Are You a European Traveling to the United States? Here is where you should visit
Northeast
The Northeast is the beating heart of America. Four of America's most important cities line this area, including the capital and the largest city. It's also the oldest "urban" part of the country - industrialization kicked in within the region at roughly the same time as the UK.
The Northeast doesn't feature some of the unique "natural" parts of the US. Even with the cities, most of the best parts are "borrowed" from other cultures - ever hear of New York pizza? However, there is still lots of relatively historic towns with charm and wonderful city experiences to be had in this part of the country. There are even some mountainous parts - but relatively small mountains compared to out west!
New York
Is this the obvious choice? Perhaps. I really struggled to include New York - as an American it almost feels like an overplayed cliche. But if you haven't been to New York, it isn't an overplayed cliche.
World class dining, one of the best theater districts in the world, sensation art museums, a city with so many ethnicities it's hard to count, and a place that has been documented in more TV shows and movies than I'm even aware of: New York is truly a romanticized city. It is worth visiting, if only for the fact that among developed countries, the only more crowded city I can think of is Tokyo.
Is anything in New York that unique? Honestly, no. However, New York is just so good at so much it's hard to not put it not this list - and more foreigners already know it's worthwhile.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Now here we have some off the beaten path places! Lancaster is a small city that sits about two hours from both Washington DC and Philadelphia. The farmland around the city is famed as home to the Pennsylvania Dutch, a group of Mennonite and Amish that continue to preserve their unique traditions. Many Amish don't use electricity or cars, and seeing horses and buggies on the side of the road is actually quite common. The farm markets in the area are among the best in America, and the Tuesday market called Roots in nearby Salunga is truly iconic.
But old school Amish traditions are not the only thing worth seeing in the area. Lancaster has quickly become the coolest town in the Northeast. With a charming historic district dotted with boutiques and art galleries, the shopping district comes to life on the first Friday of each month when stores and galleries stay open late.
I would be remiss to not talk about the food scene in Lancaster. Amazing restaurants are found all around the city. Some are more casual and serve up unusual fare - Calallo's Trinidadian food is a unique experience and Norbu's Bhutanese cuisine is unrivaled anywhere in the US. Others really elevate the familiar - Luca is still one of my favorite Italian restaurants anywhere and Barbaret sits squarely at the top of my favorite French pastry shops. I have a whole free guide on the food in Lancaster available below!
Lancaster is the exact sort of place I urge foreigners to visit - the sort of unique, charming, small town America experience you simply cannot find in the big city.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a middle ground between highly touristed and off the beaten path. Most Americans - especially in the Northeast - would consider visiting Philadelphia. Yet it doesn't conjure grand vacation imagery the way New York or even the national parks do.
So for an individual visiting the States, Philadelphia is a great place to visit. For starters, Philadelphia's historic district is one only of a handful in the US can rival European cities. The cradle of the country of America and home to some of America's most important landmarks - along with some incredibly beautiful buildings - visiting the Old City of Philly is a must.
Beyond colonial attractions, Philadelphia punches way above its weight in culture. Art museums like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation rival any wonderful museum in Europe. Food - both high end like at award winning Zahav and low end like a classic cheesesteak - made Philadelphia's culinary patchwork unique and varied. Add in a slew of nice neighborhoods and Philadelphia becomes quite a cool city to visit. And while not quite New York levels of busy, the city has significantly more charm than New York may ever have.
Portland, Maine
But the food scene in Portland is one of the most underrated in the whole country. Most people know about Maine lobster - some of the best in world. Some know Portland as a top tier craft brewery location. Only those in the know recognize cookies at the Standard Baking Co and poutine from Duckfat as some of the best culinary experiences in New England, if now America.
If you do venture to have a car, the coastal towns down the road from Portland are some of the best summer towns in America. Kennebunkport, with its colonial charm, great shopping, and fantastic lobster rolls, takes my top spot. But any ride along the coast to see craggy cliffs and the beautiful Victorian lighthouses make Portland and Maine as a whole a really wonderful place to visit.
Nantucket, Massachusetts
But unlike, say, the Hamptons, you don't tend to hear lots of different languages spoken (except Portuguese - there are a lot of Portuguese speakers in this part of America). Sure almost all Americans know of Nantucket. Some of America's most wealthy and famous people spend time here (President Joe Biden included). Yet for a foreigner this is probably not a common destination.
Adding Nantucket to your list - either during the beautiful summer months or at the weekend in December when shops and restaurants reopen - is an authentically American upper class destination. The town center of the island is among the nicest I've ever been to with amazing shopping. And the scenery all around the island - basically a glorified sandbar - is maritime in the most charming way. You'll need some extra money - Nantucket ain't cheap - but it is an amazing destination.
Need some more motivation? Check out my free guide on Nantucket below!
Southeast
The Southeast has a far more unique culture than the rest of the country. Warm hospitality and delicious food can be found around the region. There is also way more ethnic diversity in this part of the country - a legacy of slavery paired with rapid economic growth in the last fifty years have made this region a patchwork of amazing cultures that you really can't find elsewhere.
Cities with unique culture and beach towns are the main attractions. There are some great mountain towns across Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. However this is a really fascinating place to visit!
New Orleans, Louisiana
I saw a historical quote recently that said "There are only three cities in the US: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. The rest of the country is Ohio". While I do think calling all of America Ohio is a stretch, New Orleans is the most unique city in America, and I'd go on a limb and say it's the only city in the United States that is culturally unlike any place on Earth.
New Orleans passed hands between the French and the Spanish throughout the Colonial years, leaving behind quaint architecture, French names, and a smattering of displaced French Canadians who were called Cajuns by the locals that couldn't understand the thick accent. Add in a heavy dose of African American culture and you have a city where jazz clubs are the norm, not the haughty exception. Parades, street parties, and even balls are common. Food can take on any form - cheap eats, mid range, and high end. And don't forget about Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street: this is America's premier party city for people of all ages.
I truly think New Orleans should be on all foreigners' itineraries when visiting the United States. Whether it's eating beignets, sipping a sazerac, or watching a brass band shut down a crowded street, New Orleans' energy is unique. People are so proud of the unique heritage and traditions and continue to practice them unironically. While not off the beaten path per se, this is a chronically overlooked city by visitors coming from Europe - and that's a damn shame.
Savannah, Gerogia
Most Americans go to Charleston, South Carolina for a taste of the charming classic South. However, I tend to think that Charleston has lost a little something. Sure the city retains amazing architecture and the food remains pretty good, but if you really start to dive in you'll think you're in Boston - not exactly the most Southern place. So while rapid immigration from Northern states has made me a bit soured on Charleston, nearby Savannah is where you go for a more authentically Southern stay.
Savannah still offers tourists a bevy of things to do. Just walk down River Street - the street situated below the city where tourist hawkers sell wares, street performers do wacky things, and there are often fireworks over the river. Even in the most touristy spots, Savannah has a deep Southern charm, with old Colonial Era buildings everywhere and the low-hanging Spanish moss everywhere; if you're really in the mood, take a stroll through Forsyth Park and you will almost certainly get your fill!
Savannah is also a great place for food, relaxation, and even his style. Boutique hotels like the Inn on Forsyth Park have been offering guests authentic Southern hospitality. And almost all restaurants are good ones in the city. A long weekend in Savannah will have you in love with the South - and maybe at risk of a heart attack after all of the butter!
San Antonio, Texas
Texas may as well be its own country. I am a firm believer that Texas is not part of the South, strictly because it's part cowboy culture, part Mexican influence. But for the sake of this article, let's call it the South.
There are a lot of destinations in Texas: Dallas and Houston are some of America's largest metropolises. Austin is the hip and liberal state capital, proud to be one of America's "weirdest" cities. Even Western Texas - despite being mostly desolate - has Big Bend National Park and the artsy small town of Marfa. However, the best spot in Texas by a long margin is San Antonio.
San Antonio is a city built on the Spaniards. A series of historic mission churches can be found across the city - some people try to bike between all of them in one day! But over time the city developed a real character as a larger settlement in Texas. Following Mexican independence, the Latino influence over the city continued. When a group of spunky American settlers established Texas as an independent country, their most famous battle - and worst defeat - in their war was inside one of the missions called the Alamo. Today the Alamo is one of America's most prized monuments.
However San Antonio is more than just Spanish colonial history. The city's river walk winds around the rivers/canals of the cities, filled with restaurants, shops, boats, and mariachi bands - sometimes with some of these combined (think boats with mariachi bands). The Mexican culture lives on with some of America's best Mexican food - both in authentic varieties and in the Tex-Mex tradition - which can be found at establishments like Rosario's. Add in a big splash of Texas barbecue and warm hospitality and San Antonio is the best tourist town in Texas!
Asheville, North Carolina
The East Coast of the US often gets forgotten as a "mountainous" region. The Appalachian Mountains span pretty much the length of the East Coast and offer for wonderful hikes, fall foliage, and generally great scenery. While not as tall as the Rocky's in the West, the whole mountain range has some wonderfully scenic and charming parts. I can't think of an area that better embodies this than Western North Carolina, and its hallmark city Asheville.
Asheville was once a sleepy hippy town in the mountains. Today, it is now a happening spot - but still just as hippy and Bohemian as it's ever been. Hiking is a commonplace activity for Saturday mornings around here. A huge center for the arts and an even bigger center for craft beer, Asheville really does offer a bit of everything. Whether it's Wicked Weed's downtown taproom of Sierra Nevada's gorgeous mountain brewery on the outskirts of the city, stopping at a brewery is almost a necessity. Even more necessary is grabbing an authentic biscuit at Biscuithead, one of the South's most beloved biscuit joints.
Looking for something more fancy? Asheville can offer that too. The Biltmore is America's largest private residence - but it functions as a museum and generally a luxurious property with onsite hotels (not in the house but nearby), gardens, nature preserves, and even a winery. On the north side of Asheville is the Grove Park Inn, a classic American resort that still prides itself on having one of the best spas in the country.
Fernandina Beach, Florida
The East Coast has a litany of lovely, sandy beaches. For several months of the year, warm sun beats down on these beaches and makes some of the most wonderful beach getaways anywhere. We're not talking about the little quarter kilometer beaches in Europe; these are ten kilometers of fine sand at a time.
The Southeast is full of these beaches, and with warm weather from March to October, the season is even longer than in the Northern beaches. While there may be nicer beaches, Fernandina Beach is probably Southeast's nicest beach town.
With an adorable downtown stretch, nice shops and restaurants, and lots of wonderful hotels - both bed and breakfasts and large luxurious resorts (like the Ritz Carleton) - Fernandina Beach and the island in general, Amelia Island, offers so much to do. The area is very much still the South but with an extra pinch of Florida - think good Cuban food and the like. Renting a bike and exploring the island may be the best part of enjoying Florida's best beach town.
Midwest
The Midwest is the heartland of America. Lots of flat plains and corn can be found here. There are cities dotted around the region - most notably Chicago which many call America's "second city". There are also some lovely areas around the Great Lakes which abound with nice beaches and incredible weather during the summertime.
I've not included too much in the Midwest, but this is the real part of America if you're up for something super authentic. And as someone who's lived here, there are really some good places to check out.
The State of Kentucky
Most of this article lists actually destinations and not generic catchall terms like "the State of Kentucky". But I think to nail down one specific part in Kentucky would be a bit unfair. A lot of people will also be offended I've included this in the Midwest and not the South. Tough.
Kentucky is heartland of an amazing brown liquid: bourbon. While bourbon can be from anyplace in America, Kentucky has the most distilleries of any spot in America distilling the corn-based whiskey. Exploring Kentucky's Bourbon Trail, with distilleries form Louisville to Bardstown to Lexington and in between, is a great way to get a taste of something truly American. Some of the more famous brands like Makers Mark even have delicious restaurants on site.
Beyond booze, Kentucky is also a center for horses. With lots of horse farms in the famed bluegrass hills, visiting a stable and experiencing such amazing world class animals is something fun and unique. If you really want a show, make sure to visit the legendary Churchill Downs in Louisville. A race track home to the famed Kentucky Derby, attendees dress up to make sure they are showing off the preppiest of outfits.
Add in the fact that, unlike much of the Midwest, Kentucky actually has some topography and Kentucky is an underrated destination for someone looking for true America.
Black Hills, South Dakota
I can't think of a more American image than Mount Rushmore. A big cliff carved with the faces of four American presidents. It's dramatic, over the top, and exactly what America is. Mount Rushmore is absolutely the star of the Black Hills in South Dakota.
However, Mount Rushmore is really only the tip of the iceberg. Top tier state parks in the area house herds of American buffalos. Small towns like Deadwood show off the old-fashioned frontier life. Sturgis is a center for motorcycle enthusiasts all around the country. And just an hour away is the Badlands, one of America's most intriguing national parks with incredible scenery and hiking opportunities.
South Dakota is certainly not the top of the list of destinations for people visiting the United States, but maybe it should be closer to the top. Add in the fact that you could easily road trip around to national parks in nearby Wyoming and even Colorado, the Black Hills is a really fantastic destination.
Want some more info on the Black Hills? Check out a travel journal from my good friend Justin on when he visited!
Isle Royale, Michigan
If you want to get away from civilization, Isle Royale may be one of the most desolate places you can visit. Situated in the boundary waters of Lake Superior between the US and Canada, the closest somewhat large city is Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Isle Royale is a pristine national park. Home to some of America's best wildlife, including rare packs of wolves and moose, Isle Royale is unlike anywhere else. With hiking, kayaking, and even lake scuba diving, outdoor lovers will rejoice in this wild place.
Unlike some of the other places on this list, Isle Royale is really far from anything. But I stand by the claim that nature is the best part of America. Isle Royale is a wonderland for those looking for nature. If you want more, the upper peninsula of Michigan - the U P as people call it - offers so much more of Great Lake scenery.
West
In my personal opinion, the natural attractions in the Western part of the USA are the best place for foreigners to visit. The scenery in states like Utah and Arizona are completely unique - no European country has that, and you can count on your hands the number of countries that feature the sort of amazing red rocks that are emblematic of the region.
The cities out west are, well, mediocre. Las Angeles is glitzy - and really overrated. San Francisco is an enjoyable place to visit - and also feels like a cut-rate dirtier version of Lisbon (even with the same bridge and cable cars). Seattle has a cool building that can be seen also in Toronto. So really, it's natural sites that really take the cake out here.
Cars are a must in this part of the country. However, long stretches of road and relatively little traffic means these below places are still easy to get to. Except Vegas - cars are totally optional there.
Las Vegas
Shiny, filled with casinos, and an illustrious party city, Las Vegas is either definitely on your "must visit" list or is on your "must not visit" list. However, even if partying so hard you don't remember isn't in your repertoire, I think Vegas deserves a visit.
For starters, the Las Vegas Strip - as cheesy and flashy as it is - has a lot more than just drinking and gambling. Almost all nice hotels have decadent restaurants with many pushing the envelope and being Michelin star worthy. The entertainment on the Strip in the form of shows and spectacles can only really be matched by New York's Broadway. Plus visiting the different resorts with their various clichés - the Belaggio's fountain show or the Venetian's full replica of Venice - makes traversing the strip more like a highly curated adult amusement park more than anything.
Off the Strip, Vegas is criminally underrated. With amazing immigrant communities that have helped make the Strip what it is, just a few miles west of the Strip you can find some of the nation's best Mexican tacos, Viet pho, Chinese stir fries, and much much more. To the southeast of Las Vegas you can find a number of unique state parks and hiking opportunities, including around the impressive Hoover Dam. Plus, Vegas is a big city just a stones thrown in any direction from some of America's best nature sites. Which leads me to my next suggestion.
The "Grand Circle" of National Parks
If you are a foreigner and you really want to see something in America that you can't get anywhere else, this is where you go. America's national parks are among the world's best, and while some may disagree with me, the best national parks are located in Utah and Arizona. If you wanted to visit them all, you could take a grand road trip ofter called the "Grand Circle".
Unless you like long drives and have three weeks, doing a full tour of the Grand Circle without a tour group is extremely grueling. However, from Las Vegas you could easily make a week to two week road trip seeing some of the best natural sites: Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
My writeup doesn't even have time to mention places like Page's Lake Powell or Antelope Canyon. Or Utah's Arches National Park and mountain biking center of Moab. Or Sedona, Arizona's famed red rocks and spa retreats. But if you want a little taste of the region, check out my friend Justin's writeup of his roadtrip, including stops of Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Page, Monument Valley, Sedona, and more!
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The state of New Mexico is a bit of a misnomer. Yes, the state was originally part of Mexico (as was most of the US from Texas to California). The old cities of the state date back to the Spanish colonial era, just like in Mexico. However, the culture here is not straight up Mexican - if you are looking for that, go to Texas, California, or even Vegas where slews of recent immigrants have truly set up enclaves of Little Mexico.
New Mexico is a melting pot of different cultures. Shaped by some of the largest indigenous communities in the country, a deep Spanish colonial presence, and a lot of Americans over the year, Santa Fe is a stunning celebration of all of these different groups. The city center is filled with incredible adobe buildings, copying building techniques of the indigenous but most often built by the Spanish. These buildings are juxtaposed against numerous Spanish missions that exude the colonial Spanish lifestyle. Just exploring the historic sites in the city center could make a great trip.
Santa Fe - as one of the larger cities in New Mexico - has taken the mantle of arts and crafts hub for indigenous communities. Galleries can be found all around town selling native arts - some low end and touristic while others are peak fine art. If you visit at the right time, the Indian Market will be taking place, showing off all the great. If you are in the mood for more art, Santa Fe was home of one of America's most famous painters - Georgia O'Keeffe. Inspired by the millieu of New Mexico, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum pays tribute to the artist's connection to the area.
Add in Santa Fe's delicious southwest cuisine - heavy in chili peppers with little Mexican influences like corn tortillas - and you have one of America's most slept on destinations!
Juneau, Alaska
Juneau is the state's capital, meaning that the very small city is a sort of crossroads from a very diverse state. However, the history of Juneau is a bit of an ode to Alaska's past - find incredible native art at the Alaska State Museum or incredible totem poles from the Tlingit group, historic Victorian buildings from Alaska's gold rush, and even delicious Russian dumplings at Pel'meni (Alaska was once a Russian colony).
Of course, nature is usually the main draw to Alaska, and Juneau has some amazing sites. The leading one - by a large margin - is the Mendenhall Glacier. There are few places on the planet you can get so close to a glacier. Viewpoints of the glacier are varied: boardwalks to see the glacier by foot, boats to see the glacier from the amazing lake in front, and even tunnels that allow you to go inside the glacier.
Around Juneau sits some of Alaska's most interesting hiking. Between the steep hills like Mount Roberts right about town to the more remote spots in nearby Tongass National Forest, home to one of the world's only non-tropical rainforests, Juneau has lots to offer by way of the outdoors. All this to say, you probably won't be seeing many foreigners here (despite the litany of great and unique attractions). Alaska is a great place to visit, and Juneau is a top pick for where to begin your visit.
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