New York Times Square with its dazzling electronic billboards, Central Park with more than 25,000 trees is the "giant lung" of the city, 5th Avenue is NY's most refined artery with luxury brands,five star hotels and some of the most prestigous Rockefeller Center (instead of the expensive Panorama elevator, just go to the Bar 65 on the 65th floor, invest the "elevator money" into some fancy cocktails and enjoy one of the finest views in NY), St. Patrick's Cathedral, Solomon R Guggenheim museum, Metropolitan museum of Art is the largest gallery in the country, Statue of Liberty UNESCO with a very pleasant ferry ride, Ellis island with the fascinating stories of the early immigrants, MoMa the Museum of Modern Art, New York Public Library on Bryant Park, the Headquarters of the United Nations (join the very educational tour), Empire State building, Chrysler building an Art Deco Tower of 1930, New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn bridge across the East river, cross as a pedestrian for great vistas of the NY skyline, Battery Park, Twin Tower Memorial Site&One World Trade Center Observatory with a 360°panorama view, take the Staten Island Ferry for a nostalgic trip and perfect view, Wall Street, Trinity Church, Little Italy, Chinatown, Union Square Greenmarket, Natural History museum has an impressive collection of dinosaurs, Chelsea Hotel with a long history also many eateries around Chelsea market, Cony Island the seaside escape for New Yorkers. Los Angeles Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign put up in 1923, Universal Studios and the bright neon-lit City Walk, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market since 1917, Los Angeles City Hall, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Boulevard with classic Chateau Marmont Hotel, Natural History Museum, Zuma Beach for whale watching in winter and sunbathing in summer, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Santa Monica State Beach. Miami (FL) South Beach&the Art Deco Historic district with Ocean Drive, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Holocaust Memorial, Little Havana, Everglades National Park UNESCO, 1.5 million acres of wetland, mangroves, slow-moving rivers, best enjoyed onboard an airboat. If time permits, undertake the a bit exhausting drive to Key West, Florida's southernmost point, famous for its pastel, conch-style architecture, the Ernest Hemingway Home, energetic Duval street. Trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. Death Valley one of the hottest places on earth, record breaking 54.4°C in 2020. Las Vegas (NV) the "Sin City" with Casinos, Stretch Limousines, Club Crawl and much more, discover the Strip, Cesars Palace, Bellagio Hotel, to fully appreciate the food buffets you almost need a bicycle! Hoover Dam over Colorado river, completed in 1935, Sedona (AZ) nice rocks and cliffs, especially with a sundowner at hand, plus esoteric practices and yoga, a nice base to discover the Grand Canyon UNESCO, from Williams there is the daily Grand Canyon Railway, it carries tourists with steam locomotives to the South Rim, if not there are helicopter rides (a once in a lifetime experience) and hiking trails to Skeleton Point or the Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point, but also just the viewing platforms that for sure get the majority of visitors. Winslow Meteor Crater the size of about 20 football fields, Petrified Forest National Park UNESCO with fossilized trunks, now petrified wood from the Late Triassic Period, dinosaurs roamed around here, a fascinating place. Canyon de Chelly where people lived for 5,000 years, last it was the Navajo people who took refuge in the serpentine canyons,about 400 years ago. Chaco Culture National Park UNESCO with the Great Houses of Pueblo Bonito, Una Vida and Peñasco Blanco, it was a sacred place and center of far reaching trade network, you need a good car reaching the site. Teec Nos Pos Four Corners Monument where the 4 States of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet. Mesa Verde National Park UNESCO Ancestral Pueblo people built their villages beneath the overhanging cliffs out of sandstone, the Cliff Palace if the largest dwelling, the climb to Balcony House is a bit more adventurous. Albuquerque Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the Town Museum, San Felipe de Neri Church, Indian Jewelry shops mostly with silver/turquoise inlays. Santa Fe 300 sunny days per year, great vibe, and many sites to discover, Palace of the Governors, Museum of Indian Arts&Culture, Loretto Chapel with the legendary stairs, and the lively Plaza. Ten Thousand Waves is a romantic Japanese style hot spring with outdoor hot tubs little north of Santa Fe. Taos Pueblo UNESCO the only living Native American community designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO, multistorey traditional adobe buildings, guided tours on request, Taos ski valley has several lifts towards the Lake Fork Peak in winter. Colorado Springs (CO), Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the summit, but also the amazingly beautiful Garden of the Gods, Denver Art Museum, Scottsbluff (NE) National Monument with an outstanding view. Yellowstone National Park UNESCO great canyons, waterfalls, gorgeous lakes, hot springs, you name it, it's there if you love rugged, raw and wild. Salt Lake City Temple Square, Mormon Temple,Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall, the Beehive House, the Natural History Museum. Reno (NV) excursion to Lake Tahoe, Casinos like the Eldorado, a Riverwalk alongside the Truckee River, Nevada Museum of Art, National Automobile Museum. Sacramento A visit to Crocker Art Museum est. 1871, the Tower Bridge, but also the Historic buildings in downtown like the Eagle Theatre, the Trainstop, and the whole Waterfront district. San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge is best viewed from a viewpoint up from Battery Spencer, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Grace Cathedral, Prison at Alcatraz Island, Union Square especially beautiful around Christmas time, Buena Vista Cafe for the Irish coffee show and tasting, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Asian Art, the Japanese Tea Garden, Botanical Garden, California Academy of Sciences, the Painted Ladies, drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea via Monterey along the wild Coast of the Pacific Ocean. Groton (CT) Submarine Force Museum with "Nautilus", the world's first nuclear submarine. Newport (RI) Touro synagogue (built 1763), the country's oldest, the Cliff Walk with dozens of great Mansions like the "Breakers", built 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, or the "Elms", built 1901 for a coal magnate. Nobska (MA) beach and lighthouse. Boston (MA) Museum of Fine Arts with great collections, especially from Asian artefacts and buddhas, notably from Japan with its jewel of the Buddhist Temple Room, but also the Roman and Greek collections. Join a guided Freedom Trail Boston downtown tour to the historic monuments. Union Oyster House with more than 200 years in business is a place not to be missed for a great seafood platter, and of course, fresh oysters! Tea party ships and museum. Essex (MA) Woodman's where they serve delicious Fried Clam Shells since 1915. Portland (ME) lots of brickstone buildings and the old port with lobster restaurants as a first choice, go out to Portland Headlight for the most photographed lighthouse in the USA. Wolfeboro (NH) with Lake Winnipesaukee. Manchester (VT) Equinox Hotel and nice country houses along the main road. Albany (NY) the Empire State Plaza houses government offices and the "Egg", a uniquely shaped building. Cooperstown (NY) where American baseball celebrates whole year with a great museum, the Hall of Fame, and plenty of souvenir shops. Buffalo (NY) Impressive Niagara Falls, to take the Maid of the Mist Boat tour to the Horseshoe Falls on the border with Canada. Cleveland (OH) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, West Side Market, try the beef jerky. Sugarcreek (OH) dubbed as "Little Switzerland" of Ohio with one of the world's largest cuckoo clocks, many souvenir shops, Swiss emigrants with Bavarian music. Dearborn (MI) The Henry Ford Museum with an unparalleled collection of historic exhibits, including the Lincoln Continental Limousine that was used by John F. Kennedy on the day of his assasination in Dallas. Shipshewana (IN) we witnessed a large meeting of the local Amish community driving around with their black horse-drawn buggies, no alcohol in the entire town. Many Amish people emigrated here from Switzerland and live here a simple life, doing agriculture. "Essenhaus" in Middlebury is a cool Amish restaurant nearby. Chicago (IL) with busy Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain and the "Bean" (Cloud Gate), good photo opportunities from W Wacker Drive towards Marina City, do the Riverwalk and enjoy the view towards historic DuSable bridge. Sears Tower was once the world's tallest building before Petronas Towers in KL Malaysia took over. Blue Chicago or House of Blues for jazz performances. Milwaukee (WI) has a German character, breweries was big business, today only Miller remains, visits are possible. Riverwalk, Town Hall. Harley-Davidson museum. Springfield (IL) Abraham Lincoln Home&Presidential Library and Lincoln's Tomb where his body lies since his assassination. St.Louis (MO) Gateway Arch, specially nice at night, river cruises with steamboats, the world's largest beer plant, Anheuser-Busch, for some free tasting. Cahokia Mounds UNESCO with the ruins of North America's largest prehistoric town about 700 years ago at its peak, it was the Mississipean tribes living here, great views from Monk's Mound. Bardstown KY the ultimate Bourbon Whiskey hotspot, distilleries like Jim Bean, Heaven Hills, they have 51 warehouses, and of course tasting at the end of the tour. Cave City (KY) Mammoth Cave National Park UNESCO with stalacmites and stalactites competing with each other, we did the Domes and Dripstone tour for 2 hours. Nashville (TN) Broadway, the city's central artery, for clubs and bars, it is the country music capital of the world. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with Elvis Presley's Golden Cadillac and pretty awesome collection of music instruments, especially guitars. Memphis (TN) Beale Street, the Orpheum Theatre with the Walk of Fame, Graceland where Elvis Presley lived until his death in 1977, he is buried here as well. Complete tour with the Pink Cadillac, Billiard room and the Jungle room. The upper rooms remain off limits out of respect for Elvis who has never taken visitors upstairs. Rendez-vous Charcoal Ribs is the place to go in the evening for authentic Memphis athmosphere. Little Rock (AR) 100% Clinton territory with the J Clinton Library with a replica of the Oval Office including photo opportunities. Dallas (TX) The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza and the place where he was assassinated at Elm Street, there is a white "X" in the road that marks the exact spot, Conspiracy museum. Austin (TX) watch the up to 1.5 million bats swarming out every night beneath the Congress Ave bridge (summer only). Fredericksburg (TX) founded by German immigrants in 1846, with beautiful Victorian architecture, wineries, bakeries and even an Octoberfest. San Antonio (TX), the River City, with a laid-back feeling, an awesome Riverwalk and the Alamo, a Spanish-Mexican fortress of the 18th century and the San Antonio Missions UNESCO, a chain of five missions, created by the Franciscan Order that are among the finest examples of Spanish Colonial architecture in the USA. I visited Mission Concepcion (which is a real gem with a nice colonial church), Mission San Jose that has a very large compound, and Mission San Juan, enjoyed it a lot. Corpus Christi (TX) Texas State aquarium with the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. Padre Island with Malaquite beach, Port Aransas. Houston, Texas largest city with little more than 2,5 M people, the outstanding Menil Collection in Montrose, Space Center Houston, Discovery Green Park and meeting place, Bayou Place, it is all there, under one roof. Spanish Colonial (1779-1798) Natchez(LA) overlooking the Mississippi with great historic buildings along the river and behind, some of them converted into B&Bs with fantastic deals. Poverty Points UNESCO were the largest earthworks structures in the Americas up to 1000 BC, Erik von Däniken has suggested a connection to extraterrestrials, and that Monks Mound could have been used as a landing platform. New Orleans (LA) start a leisurely French Quarters walking tour, French market, Cathedral, Jackson Square, 2 hours excursion with the steamboat "Natchez" on the Mississipi river is a must and includes a jazz band a draft beer. Along upper Bourbon Street is the best choice of fine Jazz clubs and bars, Preservation Hall is an excellent choice for traditional jazz, but space is quite limited, and you have to fall in line early, it is rather spartan and dark inside. Mardi Gras with parades and costume contest. Southern Alabama' coastline with the beaches of Pleasure Island and Gulf State Park, Mobile (AL) offers some fine historical mansions, the reconstructed Fort Condé, and USS Alabama moored nearby. Grayton Beach (FL) fine white sand, but on most days too many blue umbrellas. Jekyll Island (GA) lush, and a bit exclusive still, but beautiful plants and shady oak trees. Savannah (GA) has the largest historical district in the country, and was founded 1733 by English settlers, it became a wealthy shipping center, for the export of cotton and the import of African slaves. Visit the riverfront, the historic homes like Davenport House, Mercer House, and the Historic Museum, the First African Baptist Church, and Mrs. Wilke's Boarding House, a longtime institution here. The city has 24 lovely parks. On the mouth of the Savannah River lies the well-preserved Fort Pulaski. Charleston (SC) the historic part is very compact, Two Meeting Street Inn, if you are a guest, the French Huegenot church and nearby backstreets and some of the historical houses like Nathaniel Russel House. Atlanta Martin Luther King Jr. Birthplace on 501 Auburn Ave, but also where he worked, worshipped, and was buried after being fatally shot in Memphis 1968. CNN Studio Tour, here are the headquarter where Turner started the business. Jimmy Carter Presidential library. World of Coca-Cola. Georgia State Capitol. Mall at Peachtree Center. Great Smokey National Park UNESCO with 50 native animals and over 130 different tree species a true heavyweight among the US National Parks, also a big variety of salamanders are here. The millions of trees exhale a blanket of of fog that makes the Smokey Mountains so special. West Virginia New River Gorge bridge is a 924 m long steel arch bridge. Greenbrier one of the top luxury hotel in this part of the world, 600 plus rooms, 1800 employees, it is closely associated with wealth, power and prestige, had a Yingling Lager in the wonderful bar. Charlottesville (VA) the University of Virginia UNESCO, founded by Thomas Jefferson, American President from 1801-1809. Famous is the Rotunda, a replica of Rome's Pantheon. His magnificent home Monticello UNESCO , built by hundreds of his slaves, can be visited on a guided tour. Washington DC to peep through the fence over the South Lawn into the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the War memorials, the Supreme Court building, the Smithsonian Museums (all for free), the Natural History museum with a great collection on gems and minerals, plus the priceless 45 karat Hope Diamond, the National Gallery, the Hirschhorn museum, the National museum of African art, the International Spy museum, the Space museum, Ford's Theatre where 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in his box seat, the Gothic Washington National Cathedral, the National Zoo especially for the lovely Pandas whose ancestors were originally donated by China in 1972 when President Nixon established the diplomatic relations to Beijing. St. Michaels (MD) around Chesapeake Bay with a great Marina and seafood selection. Ocean City (MD) lively Atlantic Coast resort, boardwalks, people watching&more in Seacrets, nice beaches on Fenwick Isle, Delaware. Cape May (NJ) on the state's southern tip, nice beaches, plus hundreds of gingerbread-style mansions make this a wonderful destination all year around. Winterthur(DE) the huge 175 room country estate of late industrialist Henri Francis du Pont, plus the magnificent gardens with exotic plants from all over the world,his family made money with the manufacturing of gun powder! Philadelphia (PA) Liberty Bell and Independance Hall UNESCO where America's Declaration of Independance was signed on the 4th of July 1776, the place where the first American Flag has been sewn in Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Italian market, Rittenhouse Square, Reading Terminal Market and "Jim's Steak" for those yummy Phillie Cheesesteaks since 1939 with longer queues than the Liberty Bell! Eastern State Penitentiary with Al Capone's cell and death row. King of Prussia is an elegant shopping mall near Bridgeport. San Juan (Puerto Rico) La Fortaleza UNESCO Castillo San Cristobal &Castillo San Felipe del Morro with a huge open space, Isla Verde sea side resort near the airport, Culebra stunning Flamenco beach. Hawaii Maui Bamboo Forest on the scenic Pipiwai Trail. Lanai Keahiakawelo or Garden of the Gods with tons of boulders in all shapes and sizes. Big Island Hawaii Volcanoes National Park UNESCO with active volcano Kilauea, Kehena Black Beach, Holei Sea Arch and the Kau Desert with solidified lava. St Croix, part of the USVirgin Islands, Christiansted with Fort Christiansvaern, the best preserved Danish fort in the West Indies and other Danish colonial buildings in the historic part of the town. St.Thomas Vendor's Plaza, Blackbeard's Castle, the Colonial Houses like Haagensen House, take the 99 steps..St.Thomas synagogue, est. 1833, the floor is made of sand, Hotel 1829, don't miss Magens Bay