HowStuffWorks Travel & Adventure Guide  Tags: united_states usa travel wilderness disaster scenic vacation landmark adventure biking hiking sports ski scuba-diving diving city park camping caves mountains trip  

Some of America's best museums and attractions are in DC - almost all of which are absolutely free. Politicos shoppers foodies and the historically curious could all spend a long vacation in the district.

Look past the Liberty Bell and cheese steaks and you'll find some of the coolest culture on the East Coast. Great shopping and a buzzing art scene might make you want to extend your stay. See more of what Philly has to offer in our city guide.

Washington, D.C. is full of historical monuments and it attracts 20 million people annually. Learn more about Washington, D.C. in this HowStuffWorks video.

Philadelphia is a common travel destination for those who enjoy new attraction and historical sites. Learn more about Philadelphia in this HowStuffWorks video.

Hot bods. Smog. Primo restaurants. Traffic. Love it or hate it, LA has it all and can be a wonderful vacation spot if you do it right.

Denver is a tourist’s dream, whether the outdoors is your thing or if your version of hiking is window shopping and museum hopping. Learn about the many things to do in the Mile High City.

A visit to San Diego is about more than just a day at the beach. Find out about the attractions you'll find in San Diego, including its food, museums, shopping hotspots, and nightlife.

Whether you’re up in the sky at the Space Needle or down on the ground watching fish fly at Pike Place there’s never a shortage of cool experiences in this city. Plus get a first-hand look at Seattle’s landscape and attractions in our image gallery.

From The Strip slicing through the city to the shores of Lake Mead to the south, Las Vegas has more to offer than most travel destinations. Learn about visiting Las Vegas.

Once a sleepy western town Phoenix is now one of America’s fastest-growing urban centers. It boasts more than 325 days of sunshine each year. Check out this city guide to learn about visiting Phoenix.

Portland may be slower paced than larger towns, but along with the relaxed attitude comes an appreciation for the good things in life: good food, good drink, and good fun. Learn more about Portland.

Salt Lake is a city of contrasts: from the peaks towering over the skyline to the smooth saline water that makes up the city’s namesake inland sea. Learn about visiting Salt Lake City.

San Francisco is a diverse city encompassing world-class arts famous landmarks and unique neighborhoods. The city boasts dozens of festivals plus some of the best shopping around. Read this visitor’s guide to San Francisco.

Learn about visiting San Francisco and watch a video tour of this diverse city. It features cutting-edge arts, famous landmarks, and unique neighborhoods.

Salt Lake City, which has taken on a more cosmopolitan look in recent years, defies stereotypes. Find out about visiting Salt Lake City.

Portland encompasses all of the good things in life: good food, good drink, and good fun. Read this city guide to learn about visiting Portland.

Phoenix is a hot tourist destination -- and not just because it boasts more than 325 days of sunshine each year. Find out about visiting Phoenix.

Las Vegas has more casinos and nightlife venues than you can imagine. Read the city guide and watch a video tour for insider tips on what to do in Las Vegas.

Thanksgiving dinners in the Big Apple can be had in historic establishments, such as Fraunces Tavern. Get tips for Thanksgiving dinner in New York.

Thanksgiving in New York can be an exciting experience because of all the activities you can explore. Learn more about Thanksgiving in New York.

If you're touring Providence, Rhode Island, and its antique treasures, the best place to start is Benefit Street, also known as the Mile of History. Learn about the best time to visit, during the city's annual June Festival of Historic Houses.

Harvard Square is the place to go to feel young, hip and smart. Teeming with Harvard professors, students, and wannabes, the Square gives visitors the sense that they attend Harvard without the inconvenience of exams. Learn more about Harvard Square.

While Boston's compact size quaint architecture and acres of open greenspace give the city an almost European feel it is also a thoroughly modern city with great culture museums and a hoppin' social scene.

NYC attractions draw hordes of tourists every year but it's in the neighborhoods ethnic restaurants offbeat museums Off-off-Broadway theaters and underground nightspots where you make the city your own.

Annapolis, the sailing capital of America, features cruise boats with narrated tours, guided kayak tours and a fun pirate ship for kids to play on. Find out more about family vacations in Annapolis.

International visitors flock to Chicago's world-class museums while snapping shots of the skyline (modern architecture was born here after all). Discover why this Midwestern metropolis is a truly cosmopolitan destination.

Boston offers more than a rich colonial history. Read about attractions, shopping, dining, and hotels and take a video tour of Boston.

An estimated 29 million Americans travel to New York each year. Watch this HowStuffWorks New York City travel guide video to learn more.

Chicago has world-class museums, a cutting-edge arts scene, and modern architecture. Learn about visiting Chicago in this video from HowStuffWorks.

Graceland? Well, for starters, there's a giant lightning bolt painted on one wall -- to represent The King's motto: "takin' care of business in a flash." Seriously. It's that quirky.

Beale Street is not just a spectacle for the eyes, it's also an experience for the taste buds. Pots of gumbo and red beans and rice simmer at every corner. Learn about vacations to sample the Beale Street food, and more importantly, its music.

Savannah, Georgia, is America's first planned city. General James Edward Oglethorpe (who had previously founded the colony of Georgia) founded Savannah in 1733. Read about family vacations to this series of neighborhoods centered around 24 squares.

Salsa and merengue dancing free festivals games and Cuban Dominican Nicaraguan and Peruvian cuisine -- Little Havana attracts adventurous foodies and families that enjoy a festive atmosphere. Learn about family vacations in Little Havana.

Each year millions of people visit Austin -- for Texas Longhorns football games musical events business or fun. Discover the live music art great cuisine and other things that attract so many visitors to Austin.

Charleston's cobblestone streets and historic homes set the perfect scene for a stroll or drive; our guide also has plenty of suggestions for eating drinking and relaxing in this South Carolina Low Country town.

Spending time in the Bayou City is a trip for the senses. Houston is bursting with a daring and highly acclaimed restaurant scene that ranges from Tex-Mex favorites to modern American cuisine.

Frenetic vibes Art Deco architecture classic beaches and glitzy nightlife lure travelers the world over to the city of Miami and the neighboring Miami Beach. But there’s more to it than just glitz and glamour.

There's so much more to a trip to Orlando than meets the eye (or mouse ears). Lauded restaurants thousands of hotels great nightlife and plenty of non-Disney attractions can fill a vacation quite easily.

Although Atlanta prides itself on its history it's very much focused on the future. Whatever your interests they're likely to be satisfied in Atlanta. Check out this city guide to learn about visiting Atlanta.

Dallas or the “Big D” is undergoing a downtown renaissance resulting in a chic new image that highlights the fine dining cultural opportunities and the world-class shopping for which the city is known. Learn about Dallas.

Both classical and country, Nashville is as uptown as a Stradivarius violin and as down-home as a Martin guitar. Read this city guide to find out what to do and see in Nashville.

Atlanta has become a thriving center for business and entertainment. See this city guide to find out what to do and where to go when visiting Atlanta.

Dallas, or the 'Big D,' is undergoing a downtown renaissance, resulting in a chic new image. Read this city guide to learn about visiting Dallas.

Nashville is an eclectic city full of a variety of different styles. Learn more about visiting Nashville by watching this HowStuffWorks video.

Orlando truly is a magic kingdom. Learn about everything Orlando has to offer, including Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando in this HowStuffWorks video.

Read this guide to find out why Charleston, an old-fashioned city in the South Carolina Low Country, is such a popular tourist destination.

Visitors come to Austin each year for great music, food, and more. Learn more about visiting Austin in this video from HowStuffWorks.

How much to you know about this financial capital of the world? Take our Dubai quiz to test your knowledge and learn about lesser-known aspects of Dubai's culture.

It's nice to take off for a week of kayaking, hiking and rafting. But, it'd be a whole lot cooler if all that adventure were right in your backyard. Where can you live that lifestyle?

China is diligently prepping for the 2008 Olympics, even building state-of-the-art structures for the games. They've reconfigured neighborhoods, worked to improve air quality and created a whole section dedicated to the "green" games.

An odd oasis of fantastical desert skyscrapers Dubai sprawls over the sand and creeps out to sea. Once an unassuming Bedouin outpost the city has become an international curiosity and a destination for the rich and famous.

A massive complex of theme parks, cultural attractions and resort living, Dubailand will be twice the size of Disney World. But don't plan your visit to the ultimate desert destination until 2020.

The Burj's sheer opulence coupled with its outrageously attentive service has garnered the hotel a seven-star reputation. This glistening glass yacht presents itself as the jewel of Dubai -- the tallest hotel in the world.

Montreal has it all from fun festivals to culinary delights. Art architecture and religious history also abound influenced by immigrants in search of a New France and a new life. Learn more about Montreal.

Toronto has always stood for "big" in Canada. Learn about Toronto, with its four professional sports teams, its full slate of cultural attractions, and its green space galore.

Youthful, bright, and affluent, Vancouver is a city on the rise, where urban pleasures combine with outdoor recreation for loads to see and do. Learn about visiting this beautiful city.

Home to the world's tallest building and the world's most luxurious hotel, Dubai has become an exclusive destination. See why in this video from HowStuffWorks.

Montreal -- a Canadian city rife with music festivals, museums, chic boutiques, and fine dining -- has it all. Find out about visiting Montreal.