North America attractions

The French Quarter is easily the most popular area in New Orleans to visit and stay, thanks to its vibrant atmosphere and unique blend of architectural styles. It’s also the city’s oldest neighborhood, and its elegant streets are lined with an appealing mix of lively bars—especially along the legendary Bourbon Street—as well as historic monuments, hotels, restaurants, and plenty of entertainment venues.

Hemmed in by the dramatic snowcapped mountains that make up the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Banff National Park’s glacier-fed Moraine Lake is renowned for its bright blue-green waters. The impossibly vivid color is the result of light refracting off tiny glacial rock particles, while a dense evergreen forest stretches down to the lakeshore.

Niagara Falls is one of North America’s most majestic natural wonders. Its three waterfalls—the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls—plunge dramatically over the Niagara River, with water that flows at a rate of 75,750 gallons per second. The falls straddle the border between Canada and the United States, with viewpoints and themed attractions on both sides.

The Grand Canyon’s West Rim, located just outside Grand Canyon National Park, is home to the vast Hualapai Indian Reservation and includes 108 miles (173 kilometers) of picturesque canyon views. The closest section of the canyon to Las Vegas, the West Rim is famous for the lofty Grand Canyon Skywalk, Guano Point, and Eagle Point.

The official residence of each US president since 1800, the 132-room White House in Washington DC draws visitors from around the world. Admire the sight from afar, stop by the White House Visitor Center, or request access to a public tour, which includes highlights like the East Wing, State Dining Room, China Room, and the White House Rose Garden.

The Empire State Building has long been one of New York City’s best-known attractions. Ranked among the world’s tallest buildings—One World Trade Center is today the tallest in Manhattan—the landmark is instantly recognizable for its stepped, art deco pinnacle, which is floodlit at night and displays holiday and commemorative colors throughout the year.

Diamond Head—known in Hawaiian as leʻahi—is a volcanic cone on Oahu, famous for its dramatic summit views over Waikiki and the Pacific. Hikers climb a paved trail through tunnels and switchbacks to reach panoramic vistas from the crater rim. Rich in natural beauty and cultural history, it’s one of Oahu’s most photographed and memorable attractions. The moderate hike rewards you with coastal scenery and a unique sense of place in Hawaii.

The US Capitol is the heart of the American government. Topped by the bronze Statue of Freedom, the Washington, DC, landmark houses both chambers of the United States Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. When Congress is in session, visitors can watch politicians debate various legislative issues, as they've done here for centuries. Guided tours of the landmark are also a popular attraction for DC visitors.

For most, traveling to Hana is about the journey, not the destination. A quiet town nestled on Maui’s eastern shore, Hana is of international fame thanks to the Road to Hana (Hana Highway)—hailed as one of the world’s most scenic drives. While the route’s waterfalls and picture-perfect volcanic landscapes are better known than Hana itself, the town makes for a tranquil escape and an excellent base for exploring the region.

Tropical foliage, black-sand beaches, rushing waterfalls, and incredible views are the calling cards of the legendary, winding Road to Hana. Also called the Hana Highway, this spectacular seaside stretch features more than 50 bridges and is regarded as one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Highlights along the route include the seven sacred pools of Oheo Gulch, the Wailua Falls, the Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls, and the rainforests of the Haleakala National Park.

The powerful border-straddling Niagara Falls is composed of the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls (also known as the Canadian Falls). A riverside park offers expansive views of the bright turquoise water, and there's always a layer of mist hovering in the air, sparkling as the sun catches it. The crowds of visitors in colorful ponchos add to the vibrant atmosphere.

Vancouver’s Stanley Park is beloved for its stunning natural setting, surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and set against the backdrop of the snow-capped North Shore Mountains. At nearly 1,000 acres (405 hectares), it offers a combination of coastal rainforest, lakes and lagoons, and scenic meadows. A walk or cycle along the public park’s seawall is an essential Vancouver experience.

As the gateway for some 12 million arrivals to the United States, New York City’s Ellis Island was America’s busiest immigrant-inspection station for more than 60 years. Today, the island’s restored main building houses the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which honors the US’s immigrant heritage, chronicles the island’s role in that history, and gives voice to the people themselves.

If one landmark embodies San Francisco’s breezy, graceful beauty, it’s the Golden Gate Bridge; you may have seen it on postcards, travel guides, screensavers, and social media, but nothing can prepare you for the real thing. This art deco structure spans the Golden Gate strait between the City and Marin County. Drive, bike, or walk across—and stop to look out onto the San Francisco Bay or as far as the Farallon Islands on a clear day.

A 19-foot-tall (5.7-meter-tall) marble statue of President Abraham Lincoln dominates the Lincoln Memorial, situated at the edge of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the western end of the National Mall in Washington DC. The most visited National Park Service site in the city is an homage to the 16th president of the United States, who helped to preserve the Union during the Civil War and delivered the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Dole Plantation began as a humble fruit stand in the 1950s; today, it has grown into one of Oahu’s most popular attractions, offering a sweet mix of family-friendly fun and pineapple-themed education. Ride the open-air Pineapple Express train through former plantation fields, get lost in the garden maze, or cool off with a famous Dole Whip. It’s a lighthearted stop that showcases Hawaii’s agricultural past.

Oahu’s North Shore is a must for travelers looking to experience the island’s more laid-back, adventurous side. Known worldwide for its legendary surf breaks, the coastline draws wave chasers in winter and snorkelers in summer. Beyond the beaches, you’ll find plantation tours, scenic waterfall hikes, and roadside food trucks serving local favorites such as garlic shrimp. It’s a popular day trip from Honolulu and a highlight of many island tours.

A former federal prison that held notorious criminals Al Capone and George Kelly, Alcatraz is now a National Historic Landmark and one of the most sought-after attractions in the San Francisco Bay Area. Highlights include touring what’s left of the maximum-security facility, hearing stories from former inmates, and sailing past the Golden Gate Bridge to reach the craggy isle.

A signature landmark of Los Cabos, the Arch of Cabo San Lucas (El Arco) is a limestone arch carved by water and wind. The natural attraction is found at the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas—which itself is at the southern end of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula in the Sea of Cortez. From a distance, the rock formation looks like a dragon; up close, the arch frames sky, sea, and sand.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk—a horseshoe-shaped, glass-bottomed walkway that juts out 70 feet (20 meters) above one of America’s most scenic sites—is not for the faint-hearted. Situated 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) above the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk offers unreal panoramic views of the West Rim and Colorado River, plus natural wonders such as Eagle Rock Formation and the Princess and the Horse shadow.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, one of Washington DC’s most visited landmarks, is comprised of three parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Women’s Memorial, and the Maya Lin–designed Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, whose black granite surface is engraved with the names of some 58,000 fallen and missing Vietnam War soldiers. Many visitors arrive to pay their respects and leave notes and mementos at the wall.

You'll be reaching for your camera at every turn in Xochimilco to capture its brightly painted flat-bottomed boats called trajineras, traditional chinampas (floating gardens), and a network of flower-perfumed canals. The Mexico City borough is a reminder of the region’s past, when a sophisticated network of canals connected the city for trade and transport purposes.

As indispensable to the Windy City as deep-dish pizza or Wrigley Field, the Chicago River is an attraction in its own right. It runs straight through the city’s downtown loop, affording front-seat views of architectural icons such as Tribune Tower or the Jewelers Building from its pedestrian waterfront, known as the Chicago Riverwalk. Along with Lake Michigan, the river gives this landlocked city an airy, almost coastal feel.

One of the largest natural harbors along the Pacific Ocean—and celebrated as one of the country’s most picturesque locales—the San Francisco Bay is the defining feature of Northern California’s Bay Area. Spanning a whopping 550 square miles (1,425 square kilometers), and spanned by the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, it’s a popular place for sightseeing boat tours (including trips to Alcatraz), wildlife-spotting, and other recreational activities.

The heart and soul of Manhattan, Central Park spans 843 acres (341 hectares) of green space. Across that great expanse, it offers attractions and amenities ranging from running paths, a boating lake, and the Central Park Zoo to gardens, fountains, and the Wollman Rink. For more than 160 years, locals and visitors alike have gathered year-round at this National Historic Landmark to enjoy a respite from New York City’s concrete jungle.

Constructed prior to the American Revolutionary War, Faneuil Hall Marketplace has served as a bustling market for centuries. Today, the attraction, located on the city’s Freedom Trail, actually comprises four individual buildings: Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market, and South Market. It is a popular place for sightseeing and dining, and it features an ever-changing lineup of street performers outside.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City stands as a place of remembrance and a somber tribute to those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The plaza, built on the World Trade Center site, features two reflecting pools, while the subterranean museum lends a deeper understanding of the impact of that day.

The 1920s were a pivotal decade for Chicago’s architectural scene, and when the Wrigley Building opened in 1924, it set the pace for the city’s development. When owner William Wrigley Jr. (of the Wrigley gum company) scouted locations for his company’s headquarters, he chose a unique triangle shape of land—it would eventually become the heart of the bustling Magnificent Mile.

Nicknamed the “Mighty Mo,” the USS Missouri—now known as the Battleship Missouri Memorial—is the site where the Japanese signed the surrender documents that ended World War II in September 1945. Located within the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, the ship is now a museum that commemorates the vessel’s roles in WWII, the Korean War, and the Liberation of Kuwait.

Few New York City landmarks turn heads like the Brooklyn Bridge, an 1883 beauty spanning the East River between Lower Manhattan and DUMBO. While architecture buffs can marvel at the neo-Gothic stone arches and 19th-century engineering, most travelers will simply see an essential piece of the New York City skyline—and head straight for the walking promenade to take a whole lot of photos.