BEST CITIES FOR SIGHTSEEING

From fascinating buildings to mammoth bridges and historic landmarks, it’s time step outside your daily routine for a little learning and fun. Here’s a list of some of the best sightseeing cities in America. So get ready to explore, and don’t forget your camera!

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: ALL ABOUT ARCHITECTURE

The Windy City skyline offers countless photo ops.

Stay in Chicago to see a a city skyline like no other, with the Willis Tower, John Hancock Center and other skyscrapers standing high above the Lake Michigan shoreline. And if you’re looking for great architecture, be sure to visit the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Rookery Building. Built in 1886, it’s the oldest standing high-rise in the city. Millennium Park—with its open green spaces, art installations, theater and ice rink—is one of America’s most beautiful urban parks; and the rides and shops at Navy Pier are always humming with activity.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: MUSIC CITY, USA

Go where the sights sing and music is the main attraction.

The legendary capital of country music—and more recently home to a thriving indie rock scene—Nashville is an essential stop for anyone with an ear for music and an eye for spectacle. The vivid lights and neon signs outside the countless honky-tonks on Lower Broadway offer a stunning display on any given night. The historic Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, offers incredible architecture and years of history. If you have no interest in music, country or otherwise, you can still find plenty of art galleries to explore, breweries to tour and world-class restaurants when you book your stay in Nashville.

PORTLAND, OREGON: THE GREAT PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Embrace the outdoors with these Portland sights.

When you stay in Portland, you'll soon realize that few cities have made a more obvious effort to maintain a quirky charm than here. Oregon's largest city's commitment to preserving natural attractions is impressive, with places like Forest Park and the Portland Japanese Garden offering acre after acre of serene greenery. Be sure to stop at Washington Park, a 400-acre nature area with a zoo and the world's only public rose test garden. If you like to people-watch, head straight to the Pioneer Courthouse Square, a downtown urban park that has been affectionately nicknamed, “Portland’s Living Room,” and hosts the Portland Farmers’ Market on Mondays from June to September.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: MONUMENTS GALORE

Our nation's capital is full of history and sights to see.

If Washington, D.C. had only its monuments to offer, it would still be one of the best sightseeing places in America. The Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial—the list goes on and on. But our capital is also home to some of America’s best museums, such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Air and Space Museum. Of course, the White House and the United States Capitol are must-sees as well. If possible, book a Washington D.C. hotel in April to catch the cherry trees around the National Mall in full bloom.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: THE GOLDEN GATE AND BEYOND

San Francisco sights are more than just the Golden Gate Bridge.

A city with so much to see and do that it can quickly become overwhelming, it’s best to plan your stay in San Francisco and take things at a slower pace if you can. Stroll along Fisherman’s Wharf to see the daily catches and enjoy the fresh seafood. Watch the sea lions frolicking along Pier 39. Take a ferry out to Alcatraz Island and walk the notorious halls of the prison. Gaze up at the marvel of engineering that is the Golden Gate Bridge while riding a rented bike from one end to the other.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

It's the city that never sleeps—and a sightseer's dream vacation.

New York City is the kind of place where you can stand on any random street corner and take some of the best photographs of your life. Great scenery is everywhere, from the sensory overload of Times Square to the 19th century buildings-turned-hipster-hangouts of Bedford-Stuyvesant. You'll discover some of the most famous landmarks in the United States when you stay in New York City—the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty, just to name a few—along with the vast open spaces of Central Park and the mesmerizing architecture of Penn Station.