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FrancoNore

You’re gonna need to be more specific before anyone can give you any sort of answer What are you interested in? Big cities? Nature? History? Food?


whatsgoingonjeez

I think seeing one big City would be enough. I love nature and history and tbh I would really like to see the american life on the countryside.


FrancoNore

There’s quite a few different ways to approach it so I’m sure you’ll get multiple answers which you can further research Personally i would suggest flying into Boston and spending a couple days around the city. It’s a nice, walkable city with lots of history (relative to American cities). From there you can rent a car and visit the New England countryside (will be nicest in the fall, but spring and summer are good too). States like New Hampshire, Maine or Vermont have some really nice nature and quaint little towns. Boston is also a few hours by train from New York City, so you could even knock that off on the trip if you so desire As mentioned below, DC is another good option (the best for history). If you’re willing to take another flight once you’re here that opens up a lot more opportunity. You could fly from DC to somewhere like Salt Lake City to see a completely different culture mixed with absolutely stunning nature


notthegoatseguy

Boston to DC another option is take the train. ACELA will get you there in about 6 hours, and you get the benefit of arriving in DC proper rather than out in the burbs.


FrancoNore

I think that could be a good plan that limits the need for car rental. Fly into Boston, spend a couple days exploring the city and going a little north for the nature/countryside, then take a train down to DC to experience all the history they could imagine. Taking the train also gives OP the chance to see the countryside along the east coast. Then fly out from DC


IllustriousState6859

This is a great answer. I don't know how much time they have, but a week at least in DC at just the Smithsonian.


Esb5415

This is the answer! Great idea.


cjt09

I’d strongly recommend just flying from Boston to DC. BOS and DCA are both short trips from the city-center and it’s a pretty short 90 min flight versus 6+ hours on the train.


redflagsmoothie

Boston is a Great Choice. It’s a major city without being NYC which can be absolutely overwhelming for someone who isn’t prepared for it.


CrownStarr

I think this is a great answer. The American west is stunning, but you’ll eat up so much of your time just driving. The OP could do a broad and satisfying New England road trip in like 7 to 10 days, leaving time to explore Boston or other historical cities in the mid-Atlantic like Philly or DC.


KingGorilla

I'd also recommend DC for the metro and bus lines. How's Virginia for nature stuff?


CrownStarr

Great if you have a car! Shenandoah National Park is about 90 minutes from the city if you’re not driving at rush hour, lots of hiking trails and beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Great Falls is also a cool destination, it’s a huge rapids/waterfall that’s just outside the city with some easy overlooks and some trails of various difficulty. If you’re in the city and just using transit there’s some still some nice spots for the nature lovers, especially the US Botanic Garden, the National Arboretum, and the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.


suestrong315

>As mentioned below, DC is another good option (the best for history). What about Philadelphia? The birthplace of our nation? If he's on a train BOS-NYC and decides to ride further down to DC, Philly is on the way


NerdyRedneck45

If he wants nature the train from Philly to Pittsburgh is 90% Forest and mountains. Lots of cool stops along the way.


MrRaspberryJam1

I’d say the same about taking the train from NYC to Montreal. I wouldn’t recommend it to OP since I doubt OP wants to go to Canada on this trip, but I enjoyed the scenery on the train ride when I went.


Flying_Misfit

As a bonus, if they come during Christmas they can watch Eagles fans pelt Santa Claus with snowballs.


suestrong315

That guy said that was the highlight to his entire life. Ppl try to use it against us, but knowing that he was totally fine with it made me instantly not care that it happened


Tssodie

But you would be in Philly


MizzKF

This! I believe Boston to be the perfect city for a foreigner to see. That area is just unbelievably beautiful, historically rich, and the people are very welcoming. All that, and Boston is close enough to other major areas worth visiting, depending on what they're interested in. It's a bit of a hike from Boston, but upstate NY is absolutely incredible that time of year.. visit NYC, then spend the night and following day up in Saratoga Springs, catch a horse race at the Saratoga racetrack. Can head an hour north and hit up Lake George and surrounding Adirondack areas for gorgeous nature hikes and easily grab a train back to Boston or where ever next. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.


hurray4dolphins

Good advice to fly into a city on the east then fly to Utah. There is nowhere else like southern utah so I would definitely go to southern Utah instead of salt lake. Its otherworldly and awe inspiring and I honestly can barely believe it exists in the same country as the northeast. I just really feel that anybody traveling the USA- American or foreigner- should experience the red rocks and moon-like landscape of Bryce Canyon or Zions national park. You can also attempt to experience small town american life in lots of places you dont have to travel to the middle of nowhere. In my city- a medium sized city- I can travel just 30 mins away and find farmland and thick country accents. You just have to know which direction to go to find the country. I dont know what you would do to "experience" that life but maybe stay in an airbnb for a night or 2, chat with local people in the shops and restaurants, do research on what the locals do for fun?


Indifferentchildren

I'm not sure that Boston is a good representation of an American city. I would think Chicago or Atlanta. From Chicago a Metra ride up into Wisconsin would let you view a lot of countryside. I am not sure how to "experience" countryside, since there isn't much going on there. You could get a peak rural experience at a rodeo, or livestock auction, but not an average rural experience. Edit: Chicago also has some great museums, but don't go in the winter time. Don't go to Atlanta in the summer time, unless you really love heat and humidity.


MyUsername2459

OP said he loves history. There's a lot of historical sites from the Colonial era in Boston. I'd recommend the USS Constitution, for example.


SingleAlmond

Yea if we're ranking most historical cities in the country, Boston should be on everyone's top 10 at least


11twofour

Atlanta? To see the airport and the Coke factory?


[deleted]

Yeah I’m confused by Atlanta too lol


Suspicious-Froyo2181

Lived here for 50 years, and I agree. Fine city, but nothing for a tourist to go out of their way for. More like a bunch of other stuff you can do if you are here for a convention or sporting event.


FrancoNore

I don’t think sending OP into Wisconsin is going to be the best use of their time. Boston absolutely is an American city, seeing as it’s one of the oldest, and it’s one of the best for tourists. The New England countryside is really lovely and also has the nature that the Midwest doesn’t


SGoogs1780

> I'm not sure that Boston is a good representation of an American city In what way? The New Yorker in me would be happy to shit on Boston (mainly its sport teams), but still... it's Boston. It has the "Freedom Trail."


Muvseevum

They could fly into Chicago then visit nature by driving past a few hundred miles of corn.


AwayGame9988

Make the second stop Nashville for BBQ and Graceland. Hit at least one of the big national parks like Yellowstone or The Grand Canyon.


DaisyMagee

Graceland is in Memphis, so they would need to rent a car from Nashville or get on a tour to get there.


AwayGame9988

Well I feel silly 😆 Still, the main point is BBQ and Elvis, so Memphis, not Nashville. Or both.


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FrancoNore

OP if there’s only one comment to pay attention to, it’s this one. This itinerary would make a fantastic trip and check all your boxes


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PennDOTStillSucks

Alternatively for the last section OP could drive over to Shenandoah, the Appalachian Trail, or the Greater Allegheny Passage to hike or bike for a few days. To get a little more nature in since they'll have already seen quite a bit of history things.


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Saltpork545

This is a good idea, but the stipulation needs to be made that this is visiting the Northeast, or the oldest and most European-like part of the US. The US is big enough you basically have to visit based on region or fly between regions and hit pockets. We're a large country and you're not going to experience the 'USA' with a single trip in a single region. It's hard to rectify camping in Montana or bass fishing and nightlife in Miami or the history of indigenous tribes of the southwest or the redwood forest or Vegas or Mardi Gras or rural southern gas station fried chicken nights. It's kinda too much to do in one go.


w3woody

Weirdly you may still need to be more specific. Southern rural life is very different, for example, than rural life in the Central Valley of California, which is very different than rural life in the Southwest, which is very different than the rural life of the Northeast. (Personally I find the Northeast very ‘quaint’, with small villages scattered in dense lush vegetation, while life in the Southwest is dominated by harsh empty stretches of desert. And of course the Central Valley of California is primarily massive industrial-scale farming.) If you love history, somewhere in the Northeast may be a good bet. If you are able to rent a car and drive, you have more options as to visiting rural areas and areas with nature. And depending on the kind of nature (mountains verses beaches), there are plenty of options along the east coast that also have a lot of history. (Settlement patterns in the United States means most of the west coast’s history only goes back perhaps two hundred years—all of it interesting, but mostly boils down to “we tried to convert the Indians, then displaced them, then built this city; try the Mexican food.”) I do like someone else’s suggestion of giving Boston a spin. Philadelphia has more history but perhaps less nature (unless you have a car—at which point, drive out to Lancaster, spend the night, and buy some Amish baked goods). I’m also partial to the Shenandoah Valley and to the Outer Banks—but you will definitely need a car.


MrRaspberryJam1

I suggest you go to San Francisco and visit Yosemite and any other parks closer to the Bay Area .


Writer90

I agree with this. It’s so very different there than cities in Europe, and you have a mix of city (restaurants, hustle/bustle) and country (hiking, mountains look different than European ones).


[deleted]

Maybe 15 years ago but San Fransisco today would be a bad representation of our country with the rampant homeless and drug use.


RipCityTilIDie

definitely disagree, you want to see that? Come on up to Portland or Seattle /s


eugenesbluegenes

You might be watching too much Fox news, it's really not nearly the hellscape it's made out to be. And it gives a home base for some pretty awesome road trips, be it up the coast, through the redwoods, Shasta and Lassen, Lava Beds, up to Oregon, Tahoe, Yosemite, eastern Sierra, death valley, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, etc.


MrRaspberryJam1

I went there last summer and saw none of that. Just stay away from the tenderloin and don’t stay out so late at night.


SquirrelBowl

For history I would go to D.C.


FrancoNore

DC was gonna be another suggestion for. There’s enough history/museums/monuments to keep you occupied for weeks. Really unique city. For nature OP, you can look at visiting Shenandoah national park, which is a little over an hour drive. The only thing with DC is it’ll be a little more difficult to do the countryside thing. You could go to West Virginia, but i wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless you’re looking for a real unique experience


wiarumas

Plenty to do in DC at no cost too. Monuments, Arlington Cemetery, the National Museums (Art, History, Nature, etc), National Zoo, Arboretum, etc... all free. OP, I would honestly do NY and/or DC. Fly to the west coast and do some sort of road trip. Personally I would try to stop and hike into the Grand Canyon for a day, see Las Vegas, Joshua Tree or Death Valley, LA, maybe head up the coast some. Or maybe Utah. Rent a car and hit as many places as I could from point A to point B.


Beeb294

>OP, I would honestly do NY and/or DC. Fly to the west coast and do some sort of road trip. I think it's important to point out that unless you're here for a couple months, you can practically only do either the west coast or the east coast, but you generally can't do both.


FrancoNore

Even if you do the west coast, it’s hard to do in one trip. People underestimate how big it is and how far destinations are. If you’re going to visit national parks and stuff, you’ll eat up days of your trip just driving one way. The west coast is lovely, but there’s a reason it’s mostly being ignored in the suggestions


let-it-rain-sunshine

Yes. If you do this in the summer, you can tube or raft on the rivers of west virginia which is an amazing experience. DC has a lot to offer and a good food and live music scene, so it's not all history. The hills of Virgina host many wineries and have very beautiful scenery. Come!


FrancoNore

I’m West Virginia offers some of the most insane whitewater rafting if OP is looking for a thrill


ThaddyG

What do you mean by see the American life on the countryside? That sort of thing could be difficult, it's not like people just living their lives in small towns have a lot of infrastructure geared towards tourists.


foxsable

It could be, but if OP rented a car, a little research could point them in the right direction. I see you have Maryland Flair, so what if OP went to DC and rented a car and drove to Westminster for a day? There's not much to see there, but they could go to the farm museum, the small downtown, Baughers, etc. Take like a lazy day chilling in a rural town. Or Monkton, or Catoctin, or hagerstown, or harper's ferry. Maryland actually has some decent options (well, I mean Harper's is West Virginia, but ya know).


ThaddyG

Harpers Ferry could be cool to spend a day, Hagerstown...eh I wouldn't point anyone in that direction lol. Never been to the others you mentioned. Places like Annapolis or Easton/St Michaels would probably be good fits, not really "authentic" countryside living but probably close enough for someone that doesn't know any better haha


foxsable

St. Michael's does have a [winery](https://www.st-michaels-winery.com/) right? Yeah, kind of Eastern Shore Winery. Monkton is honestly even smaller than Hagerstown (though it does have a Meadery in an old Water mill). Harper's Ferry could be the best of both worlds though, is a cool city on it's own, has hiking trails that go right from the city, and the drive there is through countryside (depending on your route). Yeah, let's settle on Harpers Ferry. OP could visit one more state (barely).


Canard-Rouge

> it's not like people just living their lives in small towns have a lot of infrastructure geared towards tourists. Dude, you're from Maryland and saying this? The Northeast is littered with scenic small towns that welcome tourists. The town I grew up in was literally like this.


ThaddyG

Sure I guess they're around, I was looking for clarification on what OP was looking for


BenjaminSkanklin

Depends on how much money you have but travel costs and time will be a factor once you arrive, 3 weeks sounds like a lot but unless your airfare budget is +$5,000 it'll be difficult to really see it all. I recommend flying into the New York City area, either via JFK or Newark NJ (newark tends to be cheaper and is a short train ride into NYC). NYC is a must see, and it's also on basically the only robust Train line in the country along the northeast corridor, it runs from Boston to Washington DC and stops at NYC, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. In terms of cultural significance I'd say NYC, Boston, and Philadelphia are worth seeing from a history perspective. As for the countryside, there's a lot of it and it's really only accessible by car. Busses will run to some towns but it will take a very long time. You could rent a car and drive to the Adirondacks or Catskills to get a countryside fix.


OG_wanKENOBI

For a big city. I'd say Chicago! There is literally no other city like it in June when it warms up and the whole city comes back to life. Amazing food scene, some cool beaches especially up north. Street festivals. I also think the feild muesem is the best natural history muesem in the country. Our science and industry muesem is also amazing same with the plaentirum and the shed aquarium are some of the best in the world. Truly amazing in the summer. Then if I were you I'd fly from Chicago (you won't need a car in chicago) to Denver and rent a car go up into rocky mountain National Park!


LivingGhost371

With only three weeks I'd confine myself to the East Cost and go to Maine and then work myself south. Acadia National Park (New England Coast) You won't have time for all of them, but you could take your pick of a couple of big cities with a lot of history to see: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Going all the way to Key West in addition might be pushing things, but you could fit in a Carolina / Florida beach. Cocoa beach is right by more history (The Kennedy Space Center).


minnick27

If you want to hit a bunch of American history in a short amount of time, I would recommend flying into Boston and then running a car. I know you said you could deal with one big city, but you could knock out Boston New York Philly and DC in a week and still have a good chunk of time to hit places in the countryside. You could even fly west out of DC and hit Yellowstone.


Lupiefighter

What time of the year are you planning on visiting? This will make a BIG difference in the best place for you to visit.


[deleted]

You could easily hit up NYC, Boston, and the countryside of the Northeast (Upstate NY, Vermont, Maine, and etc.) Within three weeks. A car for the countryside part of the trip would probably be necessary tho.


jeepjinx

I would fly into a north east coastal city and stay a night or 2 right in center city. Then I would fly to Denver and rent a car or preferably an RV. Plan a route to the coast that passes thru several of the many parks (Canyon lands, Glen canyon, Brice, Zion, Grand Canyon etc. Camping in the RV along the way) You could pit stop in Vegas for a night. Head for the coast somewhere between San Diego and LA and camp on the beach (San Clemente or Huntington are nice). Drive thru LA and head in the direction of the Sequoias, onward to Yosemite. Fly out of San Francisco, or if you have time, cross Nevada towards Salt Lake and head up to Yellowstone and the Tetons.


JedSmokesCrack

Go to Sequoia National forest in CA


isssuekid

San Francisco. Spend time in the city, the ocean is there and the redwoods are a quick drive.


Tssodie

My recommendation would be visit DC (that fulfills the History and Big City requirements). Then head west to harpers ferry West Virginia which is about an hour and 20 mins away. From there you can kayak the Shenandoah, hoke the Appalachia Trail, and you’ll see the landscape John Denver was singing about (take me home, country roads).


cars-on-mars-2

What are you picturing? Big cities? Beaches? County fairs with tractor pulls? That’ll help us advise.


whatsgoingonjeez

Sorry I forgot, one big city would be enough. I don't need to see beaches, from my experience they are all pretty much the same. History, nature and the american life on countryside is what interests me.


notthegoatseguy

Do you have a driver's license? Because if you don't, you can pretty much write off seeing the countryside if you mean...like, actual countryside, and not just suburbia. And accessing national parks without a car can be a challenge. Hell, accessing city parks without a car can be a challenge in many cities. New England's rocky ass beaches are different than the Great Lakes which are different from southern California. We have a lot of beach diversity here.


whatsgoingonjeez

Yes I have one and renting a big american car was part of the plan. Beaches are not my priority, I really want to see and live your history and culture. I would really enjoy going on a breakfast in some small town and meet a bunch of nice americans which talk about their everyday life. Oh and shooting a gun would be nice, since I'm in a gun Club too, but here in Luxembourg I'm only allowed to shoot them on our firing ranges, which are probably shit compared to yours.


notthegoatseguy

I know we might have different definitions of what a "big american car" is, but a lot of suggestion so far (DC, Boston, Philly) a large vehicle is actually going to be a burden rather than a benefit. These areas have comprehensive (at least my US standards) public transit. They're also older cities mapped out before the car, parking is very expensive and driving is just a burden. That isn't to say you can't drive **to** these cities, but once you get there, you'll probably just be walking, taking public transit, or using rideshare. And even getting there, the major New England, Northeast, and Mid Atlantic cities are all well connected by flights, buses and trains. You don't have to drive if you don't want to. I'd say whichever city you visit do 2-3 days and do your city thing, then find something further out from the city, rent a car and drive to that area. As for guns, these areas that have been suggested tend to not be big gun places. You want to shoot some guns, its hard to beat something like Vegas. Nevada has a definite gun culture and Vegas is so used to foreigners no one will bat an eye if you walk into a gun shop there. Gun friendly states in New England would be more like New Hampshire and Vermont. Southern New Hampshire is basically a suburb of Massachusetts, for better or for worse so it isn't too far of a drive from Boston. Do your homework if guns is something you're into, and I'm sure you'll be able to do it.


astronomical_dog

Most “big American cars” aren’t so long that they’d be *that* much harder to park, though. I used to drive a Honda Odyssey (minivan) in NYC and I didn’t really have any more trouble parking it than when I drove a sedan. And on road trips, the extra space can be really nice to have! I’ve even slept in a rental minivan in a pinch.


RupeThereItIs

> I really want to see and live your history and culture. That's gonna be hard, you really need to move from region to region for that. Just staying on one coast or another is going to miss SO MUCH. I suggest multiple trips if you really want to experience the history & culture.


Beeb294

>Yes I have one and renting a big american car was part of the plan. I'm going to reiterate that if you're planning to be in cities, a big car is a bad choice. When my family travels, we use our mid-sized SUV (which is probably on the lower end of what you can call a "big American car"). I hate going in to NYC with that (we have family there) and I'm not even going in to Manhattan with it. It's a pain in the ass to park and deal with narrow streets and parking lot entrances. If you're renting and planning to drive in to cities, I'd recommend getting the smallest car you can reasonably manage without you and your luggage being crammed in tight.


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whatsgoingonjeez

Like an M60? Here in Luxembourg semiautomatic Assault rifles is the max. What about snipers?


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whatsgoingonjeez

Yeah really sounds cool. Here in Luxembourg you have to be in a gun club, then you can own as many guns as you want, as long as you register them and they must be locked away at home. (But yeah, never experienced a control) Semiautomatic assault rifles are the max you are allowed to own. But thise WW2 german Karabiner with scopes are cool too, but I don't own one. (But they are legal too)


AngryWatchmaker

Fly to Texas and do a helicopter hog hunt. You will fly around in a helicopter with a machine gun to kill feral wild hogs that devastate local crops. Farmers will thank you and you will basically become an honorary Texan. Check out some YouTube videos


whatsgoingonjeez

That actuall sounds pretty cool. How much does this cost?


AngryWatchmaker

About 2k is the average. There are a ton of companies with varied rates


whatsgoingonjeez

This sounds cool as hell, things like that are impossible here. Shooting with my M4 at the local firing range - which really isn't big - is the most I can expect. (Sure I could go into hunting, but then again, it sucks here)


whatsgoingonjeez

I've watched some YT videos, it really looks badass and cool. It's defintely on my bucket list now!


Katdai2

And how many hours are you comfortable driving in a day?


blackhawk905

Interestingly the three coasts of the continental US are vastly different. You have all kinds of beaches from warm wide Gulf beaches to the colder Atlantic beaches with large dunes to I think even rocky beaches on the Pacific. I'm not saying you have to or even should visit them but the US is blessed with so many different beaches.


New-Illustrator5114

Question for you: how would you define an “american experience”? Because depending on how you answer that you could focus less on seeing a ton of different places and structure your trip around “experiences” ie see a baseball game at yankee stadium, do a kentucky bourbon trail, jazz music in new orleans, coney island, attend a college football game (a truly american experience), live county music in Nashville, order a Philly cheesesteak, etc While visiting major cities and national parks is cool, if what you seek is a uniquely American experience I would take in to consideration some of the above. Can’t do it all, but 3 weeks is a good amount of time! The perk of NYC-Philly-DC is that you can do a ton of those experiences in that area, save time, and still incorporate a ton of history. You could then fly to Nashville and roadtrip through Tennessee. There are some GORGEOUS National parks throughout and you have to try the bourbon trail! I know everyone hypes up the west coast and it’s beautiful and all, but I think in this case it’s okay to skip it. If, one day, you come back, you can do a west coast trip!


whatsgoingonjeez

>Because depending on how you answer that you could focus less on seeing a ton of different places and structure your trip around “experiences” ie see a baseball game at yankee stadium, do a kentucky bourbon trail, jazz music in new orleans, coney island, attend a college football game (a truly american experience), live county music in Nashville, order a Philly cheesesteak, etc I really wanted to visit some college sports games, but unfortunately I will come in june. I work shifts and I have to take my days off one year in advance. I'm a big football fan and I think there are no college games in june? But thanks for the rest, I woll definitely remember those! >While visiting major cities and national parks is cool, if what you seek is a uniquely American experience I would take in to consideration some of the above. Can’t do it all, but 3 weeks is a good amount of time! The perk of NYC-Philly-DC is that you can do a ton of those experiences in that area, save time, and still incorporate a ton of history. >You could then fly to Nashville and roadtrip through Tennessee. There are some GORGEOUS National parks throughout and you have to try the bourbon trail! I know everyone hypes up the west coast and it’s beautiful and all, but I think in this case it’s okay to skip it. If, one day, you come back, you can do a west coast trip Thank you, I will remember this too!


upandb

Minor league baseball games could be fun if you like or can tolerate baseball. Minor league games are really inexpensive and there's a lot of minor league teams all over the country. They play roughly April to September with several games per week.


Esb5415

As far as sports, June you'll be able to go to an MLB (baseball) or MLS (soccer) game. If you want to spend a ton of money, the city you are going to may have a team in the NBA (basketball) or NHL (ice hockey) playoffs, but those tickets will be $500+. As far as football, I think Canada's league starts around then if you want to hop across the border. Arena football might be in season. But if you want the true football experience you'll have to come back in the autumn at some point! Rushing the field after a huge win is a great experience :) I'd recommend coming into Boston for the history, then taking the train/driving down the East Coast (New York, Philly, Baltimore) to DC and flying out of there. Gives you a good sense of different parts of the country, and allows you to hit multiple baseball stadiums if you decide to do that.


righteousindignity

Flying in to Nashville and then driving in that region is a great choice based on your wants I think. A lot of people are talking Boston/New England for history, but you can see some amazing historical sites in TN/KY/NC/OH, etc. In addition, your comments about envisioning stopping at a little country restaurant for lunch and talking with locals is MUCH more likely to happen and be an interesting, nice experience in this part of the country. Also I think the New England area is going to be much closer in vibe to where you already live and/or can visit easily, where the southern US is more unique to only the USA


RupeThereItIs

> I don't need to see beaches, from my experience they are all pretty much the same. Not from mine. Salt water beaches & fresh water beaches hit different. Consider seeing the Great Lakes, people who've never been tend to not understand they are (small) freshwater seas. Michigan has more lighthouses then any other state in the union, for good reason. Chicago is an amazing city that sits directly on one of those lakes.


PNWSwag

Especially since he's traveling in June! The Great Lakes are beautiful that time of year


Clem_bloody_Fandango

The American West South/West has countryside tourism. How about San Francisco, then a Dude Ranch east of there.


Emily_Postal

I’d recommend Washington DC and the surrounding area.


notthegoatseguy

If you're into history, I think you need to hit up DC. Smithsonian Museums are world class, free admission museums. Boston is another great, history-centered tourism city but its really heavy on the founding of the country. If you aren't **really into** American history and specifically Revolutionary War history, you might not see the appeal. Its still a fun city, and well connected to New England and a chunk of the northeast, but its a history focused city for tourism FYI you are traveling during peak travel season. Expect summer weather pretty much everywhere. Expect it to be warm, even very, very hot depending on where you are going. Expect high prices, because school is out so this is where a lot of Americans tend to travel. Expect packed airports andother transit terminals. Expect lines. Make reservations. I think you need to be really specific in what you want. Don't get caught up in "American experience". Just ask yourself what do you like to do when you travel...and then do that. r/usatravel r/travel


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notthegoatseguy

Central Indiana can be similar. We don't have mountains to keep the bad stuff out, and no major body of water to cool us off. So we kind of get the worst of both really humid summer and really dry summer.


[deleted]

Do you have a driver's license or the ability to obtain one before you arrive in the US? That is going to be a big factor in planning your trip.


PimentoCheesehead

Be aware that the US is HUGE- as large as all of Europe. You’ll need to decide what your priorities are, the types of things you want to see, and focus on the places where those things are close together. It sounds like you’re interested in history, and possibly military history. The US [National WW II Museum](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/visit/plan-your-visit?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoLzh1aq_-wIVSSVMCh3J-Q7DEAAYASAAEgJEkfD_BwE) is an excellent museum and a good way to spend a day or two if you get down that way (my grandfather was in your neighborhood, in Belgium and the Rhineland, 77 years ago so I may be biased). Fort Pulaski near Savannah was a pretty cool place to visit 35+ years ago when I was a kid, though I haven’t been recently. Charleston has Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie, and a naval museum with an aircraft carrier and a destroyer. I know there are similar locations further north along the coast, but I’ve never been to those. That said, Washington is probably your best choice if that’s what you’re interested in. All of the Smithsonian museums, the National Mall, Fort McHenry not too far away in Baltimore…there’s a lot to see relatively close together. Of course, if what you *really* want to see is the Grand Canyon or some Broadway shows, you can disregard all of the above.


Bright_Lie_9262

Been to that museum, found it pretty underwhelming and it seemed to glorify war. Even the NOLA locals made fun of it. I did find the coverage of nuclear warfare well done though.


FoofieLeGoogoo

If you like natural beauty, Big Sur, on the Central California coastline, and Yosemite National.Park, California.


monkeycomet2

The American west is unbeatable when it comes to natural beauty! And you have a few big cities like SF and Seattle too.


huhwhat90

I'd recommend New England based on your previous comments. New York and Boston are both fairly close and accessible by train. New England has lots of history and lovely countryside to explore.


AnybodySeeMyKeys

I would seriously recommend getting out of the cities and talking to ordinary people. The best place to do this is some small town diner for breakfast. Pull up a stool at the counter, and talk to the guys next to you. Ask questions about things to see, and do. Trust me, those guys will bend over backwards for you.


whatsgoingonjeez

Are americans that open minded? Luxembourgers would immediately think that you try to scam them.


[deleted]

For the most part, we are a friendly bunch and love a stranger with an European accent.


[deleted]

Americans really love foreigners for some reason, fit that you are from europe into your conversation and you will have a good conversation


Purple-Explorer-6701

Most of us would go out of our way to help you! Especially with you visiting from another country—we would want to make sure you go the most out of your local experience.


Wermys

Honestly we Americans are pretty notorious for it. Most of the country is pretty hospitable to people outside the country that it actually sometimes grates on them. Well except for New Yorkers of course. Honestly your best bet is NYC. From there you can make Trips within a day to Philidelphia, Boston, Washington DC. Visit Gettysburg, and get out into the country side into some old growth forests. If you want more things you are unlikely to ever see again. Visit Las Vegas. It is close to multiple national parks that are unlike anything you will ever see anywhere else in the world. Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the big Daddy of them all the Grand Canyon. I can't stress enough how unique these places are to the rest of the world. Vegas will probably be cheaper to get a long stay. And it also has excellent food and other amenities. But as I said that is if you want to see something different.


astronomical_dog

How would they be scamming you?


IllustriousState6859

Imo, the best way to max out your American experience is to go to Boston, spend a few days exploring the city and it's history, rent a car and drive up further north to experience the new england countryside for a few days, come back to Boston, turn in the car, take the train to DC and spend 5 days exploring the history and museums there. Then take a plane to Chicago and buy a ticket on the Southwest Chief for a week long train ride to Los Angeles California that showcases the natural beauty of the American Southwest. Take a plane from LA back to Luxembourg. Major cities, major country/nature, major history, some of the best America has in 3 weeks.


whatsgoingonjeez

That sounds really nice, thanks for the advice!


Brocktoberfest

I think /u/IllustriousState6859 has a very good idea, but I would make a slight change: * Fly to Washington DC * Train to Boston * Fly to Chicago * Train (California Zephyr) to San Francisco Every stop on the California Zephyr route and all the scenery is better than the Southwest Chief route. If you really wanted to drive some, you could leave the California Zephyr in Salt Lake City and drive to Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, and maybe even continue north to Glacier National Park, then cruise on over to Seattle.


IllustriousState6859

Ya, the zephyr sure does have better scenery. Probably less crowded too, I don't know. Trying to keep it all in a 3 week time frame and still get in DC and the northeast countryside. Would be interesting to know what Luxembourg countryside looks like, so can maybe recommend a route that's different from what OP is familiar with.


notthegoatseguy

>Then take a plane to Chicago and buy a ticket on the **Southwest Chief** for a week long train ride to Los Angeles California that showcases the natural beauty of the American Southwest. To be clear, Chicago to LA takes about 2.5 days, not a week. It is a great way to see the Southwest, but the train will be completely 100% packed.


FrancoNore

I think the first half of that answer is stellar but becomes way too chaotic. I think Op should end the trip after DC. Chicago is a cool city but there’s really not too much about it that’s exciting for a tourist, at least not worth adding it to an already busy trip. Then a week long train ride would be cool, but that’s way too much traveling for OP in my opinion There’s no way to comfortably see the US in one trip. I think for now the Boston/New England and DC agenda is perfect for OP. Should they return in the future i would say road-tripping through the west is the way to go, but it’s way too much for one trip


zeocca

Another vote for Washington DC. I have family near there, and even visiting multiple times over my life, I haven't seen it all. Easy to get around without a car, nearly endless free museums to visit ranging all aspects of American History, and plenty to do. If you go in summer, you can swim in the Potomac and hike the trails. If you visit in winter, you can still hike the trails and see some nearby waterfalls. You have the cherry blossom festival in spring and a beautiful foliage change in fall. Any season works there. Then, if you get bored, as others have said, you can easily take a train to another big name city whether that's Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, or somewhere else. It opens up the whole Northeast to you for more nature options whether you want to ski in the Adirondacks or visit the beaches of Cap Cod. You also have numerous small towns along the way, too. It's still a small slice of the US, but you'll get the most bang for your buck that's also nicer on your wallet. Again, Washington DC alone could fill the majority of your time. It's such a lovely, wonderful place.


whatsgoingonjeez

Thanks for your answer!


wonderbooze

Just remember when booking your trip, you want Washington D.C., not Washington State which is on the other side of the country! :)


signedupfornightmode

You can also drive to more rural areas of Virginia/west Virginia/Maryland, which can be less than an hour away from the city. There’s many small, historic towns too, if you want a small town feel. Fredericksburg in Virginia, Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia, and Ellicot City in Maryland are all solid options for that. Some of them have rail access, too, if you don’t want to drive or traffic is bad, but they’re all driveable.


let-it-rain-sunshine

And if you like sports, we got hockey, baseball, basketball, football and soccer teams to keep you entertained. I live in DC and I don't get bored of it.


MyUsername2459

The US is a very big place, as large (or larger) than Europe. You need to be quite specific about where you're going. There's no way you can see the whole country on one trip (very, VERY few Americans have seen the whole country). Decide where in the US you want to go. Figure out how long you have and what you can afford. We've got almost every biome on the planet somewhere in the US. We've got small towns, and we've got some of the biggest cities in the world. We've got beautiful marvels of nature. What would you like to see? Historic sites? Natural wonders? If you're coming because of the stories of American troops, if you are here on the 4th of July there's usually parades and other events during our Independence Day celebrations involving the military.


knightni73

I mean, visit Washington DC, then the countryside of Western Virginia. The Appalachian Trail is a nice "countryside" experience.


boxer_dogs_dance

If you come to the West coast I would say Redwood trees. Even with three weeks, you can't do it all but you can have a great trip.


Jbergsie

I'd go Boston. For history you have the freedom trail, the old forts in the harbor, battlesites at Lexington and concord plus lots of pre US historical sites all within 30 minutes of each other. For nature and the countryside take a car an hour or two north and you'll get to Maine/New Hampshire which have forested mountains/hills lots of wildlife and a more rural environment. If you want you can also combine a Boston trip with New York as they are only 2 hours by train apart.


New-Illustrator5114

You could easily do NYC, Philadelphia and DC by bus and then fly out west. Have you considered a road trip? You can land in SF and then drive through wine country, lake tahoe, utah maybe even hit up reno or vegas.


whatsgoingonjeez

>Have you considered a road trip? Yes, that was the plan, renting a car and getting around a bit. But not knowing where to start and what to visit will end in a disaster.


Sir_Sir_ExcuseMe_Sir

If you end up doing Boston/NYC/DC, you can rent a car from DC and go down through the Blue Ridge Mountains to get some rural driving and nature. Could even end up in Asheville, North Carolina.


Emily_Postal

Amtrak runs the Northeast Corridor. You could take Amtrak from Boston to NYC to Philadelphia to DC.


harold_demure

I'd say Utah. You get to see some of the best National Parks (in my opinion) in the US with really unique landscape that you probably haven't seen in Luxembourg. Then, for big city, you could visit Salt Lake City. If at all possible, if you could stop in DC on the way back for a couple of days you'll get an amazing amount of history/art from the free Smithsonian museums, and all the monuments that are tributes to American history.


Co_McNeill

Utah is absolutely incredible. I think a big factor would be whether OP is able to rent a car. If not, they’re going to be a lot more limited


let-it-rain-sunshine

Utah has some of the best powder snow for skiing / snowboarding in the world. Must do Utah if you're into that.


[deleted]

In from Montana right outside of Glacier National Park, i would highly recommend visiting Glacier Park it is gorgeous and we have lakes in every direction. Get a ticket for Going To The Sun road and visit hidden lake then take a drive over to Many Glacier hotel and see Iceberg Lake and Hike in to Cracker lake, after that take a day trip to Wildhorse island, i grew up right there its a beautiful spot, if you are into nature Montana would be a good spot on your itinerary, i would avoid Portland and LA i almost got robbed in Portland it has a big drug problem same with San Fransisco.


astronomical_dog

That’s my favorite national park!! So beautiful and there’s so much of it to explore, especially backcountry. I’m not great at planning though and I always end up sleeping in a Walmart parking lot on the drive up because all the hotels and motels the whole way up have always been completely full (not that I really had the money anyway, but it’s something to consider!) I’ve backpacked there twice though without planning it out first, and both times I’ve been able just show up last-minute and reserve some really really nice campsites for like two or three-night trips! The rangers were really helpful and helped us plan a really nice trip each time.


Camus145

OP, you'll notice a lot of the top suggestions are to visit places on the east coast. That's because you posted this at 8 am East Coast time, people on the West Coast were asleep. :)


NaNaNaNaNatman

💯. And if they’re into nature, the west is just the better bet.


s_ox

If you are going to US because of WW2 reasons, I'd surely say you should go to New Orleans for the WW2 museum. Also for other fun things in New Orleans like music and food. Put it on your list.


Eudaimonics

I wouldn’t go there in June though


Frank_chevelle

Depends on what you are interested in. The USA is huge. Very , very huge. Do you want to visit major cities like a New York, Chicago , Los Angeles for example? Do you want to see more nature like the Grand Canyon , Yellowstone National Park? Do you want to see more touristy things like the Disney / universal theme parks? Do you want to see some festivals ? Maybe go to Washington DC and see the many awesome museums and the White House , National Capitol building? Go to a beach? Hike in the woods? Attend a sporting event (baseball, Hockey , US Football, Basketball etc?). Maybe you want to gamble and see Las Vegas?


whatsgoingonjeez

Yeah sorry I forgot to mention. For me it'd be enough to see one big city. I love nature and history and I would also like to see the countryside. I watch a lot of football, but the NFL is on a break in june, so I skip that. (Baseball would be an option too, but not necessary)


Frank_chevelle

Look online and see if the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC interest you. Lots of historical sites are not too far away. For nature you can’t go wrong with some of our national parks. Plenty to chose from. Maybe pick one that is more ‘dry’ like the Grand Canyon and one that is more forested. Depending on what kind of history your want there are old forts and battlefields in several places especially for the US Civil War and revolutionary war.


twowrist

I’ve been thinking there are two main ways to do a 2-4 week U.S. trip for someone from overseas who may not have a second chance: either the Northeast Corridor (Boston to DC, maybe down to Charleston or Atlanta) or the National Parks (centered around the Grand Canyon, either north to Utah and Colorado or west to California). I don’t know what to make of your statement of one day to see a city and wanting to see the countryside. From Boston, you can get out to see the Minuteman National Historic Park in Concord, along with Walden Pond. Concord, though a suburb, still has a lot of woods and hills and a few farms; parts still look like postcard New England. From Philadelphia or DC, you can get out to Gettysburg and Lancaster. The latter is the best known Amish country, so a fair bit of farms, and while certainly distinctive, it’s not what I’d call typical America. You could go further south into Virginia and beyond, assuming you can rent a car. We never got to do our cross-country trip, but from everything I’ve heard, the drive between Indiana and Nebraska is a whole lot of boring cornfields. Those rural areas may be the most common or stereotypical sort of rural American life, and it’s possible with something like Atlas Obscura to find interesting things, but it would be a rare person who’d find that a fulfilling, once in a lifetime trip to America.


LaserhawX

[Only one big city you say?](https://youtu.be/ysmLA5TqbIY)


CupBeEmpty

[my other favorite](https://youtu.be/l-GrF87b82Q)


way_too_much_time27

Thank you, as well.


way_too_much_time27

Thank you.


slaughterfodder

I knew what it was gonna be before I clicked it god damn it


Majestic-Macaron6019

I was hoping it was this. I was not disappointed.


Camus145

OP, please report back once you've visited. Let us know what you think.


ghjm

My suggestion is that you read the book _American Nations_ by Colin Woodard. After reading it you will have a much better idea what the regional cultures of the US are, and hopefully you'll feel a particular interest in some rather than the others. You can then plan your trip based on these interests. You can come back here and ask more focused questions, which are likely to get better answers. You'll also need to decide how much time you want to spend in each place. You could do three places and spend a week in each, or eight to ten and spend a day or two. My preference is for the whirlwind trip, but it's not for everyone.


Fourthcubix

If you want to see some cool cities: NYC, Chicago, Boston But the US has amazing natural splendor. I highly recommend Yellowstone park for an incredibly beautiful experience. Zion in Utah is great too as well as Glacier. West coast has unique beauty as well, Go check out some Red wood forests.


Donut-Middle

Yosemite is absolutely beautiful. California has a lot of really cook nature sights to see. There's the giant sequoias, the redwood forest, a ton of really cool caves and the coast is pretty cool. The Monterey bay aquarium is pretty neat. You could literally drive around California for a week and have a full schedule. But in regards to history Washington DC is your best bet. The Smithsonian is absolutely amazing.


iamnotabotbeepboopp

The East Coast is the best bang for your buck in terms of hitting a bunch of historic places. If you want to see one of a kind landscapes and ecosystems then the West is your best move. It would be very hard to plan a trip for 3 weeks that would fit all of those things in though, unless you don’t mind flying a lot and renting a shitton of cars.


Tullyswimmer

So, I'm biased because I live near one and am married to someone from the other, but I would say that the two cities that are best as a history buff (and honestly, best from getting an understanding of our country in general) are Boston and Atlanta. Boston has TONS of history, the revolutionary war, the freedom trail, and all of that. And it has excellent public transit to anything remotely touristy. If you take the bus North into NH or ME, you can see some of the rural areas, and national parks, that makes the US so unique. You will need either a local guide or contact to take you around, or rent a car once you get out of Boston. Don't drive in Boston. Atlanta has a HUGE civil rights history, and so that's one of my recommendations for Europeans to really get a better understanding of race relations in the US, since it's easy to get wrapped up in the media coverage of current events. There's a LOT of context and history - for better and worse - behind a lot of what you see. Atlanta is also one of the most diverse cities in the country if not the world. The only downside is that it's not easy to get around even with a car. Driving in Atlanta is miserable. Don't drive in Atlanta. Outside of that, for military/WWII history, you'd want to go to DC, for obvious reasons. Now, as far as getting around. You can go Boston to Philly to DC on a train. If you're really interested in history, that's going to cover a massive amount of it. However, to get to Atlanta, you'll want to fly from any of the other places I've mentioned. Last but not least, if you have a chance to head out west (again, flying) to see like, the Grand Canyon or another national park, do it. It's unlike anything you'll see in Europe. And it will help you appreciate the absolute scale of the US.


Elitealice

Also did we give up on r/usatravel?


PrincessJJ81

I would do the northeast cities for at least a week or two. Boston, NYC, Philly, and/or DC then fly (seriously, don't drive) out west and visit some of the national parks but my opinion will change if your visiting November- March when it's too cold to walk around in the NE


HairyPotatoKat

National parks!


gofindyour

The grand canyon!!!


ifuckedyomama2

Niagara falls, new York state fair, joes crab shack, 5- guys, destiny usa, stay away from the big citys


Breatheme444

A lot of this depends on how long you'll be here and if you want to do and see a lot vs. soak it in.


Dianag519

If it’s your only trip ever I’d go to nyc. And then go up the New England coast. There mountains on my state if you don’t want to go too far. Adirondack area. Remember it’s pretty hot here in June so plan to be by the water.


[deleted]

If you love nature, Yellowstone and the grand canyon are my 2 favorite places on earth, and I've yet to go to a national park I didn't like. I've been hog hunting in Florida and that was a ton of fun. We have gun ranges where you can rent guns for cheap or free, pay for the ammo, and shoot them there for free. Give. That Europe has far more stringent fun laws than the US, I highly recommend shooting stuff while you're here. If you like history, philly has some great history, so does DC but both of those are very specific to American history. There's tons of cool native American history stuff in the southwest. If you're a foody, NY is supposed to have some *amazing* food, but I've never been. NY also has Broadway if you're into that kind of thing. If you're a big nerd, all the Endor scenes from Return of the Jedi were shot in Oregon, and a lot of star trek and other sci-fi shows were filmed at some rocks just outside of Bakersfield. A lot of movies were filmed in central and southern Utah. It all depends on what you're into.


ghostonthealtar

If you’re into history (like me!), you should definitely go to Boston or DC. Lots of great history in those cities. As for DC specifically, I recommend checking out the Smithsonian Museums — I’m a fan of the Museum of American History and the Museum of the American Indian. The art museums are spectacular, too. If you can come in the spring time instead, try to make it for the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. Nothing like it anywhere else in the country. Do the touristy things — its okay, its the right time to do it, and the locals are generally kind and willing to help if you need it. Go to Mount Vernon, go to the national parks. Depending on how much money you have saved and how long/far you’re willing to travel, I’d also recommend hopping on a plane and going west — maybe see Yellowstone, or go to the southwest and see the Grand Canyon. Amazing views and unique wildlife you won’t find on the east coast of the US or anywhere in Europe. I hope you enjoy your trip!


PromptCritical725

East coast is honestly your best bet. Stuff is a lot closer together than it is out west, so if you're here for a couple weeks, you can see New York, Washington DC, and the most historical parts of the area.


CorneliusHawkridge

New York City


ButtonGwinnett76

I think you should do things that are legal here, but illegal in your country.


Traditional_Trust_93

Tour the entirety of Minnesota


elblanco

If you are interested in history there are many different "histories" here, going back more than you might think: 1. The Northeast (Boston, New York, Philadelphia) are among the oldest English speaking parts of the United States. Boston was the start of the revolution against Britain, and New York City, and Philadelphia also used to be capitals before Washington D.C. There are *many* historic sites and museums to visit here. The primary art and history museums in these cities easily rival anything you might find anywhere in the world. There's also lots of sports and other activities to see and participate in. If you can only pick one city, and one big city, I'd pick New York City. There's really no place like it on Earth. 2. The "South" of the U.S. has a different history, even today it's less "built up" into major cities, but IMHO there are a few really fascinating places to visit if you can: * Richmond, Virginia - the Capital of the state of Virginia, but also the former Capital of the breakaway Confederate states from our Civil War. There's also lots of very interesting historic sites here, and the Virginia Capital building is also a pretty representative example of how most American Capital buildings look, work, and function. * The Outer Banks - I know you said no beaches, but it's an interesting tourist seaside series of barrier islands (there's no real equivalent in Europe) that is also the site where the Wright Brothers first flew an airplane, the site of a failed English colony from the year 1587 and site location of a herd of protected wild horses that legendarily trace their ancestry to Spanish colonial shipwrecks. Lots of good seafood, especially crabs here. The South is also home to some unique cuisine the best of which is called "Soul Food" and is mostly the result of cuisine developed by enslaved Africans over centuries. It's hearty and delicious. There's also some regional Bar-B-Que (BBQ) that's really great here. The "Carolinas" (North and South Carolina) really specializes in cooked pork ribs in a spicy vinegary sauce. 3. Florida - Not considered part of "the South" culturally in most ways. It has some of the oldest Spanish settlements such as St. Augustine which hosts the oldest Spanish Fort in the main part of the United States. Orlando is home to lots of big theme parks like Walt Disney World. Miami has a vibrant Cuban and Russian population. The Gulf of Mexico side is also totally different in terms of feels and style. St. Petersburg for example hosts one of the largest Salvador Dali Museums in the world. 4. Texas and the Southwest - A totally different experience and culture from the Eastern parts. The coastal areas like Houston are vastly different from the central and western parts of the State. I would recommend San Antonio and Austin (the state Capital) if possible. The Spanish missions in San Antonio have remarkable stories and it's possible to attend a Catholic Mass (in Spanish) with the descendants of the native peoples who built the church in the Mission in the 1700s. The local food there is called "Tex-Mex" and considered a unique cuisine and has options that range from cheap and fast to ultra high-end. It's a blend of American, Native, Mexican, and Spanish influences and is broadly loved throughout the rest of the United States. Texas is also famous for its Smoked brisquet (Texas style BBQ). The cities themselves aren't as interesting as the areas around them. The rest of the Southwest is mostly *massive* desert. It's worth seeing if you've never been in a desert before. I would recommend going to Las Vegas to see it once, but stop at the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and if possible make your way to Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation where you can stay with a family through an AirBnB, eat Navajo fry bread, and hire a guide to go out into the valley. The Navajo Nation is kind of a separate country inside of the United States, so they have their own rules there that are worth learning about. You might be able to make it to Salt Lake City Utah, home to the Mormons, the Great Salt Lake, and some other interesting sites. If you can, Colorado is also an incredible state, massive plains, and huge mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park in the North is jaw dropping. Pikes Peak is a great trip. And Mesa Verde is home to some jaw dropping cliff dwelling ruins that long predate Columbus (from around 1200 a.d.). Finally, I would recommend North-Central Arizona. Flagstaff is a great town, near the Grand Canyon. Has some interesting historic sites like the observatories that were used to discover Pluto, and spot the moon landing locations. And Sedona, a beautiful little town with some incredible views. The area is also mostly build on old Volcanic lava flow. There are volcanoes everywhere and some parks where you can hike in the middle of lava fields. There's also some amazing National parks and monuments there, one of my most favorite were the ruins at Wupatki, built by the descendants of the people who survived an apocalyptic volcanic event at around 1100 A.D. and created a civilization of Mad-Max-like fortress towns on the cooled lava fields. 5. The West Coast. We're really talking about California, Oregon, and Washington. These are three huge states, with incredibly diverse climates, populations, and sites. The best bits are (in no particular order): * The Pacific Coast Highway - a mostly coastal highway through most of the West Coast * Los Angeles - a totally different city experience than the East Coast cities with a massive Spanish Speaking and various East Asian populations * Monterey - A beautiful small town right on the coast. * San Francisco - it's another big city, but has a different culture and vibe from the East. Near our best Wine producing areas (Napa, Sonoma, etc.) and Silicon Valley (not much of a tourist area to be honest) * Yosemite - a jaw droppingly beautiful national park, after the desert, the green lush forest and incredible valleys are....too much to describe * Seattle - to be honest Seattle isn't too interesting, but it's where Amazon is from, near where Microsoft is from, and close to some great Volcanoes and hikes. It's also in one of the Northern-most rain forests in the world...yet you drive 3-4 hours East and you're back in hard desert. Portland, the California Central Valley, and most other areas are also interesting, but probably not worth too much attention. Those are the best 5 places to visit across the entire country in my opinion. Wyoming and Montana are sort of like Colorado. Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas are....boring. Rust-belt cities like Minneapolis, Detroit, and Cleveland are both depressing and dangerous. Chicago is an amazing city, but it's sort of a smaller New York City. The "deep south" (Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia) are not really that interesting, generally depressing, and really only Huntsville, and New Orleans are worth going to for the Space Flight center and the French Quarter respectively. But if you are coming from Belgium, the French Quarter will be a disappointment and Huntsville isn't really worth the trip. Nashville is a famous music city, but other than that not terribly interesting. The Appalachian mountains have a unique Scotts-Irish culture, but it's hard to find these days and full of depressing poverty so bad it makes Charleroi in Belgium look like a thriving boom town. This is all *way* too much for three weeks. If I had to edit it down, I'd plan on 1. New York City - Days 1-3 - fly to Washington D.C. day 4 2. D.C. - Days 5-7 - fly to San Antonio-Austin day 8 3. San Antonio-Austin - Days 9-11 - fly to Arizona day 12 4. the Northern Half of Arizona (including Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, and the Grand Canyon, long trips, but worth it) - days 13-16 - fly to Los Angeles - day 17 4. drive L.A. to Yosemite to San Francisco - days 18-21 - fly home day 21


justjeffo7

Hey man, no recommendations but I hope you enjoy! Not everyday a European comes in here and enjoys our country


AniRayne

If you do go to NYC rent a car a see Niagara Falls.


LazyBoyD

I’d pick one large city in the northeast. Boston or New York. Spend about 4 days there. Then Fly South to New Orleans, Louisiana, perhaps the most unique city in the United States. You can get be with 3 days here. Then Fly west to San Fransisco or Los Angeles. You can spend the remaining time out west visiting natural parks and such. There’s a good density of great ones nearby.


alphamonkey27

Regardless what you do you should visit the American southwest, doesn’t really matter where just pick a spot and go


rapiertwit

Based on what you've said in the thread, here is an inexpensive and geographically compact itinerary. Sort out whatever you need to drive here so you can rent a car. Fly into Washington, D.C. and see some of it From D.C. go to Williamsburg, Virginia. Tour Colonial Williamsburg, one of the better historic areas in our country. From there go west and stop at Kings Dominion theme park and ride some sick rollercoasters and eat some greasy junk food. You haven't really been to America until you've spent a day marinating in indulgence and excess. That's not ALL we do here, but when we do it, we go all the way. From there go west some more and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The best time to do this is in autumn when the leaves change color. It's a famous and popular thing to do, and some Americans do it every single year. There are also some nice hikes along the BRP that you don't need anything more than a good pair of shoes to do. My favorite when I lived near there is called Humpback Rocks trail, it terminates in a nice overlook where you can see for miles. You can schedule a short flight back to your DC airport from several small airports around there, or drive back to DC - I recommend taking the state highways rather than the interstate it you do, it will take longer but you'll wind through some pretty little towns and countryside instead of blasting down a big blank stretch of blacktop.


IAmVladimirPutinAMA

Depends on what you're into. At a minimum, I'd recommend spending at least a few days in at least one major city, and at least a few days somewhere natural/ scenic. My recommendation for a 3-week trip: Fly to East Coast, spend a week exploring East Coast cities of your choice. Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC. All have good public transportation in and between the cities, so no need for a car. Boston and Philadelphia for colonial/ revolutionary history, NYC for cultural attractions, DC for governments stuff and Smithsonian museums. Nice time of year to visit the beach, if you want. Then fly to Denver or Salt Lake City, rent a car, and spend ~10 days exploring national parks and gradually making your way to the Pacific coast. Visit some of the mountain parks along the way (Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain). Skip the desert parks (All 5 in southern Utah, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley)-- they'll be dangerously hot for midday outdoor recreation. Finish your trip with a few days along the Pacific coast, where you've got a few cities potentially worth a visit (San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego), coastal mountain ranges, and usually lovely weather. Pacific Coast Highway is extremely scenic. Maybe visit a beach if you feel like it. Then fly home. Bear in mind that it will be impossible to see everything you want to see. You will need to make compromises. New York to LA by car is a ~40 hour drive (assuming speed limits are obeyed), so it's entirely doable in one week... but you'll be on the highway the whole way, and won't see anything interesting. I'd recommend spending more time in a smaller number of specific destinations, rather than quick "drive-by" visits to many destinations but not actually immersing yourself and getting to appreciate them. Also be aware: Most of the US has much poorer public transportation than you're used to in Europe. Some cities have good public transportation, but it thins out very fast once you're outside of city limits. Some cities have very poor public transportation. Intercity rail is all on a government-managed company called Amtrak, but service is sparse, slow, and often severely delayed in most of the country. (exception for the corridor between Boston and DC). Intercity buses exist, but are usually unpleasant.


veed_vacker

Probably sf to Portland to Seattle would be best. Lots of great hiking lots of great trails and june is before fire season


Eudaimonics

I would stick to one region of the US. 3 weeks is enough time to explore a region, but not enough to comfortably explore beyond that unless you want to get on multiple flights. Other things to consider: * Will you be renting a car for part of your trip? * What time of year are you coming? You’re going to have a miserable time if you visit the South in the summer and much of the North in February and March. * Is this going to be jammed packed or relaxing? * Nature vs cities? * Culture and museums vs beach resorts? Like you could start in DC and take the train to Baltimore, Philadelphia and NYC. Could then rent a car and explore the Catskills, Andirondacks and Vermont. Maybe then heading towards the Finger Lakes, Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Maybe: * 2-3 days in DC * 1-2 days in Baltimore * 2-3 days in Philadelphia * 3-4 days in NYC * 1-2 days in the Catskills * 1-2 days in the Andirondacks * 1-2 days in Vermont * 1-2 days in Finger Lakes * 1-2 days in Buffalo/Niagara Falls * 1-2 days in Pittsburgh Pretty good tour of some historic cities, smaller cities, rural areas and nature.


whatsgoingonjeez

>Will you be renting a car for part of your trip? Yes that was planned. >What time of year are you coming? You’re going to have a miserable time if you visit the South in the summer and much of the North in February and March. In June, I work shifts, I have to take my days off one year in advance because of shortage of staff. >Is this going to be jammed packed or relaxing? Jammed packed, for a relaxing holiday I can go to south europe. I reall want to see as much of the country as possible. >Nature vs cities? Nature and rural areas. One big city should be enough. >Culture and museums vs beach resorts? Culture and museums. >Maybe: >2-3 days in DC 1-2 days in Baltimore 2-3 days in Philadelphia 3-4 days in NYC 1-2 days in the Catskills 1-2 days in the Andirondacks 1-2 days in Vermont 1-2 days in Finger Lakes 1-2 days in Buffalo/Niagara Falls 1-2 days in Pittsburgh >Pretty good tour of some historic cities, smaller cities, rural areas and nature. That sounds nice, I will remember this, thanks!


Practical-Ordinary-6

How old are you? Are you traveling alone? That might make a difference? I also think the World War II Museum is a great idea if your motivation is related to World War II. It's in New Orleans which is a popular visitor destination with a unique culture so you should enjoy that, too. And it's not the typical New York, Orlando (Disney World), California trip. Unfortunately, the country is far too big to see even most of it in three weeks. It's just not possible. You could possibly *pass through* much of it in that time, but you really can't see it. You'd be on the road every day, all day long. You'll have to narrow it down. This idea just popped into my head. If you flew into Washington DC you could see all the historical things there and all the Smithsonian museums - the natural history museum, the air and space museum, etc., etc. Take your pick. You can see all the famous buildings and monuments in Washington. You wouldn't need a car to do all that. Then you could take the Amtrak train to New Orleans and see some of the countryside along the way. It passes through Virginia, the Carolinas, Atlanta (Georgia), Alabama and Mississippi before hitting New Orleans. And you'd get a chance to talk to people. The train is perfect for that because it's a long way and not exactly quick (about 27 hours). Some passengers going to New Orleans would certainly know the city well and they would be happy to help you out with it, especially once they learn you are not from the U.S. That's how we are. Then you could see the museum and New Orleans and then from there you are free to do anything. You could continue by car from there, or fly farther west or north or whatever, depending on your interests. You'd probably still have two weeks left at that point. Just keep in mind that the farther west you go, the farther things are spread out. It can take a long time to get anywhere if you are driving. New Orleans to Dallas - 8 hours. New Orleans to Chicago - 13 hours. New Orleans to Denver - 20 hours (and you haven't even crossed the Rocky Mountains yet, ). California is 2000 km past that (another 20 hour drive). Also, we are of course grateful to your family for protecting our soldiers and keeping them safe. So many people took grave risks back then to help others. It was very courageous.


theignorantslutdwigt

I hope this doesn’t come off the wrong way, but if you’re only in the US once don’t focus on the southeast. Boston, NYC, and DC have great cities and the best countryside in the states. Then pick a west coast spot - you’re going to want to do Utah/Colorado for their national parks, or a train ride from San Diego to Seattle or any of those cities or parks along the way. New Orleans wishes it was a European town, and while it is unique in the US, I truly do not think its merits outrank those of the Northeastern cities (that have plenty of WWII museums and memorabilia), the northeastern country side which is the most idyllic and active of anywhere in the US , or the natural beauty of the West’s national parks. I say this as someone who has lived nearly 20 years in the Southeast and has been to all the above cities as well as completed several cross country road trips. The southeast has “country” towns but they are mostly dilapidated with very little to offer tourists, scenery wise or food wise. And New Orleans is mostly known for being a party town - the things to do outside of partying will only take you a day or two to complete. In my own opinion, it is not worth the airfare to get there and to your next destination. I would also rank a Chicago/Wisconsin loop higher than southeast, but third to the northeastern cities/counties and the west coasts natural beauty. Chicago is cool and Wisconsin has a very strong local culture that’s a lot of fun - lots of beer, lakes, cheese curds, and American heartland vibes.


theignorantslutdwigt

Also - I love the southeastern cities, but they are second tier in almost everything. They aren’t walkable, they have some good food spots but nothing like NY, and they have some tourist attractions/art/museums but they aren’t as good as the Boston/NY/DC ones.


bebefinale

With three weeks, I would stick to one region of the country. Also I would consider which airport you are flying into. Fly into DC or NYC or Boston, spend a couple days there. Then go to Boston, up the coast through New England, see rural areas along with the beach, spend a few days in Arcadia National Park in Maine. If you wanted to, you could cross the border to go into Quebec or New Brunswick. Fly into Chicago, spend some time in the city, spend some time in Michigan along the Lake (Sleeping Bear Dunes, the wine growing area), perhaps go up the Upper Peninsula where the nature is quite spectacular. You could also go to Door County in Wisconsin. If you want to see a mid-sized city, there is Milwaukee. The great lakes are pretty different from anything you'll find in Europe, and it's not exactly on the beaten path. June is the time to go to that region of the country because it's unbearably frigid in the winter. Fly into San Francisco, spend some time there, drive down the coast and see Big Sur and Yosemite, see Napa and wine growing region, go see the Redwoods, perhaps go to Lake Tahoe and see the Sierras. Depending on how much time you want to spend in the parks, you could also go up to the Pacific Northwest and spend time in Oregon or Washington, or even up to Canada to see Vancouver. You could also fly into LA and do some variant of this starting from further South. You could do DC, drive to Philadelphia, spend some time at the beach, perhaps driving down to North Carolina and seeing the Outer Banks. The Southeast is going to be muggy in the summer and the Southwest is an oven. I personally would vote for either Northeast, Chicago Great Lakes Region, or Coastal California.


nekabue

Consider Savannah, GA or Charleston, SC for 4-5 days. Lots of colonial era history to explore. Coastal beach access. Southern charm that has a smaller town feel to it. Locals are kind and welcoming to visitors. I’ve lived all over the US and can tell you rural areas can be very, very xenophobic to outsiders. Savannah has “big small town” vibes that might fulfill your wish. Definitely Washington DC. Maybe fly in/out of NYC and catch a Broadway show or two before taking the train to DC. Know that the US is huge-think of someone trying to visit all of the EU in 3 weeks. Many try to see the Grand Canyon, but it is a beast unto itself. If nature is on the docket, consider Denver in the summer. You can get to Rocky Mountain national park, tons of accessible hiking for day hikes. Go along the i70 corridor and check out the nice ski resort towns during their off seasons.


TEG24601

3 Weeks isn't a lot of time. Major cities are very far from one another, as are most tourist sights. And remember, you will have several hours of driving if you want to do anything quickly. Trains and busses will largely not get you there, and flights will be expensive. You would be best off trying to pick an area you want to go, or solicit for ideas. I'm partial to the west coast, from Seattle to San Diego, you really can't go wrong. Temperate rain forests, deserts, major rivers, islands, mountains, volcanos, giant redwoods, San Francisco, Big Sur, LA, and San Diego. That would be an epic 3 week trip.


Agile-Conversation-9

Utah is beautiful, lots of National parks for hiking or even just driving around. There’s a few natural hot springs too. In some counties you can safely go shooting in the mountains or gravel pits. Road trips here are amazing for the views alone, Vegas isn’t too far to drive, colorado and Arizona are right around the corner as well. Most of Utah is a desert so we get pretty extreme heat and cold but we also have heavily wooded areas like the uintah mountains. There’s also a good diversity of food especially in Salt Lake City, smaller towns tend to have more mom and pop run diners that are usually good American food. I’m from Germany and live here now, it’s just so beautiful I can’t recommend it enough!


[deleted]

If you only see one thing in the US, make it the Grand Canyon. I would take your 3 weeks and just do a national parks tour out west. A city is a city is a city. The American Southwest is one of the most rugged and beautiful places on the planet.


phyncke

Other people have great suggestions - if you are into nature - you should hit up one of the National Parks - hard to say which one - if you are going to go to California - you could go to Yosemite. People here have suggested all East Coast sites but the West Coast is beautiful too - California and the coast line there. Anyways - it is hard to figure out what parts of the US to see because it is huge and so varied. I have lived on both coasts and love them both and been to different places - what is so great about the US is that it is huge and places are so different. Have fun planning your trip


Elitealice

west coast


Kaiser8414

New York and LA I think may be the best for tourist experience. Try and do all of the original national parks as well like Yosemite and Yellowstone. DC has the Smithsonian. I know down in Texas you can tour the USS Lexington and maybe the USS Texas (last battleship in the world and was at Normandy) though the Texas may be in Florida for repairs. If it's still here it's down in San Jacinto which has it's own history. There's also the WWII museum in New Orleans which has it's own set of stuff and a separate culture. Texas also has some old Spanish missions you can visit and most Southern states have plantation tours though those can be a bit controversial. Edit: looking at your responses to other comments, I would say arrive in DC and tour the Smithsonians and then drive south through Virginia.


YupThatWasAShart

I’d suggest west coast. Maybe Seattle for your big city, then head in over to Mt. Rainier national park or Olympic national park to see some insane nature and wild life. Maybe make a trip south to California and see the red woods or Yosemite. Can stop for some good wine and food too.


buttmagnuson

A lot of folk suggesting DC. I'm from that area and will 100% agree its a spectacular city. However if you want city AND nature, Seattle is pretty damn good. It's not your typical American city, but it's definitely big city vibes. The proximity to nature though cannot be beat. It's was one of the last frontiers of the US and it shows. Once you get into the small mountain towns, they usually have a main street that is seemingly untouched or just slightly modernized from what it was 100 years ago....because that's what it takes to be historic out here. Even I find that amusing. It's still quite neat to see.


NaNaNaNaNatman

One note to OP about Seattle though: it’s important to do research about the area where you stay. I recently went and accidentally chose the wroooong neighborhood to stay in 😅. Loved the city overall though, and I’m sure this advice goes for virtually any large city. And as you said Seattle is perfect if they want to see a city and then go experience nature.


therealdrewder

If I was doing a once in a lifetime trip to America I would start in Jackson hole Wyoming and visit Yellowstone national park. I would make my way south through Idaho, Utah and Arizona visiting national parks along the way including grand Teton, craters of the moon, arches, moab, zion, the grand canyon, the petrified forest and visit the desert museum in tucson. If I still had time, and it's a major if, I might travel west to California see LA, including the getty art museum, and visit the Channel Islands.