USA Travel Tips, National Parks & Routes

Best time to travel in July

These destinations are at their best right now. Choose another month ›

In season

Washington

Seattle

The green harbor city with the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and coffee culture.

In season

British Columbia, Kanada

Vancouver

Canada's beautiful Pacific metropolis between ocean and mountains.

In season

Utah

Bryce Canyon

A forest of orange stone pillars, many find it more beautiful than its big brother.

In season

Wyoming

Yellowstone

Geysers, steaming rainbow springs and wildlife in the world's first national park.

Destinations

National parks, cities and sights, sorted by region.

Southwest

Natural wonder

Arizona

Grand Canyon

Deeper, wider and quieter than any photo can show.

Wild West

Arizona und Utah

Monument Valley

The red rock spires you know from a thousand films.

Photo spot

Arizona, bei Page

Antelope Canyon

Beams of light falling through curved sandstone.

City

Nevada

Las Vegas

One night is enough, and it packs a punch.

Gypsum dunes

New Mexico

White Sands

The world's largest gypsum dune field, dazzling white, in New Mexico.

City of balloons

New Mexico

Albuquerque

Home of the world's largest balloon festival, with desert flair and Route 66.

Adobe and art

New Mexico

Santa Fe

The oldest capital in the USA, with adobe architecture and a vibrant art scene.

Utah

Hidden gem

Utah

Bryce Canyon

A forest of orange stone pillars, many find it more beautiful than its big brother.

Sheer walls

Utah

Zion Nationalpark

Sheer red walls, a green valley and the river running through it.

Orchards

Utah

Capitol Reef Nationalpark

Red cliffs, historic orchards and barely any crowds.

Stone arches

Utah

Arches Nationalpark

Over two thousand natural stone arches, each finer than the last.

Wide canyons

Utah

Canyonlands Nationalpark

Endless canyons and rock terraces as far as the eye can see.

California

Granite cathedral

Kalifornien

Yosemite Nationalpark

Towering granite walls, thundering waterfalls and ancient giant sequoias.

Extremes

Kalifornien

Death Valley Nationalpark

The hottest, driest and lowest place in North America.

Bay City

Kalifornien

San Francisco

Steep hills, rolling fog and the world's most famous bridge.

City of Angels

Kalifornien

Los Angeles

Hollywood, endless beaches and the laid-back glamour of Southern California.

Northwest

Emerald City

Washington

Seattle

The green harbor city with the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and coffee culture.

Glacier volcano

Washington

Mount Rainier

A mighty, glacier-clad volcano with blooming alpine meadows.

Nature and city

British Columbia, Kanada

Vancouver

Canada's beautiful Pacific metropolis between ocean and mountains.

Rocky Mountains

First national park

Wyoming

Yellowstone

Geysers, steaming rainbow springs and wildlife in the world's first national park.

Jagged mountain range

Wyoming

Grand Teton

One of the most beautiful mountain ranges in America, with Jackson Hole at its feet.

City of the Mormons

Utah

Salt Lake City

Utah's capital by the Great Salt Lake, shaped by the Mormons and the mountains.

Southeast

Old South

Georgia

Savannah

Moss-draped oak avenues, historic squares and Southern charm.

Capital of the South

Georgia

Atlanta

A buzzing metropolis, civil rights history and the home of Coca-Cola.

Music City

Tennessee

Nashville

Live music on every corner, honky-tonks and the sound of country.

Blue haze

Tennessee und North Carolina

Great Smoky Mountains

Misty ridges, deep forests and America's most visited national park.

The Big Easy

Louisiana

New Orleans

Jazz, French Quarter flair and the most fun-loving city in America.

Granite giant

Georgia

Stone Mountain Park

A massive granite dome just outside Atlanta, with a cable car and famous laser show.

Home of the Blues

Tennessee

Memphis

Elvis, Beale Street and the birthplace of the blues on the Mississippi.

Florida

Sunshine State

Florida

Miami

Art Deco glamour, turquoise sea and a touch of Latin America.

River of Grass

Florida

Everglades

Endless wetlands full of alligators, best explored by airboat.

Southernmost Point

Florida

Key West

Caribbean flair, colorful wooden houses and the southernmost point of the USA.

River City

Florida

Jacksonville

Florida's largest city, fine beaches and the gateway to the north of the Sunshine State.

America's oldest city

Florida

St. Augustine

Spanish colonial flair, an old fortress and the oldest city in the USA.

Theme Park Capital

Florida

Orlando

The theme park capital of the world, plus more Florida than you'd think.

Four parks

Florida

Walt Disney World

The largest Disney resort in the world, with honest saving and queue tips.

Three parks

Florida

Universal Orlando

Action, Harry Potter and, since 2025, the brand-new Epic Universe park.

Space Coast

Florida

Cape Canaveral

NASA's spaceport, rocket launches and the beach town of Cocoa Beach.

Gulf Coast

Florida

Tampa

Busch Gardens, Cuban Ybor City and Florida's lively Gulf Coast metropolis.

Sunshine City

Florida

St. Petersburg

The Dalí Museum, a playful pier and some of the finest Gulf beaches.

Culture and beaches

Florida

Sarasota

The Ringling legacy, world-famous Siesta Key Beach and elegant flair.

River and Gulf

Florida

Fort Myers

Edison's winter estate, palm-lined beaches and the gateway to Sanibel.

Shell island

Florida

Sanibel

The world-famous shell island with a lighthouse and nature reserve near Fort Myers.

Emerald Coast

Florida

Panama City Beach

Sugar-white sand and emerald water on Florida's Panhandle.

Glass-bottom boats

Florida

Silver Springs

Crystal-clear springs, famous glass-bottom boats and Ocala's horse country.

All destinations ›

From the forum, this week

Every week a different question and a different voice from 41,000 posts on USA-TALK.DE.

Question of the week

Sunrise or sunset?

Surprisingly often the forum says sunrise moved them even more than sunset. A popular quiet spot for it is Yavapai Point. Even those who struggle to get up are almost always glad afterwards that they did.

Grand Canyon ›

Voice of the week

From the Utah State Capitol you have a fine view of downtown Salt Lake City.

from the forum USA-TALK.DE · Salt Lake City

Special experiences

Unique events and natural spectacles worth planning a trip around.

Festival

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Sturgis, South Dakota · early August

One of the world's largest motorcycle gatherings, turning a small town in the Black Hills into a biker mecca.

Official site ›

Natural spectacle

Laubfärbung in Neuengland

Neuengland, Vermont, New Hampshire u. a. · early to mid October

In autumn, the forests of New England turn brilliant red, orange and gold, a world-class natural spectacle.

Official site ›

Festival

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Albuquerque, New Mexico · early October

The world's largest hot-air balloon festival: hundreds of colorful balloons rise over the desert at dawn.

Official site › Our destination ›

Seasonal

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

New York City, New York · fourth Thursday in November

The giant Thanksgiving parade with the famous character balloons through Manhattan.

Official site ›

All events ›

My travel story

A few of my first documented USA trips, from a time when I still captured everything with a camera and a travel journal, some of it even live on location. Later trips I mostly only kept as a video diary, and the most recent ones barely at all. Which is exactly why I love sharing these early stories here.

Travel story

My Very First Trip to the USA: the Southwest

A total rookie in a camper van, all the way across the Southwest, from San Francisco over the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley to Las Vegas. This is my origin story with America.

Read

Travel story

The Pacific Northwest, Still Rolling in the Van

After those three weeks in the Southwest, I tacked on a second half right away back in 1990, this time heading way up into the Northwest with a German speaking group. Redwoods, Crater Lake, Mount Rainier, Seattle, a side trip up to Vancouver, and Yellowstone to close it all out.

Read

Travel story

Across the East, from Miami to New York

Back in the camping van, this time all the way up the East Coast. From Key West and the Everglades through Savannah, Memphis, and Nashville, right into New York's Central Park.

Read

Travel story

Florida and New Orleans, the First Time with the Whole Family

This time with Mom, Dad and my girlfriend. From St. Augustine to a side trip down to New Orleans, then on to the roller coasters of Tampa and the big loop through Orlando.

Read

Travel story

The American Southeast, a Journey Full of Quiet Undertones

What was meant to be a drive clear across the country turned into a loop through the Southeast instead. From Atlanta through Charleston and the Great Smoky Mountains all the way down to the parks of Orlando.

Read

The American West,as it is.

America's great parks,clearly explained.

From the coastto the desert.

Best time to travel in July

Seattle

Vancouver

Bryce Canyon

Yellowstone

Destinations

Southwest

Grand Canyon

Monument Valley

Antelope Canyon

Las Vegas

White Sands

Albuquerque

Santa Fe

Utah

Bryce Canyon

Zion Nationalpark

Capitol Reef Nationalpark

Arches Nationalpark

Canyonlands Nationalpark

California

Yosemite Nationalpark

Death Valley Nationalpark

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Northwest

Seattle

Mount Rainier

Vancouver

Rocky Mountains

Yellowstone

Grand Teton

Salt Lake City

Southeast

Savannah

Atlanta

Nashville

Great Smoky Mountains

New Orleans

Stone Mountain Park

Memphis

Florida

Miami

Everglades

Key West

Jacksonville

St. Augustine

Orlando

Walt Disney World

Universal Orlando

Cape Canaveral

Tampa

St. Petersburg

Sarasota

Fort Myers

Sanibel

Panama City Beach

Silver Springs

Recently viewed

From the forum, this week

Sunrise or sunset?

Special experiences

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Laubfärbung in Neuengland

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

My travel story

My Very First Trip to the USA: the Southwest

The Pacific Northwest, Still Rolling in the Van

Across the East, from Miami to New York

Florida and New Orleans, the First Time with the Whole Family

The American Southeast, a Journey Full of Quiet Undertones

The American West,
as it is.

America's great parks,
clearly explained.

From the coast
to the desert.