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.
5. Cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
You'll feel relaxed as soon as you arrive in San Francisco – one of the few cities to meet and even exceed the hype. There are so many things to see and do. Rent a bikes to cycle through the city park, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and go further if you can (take food & water with you). Definitely try the fresh shrimp, crab, etc. at Fisherman's Wharf. Then walk up the seemingly hidden maze of steps to Coit Tower for the best view of the city. And don’t take the night tour to Alcatraz. Trust me, no visit to San Francisco would be complete without ticking these four things off your list. Book the Alcatraz night tour weeks in advance as you'll have a greater sense of the prisoners' isolation once darkness falls. http://www.alcatrazcruises.com
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4. Get the passion for American sports
Americans are crazy for their sports and no trip to the US should miss out on that passion. My preferred choice is American football because the noise created by home fans (99% of the stadium) is incredible. It's also, in my opinion, the best sport because every game really does matter; they only play 17 games a season compared to the 100+ that basketball (recommended 2nd), ice hockey (3rd) and baseball (boring) play. American football tickets are therefore more expensive they'll be sold out before game day. Also consider the college equivalents of these sports as they're usually much more exciting and still attract crowds of 30,000! There's a growing soccer following in the USA now and major tennis and golf tournaments are also held here. A final sport for your consideration is NASCAR, which can be great to watch somewhere like Daytona Speedway (with ear plugs).
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3. Survive the Stratosphere rides, Las Vegas
None of the three Stratosphere rides would be worth queuing for in a normal theme park. But everything changes when you put these rides 1200 feet in the sky, at night, and with a bit of wind for good measure. For $35 you get unlimited rides and we queued for no more than five minutes for any ride – incredible! The rides will be best experienced in this order: Big Shot; X-Scream; Insanity. One drops you from the highest point in Las Vegas straight down; another rolls you off the edge of the building on a seesaw towards the ground; and the other spins you around and then extends its arm out and away from the building! I can't remember a time when I've been more scared – the rides are better than anything I've ever been to in any theme park and yet they were just normal fairground type rides. You've also got Vegas here for everything else and the Hoover Dam nearby for something slightly more educational. http://www.stratospherehotel.com/Tower/Rides
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2. Fly 'no doors' over the Na Pali Coast, Kauai
The Na Pali Coast on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii is indisputably amazing. There are several ways of experiencing the Na Pali Coast but easily the best three are: go on a guided kayak tour (you'll need to be relatively strong at it); hike the Kalalau trail along the top of the cliffs; and/or take a 'no doors' helicopter tour over the island. All three offer a different experience of this unique part of the world. There's one other essential 'thing to do' on the north shore: spend your beach time at Hanalei Bay – a crescent shaped beach with perfect sand, deep clear sea, and the backdrop of green cliffs. It's relatively quiet as not only is Kauai the least populated of the Hawaiian islands but most tourists tend to stick to the south shore. It's easily one of the best beaches I've ever been to! If you’re planning on island hopping, the volcano and observatory on the Big Island are essential.
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1. Feel all that's good about America at the Lincoln Memorial
Experiencing the Lincoln Memorial is the must see/do thing in America – the site is almost spiritual at night. Instead of a Herculean character that most statues falsely portray historic figures to be (sorry Christopher Columbus), Abe sits in an armchair, calm and relaxed. Ironically this gives a much greater sense of power and wisdom than the heroic military poses. Walking alongside the Reflective Pool towards this shrine, you'll feel the history and all that is good about America. It gets better in DC as the rest of the city is also tremendous, with so much to see and do – and it's all free! I'd recommend the National American History Museum and the Holocaust Museum as essential visits if you're interested in that sort of thing. Everyone should go to the Washington Monument early one morning (8-9 am should be fine) to get free tickets to the top – and this beats any other city's sky deck hands down. There's so much more I could recommend in Washington DC: from Arlington Cemetery to the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc. You might want to visit the House of Representatives but the free tour here takes you nowhere interesting (I think they call that 'for security reasons'). The same disappointment exists with the White House tour (don't think you'll get anywhere near the Oval Office!) and you'll need to apply to your embassy at least 12 weeks in advance of your visit to have a chance of going inside.
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