Should I visit the East or West coast? A primer for those interested in a trip to the US

The United States is a fairly sizable country; it’s the sort of place that you can get easily lost in if you’re just wondering around. Anyone that’s interested in a trip to the US should obviously do some planning ahead of their visit, if for no other reason than to maximize their time spent doing interesting things. For many people, the East and West coasts, each containing its own major cities and attractions, are the main reason for a visit to the US. However, given the distances between the coasts (around 3,000 miles) most individuals are forced to choose between the two. Of course if you’re planning on relying on air travel this won’t be a problem for you, but for the purposes of this article the focus is on those who must pick and choose between the two coasts.

The East Coast

When most people think about the East coast in the US the first thing that comes to mind is New York City (where there is a seemingly infinite amount of activities to engage in virtually around the clock). However, there are a number of other cities which dot the Eastern side of the US as well which you should consider checking out like Philadelphia, for example. While a lot of tourists tend to aim for the northern section of the Eastern seaboard (perhaps because of the excellent seafood dining found there), there are some great beaches which are found down toward the southern stretch which are particularly nice in the summer.

If you’re traveling to the US during the fall or winter months then a trip further north might be in order, especially for those that like scenic drives across mountains and rocky beaches as well as beautiful foliage displays. Likewise, while you’re there, you’ll want to drop in to check out at least a few of the smaller rustic towns which stretch along the coastlines, they’re quite charming. There’s also quite a lot of history on the East coast, so for those who are interested in how the country and constitution was founded (you can visit historical sites from the revolutionary war), then this is undoubtedly the choice for you.

The West Coast

Of the two, the West coast is undoubtedly the more colorful choice. Aside from the impossibly large and hyperactive city of Los Angeles to keep you busy, there are a great number of other regions to consider, like San Francisco and Seattle, for example. Of course most people taking a trip the West coast are going to want to pay a visit to Hollywood, but it should be noted that there’s also plenty to do outside of the major populated areas.