Everyone knows something about the USA. Whether it’s world-famous landscapes, a celebrated skyline or renowned attraction, images of this colossal country are known around the globe. Whatever it is that we know though, there is a whole lot more to learn – American food isn’t just burgers and hot dogs, not every settlement is a bustling city and there isn’t a certain coffee shop on every corner. That’s all part of the joy of travelling here, there’s always more to discover. With huge landscapes ranging from mountains and desert to rolling plains and sun-drenched beaches to lose yourself in, cities full of diverse cultures to explore, a turbulent history to engage with and delicious cuisine to sample, there is so much to see and do.
The USA is well-known for doing everything on a grand scale, and its landscapes are no different. There is the Red Rock Country of Arizona and Utah, where you’ll find the iconic Monument Valley and the unique Antelope Canyon, the towering redwoods of Yosemite and the forest-and-mist-wreathed Great Smoky Mountains; even autumn is cranked up to 10, the fall colours of New England particularly renowned. With such diversity, it’s hard to know where to begin, but whichever part of the country you choose to explore, you can be safe in the knowledge that when it comes to nature, it’s going to be epic.
A self-proclaimed nation of immigrants, it’s hard to put your finger on what exactly American culture is. You’ll find, though, that Indigenous heritage gives a different perspective to sights and landscapes, settler history highlights the hard journey to reach the American Dream, cities like Memphis and Nashville chart the progress of beloved musical genres and Route 66 gives a glimpse of a bygone era, to name just a few things. There are also plenty of museums and galleries filled with fascinating stories and world-famous art, old towns full of grand colonial architecture or, in the south, Latino or Creole influences.
In the end, there is no overarching ‘American’ experience. In fact, experiencing the USA can be many different things, it’s up to you what you make of it.
