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Aside from NOLA, you left out the South from your proposed destinations, and in its way it's very classic America and unlike anything European.
I'd suggest the Low Country of South Carolina, which is on the Atlantic Coast between Charleston SC and Savannah GA. There really isn't anything like it all in the rest of the US. (But do avoid Hilton Head, which is just another developed seaside resort like many others.) The food is fantastic, the beaches, wildlife, and landscapes are stunning, and it's one of the few places where a strong remnant of African culture still exists in the US. Small towns, former plantations, historic homes, and the region's anchor cities, Savannah and Charleston, are steeped in history.
I would guess Pacific Northwest or maybe South Dakota.
I'll second this. You will likely be disappointed in the midwest (Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma). South Dakota is okay. What you could do is spend a couple days in Omaha, Nebraska (Omaha Zoo is great, is overall a great classic American city), then head to the Black Hills (Mount Rushmore), and then spend some time in the badlands. Oh, and the Devils Mound is across the border in Wyoming. But, that would give you a good taste of classic American and possibly Native American culture. Stop in small towns along the way. Classic American food is nothing to really rave about, but there should be some good steak or BBQ places along the way.
A few years ago I met a British couple driving from Chicago to San Francisco. I think they followed I-80 (highway) most of their trip.
I am planning on visiting the United States from the United Kingdom and I want to go to a part of the U.S. that feels completely unlike anything we have in Europe. I have been to a few East Coast cities before and found most of the Northeast to be very similar to England (e.g. New England) and parts of continental Europe (e.g. New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey).
This time round I want to go to an area of the U.S. that is still American in tone but has very little European influence. I was aiming on going somewhere west of the Mississippi which is where I have read the U.S. changes a lot in character. However, I don't want to go to a really hot desert state with Hispanic influence. I want somewhere that is quintessentially American but more distinct from European influence.
So far I have shortlisted the following states (in no particular order):
Oregon
Oklahoma
Missouri
Kansas
Louisiana
Would these states suit my want of going somewhere that is classic Americana but has very little influence from Europe?
it depends on what you want to see and what you want out of a vacation.
If you are looking for cities, then you don't really want to go to the west coast, unless you like driving long distances. LA, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle are hundred of miles apart - San Francisco to Portland is a 10 hour drive at 55-70 mph. There is a train but it is completely inadequate.
If you are looking for sheer culture shock, try Houston-Dallas-Austin. It isn't really desert, although it is, for the most part, relatively hot, flat, humid and occasionally swampy (yes, yes, the hill country, I know).
I live in Oregon and it isn't what you are thinking of as classic Americana. We are, frankly, kind of a fringe state. Sure, we have "American heartland" farm and rural areas, but we also have a "blue" liberal and libertarian bent, unlike much of the Mid-West and South.
I'd suggest more of a "nature" vacation, flying into Denver, renting a car, driving out through the Rockies and the little mining towns to Moab, Utah and then Zion or Bryce Canyon.
Also: don't drink the horrible classic American beers (Coors, Budweiser, etc). Ask for what microbrews are on tap. We tend to like our microbrew beer on the hoppy side (I, personally, don't) so ask about that.
European influence pervades the nation. There isn't a place you won't find any of it. Which aspects of it are you trying to avoid? Would the Whitest part of California feel less European to you than the Blackest part of New England?
Unfortunately, the areas that seem the least European to me are mostly in the southwest (i.e. desert).
Chicago is a good suggestion. A world-class city that's much more quintessentially American (IMO) than, say, New York or San Francisco.
LA is also quintessentially American without (AFAIK) much European influence, but might be too "Hispanic" for the OP (don't know what their problem with Hispanic culture is... it's part and parcel of American culture, especially the "non-European" part). Southern California might be too "deserty" too.
Low country of South Carolina also sounds like a good suggestion.
With a lot of the "flyover" suggestions, I would be worried that there might not be that much to do or see in places like South Dakota or Kansas. MO might be the most "touristy" of those states with Kansas City (big jazz and barbeque city) and St. Louis (and Branford, lest we forget!).
I'd recommend Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Portland for distinctly American cities that are unique in their own right. San Francisco - while it does have some European elements - is definitely a very unique and pretty amazing city. If you come to West Coast, I'd highly recommend going there.
Honestly, I think the Midwest and West Coast might be what you're looking for.
Michigan would probably work too. All-American state without much of the white ethnic neighborhoods you still find in much of the East Coast and Midwest. Ohio outside Cleveland would probably fit the bill too.
I think Wisconsin would be a good bet too. Other than the love of sausage and beer that it got from Germany, there is very little about it that is European. It has the Dells, is part of the heartland of giant fiberglass animals and Paul Bunyons, and has a ton of quintessentially American old river towns along the Mississippi. Summer vacation in the north woods is also a very American thing Wisconsin (and Minnesota and Michigan) has that in spades.
Edit: The more I think about it, the more I think a tour of the Driftless Area, which is the hilly area around the upper Mississippi where Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa come together could give you exactly what you are looking for. The people are friendly, the area is steeped in classic Mississippi River Americana, and the scenery is very underrated. Also, you won't find many other tourists. Some places to check out would be LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Winona, Minnesota and Dubuque, Iowa. A lot of the older small towns are cool too.
Last edited by Drewcifer; 08-04-2015 at 08:15 PM..
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