Top 6 Places You Need to Visit in the USA

There are so many reasons to visit the USA - from vibrant cities to the wide open spaces of the National Parks - we take a look at just 6 iconic sights that you should make sure are on your bucket list to visit.

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, full name Liberty Enlightening the World, is about as iconic a site as you can get. A gift to America from the people of France, it was unveiled in 1886 and tops the sightseeing list in New York, a city which has more than its fair share of famous monuments. You can enjoy fantastic views of this mighty sight from the Staten Island Ferry - a free ferry service linking Manhattan to Staten Island and a lovely experience in it's own right.

National Parks

Running over thousands of miles and boasting some of the most stunning scenery on the planet, America’s national parks are breathtaking. From the first, Yellowstone, to perhaps the most famous, the Grand Canyon, each boasts its own unique features. Marvel at spouting geysers, vertical mile-high cliffs and giant sequoia trees towering to more than 350 feet.

Golden Gate Bridge

Just as famous as the city in which it resides, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge was opened in 1937 and was once described as ‘the bridge which could not and should not be built’. Since that day, about two billion vehicles have journeyed across it, and a really thrilling way to view it is from a helicopter, as you soar around, over and under it.

Niagara Falls

Although not the highest in the world – 500 others are taller – Niagara Falls are without doubt the most famous. The combination of height and the volume of water makes this one of the most spectacular and most visited waterfall sites in the world. It’s also been named as ‘one of the hundred places to see before you die’ in polls.

Graceland

Fan of the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ or not, you can’t fail to be impressed by Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he lived in this grand mansion in Memphis from 1957 until his untimely death in 1977. Now a museum, you can see various rooms, including the famous Jungle Room, admire the 22 vehicles that he drove or rode on during his life, and even step aboard his private planes. Tours end in the poignant Meditation Garden, where Elvis is buried alongside his parents.

Las Vegas

More an attraction than a city, Las Vegas is a neon-lit playground in the middle of the desert. The famous Strip is lined with vast hotels which feature entire shopping malls, glitzy casinos, all manner of dining opportunities and sublime entertainment, from Broadway-style shows to concerts by singing superstars. Many are themed, so even though you’re in the USA you can ride in a gondola on the ‘Grand Canal’, watch a volcano roar into life, marvel at Giza’s ‘Great Sphinx’ and gaze up at the ‘Eiffel Tower’.