United States
This is home base for me. I'm based in New Jersey, so many of these trips start with a drive and an early alarm. You'll find city guides, weekend road trips and a few mountain mornings here.
New York City is the one I know best: Central Park walks, the tours I'd point a friend to, and hotels that fit a $500 nightly budget. For a weekend away, I drove to the U.S. side of Niagara Falls with my friends Karen and Rayla for a helicopter flight, the falls lit up at night and Maid of the Mist. Out west, I watched sunrise at Maroon Bells in Colorado after a 4:30 AM drive from Carbondale.
Pick one place per trip rather than trying to link them; this country is big. My tip for Maroon Bells: if you drive in for sunrise, book the vehicle reservation early and fill your tank the night before. I learned that one the hard way.
Know before you go
Best time & quick facts
- Best time
- Varies by region
- Currency
- Language
- English
- Time zones
- Multiple (Eastern through Pacific)
- Power plugs
- Type A & B, 120V
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Budget
- $150–$320 USD/day
- Getting around
- A rental car for most trips and national parks, domestic flights between regions, and transit or walking in NYC, Chicago and San Francisco.
- Entry for international visitors
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries (most of Europe, the UK, Japan, Australia and others) need an approved ESTA for stays up to 90 days. Most other visitors need a visitor (B) visa. Canadians generally need neither.
Visa Waiver Program & ESTA on travel.state.gov
Places to explore
Explore destinations in United States
City · United StatesNiagara FallsNiagara Falls in 2 Days: My Weekend on the U.S. Side
City · United StatesNew York CityGuides, climate & practical tips
City · United StatesLas VegasLas Vegas in 5 Days: The Strip, Red Rock, Hoover Dam & a Grand Canyon Day Trip
City · United StatesAspenChasing Sunrise at Maroon Bells
Region · United StatesNew JerseyGuides, climate & practical tips
Region · United StatesCatskillsGuides, climate & practical tips
From the road · United States
Travel guides & stories
From waterfall weekends to mountain mornings and city walks—firsthand travel notes to inspire your own journey.
Featured reads
Niagara Falls in 2 Days: My Weekend on the U.S. Side
A two-day Niagara Falls road trip from New Jersey with a helicopter flight, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls State Park, local food, and a casino night.
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A Door Left Open: Walking Central Park
New York keeps a rectangle of quiet in the middle of the island and then pretends it is ordinary. It is not. You come in off a numbered street still half in traffic, and the park does the strange thing it was built to do: it makes the buildings feel farther away than they are. Elms meet overhead. Water sits where a meadow used to be argued over. Someone is always playing something you cannot quite name. Leave before you have seen everything. That is how you know you did it right.
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Las Vegas in 5 Days: The Strip, Red Rock, Hoover Dam & a Grand Canyon Day Trip
Five days in Las Vegas: the Strip, the Bellagio fountains and the High Roller, then out of the neon to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon. Here's exactly how I split it.
Read story
More stories & travel tips
- Things to do · Aspen · MembersChasing Sunrise at Maroon BellsRead story
Itinerary · United StatesA Catskills Fall Foliage Day Trip: New Paltz, Kaaterskill Falls and BelleayreRead story 
Things to do · New York City · Members10 Best Tours and Experiences in New York City (2026)Read story 
Things to do · New York CityWhere to Stay in New York City with a $500 Nightly BudgetRead story 
Travel tips & updates · United StatesTSA Gateside: Go to the Gate Without a TicketRead story 
Personal journal · United States · MembersA note I only finish for membersRead story 
Travel tips & updates · United StatesThe Ultimate Insider’s Guide to U.S. Ski DestinationsRead story 
Travel tips & updates · United StatesREAL ID Requirements: What You Need to Know Before May 7, 2025Read story 
Travel tips & updates · United StatesCelebrate New Jersey Wine Month at the NJ Wine Expo 2024Read story
Plan around the seasons
Weather & seasons
The United States spans many climates. Explore typical conditions by region, then check month-by-month averages for a specific destination.
Typical weather
Northeast
Four distinct seasons, with cold winters and warm to humid summers. Coastlines, big cities, and Great Lakes destinations experience different conditions.
When to go
April–June or September–October for many city walks and road trips; winter for snowy escapes.
Before you travel: Expect changeable spring weather and potentially snowy or icy winter travel.
City-by-city climate
These monthly averages come from the destination's existing CMS climate data, not a nationwide temperature chart.
Weather in New York City
Central Park weather station (GHCND:USW00094728), NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals.
Best time to visit: May, September, and October offer the most pleasant weather for city sightseeing.
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
Ready to go?
Make the journey yours
Take the ideas from a guide and build your own itinerary, with stays, flights, and experiences in one place.
Map of United States
Places from this trip — tap a pin for details