The big cities of the East
Most first trips start in New York City, the country's largest city, with Central Park, Broadway, great museums and food from every corner of the world. Three hours south by train, Washington, D.C. is the capital, where the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall are free and the monuments are lit at night. The two pair naturally on one trip.
California
On the West Coast, Los Angeles brings beaches, Hollywood, art museums and the best taco trucks in the country, spread across a huge, sunny basin. In the north, San Francisco is compact and hilly, with cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the redwoods and wine country beyond. The coast road and flights link the two in a day.
The South
New Orleans is the country's most musical city, with jazz every night, Creole food and Mardi Gras. It works as a long weekend from either coast.
The national parks
The Grand Canyon is the most famous of America's national parks, a mile-deep canyon in northern Arizona. It pairs well with Las Vegas, Phoenix or a road trip from Los Angeles.
How to link them
The United States is enormous: flying from New York to Los Angeles takes around six hours. Pick one region for a first trip of up to two weeks. An East Coast trip by train or a California and Southwest loop both work well. The free trip planner helps you set a realistic pace, and our places to visit list has specific ideas in each city.