Touring through the United States, you quickly learn why it’s called America the beautiful. From its origins as an immigrant nation, the United States has long been a land of opportunity and change, a nation constantly reinventing itself. These 50 states, spanning the width of a continent and stretching into the Arctic Circle and the Pacific Ocean, offer a whirlwind of star-spangled climates, people, and experiences that take days, weeks—a lifetime—to fully absorb. American city life is often center of the tourist’s imagination, whether it’s the skyline of trend-setting New York, the glamor of Los Angeles, or the history and monumental pride of Washington, DC. But the true essence of United States is much deeper than its urban life, extending on through the heralded purple mountains of the Rockies and across the bountiful amber waves of grain in the Midwest, the most productive farmland on Earth. Visitors off the well-worn tourist path can marvel at the stoic and pensive beauty of the Appalachian Trail, witness the remaining buffalo on plains as vast as seas, or enjoy the humble cuisine in a small-town diner, all under the encompassing banner of the red, white, and blue. So whether you’re out to change your fortunes, pursue the American Dream, or simply have an unforgettable time, these great states will always have something to offer.