Things to do in the United States

Its cities each have a distinct personality. New York City is a world of museums, theatres and neighbourhoods across five boroughs, Miami brings Art Deco beaches and Latin rhythms, and Orlando's theme parks draw families from around the globe. On the West Coast, Los Angeles mixes Hollywood with surf beaches, and San Francisco climbs its hills beside the Golden Gate Bridge.

Las Vegas rises from the Nevada desert with resorts and shows, close to the Hoover Dam and within reach of the Grand Canyon, while Oahu, far out in the Pacific, offers Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and the surf of its North Shore. Between the coasts lie national parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, the music cities of the South and the vast open spaces of the West.

Food is as varied as the country: New York pizza, Southern barbecue, Tex-Mex, Californian produce, Cuban sandwiches in Miami and poke in Hawaii. Autumn paints the forests of New England red and gold, winter sends travellers south to the warmth of Florida and Hawaii, and summer is the season for the great national parks of the West. Distances are large, so many trips focus on one or two regions.