10 of the best places to visit in the US

Times

5 hours ago

I've had two decades of adventures in the US, and it turns out that the places I love the most aren't the ones I expected to. Take Texas, for example. I didn't love only Austin, with its bars and barbecue scene, but also the cowboy country further south, where I stayed in a ranch and rode horseback through the countryside, joining a line-dancing party for actual cowboys at a local bar. Then there's the New Jersey coast which, despite its glorious beaches and seaside towns, can be unfairly maligned. Plenty of people would head for Cape Cod instead, though, and who wouldn't love wineries and whale-watching? Here are the trips I would recommend.
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One week Cape Cod and Boston
Two weeks Alaska and/or Wyoming
Three weeks Oregon, California and Arizona
A tight budget New Jersey
There's one place in the US that my in-laws return to time and time again (it's almost an annual tradition, nowadays): Cape Cod. You could do a whistle-stop tour of this picturesque coastal region in four days — stopping off at thrift stores (there are hundreds of them) and enjoying the vibrant LGBT scene of Provincetown (think Brighton but smaller, and better) — but really you want to leave some time for a ferry trip to Martha's Vineyard, with its beaches and boutiques, and Nantucket. There are whale-watching trips and great island bus tours, but part of the pleasure of the region is going at your own pace, so consider it as part of a relaxed road trip (you can ferry over to Boston afterwards too, if you fancy).
The Chatham Bars Inn is a romantic bolt hole with boats and bikes for hire, a spa and a private beach.
Virgin Holidays has reasonable flight, car hire and hotel packages staying at the Holiday Inn Cape Cod.It's may not be the tallest waterfall in the world, but it's definitely one of the most powerful — and witnessing 168,000 cubic metres surging over a rock face isn't a holiday memory you'll forget fast. Instead of seeing it from an observation point, there are more fun ways to take it in, whether it's floating 120 metres in the air in a tethered helium balloon or soaking yourself silly on a thrilling jet-boat tour through the gorge. It's not a place to linger too long in, instead, stay 30 minutes down the road in Buffalo. Although some may prefer glossier, quintessentially pretty cities, others will love the underdog nature of the city, with its entrepreneurial scene, indy restaurants and art galleries — an exciting hipster renaissance after its era of Rust Belt decay.
There are plenty of big-name chains in the area, but Buffalo Harmony House, a beautifully restored red brick mansion, has a lot more character.
British Airways has flight and hotel deals to Niagara Falls, with the option to stash even more Avios points when booking car hire as well.
• The ultimate guide to Niagara Falls: everything you need to know
You're unlikely to find a part of Texas that you don't absolutely love: this is a state of differing opinions and outlooks, landscapes and experiences. Instead of focusing on one hub, my advice would be to take in as much of it as you can. Dallas is perhaps the glossiest city here — the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is a must visit, and tracks John F Kennedy's life and assassination. Austin is the coolest city — come here for nightlife, an incredible music scene and sociable outdoor swimming spots. As for what some might call the 'real' Texas? Head south to the likes of Bandera, known as the Cowboy Capital of the World, and settle in for a few days on a ranch, exploring the local scenery on horseback and local line dancing bars in the evening (don't worry, there's no pressure to join in).
The kitsch and colourful Austin Motel has a great location on South Congress Avenue, plus handy free parking.
Travelbag's 12-night self-drive tour of Texas takes in Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin and more.
• Discover our full guide to the US
New Jersey, the state south of New York, doesn't feature too regularly on these 'Best of the US' lists — which is a big oversight. But if it's good enough for Bruce Springsteen and the make-up artist Bobbi Brown (the former lives here, the latter opened a boutique hotel here) then it's good enough for us. Take a road trip down the shore and you'll come across classic music towns such as Asbury Park, famous for its boardwalk, beach, blues bars and art community — or you may prefer the genteel borough of Spring Lake, with its wholesome cafés and porch-wrapped houses. Travelling with children? There are theme parks galore — the perfect break from jumping the waves at the beach.
The Asbury Hotel is a cool stay with a buzzy live music space in a former Salvation Army building.
Fly from London to Newark with British Airways and book car hire to accumulate extra Avios points.
A trip to Alaska is a chance to witness real wow factor wilderness and wildlife. It's home to some of North America's best hikes, where you can traverse glaciers, stomp along forest trails of the Kenai Peninsula, see Alaska's Big Five (bear, moose, Dall sheep, wolf and caribou) in Denali National Park — one of the few national parks where you're encouraged to walk beyond the trails — and spot sea lions, humpback whales and orcas offshore around Resurrection Bay. Tongass, America's largest national forest may be the region's best wildlife-spotting location, and is home to a large number of brown bears, plus trees that are 1,000 years old.
Aviator Hotel is a modern hotel with great showers — an ideal base in Anchorage for your Alaskan adventures.
Exodus has a ten-day group tour that takes in the wilderness and wildlife of Alaska, with nights camping in national parks.
• Best Alaska cruises
It's one of the most popular spots in America, with good reason: California's Highway 1 wraps everything you'd want from a good road trip up into one iconic drive. After a few days exploring San Francisco head south, hugging the coast and stop off at Monterey, Carmel and the ridiculously scenic mountain-packed coastline of Big Sur, before continuing on to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. You could stop there, but if you have more time (or you're looking for a shorter drive), keep pushing south, pausing for a few surf lessons in Huntington Beach (known for its Surf Dog competitions for pets) before exploring San Diego's incredible food scene — think zingy fish tacos and some of the country's best margaritas.
For good value and cosy cabins with mountain and river views, try the Big Sur Campground.
G Adventures' nine-day Best of Cali group tour tracks the cost north from Los Angeles to San Francisco, cutting inland to include Yosemite National Park.
• Discover our full guide to California• Best Napa Valley vineyards to visit
You could simply hop in a helicopter from Las Vegas and see the Grand Canyon on a short flight (which is not as high-roller as it sounds, there are a number of inexpensive trips available) or you could immerse yourself in the west for longer, taking in several more state parks. For big-ticket scenery, try Zion's Emerald Pools trail for waterfalls and turquoise lakes before the hoodoos (sandstone towers) of Bryce Canyon National Park. Monument Valley, five hours' drive away, has Western-worthy landscapes and the chance to learn about the culture of the Navajo, before the grand finale — a walk along the rim of the Grand Canyon.
Amangiri is a seriously special luxury hotel in the heart of the Grand Circle, Southern Utah.
Join Explore's Western USA group tour for 17 action-packed days of immersion in the parks.
• Grand Canyon National Park: the best tours, hotels and helicopter rides• Best US national parks to visit
Whether you're travelling as a couple, with friends or with kids, Key West's beaches, diners and lovely independent hotels make this region a sun-soaked, easy trip for all. You could hole up in one hotel for a week, or see a little more — hire a car and drive the Florida Keys, the small island chain linked by bridges that includes Key West. You could spend time kayaking over turquoise water, snorkelling in state parks and stopping off at museums, including Ernest Hemingway's former home. The short distance and wide straight roads mean you won't get lost and can spend many relaxed hours on palm-fringed beaches.
Standalone bathtubs, four-poster beds and chic decor make Little Palm Island one of the coolest boutique hotels on the coast.
British Airways has numerous fly-drive holidays to Florida, with the option to book flights and car hire before hotels.
• Read our full guide to Florida• Best villas in Florida
If the California coastline feels a little too obvious, try the rest of the Pacific coastline and inland Oregon instead. If you're travelling for beaches — and they are wild and wonderful and near-empty here — plan for the summer: November to February is wrap-up warm and spot whales territory. Aim for a night or two in bohemian Astoria, with its Victorian mansions, then make your way south and inland to foodie Portland, and back to Highway 101 for lighthouses, clam shacks, crabbing and forest hikes. Have longer? Tack on Seattle in Washington state to the north, and San Francisco to the south.
Elegant bedrooms and a downtown location make the Sentinel one of the best choices in Portland.
Intrepid Travel's nine-day tour takes in Washington and California states, along with Oregon's wineries and the city of Portland.
• Best US road trips
Dive deep into the American West on a trip to Wyoming — where landscapes of waterfalls, geysers and starry night skies combine with some of the country's best wildlife-spotting. Think grizzly bears, moose, bald eagles and the rarely seen grey wolf. Much of your trip here should be dedicated to Yellowstone National Park's bubbling rivers and herds of bison, and Grand Teton National Park, with its sparkling peaks and mountain meadows; your launchpad will be the frontier town of Jackson, where you can kick back in bars just like cowboys used to. Visiting over winter? There's more than 1,000 hectares of ski and snowboard terrain at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Cosy up in a luxury geodesic dome at Tammah Jackson Hole — you'll be surrounded by snowy mountains and ski runs, and there's a sauna to help relax those well-used muscles.
Intrepid Travel's six-day Yellowstone and Grand Tetons group tour is a great tag on to other adventures in the US.
• Best things to do in the US