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How do I love the USA? Let me count the ways! The people, the food, the landscape, the ability to drive from the mountains to the sea in less than an hour. Here’s a roundup of why I think America is great. Do you agree too?
22 Reasons the USA is Great
1. 50 Varied States
Less than 50% of US citizens don’t own a passport, yet and in their defence, I’d argue – look at that landscape on their doorstep.
You only have to drive for under an hour to move from the desert to lush forests, from loud cities and quaint towns.
Since 2009, I’ve had the privilege, and travel is a privilege I am always thankful for, of visiting 21 states plus Washington, DC.
I’ve done popular touristy things such as hiking at Yosemite, line dancing in Nashville, karaoke in Vegas, and Broadway in New York.
I’ve also done lesser-known tourist activities like swimming with manatees in Florida,road tripping in Texas, beer cocktails in Wicker Park (Chicago) and living with locals in Portland, Oregon.
I can’t wait to return to explore more.
2. National Parks
Big Bend, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Zion National Park, and Acadia to name a few.
Days worth of vast landscapes, hiking opportunities, and lake swimming on hot days.
Here’s our guide to the most romantic National Parks!
3. Lake Life
Swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, and canoeing.
We love the free access to America’s lakes so much that we eloped next to one in Austin, Texas.
4. Camping in the USA
My first trip to the USA was a three-week (mostly) camping trip starting in San Francisco, driving south, then up to New York through Pennsylvania.
Campsites are well organised, staff are super friendly and the states that need to be are ‘bear aware’. Their facilities reflect this.
Craig and I also hired a camper van and enjoyed a week-long road trip from Austin to Big Bend and again stopping off for BBQ, art and hikes.
You can’t beat Big Bend National Park’s black skies with magical stars.
You May Also Like Our Road Trip Guides
5. Filming Locations
Countless movies have been made in the States so you can reenact your fave scenes, such as:
- Run like Forest Gump through Monument Valley in Utah.
- Sit on the set of Central Perk at Warner Bros in New York.
- Visit the real Central Park, where 200 movies and shows have been filmed.
- Steal a kiss under Cloud Gate in Chicago like The Vow.
6. Wildlife
You can see manatees, bison at Yellowstone National Park, and elk in the Rockies in Florida.
7. Themeparks
I love fairgrounds, and Universal Studios in Orlando is a park for big kids.
Butterbeer, rollercoasters, and The Blues Brothers. Fun!
Go in January and have the park to yourself.
Universal is also located in California and there are Six Flags themeparks dotted around the country too.
8. Free Music Shows
NYC live shows during the summer and Austin during South By Southwest (SXSW) in March have been some of my best musical experiences.
If you love music too, add New Orleans (jazz), Nashville (country), and Sun Studios (rock) to your music road trip itinerary.
9. The Party
From the speakeasies in San Francisco to the blues on Beale Street.
Hangovers don’t tickle in the USA.
Remember to tip your server.
It gets pricey with every drink, but that’s the cultural expectation unless you open a tab.
10. Hipster USA
Whisky flights in Wicker Park, Chicago, bacon-topped doughnuts in Portland, Oregon, and axe throwing in an ex-high school in Huntsville, Alabama. Hip hip hooray.
11. Modern Art
Marfa Prada (Texas), I Love You So Much Wall (Austin) and Chicago’s Cloud Gate/The Bean to name a few installations, murals and sculptures I like.
Which modern art pieces stand out for you? Tell me in the comments below.
Marfa made it to our most romantic destinations in the US, which you can read here.
12. Space Camp
Huntsville, Alabama is rocket city!
Budding astronauts must visit NASA Space Camp to ride the Vomit Comet, test themselves during an EVA, and do the Moon Walk, as we did!
Read about our time at NASA here.
13. The Food
BBQ, Po’ boys, chowder, Tex Mex fusion, lobster roll, poke bowls, Californian rolls, Philly steak, deep-dish pizza.
God bless the cultural melting pot for the food it has put on the States’ table.
The sizes are mostly incredible too. Ideal for a doggy bag takeaway and the zero waste mantra.
14. Crackers and Chips
So many types and seasonings.
I love going to Walmart to look at the shelves.
You can keep your squeezing cheese, though.
Tortilla chips and salsa on the table while you wait for your meal?
Thank you, Texas.
15. S’mores
OMG.
Sweet crackers, hard chocolate, and gooey marshmallow.
Campsite goodness. Calorific but terrific.
16. Cocktails
Hand Grenades, Hurricanes, and Voodoos!
And that’s only in New Orleans, Louisiana.
17. Craft Breweries
Tours and taprooms, from Pacific Northwest to Boston, the USA is on the map for craft beer.
You can even take up collecting a beer from each state.
See here to see the wooden map.
18. Friendliness
Maybe it’s our accent, but we’ve met the friendliest of people during our travels in the USA.
From helpful directions being shouted from the back of the bus in New Orleans to strangers carrying my bag in New York City, people are so welcoming in the States.
19. I’m One-Third Scotch…
I also find how North Americans are clued up on their heritage interesting.
It annoys some Scots when people from the USA say they are one-third Scottish then list their DNA stats but I find it endearing and it puts us to shame for not knowing our past.
You hold on to your clan routes, North American friends! Maybe we’re related…
The country’s age is one of the things that makes America unique.
20. Start-Ups
I dig the positive mental attitude towards entrepreneurship and starting your own business.
North Americans see the positives; fellow Scots and Brits stress about the pension and tax situations.
Meeting and working with/alongside many forward-thinking and go-getting North Americans has helped me carve out this career as a professional travel blogger.
I’m doing a job that didn’t exist when I was at school, so thank you for giving me the courage and support to quit high school teaching and sit behind a computer all day.
I jest; we travel sometimes.
21. The Americas
I love how the States can be a springboard to visit the wider Americas.
Drive up to Canada or down to Mexico.
Hop aboard a budget flight to Nicaragua or take a boat to the Bahamas.
Great options for winter sun escapes or cheap vacation trips.
Pin to your USA inspiration board
Bonus: Why America Sucks
So now you know why I love America; here are a few aspects of USA culture I can’t get my head around and some we suffer from.
- Pickles – nope
- Lack of sidewalks – we call them pavements and walk on them all the time
- J walking – if there’s no traffic, why wait
- Turn on red – terrifying!
- Health care – touchy one, I know; our NHS is a postcode lottery, but at least it is free at the point of use
- Guns – Scotland had one school gun massacre in the 90s. We banned guns. We’ve never had one again…
- First Past the Post – the unrepresentative voting system we also use at Westminster, and it sucks for Scotland
- Plastic – if it’s a sit-down meal, there is no need for disposable cutlery
- Holidays – you hardly get any. I feel for you
Final Words
Not to leave on a negative note, I do enjoy visiting the USA.
So much so we got married there and plan to return for a big road trip very soon so I can see more of the states I’ve yet to discover and to revisit old faves.
What American things do you love? Tell me in the comments below.
Do you love the U.S. too?
“It’s unusual as I’m against some things Americans support-the death penalty, anti-abortion laws, extremist religious views and of course guns.”
Well, there are certainly people in Scotland or Europe that are against pregnancy termination and have extremist religious views though Europe’s extremist religious views are from Muslims and there is a lot more religious extremism in Europe than in America. No religion in America requires women to cover head to toe like in Europe. In America, pregnancy termination is a legal and constitutional right. When it comes to guns, most of the violence occurs from criminals who get guns illegally and are involved in gang or drug activity and is concentrated among certain ethnic groups. Americans who are law abiding want guns for either hunting, which I don’t like or to protect should a burglar or someone break in. While we may have the death penalty, which I support in certain circumstance, a lot of Americans are against Europe’s leniency on violent crime.
Thanks for reading Karen. In Scotland the majority of our police don’t actually carry guns and most violent crime will never be experienced by the masses, our Scottish government hasn’t used force as far back as I can remember. We really just do not understand gun culture and hate to see yet another neighbourhood (as we talk just now in Florida), school (we had one experience of this in the 90s, horrific), cinema, workplace, church or club come under fire. Find it a bit bizarre that you’ve picked up the areas that I don’t agree with when the full article discusses what I adore about the States. The majority of my North American friends have the same thoughts on these issues as me, both good and bad, hence why we have aligned. I hope you have enjoyed the rest of our USA content.
Thank you for speaking to some of the positives of this country! We’re not perfect, by far, (but who is right?) but it is a hugely varied country that seems like tons of little countries in place of states. I’ve lived everywhere from NYC to California to the most rural little place and small towns in Virginia, (and traveled the states greatly) and none of these places is like the other. Thank you for the understanding in why tons of Americans do not have passports. I could not get over my wanderlust to visit other countries, but I have been privileged in my life, whereas I know some friends from my hometown who are eager for the chance to even visit Florida (hundreds of miles away and expensive in a sense, but cheaper than a flight overseas.) I love seeing these places from others’ perspectives!
Emily, such bizarre timing! We’ve just flown from Orlando to Nicaragua and I thought to myself, I wonder how many kids in Florida get to the theme parks! Adding another reason I love America – Portland! Spent four nights there last week and had a ball.
Yaaay! As an American it’s refreshing to read a list of positive things about my country 😀 Especially one that contains “food” on it. I LOVE the food in America — like you said, healthy take out, yes please! I just feel like there’s so much variety and so many options that I miss living in Germany. I’m shocked (and saddened!) when people come back from America complaining that the food was horrible. I’m always like, where did you eat?!!!!
British take aways are all leave you with grease sodden lips! My American tour guide came for a visit to the UK and was like ‘what do you guys eat here!’ Heading back your way in 58 days…
Politically and economically there are tons of problems. But geographically, we totally lucked out! There’s a little bit of everything and it’s so big. That’s what I think is great about the States.
I couldn’t disagree with that! It’s a bittersweet love. The crackers win though…
Love it and love USA. Reading it gave me goosebumps.
How many times have you been to The States now (in search of the best cheese in a can, boke!)?
I Love tooo much the United States of America. You know why?
Because i was there in October 1995 for a Tennis Program’s Formation at Van Deer Meer Tennis Academy in South Carolina in exactly Hilton Head Island, which helped too much to improove my tennis coaching’s skills.
Have you visited since? We’re trying to encourage our brother to apply for soccer in the states!