You won’t want to miss these fantastic destinations.
We’ve all seen those 100 things… lists. It seems like there’s a new one every week or so: 100 places to see before you die, 100 books to read, movies to see, paintings to see, buildings to visit – it goes on and on. I am not what you would call a well-traveled person, but I have collected my own list of places I’d like to visit, starting with places here in the United States.
United States
New England States
- Boston National Historical Park – Boston, Massachusetts. This park connects eight different historical sites that show Boston’s role in the American Revolution, including the Paul Revere House and the Bunker Hill Monument.
- Portland Head Lighthouse – Portland, Maine. Visited by hundreds of thousands of people a year, this lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine is considered the most photographed lighthouse in North America.
- Gettysburg Battlefield – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battlefield is now the home of Gettysburg National Military Park and Gettysburg National Cemetery.
- Newport Cliff Walk – Newport, Rhode Island. The Cliff Walk is a designated National Recreation
Trail. It consists of 3.5 miles of walking trails that follow the beautiful shoreline. - Independence Hall – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Independence Hall is the historic building where the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed. It featured prominently in the movie National Treasure.
Mid-Atlantic States
- Smithsonian Institution – Washington, DC. The Smithsonian Institution is a complex of museums related to American history, including the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, and many, many more.
- Lincoln Memorial – Washington, DC. This memorial was built on the National Mall to honor President Abraham Lincoln. The memorial includes a large sculpture of Lincoln, and has been the location of many speeches, including Martin Luther King. Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
- The White House – Washington, DC. The White House home of the president and the seat of the Executive Branch of the United States Government. It’s many historic rooms are filled with presidential memorabilia.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial – Washington, DC. Simply known as “The Wall,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial contains the names of the 58,256 veterans who were either killed in action or were still unaccounted for at the end of the Vietnam War.
- The Boardwalk – Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Boardwalk in Atlantic City was built as a way of keeping visitors from tracking sand into hotel lobbies. It is currently the world’s longest boardwalk.
- The Statue of Liberty – New York City, New York. The Statue of Liberty is located in New York Harbor, and is one of the most enduring symbols of the United States.
- Empire State Building – New York City, New York. Built in 1931, the Empire State Building is currently the tallest building in New York City, since the World Trade Center was destroyed in 2001.
- Hershey’s Chocolate World – Hershey, Pennsylvania. Who could pass up touring a world of chocolate?
Southern States
- Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church&Parsonage – Montgomery, Alabama. This is the church where Martin Luther King, Jr. started his ministry and his work as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Bathhouse Row – Hot Springs, Arkansas. At Bathhouse Row, you can bathe in the natural mineral hotsprings in the Buckstaff Baths, which is the only historical bathhouse still currently in use and open to tourists.
- John F. Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral, Florida. It’s always been a dream of mine to watch an actual shuttle launch.
- Landmark District – Savannah, Georgia. This area is full of historic sites that evoke a feeling of the Old South.
- The French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana. The French Quarter is the oldest and most historic neighborhood in New Orleans, and a great place to find delicious cajun or creole food.
- The Belle of Louisville Steamboat – Louisville, Kentucky. This steamboat was originally built in 1914, and has been completely restored to her old-style glory.
- The Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, Tennessee. This is the home of the oldest continuous radio program in the USA, and a great place to hear terrific country music.
- Shenandoah Valley – Virginia. Located between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain ranges, the Shenandoah Valley was mentioned in John Denver’s famous song, “Country Roads.”