The Eight Best Vacation Spots in the United States

Todd Neikirk
Photo Credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images
Photo Credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

The United States is one of the biggest countries in the world. As a result, there are plenty of great places to travel on vacation, from beaches and mountains, to bustling tourist towns and large national parks.

The following are the eight best places to visit if you’re looking to vacation in America.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Crowd of people wearing Mardi Gras beads and holding their arms up
New Orleans, Louisiana has long been a great destination for adults, but there is fun to be had by kids, as well. (Photo Credit: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images)

New Orleans has long been one of the greatest cities in the world for adult vacationers. The city features beautiful scenery, incredibly fun bars and some of the best restaurants in the world.

What many don’t realize is that there are things for kids to do, as well. Children will surely enjoy beignets at the Cafe Du Monde New Orleans, visiting the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, and taking a steamboat tour down the Mississippi River.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Buildings along the shore in Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine features spectacular ocean views and some of the country’s best seafood. (Photo Credit: Karla Ann Cote / NurPhoto / Getty Images)

The first thing many think of when it comes to Maine is the tremendous seafood, specifically lobster, but there’s so much more on offer.

Bar Harbor is the northernmost location on this list. The picturesque town features plenty of outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, mountain climbing and birdwatching. Cruising and boating are also important elements of Bar Harbor culture, as the town is located along the Atlantic Ocean.

Nashville, Tennessee

Businesses along a street in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee, best known for live music, also has a thriving culinary scene. (Photo Credit: Raymond Boyd / Getty Images)

Nashville has long been known as one of the best places in the US to see live music. A large percentage of the country’s best musicians head to the city to take their shot at becoming stars, and visitors have the opportunity to catch them perform before they make it big.

Nashville is more than music, however – the city now has a thriving culinary scene. While the area is most famous for barbecue and hot chicken sandwiches, there is lots more to enjoy. You just have to know where to look!

Maui, Hawaii

Sun setting over a resort in Maui, Hawaii
Maui, Hawaii features spectacular sights and beautiful weather. (Photo Credit: Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images)

One of the very best vacations a tourist can take is in Hawaii, and it’s been that way for a long time.

Hawaii has always offered beautiful scenery, great food, friendly people and spectacular weather. There are beaches, national parks, historic attractions and underwater activities. The only drawback for some is the cost of getting to Maui and booking a hotel, but if you’ve saved up enough, it’ll definitely be the trip of a lifetime.

Key West, Florida

Tourists walking along a street in Key West, Florida
Florida’s Key West is a uniquely eccentric town with plenty to offer. (Photo Credit: Paul Harris / Getty Images)

Florida has a lot to offer anyone who chooses to vacation there – and there’s plenty of variety, too. Families may choose to take in the splendor of Disney World or check out the nightlife in Miami Beach.

Key West, however, it a special place all its own. Like many other towns in Florida, there are beaches and places to hike and fish. It also has an eclectic downtown unlike any other in the country and is definitely a hot spot worth checking out.

Aspen, Colorado

Dog sled ploughing through the snow
Aspen, Colorado features incredible skiing and great restaurants. (Photo Credit: Ivan Dmitri / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

Colorado has long been a vacation hotspot, and there’s no place in the state that’s been than the remote mountain area of Aspen.

Aspen is a vacation spot for those with a little more money in the bank. Once there, tourists can bask in the numerous hot skiing spots. With its reputation as a skier’s paradise, it also features some of the best restaurants in the country.

Seattle, Washington

Two men staring at the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington
There’s lots to do when visiting Seattle, Washington. (Photo Credit: David Ryder / Getty Images)

Many people will choose to never visit Seattle, due to its reputation as a rain-sogged city. While there is some truth to that, there is also plenty of fun to be had in the Emerald City.

Washington State is impossibly green and the sights in Seattle are beautiful. The city also features great culinary and music scenes. Last, but certainly not least, it’s famed for its excellent coffee, with Starbucks being founded there in 1971!

New York City, New York

Aerial view of New York City, New York
New York City, New York has as much to offer as any city in the world – if not more. (Photo Credit: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP / Getty Images)

More from us: Despite Its Dangers, BASE Jumping Remains Popular with Adrenaline Junkies

There isn’t another city in the US – let alone the world – quite like New York City. The famed locale features pretty much anything anyone could ever ask for. It has one of the world’s greatest culinary scenes and is home to the miracle known as Central Park. That’s not to mention Broadway, where some of the most talented people in the world perform.

New York City has everything to offer.

toddneikirk

Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history.

When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally.