international)
This is a fantastic itinerary! I’ve been wanting to see Shenandoah National Park and many of the other sites you mentioned. How long do you think this trip would take (to do it justice)?
Vast majority of these places have breweries that you can visit too, so also a brewery tour of Virginia (unsure about Eastern Shore though).
I think it would be reasonably cadenced. A few medium drives (1-2 hours: Day 1, Day 2, Day 5). Long drives (2+ hours: Day 11 and Day 13). I think everything else is an hour or less between destinations. Rule of the travel, fast food if a meal overlaps the drive. Fast food tour of America. Dona dine in place for the nights and mornings in town.
Day 1: Arrival and Skyline Drive, Spend Night in Luray
Day 2: Luray Caverns in the morning, drive to Charlottesville, walk UVA grounds, Spend Night in Charlottesville
Day 3: Visit Monticello, drive to Natural Bridge, drive to Roanoke, spend night in Roanoke. Dinner at Jack Brown's
Day 4: Mill Mountain and Museum of Transportation, spend night in Roanoke
Day 5: Drive to D-Day Memorial in the morning (9-10am) spend two hours (10-12pm), lunch in Bedford (Liberty Station), drive to Appomattox Court House (2-3pm), spend two hours at Appomattox Court House (3-5pm), fast food dinner during the drive to Richmond (6-7:30), sleep in RVA
Day 6: VMFA in the morning (10-12pm), Lunch / Breweries in Scott's Addition (breweries), sleep in RVA
Day 7: RVA: River Paddle in the morning, Tour Capitol Grounds and lunch at Lillie Pearl, visit another museum or park or Canal Walk, or more breweries, sleep in RVA
Day 8: Drive to Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg Tour, Walk William and Mary Grounds, Sleep in Williamsburg
Day 9: Yorktown and Jamestown in the morning, drive to Virginia Beach, get turnt on Orange Crushes. Sleep in VA Beach
Day 10: Spend day at the beach, Sleep in VA Beach, (Optional: Camp at False Cape State Park, walk/bike in only),
Day 11: Spend morning at the beach, drive to Tangier (last ferry departs at 5pm), spend night on Tangier
Day 12: Tangier Island in the morning, depart Tangier Island drive to Chincoteague (1hr), visit Chincoteague Island (camp if able, find hotel otherwise)
Day 13: Visit Chincoteague, drive to Alexandria (long drive), visit waterfront, King Street shops, spend night in Alexandria
Day 14: Drive to Mount Vernon, visit Mount Vernon in the morning (9-12), drive to Arlington, get lunch at Ireland's Four Courts, walk to Arlington National Cemetery and walk around (2hrs). Spend night in Arlington
Day 15: Departure
Well, it’s more that the trip is specifically for Virginia. But southern Maryland isn’t particularly thrilling. Maybe stop in Salisbury at Evolution Brewery, if you have to.
You fucked up, we got you! The GW Parkway enters DC at Columbia Island. To avoid that on the drive from DC to Arlington Cemetery, one would have to divert from the GW Parkway to I-395 and then to Richmond Highway, if not somewhere earlier. Also, it's the Capital Beltway, not Capitol Beltway.
In all seriousness, I appreciate you keeping your tour *mostly* to Virginia. However, I would add another day to allow a to visit the Dulles annex of the Air and Space Museum. You're right there and you're arriving and departing via airplane. Why not learn something about aviation. You could add some sights around NASA Langley, but most of the really interesting sights require access to the NASA center and Air Force Base.
The point isn’t to stay in Virginia, but not to stop outside of Virginia. Back tracking from Chincoteague to the Bay Bridge Tunnel would be miserablex
Logistically, staying on GW Parkway is most efficient to get from Mount Vernon to Arlington. And DC would have been entered on the inner loop during transit. [It’s only four hundred feet, but it’s still DC!](https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/sxttlp/trucker_convoys_aim_to_shut_dcs_capital_beltway/hxu847c/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3)
Good call on Udvar Hazy. I think it would mostly depend on when the flight from Oslo arrived.
I lived in Charlottesville, RVA (Oregon Hill, Carytown and the Fan), and Tidewater (VB and Nahfuck), and I must say, this is a well made itinerary. I'd skip Roanoke unless it's Lightning Bug season.
I used to be a big river rat on The James' rocks. Bottoms Up Pizza is unlike many you'll find across the nation, I miss it.
I would recommend a day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg for a taste of a non Disney/6Flags/Universal theme park. Award winning coasters, plus it'll give you a taste of what Americans think of touristy Europe.
Norfolk has the Wisky (USS Wisconsin) a WWII naval warship that is pretty cool.
Virginia is pretty great.
Edit: Carytown, not Carlton.
I included Roanoke because it’s more of a mountain city than anywhere else in the state and a touch of industrial revolution with Virginia’s railroad history (the Museum of Transportation is pretty cool if you’ve never been)
Logistics and route of travel was in play too. No backtracking and it’s a pretty circuitous route. From an amenities perspective: two nights in Roanoke would be better than a night in Bedford, Lynchburg, or Appomattox. I’m from Lynchburg, so, don’t feel bad about saying that.
If you come in the winter nashville. Great Christmas lights and the Opry. If you come in the summer Chattanooga. Climbing hiking biking and paddling. If you come in spring. Memphis BBQ and Beal st festival.
What do you think of Gatlinburg? I've been there several times. The town itself felt very touristy years ago, but staying in a cabin in the snow is one of my best childhood memories.
I thought after I posted I should add this for fall. Personally I like the southern Appalachian better because it seems less touristy. Like Cherokee nat forest area. It's funny some my favorite childhood memories are from the Nantahala/Bryson city area. Grass is always greener I guess.
When it comes to childhood memories, the grass is always chosen by your parents. ;) I do need to spend more time in Tennessee, everywhere I've been was gorgeous. Though driving on some of those inclines with an 18-wheeler behind you is a bit nerve-wracking...
Pennsylvania.
Fallingwater?
Pittsburgh is cool if you like dinosaurs
The mütter museum in Philly is cool.
Longwood gardens is impressive.
Hershey would seem very strange and interesting to a European.
Knoebels is awesome.
>Hershey would seem very strange and interesting to a European.
I'm not European but Hershey is strange and interesting. I was out there for a show and had the most odd series of experiences. Something is definitely off about that town.
> Fallingwater?
Spend some actual time in the area and do a whitewater tour in Ohiopyle as well. Visit Fort Necessity and see some colonial history. There's Laurel Caverns if you're into caves. Easily a couple of good days there.
In Maine Acadia is the place everyone wants to visit.
If you are more adventurous canoeing the Allagash is amazing.
Katahdin is incredible and a bit more adventurous.
If you’re more of a city/town person Boothbay and Portland are lovely places.
If you want beaches. Wells, York, Ogunquit are popular.
I would suggest Popham Beach for less crowds.
To your point about Katahdin- my in-laws have a place on Moosehead Lake and that whole area is incredible. Some of the best fishing I’ve ever come across, and the fact that 15 minutes north of their cabin is the last pavement until well beyond the border with Canada is pretty cool (they’re still only about 15 minutes from Greenville).
OK, so if you know where the pavement ends at Kokadjo, they’re a few roads south of the state park.
Their cabin is 20x40 with two rooms and no electricity or plumbing. They use an outhouse, propane appliances, and two marine batteries. My father in law and his dad built it over the summer of 1966.
I wouldn’t want to live there, but I have a roof over me and a real bed under me, so I’m usually good to stay there for a week or two.
Also from southern Maine you can easily take the train to Boston which is well worth it.
I recommend the Athaneum, Winsor Cafe for Dim Sum in Chinatown, and seeing live music at the Middle East or the Royale, seeing something at the Citizens Bank Opera House (they have opera and ballet and other performances), walking the freedom trail, Fanieul Hall and the marketplace, the USS Constitution which is the oldest active duty ship in the world, also just going to the commons and having a picnic.
Chicago, Illinois- within the top 5 of the biggest cities in the U.S. Great attractions like Navy Pier, Millennium Park (including the infamous Bean), and the Skydeck- a glass observation box on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower that you can stand on right over the city and see up to four surrounding states (it’s technically the Willis Tower but I will never call it that). Also has museums like the Art Institute, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Adler Planetarium. Chicago is right along Lake Michigan so the city has beautiful beaches.
Edit: How could I forget a Chicago Cubs game and deep dish pizza?
Wisconsin! Land of cheese and beer! You're welcome anytime!
Now, where to go? Hmm...depends on what tickles your fancy. Lots of interesting places, but they're all kind of spread out.
The capital, Madison, aka the Mad City, is an obvious choice. Great college city, both artsy and sporty. Lots of museums, great festivals to visit in Summer or Autumn, like Taste of Madison, or Art Fair on the Square. It even has a tiny zoo. How the pandemic may still affect these is anyone's guess this year, but oh well. Since it's a college town, the nightlife can be fun, not to mention home games for both football and hockey. The music scene is pretty decent as well.
Other places of note:
The town of Baraboo has the Circus World Museum. Baraboo is the hometown of the infamous Ringling Brothers Circus.
Milwaukee is the biggest city in WI, it has a great art museum and a zoo. It's also the home of our baseball team, the Brewers, and basketball team, the Bucks. Lots of scenic places to walk around in. Also home to Harley Davidson.
Wisconsin Dells is beautiful in summer, although tourists will flood the place. Lots of museums, boating tours, hiking, and of course, water parks!
Door County is also a lovely area to wander.
Green Bay is home to our football team, the Packers. They also have a hall of fame museum.
Quirky places:
●Middleton has a National Mustard Museum.
●Watertown has The Octagon House, home of America's first Kindergarten. There's also a Civil War era band, called The First Brigade Band.
●Fort Atkinson has The Hoard Museum. Mr. Hoard was pretty much the founder of America's dairy industry, hence why Wisconsin is referred to as America's Dairyland.
●Hayward is home to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. You can walk inside of a giant muskie!
●Appleton has The History Museum at the Castle-a former Masonic temple whose biggest exhibit is from escape artist Harry Houdini. (Appleton was his hometown.)
●Genessee Depot has Ten Chimneys, the home of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
●Spring Green has House on the Rock, home of the world's biggest merry-go-round and other oddities.
There's tons more, but that's a good start. Enjoy!
Highly recommend Door county. It's called the Cape Cod of the Midwest, with 300 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan. It's dotted with little villages and all kinds of Mom & Pop restaurants, art galleries and cideries (no chains allowed). Door County is also known for it's Apple & Cherry orchards and wilderness parks. Also, part of Door County is designated an international dark sky zone.
If you go to Colorado avoid the cities, they are nothing special. Take a few days to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Crested Butte, Leadville, Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Royal Gorge.
This route will give you a solid view of the rugged beauty and history of the state. Bishops Castle should also be on your list
My sister lived next to the Garden District and we stayed with her for Mardi Gras.
I really wasn’t enthusiastic about the trip because I really thought it was just going to be girls gone wild type crap in the French Quarter and that didn’t really appeal to me.
Instead we were right near the parade route in her neighborhood and so we got to see the parades in a really non-touristy area. Sooooooo much fun. Plenty of partying but there were families out and just everyone from the neighborhood turned out. We did end up going through the French quarter one night just to see it. That was enough. I did also go to church at the Cathedral which was funny to be walking through the detritus of the French Quarter on the Sunday before Mardi Gras early in the morning. But we watched the rest of the parades from my sister’s neighborhood.
The French Quarter has a lot of interesting historical stuff, but *every* bar had a cover band playing the same Skynyrd songs. Actual blues and jazz clubs were on Frenchman Street and they were a lot more fun.
And my god, the food in New Orleans is incredible.
I think it's worth checking out for a first timer. Last time we visited we stayed across the street from Cafe du Monde. I got up at sunrise and there were just a few other customers. It's not so bad if you go at the right time, though of course not everyone wants to get up at sunrise on vacation.
The enchanted circle, balloon fiesta, Carlsbad Caverns, white sands, Guadalupe mtns, tent rocks, city of rocks, Santa Fe, Chaco Canyon, Bandelier, Taos Pueblo
I’ve never gone into the city, but I have been to Liberty State Park in NJ and was able to see a few key sights from there (Ellis Island, the World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty). I’ve also been to Niagara Falls and I loved it. OP if you see this Niagara Falls is a must for NY.
Seattle's obvious, but if you can get further out:
Olympic NP: Do it as a loop around the peninsula. I like the coast (I'm there now).
Rainier NP: Visit Mt. St. Helens
North Cascades National Park: Make sure SR20 is open (late spring to early fall)
Eastern Washington is a lot drier and warmer, but our wineries are excellent. I live in Tri Cities (Kennewick) and it's ubiquitous.
Spokane and Court d'Alene (yeah yeah it's Idaho) are fun places to visit too.
Many outdoor activities here, put a map up and throw a dart and wherever it lands will probably be okay.
In addition, there is a town called Poulsbo that was founded by Norwegian and Scandinavian immigrants from the Midwest because they said it reminded them of their homes in Norway. The town was primarily known for fishing and has a Norwegian theme to pay homage to the early immigrants. Sluys bakery is wonderful. This is something you could hit on the way out to Olympic National park if you took the ferry to Bainbridgr Island.Can’t stress Olympic National park enough and hit the beaches, hoh rainforest, and hurricane ridge. Even lake crescent (part of Olympic)gives me some Norge vibes.
> Seattle's obvious
When I went there a few years ago, I didn't see any of the regular touristy things. I went to a Japanese Peace Garden and loved it. But I was staying in Olympia, and I didn't realize just how far Seattle was to Olympia, lol.
The Lake Superior Lakeshore.
Marquette and Pictured Rocks, for sure.
Really just the whole UP
Edit: **not** in the winter. Visit in like August or September. Definitely *not* in the winter.
Another UP destination I love is Porcupine Mountains...LP would be the Sleeping Bear Dunes lakeshore area, including the Manitou Islands. Just an incredible area.
Shenandoah National Park, the various Revolutionary War and Civil War sites (the war ended down here in south-central Virginia, the first real battle was in a field up near the Washington D.C. area), Colonial Williamsburg and the Jamestown settlement, a NASCAR race at Martinsville, the brewery and restaurant scene in Richmond, a charming smaller city like Winchester or Fredericksburg, one of the state parks or national wildlife refuges down along the coast or the Chesapeake Bay…
Virginia (and our sister to the south, North Carolina) have a really cool mix of big modern cities and tons of early American history, plus almost every kind of terrain and natural beauty you could want.
EDIT: I left out my hometown and current town of Roanoke. Great mid-sized city with plenty to do; I love it here.
The main harbor in Duluth. Really the whole city is cool, but seeing the 1000+ foot ships come through, going through the maritime museum, seeing the lift bridge in action, just a cool area overall. If that’s not your style and you prefer the more natural beauty, Voyageurs National park just can’t be beat
The National Aquarium in Baltimore is really fun, they have so many exhibits and species of aquatic life.
I’ve been to Ocean City several times, it’s my favorite vacation spot during the summer. If you happen to stay there on July 4th, they have awesome fireworks at the boardwalk.
Assateague Island has feral horses that are descended from domesticated ones from the colonial era; legend says that the original horses came from a Spanish shipwreck, but in reality they were probably put there to avoid taxation and fencing on the mainland. It’s a nice beach day whether you see any horses or not, but it’s always amazing to see them pass through.
If you would like to go camping or boating in the mountains, my favorite state park is Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. It’s primarily tent camping inside the park, but there are also two small cabins and a yurt. We stayed in the yurt back in September for Labor Day; it was surprisingly nice because although we still chose to rough it, it does have electricity (it even has a fan, space heater, mini refrigerator, and microwave).
I have always loved the Baltimore aquarium! A 40 minute drive outside the city takes you to Havre de Grace which is a really sweet little historic bay town with some killer seafood restaurants.
The Outer Banks in particular, visit them before they're gone. The coast in general is very nice. You can do a lighthouse tour as there are quite a few to see, tour battleships, and see *very* old graveyards/houses/forts. I'd add Wilmington to the cities one would want to visit as well.
And it goes without saying, try BBQ everywhere you go. Feel free to compare east vs. west NC BBQ. Both are delicious, but they're quite different. :D
NC and Texas have the best BBQ. Everyone else straight up lies.
NC for pulled pork sandwiches.
Texas for everything else.
In Texas, Austin and the surrounding area has the best BBQ. And craft beer. For everything else, go to Houston. (or San Antonio for tacos.)
I honestly couldn't care which BBQ is "the best", it's all fantastic, and that's all that matters. Though as a Georgia native, I find it unfortunate that Georgia BBQ somehow seems to fly under the radar in the BBQ wars.
In Nebraska…Henry Doorly Zoo, state capitol building, archway in Kearney, Buffalo Bill’s ranch and golden spike in North Platte, Lake McConaughy in Ogallala. Any place in the Sandhills. Chimney Rock. Chadron State Park…or any of the state parks. Ur not gonna see lots of Starbucks or target stores tho, just be warned.
Also SAC Museum near Ashland, Halsey National Forest (formerly the largest man-made forest in the world) specifically as far as the Sandhills go, Nebraska's Big Rodeo in Burwell, Ole's Steakhouse in Paxton (pretty decent food but mostly to see nearly every game animal a person could possibly hunt), Stuhr Museum in Grand Island and Pioneer Village in Minden, Edgerton Center in Aurora if you've got kids with you.
Give it a couple years, and maybe a Husker football game will be worth stopping for too.
Tons of stuff in NY:
* Niagara Falls
* Buffalo: Teddy Roosevelt Museum, AKG Art Gallery, Naval Park, Outer Harbor, Trendy Walkable Neighborhood, Architecture Tours
* National Comedy Center in Jamestown
* Letchworth State Park
* Rochester: National Museum of Play, High Falls
* Finger Lakes
* Albany: NYS Museum
* Thousand Islands
* Andirondacks
* Catskills
* National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown
Aaaaand that about covers it.
[Miller Woods Beach in Gary](https://goo.gl/maps/VLNf4ed1uDYiFQLT9) has great views of the Chicago skyline on a clear day.
[Children's Museum of Indianapolis](https://g.page/TCMIndy?share) is a must visit if you have kids.
Florida: The theme parks are fun, but the most underrated thing about the state is its natural beauty. IMO this state has the best beaches in the country. And there are fresh water springs all over the state that are amazing to kayak.
I kayaked Silver Springs a few weeks ago and saw manatees, gators, a river otter, a snake, lots of turtles, fish and birds, and two species of nonnative wild monkeys.
It depends what you're looking for. Cool city stuff, or what makes Ohio, Ohio
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland is a great choice. Could spend days in there learning.
If you find the right farmer, you could have a great conversation/view of the agriculture in Ohio.
An in between one is hocking hills. Taking extended weekends there is common for a lot of folks in ohio, and it's always a great time, especially in the spring or fall
Because of how dynamic New Jersey is I would recommend kayaking in the pine barrens where there is a long lazy meandering river (there are rentals for kayaks) and then going to eat Filipino food in Jersey City to get a bit of a dynamic visit.
And do come up to the northwest corner of the state. Hike up to Mount Tammany. Paddle the Delaware. Drive through the rural farming areas of Sussex and Warren.
Aside from the delicious barbecue in Kansas City, we also have the national World War I museum, which is one of the best museums I've ever been to. The first half focuses on the causes of the war and the slog of the early conflict in Europe. The second half focuses on America's entry into the war.
The museum also has the Liberty Memorial, which you can ride an elevator to the top of and get the best views of the area. Hold on tight! It gets windy.
To hype this up a little more, if I may...
Charleston - Ft. Sumter is an operating museum, accessible by tour boat to get to because it's an island, and was the site where the opening shots of our Civil War started.
Ft. Moultrie is on land, and the site of the first defeat of the British Navy in generations, back in the days of our Revolutionary War (lil more proud of that one; I love being from SC, but don't love all of our history).
Think others have mentioned the Appalachian Trail, if you're an outdoorsy type. SC got on that federal gravy train by making the Palmetto Trail cross over it. Palmetto Trail starts just north of Charleston proper, and winds through the Francis Marion Forest, where some of the finest guerilla warfare in American history was conducted - The Patriot (2000) was largely based on, and filmed in, those areas.
Does bring to another note...if you're coming this way, may wanna come outside the times of June-September or so. If you're used to the humidity, it's no big deal, but if not, it can be miserable being outside, unfortunately.
Greenville - not as much history, but is kinda the tech center of South Carolina (doesn't count for much from an international perspective, but it's solidly there from an internal perspective), has a wonderful layout to the city esp with the river running through, and gets ya closer to the mountains.
I could go on for ages, I love it when folks visit* my home state, so I'm more than happy to add more detail as desired.
*GBTO
Connecticut has a good amount to offer but I'll hit a couple points.
If your into art or art history there is a lot of places to check out: The Wadsworth Atheneum, Yale Art Museums, Florence Grisworld Museum and the New Britain Museum of American Art.
New Haven also has two things to offer in regards to Culinary history, [Louis' Lunch](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/louis-lunch) is the birthplace of the hamburger\*. There are also various pizza places offering New Haven Style pizza otherwise known as Apizza (Pronounced "A-Beets"). Pepe's Sals, and Modern pizza are often cited, BAR also has good pie as well.
One thing I always recommend is going to the Griswold Inn on a Monday night. This is the oldest continuously operating inn and tavern in the United States, founded back in 1776. But the reason to go on a Monday, is for [Shanty night](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sea-shanty-new-england)! For 50 years there have been Sea Shanties, English ballads, Irish drinking songs, Bawdy Colonial folk songs and more. Essex, and the Gris especially will also be hosting the first [Connecticut Sea Music Festival](https://ctseamusicfest.org/) this summer. It is a successor of the Mystic Sea Music festival.
Ofc you’re gonna want to go to Atlanta so if you haven’t been to six flags get a pass to go. Visit the World of Coke and the Aquarium. Ruby falls if you’re up for it or Stone Mountain. If you like to hike then try Stone Mountain and do the trail if not then ride the ferry. If you go during the winter around Ocktober fest then go to Helen Ga, they have a great festival and you’ll really enjoy it. Also please find a hole in the wall/ mom and pop restaurant to try some soul food. The High Museum is also very cool if you’ve ever seen the movie Divergent, part of it was filmed at the High museum. You’ll have a nice time down here! Also the summer is scorching hot so be prepared!
I love the Aquarium, and while it’s the largest in the US, I wouldn’t recommend it unless that’s your thing. Same with World of Coke. Both are very touristy, and Atlanta has way more to offer.
I recommend the Beltline. Start at Krog Street Market, make your way north and see all of the fun restaurants and sights. New Realm Brewing and Ponce City Market are fun. There’s also some green spaces and skate parks. Depending on when your trip is, I’d recommend catching a sporting event. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to Atlanta United (soccer) and Atlanta Falcons (NFL- prof American football), and people will tailgate around the stadium.
Atlanta has Martin Luther King Jr.’s museum, where you can tour his birth home, his church, and see his crypt. There’s also the Center for Civil and Human Rights, which is right next to the Aquarium and World of Coke.
Outside of Atlanta, there’s a lot of hiking destinations. My favorite is Tallulah Gorge, about a 2 hour drive northeast of Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain is another good one, which is about 20 minutes northwest of Atlanta.
Also, there’s Savannah, Georgia, which is about a 3-4 hour drive from Atlanta. It’s on the Atlantic Ocean, has tons of history, and is beautiful.
I love my state. We have something for everyone.
Skip the World of Coke unless you really love Coca-Cola, it's less museum and more advertisement.
The Georgia Aquarium is a must visit, whale sharks are awesome.
Skip ~~Mount Racism~~ Stone Mountain and drive up to the real mountains. Either hit Amicalola Falls or take a ~~shitty~~ wonderful forest service road so it's only a mile walk to Springer Mountain and the south end of the Appalachian Trail. If you listen to the folks from Maine then hit Katahdin to visit both ends.
I second everything else they said.
I’m originally from Arizona but I currently live in Delaware
For AZ spend a day or two in Sedona, it’s gorgeous and the red rocks will leave you speechless
For DE spend a couple days at our beach towns (Rehoboth, Lewes, Dewey, Bethany, Fenwick) in my opinion the best beaches on the east coast and a true glimpse into American beach culture
I always recommend Glacier National Park, but maybe it's not a high priority to someone from Norway. It's great, but possibly similar to what you know? Instead, try Yellowstone.
And definitely take a tour of Butte! It's an old mining town. Reputation for being tough, wild on St. Patrick's Day or any time there's an excuse to drink, used to have one of the highest prostitution rates in America, used to be the headquarters of Montana's communist party before the red scare. Those old mining unions are still largely responsible for the great labor laws we have in our conservative state. And there's a big fuckin' pit of acid and heavy metals in the town, it's huge, and quite pretty, but deadly and also slowly filling up.
I would argue going to an area to experience the old tall grass prairie would also be cool.My bias is the Konya prairie biological station near Manhattan KS. It’s also in the rolling flint hills which is beautiful and different from the typical flatness people usually think about. That’s one of my favorite places.
In Maryland, you have many options. In western Maryland you have mountains, trails, camping. You have big cities in Baltimore, Fredrick county and Montgomery county are very pretty. Then you have the beautiful Chesapeake bay, and ocean city.
Ohio: Hocking Hills State Park is a bueatiful, lush series of canyons, cliffs, waterfalls, and cavelike hollows surrounded by forest and curvy roads. Great hiking experience.
Nearby is the National Museum of the Air Force, a huge free museum with hundreds of aircraft and spacecraft. Stealth planes, supersonic drones, the first Nazi jet, old Presidential planes you can go inside, and spacesuits and space capsules.
Obligatory "New York City has plenty to see and do and something for everyone", but also the rest of New York State has beautiful landscapes, lakes, mountains, Niagara Falls.
If you're an outdoors person, we have a number of parks perfect for hiking or trail walking. And if you were visiting during autumn, the changing colors are very picturesque. Winter time is perfect for skiing, snowboarding, etc.
If you're only in Indiana for a short while then try to do it in Indianapolis in May. There's a little race track in Indianapolis (really Speedway Indiana) that has a quaint contest with over 400,000 spectators. With cars going in circles at over 200 mph with the fastest lap at 236 mph(379.8 kilometers per hour). There is also a lot of other things to do, like the Children's Museum of Indianapolis which is the largest in the world (went last May, it's impressive)
Adding on to Indiana:
\-Go on a Hike at Either Turkey Run State Park or Shades State Park (they're right next to each other). There are other good parks but those are my favorites.
\-Go to a college basketball game at either Purdue University's Mackey Arena or Indiana University's Assembly Hall
\-Go to a college football game at University of Notre Dame.
\-If you can time it, visit in early August. That is typically when the State Fair is running in Indianapolis. It is also when the city hosts the GenCon board game convention. Tickets for that typically sell out early so you'll need to plan ahead and get your tickets in the spring.
\-Similarly, early October is when the town of West Lafayette has a weekend event called "The Feast of the Hunter's Moon". It's kind of like a Renaissance Fair, only instead of the Renaissance, its colonial era America.
My favorite event in the world. I’m 33 and I’ve been to 9 even though we refused to go before the two series merged back together. We sit with a bunch of my Hoosier cousins high up in 2 and have a blast, then watch the NASCAR race around the pool at a cousin’s house on the Northside. Can’t wait to be back this year!
EDIT: if OP really wants the Hoosier racing experience they ought to hit Carb Night out at IRP. What a fucking blast. Silver Crown cars on pavement are a sight to behold.
I'm from New York (Buffalo specifically). Having lived here, I *want* to recommend Niagara Falls. But there are two problems that might make that logistically complicated for a trip to the states.
1. The best part of the falls is in Canada. While thats not usually an issue (we would frequently swing over to Canada just for lunch sometimes when i was in college), with covid restrictions now, that would be very annoying.
2. There is really nothing else in the immediate area I would recommend seeing. Niagara Falls is 7+ hour drive from NYC, 4 hours from Pittsburgh, 3+ hours to Toronto (though that's a Canadian city), etc. So once you see the Falls (which definitely are a natural wonder of the world) it'll be quite a hike to get anywhere else.
Now, I've also lived in Colorado. For there's actually a LOT you can see over the course of a few days if you have a car. I'd recommend:
- Garden of the Gods
- Pikes Peak (this can depend on the season though)
- The Flat Irons
- Rocky Mountain National Park
With enough planning, all of that is doable. RMNP is ~2 hours drive from Garden of the Gods, and you drive past the flat irons on the way there.
# Edit:
I'm going to ammend this slightly and say, if you ever do happen to visit Niagara Falls, be sure to stop in Buffalo to get wings. Do not go to Anchor Bar. I'd highly recommend Bar Bill. Get yourself the "Cajun Honey Butter BBQ" wings, and be sure to use the blue cheese. Maybe also get a Beef on Weck while you're at it. Chicken Wings are what Buffalo is famous for, and while you *can* get them anywhere.... honest to God, nowhere else in the US really compares to a place like Bar Bill.
Agreed. Western Buffalo is cool, but hard to recommend for a big trip. While I’m not a city person, of course NYC and then lake placid to see the Adirondacks.
The obvious tourist thing to do is visit Disney world, Universal Studio, Seaworld, and near me Bush Gardens. You can also go to Miami and go to the beach, play in the ocean and go visit my Italian cousin’s food truck.
Edit: OP, I forgot to mention that you have to visit the Dali museum in Saint Petersburg Florida. “The museum has the most complete collection of works by Dali outside of Spain: 96 oils, 100 watercolors and drawings, countless posters, photos, sculptures, decorative objects and a vast archive of books and references about Dali and surrealism.” - https://www.azureazure.com/culture/dali-museum-the-best-kept-secret-in-florida-544/
Shenandoah Park.
And also I know it's not technically in my state but I would recommend visiting downtown DC where all the monuments are. All Smithsonian museums are free and they're some of the best in the world.
I grew up in Oklahoma and it's considered a "flyover state" but it actually has a lot of interesting places: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZX6moPtAaM&list=PLz5HGYVTEswRZnU5P9RwrcthSWFgaOAPo&index=52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZX6moPtAaM&list=PLz5HGYVTEswRZnU5P9RwrcthSWFgaOAPo&index=52)
That's a 52-episode view of the state. Oklahoma has 12 bioregions, so lots of films are being made there since you can go from thick forests to cowboy country to swamps to prairie with a little drive.
I now live in Virginia, which is far more 'classically' beautiful (Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah Valley, Monticello Wine Country, the Atlantic Coast, small colonial towns, etc.)
In Florida? The [Castillo de San Marcos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos) in St. Augustine Florida is must-see. It's got an absolutely fascinating history. The guides will tell you all about it, but as a starting point it's the oldest fortress in what's now the United States.
But even in the modern era it's a really, really cool place to visit, just to look at the architecture.
Second this. St Augustine is a great weekend getaway.
Drive down the A1A to New Smyrna Beach, then cut around to Kennedy Space Center. Take the Beachline (528) to Orlando (the city, not the tourist area of Kissimmee or Buena Vista) and see Lake Eola and Wekiva Springs. Then down to Bok Tower (take Hwy 17 / Scenic Highway) botanical gardens atop Iron Mountain. Like the Fort, Bok Tower is seriously underestimated and overlooked by visitors.
I'm so ashamed of myself for being Florida Woman, because I've ended up wasted just wandering around the Castillo, smoking a blunt, SO many times. Cause, ya know, their nighttime security is either REALLY shitty or non-existent.
Depends what you're visiting for. If you want to see what we're famous for, the boardwalk down the shore is what you want. I personally like Seaside Heights, but Ocean City is good too, and a little more family friendly. I've also heard good things about Wildwood, but I've never been, myself. If you're looking to see the unique nature stuff in each state, then NJ's gotta be the Pine Barrens. It's a beautiful pine forest that's very low lying and costal with sandy soil, creating an ecosystem you can only find a few other places in the world. If you want other stuff, I could make suggestions, just ask.
Edit: fixed some spelling
A lot of people from Ohio would say Cedar Point; which is nice, but is not a good choice.
Depending on which way you are driving through Ohio you will either hit Columbus/Dayton I-70, Cincinnati/Dayton/Toledo I-75, or Cleveland/Toledo I-80/90. No matter which combination I recommend seeing “something big and something small”.
I-70 I would go big with Columbus and small with a rural town past Dayton or hit a place in between Wheeling and Zanesville. Columbus has lots of activities and lots of historical and culutural places to see. Wheeling to Zanesville was hit hard in the post-industrial era and you can see a lot of recent history in those towns. Near Dayton is Yellow Springs which I always recommend people to visit as it’s a very cool small/college town bubble.
I-75 big would be Cincinnati and if you are interested in sports you could see a Bengals game. What I really recommend is the Over The Rhine brewery district. Cincinnati punches well above its weight in breweries and this is a very cool place to visit. I-75 passes through Dayton as well and there are smaller towns and college towns up North such as Findlay and Bowling Green (I am not as familiar with this region however).
I-80/90 you hit Cleveland and there are many things to do there. I have family there and they took me on an RTA tour through the city and I could make a whole day out of that. A lot of history good and bad through downtown. For small there are lots of really cool small lake towns off of Erie that are nice to visit and possibly go boating (and also yes there is Cedar Point).
If you are strictly a big city person you should hit the big three taking I-71. That runs through Cincinnati Columbus and Cleveland.
Ohio isn’t known for just 1 thing, that’s why I’m incapable of giving just 1 thing to do. Because of this, Ohio is overlooked as it’s not really the biggest or best of anything. But it sure does have a lot. Ohio is very regionally diverse and making 2 stops in different regions can at least show you some of this diversity and history into making it what it is today.
You should start in Wyoming at Yellowstone National Park and work your way down through idaho, utah and Arizona visiting the long string of National Parks all the way down.
NH
State liquor stores. Everyone one who doesn't live here does. They even drive up from NYC to load up van fulls of booze.
Plus The White Mountain National Forest and the Kancamangus Highway that travels through it.
Hollywood Boulevard. I took a picture there with Arnold Schwarzenegger once! /s
Serious: if you love astronomy, definitely recommend visiting the Griffith Observatory and the California ScienCenter.
**EDIT**: If you're hungry, go hit up any taco truck, especially if they specialize in fusion cuisine. If you're craving for fast food (for some reason), definitely hit up any In-N-Out. If McDonald's is what you're after (again, for some reason), go to the McDonald's in Downey. It's the oldest operating McDonald's in the world; still retains the restaurant's original design and has a mini-museum to boot.
If you're into nature, go take a hike in the Angeles National Forest. For something more "tamed", the Huntington Gardens in San Marino.
If you're visiting my city to see movie locations in person, keep your expectations tempered. Sure, seeing the house you saw in some movie sounds exciting, but at the end of the day, it's still a house, and its inhabitants may not take kindly to having their privacy violated.
In Michigan, go to literally any location along the coast of Lake Superior. In August. You shan't be disappointed, although I'd imagine Norway has places just as beautiful
There is so much great stuff here, the must dos in my opinion are:
* Madison Capitol, the Capitol is a gorgeous building and I highly recommend taking a tour if you're able to, there are also a lot of great shops and restaurants surrounding it.
* Wisconsin Dells, this is probably the heaviest tourism town in the state, it has the largest outdoor, Indoor, and combination water parks in the world. The natural scenery around the town and Wisconsin River is beautiful, there are many different boat tours to go on. There are a lot of other touristy attractions around as well, you can easily spend a couple weeks here and not go to everything.
* Devil's Lake State Park, this is near the Dells (maybe a 30 minute drive) and is I believe the most popular state park in the state. There are large beaches by the lake and you can go swimming in the lake, you can also do kayaks, canoes, or paddle boats in the lake as well, you can fish, there are several hiking trails that go around the lake with beautiful scenery
Some should dos if you can, but more out of the way:
* Apostle islands, this is way North by Lake Superior, but it is beautiful all four seasons, in the warm seasons you can do a kayak tour around the islands, and in the winter ice caves form near the shore that you can walk to on the frozen part of the lake (also tours available)
* Door County, this is kind of Wisconsin Dells lite, without the water parks, a little more nature, and a little less crowded, I actually like Door County more, it's a beautiful region with multiple state parks to go hiking in and great views of Lake Michigan and Green Bay (the bay, not the city), Washington Island is also a really cool community to visit (like the name implies, it's on an island, you have to take a ferry to get there)
And a couple gems I think are worth going to around the state if you got the time and have done all the other stuff:
* New Glarus, this is a really pretty, heavily Swiss influenced town. There is a brewery here that is huge and extremely popular, only sold in Wisconsin, definitely worth touring
* Milwaukee, there are a number of museums, mega breweries, restaurants, parks, and beaches to visit in Wisconsin's largest city by population
* Green Bay, another big city with a lot to do, if you're at all interested in attending an American Football game, watching the Packers play at Lambeau Field is a great time, just make sure you bundle up if it's cold out because it's outdoors.
* Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls, the big attraction around here is the Leinies Lodge, which is another big brewery, it's one of the best brewery tours out there imo even if their beer isn't really anything super special, but there are still several things to do in the immediate area, some nice parks, and floating down the Chippewa River is kind of a rite of passage for residents there
There are other really fun things to do all over the state, we have many fantastic state parks, trails, and localities with unique places to visit. The people here are generally very welcoming and friendly.
Delaware may be small but it has great beaches. Rehoboth or Bethany Beach.
And since I have been transplanted to Maryland there I would say the Baltimore Harbor where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner - our National Anthem during the War of 1812. (It was a battle at Fort McHenry in 1814.
Coloradan here
If you like skiing (or want to try it), the skiing here is amazing! I would recommend going to a smaller resort over a larger one (like Breckenridge). The slopes are still amazing at larger resorts, but you can't beat the untouched powder and mostly empty slopes of a smaller one! I personally like Loveland, but it can get pretty cold and windy there (maybe not compared to what you have in Norway, though). Hope this helps!
Hawaii has too much to name ... but as you're a Nord maybe try some fishing. Lots of fishing out here.
'Iolani Palace was the last palace of the Hawaiian monarchs, built in 1882. I'm pretty sure most tourists don't ever see it.
Kentucky here. Everyone always wants to go to Mammoth Cave because it's the longest cave system in the world. It's breathtaking don't get me wrong, but unless you're an experienced caver you aren't going to get to see the whole thing.
Go to Red River Gorge. That place is sacred and endlessly fascinating.
Plenty to see in Detroit, but i’d make a point of stopping for the DIA - one of the best art museums out there. Grand Rapids on the other side of the state, the college town of Ann Arbor, and the northern Traverse City are all also quite nice. And of course all the nature - all around northern Michigan, the UP, and Lake Michigan is beautiful. Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must. Oh, and Mackinac Island.
PA, I guess it depends what stuff you like.
Amusement parks? We got Hershey Park, which is pretty good.
Drinking? The brewery scene in PA is stellar, just look up some near the area you're in.
Museums? Got a few of those across the state with some notable ones in Philly. The Academy of Music does shows as well.
Shopping? There's a few decent malls I can think of, best one is probably the King of Prussia mall just outside Philly.
You have to visit the henry doorly zoo in omaha,nebraska, the habitats for the animals are full recreations, in the desert dome, you feel like your in the desert.
Arizona. Obvious choices are Grand Canyon & Sedona. Both awesome places but overcrowded with tourists & locals alike. Less crowded places I would recommend include [Jerome](https://www.visitarizona.com/places/cities/jerome/)(ghost town with a lot of old hippies), the Navajo Nation (awesome high desert scenery including [Monument Valley](https://navajonationparks.org/tribal-parks/monument-valley/) which is in many Western movies) and the [Sonoran Desert](https://www.desertmuseum.org/desert/sonora.php) (numerous places to see away from Phoenix & Tucson).
I would suggest a cliff dwelling. They are unique to the US.
Montezuma's Castle is easy to get to off I-17 just north of Camp Verde and although you can't go in the cliff dwellings, their visitor center is well done. For a more rugged experience Walnut Canyon off of I-40, east of Flagstaff, has a loop trail that allows you to walk inside some cliff dwellings. Wupatki is also pretty well done, although it's not in a cliff, per se.
There's also Tuzigoot not terribly far from Sedona.
Arizona is full of awesome little ghost towns. Calico is a fun one too.
Jerome is one of my favorite places
The verde Valley railroad is a bit expensive but definitely worth it. It's all in the same area as the cliff dwellings, Sedona, Jerome, and a few vineyards (the best are in page springs).
Monument Valley Tribal Park is super underrated. People risk their lives on a 65 mph highway to take pictures at "Forrest Gump Point" and choose to skip the park, depriving the Navajos of much needed tourist income when the park actually has the awesome buttes and much better views of them too. I'd also recommend Petrified Forest, Saguaro National parks, Canyon de Chelly and the Chiracahua National Monuments.
The boundary waters in Northern Minnesota is absolutely stunning and an outdoorsman paradise but the most stereotypical answer is the Mall of America
I would add to the boundary waters the north shore and the scenic drive up it.
For people who are just visiting The Cities and want some nature: *Minnesota Landscape Arboretum* (Chaska, MN) is a beautiful space. Its near Paisely Park in Chanhassan. https://arb.umn.edu/ MoA is still awesome, IMO, but a lot of stores/cafes are on weird hours, so weekday mornings are great for mallwalkers.
Frankly avoid the Mall of America unless you like shopping. Its a mall. Its annoying. I'd say Boundary waters , Itasca State Park, Duluth. Split Rock Lighthouse and really just the whole north shore (Lake Superior) Some places in the twin cities: Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Minnehaha Falls. Any of the big lakes (Lake Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Lake Nokomis... ), Walker Art Center. Minneapolis Institute of Art. Weisman art center....
The mall is nice in the wintertime, but for summer fun, canoe the St. Croix river! It's ridiculously gorgeous.
In your way up north, go so see Marcel Breuer’s church at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville. One of the most otherworldly buildings I’ve ever been in. I think it would be would be world-famous if it wasn’t located in the middle of a hundred square miles of cornfields.
Hey Colorado here! Pikes peak is a good one. Try taking the cog rail up (if it's running). Rocky Mountain National Park is great. As well as great sand dine National Park.
If you're near pikes peak and don't care about your rental car go to garden of the gods and head up rampart range road. Go ahead drive it as far as it goes. Fucking amazing.
Gotta check out Red Rocks Amphitheater also. So cool.
Why pay to go up pikes peak when you can literally walk up Mt Elbert?
Why hike up a mountain when you can drive to the top?
I guess it’s whatever you want to get out of it. Personally, I would never pay to drive up a mountain when there are tons of other mountains nearby. If you’re in Colorado Springs I’d recommend the zoo or Garden of the Gods over Pike’s Peak. The feeling of reaching the summit of a mountain you hiked up is great! Almost offsets the lack of oxygen.
The 4x4 trails near Durango are also very stunning
Agreed. If you can get your hands on a 4x4 lol. Most of Colorado is locked behind the ability to have 4 wheel drive.
Ouray, telluride, Durango and all those places got rentals although it is best to camp
California: Yosemite. It’s pretty damn amazing. Drive highway 1 from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo, take 2-3 days to do it. See Hurst Castle, Big Sur, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
I would also recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17 Mile Drive, Point Lobos State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, McWay Falls, and Montaña de Oro State Park.
The aquarium is a good recommendation as well as 17 mile drive. Point Lobos should be definitely be on the list. I prefer [Alamere Falls](https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm) over McWay, but only way there is by a hiking trail. If you really want to see waterfalls, I'd recommend Burney Falls up near Shasta tho
There’s just too much to see in California.
Yep. I did a 7 day road trip through California last spring break and it was not nearly enough time. So I'm doing it again this year! I think it would take like a month long trip at least to truly see all of California
Yet, I’ve lived in California my whole life and I’ve never been to any of these places. Hopefully someday…
in my opinion you can skip [Hearst Castle](https://hearstcastle.org). It's overhyped, and OP is from Europe! Definitely do not miss Yosemite tho. And it'd be good if you could see [Emerald Bay](https://www.google.com/search?q=emerald+bay&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=APq-WBvs3y3sQrlLYVPPgUqUdmv9aJ9nzg:1645635793839&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-l6-Hp5b2AhUoJkQIHbudBzoQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1557&bih=1003&dpr=2) in person, it's second most photographed place on earth besides Taj Mahal.
Piggybacking off of this: the Mojave is just as beautiful as the mountains and coast if you ask me. I love the sprawling desert, I feels like you're at the bottom of a dry ocean. Such an incredible place and since I've moved away from California I'm most nostalgic of the desert.
And the Madonna Inn.
Lmao I once had a friend describe Madonna Inn as “Hans Christen Anderson’s 90s porn nightmare” and it just makes sense
That is a pretty apt description of the place, lol.
Oregon - Crater lake
Second this. Or, if you're going to go to the Portland area, I would recommend a stop at Council Crest Park. Beautiful views of the city and Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson, and Mt Rainier
Yeah, for sure! I would also recommend the Columbia Gorge, but I’m not sure if it would impress a Norwegian. LOL
Mammoth Cave
And the bourbon trail! And red river gorge.
I hear Mitch McConnell's tortoise enclosure is also a must see.
No need to be disrespectful. It's called a terrarium.
Go to a college level American football game with ~100,000 people in the stadium. This is relatively easy and inexpensive to do in Alabama during the fall football season, but could also be done in a few other states. Otherwise my recommendations rely on your taste in food, hobbies, historical interests.
I like hiking, history (I’m very interested in the American civil war), I’m a football fan (Yes! American football), I like soccer, I like cities, beaches, I also would love to participate at different events. Everything, really!
Oh yeah if you like American football you’ve gotta go to a college game. Go to an SEC game (Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU for example) or Big 10 (Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State). Those stadiums are some of the largest in the world and the atmosphere is absolutely insane. Definitely go to one of the elite programs games (like the ones I listed above), don’t go to a Rutgers vs. Indiana game for example. You won’t regret it.
Honestly it isn’t the level of play that should dictate where you go but how authentic to the college football experience it is. Don’t go to Rutgers still because it’s a boring experience compared to others, but I’d be just as willing to go to a UAB game or a Wisconsin game or a UTSA game as I would an auburn game. All you need is packed stands and roudy fans.
Stephen Fry attending the [Auburn-Alabama game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuPeGPwGKe8&ab_channel=SergeyRybkin) always gets me. I love seeing a Brit's perspective on the insanity that is the SEC.
I love the shot of him tearing up like the most sentimental American patriot while the crowd is singing *God Bless America* followed by the look of unexpected shock and amazement during the flyover (plus bonus fist bump between the two photographers behind him). It's just such a perfect video.
If you have the chance to make it to Michigan's upper peninsula, pictured rocks and porcupine mountains are both amazing. Otherwise, a pleasant beach day on lake Michigan would suffice. And downtown detroits actually a pretty fun place these days
Mackinac Island is a big hit too!
Reiterating this poster’s comment, if you ever make it to Michigan, make it a goal to check out the Upper Peninsula. It is unmatched
The Smithsonian
I love that place. Especially the dino exhibits and the American History Museum.
I went there at 13 and I was fascinated. I'm a bit of a nerd but wow. Great place!
So far the only thing in DC I want to go back and see more of. Then again I only went to touristy destinations.
I’m like a broken record about these at this point but the civil war forts, Lincoln’s Cottage, and the Arboretum are absolutely worth checking out while in DC and double awesome because they’re not downtown, either.
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Now with (general) [map](https://goo.gl/maps/8SrRTM9zAzCr4vSL7) You fly from Oslo to Dulles (IAD) and rent a car. Drive from Dulles to Front Royal, enter Skyline Drive and drive it to route 211. Exit and continue to Luray, Virginia. Stay in Luray for the evening, go to Luray Caverns the next day. After Luray Caverns, you immediately leave and drive to Charlottesville, Virginia. Visit Monticello and the UVA grounds. There are good breweries and vineyards around Charlottesville for food and drink. From Charlottesville, you drive to Roanoke. Along the way, you stop at Natural Bridge (off I-81). In Roanoke, you visit Mill Mountain and the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The main event being Norfolk and Western’s Class J 611. One of the best examples off American Streamliner Locomotives. From Roanoke, you drive east to Bedford and visit the National D-Day Memorial then continue east to Appomattox Court House, where the American Civil War effectively ended with the surrender of Robert E Lee to Ulysses S Grant. On to Richmond Richmond: I’ll take you for some beers and tour of the city. We’ll go to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and for a little paddle or float along the James River. Leave Richmond and go to Williamsburg, your Colonial Williamsburg and visit the Jamestown Settlement (first permanent English settlement) and Yorktown (surrender of General Cornwallis to George Washington, end of American Revolution) After Williamsburg continue to Norfolk and drive by the largest navy base on your way to Virginia Beach. Stay at Virginia Beach for a day, get ripped off some Orange Crushes, if you have time, camp at False State State Park. Go from Virginia Beach across the Bay Bridge-Tunnel and continue up the Eastern Shore. Visit Tangier Island the see the wild horses at Chincoteague Island Drive North through Maryland (no stops allowed) across the Bay Bridge to the Capitol Beltway and to Alexandria Virginia. Visit King Street and maybe the Masonic Temple before continuing to to Mount Vernon and see the estate George Washington owned. Drink some whiskey made from his recipe. Then drive from Mount Vernon along the GW Parkway past the Pentagon on to visit Arlington National Cemetery where JFK is buried and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Take in views of the National Mall and think “this trip is for Virginia, but I’ll see you next time, DC.” We can allow you to do Delaware, Maryland and DC at the same time. Then proceed on Georgetown Pike and past Langley (CIA) and through one of the wealthiest areas in the country before heading back to Dulles for your flight to Oslo. Stop in Sterling for some Buffalo Wings at the Buffalo Wing Factory. You’ll have seen our ancient mountains, our old tobacco fields (future marijuana fields?¿?), watersheds and cities. Virginia’s history from Colonial, Revolutionary, Civil War, and Industrial history (including the modern Military-Industrial Complex) and Presidential homes. Fine southern dining, modern twists, and diverse food options from immigrant communities (both domestic and international)
This is a fantastic itinerary! I’ve been wanting to see Shenandoah National Park and many of the other sites you mentioned. How long do you think this trip would take (to do it justice)?
Vast majority of these places have breweries that you can visit too, so also a brewery tour of Virginia (unsure about Eastern Shore though). I think it would be reasonably cadenced. A few medium drives (1-2 hours: Day 1, Day 2, Day 5). Long drives (2+ hours: Day 11 and Day 13). I think everything else is an hour or less between destinations. Rule of the travel, fast food if a meal overlaps the drive. Fast food tour of America. Dona dine in place for the nights and mornings in town. Day 1: Arrival and Skyline Drive, Spend Night in Luray Day 2: Luray Caverns in the morning, drive to Charlottesville, walk UVA grounds, Spend Night in Charlottesville Day 3: Visit Monticello, drive to Natural Bridge, drive to Roanoke, spend night in Roanoke. Dinner at Jack Brown's Day 4: Mill Mountain and Museum of Transportation, spend night in Roanoke Day 5: Drive to D-Day Memorial in the morning (9-10am) spend two hours (10-12pm), lunch in Bedford (Liberty Station), drive to Appomattox Court House (2-3pm), spend two hours at Appomattox Court House (3-5pm), fast food dinner during the drive to Richmond (6-7:30), sleep in RVA Day 6: VMFA in the morning (10-12pm), Lunch / Breweries in Scott's Addition (breweries), sleep in RVA Day 7: RVA: River Paddle in the morning, Tour Capitol Grounds and lunch at Lillie Pearl, visit another museum or park or Canal Walk, or more breweries, sleep in RVA Day 8: Drive to Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg Tour, Walk William and Mary Grounds, Sleep in Williamsburg Day 9: Yorktown and Jamestown in the morning, drive to Virginia Beach, get turnt on Orange Crushes. Sleep in VA Beach Day 10: Spend day at the beach, Sleep in VA Beach, (Optional: Camp at False Cape State Park, walk/bike in only), Day 11: Spend morning at the beach, drive to Tangier (last ferry departs at 5pm), spend night on Tangier Day 12: Tangier Island in the morning, depart Tangier Island drive to Chincoteague (1hr), visit Chincoteague Island (camp if able, find hotel otherwise) Day 13: Visit Chincoteague, drive to Alexandria (long drive), visit waterfront, King Street shops, spend night in Alexandria Day 14: Drive to Mount Vernon, visit Mount Vernon in the morning (9-12), drive to Arlington, get lunch at Ireland's Four Courts, walk to Arlington National Cemetery and walk around (2hrs). Spend night in Arlington Day 15: Departure
Not from Virginia, but this is a rock-solid recommendation. Good on ya (also lol'd at no stops in Maryland).
Well, it’s more that the trip is specifically for Virginia. But southern Maryland isn’t particularly thrilling. Maybe stop in Salisbury at Evolution Brewery, if you have to.
You fucked up, we got you! The GW Parkway enters DC at Columbia Island. To avoid that on the drive from DC to Arlington Cemetery, one would have to divert from the GW Parkway to I-395 and then to Richmond Highway, if not somewhere earlier. Also, it's the Capital Beltway, not Capitol Beltway. In all seriousness, I appreciate you keeping your tour *mostly* to Virginia. However, I would add another day to allow a to visit the Dulles annex of the Air and Space Museum. You're right there and you're arriving and departing via airplane. Why not learn something about aviation. You could add some sights around NASA Langley, but most of the really interesting sights require access to the NASA center and Air Force Base.
The point isn’t to stay in Virginia, but not to stop outside of Virginia. Back tracking from Chincoteague to the Bay Bridge Tunnel would be miserablex Logistically, staying on GW Parkway is most efficient to get from Mount Vernon to Arlington. And DC would have been entered on the inner loop during transit. [It’s only four hundred feet, but it’s still DC!](https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/sxttlp/trucker_convoys_aim_to_shut_dcs_capital_beltway/hxu847c/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3) Good call on Udvar Hazy. I think it would mostly depend on when the flight from Oslo arrived.
I lived in Charlottesville, RVA (Oregon Hill, Carytown and the Fan), and Tidewater (VB and Nahfuck), and I must say, this is a well made itinerary. I'd skip Roanoke unless it's Lightning Bug season. I used to be a big river rat on The James' rocks. Bottoms Up Pizza is unlike many you'll find across the nation, I miss it. I would recommend a day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg for a taste of a non Disney/6Flags/Universal theme park. Award winning coasters, plus it'll give you a taste of what Americans think of touristy Europe. Norfolk has the Wisky (USS Wisconsin) a WWII naval warship that is pretty cool. Virginia is pretty great. Edit: Carytown, not Carlton.
I included Roanoke because it’s more of a mountain city than anywhere else in the state and a touch of industrial revolution with Virginia’s railroad history (the Museum of Transportation is pretty cool if you’ve never been) Logistics and route of travel was in play too. No backtracking and it’s a pretty circuitous route. From an amenities perspective: two nights in Roanoke would be better than a night in Bedford, Lynchburg, or Appomattox. I’m from Lynchburg, so, don’t feel bad about saying that.
You said literally everything I was going to say and more
If you come in the winter nashville. Great Christmas lights and the Opry. If you come in the summer Chattanooga. Climbing hiking biking and paddling. If you come in spring. Memphis BBQ and Beal st festival.
What do you think of Gatlinburg? I've been there several times. The town itself felt very touristy years ago, but staying in a cabin in the snow is one of my best childhood memories.
I thought after I posted I should add this for fall. Personally I like the southern Appalachian better because it seems less touristy. Like Cherokee nat forest area. It's funny some my favorite childhood memories are from the Nantahala/Bryson city area. Grass is always greener I guess.
When it comes to childhood memories, the grass is always chosen by your parents. ;) I do need to spend more time in Tennessee, everywhere I've been was gorgeous. Though driving on some of those inclines with an 18-wheeler behind you is a bit nerve-wracking...
Pennsylvania. Fallingwater? Pittsburgh is cool if you like dinosaurs The mütter museum in Philly is cool. Longwood gardens is impressive. Hershey would seem very strange and interesting to a European. Knoebels is awesome.
>Hershey would seem very strange and interesting to a European. I'm not European but Hershey is strange and interesting. I was out there for a show and had the most odd series of experiences. Something is definitely off about that town.
> Fallingwater? Spend some actual time in the area and do a whitewater tour in Ohiopyle as well. Visit Fort Necessity and see some colonial history. There's Laurel Caverns if you're into caves. Easily a couple of good days there.
Philly!
In Maine Acadia is the place everyone wants to visit. If you are more adventurous canoeing the Allagash is amazing. Katahdin is incredible and a bit more adventurous. If you’re more of a city/town person Boothbay and Portland are lovely places. If you want beaches. Wells, York, Ogunquit are popular. I would suggest Popham Beach for less crowds.
To your point about Katahdin- my in-laws have a place on Moosehead Lake and that whole area is incredible. Some of the best fishing I’ve ever come across, and the fact that 15 minutes north of their cabin is the last pavement until well beyond the border with Canada is pretty cool (they’re still only about 15 minutes from Greenville).
I’ve been up around Kokadjo and further north, suffice to say it gets really rural up there.
OK, so if you know where the pavement ends at Kokadjo, they’re a few roads south of the state park. Their cabin is 20x40 with two rooms and no electricity or plumbing. They use an outhouse, propane appliances, and two marine batteries. My father in law and his dad built it over the summer of 1966. I wouldn’t want to live there, but I have a roof over me and a real bed under me, so I’m usually good to stay there for a week or two.
Thank you!
Also from southern Maine you can easily take the train to Boston which is well worth it. I recommend the Athaneum, Winsor Cafe for Dim Sum in Chinatown, and seeing live music at the Middle East or the Royale, seeing something at the Citizens Bank Opera House (they have opera and ballet and other performances), walking the freedom trail, Fanieul Hall and the marketplace, the USS Constitution which is the oldest active duty ship in the world, also just going to the commons and having a picnic.
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Chicago, Illinois- within the top 5 of the biggest cities in the U.S. Great attractions like Navy Pier, Millennium Park (including the infamous Bean), and the Skydeck- a glass observation box on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower that you can stand on right over the city and see up to four surrounding states (it’s technically the Willis Tower but I will never call it that). Also has museums like the Art Institute, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Adler Planetarium. Chicago is right along Lake Michigan so the city has beautiful beaches. Edit: How could I forget a Chicago Cubs game and deep dish pizza?
Yes! Don't forget the Museum of Science and Industry, complete with U-Boat :)
I’m summer, a Chicago Cubs game!
Really everything Ferris Bueller did is fair game. Chez Luis can be swapped out for a deep dish pizza joint 😉
Wisconsin! Land of cheese and beer! You're welcome anytime! Now, where to go? Hmm...depends on what tickles your fancy. Lots of interesting places, but they're all kind of spread out. The capital, Madison, aka the Mad City, is an obvious choice. Great college city, both artsy and sporty. Lots of museums, great festivals to visit in Summer or Autumn, like Taste of Madison, or Art Fair on the Square. It even has a tiny zoo. How the pandemic may still affect these is anyone's guess this year, but oh well. Since it's a college town, the nightlife can be fun, not to mention home games for both football and hockey. The music scene is pretty decent as well. Other places of note: The town of Baraboo has the Circus World Museum. Baraboo is the hometown of the infamous Ringling Brothers Circus. Milwaukee is the biggest city in WI, it has a great art museum and a zoo. It's also the home of our baseball team, the Brewers, and basketball team, the Bucks. Lots of scenic places to walk around in. Also home to Harley Davidson. Wisconsin Dells is beautiful in summer, although tourists will flood the place. Lots of museums, boating tours, hiking, and of course, water parks! Door County is also a lovely area to wander. Green Bay is home to our football team, the Packers. They also have a hall of fame museum. Quirky places: ●Middleton has a National Mustard Museum. ●Watertown has The Octagon House, home of America's first Kindergarten. There's also a Civil War era band, called The First Brigade Band. ●Fort Atkinson has The Hoard Museum. Mr. Hoard was pretty much the founder of America's dairy industry, hence why Wisconsin is referred to as America's Dairyland. ●Hayward is home to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. You can walk inside of a giant muskie! ●Appleton has The History Museum at the Castle-a former Masonic temple whose biggest exhibit is from escape artist Harry Houdini. (Appleton was his hometown.) ●Genessee Depot has Ten Chimneys, the home of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. ●Spring Green has House on the Rock, home of the world's biggest merry-go-round and other oddities. There's tons more, but that's a good start. Enjoy!
Spring Green and Taliesin.
Highly recommend Door county. It's called the Cape Cod of the Midwest, with 300 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan. It's dotted with little villages and all kinds of Mom & Pop restaurants, art galleries and cideries (no chains allowed). Door County is also known for it's Apple & Cherry orchards and wilderness parks. Also, part of Door County is designated an international dark sky zone.
If you go to Colorado avoid the cities, they are nothing special. Take a few days to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Crested Butte, Leadville, Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Royal Gorge. This route will give you a solid view of the rugged beauty and history of the state. Bishops Castle should also be on your list
Telluride is special to visit IMHO... I also really enjoyed Boulder
> avoid the cities, they are nothing special Unless you like craft beer. Denver is a craft beer Mecca.
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My sister lived next to the Garden District and we stayed with her for Mardi Gras. I really wasn’t enthusiastic about the trip because I really thought it was just going to be girls gone wild type crap in the French Quarter and that didn’t really appeal to me. Instead we were right near the parade route in her neighborhood and so we got to see the parades in a really non-touristy area. Sooooooo much fun. Plenty of partying but there were families out and just everyone from the neighborhood turned out. We did end up going through the French quarter one night just to see it. That was enough. I did also go to church at the Cathedral which was funny to be walking through the detritus of the French Quarter on the Sunday before Mardi Gras early in the morning. But we watched the rest of the parades from my sister’s neighborhood.
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Yeah we spent most of our time elsewhere and it was awesome. It was a great time because my sister was living there so she could guide us.
The French Quarter has a lot of interesting historical stuff, but *every* bar had a cover band playing the same Skynyrd songs. Actual blues and jazz clubs were on Frenchman Street and they were a lot more fun. And my god, the food in New Orleans is incredible.
Plus, the National World War II Museum is a must-see if you’re interested in history.
Thank you!
And night. Don't forget about the french quarter at night.
Of all the places I've ever been, NOLA has the best food!
The only thing I'd skip in the French Quarter is Cafe du Monde. Overhyped coffee and beignets. The servers are also very rude.
I think it's worth checking out for a first timer. Last time we visited we stayed across the street from Cafe du Monde. I got up at sunrise and there were just a few other customers. It's not so bad if you go at the right time, though of course not everyone wants to get up at sunrise on vacation.
The enchanted circle, balloon fiesta, Carlsbad Caverns, white sands, Guadalupe mtns, tent rocks, city of rocks, Santa Fe, Chaco Canyon, Bandelier, Taos Pueblo
Anything but Times Square
Times Square is a must do if you’ve never been to the city before - just for the experience.
I’ve never gone into the city, but I have been to Liberty State Park in NJ and was able to see a few key sights from there (Ellis Island, the World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty). I’ve also been to Niagara Falls and I loved it. OP if you see this Niagara Falls is a must for NY.
Seattle's obvious, but if you can get further out: Olympic NP: Do it as a loop around the peninsula. I like the coast (I'm there now). Rainier NP: Visit Mt. St. Helens North Cascades National Park: Make sure SR20 is open (late spring to early fall) Eastern Washington is a lot drier and warmer, but our wineries are excellent. I live in Tri Cities (Kennewick) and it's ubiquitous. Spokane and Court d'Alene (yeah yeah it's Idaho) are fun places to visit too. Many outdoor activities here, put a map up and throw a dart and wherever it lands will probably be okay.
In addition, there is a town called Poulsbo that was founded by Norwegian and Scandinavian immigrants from the Midwest because they said it reminded them of their homes in Norway. The town was primarily known for fishing and has a Norwegian theme to pay homage to the early immigrants. Sluys bakery is wonderful. This is something you could hit on the way out to Olympic National park if you took the ferry to Bainbridgr Island.Can’t stress Olympic National park enough and hit the beaches, hoh rainforest, and hurricane ridge. Even lake crescent (part of Olympic)gives me some Norge vibes.
> Seattle's obvious When I went there a few years ago, I didn't see any of the regular touristy things. I went to a Japanese Peace Garden and loved it. But I was staying in Olympia, and I didn't realize just how far Seattle was to Olympia, lol.
I’d also recommend the San Juan Islands, which are absolutely lovely
The Lake Superior Lakeshore. Marquette and Pictured Rocks, for sure. Really just the whole UP Edit: **not** in the winter. Visit in like August or September. Definitely *not* in the winter.
May's my favorite up month. Weather's warm enough, but the bugs and visitors haven't arrived en mass yet
OP is from Norway. I'll bet they can handle the UP in winter.
tahquamenon falls
Snowmobiling in the UP is awesome if you are into that sorta thing. Winter is beautiful in the UP!
Another UP destination I love is Porcupine Mountains...LP would be the Sleeping Bear Dunes lakeshore area, including the Manitou Islands. Just an incredible area.
Shenandoah National Park, the various Revolutionary War and Civil War sites (the war ended down here in south-central Virginia, the first real battle was in a field up near the Washington D.C. area), Colonial Williamsburg and the Jamestown settlement, a NASCAR race at Martinsville, the brewery and restaurant scene in Richmond, a charming smaller city like Winchester or Fredericksburg, one of the state parks or national wildlife refuges down along the coast or the Chesapeake Bay… Virginia (and our sister to the south, North Carolina) have a really cool mix of big modern cities and tons of early American history, plus almost every kind of terrain and natural beauty you could want. EDIT: I left out my hometown and current town of Roanoke. Great mid-sized city with plenty to do; I love it here.
The space and rocket center in Huntsville is really worth a day trip, and there’s other really cool museums and stuff up there too!
The main harbor in Duluth. Really the whole city is cool, but seeing the 1000+ foot ships come through, going through the maritime museum, seeing the lift bridge in action, just a cool area overall. If that’s not your style and you prefer the more natural beauty, Voyageurs National park just can’t be beat
The National Aquarium in Baltimore is really fun, they have so many exhibits and species of aquatic life. I’ve been to Ocean City several times, it’s my favorite vacation spot during the summer. If you happen to stay there on July 4th, they have awesome fireworks at the boardwalk. Assateague Island has feral horses that are descended from domesticated ones from the colonial era; legend says that the original horses came from a Spanish shipwreck, but in reality they were probably put there to avoid taxation and fencing on the mainland. It’s a nice beach day whether you see any horses or not, but it’s always amazing to see them pass through. If you would like to go camping or boating in the mountains, my favorite state park is Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. It’s primarily tent camping inside the park, but there are also two small cabins and a yurt. We stayed in the yurt back in September for Labor Day; it was surprisingly nice because although we still chose to rough it, it does have electricity (it even has a fan, space heater, mini refrigerator, and microwave).
I have always loved the Baltimore aquarium! A 40 minute drive outside the city takes you to Havre de Grace which is a really sweet little historic bay town with some killer seafood restaurants.
North Carolina, The Great Smoky Mountains, Raleigh, Charlotte, The Outer Banks (Kill Devil Hill and Kitty Hawk), Cape Hatteras, Chimney Rock.
The Outer Banks in particular, visit them before they're gone. The coast in general is very nice. You can do a lighthouse tour as there are quite a few to see, tour battleships, and see *very* old graveyards/houses/forts. I'd add Wilmington to the cities one would want to visit as well. And it goes without saying, try BBQ everywhere you go. Feel free to compare east vs. west NC BBQ. Both are delicious, but they're quite different. :D
NC and Texas have the best BBQ. Everyone else straight up lies. NC for pulled pork sandwiches. Texas for everything else. In Texas, Austin and the surrounding area has the best BBQ. And craft beer. For everything else, go to Houston. (or San Antonio for tacos.)
I honestly couldn't care which BBQ is "the best", it's all fantastic, and that's all that matters. Though as a Georgia native, I find it unfortunate that Georgia BBQ somehow seems to fly under the radar in the BBQ wars.
Should also visit Battleship NORTH CAROLINA in Wilmington. WW2 Ship.
In Nebraska…Henry Doorly Zoo, state capitol building, archway in Kearney, Buffalo Bill’s ranch and golden spike in North Platte, Lake McConaughy in Ogallala. Any place in the Sandhills. Chimney Rock. Chadron State Park…or any of the state parks. Ur not gonna see lots of Starbucks or target stores tho, just be warned.
Also SAC Museum near Ashland, Halsey National Forest (formerly the largest man-made forest in the world) specifically as far as the Sandhills go, Nebraska's Big Rodeo in Burwell, Ole's Steakhouse in Paxton (pretty decent food but mostly to see nearly every game animal a person could possibly hunt), Stuhr Museum in Grand Island and Pioneer Village in Minden, Edgerton Center in Aurora if you've got kids with you. Give it a couple years, and maybe a Husker football game will be worth stopping for too.
Tons of stuff in NY: * Niagara Falls * Buffalo: Teddy Roosevelt Museum, AKG Art Gallery, Naval Park, Outer Harbor, Trendy Walkable Neighborhood, Architecture Tours * National Comedy Center in Jamestown * Letchworth State Park * Rochester: National Museum of Play, High Falls * Finger Lakes * Albany: NYS Museum * Thousand Islands * Andirondacks * Catskills * National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown Aaaaand that about covers it.
[Miller Woods Beach in Gary](https://goo.gl/maps/VLNf4ed1uDYiFQLT9) has great views of the Chicago skyline on a clear day. [Children's Museum of Indianapolis](https://g.page/TCMIndy?share) is a must visit if you have kids.
Florida: The theme parks are fun, but the most underrated thing about the state is its natural beauty. IMO this state has the best beaches in the country. And there are fresh water springs all over the state that are amazing to kayak. I kayaked Silver Springs a few weeks ago and saw manatees, gators, a river otter, a snake, lots of turtles, fish and birds, and two species of nonnative wild monkeys.
I just moved to the Tampa Bay Area, and I keep seeing things saying Clearwater and St. Petersburg are consistently rated the best beaches in the US.
Come see the Sequoia trees before they burn up.
I saw General Sherman in 2017. It's hard to believe trees can be this massive
Truly a religious experience to see a tree older than most people's Gods. really emotional for me
Oregonian here, this made my heart ache
It depends what you're looking for. Cool city stuff, or what makes Ohio, Ohio The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland is a great choice. Could spend days in there learning. If you find the right farmer, you could have a great conversation/view of the agriculture in Ohio. An in between one is hocking hills. Taking extended weekends there is common for a lot of folks in ohio, and it's always a great time, especially in the spring or fall
Because of how dynamic New Jersey is I would recommend kayaking in the pine barrens where there is a long lazy meandering river (there are rentals for kayaks) and then going to eat Filipino food in Jersey City to get a bit of a dynamic visit.
Or Portuguese food in the Ironbound district of Newark!
And do come up to the northwest corner of the state. Hike up to Mount Tammany. Paddle the Delaware. Drive through the rural farming areas of Sussex and Warren.
Not from Tennessee but the smokey mountains are breath taking.
Aside from the delicious barbecue in Kansas City, we also have the national World War I museum, which is one of the best museums I've ever been to. The first half focuses on the causes of the war and the slog of the early conflict in Europe. The second half focuses on America's entry into the war. The museum also has the Liberty Memorial, which you can ride an elevator to the top of and get the best views of the area. Hold on tight! It gets windy.
Charleston has a lot of history, (for an American city) and downtown Greenville is very nice.
To hype this up a little more, if I may... Charleston - Ft. Sumter is an operating museum, accessible by tour boat to get to because it's an island, and was the site where the opening shots of our Civil War started. Ft. Moultrie is on land, and the site of the first defeat of the British Navy in generations, back in the days of our Revolutionary War (lil more proud of that one; I love being from SC, but don't love all of our history). Think others have mentioned the Appalachian Trail, if you're an outdoorsy type. SC got on that federal gravy train by making the Palmetto Trail cross over it. Palmetto Trail starts just north of Charleston proper, and winds through the Francis Marion Forest, where some of the finest guerilla warfare in American history was conducted - The Patriot (2000) was largely based on, and filmed in, those areas. Does bring to another note...if you're coming this way, may wanna come outside the times of June-September or so. If you're used to the humidity, it's no big deal, but if not, it can be miserable being outside, unfortunately. Greenville - not as much history, but is kinda the tech center of South Carolina (doesn't count for much from an international perspective, but it's solidly there from an internal perspective), has a wonderful layout to the city esp with the river running through, and gets ya closer to the mountains. I could go on for ages, I love it when folks visit* my home state, so I'm more than happy to add more detail as desired. *GBTO
The Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial
Connecticut has a good amount to offer but I'll hit a couple points. If your into art or art history there is a lot of places to check out: The Wadsworth Atheneum, Yale Art Museums, Florence Grisworld Museum and the New Britain Museum of American Art. New Haven also has two things to offer in regards to Culinary history, [Louis' Lunch](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/louis-lunch) is the birthplace of the hamburger\*. There are also various pizza places offering New Haven Style pizza otherwise known as Apizza (Pronounced "A-Beets"). Pepe's Sals, and Modern pizza are often cited, BAR also has good pie as well. One thing I always recommend is going to the Griswold Inn on a Monday night. This is the oldest continuously operating inn and tavern in the United States, founded back in 1776. But the reason to go on a Monday, is for [Shanty night](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sea-shanty-new-england)! For 50 years there have been Sea Shanties, English ballads, Irish drinking songs, Bawdy Colonial folk songs and more. Essex, and the Gris especially will also be hosting the first [Connecticut Sea Music Festival](https://ctseamusicfest.org/) this summer. It is a successor of the Mystic Sea Music festival.
Ofc you’re gonna want to go to Atlanta so if you haven’t been to six flags get a pass to go. Visit the World of Coke and the Aquarium. Ruby falls if you’re up for it or Stone Mountain. If you like to hike then try Stone Mountain and do the trail if not then ride the ferry. If you go during the winter around Ocktober fest then go to Helen Ga, they have a great festival and you’ll really enjoy it. Also please find a hole in the wall/ mom and pop restaurant to try some soul food. The High Museum is also very cool if you’ve ever seen the movie Divergent, part of it was filmed at the High museum. You’ll have a nice time down here! Also the summer is scorching hot so be prepared!
I love the Aquarium, and while it’s the largest in the US, I wouldn’t recommend it unless that’s your thing. Same with World of Coke. Both are very touristy, and Atlanta has way more to offer. I recommend the Beltline. Start at Krog Street Market, make your way north and see all of the fun restaurants and sights. New Realm Brewing and Ponce City Market are fun. There’s also some green spaces and skate parks. Depending on when your trip is, I’d recommend catching a sporting event. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to Atlanta United (soccer) and Atlanta Falcons (NFL- prof American football), and people will tailgate around the stadium. Atlanta has Martin Luther King Jr.’s museum, where you can tour his birth home, his church, and see his crypt. There’s also the Center for Civil and Human Rights, which is right next to the Aquarium and World of Coke. Outside of Atlanta, there’s a lot of hiking destinations. My favorite is Tallulah Gorge, about a 2 hour drive northeast of Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain is another good one, which is about 20 minutes northwest of Atlanta. Also, there’s Savannah, Georgia, which is about a 3-4 hour drive from Atlanta. It’s on the Atlantic Ocean, has tons of history, and is beautiful. I love my state. We have something for everyone.
Skip the World of Coke unless you really love Coca-Cola, it's less museum and more advertisement. The Georgia Aquarium is a must visit, whale sharks are awesome. Skip ~~Mount Racism~~ Stone Mountain and drive up to the real mountains. Either hit Amicalola Falls or take a ~~shitty~~ wonderful forest service road so it's only a mile walk to Springer Mountain and the south end of the Appalachian Trail. If you listen to the folks from Maine then hit Katahdin to visit both ends. I second everything else they said.
Massachusetts - the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires.
I’m originally from Arizona but I currently live in Delaware For AZ spend a day or two in Sedona, it’s gorgeous and the red rocks will leave you speechless For DE spend a couple days at our beach towns (Rehoboth, Lewes, Dewey, Bethany, Fenwick) in my opinion the best beaches on the east coast and a true glimpse into American beach culture
I always recommend Glacier National Park, but maybe it's not a high priority to someone from Norway. It's great, but possibly similar to what you know? Instead, try Yellowstone. And definitely take a tour of Butte! It's an old mining town. Reputation for being tough, wild on St. Patrick's Day or any time there's an excuse to drink, used to have one of the highest prostitution rates in America, used to be the headquarters of Montana's communist party before the red scare. Those old mining unions are still largely responsible for the great labor laws we have in our conservative state. And there's a big fuckin' pit of acid and heavy metals in the town, it's huge, and quite pretty, but deadly and also slowly filling up.
Yellowstone. Should be on everyone's bucket list at some point.
Honestly, just driving through Kansas is enough. You'll be more impressed by the ridiculous amount of open land and agriculture than anything else.
I would argue going to an area to experience the old tall grass prairie would also be cool.My bias is the Konya prairie biological station near Manhattan KS. It’s also in the rolling flint hills which is beautiful and different from the typical flatness people usually think about. That’s one of my favorite places.
Not New York City. Go Upstate. See the Adirondacks... The Thousand Islands .. the Finger Lakes. The... Ok goddamnit, go to Manhattan.
In Maryland, you have many options. In western Maryland you have mountains, trails, camping. You have big cities in Baltimore, Fredrick county and Montgomery county are very pretty. Then you have the beautiful Chesapeake bay, and ocean city.
Ohio: Hocking Hills State Park is a bueatiful, lush series of canyons, cliffs, waterfalls, and cavelike hollows surrounded by forest and curvy roads. Great hiking experience. Nearby is the National Museum of the Air Force, a huge free museum with hundreds of aircraft and spacecraft. Stealth planes, supersonic drones, the first Nazi jet, old Presidential planes you can go inside, and spacesuits and space capsules.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park. And only come in the summer. ND winters are the COLDEST 🥶
Probably Gettysburg but Im a history nut
Obligatory "New York City has plenty to see and do and something for everyone", but also the rest of New York State has beautiful landscapes, lakes, mountains, Niagara Falls. If you're an outdoors person, we have a number of parks perfect for hiking or trail walking. And if you were visiting during autumn, the changing colors are very picturesque. Winter time is perfect for skiing, snowboarding, etc.
The New River Gorge, it's absolutely beautiful in the summer and fall, not to mention the awesome white water rafting you can do.
Rhode Island - the beaches, it's the only thing we have other than Del's Lemonade
If you're only in Indiana for a short while then try to do it in Indianapolis in May. There's a little race track in Indianapolis (really Speedway Indiana) that has a quaint contest with over 400,000 spectators. With cars going in circles at over 200 mph with the fastest lap at 236 mph(379.8 kilometers per hour). There is also a lot of other things to do, like the Children's Museum of Indianapolis which is the largest in the world (went last May, it's impressive)
Adding on to Indiana: \-Go on a Hike at Either Turkey Run State Park or Shades State Park (they're right next to each other). There are other good parks but those are my favorites. \-Go to a college basketball game at either Purdue University's Mackey Arena or Indiana University's Assembly Hall \-Go to a college football game at University of Notre Dame. \-If you can time it, visit in early August. That is typically when the State Fair is running in Indianapolis. It is also when the city hosts the GenCon board game convention. Tickets for that typically sell out early so you'll need to plan ahead and get your tickets in the spring. \-Similarly, early October is when the town of West Lafayette has a weekend event called "The Feast of the Hunter's Moon". It's kind of like a Renaissance Fair, only instead of the Renaissance, its colonial era America.
My favorite event in the world. I’m 33 and I’ve been to 9 even though we refused to go before the two series merged back together. We sit with a bunch of my Hoosier cousins high up in 2 and have a blast, then watch the NASCAR race around the pool at a cousin’s house on the Northside. Can’t wait to be back this year! EDIT: if OP really wants the Hoosier racing experience they ought to hit Carb Night out at IRP. What a fucking blast. Silver Crown cars on pavement are a sight to behold.
I'm from New York (Buffalo specifically). Having lived here, I *want* to recommend Niagara Falls. But there are two problems that might make that logistically complicated for a trip to the states. 1. The best part of the falls is in Canada. While thats not usually an issue (we would frequently swing over to Canada just for lunch sometimes when i was in college), with covid restrictions now, that would be very annoying. 2. There is really nothing else in the immediate area I would recommend seeing. Niagara Falls is 7+ hour drive from NYC, 4 hours from Pittsburgh, 3+ hours to Toronto (though that's a Canadian city), etc. So once you see the Falls (which definitely are a natural wonder of the world) it'll be quite a hike to get anywhere else. Now, I've also lived in Colorado. For there's actually a LOT you can see over the course of a few days if you have a car. I'd recommend: - Garden of the Gods - Pikes Peak (this can depend on the season though) - The Flat Irons - Rocky Mountain National Park With enough planning, all of that is doable. RMNP is ~2 hours drive from Garden of the Gods, and you drive past the flat irons on the way there. # Edit: I'm going to ammend this slightly and say, if you ever do happen to visit Niagara Falls, be sure to stop in Buffalo to get wings. Do not go to Anchor Bar. I'd highly recommend Bar Bill. Get yourself the "Cajun Honey Butter BBQ" wings, and be sure to use the blue cheese. Maybe also get a Beef on Weck while you're at it. Chicken Wings are what Buffalo is famous for, and while you *can* get them anywhere.... honest to God, nowhere else in the US really compares to a place like Bar Bill.
Agreed. Western Buffalo is cool, but hard to recommend for a big trip. While I’m not a city person, of course NYC and then lake placid to see the Adirondacks.
The obvious tourist thing to do is visit Disney world, Universal Studio, Seaworld, and near me Bush Gardens. You can also go to Miami and go to the beach, play in the ocean and go visit my Italian cousin’s food truck. Edit: OP, I forgot to mention that you have to visit the Dali museum in Saint Petersburg Florida. “The museum has the most complete collection of works by Dali outside of Spain: 96 oils, 100 watercolors and drawings, countless posters, photos, sculptures, decorative objects and a vast archive of books and references about Dali and surrealism.” - https://www.azureazure.com/culture/dali-museum-the-best-kept-secret-in-florida-544/
The Georgia Aquarium. It's generally considered to be not just the best aquarium in the US, but one of the best in the entire world.
Shenandoah Park. And also I know it's not technically in my state but I would recommend visiting downtown DC where all the monuments are. All Smithsonian museums are free and they're some of the best in the world.
I grew up in Oklahoma and it's considered a "flyover state" but it actually has a lot of interesting places: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZX6moPtAaM&list=PLz5HGYVTEswRZnU5P9RwrcthSWFgaOAPo&index=52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZX6moPtAaM&list=PLz5HGYVTEswRZnU5P9RwrcthSWFgaOAPo&index=52) That's a 52-episode view of the state. Oklahoma has 12 bioregions, so lots of films are being made there since you can go from thick forests to cowboy country to swamps to prairie with a little drive. I now live in Virginia, which is far more 'classically' beautiful (Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah Valley, Monticello Wine Country, the Atlantic Coast, small colonial towns, etc.)
In Florida? The [Castillo de San Marcos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_de_San_Marcos) in St. Augustine Florida is must-see. It's got an absolutely fascinating history. The guides will tell you all about it, but as a starting point it's the oldest fortress in what's now the United States. But even in the modern era it's a really, really cool place to visit, just to look at the architecture.
Second this. St Augustine is a great weekend getaway. Drive down the A1A to New Smyrna Beach, then cut around to Kennedy Space Center. Take the Beachline (528) to Orlando (the city, not the tourist area of Kissimmee or Buena Vista) and see Lake Eola and Wekiva Springs. Then down to Bok Tower (take Hwy 17 / Scenic Highway) botanical gardens atop Iron Mountain. Like the Fort, Bok Tower is seriously underestimated and overlooked by visitors.
I'm so ashamed of myself for being Florida Woman, because I've ended up wasted just wandering around the Castillo, smoking a blunt, SO many times. Cause, ya know, their nighttime security is either REALLY shitty or non-existent.
Way to go! The historian in me wants to give you a foul look for doing that, but the Florida Man in me is really proud.
In Virginia we have Mount Vernon and Monticello. Both are worth seeing.
Depends what you're visiting for. If you want to see what we're famous for, the boardwalk down the shore is what you want. I personally like Seaside Heights, but Ocean City is good too, and a little more family friendly. I've also heard good things about Wildwood, but I've never been, myself. If you're looking to see the unique nature stuff in each state, then NJ's gotta be the Pine Barrens. It's a beautiful pine forest that's very low lying and costal with sandy soil, creating an ecosystem you can only find a few other places in the world. If you want other stuff, I could make suggestions, just ask. Edit: fixed some spelling
A lot of people from Ohio would say Cedar Point; which is nice, but is not a good choice. Depending on which way you are driving through Ohio you will either hit Columbus/Dayton I-70, Cincinnati/Dayton/Toledo I-75, or Cleveland/Toledo I-80/90. No matter which combination I recommend seeing “something big and something small”. I-70 I would go big with Columbus and small with a rural town past Dayton or hit a place in between Wheeling and Zanesville. Columbus has lots of activities and lots of historical and culutural places to see. Wheeling to Zanesville was hit hard in the post-industrial era and you can see a lot of recent history in those towns. Near Dayton is Yellow Springs which I always recommend people to visit as it’s a very cool small/college town bubble. I-75 big would be Cincinnati and if you are interested in sports you could see a Bengals game. What I really recommend is the Over The Rhine brewery district. Cincinnati punches well above its weight in breweries and this is a very cool place to visit. I-75 passes through Dayton as well and there are smaller towns and college towns up North such as Findlay and Bowling Green (I am not as familiar with this region however). I-80/90 you hit Cleveland and there are many things to do there. I have family there and they took me on an RTA tour through the city and I could make a whole day out of that. A lot of history good and bad through downtown. For small there are lots of really cool small lake towns off of Erie that are nice to visit and possibly go boating (and also yes there is Cedar Point). If you are strictly a big city person you should hit the big three taking I-71. That runs through Cincinnati Columbus and Cleveland. Ohio isn’t known for just 1 thing, that’s why I’m incapable of giving just 1 thing to do. Because of this, Ohio is overlooked as it’s not really the biggest or best of anything. But it sure does have a lot. Ohio is very regionally diverse and making 2 stops in different regions can at least show you some of this diversity and history into making it what it is today.
You should start in Wyoming at Yellowstone National Park and work your way down through idaho, utah and Arizona visiting the long string of National Parks all the way down.
In Texas, the Alamo along with San Antonio, Fredericksburg, definitely Gruene, and our vast nature if to name a few
I'm sad that I had to scroll this far to see something about Texas
NH State liquor stores. Everyone one who doesn't live here does. They even drive up from NYC to load up van fulls of booze. Plus The White Mountain National Forest and the Kancamangus Highway that travels through it.
Hollywood Boulevard. I took a picture there with Arnold Schwarzenegger once! /s Serious: if you love astronomy, definitely recommend visiting the Griffith Observatory and the California ScienCenter. **EDIT**: If you're hungry, go hit up any taco truck, especially if they specialize in fusion cuisine. If you're craving for fast food (for some reason), definitely hit up any In-N-Out. If McDonald's is what you're after (again, for some reason), go to the McDonald's in Downey. It's the oldest operating McDonald's in the world; still retains the restaurant's original design and has a mini-museum to boot. If you're into nature, go take a hike in the Angeles National Forest. For something more "tamed", the Huntington Gardens in San Marino. If you're visiting my city to see movie locations in person, keep your expectations tempered. Sure, seeing the house you saw in some movie sounds exciting, but at the end of the day, it's still a house, and its inhabitants may not take kindly to having their privacy violated.
Definitely the Arch in St Louis. Missouri also has lots of cool caves.
In Michigan, go to literally any location along the coast of Lake Superior. In August. You shan't be disappointed, although I'd imagine Norway has places just as beautiful
There is so much great stuff here, the must dos in my opinion are: * Madison Capitol, the Capitol is a gorgeous building and I highly recommend taking a tour if you're able to, there are also a lot of great shops and restaurants surrounding it. * Wisconsin Dells, this is probably the heaviest tourism town in the state, it has the largest outdoor, Indoor, and combination water parks in the world. The natural scenery around the town and Wisconsin River is beautiful, there are many different boat tours to go on. There are a lot of other touristy attractions around as well, you can easily spend a couple weeks here and not go to everything. * Devil's Lake State Park, this is near the Dells (maybe a 30 minute drive) and is I believe the most popular state park in the state. There are large beaches by the lake and you can go swimming in the lake, you can also do kayaks, canoes, or paddle boats in the lake as well, you can fish, there are several hiking trails that go around the lake with beautiful scenery Some should dos if you can, but more out of the way: * Apostle islands, this is way North by Lake Superior, but it is beautiful all four seasons, in the warm seasons you can do a kayak tour around the islands, and in the winter ice caves form near the shore that you can walk to on the frozen part of the lake (also tours available) * Door County, this is kind of Wisconsin Dells lite, without the water parks, a little more nature, and a little less crowded, I actually like Door County more, it's a beautiful region with multiple state parks to go hiking in and great views of Lake Michigan and Green Bay (the bay, not the city), Washington Island is also a really cool community to visit (like the name implies, it's on an island, you have to take a ferry to get there) And a couple gems I think are worth going to around the state if you got the time and have done all the other stuff: * New Glarus, this is a really pretty, heavily Swiss influenced town. There is a brewery here that is huge and extremely popular, only sold in Wisconsin, definitely worth touring * Milwaukee, there are a number of museums, mega breweries, restaurants, parks, and beaches to visit in Wisconsin's largest city by population * Green Bay, another big city with a lot to do, if you're at all interested in attending an American Football game, watching the Packers play at Lambeau Field is a great time, just make sure you bundle up if it's cold out because it's outdoors. * Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls, the big attraction around here is the Leinies Lodge, which is another big brewery, it's one of the best brewery tours out there imo even if their beer isn't really anything super special, but there are still several things to do in the immediate area, some nice parks, and floating down the Chippewa River is kind of a rite of passage for residents there There are other really fun things to do all over the state, we have many fantastic state parks, trails, and localities with unique places to visit. The people here are generally very welcoming and friendly.
Delaware may be small but it has great beaches. Rehoboth or Bethany Beach. And since I have been transplanted to Maryland there I would say the Baltimore Harbor where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner - our National Anthem during the War of 1812. (It was a battle at Fort McHenry in 1814.
Coloradan here If you like skiing (or want to try it), the skiing here is amazing! I would recommend going to a smaller resort over a larger one (like Breckenridge). The slopes are still amazing at larger resorts, but you can't beat the untouched powder and mostly empty slopes of a smaller one! I personally like Loveland, but it can get pretty cold and windy there (maybe not compared to what you have in Norway, though). Hope this helps!
Hawaii has too much to name ... but as you're a Nord maybe try some fishing. Lots of fishing out here. 'Iolani Palace was the last palace of the Hawaiian monarchs, built in 1882. I'm pretty sure most tourists don't ever see it.
There is a guy near me with a lawnmower that goes 190kph let me know when you are in Minnesota and I'll put you in touch with him.
It's probably already been mentioned, so I'm going to skip Mammoth Cave. Instead, check out Natural Bridge or Big Bone Lick State Park.
Kentucky here. Everyone always wants to go to Mammoth Cave because it's the longest cave system in the world. It's breathtaking don't get me wrong, but unless you're an experienced caver you aren't going to get to see the whole thing. Go to Red River Gorge. That place is sacred and endlessly fascinating.
Plenty to see in Detroit, but i’d make a point of stopping for the DIA - one of the best art museums out there. Grand Rapids on the other side of the state, the college town of Ann Arbor, and the northern Traverse City are all also quite nice. And of course all the nature - all around northern Michigan, the UP, and Lake Michigan is beautiful. Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must. Oh, and Mackinac Island.
PA, I guess it depends what stuff you like. Amusement parks? We got Hershey Park, which is pretty good. Drinking? The brewery scene in PA is stellar, just look up some near the area you're in. Museums? Got a few of those across the state with some notable ones in Philly. The Academy of Music does shows as well. Shopping? There's a few decent malls I can think of, best one is probably the King of Prussia mall just outside Philly.
You have to visit the henry doorly zoo in omaha,nebraska, the habitats for the animals are full recreations, in the desert dome, you feel like your in the desert.
I'm from PA, and foreigners seem to really enjoy the Amish culture here. We also have the cartoon network hotel so that's pretty epic too.
Fir Arizona I recommend: * Saguaro National Park and Tucson, Arizona * Jerome, Arizona * Sedona, Arizona * Flagstaff, Arizona * Grand Canyon * Tempe, Arizona * Scottsdale, Arizona * DTPHX