The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, was dedicated in 1886 on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. Designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with an internal framework by Gustave Eiffel, the copper statue stands 93 metres from ground to torch. It became a symbol of freedom for immigrants arriving by sea and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the main gateway for over 12 million immigrants entering the United States between 1892 and 1954. Its restored main building now houses the National Museum of Immigration, where visitors can explore exhibits and search passenger records. Ferries from Battery Park stop here after the Statue of Liberty.

The National September 11 Memorial honours the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks of 2001 and 1993. Two huge reflecting pools sit in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, with the victims' names inscribed in bronze around them. The adjoining museum tells the story of the day through artefacts and personal accounts.

One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at a symbolic 1,776 feet (541 m), completed in 2014 on the site of the former Twin Towers. The One World Observatory near the top offers panoramic views. Next to it, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum honours the victims of the 2001 attacks.

The High Line is a 2.3 km elevated park built on a disused freight rail line on Manhattan's West Side. Opened in stages from 2009, it features gardens, art installations and city views, running from the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards. It inspired similar urban rail-to-park projects around the world.

Central Park covers 341 hectares in the middle of Manhattan and is the most visited urban park in the United States. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the 1850s, it features Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, the Reservoir, Strawberry Fields and Sheep Meadow. It offers boating, cycling, concerts and ice skating in winter.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, known as the Met, is the largest art museum in the United States, founded in 1870. Its Fifth Avenue building on the edge of Central Park holds more than two million works spanning 5,000 years, including the Temple of Dendur, European masterpieces, armour and American art.

Times Square, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, is famous for its giant illuminated billboards and around-the-clock energy. It is the heart of the Broadway Theater District, and its New Year's Eve ball drop draws huge crowds. Pedestrian plazas let visitors take in the lights, street performers and flagship stores.

The Empire State Building is a 102-storey Art Deco skyscraper completed in 1931 in just over a year. It was the world's tallest building for nearly 40 years. Its observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors offer sweeping views across Manhattan, and its tower lights change colour for holidays and events.

Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the world's first steel-wire suspension bridge and the longest suspension bridge of its time. Its Gothic-arched granite towers and web of cables link Manhattan with Brooklyn across the East River. An elevated pedestrian promenade offers some of the best skyline views in New York.

DUMBO, short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is a Brooklyn neighbourhood of cobblestone streets and converted warehouses. The view of the Manhattan Bridge framed between buildings on Washington Street is one of New York's most photographed spots. Brooklyn Bridge Park and Jane's Carousel lie along the waterfront.

The Lincoln Memorial, dedicated in 1922, honours Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. Designed like a Greek Doric temple, it houses a 5.8-metre seated statue of Lincoln by Daniel Chester French. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech on its steps in 1963. It overlooks the Reflecting Pool.

The Washington Monument is a 169-metre marble obelisk honouring George Washington, completed in 1884. It was the world's tallest structure until the Eiffel Tower surpassed it. A visible change in stone colour about a third of the way up marks a pause in construction. An elevator takes visitors to an observation level at the top.

The National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall holds the world's largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft. Exhibits include the Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis and the Apollo 11 command module. Like all Smithsonian museums, it is free to visit.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall is one of the most visited museums in the world. It displays the Hope Diamond, a vast fossil hall with dinosaurs, an African elephant in the rotunda and the Ocean Hall. Admission is free.

The United States Capitol is the seat of Congress and an icon of American democracy, standing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Construction began in 1793, and its famous cast-iron dome was completed in 1866. Visitors can tour the Rotunda, National Statuary Hall and the Crypt from the Capitol Visitor Center.

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with over 170 million items. Its Thomas Jefferson Building, opened in 1897, is a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture with a richly decorated Great Hall and Main Reading Room. Treasures on display include a Gutenberg Bible and Jefferson's personal library.

The White House has been the official residence and workplace of every US president since John Adams in 1800. The neoclassical mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was designed by James Hoban. Visitors can view it from Lafayette Square and the Ellipse, and public tours are available by advance request.

Cloud Gate, nicknamed "The Bean", is a stainless steel sculpture by Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park, Chicago. Completed in 2006, it is made of 168 polished plates welded together seamlessly. Its mirrored surface reflects the city skyline and visitors, who can walk beneath its arch.

The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. Its collection includes Grant Wood's American Gothic, Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte and many Impressionist masterpieces. Two bronze lions guard its Michigan Avenue entrance.

The Chicago Riverwalk runs along the main branch of the Chicago River through downtown. It offers cafes, boat rentals and great views of the city's famous architecture. Architecture boat tours depart from here, passing landmarks such as the Wrigley Building and Marina City.

Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, is a 442-metre skyscraper completed in 1973 in Chicago. It was the world's tallest building for nearly 25 years. The Skydeck on the 103rd floor features The Ledge, glass boxes extending from the building that let visitors look straight down 412 metres.

The Las Vegas Strip is a 6.8 km stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard lined with giant themed resorts and casinos. Highlights include the Bellagio fountains, replicas of Paris and Venice, and major shows and concerts. The Strip is especially dazzling at night, earning Las Vegas the nickname Entertainment Capital of the World.

Hoover Dam, completed in 1936 on the Colorado River at the Nevada-Arizona border, was an engineering marvel of its time. The 221-metre concrete arch-gravity dam created Lake Mead and supplies power and water to the Southwest. Visitors take tours inside and enjoy views from the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

The Grand Canyon South Rim is the most visited part of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The canyon, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, is up to 29 km wide and about 1.8 km deep. Viewpoints such as Mather Point, Yavapai Point and Hopi Point reveal layered rock in shades of red and orange. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Horseshoe Bend is a dramatic horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River near Page, Arizona. A short trail leads to an overlook on the cliff edge about 300 metres above the river. It is part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and is especially popular at sunrise and sunset.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon on Navajo land near Page, Arizona, famous for its smooth, wave-like sandstone walls. Upper Antelope Canyon is known for light beams that shine through openings in summer, while Lower Antelope Canyon involves stairs and narrow passages. Access is by guided Navajo tour only.

Zion National Park in southwestern Utah is known for its towering sandstone cliffs in shades of cream, pink and red. Zion Canyon was carved by the Virgin River. Famous hikes include Angels Landing, with chains along a narrow ridge, and The Narrows, where hikers wade through the river between canyon walls.

The Hollywood Sign stands on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. Originally erected in 1923 as "Hollywoodland" to advertise a housing development, it was shortened in 1949. Each letter is about 14 metres tall. Good viewpoints include Griffith Observatory and Lake Hollywood Park.

Griffith Observatory opened in 1935 on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. Its Art Deco building offers free public telescopes, astronomy exhibits and a planetarium. The terraces provide panoramic views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign, especially at sunset.

Santa Monica Pier dates from 1909 and is a classic Southern California landmark. It features Pacific Park amusement park with a solar-powered Ferris wheel, an aquarium, arcades and restaurants. The pier marks the symbolic western end of historic Route 66.

Big Sur is a rugged stretch of California's Central Coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific. Highway 1 winds along cliffs and across the famous Bixby Creek Bridge, built in 1932. Redwood forests, state parks and hidden beaches make it one of America's most scenic drives.

McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a 24-metre waterfall that drops onto a beach in a turquoise cove on the Big Sur coast. It is one of the few waterfalls in California that falls near the ocean. A short trail leads to an overlook with a classic view of the falls.

The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937 and spans the strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Its 1,280-metre main span was the world's longest at the time, and its International Orange colour makes it stand out in the fog. Visitors walk or cycle across, with classic views from Battery Spencer and Fort Point.

Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was a federal maximum-security prison from 1934 to 1963, holding notorious inmates such as Al Capone. Earlier a military fort, it was later occupied by Native American activists from 1969 to 1971. Ferries take visitors to the island for an audio tour of the cellhouse.

Fisherman's Wharf is a bustling waterfront area on San Francisco's northern shore, known for seafood stands serving Dungeness crab and clam chowder in sourdough bowls. Pier 39 is home to a colony of sea lions, shops and restaurants. Ferries to Alcatraz and bay cruises depart nearby.

Yosemite Valley is a glacier-carved valley in the Sierra Nevada, at the heart of Yosemite National Park. Granite cliffs including El Capitan and Half Dome tower above meadows and the Merced River, and waterfalls such as Yosemite Falls plunge from the rim. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the classic view is from Tunnel View.