Travel in United States – Hotels, United States Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide



United States: Traveling The Sweet Country

Vacation and Travel to United States
4th of July Fireworks in the New York Harbor, Statue of Liberty in the foreground

The country of the United States is located in North America. The country is made up of fifty states and a federal district and lies between the Pacific Ocean to the west and Atlantic Ocean to the east. The United States is the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. A majority of the inhabitance in the U.S. can trace their linage from some of the first immigrants to settle here. The climate in the United States is so diverse because of the mere size of the country. Almost every climate is represented here. The U.S. was founded by Great Britain and on July 4th , 1776 the country declared its independence from Britain and became one of the worlds largest super powers.

The Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, just outside of New York City. The statue is one of the most recognized icons of the United States. The Statue of Liberty welcomes visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans that come into the harbor by ship. The statue was designed by Frederic Bartholdi and was a gift to the U.S. from France. The structure was dedicated on October 28th , 1886 commemorating the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The statue is a robed woman holding a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left arm with the date of July 4, 1776 written in Roman numerals upon it. The date inscribed on the tablet is the day that the United States gained its independence from Great Britain. Lady Liberty (as she is sometimes called) is made out of sheets of copper that are hung upon an inner steel structure. From the base to the tip of the torch, the Statue of Liberty stands 151 feet high. At the base of the statue is a museum giving the complete history of Lady Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is a World Heritage Site and is a must to see when traveling in the U.S.

The Gateway Arch is located on the shores of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. The Gateway Arch is also known as the Gateway to the West and has become an icon for the city of St. Louis. The Arch is the tallest monument in the U.S., towering 630 feet high and is 630 feet wide at its base. Construction on the Arch started on February 12th , 1963 and was completed on October 28th , 1965. The monument was designed by the Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and was structurally engineered by Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. The Arch was opened to the public on July 24th , 1967. The elevator system in the Arch is one of the most uniquely designed elevators developed. The inventor was Richard Bowser a parking lot elevator designer. He was given two weeks by the city to come up with the design. The elevators are egg shaped and use an elevator cable lift system similar to a Ferris wheel gondola. The elevator takes visitors to the top of the Arch to an observation deck. The visitors will notice that the floor is arched on the observation deck and that the building sways, keeping the structure from braking in high winds. The views from the windows here give visitors a birds eye view of the surrounding are and on a clear day, visitors can see up to 30 miles. The Gateway Arch is a national treasure and is one of the many amazing structures to see in the United States.

Route 66 is a highway that runs from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angles, California. This is one of the original U.S. highways. Route 66 is also known as the Mother Road or the Main Street of America and encompasses a total of 2,448 miles. The highway was the major path of the migrates who went west during the Dust Bowl of the 1930's and built up the local economy of towns located along the road. The road runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. Many of the business along Route 66 have unique buildings to attract travelers. The Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas is one of the bizarre site to see along this historic road. This piece of art consists of ten Cadillac cars buried nose down in a field. The cars are covered in graffiti and visitors to the site are encouraged to add their own. Henry's Rabbit Ranch sits on Route 66 in Staunton, Illinois. The Henry family have about a hundred rabbits on the property and will show visitors some of the tricks that they perform. There is also an impressive Route 66 museum on the site that gives guests a complete history of the road. The Mother Road has so many unusual sites to see and experience. Traveling along Route 66 gives travelers a chance to understand the history of the country and experience the diversity of cultures along the way.

The capital of the United States is Washington D.C. The city is home to all three branches of the federal government of the United States. The White House is one of the most recognized buildings in the city. The President of the United States resides here and is open to the public for tours. The United States Capitol building serves as home for the United States Congress that is the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. The grounds of the Capitol building play host every four years to the Presidential inaugurations. Annual events that are also on the grounds are the Independence Day celebration and the Memorial Day Concert. The National Archives houses the thousands of documents important to the history of the country, such as the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. The Smithsonian Institutions 19 museums are located throughout the city. The museums house over 136 million items in its collections. The most visited museum of the Smithsonian is the National Museum of Natural History. The U.S. government partially funds the Smithsonian museums in order to make them free to the public. Visitors to Washington D.C. will gain a better understanding of the United States as a collective.

The Hotel Harrington is located in the heart of Washington D.C. The hotel is close to the Capitol building and the White House. The hotel is also within walking distance to the subway and the Metro station. The Harrington offers a full service restaurant, bar, and local tours of the city. The Harrington Hotel makes a great home base for visitors to Washington D.C. The Plaza Hotel in New York City is a landmark hotel. The luxury hotel is close to Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and thriving cultural spots. The Plaza is an opulent hotel offering its guest the best of what New York City has to offer. The Lemp Mansion is a historic hotel in St. Louis and was built by the Lemp family in 1860 and the historic home is now a bed and breakfast establishment. The mansion has managed to retain all of its past charm and the staff is well-known for stellar guest treatment and congeniality.

The Unites States is one of the most interesting countries in the world. The diverse cultures and history make the U.S. truly unique. Traveling across the United States, will give visitors a sense of the American spirit and the pride that citizens share.

User Contributions:

1
Clif Davis
Nice site! It caught my eye that under Travel in the United States that the Gateway Arch probably sways in the wind to keep it from breaking rather than braking.

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