And so America has entered a new moment. After months of uncertainty and several weeks of (how shall we put it?) turbulence, a page has been turned, a fresh chapter begun.
Will the USA’s politics be less abrasive as a result of this changing of the guard? Perhaps. Will it be suddenly more attractive as a destination? No, not exactly. Because, while the events of recent history: the fractious discourse, the riot in Washington DC, the government by social media, have not painted the nation in the most appealing light, it takes a lot to dim the lustre of a country that, in terms of holidays, is an epic playground.
It gleams in swaggering cities and widescreen national parks; in road-trip-friendly highways, wonderful beaches, and gorgeous hotels. And it has an undilutable potency for travellers. The getaway suggestions in this feature: 50 of them; one for every state, could fill a lifetime of trips. But then, we have all had what feels like a lifetime of lockdown to consider our next moves. And when conditions allow, the USA will be high on to-do lists.
When will this be? Not in the immediate future, obviously. Although, three days before he departed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the outgoing President Trump rescinded the 10-month ban on European (including British) travellers entering the country, the incoming President Biden reinstated it almost as soon as he had reached the Oval Office. A wise idea, too. America, is still firmly in the grip of Covid-19. This is not a time for winter weekends in the Big Apple or escapes to Los Angeles. But the hour will come, soon, as vaccines repel the virus, and the planet starts to reopen.
When that happens, any of the trips here could be an American adventure for later in the year. And if none of these state-by-state suggestions entices, you can find more ideas via national or regional tourist boards like Visit The USA (visittheusa.co.uk), Capital Region USA (capitalregionusa.org), Deep South USA (deep-south-usa.com), Great Lakes USA (greatlakesusa.co.uk), Discover New England (discovernewengland.org) and The Great American West (greatamericanwest.co.uk).
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