US
USA
Road trips that go on for days
Road trips that go on for days
Manhattan’s skyline from Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the High Line and Times Square. The most culturally concentrated city on earth, where almost every human endeavour has its best global expression.
A 446km canyon carved by the Colorado River, up to 1.6km deep and 16km wide. The South Rim is accessible year-round; the North Rim is higher and less crowded. The sunrise from the Rim Trail is worth every minute of lost sleep.
The world’s first national park: 10,000 hydrothermal features including Old Faithful geyser, the Grand Prismatic Spring and the largest supervolcano on earth. Bison, wolves, grizzlies and elk throughout.
The most culturally distinct city in America: jazz in the French Quarter, Creole food at Dooky Chase’s, Mardi Gras, the Garden District’s antebellum mansions and a city that survived Hurricane Katrina with its soul intact.
El Capitan’s 900m granite wall, Half Dome’s rounded profile and Yosemite Falls (739m, the tallest waterfall in North America) above the valley floor. Book accommodation months ahead; the valley is at capacity most of the year.
The Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise through the bay fog, the cable cars on Powell Street, the sourdough bread at the Ferry Building farmers market and the most diverse restaurant scene in America.
America’s architectural capital: the buildings that defined the skyscraper (Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe) are all here. The Riverwalk, the Art Institute and the deep-dish pizza culture.
The Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, the Washington Monument and the Capitol, all within a 3km walk, plus the Smithsonian museums (all free) on either side.
The American burger at its best: a hand-ground patty of 80/20 beef, smashed on a hot griddle, with American cheese, pickles and a brioche bun. The best are at independent burger joints.
Regional American BBQ is a distinct food culture: Texas brisket (smoked for 12-18 hours over post oak), Kansas City ribs (sweet rub, molasses sauce) and Carolina pulled pork (vinegar-based) are all equally serious.
A thick stew of the Holy Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper) with andouille sausage, shrimp and file powder. Served over white rice. The definitive dish of Louisiana Creole cooking.
A pastrami or corned beef sandwich on rye bread at Katz’s Delicatessen: a New York institution since 1888. The pastrami is hand-sliced, cured in-house and steamed for hours.
The third-wave coffee movement started in the US. Blue Bottle (Oakland), Stumptown (Portland) and Intelligentsia (Chicago) set the standard for the global specialty coffee industry.
The US has 9,000+ independent breweries – more than any other country. The IPA (West Coast and New England styles), stout and sour categories contain some of the world’s most innovative brewing.
Roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, sweet potato, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce: the most important annual meal in American culture.
The Rio Grande Valley’s fusion of Mexican and Texan cooking: breakfast tacos with egg and green salsa at a San Antonio taqueria at 7am is one of America’s finest morning experiences.
The US is best reached via its major hubs: New York JFK, Los Angeles LAX, Miami MIA, Chicago ORD and San Francisco SFO. Domestic flights are cheap and essential for a cross-country trip. For trip planning, see the official USA tourism portal.
💡 Open-jaw flights (fly into New York, home from LA or vice versa) are essential for a coast-to-coast trip — usually no more expensive than a return.
💡 Clearing US customs in Dublin airport means you arrive at a domestic terminal — useful for tight connections.
💡 Book domestic legs at least 3–4 weeks ahead. Southwest still offers free checked bags. Spirit and Frontier are cheapest but charge for everything else.
💡 Renting a car is essential outside major cities. The US interstate system is excellent; scenic routes (PCH, Route 66, Blue Ridge Parkway) are the real road trip America.
The US is so large that the best time depends entirely on where you’re going. As a rough guide: the East Coast is best in spring (Apr–May) and fall (Sep–Oct). The South and Southwest are best in winter. Summer everywhere is busy and expensive.
The US varies enormously by city and region. New York and San Francisco are comparable to London or Paris in cost; New Orleans, Nashville and most of the South and Midwest are significantly cheaper.
Most Smithsonian museums in Washington DC are free. Many major city art museums have free days or pay-what-you-wish evenings.
Domestic flights in the US can be remarkably cheap if booked ahead — New York to Miami from $59 on Southwest, Delta or Spirit.
New York’s Per Se or Eleven Madison Park charge $335–365 per person for a tasting menu. Napa Valley wine country tasting fees run $50–100 per winery.
New York, the Southwest and California in one week — three flights but three completely different Americas. Adjust to your own interests: national parks, music, food, coast.
Walk the High Line. Get a bagel and a coffee. The energy of New York is absorbed by walking — pick one neighbourhood (the West Village, Brooklyn Heights, Chinatown) and get properly lost.
💡 The subway is the fastest way around Manhattan. A 7-day MetroCard costs $34. Keep it simple.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world’s great encyclopaedic collections — allow 3 hours minimum. Afternoon: Central Park. Evening in the East Village or on the roof of the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn.
💡 The MoMA is essential for modern art. Buy tickets online — it sells out on weekends.
Fly to Phoenix or Las Vegas, then drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim (4h from Phoenix, 4.5h from Las Vegas). Arrive before sunset. Stand at the rim and let the scale of it land.
💡 The North Rim is less visited and equally spectacular — but access road closes in winter. South Rim is open year-round.
Drive through Monument Valley (the most photographed landscape in America) to Las Vegas, or vice versa. The Navajo Tribal Park requires a separate permit — book online.
💡 Las Vegas is a genuinely extraordinary thing — even if casinos aren’t your interest. Walk the Strip at night at least once.
Morning flight to LA. Santa Monica beach. Griffith Observatory for the city panorama. Hollywood Boulevard is worth exactly 15 minutes.
💡 The Getty Center (free entry) has one of the finest collections of European painting in North America, and the best view of Los Angeles.
Option A: the Venice Beach boardwalk, Abbot Kinney boutiques, sunset on the pier. Option B: the Getty Villa (ancient Greek and Roman art), Malibu coastline. Option C: a drive to Joshua Tree National Park (2.5h).
💡 LA’s best food is not in restaurants — it’s at the Grand Central Market downtown, open from 8am.
Fly up to San Francisco for your return flight (or stay). Walk the Embarcadero. Cross the Golden Gate on foot. Eat a Mission burrito. The fog rolling in over the bay from Marin in the afternoon is one of those things.
💡 The N-Judah streetcar to Ocean Beach costs $2.50 and gets you to one of the finest urban beaches in the world.
The US is continental in scale. A cross-country flight (New York to Los Angeles) is 6 hours.
Both work in every US city. More reliable and transparent than street taxis.
All western national parks require a car. Book in advance; rental cars sell out near popular parks.
Restaurant: 18-20%. Bar: USD 1-2 per drink. Taxi: 15-20%. This is not optional.
Travel insurance with medical coverage is essential for non-US visitors.
Genuine friendliness is the American national character, especially outside major cities.
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass (USD 80) covers entry to all US national parks for one year.
Many nationalities can enter on ESTA (no visa required for 90 days). Others need a B-1/B-2 tourist visa.
Book intercity trains across the USA — essential for the Northeast Corridor, California Zephyr and scenic routes.
FreeThe dominant ride-hailing app across the USA — available at virtually every city and airport.
FreeUber’s main competitor — often cheaper in major US cities; some cities have better Lyft coverage.
FreeThe USA’s most widely used food delivery app — covers restaurants in all 50 states.
FreeBook tours, national park activities, Broadway shows and skip-the-line tickets across the USA.
FreePre-book parking in US cities at up to 50% off the drive-up rate — covers 300+ US cities.
FreeExplore USA’s top city destinations — from Los Angeles to New York, each with its own distinct character.
USA sits within easy reach of several other destinations — each with a completely different character.
