Please let me know the top 10 places to visit in USA on a road trip?

6 Comments

1. shiverz says:

   June 1, 2009 at 5:05 pm

   Los Angeles, California. This second largest city in the entire United States is also the biggest metropolitan area on the west coast. If you wish to see celebrities or at least check out their homes, this is the place to go. You can visit Hollywood, the movie capital or Beverly Hills where movie stars live. L.A. has a favorable subtropical climate with many white sand beaches. Some scenic spots there include the Big Sur coastline, the alpine beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the awesome Mojave desert.

   San Francisco, California. Though smaller than Los Angeles with no beaches, San Francisco offers more great sceneries. This hilly place is famous for its Golden Gate bridge and historic cable cars. Victorian houses also line up the hillside streets and overlook a huge blue bay surrounded by mountains. The bay area, as it is often called, also features the crookedest street and a Chinatown.

   Las Vegas, Nevada. This city boasts of being the adult entertainment capital of the world with the existence of so many casinos. Experience different forms of gambling here as well as world-class entertainment. Las Vegas also features grandious architecture from the giant pyramids of glass, multi-colored fantasy castles, replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the New York skyline. The place is also near other natural scenic spots like the Grand Canyon Zion and Death Valley.

   Orlando, Florida. Orlando is the biggest entertainment center for the family in the whole world. There’s Disney World, the largest and most famous amusement complex as well as the Universal Studios, Sea World, Wet and Wild and other attractions the whole family will enjoy. Tropical beaches also abound in Florida plus visitors can enjoy golf and tennis in various locations.

   New York City. Who can ever miss the Big Apple, the biggest metropolitan center in the U.S. Its famous tourist spots include the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, United Nations, museums, Broadway theaters, Times Square, Central Park and shopping as well as nightlife districts. New York is the city that never sleeps owing to the varied entertainment offered nightly at nightclubs, bars, theaters and sports centers. The city’s museums, art galleries and concert halls offer various cultural attractions as well.

   Hawaii. Though small as it may be, Hawaii is a great place to visit. Consisting of a string of volcanic islands in the center of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a tourist’s paradise what with its great weather all year round, wonderful beaches with awesome surf and scenery. The place has been a favorite haven for couples on a honeymoon and very ideal for swimming, tanning, surfing, fishing, boating, golf and tropical adventure.

   Grand Canyon, Arizona. The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona should not be missed. A natural wonder of the world, the Grand Canyon is 1,500 meters deep and more than 20 kilometers wide by 150 kilometers long. The Canyon’s interior features a wide maze of multicolored mesas, cliffs and headlands that contain smaller canyons. The interior can be reached by hiking or riding on mules down the trails. The continuous play of sun and shadow on the rock layers creates an awesome display.

   Washington, D.C. The capital of America is a very interesting city to visit. Washington D.C. has various tourist attractions such as its numerous monuments, museums and public parks that include the White House, the U.S. Capitol and other government buildings. These places can be visited free of charge so there’s no need to worry about your budget. The city also has great ethnic restaurants for your dining pleasure.

   New Orleans, Louisiana. The home of jazz music, New Orleans is a blend of the Spanish and French culture with influences from Afro-American and the Carribbean. Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, this city is renowned for its jazz music, wild nightlife and Cajun cuisine. Who could also forget its famous weeklong Mardi Gras festival celebrated every February.

   Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. This national park features a huge collection of geysers, hot springs and thermal phenomena in the entire globe. Bisons, elk, bears and wildlife abound in this huge national park. Its wilderness can easily be reached from the roads and visitors can get a chance to have close encounters with wildlife. Yellowstone is located near the Grand Tenton National Park, the Rocky Mountains and the open spaces of Montana.

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2. Katie says:

   June 2, 2009 at 6:34 am

   A couple cool places I’ve been to on trips were Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and Natural Bridge Virginia. Yellow Stone National Park out west is a great place too.
3. monorailgold says:

   June 3, 2009 at 2:05 am

   Hello,

   I would have to say: (1) Niagara falls- there is a lot of things to do there or you can just see the falls.

   (2) Altantic City, New Jersey- The casinos and boardwalk are really very interesting to see. Nothing else like it in the U.S.

   (3) Washington, D.C.- Tons of history and interesting places to see. Park outside the city and take the metro in.

   (4) Savannah, Georgia- Very charming, historic city. Lots of great food and southern hospitality.

   (5) Orlando, Florida- The Walt Disney World comples, the Universal Studios complex and the Sea World complex are just three reasons to go to Orlando. There are also Kennedy space center, tons of beaches, great shopping and wonderful food. Lots of night life on International Drive.

   (6) San Antonio, Texas- Home of the Alamo. Great site to see. There is also the incredible river walk. Lots of other things to do including horse back riding and golf.

   (7) Sedona, Arizona- Beautiful small town in the red rock canyon. You can hike or take a jeep tour thru the red rocks. A truly beautiful site, especially at sunset.

   (8)The Grand Canyon- need I say more. Just standing on the rim and looking in will give you a chill. If you can, sign up ahead of time for the mule ride into the canyon or maybe a helicopter tour over the canyon.

   (9) Calaveris County, California- Not only do they have the frog jumping contest, but they also have a stand of “big
   Trees”. These are the same giant sequoias that are in southern california. It is an amazing site to see. You can follow the path around to visit all of these trees and end on the stump of a tree that was used as a dance floor for over 30 couples at a time. They really are that big!

   (10) Las Vegas, Nevada- So much to do, so much to see! Not only gambling, but shows, shopping, rides, pools… the list goes on and on.

   Hope this helps. These are just a few of my favorite places. Donna
4. RunAmok says:

   June 6, 2009 at 11:25 am

   These people are just listing cities….nothing specific…..here are your top 10 in geographical order:
   1. Niagra Falls
   2. Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
   3. Mall of the America in St. Paul
   4. Devils Tower in Wyoming
   5. Yellowstone in Wyoming
   6. Yosemite in California
   7. Las Vegas, Nevada
   8. Grand Canyon Arizona
   9. Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico
   10. Graceland in Memphis
5. Barry says:

   June 7, 2009 at 12:08 am

   Consider visiting New Orleans. NOLA is one of the world’s special places with an ambience unique in North America, and remains so even after Katrina devastated it in 2005.

   Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

   However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It’s not a coincidence – the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all. You should visit and see for yourself.

   You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, police/fire/EMS, and stores & shopping centers are operating.

   Municipal services like street cleaning & trash collection collapsed after Katrina and that is why you may see answers warning about the “smelly” or “dirty” French Quarter. However, those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

   I recommend staying in the French Quarter (Vieux Carre”) if you can. There is a very wide range of selections available, from moderate guest houses to very exclusive “boutique” hotels. Search Yahoo Travel and Travelocity for ideas + check the hotel websites.

   You don’t need a car to get around in the French Quarter, Central Business District, or Warehouse District. Also, the parking regulations are Byzantine and there are lots of Parking Control Agents. Park your car in a lot or garage and leave it there unless you are traveling away from downtown.

   The regional transit authority (www.norta.com) sells 1 and 3 day passes that offer unlimited use of buses and streetcars for the day(s) you select. There are also lots of taxicabs.

   Regarding crime, use the same common sense you need in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym: Pay attention to your surroundings. Stay away from anywhere dark & deserted. Pay attention to your feelings – if anyone or anywhere gives you a bad feeling, leave the area. Don’t leave something like a camera-bag or backpack unattended on a park bench while you wander off to take photos. Etc.

   Things to do:

   There is always music, but the bands change: Go to and click on Music then Listings or to and click on Listings, then Music.

   Wander around the French Quarter, enjoy the architecture, watch the street entertainers (do tip), and visit some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums. Most of them charge admission but some are free (go to and click on Historic Attractions).

   Assuming the weather is good, you can collect a sandwich lunch and eat in the riverfront park (watch the shipping) or in Jackson Square (a very nice park).

   The Riverwalk shopping center has an air-conditioned food court with dining overlooking the river (www.riverwalkmarketplace.com).

   The lobby for the Wyndham Canal Place is on the 11th floor and overlooks the French Quarter. It is a great place for an afternoon drink/snack:

   Cafe du Monde is in the French Quarter and you shouldn’t miss having cafe au lait & beignets (www.cafedumonde.com). Another great coffee shop is the Croissant d’Or (at 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food other than pastry.

   The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and traditional live jazz starting at 8:00pm: 1204 Decatur Street, tel 504-525-0200 (reservations are important and they are not open every day).

   All of the famous restaurants (Antoine’s, Arnaud’s, Commander’s Palace, etc.) have reopened. Reservations are a good idea, and probably essential on weekends.

   Cafe Degas is a very French restaurant near City Park at 3127 Esplanade – which is not within walking distance of downtown (5 to 10 minutes by taxi). They are closed on Mondays & Tuesdays (504-945-5635).

   There is a free ferry across the Mississippi at the “foot” of Canal Street. It is a short trip but like a harbor cruise w/o a guide:

   The Aquarium and Audubon Zoo are world-class attractions (www.auduboninstitute.org) and you should see them if you can. There is a shuttle boat (not free) between the Aquarium (which is next to the French Quarter) and the Zoo (which is several miles away). You can also drive to the Zoo (which has free parking) or take public transit from the French Quarter.

   New Orleans is home to a number of other museums, such as the National World War II Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org). Both can be reached by public transit: The WWII museum is in the central business district but a long walk from the French Quarter and NOMA is not within walking distance of downtown but has free parking if you choose to drive there.

   New Orleans City Park has an amusement park with rides and attractions for children + free parking:

   Hope you have a good visit, wherever you go!
6. fatsausage says:

   June 8, 2009 at 4:46 am

   Washington, DC
   Charleston
   Savannah
   Jacksonville
   Orlando
   Key West
   Atlanta
   Nashville