50 Places to Visit in the USA That Must Be on Your Bucket List
Love the beach? The desert? The mountains? Don't sweat it — we have you covered!
Trying to list all of the best places to vacation across the U.S. is a bit of a fool’s errand — there are just too many! What we can do, though, is compile the ultimate travel bucket list. Read on and mark down some of the top sites and cities across the country that you want to see at least once.
Whether you’re looking to hike in the Teton Mountains, swim at a black-sand beach in Hawaii, or sip a sparkling wine at a Napa Valley vineyard, we have a list of the 50 best places for you to visit in the USA.
Key Largo — Florida
Best for Oceanic Exploration
There are plenty of beach destinations to choose from in Florida, but Key Largo is the place for people looking to leave the sand and enjoy everything the ocean has to offer. With offerings like the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, visitors are encouraged to throw on a mask and have an adventure below the surface.
Where to Stay: Playa Largo Resort & Spa
New Hope — Pennsylvania
Best for Shopping Small
If your ideal escape involves spending a day popping in and out of shops along Main street, head to New Hope. The town has a ton of charming independently owned businesses and art galleries, so save some space in your luggage for some souvenirs. After you've picked up some gifts for yourself, grab a seat and a drink at The Pour House at The New Hope Winery or Great Barn Brewery.
Where to Stay: River House at Odette's
Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
Best for Views
It's no wonder why the Grand Canyon has been topping bucket lists for travel junkies and families alike for so many years. Whether you're after a challenging hike or have more interest in some zen stargazing, there are several access points with varying levels of hiking intensity, so you (and every member of your travel group) can get the best views.
Where to Stay: South Rim, Phantom Ranch
Los Angeles — California
Best for Laid-Back Luxury
Spend your days hanging loose on Venice Beach and your nights indulging in swanky nightlife spots on Hollywood Boulevard. From visiting Runyon Canyon or shopping on Rodeo Drive to finding your favorite actor's hand prints pressed into the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame, there are a variety of daytime activities to keep you busy.
Where to Stay: Four Seasons Hotel at Beverly Hills, Omni Los Angeles
Las Vegas — Nevada
Best for Nightlife
What happens in Vegas … well, you know the saying. Sure, you can get as naughty as you want in Sin City, but you just might be too busy seeing shows, such as Cirque du Soleil's O, dining in trendy restaurants, shopping in luxury arcades, gambling in casinos, and dancing in swanky clubs to do any permanent damage.
Where to Stay: Bellagio Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas
Santa Fe — New Mexico
Best for Art Aficionados
Pull a Georgia O'Keeffe and lose yourself in Santa Fe's otherworldly landscapes. Check out local artists' work in the many galleries along Canyon Road, and see O'Keeffe's famous animal skull paintings at her eponymous museum — then ponder all of this artistic magnificence over margaritas and a big bowl of guac and chips.
Where to Stay: La Fonda on the Plaza, Inn and Spa at Loretto
Nantucket — Massachusetts
Best for the Laid-Back Island Life
As soon as you step off the ferry, you'll start to decompress on this postcard-perfect island off the coast of Cape Cod. It ticks all the island getaway boxes: gorgeous beaches, sweet gray-shingled cottages, and historic lighthouses. Nantucket also has a super cool Whaling Museum, and plenty of places for a lobster roll.
Where to Stay: 21 Broad, The Nantucket Hotel
Sedona — Arizona
Best for Desert Scenery
You'll never get over marveling at the beauty of the Red Rocks of Sedona — they're that awe-inspiring. Get up-close and personal with these rust-hued mesas and buttes via Jeep tour, then head to one of Sedona's vortexes to soak up some positive vibes. (Using healing crystals and getting an aura photo is optional.)
Where to Stay: Hilton Sedona Resort at Red Rock, L'Auberge de Sedona
Chicago — Illinois
Best for a Big City Getaway
Sure, it could always be New York — but don't dismiss the Second City. Incredible architecture (the skyscraper was born here), world-class museums (Did you know the famed American Gothic painting is in the Art Institute of Chicago?), deep-dish pizza, and the Cubbies make Chi-Town one of the best places to visit in the USA.
Where to Stay: Ace Hotel Chicago, Hilton Chicago
Big Sur — California
Best for a Scenic Drive
If you've seen HBO’s Big Little Lies, you've no doubt been blown away by the gorgeous cliff-hugging backdrops, especially around Bixby Bridge, the iconic 280-foot-high span on the Pacific Coast Highway. This jaw-dropping stretch from Carmel to the boho hangout of Big Sur is surely one of the world's greatest scenic drives.
Where to Stay: Portola Hotel & Spa, Comfort Inn Carmel-by-the-Sea
Kansas City — Missouri
Best for Barbecue
Kansas City is world-famous for its finger-lickin'-good barbecue, and a few standouts include Gates Bar-B-Q, featuring mouthwatering beef brisket, Q39, from national barbecue champ Rob Magee, and, just across the state line in Kansas, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, with ribs, pulled pork, and smoked chicken on the menu.
Where to Stay: Hotel Phillips Kansas City, Ambassador Hotel Kansas City
Jackson — Wyoming
Best for Outdoor Adventures
This rugged destination in the Teton Mountains is all about being in the great outdoors. Summer brings hiking, horseback riding, and river rafting; come wintertime, there's world-class skiing at one of the country's top ski resorts. Plus, there are plenty of authentic Western-style bars where you just might mingle with real cowboys.
Where to Stay: The Wort Hotel, Hotel Terra Jackson Hole
Natchez - Mississippi
Best for Touring Antebellum Homes
The city of Natchez, a former trading post on the Mississippi River, is known for its many antebellum mansions, including Brandon Hall Plantation, now functioning as a charming inn with canopied beds, antique furnishings, and landscaped grounds. Other historic homes worth a visit include Longwood, Dunleith, and Auburn.
Where to Stay: Natchez Grand Hotel, Brandon Hall Plantation
Washington, D.C.
Best for Free Museums
Can we talk about D.C. without getting political? Sure we can, especially when there's so much to say about its free Smithsonian museums.
See Dorothy's ruby slippers at the National Museum of American History, a space shuttle at the National Air & Space Museum, and Nat Turner's Bible at the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
Where to Stay: Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
Napa Valley — California
Best for Wine Lovers
There's a lot to love about Napa Valley. It's just an hour's drive from San Francisco, there are hundreds of world-class wineries to stop in for a tasting (A pinot noir on the deck overlooking vast vineyards? Yes, please!), and there are plenty of gourmet restaurants, including Thomas Keller's famed French Laundry.
Where to Stay: Marriott Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, The Westin Verasa Napa
Indianapolis — Indiana
Best for the Whole Family
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is one of the best kids' museums in the USA — just try to get them to stop talking about the massive dinosaur "attacking" the building's facade. Indy also has a great zoo and an IMAX theater, and each May, the Indy 500 takes place. Plus, there's a growing farm-to-table foodie scene.
Where to Stay: Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites, Conrad Indianapolis
Austin – Texas
Best for Fests
As if tasty barbecue and Tex-Mex food weren't enough of a draw, Austin hosts several major festivals throughout the year that are worth planning a trip for. Both South by Southwest (in March) and Austin City Limits (in October) make the city an ideal getaway for people who enjoy having a jam-packed itinerary when they travel.
If you can't make it those months, there are still plenty of ways to occupy your time while you're in town.
Where to Stay: Hotel Van Zandt, The Line Hotel
Hawaii
Best for Exotic Beaches
You can't mention the best places to visit in the USA and not show the Aloha State some love, especially its beaches. From the black sand of Punaluu, to the green (yes, green!) sand of Papakolea Beach (both on the Big Island), to the great snorkeling at Maui's Makua Beach, Hawaii lives up to its billing.
Where to Stay: Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Minneapolis — Minnesota
Best for Midwestern Museums
Minneapolis is full of fab museums, including the Walker Art Center, featuring works from Jasper Johns and Chuck Close, and the recently renovated Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, known for its famous "Spoonbridge and Cherry" sculpture. The Frank Gehry-designed Weisman Art Museum and the Mill City Museum are others to keep in mind, too.
Where to Stay: Hewing Hotel, The Westin Minneapolis
New York City — New York
Best for Theater Lovers
Even if you can't get tickets to Hamilton, you won't be lacking for choice when it comes to top-notch theater in NYC. Catch Broadway shows like Tony Award winners Dear Evan Hansen and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and there are plenty of off-Broadway and off-off Broadway shows, plus, warm weather brings the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park.
Where to Stay: Soho Grand Hotel, W New York - Times Square
Jill is the former travel editor at BestProducts.com, showing her expertise on everything from the Best Rooftop Bars in NYC to the 30 Most Beautiful Cities in the World; the NYC native has previously worked at Travel & Leisure and has written articles for The New York Times, InStyle, Huffington Post, and Fodors. Recent trips have included the Bahamas and Natchez, and Patagonia and Vietnam are high on the bucket list. Though she’ll deny it, she is kind of obsessed with buying refrigerator magnets from the places she visits.
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