America was stumbled upon by Columbus in 1492 and for more than 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the ‘land of opportunity’. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and ingrained racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.
The country is made up of 48 neighbouring states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and the US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as California, Florida and Hawaii where millions of tourists congregate each year to enjoy the fine beaches, natural wonders and man-made attractions such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Hollywood. Too many miss out on the mind-blowing landscapes of the interior which can found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains. With all this on their doorstep, it’s easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.
Washington, D.C.
Europeans first arrived along the Potomac River in the 16th century and the area quickly became prosperous; tobacco brought vast wealth to the gentleman planters, and the abundance of slaves gave them ample time for leisure. After the revolutionary war Congress had to decide on the location of a new ‘Federal Town’. The 10 square miles (26 sq km) between Maryland and Virginia, which is now the District of Columbia, was finally selected for its strategic location between North and South.
French architect, Pierre L’Enfant, was chosen to plan the town, and as he pegged out streets 150 feet (46m) wide, and one grand avenue 400 feet (122m) wide and a mile long, the local landowners thought he’d gone mad - he was throwing away valuable land that could be used for farming! It was to take 50 years before Washington, DC (District of Columbia) took on the air and appearance of a capital city.
Today, Washington, DC with its low-profile skyline is a city of green parks and open spaces, grand buildings, historic landmarks, marbled monuments and impressive museums, with character-filled neighbourhoods that support a thriving cultural scene.
This thriving cosmopolitan city is an international hub of power and diplomacy, commanding the political centre stage for the world’s most powerful nation, and representing all the democratic ideals that the country takes pride in. Washington, DC was one of the targets of the terrorist attack on the USA on 11 September 2001, when a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon, the heart of national and international security. Since then security has remained high around Washington’s key monuments and police checks at top city attractions have lent a sober air to this pleasant city.
After politics, tourism is the capital’s main industry. The city plays host to millions of people annually who come to explore famous sights such as the domed US Capitol, the stately White House, Lincoln Memorial and the soaring Washington Monument. The most well-known sights are located along the National Mall, a green park stretching from the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial on the Potomac River, and include several memorials to great US presidents of the past, as well as the outstanding museums of the Smithsonian Institute. Almost all major attractions are free.
Besides political sights, Washington is also a city of interesting neighbourhoods, each with its own character and culture. The most celebrated of these is historic Georgetown, with elegant colonial houses, boutiques, fancy restaurants, and a lively nightlife. One of the most colourful neighbourhoods is the bohemian district of Adams-Morgan with an assortment of funky shops and ethnic stores, while the arty suburb of Dupont Circle is an affluent business and residential area, with excellent restaurants, art galleries and shops.
North Coast Redwoods District, California
The misty, rugged North Coast lies in stark contrast to the sunny, sandy beaches around the southern cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego that epitomise the Californian beach lifestyle. Stretching north of San Francisco to the Oregon border there are endless miles of rocky coastline, with panoramic views of towering cliffs and crashing waves.Aside from seascapes the region boasts some of the oldest and tallest trees on earth, magnificent coastal redwoods that are thousands of years old and hundreds of feet high. A huge network of national, state and regional parks have joined together to preserve the acres of remaining old-growth redwood forests threatened by heavy logging. The State Parks of Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods make up the Redwood National and State Parks.The redwood forests include giants that grow to more than 300ft (91m) tall. The parks offer miles of hiking trails, camping and picnicking, scenic drives, rivers and an abundance of wildlife including bears, elk and deer. Prairie Creek is the most popular park containing herds of Roosevelt Elk, weighing up to 400 pounds (181kg); trails with spectacular coastal views; Tall Trees Grove sheltering the world’s tallest tree at 367ft (112m); and the impressive Cathedral Tree where nine massive trees have grown together from one root.Further south the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California’s largest state park, is the site of the 33-mile (53km) long Avenue of the Giants, a spectacular scenic drive lined by some of the world’s tallest trees. Along the route are several ‘attractions’ such as the hollow Chimney Tree where the Hobbit has his mythical home, and a Drive-Thru Tree that allows tourists to drive through a living hollow redwood. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park boasts the most astounding drive in the Redwoods National Park District, the Howland Hill Road that winds through incredibly magnificent old-growth forest that is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas on earth.
Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
Beautiful, bright blue, mile-high Lake Tahoe, straddling the border of California and Nevada in the United States, is the second largest alpine lake in the world. The lake, perched atop the Sierra Nevada, is surrounded on all sides by world-class ski resorts, magnificent golf courses, first class hotels and casinos, which cater for millions of holidaymakers every year. Although the area’s scenery and facilities draw visitors year round, it is as a skiing and snowboarding destination that Lake Tahoe really thrives. Recently most of the popular resorts, with appealing names like Alpine Meadows, Heavenly and Squaw Valley, have undergone extensions and face-lifts. The comfortable resorts, bolstered by the fact that Lake Tahoe guarantees 300 days of sunshine a year, 33ft (10m) of annual snowfall, unrivalled scenery and more than 17,500 acres of terrain to explore, make it well nigh irresistible for anyone contemplating a winter sports holiday. Visitors can fly in to the nearby Reno/Tahoe Airport, or drive on all-weather highways from Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles in just a few hours for a dose of fun in the pure mountain air.
The Inside Passage, Alaska
Shaped by the carving of massive glaciers millions of years ago, Southeast Alaska is an astounding region of deep fjords, glaciers, majestic mountains and forests. Known as the ‘panhandle’, it epitomises classic Alaskan scenery. Thousands of islands form a pristine protected waterway called the Inside Passage that is lined with many charming towns and small villages rich in history. About half of the tourists who travel to Alaska arrive on cruise ships that make their way through the islands of the Inside Passage to ports of call such as Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka and Skagway.The area is home to the native cultures of Tlingit, Haida and Tshimshian Indians and the art of totem pole carving, traditional music and dance has been preserved especially in Ketchikan. Russian settlers have also left their legacy of icons and onion-domed churches, having been drawn to the region in search of fur; the region’s promise of gold, salmon fishing and forests of timber attracted many profiteers. Today the business of tourism is an additional income-earner for many of the picturesque coastal communities.The history of the Gold Rush days is especially evident in the town of Skagway at the northern tip of the Inside Passage, once a lawless trading post serving the Klondike Gold Rush pioneers. Juneau is Alaska’s attractive capital, with a bustling waterfront and a scenic mountain backdrop, and is the gateway to one of the country’s more stunning regions, Glacier Bay National Park.With no roads connecting the towns the best way to travel is by the Alaska Marine Highway ferry that hops from town to town, or on one of the numerous and very popular cruises that ply the channels. The Alaska Marine Highway is a designated National Scenic Byway and is one of the most beautiful ways to explore Alaska. The deep waters and mild climate provide a prime habitat for whales, sea lions and porpoises, which can often be spotted from the deck. Between the picturesque fishing town of Petersburg and Russian-founded Wrangell is the spectacular Wrangell Narrows that is only 300ft (91m) wide and so shallow in places that the boat is forced into a slalom course of 46 turns to avoid grounding on the channel bottom. Frederick Sound is a prime whale sighting area.
Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Colorado’s beautiful landscape, and its lifestyle, is dominated by mountains, and much of northwest Colorado is covered by the world-renowned Rocky Mountains that are famous for their scenery, as well as for their skiing, snowboarding and hiking opportunities. The Rocky Mountains feature many popular ski resorts like Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge where winter and summer activities abound. The magnificent scenery of Pikes Peak Country and Garden of the Gods can be explored from Colorado Springs, while the alpine meadows and rugged cliffs around the peaks known as Maroon Bells near Aspen is one of the most photographed spots in Colorado. One of the state’s most popular attractions is the spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park with its alpine lakes, snow encrusted peaks, meadows and waterfalls that are the some of the most recognisable images of Colorado’s natural beauty.
Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Billed as ‘Florida’s tropical island getaway’, Fort Myers Beach is a haven for Floridians themselves seeking a relaxing family vacation, as well as visitors from the rest of the United States and abroad. The locals favour it simply because it still smacks of ‘old Florida’, and while it offers endless sport and recreational activities like the more frenetic destinations of the east coast, this beautiful resort town on the Gulf of Mexico remains affordable, relaxed, friendly and casual. Situated on Estero Island, facing the Gulf, the palm-shaded Fort Myers Beach has a wide white sandy shoreline sloping gently into the ocean, and locals claim it is the world’s safest beach. The village area is clustered along a tree-lined pedestrian walkway at the north end of the beach, offering shops and restaurants. The south is where numerous beachfront resorts with condominiums and hotels have sprung up around Lovers Key State Park. In between, the beach is lined with parks, recreation areas and marinas offering fishing and boating charters, sightseeing trips, dining and dancing cruises and even offshore gambling jaunts. On the opposite side of the narrow Estero Island, facing the mainland, is the Matanzas Pass Wilderness Preserve with dozens of acres of mangrove swamps, live oak hammocks and local wildlife to explore from elevated boardwalks.
Savannah, GA
Credited as being the first planned city in the United States, Georgia’s sultry city of Savannah is positioned on a bluff above the Savannah River, a few miles upstream from the Atlantic Ocean state coastline. This Southern belle is full of charm, and her old-fashioned hospitality and small-town atmosphere invites visitors to stroll back in time, right to 1733 when the city was first founded by British General James Oglethorpe with the permission of native Yamacraw Indian chief Tomo-chi-chi.With one of the country’s largest preserved historical urban areas, one can’t help but experience a sense of this city’s colourful past, as you stroll past grandiose mansions and Spanish moss-covered oaks, sipping mint juleps. The city’s legacy as a major player in the cotton industry is still evident in the Savannah Cotton Exchange, and the Pink House, dating back to 1789 and home to Georgia’s first bank also bears testimony to the economic prosperity of the region. Apart from hundreds of architecturally significant buildings Savannah is also not lacking in restaurants, shops (particularly fine antique stores), Civil War forts, museums, galleries, quaint squares and lovely beaches, all earning it the nickname, ‘the Hostess City of the South’. Strategically positioned on the north of the Georgia coastline, Savannah serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the scenic barrier islands, resort towns and inlets found along the coast. Of course it is also imperative one try the region’s world-famous shrimp that is caught and cooked in a variety of ways.
Hawaii
Travel destination reviews that highlight ‘The Best of &’ invariably refer to the Hawaiian Islands as the best place for sun, sand and natural attractions - the place to head for a fun holiday.
This is the location of some of the finest beaches in the United States, each unique in its dimensions, shapes and hues. These sandy stretches are fronted by crystal waters teeming with tropical fish darting through forests of coral. Some of the world’s best surfing and watersport opportunities are offered here and for those intent on premium sightseeing it is hard to beat the thrill of watching lava flow from the world’s longest erupting volcano.
Visitors who relish exploring different cultures and ancient civilisations will find the best of Polynesian relics in which to indulge their passions, as they soak up some of the ‘Mana’ (spiritual power) with which the islands were imbued by the legendary gods and goddesses.
Hawaii’s nightlife is centred on traditional festivals which visitors are encouraged to experience as they don ‘leis’ (necklaces of flowers) and dance the famous ‘hula’ after sunset.
The state of Hawaii includes approximately 130 islands in the Pacific Ocean, many of which are uninhabited. The islands lie about 1,600 miles (2,600km) off the coast of mainland USA. The largest island, Hawaii, is known imaginatively as the Big Island, but the state capital, Honolulu, and most of the population is located on the smaller island of Oahu, which is also the main tourist destination. The other main islands are Maui, Molokai and Kauai. Between them the islands boast an amazingly diverse geography providing endless recreation opportunities, from snowboarding on mountain summits to hiking through rainforests. The possibilities offered by a Hawaiian holiday are limited only by the boundaries of the imagination.
Big Sky, Montana
Montana’s leading holiday destination is a fantastic year round resort offering the best skiing to be had in the state. Situated between Bozeman and West Yellowstone, Big Sky sits among some of the most gorgeous scenery in the United States and the ever increasing number of tourists to the resort is testament to this.
Lake Erie Islands, Ohio
Since Elite Escapes Travel is based in Northeast Ohio, we had to talk about the Lake Erie Islands. The Lake Erie Islands, including Kelleys Island and the three Bass Islands further north are popular destinations during summer, each offering their own attractions with a diverse range of recreational activities such as boating, fishing, swimming and camping. Limestone cliffs, historic sites, wineries and sculpted caverns can be found on the different island retreats, and the warm waters of the shallow Lake Erie are a perfect resting ground for migrating birds making the islands one of the best bird watching areas in the country. Formed during the glacial period, the islands consist of limestone bedrock that has much evidence of glacial scouring on the rock surfaces. The Glacial Grooves State Memorial on Kelleys Island is an enormous piece of limestone rock containing the most spectacular example of deep glacial grooves in the world, scoured by the advancement of the great glacier that carved out the Great Lakes.The Lake Erie Island region was once inhabited by the Ottawa and Huron Native American tribes before being ousted by European settlers in 1812, and evidence of these hunting grounds remain in over 70 archaeological sites found around the islands. Inscription Rock State Memorial, also on Kelleys Island, is a limestone boulder carved with ancient characters and images of men, animals and birds from about 500 years ago.The naval Battle of Lake Erie was fought in Put-In Bay on South Bass Island, an American victory over the British that ensured control of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes, and is commemorated by Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial on the island. South Bass Island, named for the excellent bass fishing in the surrounding waters, is the most visited of the American Lake Erie Islands and its Victorian-style village filled with gift shops, fine restaurants and lively pubs has been famous as a summer resort for over a century. In the 1860’s grape production became extremely profitable and wine making has had a strong influence on the island culture, with several wineries still offering tasting and tours to visitors today.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Over the years numerous taglines have been coined to apply to America’s most historic city, Philadelphia. It has been called the ‘Athens of the Americas’, the ‘city of brotherly love’, ‘the friendliest city’, the ‘most honest city’, ‘the safest city’ and, most recently, ‘the city that loves you back’. Fabulous ‘Philly’, fifth largest metropolis in the United States, is all these things and more, which is why it is regarded as one of the world’s most dynamic destinations and the happy home of more than three million people.The city is sensibly sited 60 miles (97km) inland from the Atlantic coast on a protrusion of land at the merging of the mighty Delaware River and the Schuylkill River, land granted to William Penn, an English Quaker, back in 1682. Penn’s vision was to establish a ‘green countrie towne’, but because of its location controlling the Delaware Valley and its good freshwater port facilities, Philadelphia soon outgrew its original boundaries and by the 18th century was the second largest English-speaking city in the world.Today Philadelphia draws tourists mainly for its historical wealth, centred around Independence National Historical Park, regarded as the most significant historic square mile in America where the United States was conceived, declared and ratified. The Constitution of the United States was written here in 1787 and the city was the nation’s first capital between 1791 and 1800.Philadelphia is also a shopper’s paradise, featuring the world’s largest mall, as well as offering some of the finest dining establishments in the country, thousands of acres of beautiful parkland, attractive boulevards where street fairs and parades are common events, and a vibrant arts and entertainment community. In short, to add to all its other tags, Philadelphia can justifiably be said to offer something for everyone.
Myrtle Beach, SC
The 60 miles (97km) of white sand stretching along South Carolina’s coastline, from Little River to Georgetown in the south, is known as The Grand Strand. Peppered with beach resorts and seaside communities, the main hub of activity is centred at Myrtle Beach. However, all along The Grand Strand visitors can enjoy the sea, sun and surf, as well as excellent seafood, shopping malls, amusement parks and numerous family-orientated activities, shipwreck diving, museums, and over 100 championship golf courses.Myrtle Beach lies at the centre of the Grand Strand, a glitzy stretch of uninterrupted commercial development that has transformed the city into a mega entertainment centre and family resort. Beach towels and brightly coloured beach wear cover the sand in summer and the population swells with vacationers seeking fun and thrills offered by the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park, with funfairs, waterslides, arcades and shopping. Myrtle Beach State Park offers nature trails, camping, fishing and swimming when the bright lights and non-stop entertainment wear thin.At the southern end of the Grand Strand lies Georgetown with a pretty historic district and a restored waterfront that buzzes with activity. During colonial times it boasted a rich plantation culture and was the centre of America’s rice empire.
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