Everyone has some idea of what to expect in the Land of the Free. So thoroughly has American culture spread itself around the globe, that one the principal joys of visiting is not so much the differences you come across as the repeated, enchanting shock of the familiar. Yellow taxis and steamy pavements, baseball diamonds and hotdog stands, school buses and wooden porches – to travel the famous 50 states is to set yourself on a constant loop of life imitating art. For many visitors, the temptation is to view the USA as a succession of big cities: the multi-cultural dynamism and excitement of New York and Los Angeles; the flamboyance of New Orleans; the thrilling architecture of Chicago; the beauty and New Age preoccupation of San Francisco; the unashamed eccentricity of Las Vegas – the cities here are fascinating, irresistible honeypots for tourists, and little wonder relatively few travel through the astonishing landscapes beyond. It’s a huge mistake: from the glacial splendour of Yosemite and the thermal wonders of Yellowstone, to the awesome, biblical red-rock canyons of Utah and Arizona, and the mighty Rocky mountains, the USA is awash with spectacular natural attractions protected by the first, and perhaps best network of national parks on the planet. Blessed with such rugged, and still surprisingly unspoiled natural splendour, the USA is a wonderful place for camping and hiking, though in a country where the right to drive is almost enshrined in the national psyche, even some of its most remote attractions can still be viewed from your windscreen. Often dismissed – even by its own people – as a country devoid of history, the United States is nevertheless littered with tangible traces of the past. From the Pilgrims churches of New England, and the Cajun cafes of Louisiana, to the Spanish spirit of California and the Gold Rush relics of the West, the USA everywhere offers romantic, utterly thrilling glimpses of its recent history, going back even before European arrival to majestic Anasazi cliff palaces of the Southwest.
Facts
CapitalWashington DC
Airportthe USA is served from the UK by a huge variety of airlines flying into various cities and airports. The main airport hubs from the UK are New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Washington and Miami.
CurrencyUS Dollars (£1 = $1.60)
Size3,794,101 sq miles
Population310 million
Average temperaturesmassive variation, from the glaciers of Montana and Alaska, to the steamy summers of Florida, year-round dry heat of California, and tropical climate of Hawaii.
Local highlights
New York, where every corner turned brings you face-to-face with thrilling Big Apple icons including yellow taxis and hotdog stands, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, Jewish delis and Central Park, the Statten Ferry and Harlem; Yellowstone National Park, the oldest national park on the planet, home to waterfalls and geysers, forests and wildlife; eating at an art deco diner; stopping for petrol in one-horse towns of the Midwest; the spires and fall colours of New England; the beaches of Florida; Cajun cuisine and culture of the Mississippi Delta; bison plains of Montana; the neon-wonderland of Las Vegas; the spectacular wonders of Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon; cowboy culture in Texas, Wyoming and Montana, where ranch holidays are a real joy.
Getting out and about
Home of the Greyhound bus, the USA has an extensive – and relatively cheap – bus network, while its rail network offers some of the most scenic journeys on the planet. However, if you really want to explore the country at your own pace, stopping off at classic diners in Hicksville towns along the way, then hiring a car is by far your best option, particularly as petrol prices in the USA are a relative steal.
Travel arrangements
The USA is served from the UK by a huge variety of airlines flying into various cities and airports, of which the biggest are British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. Flight time to New York is about 7 hours; flight time to Los Angeles is about 12 hours.