I don’t get to post much on the States, which is a pity, but that’s mostly because the last time I visited there was 2004, in other words, a very long time ago! But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to get back there. I mean, if I could up and take a year long vacation like in the old days, well, North America always was an important part of my round the world adventures.

Today’s task, though, to fit in with the ‘3 Spots’ theme, means I have to narrow down a visit to three likely cities, I guess if one was to take a brief 2-week trip to the States. The cities in the US, the main ones, can keep you occupied for a long time. I think you’d want a minimum of five days in each of the cities to really experience them. So anyway, here we go! I also wanted to include a bit of variety here and go west to east (as if you were coming from Australia). So anyway, here we go!

1. Las Vegas

I know that going west to east, you’d expect me to start with a west coast city such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, the second of which is one of my favourite American cities. But to throw a bit of variety into the mix, and believing there was no choice but to finish on my final city, I decided to throw in the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas instead.

It’s a reasonable location, out in the middle of the desert, and has a stark variation in climate from Summer to Winter, which is unexpectedly cold! There are shows, museums (did someone say Liberace Museum??) and like all three of these cities, there is something special about just being there. Not only that. But you really can be entertained for very little money if you’re happy to explore the casinos without gambling.

It is also a great location for visiting the Grand Canyon too. I did a great day tour to the Grand Canyon and Route 66 from Las Vegas and had a great time. If you want to see a town that’s pretty unique to the States, well, Las Vegas might just be for you!

2. New Orleans

And moving east and south, New Orleans, like Vegas, is a place to party, but it’s a completely different place. Not to mention the colonial history and architecture of the place, the French Quarter is very pleasant to walk around and admire.

You in the South, and the weather is hot and muggy pretty much year round. And there are nearby swamps where you can take boats and see alligators and the like. And then back to New Orleans to party the night away. Seriously, this place never sleeps, it pumps and pumps and pumps. I was a lot younger when I visited, but it was a bit much for me I guess. But it has to be experienced!

3. New York City

Because… it had to be. One of the world’s great cities. The Empire State Building, Central Park, Broadway and the shows, Times Square, riding the subway, the Guggenheim, nightlife, skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, New York is simply brilliant, and even though I’ve been twice, if I could only go to one place in the USA on a future trip I would still probably choose New York. Hopefully with a bit more cash than I had the last two times I was there.

What would your top three spots be in the USA? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, May the Journey Never End!