A user asked the forum, what is a quintessential American experience that every tourist should have? Here are the common responses.
NATIONAL PARKS
“Visiting a national park. The United States has a lot of things good and bad but its abundance of breathtaking and well-taken care of national parks is probably one of its biggest strengths….. next to its number of aircraft carriers of course lol.”
CHEESEBURGER
“Have a cheeseburger and fries in a 24-hour diner, ideally one that has a lot of chrome and looks unchanged since the 1950s.”
SMITHSONIAN
“Check out any of the Smithsonian in DC.”
YELLOWSTONE
“Yellowstone. As a Brit, I can guarantee that the scale of the whole thing will blow your mind.”
HALLOWEEN
“On October 31 dress in costumes, attend parties, visit haunted houses and eat Halloween candy.”
GRAND CANYON
“Visit the Grand Canyon – breathtaking views!”
COUNTRY FAIR
“Go to a county fair, eat a bunch of fried Oreos, and then ride sketchy carnival rides until sick.”
THANKSGIVING FEAST
“A Thanksgiving feast.”
MUSEUMS
“Go to the museums in NYC or DC.
Americans have a real way with museums; it might be a mix of the love of big spaces, a certain kind of insatiable curiosity, and incredible avarice.
There are few places in the world. This many truly amazing museums of so many kinds in just one place, and pretty close.
Even the museum stores at some of these places are better than the best museums in other cities.”
BEACHES AND SMALL TOWNS
“Drive the coast! Highway 101 from Oregon to California. Beautiful beaches. Great camping. Small towns quite often. Redwood Forest.”
MUSIC AND LIVE PERFORMANCES
“Go to a live performance of blues, jazz, or bluegrass/country, all are unique American music styles.”
ROAD TRIP
“A road trip. For all the hate cars get online, there’s something truly amazing about the freedom of movement enabled by the automobile, the road, and the sheer scale of this nation.
Doesn’t matter what route you take; go down the coast or up to the mountains and just watch the scenery change.
It’s beautiful and really hammers home how big America is. Along the way, stop at parks, museums, or whatever touristy things you desire.
Get lunch at a fast food place and dinner at a proper local restaurant.
I think for a foreigner, that’s the best way to encapsulate what America represents to most people. It’s big, it’s untamed, it’s beautiful, and there’s no other nation like it.”
WAFFLE HOUSE
“Go to a Waffle House, preferably after midnight.
Dennys and IHOP also work, but not as well.”
BASEBALL GAME
“Check out a minor league baseball game!
They have awesome stadiums, great fans, and it’s usually pretty inexpensive!”
COLORADO, TIMES SQUARE, AND TEXAS
“Assuming you have plenty of time and money, you can visit Colorado or Montana, Times Square and Texas during the state fair.”
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The article was originally published on Mrs Daaku Studio.