Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm going to cheat a bit and group some areas together but if I were planning a trip to the US I'd do:
NY/DC - easy train ride between the two
SF/LA - easy flight between the two or Route 1
Charleston / Savannah
New Orleans
#5 would be a Wildcard depending on personal preferences - Honolulu, Seattle/Portland, Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Philly, the Texas Triangle, Las Vegas or PHX + Grand Canyon, Denver or SLC or Jackson Hole or Reno, Asheville
I'd personally probably pick Grand Canyon or one of the mountain options as my 5th destination. I'd also probably go Seattle/Vancouver over Seattle/Portland but the OP did specify US.
If we’re using “pop” and having a remarkable unforgettable experience here’s what I’d tell a foreign visitor to see.
1. New York there’s nothing like it it’s unforgettable.
2. Los Angeles so much to see.
3. Washington DC it’s got a lot of history and museums and monuments dedicated to life in the US and so different from other cities plus they could see the embassy of their country.
4. New Orleans is fun and it’s special and I think would show another side of our culture.
5. Las Vegas or Miami or San Francisco tied for this spot would be up to them what they wanted to see.
As a person who works for a luxury retailer in Beverly Hills I will tell you a surprisingly large percentage of purchases are from around the world. Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. Many that visit tell me they go to LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas and then fly to the eastcoast and do the same thing. If you are familiar with Los Angeles and Beverly Hills in August that is the time tons of visitors from the Middle East converge into Los Angeles. And they spend lots of money. Come to Beverly Hills in August and you will see what I'm talking about.
When I worked retail years ago in NYC it was similar. Saw a lot of Brits that came around Christmas to buy clothes...they said it was cheaper to come here and shop for clothes than back where they lived. No clue how true that is but that's what they told me.
I would simply recommend the best five cities in the U.S.
NYC
DC
Chicago
SF
New Orleans
These cities are dynamic, culturally significant and have a plethora of attractions and also give the visitor a true sense of the U.S.
I certainly would never, in good conscience, point someone to Las Vegas. I would not recommend the following either, unless someone has a vested or specific interest in these cities or simply want to enjoy beaches and nice weather (each of these cities have great attributes, just not as many - IMO-- as the five I listed above):
Orlando
LA
Miami
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
