Suggestions for places to visit in the USA.?

I'd hit northern California. Go to Big Sur area. The beaches are spectacular. See the giant sequoia redwood trees. They are so majestic. Go further north to Carmel-by-the Sea, Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. Santa Cruz has an old fashioned boardwalk and fisherman's wharf. The entrance is free to both. Be sure to hit Marini's on the Boardwalk and get their famous salt water taffy.

You could hang out in quaint towns like Los Gatos or Saratoga, in western Santa Clara County (aka: Silicon Valley). Then head up Highway 9 into Hakone Friendship Gardens and Big Basin State Park to see the redwood trees. You could see the Tech Museum in San Jose, Winchester Mystery House in Campbell, San Jose Flea Market. Can you tell I lived there??

Yosemite Park has magnificent waterfalls, rock formations and the giant sequoias all in one park!

There is Gold Country, along Highway 49 through the old mining towns like Columbia - only go there if you like old western-type history, which I love. It's in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Not too far from Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada.

Go to the California State Parks site and search for: Pfeiffer Big Sur, Big Basin and Calaveras Big Trees parks. Do a little research on each to see what you'd prefer. All are big winners in my book.

There are several links below I hope will help you out. If you don't like California, try going to Wyoming. See Jackson Hole, the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Park. Cody Wyoming has a great western art museum well worth seeing.

San Francisco is full of museums, parks and the cable cars. Go across the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausilio. Both have great fisherman's wharfs.

Enjoy your trip here!

I'm not sure what you're looking for as you say 'welcome a tourist' but without going to a tourist venue?

I found the Southern States really showed southern hospitality when I worked there for a few months. The west coast generally has pleasant people who welcome strangers.

My recommendation would be a road trip as gas (petrol) is about a quarter of the price in the UK. For example, fly to San Francisco and rent a car. Drive down the coast through Monterey to Santa Barbara then Los Angeles. Drive to Las Vegas then the Grand Canyon but then continue to Utah. Maybe visit Zion National Park and even Salt Lake City. Drive back across Necada on I-95 to Reno and you'll visit some small towns on the way. Reno to San francisco may be a problem in winter so visit before October.

That should give you a taste of tourist spots, big cities and small towns.

Great question! I would have to say that there are so many places in the US, it would be helpful to know more about what you and your family like. What kind of weather to you prefer? What interests/activities do you like? Are you in to any historic aspects of the US? If you can provide more detail of what your interests are, Im sure we could give you some awesome ideas!

I have to agree with Bobby's answer below. The Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburgh area of Tennessee is great!! I have been all over the US and the Smokey Mountain area of Tennessee is by far my favorite. I would move there in a second. There are "touristy" areas which offer a lot of shopping, but it's more quaint then the big city shopping. The people down south (Im in Cleveland, OH, so I consider TN the South) are very friendly. It is also one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen (espcially in the fall Oct/Nov). If you go, I would look to stay in a chalet or cabin in the mountains. There is also some good fishing in the river out there (my favorite!!).

Yellowstone and surrounding areas. I live in New England which I love but saw the Western part of the US last year for the first time and was totally blown away by how majestic and beautiful it was. Yellowstone was great but I loved the area around Cody, Wyoming, Bozeman Montana and other areas around there. This year I want to see Colorado, Utah and Arizona. I'm hoping my son goes to school out West so I have a reason to quit my job and move.

You might also check out the mountains of western North Carolina. The city of Asheville is in the link below.

Colorado!!

Aspen

Vail

Breckenridge

Keystone

Denver

basically anywhere!!

OR TEXAS!!

Austin

San Antonio

Dallas

Fort Worth

Houston

come to pigeon forge Tennessee every thing you want and need in the smokey mountains here. you will love it or you can tell me about it...we have some of the best SHOPPING around,Entertainment and shows...not to forget DOLLYWOOD. Google pigeon forge tn.

CHICAGO, IL

SAN ANTONIO, TX