Culture & History in the USA: 10 Must-See Sites

Shaped by vibrant traditions, diverse populations and new ideas, the USA’s cultural landscape is always changing. From coast to coast, the country’s most significant sites and influential people are recognized through museums, moving monuments and more. To help get you started on your epic road trip through time, we’ve highlighted 10 of the USA’s top cultural and historical destinations.

Alaska Native Heritage Center

Alaska is home to over 200 Alaska Native tribes, each with their own unique history and traditions. This rich tapestry is on full display in Anchorage at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the state’s largest cultural institution. During your visit, explore dynamic exhibits in the Hall of Cultures, take part in hand-on craft demonstrations and visit an immersive outdoor village featuring authentic dwellings of the Iñupiat, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax̂, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik and Cup’ik peoples.

Chinatown, San Francisco

San Francisco is home to the USA’s oldest and largest Chinatown district. Its pagoda-style architecture, sizzling street food and bustling, shop-lined streets will take you on an international journey without ever leaving California. Grab a Yuenyeung, a milk tea coffee that originated in Hong Kong, and take in the sights and sounds of this unique community. Did you know the fortune cookie was created in San Francisco? Tour the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory to see how they’re made. Don’t miss the nearby Asian Art Museum featuring thousands of pieces created by Asian artists.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Discover history in the making in the majestic Black Hills and Badlands region of South Dakota. Honoring the legendary Oglala Lakota leader, the Crazy Horse Memorial has been taking shape on top of Thunderhead Mountain ever since Chief Henry Standing Bear commissioned it in 1948. Once completed, it will be the largest mountain carving in the world. Watch the sculpture’s construction as it happens, then learn about the project and The Great Sioux Nation at the on-site Indian Museum of North America and Native American Educational & Cultural Center.

Frank Lloyd Wright Trails

Throughout his storied career, American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed over a thousand buildings. Marvel at Midwest scenery and iconic architecture as you follow Frank Lloyd Wright trails in Illinois and Wisconsin. In his home state of Wisconsin, you can see nine Wright buildings in as many charming counties. Tour Taliesin, Wright’s sprawling estate, and enjoy farm-to-table fare at the on-site café. In Chicago, Illinois, take a tour of the Frederick C. Robie House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before exploring the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District’s nearly 30 Wright designs in Oak Park.

U.S. Civil Rights Trail

Spanning 15 states, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail consists of over 130 cultural landmarks, including schools, churches and other sites where social justice history was made in the 1950s and 60s. Explore significant places such as the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama; the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia; and the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Little Rock, Arkansas, to uncover stories of activism and change.

Independence National Historical Park

Some of the most pivotal moments in U.S. history took place at sites across Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Independence National Historical Park. As the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, Philadelphia is a must-see for visitors interested in touring historical sites. Explore Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were signed, then line up for a chance to take a selfie in front of the Liberty Bell, an iconic symbol of freedom. Many sites and attractions in and around the park are free, including Carpenters’ Hall, the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774, and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.

National Mall and Monuments

This iconic area of Washington, D.C., features over 100 monuments and memorials, all free to explore. Wander pedestrian-friendly paths to gaze into the still waters of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, be inspired by the messages of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial and learn stories from the women’s suffrage movement at the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument. Enjoy free access to Smithsonian institutions including the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Stuck in time in all the right ways, San Juan, Puerto Rico, is teeming with historical sites, Spanish colonial architecture and quaint cobblestone streets. For over four centuries, the city has been a cultural hub for visitors from all over the world. Grab a cortadito from a local coffee shop and walk along the Paseo de la Princesa, a scenic promenade along the San Juan Bay. Marvel at the Puerta de San Juan, the towering gate that protected the city during colonial times, then explore other local landmarks like the iconic Castillo San Felipe del Morro and the municipal coliseum.

First Americans Museum

Oklahoma is home to the USA’s largest Native American population, with 39 First American Nations headquartered here. The First Americans Museum located in Oklahoma City honors these Indigenous communities through immersive exhibits, interpretive experiences and night markets featuring food, art and cultural demonstrations. The museum grounds include the 21st Century Mound Builders exhibition, including the FAM Mound cosmological clock. While in Oklahoma, you can also visit the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Choctaw Cultural Center and the Standing Bear Park, Museum & Education Center.

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Underground Railroad National Historical Park

The legacy of legendary human rights activist and Underground Railroad “conductor” Harriet Tubman lives on at cultural sites in the Northeastern USA. In Auburn, New York, visit the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park to tour the visitor center, Harriet Tubman’s home and her gravesite located across the street at Fort Hill Cemetery. In Church Creek, Maryland, where she was born, visit the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park to tour the Harriet Tubman Museum. The site makes a great first stop on a driving tour along Maryland’s 201-kilometer Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.