7 Places to Visit in the US Before You Die
The United States is a great destination for vacations due to the immense size of the country. Thanks to its diverse landscapes and biomes, the US has many different places to offer in terms of landmarks, cities, and areas to visit before you die. Here’s seven of my favorite places in the US which you should visit.
1. The Adirondack Park
When most people travel to New York, they either plan a day or weekend trip to New York City, or they’re off to the Hamptons for a summer. However, those people are missing the real gem of New York: The Adirondack Park. For starters, the Adirondack Park covers an incredible 6 million acres (which is larger than most of the National Parks combined), and 3.4 million are privately or state owned. However, there’s still 2.6 million acres that you can explore, and there are endless activities you can do. While there, you can hunt, fish, ski, camp, swim, relax by one of its 3,000 lakes or ponds, or hike on one of its 2,000 trails. The possibilities are endless in the Adirondacks, as the park stretches from the Great Sacandaga Lake, goes through Tupper Lake, passes through Lake Placid, and ends at the tip of Lake Champlain. It also goes as far west as Old Forge and Tug Hill. Many people buy lake houses for the summer (which are absolutely beautiful), and some people buy camp houses for weekend visits to get away from their usual suburban or urban setting. The whole park is state and publicly protected, the air is fresh, and the Adirondacks are the perfect place to get away from stress and technology and just enjoy life for as long as you want. The Adirondacks are widely considered a place for a vacation during any season. There’s ski resorts for the winter, and motels by the lakes for summer, spring, and fall. The Adirondacks are also a phenomenal 4th of July getaway, especially a little town called Speculator and its even smaller neighbor, Piseco. Their populations skyrocket during that weekend, and a sensational parade followed by fireworks over Lake Pleasant occur. The best part about the Adirondack Park is that it technically not a national park, so all of those activities listed above are free. That’s right. They’re all free. Have fun.
2. Letchworth State Park
Have you ever wanted to visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but haven’t the funds or time to do so? Well if so, Letchworth State Park is a phenomenal alternative. Located in Castile, NY, Letchworth State Park is a beautiful scene for anyone looking to connect with nature and capture the true value of it. Although Letchworth isn’t at the same magnitude as the Grand Canyon, it is nicknamed, “The Grand Canyon of the East Coast.” Whether you want to drive, bike, or even hike, there are roads and trails that extend the whole length of the park. Activities at Letchworth include biking, fishing, hiking, hunting, recreation programs, snowmobiling, snowshoeing trails, and cross country skiing, along with countless amenities. Letchworth State Park should definitely be on everyone’s bucket-list as there three breathtaking waterfalls as high as 600 feet. In addition, one of the waterfalls features a once in a lifetime experience of a working railroad extended across the width of the falls. If that is not enough to grab the attention of anyone interested in traveling the country, in 2015 Letchworth won the USA TODAY Readers' Choice Award for Best State Park in the United States. So if you are in need of places to visit before it is too late, make time to visit Letchworth State Park.
3. Times Square
If you are between West 42nd Street and West 47th Street in New York City, you should stop by the M&M store. Once there, you will definitely have to make time for Times Square if you are visiting from a foreign country. Times Square is full of fun for all ages, and offers multiple types of entertainment for all people. Times Square is one of the main tourist attractions in NYC. Times Square is known to be The America’s Town Square. People come from all over the world to see what Time Square has to offer. Usually, people are happy with what they see.
4. Cedar Point
This amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio might be my favorite place on the planet. Cedar Point is nicknamed, “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” and deservedly so. The park is home to an astounding seventeen roller coasters, some of which have broken world records for fastest and tallest, such as the Magnum XL 200 (1985, 72 MPH, 205 ft), Millennium Force (2003 93 MPH, 310 ft), and Top Thrill Dragster (2007, 120 MPH, 420 ft). They also have a floorless coaster (Rougarou), the fastest, tallest, and longest dive coaster in the world (Valravn, 75 MPH, 223 ft, 2 minutes and 23 seconds), and a coaster with a 95 degree decline (Maverick). There’s also a lot of places to go and rides to ride for kids and families as well. I highly recommend coming here for at least a week in order to do everything. I am speaking from experience; there is literally that much to do. There’s also a few water rides and thrill rides to enjoy as well such as Snake River Falls and maXair. In terms of living areas, there are a few hotels in the town of Sandusky. However, I recommend staying in either the campsite, hotel, or numerous log cabins. Staying in these areas allows residents to enter the park one hour before it opens, and leave one hour after it closes. Certain rides are open for early admission, and there’s also a much greater opportunity to be first in line for your favorite ride that day. The extra hour at night is awesome too because it allows visitors to see the park lit up at night, right after a breaktaking sunset over the horizon of Lake Erie. Like the Adirondacks, this is also a great 4th of July weekend hotspot due to the vast amount of activities to do, like fishing on Lake Erie, walking in the park, and spectating the beautiful night events, like a play and a laser light show. I’ve been there three times, and I would like to go at least three more times.
5. Island of Kauai
If you are looking to visit anywhere in the United States before you die, why wouldn’t you want to go to the Hawaiian Islands? Of course you would have to travel a little, but the price you pay is well worth the expense. The island of Kauai, the oldest of the island arch that is open for tourists, is the most rural of all the islands. Kauai is the quietest of the Hawaiian Islands due to the lack of modernization; there is a small number of people that inhabit the island. During your stay on Kauai, you can take the time to visit Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast. Both these natural features are products of the volcano that once was the island of Kauai. Waimea Canyon has been nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Due to its large mountain ranges and deep valleys from previous volcanoes, Waimea Canyon is surely enough to bring a large crowd to view its beauty. If that isn’t enough, Napali Coast provides a long hiking trail that illustrates the magnitude of the pacific ocean, so be careful, it is not a place to take a swim. The Island of Kauai will not disappoint as the beauty of the island will be enough to keep you awake at night. It is surely a sight to be seen.
6. Las Vegas
If you’re 21 years or older, Las Vegas is definitely a place you want to put on your bucket list. After watching the movie, The Hangover, many people wish to visit Las Vegas and recreate the crazy night those guys had. From the wild nightlife, the beautiful hotels, and the cool tourist attractions such as the Hoover Dam, assortment of museums, and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Las Vegas has so much to offer. It is ranked #1 as the Best Nightlife Scenes in the USA. If you’re into gambling, there are 31 casinos on The Strip alone, but many more in the Las Vegas region. If you want to visit for the nightlife scene, you have many options. There are countless award winning shows you can see, such as the famous Cirque du Soleil. Although this isn’t necessarily a place you would take the kids, it’s a great getaway with some friends or your spouse.
7. Walt Disney World
Of course Walt Disney World is on this list. How could it not be? It’s the “Happiest Place on Earth,” and “Where dreams come true.” This amusement park, located in Orlando, Florida, has so much to offer for all ages. Whether you want to meet the Disney Princesses, check out Cinderella’s castle, visit Animal Kingdom, Epcot, or Disney’s Magic Kingdom, there’s so many options you would have to spend multiple days there. I recommend taking on one of it’s five amusement parks each weekday, and then hitting up its two water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), on the weekend. Visiting Disney World as a child is life changing, it’s a great experience. There a plenty of hotels and even camping options when visiting. If you’re visiting, you’ll definitely also want to check our nearby parks, such as Seaworld, Universal Studios, and Discovery Cove.
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