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25 unforgettable things to do in the USA

Not a list of attractions but of moments: the ones travellers still talk about years later. Each links to the guide that tells you how to do it well.

In nature

  1. Watch the sun rise over the Grand Canyon from Mather Point.
  2. Wade up the Virgin River through The Narrows in Zion.
  3. See Old Faithful erupt and Grand Prismatic’s rainbow in Yellowstone.
  4. Hike among the orange hoodoos of Bryce Canyon at dawn.
  5. Walk to Delicate Arch for sunset.
  6. Stand under El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.
  7. Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road over the Continental Divide.
  8. Watch the light beams in Antelope Canyon.
  9. Sleep near the buttes of Monument Valley.
  10. Take the boat into the mist at Niagara Falls.
  11. Walk on the salt flats of Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level.
  12. Watch sunrise above the clouds on Haleakalā, Maui.

In the cities

  1. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge toward the Manhattan skyline.
  2. Hear live jazz on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans.
  3. See a show on the Strip in Las Vegas.
  4. Ride a cable car down Hyde Street in San Francisco.
  5. Take the architecture boat tour in Chicago.
  6. Walk the monuments at night in Washington, D.C..
  7. Catch a honky-tonk band on Broadway in Nashville.
  8. Watch sunset from Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

On the road

  1. Drive Route 66 from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier.
  2. Cross Bixby Bridge on the Pacific Coast Highway.
  3. Island-hop to Key West on the Overseas Highway.
  4. Chase the fall colors on the Kancamagus Highway.
  5. Follow the blues down Highway 61 on the Deep South music trail.

Questions travellers ask

What is the number one tourist attraction in the USA?

By visitors, Times Square and Central Park in New York top the lists; among natural wonders, the Grand Canyon and the Great Smoky Mountains.

What should you not miss on a first trip to the USA?

One great city (New York), one great national park (the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone) and one great drive (the Pacific Coast Highway or Route 66).

Exit 10Next exitsItinerariesTrip planning
Exit 17When to goWeather & seasonsExit 24Grand Canyon National ParkA mile deep, 277 river miles long, and still bigger than you imagined.Exit 31New York CityEight million people, five boroughs, one subway that never sleeps.

Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026.