North America offers an astoundingly diverse range of travel and vacation possibilities. It is home to some of the most vibrant modern cities in the world, amazing natural wonders, and a terrain that includes everything from glaciers, tropical rainforest, deserts, beaches, mountains, plains, and tundra, as it stretches from the far northern reaches of
Canada to the southern border of
Mexico.
Some of the most popular destinations on the continent are in the
United States, with cities such as
New York,
Chicago,
Miami,
Orlando,
Los Angeles,
Las Vegas, and
Washington. In Canada, popular cities are spread across the nation, from
Vancouver to
Toronto, and east to
Montreal,
Quebec, and
St John's. However, the Rocky Mountains located in the West are definitely one of the country's highlights. Mexico is a mix of culture and beach destinations that take visitors to the heart of the country in
Mexico City, and to coastal resort destinations such as
Cancun, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, and Los Cabos.
An important consideration when planning a trip to North America is the distance between cities and sites. The United States and Canada are huge countries with cities and attractions that are extremely spread out. Two of the biggest natural attractions in North America are the
Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, but to drive between the two would take a solid three days in a car. For travelers with limited time who want to see multiple places in different parts of the land, airline flights are a good idea.
Due to the vast size of the continent, many visitors choose to simply explore a particular region. A trip through the Pacific Northwest could include stops in
Portland,
Seattle,
Vancouver and
Victoria with some time spent enjoying the coastal rainforest or hiking in the mountains. Some popular destinations in the American Southwest are
Los Angeles,
San Diego,
Las Vegas,
Phoenix,
Tucson, the National Parks,
Denver, and the many small historic towns. Along the Eastern Seaboard are the big cities, with
New York,
Washington, and
Philadelphia in the North. Further south are the historic cities of the Deep South, like
Charlotte,
New Orleans,
Atlanta, and
Savannah. And even further south is the state of Florida, home to
Miami,
Orlando,
Tampa, and Daytona, and at the very southern tip, historic
Key West.
Mexico has two very different coasts, the Pacific side and the Caribbean side, each with fabulous beaches. But there is much more to Mexico than simply the resort destinations. Inland, visitors will find historic towns and cities with beautiful colonial architecture, and the ancient cities of the Mayans, which reveal some of the most amazing ruins in North America. Top among these are the sites of
Chichen Itza and
Tulum.
Due to the extreme changes in latitude, another important consideration in planning a trip to North America is the time of year you will visit. While Canada can be a great place to visit in winter if you are skier looking to hit the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, most visitors try to arrange their trip during the warmer summer months. In contrast, the desert regions of the southern United States, places such as
Las Vegas,
Dallas, and
Phoenix, can hit incredibly hot temperatures during the summer months, and are best visited during the spring or fall.