Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is the resting place of more than 400,000 American service members and veterans. It includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with its round-the-clock guard and changing of the guard ceremony, and the grave of President John F. Kennedy with its eternal flame.

Mount Vernon was the home of George Washington, the first US president, overlooking the Potomac River in Virginia. Visitors tour the mansion, gardens, farm and outbuildings, and see the tomb of George and Martha Washington. It is one of America's most visited historic estates.

Colonial Williamsburg is the restored 18th-century capital of the Virginia colony. Its historic area includes hundreds of restored buildings, where costumed interpreters bring colonial life to life. The Governor's Palace and the Capitol are among the highlights.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia stretches along the Blue Ridge Mountains. The 169 km Skyline Drive runs along its crest with dozens of scenic overlooks. Hiking trails, including part of the Appalachian Trail, lead to waterfalls and summits such as Old Rag, and autumn foliage is spectacular.

The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia is a steel arch bridge spanning 924 metres over the New River at a height of 267 metres. Completed in 1977, it was once the world's longest single-span arch bridge. Every October on Bridge Day, BASE jumpers leap from it.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 755 km scenic road linking Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. It winds along the Blue Ridge Mountains with overlooks, hiking trails and historic sites. The Linn Cove Viaduct, curving around Grandfather Mountain, is an engineering highlight.

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately owned home in the United States. Built for George Vanderbilt in the 1890s, the 250-room French Renaissance chateau is surrounded by gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It also has a winery.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on North Carolina's Outer Banks is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States at 63 metres. Its black-and-white spiral stripes are iconic. In 1999 it was moved about 880 metres inland to protect it from shoreline erosion.