Before we left Denmark we had put a note out on several newsgroups asking what people thought would be the most important places to visit in the US.
After 34,000 kilometers (21,000 miles) we have seen a lot of the US. By far not everything, but a lot. Here are our own personal favorites — roughly in the order we visited them.
General hint: See the national parks (in the west) at sunset or sunrise — the colors turn out a LOT better. Always start by going to the local tourist information — they will happily provide maps and helpful advice.
All museums in Washington are free — that's important for the budget traveler. Washington D.C. has an enormous number of museums, most located near "The Mall." Many belong to the Smithsonian Institution (Air & Space, Natural History, several art galleries, National Archives). Others are run by the National Park Service (Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Ford's Theatre) or have their own management (White House, Capitol, Library of Congress, Supreme Court). Other very popular tours — make reservations or come very early — are the FBI Building and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. The student quarter (around George Washington University and nearby Georgetown) is also worth exploring. A convenient lunch spot: the Old Post Office Pavilion, just north of the Mall.
Skyline Drive — essentially the northern extension of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway through Shenandoah NP. It avoids all towns, following the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through northern Virginia. In central Virginia it becomes the Blue Ridge Parkway, continuing to the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. A twisty two-laner, it's a great ride, especially in spring and fall.
The sweetest place on Earth — Hershey is the hometown of the famous chocolate company. The whole town smells like chocolate, the street lights are shaped like Hershey Kisses, and Chocolate World offers a free factory tour ride. A fun and quirky stop.
Also called Hotlanta. Hometown of Coca-Cola. Visit the "World of Coca-Cola Pavilion" and Atlanta Underground right next to it, with its hundreds of small shops and booths selling all kinds of souvenirs to stupid tourists. See also: our story about the legendary Atlanta parties.
Disney paradise. We found Universal Studios ($27 with student ID) to be the most interesting place. Disney's Epcot Center ($32) is also very nice, especially the "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" show (worth standing in line for, probably hours!). 1995 prices
If you're lucky, you can watch a Space Shuttle launch. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers tours of the launch facilities, the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, and historic launch pads.
Take a walk at the Riverside Mall and get chicken wings at Hooters where the waitresses are gorgeous — find out for yourself, ask for Kathleen. ;-) Miami Beach also has some "nice sights" like the Art Deco quarter.
If you are in an urge to see alligators, this is the place to be. Take an airboat ride and get an impression of how huge this river is — yes, the Everglades is not a swamp but a river (defined by water that is in movement).
Great place. Make sure you see the sunset from the pier and enjoy the street artists that try to separate you from your money. A snorkeling trip is definitely worth it — a boat will take you to one of the reefs and provide all the gear. Buy one of those single-use Kodak underwater cameras. 1995 You will see unbelievable numbers of fish with color combinations that are hard to imagine — it's awesome.
Wonderful beaches. Definitely among the absolute best beaches we've been to (and we've also been to Hawaii!). The sand is incredibly white and fine-grained. Lots of young, often very good-looking people, especially during spring break in mid- to late March.
Crazy city. Probably the city with the highest crime rate in the US at the time. Lots of bad neighborhoods! But if you like partying all night, you want to live here — check out the old French Quarter. Very alternative place. If you're not pierced, tattooed, or have a funny haircut, you're going to draw people's attention. A steamboat tour on the Mississippi is also worthwhile.
Beautiful skyline. See the infamous "grassy knoll" and the very informative Kennedy museum on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository — a sobering and detailed account of the Kennedy assassination.
A real desert in a desert. We always imagined deserts as something similar to the Sahara. The Monahans sand dunes are a realization of that dream. Most American deserts are "high desert" — semi-arid land with sage bushes, yuccas, scraggly trees, and cactus. But here: actual rolling sand dunes.
Pretty ugly city, probably because it's a border town (together with Juárez, Mexico). But: Tony Lama (some of the best cowboy boots) is located here and has an outlet store where we got two very nice pairs of boots for $50 each instead of $180 regular price. 1995 prices
HUGE caverns, lots of stalactites and stalagmites in all different sizes and colors. Especially interesting at dusk during summertime — when millions and millions of bats fly out of the cave looking for food. One of the most incredible natural spectacles in the country.
When you get there you'll know why it's called White Sands — very descriptive name. The "sand" is actually powdered gypsum and blindingly white. Great place to take pictures of your motorcycle or anything else important to you. The largest gypsum dune field in the world, surrounded by the Tularosa Basin and framed by the San Andres and Sacramento Mountains.
Our plan was just to pass through, but we loved it so much that we stayed overnight. We spent the entire evening climbing around these funny-looking rock formations. Great place for pictures. The volcanic rock columns rise up to 40 feet and were formed from volcanic ash 35 million years ago.
Almost 100 miles of nothing but turns through rugged mountains in eastern Arizona. Originally Route 666, it was renumbered in 2003. One of the most exhilarating motorcycle roads in the Southwest — tight switchbacks, elevation changes from desert floor to pine forest, and virtually no traffic.
Very touristy, but fun to visit anyway. Make sure you go to Boothill, the old graveyard, and see headstones engraved with sayings like "Here lies ... hanged by mistake. He was right, we were wrong, but we strung him up, and now he's gone." This is the town where the famous Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp had the shootout at the O.K. Corral with the Clanton gang. The Clantons are also buried at Boothill.
University town. Lots of young people and real cowboys with real cowboy hats, jeans, and boots. Home to the University of Arizona and surrounded by the Sonoran Desert with its iconic saguaro cacti — the ones you see in every Western movie.
Sedona's red rock formations are among the most photographed landscapes in America. The towering buttes and mesas glow crimson at sunset. The ride through Oak Creek Canyon (AZ-89A) from Flagstaff to Sedona is one of the most scenic drives in the state — tight switchbacks descending through a lush canyon into the red rock country.
An absolute must see. Don't miss hiking down to the bottom and taking a swim in the ice-cold Colorado River. It's not advised to do the return trip to the rim on the same day. Get a mandatory permit at the backcountry office (make reservations as early as possible). Allow 4–5 hours to hike down, stay at Bright Angel Campground, and take a different trail back the next day (5–10 hours up). Don't take too much luggage. We carried only water, sleeping bags, camera, and some food. If I had to do it again, I would leave the sleeping bags at home — it's about 30 degrees warmer at the bottom, and I would love to sleep without a blanket on a picnic table for just one night instead of carrying all that extra weight.
We caught it during a very cold period — which means about 85°F. Normally it's a lot warmer; 120°F is not unusual in summer. All four tires on a friend's car blew because of the heat! Some great straight roads where you can find out how fast your motorcycle really runs. The lowest, driest, and hottest place in North America — Badwater Basin sits at 282 feet below sea level.
Amazing place. If you like gambling, this is mecca. Get hold of the various "game books" for freebies and discounts. If you're going to play Black Jack (the game with the best odds against the house — my favorite) and don't want to lose too much money too fast, memorize the basic strategy table or practice with virtual money first.
Ugly town — sorry, L.A. people — but lots of stuff to do. Downtown there is the courthouse where the O.J. Simpson trial is going on right now. 1995 Venice Beach. Disneyland — the original one. Don't expect thrilling rides (rather boring for non-youngsters), but the parade is worth all the money. Six Flags is said to be a lot better for rides. Hollywood: Mann's Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica Boulevard.
Awesome road — definitely among the best in the US. Running along the coast from near Lompoc to Eureka, very twisty with beautiful views. See the route page for more details on this one.
A jewel on the central California coast. Carmel-by-the-Sea is a storybook village of art galleries and cottages — Clint Eastwood was once its mayor. The 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach offers stunning coastal scenery, and Monterey's Cannery Row (of Steinbeck fame) and world-class aquarium are worth the stop.
One of America's most iconic cities and a must-visit on any motorcycle tour. Ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, explore the steep streets of Nob Hill, visit Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz (we went — see photos), and eat at Chinatown. The city is also the gateway to some of the best riding in the country: Highway 1 south to Big Sur, or north through wine country to the Redwoods.
Yes, we made it to Hawaii too. The islands are a world apart from the mainland — volcanic landscapes, tropical rainforests, and beaches that rival anything in the Caribbean. The Big Island's Volcanoes National Park lets you walk on solidified lava flows and (sometimes) see live lava. Maui's Road to Hana is 620 curves and 59 bridges of tropical paradise.
One of America's crown jewels. The valley is jaw-dropping: El Capitan's sheer 3,000-foot granite face, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls (the tallest waterfall in North America). We got caught in the rain here (see photo), but even wet, Yosemite is spectacular. Tioga Pass Road (Highway 120) crosses the Sierra Nevada at 9,943 feet and is one of the most beautiful mountain roads in California.
Riding through the coastal redwood groves is a humbling experience. These are the tallest trees on Earth, some over 350 feet tall and 2,000 years old. The Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile scenic drive through ancient old-growth forest — sunlight filtering through the massive canopy creates an almost cathedral-like atmosphere.
The Emerald City. Pike Place Market (watch the fish throwers), the Space Needle, and the birthplace of grunge — Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden all came from here. Also the original Starbucks. The city is surrounded by water and mountains, making it a beautiful base for riding in every direction.
We made it all the way to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the contiguous US (see photo). Olympic National Park is uniquely diverse: temperate rainforest (the Hoh, with its moss-draped trees), rugged Pacific coastline, and alpine peaks — all in one park. The loop ride around the peninsula is roughly 330 miles of constantly changing scenery.
Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the most spectacular mountain roads in North America — 50 miles of engineering marvel carved into the mountainside. The park has over 700 miles of hiking trails, pristine alpine lakes, and (still, in 1995) some glaciers. Crown of the Continent.
The world's first national park. Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — it's all here. The Grand Tetons, just south of Yellowstone, rise dramatically from the valley floor with no foothills, making for one of the most spectacular mountain vistas anywhere. We took some memorable photos here — including one where we look like "criminals."
Headquarters of the Mormon church, with the impressive Temple Square at its heart. The Great Salt Lake itself is worth a visit — you really do float effortlessly. The city is also an excellent base for riding into the Wasatch Mountains or heading south to Utah's national park country.
Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River is one of the most popular whitewater rafting spots in the country. Class III–IV rapids through a granite canyon — the perfect adrenaline break from the motorcycle.
One of Colorado's best-preserved ghost towns, at 10,000 feet in the Sawatch Range. Founded in 1880 during the gold and silver boom, it once had 2,000 residents. Now it's home to an impossibly friendly colony of chipmunks and a handful of standing buildings slowly returning to the mountain.
Famous as a ski resort for the rich and famous, but in summer it's a gorgeous mountain town surrounded by wildflower meadows and 14,000-foot peaks. The ride in via Independence Pass (12,095 ft) is worth the trip alone. The Maroon Bells, just outside town, are the most photographed peaks in Colorado.
Colorado's wildflower capital. A charming, colorful former mining town surrounded by alpine meadows that explode with wildflowers in July. More laid-back and less pretentious than Aspen. The ride over Kebler Pass through the largest aspen grove in the world is unforgettable.
US-550 from Silverton to Ouray through the San Juan Mountains. Narrow, cliffside, no guardrails in places, and absolutely magnificent. We soaked in the Ouray hot springs after riding it — see photo.
A deep, narrow gorge carved over two million years by the Gunnison River. Some walls drop nearly 2,700 feet — so steep and narrow that parts of the inner canyon receive only 33 minutes of sunlight per day. Less crowded than the Grand Canyon but equally dramatic in its own way.
Two of Colorado's famous fourteeners you can ride to the top of. Mt. Evans Road reaches 14,271 feet — the highest paved road in North America. Pikes Peak (14,115 ft) is "America's Mountain" and inspired the song "America the Beautiful." Both offer thin air, stunning views, and bragging rights. We have photos from both summits.
Trail Ridge Road crosses the Continental Divide at 12,183 feet — the highest continuous paved road in the US. Above treeline, you ride through alpine tundra with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks. Watch for elk, bighorn sheep, and marmots. The east side has dramatic mountain valleys; the west side descends into the Colorado River headwaters.
Not actually a canyon but a series of natural amphitheaters filled with thousands of red, orange, and white "hoodoos" — tall, thin spires of rock formed by frost weathering and erosion. At sunrise, the hoodoos glow like embers. The rim road connects 13 viewpoints, and hiking down among the formations is like walking through another planet.
Towering sandstone cliffs in shades of cream, pink, and red rise up to 2,000 feet above the Virgin River valley floor. Angels Landing is one of the most famous (and hair-raising) hikes in the national park system — a narrow spine with chain handrails and 1,500-foot drops on both sides. The ride through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel is an experience in itself.
The least visited of Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks, but one of the most rewarding. A 100-mile wrinkle in the earth's crust called the Waterpocket Fold creates a landscape of colorful canyons, domes, and arches. We loved it here — see our photos, both the serious and the silly ones.
Three massive natural stone bridges carved by water erosion — Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo. Less visited than Arches but equally impressive. It was also the world's first International Dark Sky Park, perfect for stargazing on clear nights.
Over 2,000 natural stone arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch — Utah's unofficial symbol and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the American West. We hiked to it and got the photo. The park road itself is a great ride through a surreal landscape of red rock fins and balanced rocks.
Dead Horse Point offers a 2,000-foot overlook of the Colorado River — the view rivals the Grand Canyon and was famously used in the final scene of Thelma & Louise. Canyonlands is vast and wild: the Island in the Sky district provides sweeping mesa-top views, while the Needles and Maze districts are more remote and rugged.
One of the largest known panels of petroglyphs in the Southwest. Hundreds of figures — animals, human forms, and abstract symbols — carved into a desert-varnished cliff face over 2,000 years by various native peoples. A quick roadside stop on the way to the Needles District, but a powerful connection to the deep human history of this landscape.
A tiny town named after a rock formation that looks exactly like an upside-down sombrero. A gateway to Monument Valley, the Goosenecks of the San Juan River, and the Valley of the Gods — a free, uncrowded alternative to Monument Valley with its own collection of towering buttes and mesas.
The landscape that defined the American West in countless movies, commercials, and photographs. The iconic sandstone buttes — the Mittens, Merrick Butte, and others — rise dramatically from the valley floor. Located on the Navajo Nation, it's a place of deep cultural significance. The approach from Highway 163 (the "Forrest Gump road") is one of the most photographed stretches of highway in the world.
Tourist trap to the third. You actually pay to get in to the only point in the US where you can stand in four different states at one time. It's on the Navajo Nation. Is it worth the detour? Probably not. Did we do it anyway? Of course.
Home to some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in North America. The Cliff Palace, built into an alcove in the canyon wall around 1200 AD, has over 150 rooms. Ranger-led tours take you down ladders into the dwellings — a remarkable window into a civilization that thrived here for 700 years before mysteriously leaving.
Scotts Bluff National Monument was a major landmark on the Oregon Trail. The massive bluff rises 800 feet above the North Platte River valley and was used as a navigation point by thousands of westward-bound pioneers in the 1800s. A road winds to the summit for panoramic views of the surrounding plains.
Exactly what it sounds like: Stonehenge, but made of cars. 38 vintage automobiles arranged to replicate the famous English monument, all spray- painted grey. Created in 1987 by Jim Reinders as a memorial to his father. Ridiculous, wonderful, and absolutely worth the detour. We prayed at it — see photos.
An active paleontological dig site where over 60 Columbian and woolly mammoths have been excavated from a natural sinkhole. You walk on elevated platforms above the bones, many still in their original positions. An unexpectedly fascinating stop.
Mt. Rushmore needs no introduction — the four presidential faces carved into granite are an American icon. Nearby, the Crazy Horse Memorial has been under construction since 1948 and will eventually be the world's largest sculpture. We saw the scale model — see photo. Together they make for an interesting contrast in how America memorializes its history.
America's first national monument (1906). This massive igneous rock column rises 867 feet above the Belle Fourche River and was famously featured in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Sacred to many Native American tribes. The Tower Trail loops around the base (1.3 miles) and is one of the most unique short hikes in the country.
Historic gold rush town where Wild Bill Hickok was shot dead while playing poker (holding "aces and eights" — the Dead Man's Hand). Now a quirky gambling town with a Wild West atmosphere. Our verdict: go go-kart racing all day!!!
Only to be seen during sunset or sunrise! The eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires look otherworldly in the golden light. During the day they can appear flat and washed-out, but when the sun is low, the striped layers of color come alive. The 30-mile Badlands Loop Road is an easy and rewarding ride.
The world's most famous roadside attraction — or at least the one with the most signs (they start advertising hundreds of miles out). What started as a pharmacy offering free ice water to travelers in 1931 has grown into a sprawling complex of shops, restaurants, and Western kitsch. Free ice water is still available.
The spot where Jesse James allegedly jumped his horse across a 20-foot chasm to escape a posse in 1876. A nice park with a footbridge over the gulch, near Garretson. Quick stop if you're passing through.
Wrigley Field (take in a Cubs game), Sears Tower now Willis Tower — the world's tallest building at the time, the Mercantile Exchange, Buckingham Fountain, Pizza Uno (deep dish pizza was invented here), and a McDonald's done up in '60s style. A great city for architecture, food, and blues music.
A historic farm and heritage resort in Nappanee, Indiana, offering a glimpse into the traditional Amish way of life. Horse-drawn buggy rides, hand-crafted goods, and a family-style "Threshers Dinner." A fascinating contrast after weeks of Interstate highways and modern America — these communities live much as they did 200 years ago.
The gentle, rolling farmland of southern Minnesota. Not dramatic in the way of canyons and mountains, but beautiful in its own quiet way — especially on a motorcycle, when you can feel the land rise and fall beneath you.
Home of Punxsutawney Phil, the world's most famous groundhog who "predicts" the arrival of spring every February 2nd. Made even more famous by the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day (1993). We visited Gobbler's Knob and went looking for Phil — see photos.
A region of long, narrow lakes carved by glaciers in upstate New York. We visited Ithaca, home of Cornell University, where the gorges and waterfalls within the campus are genuinely stunning. The region is also New York's wine country, with over 100 wineries along the lake shores.
The sheer power of the water is something you have to experience in person. The Maid of the Mist boat ride takes you right to the base of the falls, where the roar is deafening and you get absolutely soaked. We took a photo here, of course.
SkyDome now Rogers Centre (home of the Blue Jays — we enjoyed a baseball game), CN Tower (the world's tallest free-standing structure at the time surpassed 2007), and a vibrant multicultural city. A nice side trip from Niagara Falls.
Six million acres of protected wilderness in upstate New York — larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Great Smoky Mountains combined. Lake Placid (site of the 1980 Winter Olympics, where the US hockey team pulled off the "Miracle on Ice") is the main town. Excellent riding on winding mountain roads through dense forest.
The factory tour of America's favorite ice cream brand. Includes free samples (the real reason to visit). Vermont itself is gorgeous for riding — covered bridges, white church steeples, and green mountains.
The highest peak in the northeastern US (6,288 ft) and home to some of the world's worst weather — the summit once recorded a wind speed of 231 mph. The Mt. Washington Auto Road is a thrilling 7.6-mile ride to the top with grades up to 22%, and a bumper sticker at the top that reads "This car climbed Mt. Washington." Except ours would say "motorcycle."
We made it to the easternmost point of the contiguous United States — and we have the photo to prove it. The distinctive red-and-white striped West Quoddy Head Lighthouse sits on a dramatic clifftop overlooking the Bay of Fundy.
Gateway to Acadia National Park, the only national park in the northeastern US. The Park Loop Road offers ocean views, mountain scenery, and the chance to watch sunrise from Cadillac Mountain — the first place in the US to see the morning sun from October to March. Lobster everywhere.
Home of the original L.L. Bean flagship store, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (they removed the locks from the doors in 1951). The town has become a major outlet shopping destination, but the L.L. Bean store with its huge hunting boot out front is the main draw.
One of America's oldest and most historic cities. Walk the Freedom Trail (a 2.5-mile path through 16 historic sites), visit Fenway Park (the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball), explore the waterfront, and grab clam chowder. Harvard and MIT are just across the river in Cambridge.
The city that needs no description. Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Broadway, Greenwich Village, the Brooklyn Bridge. A motorcycle in Manhattan is actually not a bad idea — you can park almost anywhere for free. Just don't expect to go fast.