USA is home to some of the most exciting cities, historic landmarks and beautiful coastline. America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment.
New York City
Nickname: The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps
With its compact size and streets packed with architectural glories, NYC is a wanderer’s delight. When the sun sinks slowly beyond the Hudson and luminous skyscrapers light up the night, New York transforms into one grand stage. With a globally recognizable skyline and 8.4 million people who call it home, New York City is bursting with diversity and excitement – from the iconic attractions you’ve seen on TV and in the movies to hidden gems waiting to be uncovered. Walkable streets and access to the subway, buses and cabs make it easy to get from neighborhood to neighborhood. As panoramic scenes go, NYC can’t be beat.
Boston
Nickname: Beantown, The Hub
Boston is the oldest city in America. And you can hardly walk a step over its cobblestone streets without running into some historic site. ‘Fanatic’ is no idle word here, Boston fans are passionate about sports. Boston is a a city where cobblestone streets meet glass-enclosed shopping galleries, where the Freedom Trail’s landmarks stand beside trendy restaurants and where new high-tech campuses brush shoulders with some of the USA’s most prestigious universities.
Chicago
Nickname: Windy City
The famous Chicago skyline set against the sweeping shore of Lake Michigan. Chicago is the nation’s third-largest city. In the heart of the Midwest, Chicago boasts soaring skyscrapers, 77 colorful neighborhoods, 42 kilometers of lakefront with 26 beaches and 580 parks and green spaces. Equally impressive are the dining options – 7,300 restaurants and more than 65 craft breweries – outstanding arts and culture, urban recreation along the waterfront, world-famous events and a vibrant LGBTQ+ scene. Chicago is also a maniacal sports town, with a pro team for every season (two teams in baseball’s case).
Washington D.C.
Nickname: DC, The District
The USA’s capital is the home of the president, Congress and the Supreme Court, the three pillars of US government. Washington D.C.’s unforgettable skyline is marked by some of the world’s most celebrated monuments. The awe-inspiring structures, statues and temples that grace the National Mall tell fascinating stories through their histories and designs.
Nashville
Nickname: Music City
Since the 1920s the city has been attracting musicians who have taken the country genre from the “hillbilly music” of the early 20th century to the slick “Nashville sound” of the 1960s to the punk-tinged alt-country of the 1990s to the heartfelt indie troubadours of today. Music is Nashville’s calling card to the world and is the very heart of the city. Long recognized as the world’s capital of country music, Music City’s sounds also include pop, rock, gospel, Americana, bluegrass, jazz, classical, contemporary Christian, blues and soul.
Miami
Nickname: The Magic City, Little Cuba
The gorgeous 1930s hotels lining Ocean Drive are part of the world’s greatest collection of art deco buildings. When the sun sets and the brilliant colors of a South Florida sunset fill the sky, that’s when the best part of the day begins for Miami’s party people. Few cities are as blessed as Miami when it comes to natural beauty. Miami is most famous for its amazing weather and beaches, and they are spectacular, but the city also offers many unexpected gems. The best place to start is the diverse array of neighborhoods, where visitors are encouraged to explore the cultural roots that make Miami an incredible melting pot.
Atlanta
Nickname: Hotlanta
While Atlanta is a popular, bustling city with glittering skylines, it is also a city in the forest, dotted with expansive green spaces and charming neighborhoods. This urban oasis is a multi-cultural haven that exudes Southern hospitality in its own style. Ever-expanding and always reinventing itself, Atlanta is among the most influential and most welcoming cities in the USA. Atlanta is the hip-hop music capital of the South.
New Orleans
Nickname: The Big Easy
New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz and is also home to Creole cuisine, century-old Spanish oaks and clacking streetcars. With a combination of city life and rural plantations, festivals, historical significance and revelry during Mardi Gras, New Orleans has the recipe to captivate everyone. Live music isn’t an event: it’s as crucial to the city soundscape as streetcar bells. New Orleans is a fascinating melting pot of cultures that have simmered together for more than 300 years. The French Quarter is the city’s oldest neighborhood – this is where New Orleans was born.
Dallas
Nickname: The Big D
Dallas, the “Big D”, is Texas’ most mythologized city, rich in the stuff of which American legends are woven. It is the country’s fastest-growing metropolitan area. Dallas is a city rich in culture, history and culinary experiences as well as unique surprises. It’s home to the world-famous Dallas Cowboys, spectacular dining and entertainment. It’s the city where Southern hospitality meets a Texas twist.
Las Vegas
Nickname: Sin City
In this 24/7 city where it’s possible to spend your entire visit in labyrinthine indoor worlds where artificial lighting mimics day passing into night, many visitors won’t wander far from their expensive accommodations, lavish pool bar, mesmerizing casino floor, or even pulsing dance floor. Down the strip is the spectacular scenic beauty surrounding Las Vegas. Forged by tectonics, carved by the wind and baked by the desert sun, vast canyons and plains, epic mountains and alpine forests beckon you to trade humanity’s distractions for nature’s warm embrace. Las Vegas is a city that was made for entertainment, carved out of the Mojave Desert with escape in mind.
Los Angeles
Nickname: City of Angels, La La Land, Tinseltown
Vibrant neighborhoods back onto golden beaches, city streets lead up to flower-carpeted hillsides and huge, deep-blue skies are an IMAX screen for lingering sunsets made to pierce your heart. Dreams are a serious business in La La Land. Home to Hollywood, this is a city where fantastical thoughts are encouraged; a place gleefully wrapped in endless layers of modern legend and mythology. Everyone in Los Angeles has a favorite beach and each beach has its own vibe, from the famed Malibu to lively Manhattan Beach. Santa Monica’s 5.6-kilometer stretch of sand is marked by the world-famous pier.
San Diego
Nickname: America’s Finest City, City in Motion
San Diego calls itself “America’s Finest City”. It feels like a collection of villages each with their own personality, but it’s the nation’s eighth-largest city and it’s hard-pressed to think of a more laid-back place. With 112 kilometers of beaches, friendly locals and great weather, California’s second largest city is the perfect mix of urban sophistication and laid-back beach culture. The spirit of San Diego embraces fun, creativity and a carefree attitude.
San Francisco
Nickname: San Fran, Frisco, City by the Bay
San Francisco is a city of contrasts – old and new, cutting-edge and laid-back, urban and pastoral. This is a city in constant evolution. Cable cars provide easy access up and down the hills in the city. Microclimates add magic realism to San Francisco days, this town will give you goose bumps one minute, and warm you to the core the next. Add iconic sights like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz Island and intriguing neighborhoods as individualistic as they are dynamic, and San Francisco becomes captivating, creative and truly unique.
Seattle
Nickname: Emerald City
Seattle isn’t just a wine or craft beer town; it’s the home of Starbucks. With eclectic neighborhoods and a stunning coastal setting, Seattle is a dynamic urban enclave nestled in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle’s current reputation as the town that spawned Amazon and Starbucks doesn’t give the full picture of the city’s oddball cultural heritage.
Honolulu
Nickname: The Big Pineapple, Crossroads of the Pacific
A boisterous Polynesian capital, Honolulu delivers an island-style mixed plate of experiences. Rooted in authentic Hawaiian tradition and home to a melting pot of ethnicities, Honolulu is a modern city with a unique blend of cultures that serves as state capital and a gateway to the Hawaiian Islands. It offers touring the historic downtown area, surfing the world-famous Waikiki Beach, and hiking the breathtaking coastal cliffs. Ocean breezes rustle palm trees along the harborfront, while in the cool, mist-shrouded forested hiking trails offer postcard city views.