Tourism Info: The top 7 US landmarks

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ClickTravelTips 5 Min Read

For most tourists, the first item on an itinerary is always to locate and immediately visit the major landmarks of whatever country you happen to be in.  If we’re talking about a relatively small country or region this isn’t a very daunting proposition at all.  However, if it’s in a fairly sizable country, like the US, then some planning will be necessary if you hope to catch a glimpse of more than one or two sites of interest.  As far as the US is concerned, there are a number of very interesting landmarks which everyone seems to be interested in.  Here are the top 10 US landmarks which you should consider if you’re planning a visit to the US of A.

7.  White House

Let’s face it, pretty much everyone’s heard of the White House, and even if they haven’t, they’ve probably seen it in a movie, right?  Yes, the president of the United States lives there and they occasionally do guided tours of the site (although that might still be recently suspended).  At any rate, you can still catch a glimpse of the place from the outside, in all its stately glory.

The White House

6.  Statue of Liberty

Another one of the more iconic US landmarks is the Statue of Liberty, which overlooks the New York skyline.  This enormous green tinted copper beauty has been standing tall since the late 1800’s and greeted the many millions of immigrants which helped to build the country into the world’s leading superpower.

Statue of Liberty

5.  Mount Rushmore

Aside from being a monumental feat of labor, Mount Rushmore is arguably one of the true wonders of the world.  The landmark itself is a sculpture that has been carved directly into a mountainous rock facing comprising the likenesses of 4 classic US presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Mount Rushmore

4.  Golden Gate Bridge

In the San Francisco bay stands the imposing Golden Gate Bridge, which has also appeared in more movies than one can even count.  Spanning a length of 8,980′ (2,737 m) the bridge opened to traffic in 1937 and continues to be one of the more iconic landmarks in the US.  Little known fact: its name comes from the name of the opening of the bay itself, the Golden Gate Strait.

Golden Gate Bridge

3.  Empire State Building

Looking back toward New York, there’s the Empire State Building, which is certainly one of the more famous skyscrapers ever constructed.   Standing at a height of 1,454′ (443 m) and comprising 102 stories, the Empire State building used to be known as the tallest manmade structure on Earth (from 1931 to 1972).  Today, the site is visited by innumerable NYC tourists year-round and continues to attract attention.

Empire State Building

2.  Capitol Building – Washington DC

While there are plenty of interesting landmarks scattered across the US capital Washington DC, perhaps none are more imposing than the capital building.  Located at the Eastern end of the national mall, the capital building is where congress does its duties and has served the nation since the early 1800’s.

Capitol Building - Washington DC

1.  The Hollywood Sign

Simply put, the giant Hollywood sign that overlooks Los Angeles is perhaps the most widely known and visible of all the US landmarks among foreign visitors.  Perhaps it’s because of the cumulative effect that movies have had on everyone culturally, or the sheer imposing size of the massive billboard.  Whatever the reason, when most people come to the US (and California and L.A. in particular) they usually want to see this famous landmark which was erected in 1923 during the so-called “golden age” of film.

The Hollywood Sign

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