Zimmerman Karla - Lonely Planet’s Best of USA

BEST OF USA

TOP SIGHTS, AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

Welcome to the USA

America is home to such diverse cities as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million diff erent notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment.

This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where four million miles of highways lead past redrock deserts, below towering mountain peaks, and across fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The scenic country lanes of New England are a fine starting point for the great American road trip.

On one evening in the US, thick barbecue ribs and smoked brisket come piping hot at a Southern roadhouse, while talented chefs blend organic produce with Asian accents at award-winning West Coast restaurants. Steaming plates of fresh lobster served off a Maine pier, oysters and champagne in a fashion-forward wine bar in California, a decadent slice of deep-dish pizza in Chicago these are just a few ways to dine la Americana.

The USA 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 20th-century art, while Chicago and New York have become veritable drawing boards for the great architects of the modern era.

, San Francisco / FRANCISCO MARTINEZ / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

ULTIMATE USA ITINERARY PLAN YOUR TRIP

Start in Miami. Check out the Art Deco Historic District, lively Little Havana, splashy Miami Beach and nightlife-rich South Beach during a two-day stint.

1 hour or 4 hours

Head north to Walt Disney World. Spend one day in the Magic Kingdom, seeing Cinderellas Castle and the evening fireworks. The next day go on safari at Animal Kingdom.

1 hours or 9 hours

Drive or fly to New Orleans. Take two days to soak up the French Quarter manors, the Trems history, the spicy Creole food and jazzy clubs.

2 hours or 19 hours

Head to Chicago for a day of sky-high architecture, vast museums and hefty pizza.

3 hours or 26 hours

ULTIMATE USA ITINERARY PLAN YOUR TRIP

Fly or drive to Las Vegas for a few days of flashing neon, lavish casinos and eye-popping curiosities on the Strip.

5 hours

Drive to the Grand Canyon, Americas most mesmerizing abyss, for a couple of days of hiking.

7 hours

Motor on to Los Angeles and bask for three days amid Hollywoods movie stars and on Santa Monicas beaches.

1 hours or 6 to 7 hours

Go to San Francisco for two days, where the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and foodie-packed Ferry Building await.

4 hours

Drive to Yosemite National Park and immerse yourself in the jaw-dropping, granite-peaked beauty.

USAS TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP

Petite packs in a lot between its rolling hills, rocky peaks and 5000 miles of coastline. Boston is arguably the USAs most historic city site of the Boston Tea Party, Paul Reveres ride and the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Cape Cod is the perfect place to cool off on dune-backed beaches. Maines Acadia National Park offers towering sea cliffs and surf-pounded shores. Meanwhile, covered bridges, steeple churches and seafood shacks pop up across the region.

USAS TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP

No matter what your politics, its hard to not fall for the nations capital (). A buzz percolates among the citys grand boulevards, iconic monuments and power-broking buildings. Theres no better place for exploring American history, whether tracing your hand along the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, checking out the Constitution at the National Archives, or gaping at Abe Lincolns hat at the Smithsonian museums. Cobblestoned neighborhoods, groovy markets and jazzy bohemian quarters add to the vibe.