Regis St Louis - USA

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Enormous and staggeringly diverse, America harbors an astounding collection of natural and cultural wonders, from teeming city streets to mountains, plains and forests covering vast swaths of the continent.

America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment. Look more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin, the easy-going charms of antebellum Savannah, the ecoconsciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent waterfront of San Francisco, and the captivating old quarters of New Orleans, still rising up from its waterlogged ashes.

This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where four million miles of highways lead past red-rock deserts, below towering mountain peaks, and across fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush rain forests of the Pacific Northwest and the scenic country lanes of New England are a few fine starting points for the great American road trip.

Cuisine is another way of illuminating the American experience. On one evening in the US, thick barbecue ribs and smoked brisket come piping hot at a Texas roadhouse; over 1500 miles away, talented chefs blend organic, fresh-off-the-farm produce with Asian accents at award- winning West Coast restaurants. A smattering of locals get their fix of bagels and lox at a century-old deli in Manhattans Upper West Side, while several states away, plump pancakes and fried eggs disappear in a hurry under the clatter of cutlery at a 1950s-style diner. Steaming plates of fresh lobster served off a Maine pier, oysters and champagne in a fashion-forward wine bar in California, beer and pizza at a Midwestern pub these are just a few ways to dine la Americana.

The worlds third-largest nation has made tremendous contributions to the arts. Georgia OKeeffes wild landscapes, Robert Rauschenbergs surreal collages, Alexander Calders elegant mobiles and Jackson Pollocks drip paintings have entered the vernacular of modern 20th-century art. Cities like Chicago and New York have become veritable drawing boards for the great archi- tects of the modern era. Musically speaking, America has few peers on the world stage. From the soulful blues born in the Mississippi Delta to the bluegrass of Appalachia and Detroits Motown sound, plus jazz, funk, hip-hop, country, and rock and roll America has invented sounds that are integral to modern music.

Statue of Liberty (), New York City
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Home to striving artists, hedge fund moguls and immigrants from every corner of the globe, New York City () is constantly reinventing itself. It remains one of the world centers of fashion, theater, food, music, publishing, advertising and finance. A staggering number of museums, parks and ethnic neighborhoods are scattered through the five boroughs. Do as every New Yorker does: hit the streets. Every block reflects the character and history of this dizzying kaleidoscope, and on even a short walk you can cross continents.

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Grand Canyon

Youve seen it on film, heard about it from all and sundry whove made the trip. Is it worth the hype? The answer is a resounding yes. The Grand Canyon () is vast and nearly incomprehensible in age it took 6 million years for the canyon to form and some rocks exposed along its walls are 2 billion years old. Peer over the edge and youll confront the great power and mystery of this earth we live on. Once you see it, no other natural phenemenon quite compares.

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Route 66

This ribbon of concrete was the USAs original road trip, connecting Chicago with Los Angeles in 1926. Youll find neon signs, motor courts, pie-filled diners and drive-in theaters along the way. The route was bypassed by I-40 in 1984, but many original sites remain, and tracing Route 66 () today is a journey through small-town America. Whether you do the whole length or just a stretch, youll come face to face with classic, nostalgic Americana.

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New Orleans

New Orleanians live to eat. The French, Spanish, Sicilians, Filipinos, Haitians, former Yugoslavians, Irish and Germans have all contributed to the gastro-amalgamation, making New Orleans () one of the most food-centric cities in the USA. Sure, theres unique history, gorgeous architecture and amazing music, but, in the end, a visit here turns out to be all about the food. Get out of the French Quarter and eat with the locals in Riverbend, Uptown, Faubourg Maringy and the Bywater for a true taste of Nawlins.

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Yellowstone National Park

Stunning natural beauty, amazing geology and some of the best wildlife watching in North America: these are just a few reasons why Yellowstone () has such star power among the worlds national parks. Divided into five distinct regions, this place is huge almost 3500 sq miles and you could spend many days exploring the parks wonders. Highlights include massive geysers, waterfalls, fossil forests, rugged mountains, scenic overlooks and gurgling mud pools with some 1100 miles of hiking trails providing the best way to take it all in.

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New England in Fall

Its a major event, one approaching epic proportions in New England (): watching the leaves change color. You can do it just about anywhere all you need is one brilliant tree. But if youre most people, youll want lots of trees. From the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut and the Berkshires in Massachusetts to Stowe in northern Vermont, entire hillsides blaze in brilliant crimsons, oranges and yellows. Covered bridges and white-steeple churches with abundant maple trees put Vermont and New Hampshire in the forefront of leaf-peeping heaven.