The United States of America

The ‘good ole U S of A’ is truly an amazing place – whilst the most famous sites are undoubtedly city based, the great outdoors and the national parks of USA are simply stunning.  I went there by accident many years back (long story!) and absolutely loved it … the endless landscapes and awe inspiring canyon lands will stay in my memories for ever.  Whilst Las Vegas has to be seen to be believed, the people and scenery of the great outdoors is the ultimate in outdoor adventure!

Choosing the right holiday here depends on how much time you have really – it’s possible to stay here for months and never see it all and there are long distance challenges such as the pan American highway, the Alaska to tip of South America or good ole route 66 to get your motor running! Self drive is a great way to see America and whether you choose a car, motorhome, wagon, motorbike, cycle or horse, you are sure to have a whale of a time, travelling around the sights, enjoying the hospitality of the people and doing that iconic, all American ‘road trip’!

If you want to be hotel based and in an escorted group there are endless options for coach tours and small group adventure tours.  Some adventures can involve camping and hiking or why not try a Ranch Stay for some authentic cowboy action? Rail travel is a great way to see America and with AMTRAK’s great network all over the states you can let the train take the strain here.

The West

This can be loosely defined as half the land in the USA! Encompassing the Pacific Coast through the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains to the desert areas of Sonoran, Great Basin, Chihuahua and Mojave and much more in the middle!  The states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana and Idaho form the ‘Great West’.

Stay on a ranch for a horse riding holiday, visit the cowboy towns of the central plains and ranches from Colorado through to Texas. Arizona and Utah have the most amazing canyons and rock formations anywhere on earth. The ethereal and stunning Arches National Park offers scenes that you could only really imagine – huge boulders balancing on their edges on hill tops and bright orange arched ravines … Bryce Canyon with it’s pink ‘cathedral’ spires and Zion with it’s steep gorges and clear rivers … a truly lovely wilderness area.  Not forgetting of course the most famous of them all The Grand Canyon.  Within California of course you have the cosmopolitan and glitzy towns of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego.

The Mid-West

America’s heartland and home to the Great Lakes, Great Plains and the enormous Mississippi River.  It’s a mostly flat region full of ranches and quaint towns with a mix of culture, food and languages.  This is where Dorothy was whisked into the land of Oz in a Tornado!!! Here you will find the rock carved presidents at Mount Rushmore and the jazz and gangster city of Chicago.  States in this region include Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, South and North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas and Minnesota.

The South

The south of the USA includes Memphis, the home of Elvis, the Texan oil fields and the deep south with its jazz and creole cultures. This is an area of rich culture and history which has its own customs, cuisine and music. Stretching to the east coast and including the capital region of Washington DC, the states here are Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. The deep south is a must see with plantation homes, paddle steamers, great food and the atmosphere of times gone by. Head to the sunshine state of Florida for glitz and glamour, theme parks the Everglades and Florida Keys – gateway to the Caribbean.

The North East

The most affluent area of the USA including New England states, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the landscape here moves from cliffs and sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast to fertile farms of the Ohio River Valley.  Mountain ranges fill the landscape and two of the ‘great lakes’ border this region.  New York of course attracts shoppers from all round the world and has a rich culture and superb entertainment. New England  and Vermont offer beautiful architecture, gardens, hills, valleys and coastline and is most amazing when the colours of red, orange and yellow blanket the land in ‘The Fall’. Massachusetts is a huge state including Cape Cod, playground and holiday homes for the rich and famous! Connecticut has lovely small towns and river valleys and seems to be in a bit of a time warp (in a nice way!).

Hawaii

Although a long way from the other states, USA is proud to have Hawaii as its Pacific island paradise! There are four islands, Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island … all with different things to offer the traveller and all full of adventure and activity. A haven for natural beauty, tropical flowers, volcanic mountains, friendly culture and warm waters all year round. Combines well as a twin centre holiday with the West coast of the States.