As an intern on the Mountbatten Institute New York Programme, I had one year to make the most of my time. I'd scour the internet for the 'the top things to see and do', 'what to see & do in USA' and the 'best places to visit in America' but seldom find anything beyond the obvious. And so after a year of exploring I decided to create this website to help people put together their own adventure. I hope the top 30 things to see and do in America inspires you and leads you on to some great experiences in the USA.
15. Climb the wet waterfall steps in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park beats Yellowstone National Park as the best of its kind. A steep staircase cut into rock that trekked up the side of a waterfall was a great surprise. But these uneven, slippy steps were unforgiving. It added to a genuine sense of quasi-danger when the edge of the climb dropped 40 feet (no railings) into the crashing waters below. I'm proud to say I kept going when others in my party turned back but we all agreed that trainers are useless! As with all the national parks, it takes a long time to get anywhere in Yosemite so it's best to camp while you're there because accommodation within a two hour drive of the central car park can be very expensive. As well as hiking, this is a great place to go white-water rafting. Go for class IV rapids if you're a pretty confident swimmer and up for a challenge.
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14. See the shapes of Chicago
If you've ever met anyone from Chicago, they seem unusually proud of their city and you'll know why if you visit. It's got a history and buzz to it like New York combined with the cleanliness of Toronto. Appreciating urban architecture isn't really my thing but it's so striking here that you'll become fascinated with it. The city is great to visit at any time of year. Make sure you watch a concert or at least walk through Millennium Park where Barrack Obama gave his acceptance speech as President-elect, marvel at the Bean (above), and ride the loop around the city like a monorail in an amusement park. Visit Adler Planetarium for great views of the city across Lake Michigan and to see the truly amazing Journey to the Stars show (also in planetariums in New York and San Francisco).
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13. Watch a drive-in movie
This is a novelty choice because it was such a surreal experience. It's not something that can replace the screen and sound quality of modern cinema – or even a DVD at home, come to think of it – but it does have an American uniqueness. Attach the cable to your car aerial with a bit of masking tape (provided), tune the radio, organize the treats, recline your seat and put your feet up! Worth trying once. The theatre above was in Seattle and showed eight movies a night during the summer months. http://www.driveinmovie.com/
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12. Take a speedboat around Key West
If you're going to Miami for five days, spend three of those days in Key West. Miami over-promotes itself but it has nothing you can't find better elsewhere. Instead, rent a car from the airport and drive along the overseas highway to Key West. Take a jet ski out around the islands, go parasailing, and, depending on your preference, get on board a party catamaran or a small speed boat to see dolphins in the wild, snorkel around the reef, and watch the sunset. After these salty excursions you can enjoy the nightlife in Key West and even try 'dolphin & chips/fries' – aka 'Mahi Mahi'.
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11. Look up at Mt. Rushmore
Few tourist attractions in America are presented with an effortless style; they are too often over-hyped which frequently leads to a sense of anti-climax. I was expecting this at Mt. Rushmore but was pleasantly surprised. Maybe we arrived at a quiet time but the peaceful setting of the Black Hills magnifies the contrast of the huge dynamite-created heads. The cost of entry is only $10 per car and the small museum within the grounds answers everything you'll want to know about the mountain. The problem with visiting Mt. Rushmore – and why it is no higher than number 11 – is that there is very little else around to justify a special trip to South Dakota. That said, there is an incredibly ambitious Crazy Horse Memorial project nearby (see adjacent photos). We visited this before Mt. Rushmore expecting a lot but were quickly disappointed by a combination of it trying too hard to be a better version (ten times the size) and charging a lot for a little ($20 per person and you're not allowed anywhere near to it without paying extra). Mt. Rushmore had a buzz that Crazy Horse couldn’t recreate.
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