Top big U.S. cities I consider a must visit for a foreign or U.S. traveler, here I mention my top ten.
I'm Nick Kontis, founder of the world travel list and I guess you could say that travel has been at the forefront of my life. I love travel and checking out new places.
I have been to over 80 countries and many people ask me what my top ten U.S.
cities are. my favorites, as well as, must visits.
You may disagree, but travel is subjective. My favorite cities may not be your favorites but travel is subjective. You may have other favorites ,but all of these cities, are destinations that someone should visit on a trip to or in the United States.
I count myself lucky to have been to over 80 countries and all throughout the U.S. , and I've got some thoughts about places that I'd recommend as best bets for a foreign visitor making a first trip to the U.S. -- or even for my fellow Americans looking to do a little domestic travel...
From culture to beaches, museums to delicious food, business or pleasure.
Great outdoor spaces and proximity to places outside of the city that are worth vesting. There are many reasons to travel to a city.
Here is my list.
1. New York
As a city lover, New York is the city of all cities.
Big, brash, crowded, cosmopolitan, cultured, dirty, expensive -- no matter what you may think about it, there's no denying that New York is probably the single most exciting, most varied, most vital city in the United States, maybe in the world. Besides being the most important financial center of the country, it's also the most important cultural center with its wide range of theatrical and musical venues, art galleries, and tier-1 museums (like the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art). New York has always had a very cosmopolitan atmosphere, with immigrants from many countries settling here as their first home in the U.S. With its huge range of restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing attractions, New York deserves to be on every tourist's "must-see" list. Most cities have quiet areas, unassuming neighborhoods where tourists most likely will never visit. But a visit to the "big apple" and you will want to visit all areas on New York City. The city that never sleeps, where you can find energy and people on the streets all hours of the day.
2. Los Angeles
Los Angeles may be large and spread out, but in my mind, It has a charm all to itself, and is the movie capital of the world. That alone make Los Angeles a fascinating place for a tourist. It doesn't have quite the caliber of museums, monuments, or historical attractions that other major U.S.
cities have, although there are certainly some interesting places to visit.
Most popular are probably the movie studio tours in Hollywood (these cost about $30), or maybe a visit to the Queen Mary, a drive down Rodeo Drive, or a jaunt out to Catalina Island. Los Angeles remains the entertainment capital of the world. There are great beaches from Malibu all the way down to Orange County. See the grand houses of movie stars in Beverly Hills.
Close by is Disneyland, arguably the greatest amusement park in the world.
Plus, you have great weather all year long.
3. San Francisco
My home city. The city by the bay, diverse and charming. Cable Cars seemingly climbing high hills to the Moon.
Probably the most interesting city on the Pacific coast, San Francisco has a colorful history of Spanish settlers, Asian immigrants, we have the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, and the city was founded during, the heady gold rush days. Famous for the Golden Gate bridge and the Fisherman's Wharf, some of the more interesting points include dinner in Chinatown, or a cable car ride on Nob Hill. Old world 19th century Victorian homes are found throughout the city. Visit the grandeur of the redwoods, the Napa and Sonoma Valley wine countries, Monterey Bay, the Mendocino Coast, Santa Cruz, and much more in the surrounding areas.
4. Chicago
One of the most colorful, storied cities in the United States, Chicago brings images of industrial power, mafia corruption, elevated trains, and down-home middle America. Chicago has one of the most impressive downtown skylines of any U.S. cities, dominated by the towering Sears Tower (no longer the tallest in the world, but always a marvel of modern engineering), not to mention the beautiful lakefront area along Michigan Avenue. With some top-flight museums, like the Field Museum and the Art Institute, it's also got plenty to keep a tourist busy for a few days. Try a deep dish Chicago style pizza or a Chicago hot dog. My favorite U.S. city that is not on one the coast.
5. Miami
Often known as the gateway to the Americas, Miami is one of the most important cities in the south. With its huge number of immigrants from Cuba and South America, Miami is more than half Hispanic and has become a cultural center for Latinos. It's also the operations base for most major cruise lines doing business in the Caribbean, though I would probably prefer heading to one of the many nearby beaches, or maybe taking a swamp tour of the Everglades. South Beach remains the coolest and hippest U.S. party seen outside of Las Vegas. Perhaps the most beautiful people in the world walk the streets and beaches of South Beach , Miami.
6. Las Vegas
European casinos might ooze elegance and sophistication, but in America's gambling capital, they ooze wonderfully sleazy, tacky, ostentatious glitz.
Neon lights, strobes, glitter, and the clinking, ringing, clanking noises of the casinos beckon one and all. Big hotels along the strip compete to see who can be the most outrageous, the biggest, the loudest, or the most gimmicky. Forget about history or culture! Vegas is American tackiness at its finest! From Las Vegas you can go and visit the Grand Canyon, river raft the Colorado River, visit Hoover Damn, and participate in many adventurous activities.
7. New Orleans
I think New Orleans is the most fascinatingly unique cities in the United States with its blend of French, Spanish, and southern black cultures.
Birthplace of jazz, Delta blues, and zydeco music (not to mention Cajun and Creole cuisine), the city is loaded with live music venues, top-flight restaurants, and a perpetual party mentality. There's also a genteel southern character to the place, both in the upscale downtown Garden District and in the outlying plantation areas. There's more to New Orleans than Mardi Gras! Take a trip to the Bayou and see a unique way of life that the locals live. Try some Alligator jumbo.
8. Boston
I think Boston just alone on a historical aspect ranks as a major U.S. city, and a must visit. One of the oldest cities in the United States. Boston is the unofficial capital of one of the greatest travel regions of the United States, New England. Bostonians are brash and bold, in a good way, and very hospitable. With many colleges and Universities Boston has an open minded culture. Home of the Boston Tea Party and Bunker Hill, one can learn about early American history from a visit to Boston. Short distances to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine alone make Boston a must visit.
9.. Washington, D.C.
If it were only our country's center of government, I would probably rank Washington lower on my list of "must-see" sites, but it's really much more than that. As the home of the Smithsonian Institutions, Washington has dozens of the nation's top museums all clustered together in an open, park-like setting. While hotels and restaurants are often expensive in D.C., travelling here can be cheaper overall than in many U.S. cities because almost every major attraction is free! There is generally no admission charge to government facilities, nor to any of the museums of the Smithsonian, nor to local parks or the zoo. Walk around the monuments, visit the Capitol or the White House, stroll through the museums -- you can't help but come away with a sense of our nation's history and political structure.
Be sure to check out the Georgetown area for bars and restaurants.
10. Seattle
It may rain quite a bit, but Seattle is has clean air, mountain back drops is a beautiful place.
Maybe other U.S. have more museums and historical sites. Seattle though because is the most important city in the Pacific Northwest, and its got a good range of natural attractions, with recreational opportunities not only on the water, but in the nearby Cascade mountains. Two of the most interesting things to see in Seattle include the Space Needle and Pikes Place Market, where you can eat some of the freshest fish in the world.
Visit the impressive San Juan Islands off the coast of Seattle.
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