Introducing USA
The playwright Arthur Miller once said that the essence of America was its promise. For newly arrived immigrants and jet-lagged travelers alike, that promise of America can take on near mythic proportions. America is a land of dazzling cities, towering coast redwoods, alpine lakes, rolling vineyards, chiseled peaks, barren deserts and a dramatic coastline of unrivaled beauty. And that’s just California!
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In the other 49 lie an astounding collection of natural and cultural wonders, from the wildly multihued tapestry of urban streets to the mountains, plains and forests that cover vast swaths of the continent. America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment.
Look more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin, the easygoing charms of antebellum Savannah, the ecoconsciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent waterfront of San Francisco, and the captivating old quarters of New Orleans, still rising up from its waterlogged ashes.
This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where four million miles of highways lead past red-rock deserts, below towering mountain peaks, and across fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest and the scenic country lanes of New England are a few fine starting points for the great American road trip.
Travel Alert: Stricter security measures have been introduced at US airports for passengers traveling from destinations considered to have links with terrorism. For details check the Transport Security Administration website. The usual restrictions on airline carry-on baggage remain in place throughout the US.
Last updated: Jul 16, 2010
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27 July 2010
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USA
Our Top Picks For USA
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1 Dip into the Great Lakes
Be awed by the planet’s largest supply of freshwater, harbored by a chain of lakes strung with beaches, sand dunes, offshore islands and forests.
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2 Make a pitstop at Carhenge, Nebraska
Automobile art at its best, this roadside attraction will forever change your view of Stonehenge
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3 Go zip-lining in Ketchikan
Zip down a 4600ft mountain to a stream full of bears feasting on salmon
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4 Meet Lucy the Margate Elephant in Atlantic City
There's no shortage of eccentric in Atlantic City, but this 65-ft high wooden replica of a pachyderm will stop you in your tracks.
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5 Play Ultimate Frisbee in Washington, DC
Join locals in a game of Frisbee in America's front yard, DC's National Mall
Fast Facts about USA
- What's the $US dollar worth today?
- Unemployment 9.5%
- Average number of TV channels in a US home
104
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
$14.1 trillion
- Military defense budget in 2006
$441.9 billion
- Inflation
2.6%
- Population
306 million
- Percentage of citizens who have passports
about 30%
Related Groups
Our favourite USA Blogs (beta)
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Street Food Anniversary Party
Blog: Broke-Ass Stuart's Goddamn Website - 31 July 2010
Some may argue that the “too much of a good thing” curse has fallen upon the street food trend in San Francisco. I say meh.
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Greenpoint ‘Last Saturdays’ Block Party
Blog: Broke-Ass Stuart's Goddamn Website - 31 July 2010
Even if you don’t have a wad of cash in your pocket, who says you can’t enjoy a little window shopping.
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The Strip/Petcast are LIVE today
Blog: VEGAS HAPPENS HERE - 31 July 2010
Sorry for the delayed notice, folks, but I've been carshopping and IT SUCKS.Anyhow, The Strip is live at noon PT and The Petcast is live at 1 p.m. PT at LVRocks.Com. This week's Strip guest is longtime Strip magician Rick Thomas.
