4 trips which showcase the best of the USA

This is a travel tale born in the USA but with all the elements of Aussie expertise. It’s of a country peeling open after a long season on the sidelines and it contains all the hallmarks of the best in touring: from the wild west to off-the-beaten-track in sunny California, to the beating heart and soul of America’s music mecca and to the north-east where Niagara Falls gushes like a socialite.

The Travel Corporation Head of Sales Costsaver, Andrew Young says the appeal of the United States lays in its vastness and what it offers in terms of different experiences from all the different corners of the country.

“The Pacific north-west is just an eclectic mix of vibrant cities. It is a very progressive destination and some of the scenery is quite dramatic with San Fransisco and Los Angeles. On the other side of the country, when people think of the north-east they think of New York City and Washington but if you go a bit higher up around the Hamptons, there are also some incredible destinations. New York itself is a cataclysmic assault on all the different senses and experiences in terms of taste. It is also about all the boroughs from Manhattan to Brooklyn,” he says.

“As we get down to the south that’s where the true America bubbles to the surface. National Parks are probably the best thing America has given the world. They are just incredible landscapes and what we are finding is a real renaissance in terms of travellers wanting to get out to National Parks.

“If we look at the deep south, it is an incredible destination for foodies and music lovers and history lovers. Then there’s that route between the west coast and the deep south. They don’t say ‘it’s as big as Texas’ for nothing.'”

These 4 tours will have you begging for more

1. Embrace your Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok on this Discover the spirit of the American West tour which encapsulates the natural beauty of the Badlands National Park during this 7-day journey through South Dakota. On this six-night tour, where you’ll be blissfully based in the same hotel, listen to the tales of the Lakota and Sioux people through a First Nations American storyteller; experience iconic Mt Rushmore; delve into local history; jump aboard a Jeep safari through the backcountry of Custer State Park; visit Crazy Horse Memorial – the world’s largest mountain sculpture still in progress; and walk the Presidential Trail with its 150 years of American history, among a host of other experiences.

2. Napa Valley, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and Monterey are among the golden gems on the Eight days off the beaten track in California holiday. Embrace the essence of northern California with its fine wine and seafood straight off the boat; experience 17 Mile Drive and its stunning views; and taste fresh produce at a local farm. Yosemite National Park is a heavenly highlight of this trip, as is Lake Tahoe aboard a paddle wheeler. With local Napa Valley wines on the menu, this is the Golden State in all its glittery finery.

3. Shake, rattle and roll your way through America’s south on this tour of America’s Blues, Jazz, Country & Rock History which takes in Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans. Beginning in the music mecca of Nashville, for ten terrific nights you’ll toe tap your way towards Memphis where you’ll pay homage to Elvis before arriving at New Orleans and its streets which sing. Along the way, experience the best of the south from creole cooking and voodoo mysteries to swamps filled with alligators.

4. What a capital idea. You’ll start your tour of North-East USA & Niagara Falls around the hallowed halls of Washington DC taking in the Lincoln and World War Two Memorials as well as the White House and the US Capitol building. This seven-night tour switches things up with a visit to Lancaster where you’ll learn about the Amish people and their simple way of life; experience the power of Niagara Falls; and on to the city which never sleeps with all of its New York delights including a Brooklyn diner, Broadway, the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, Wall Street and the 9/11 Memorial.

Click here to book Discover the spirit of the American West tour or here for the Eight days off the beaten track in California holiday, both run by Collette Tours. Collette offers the option to purchase a Travel Protection Plan where you can cancel for any reason, with a full refund up to 24 hours before your trip departs.

Costsaver Tours offers a number of additional cost experiences to personalise their tours. Click here to book Tour America’s Blues, Soul, Country & Rock History and here for the North East USA & Niagara Falls.

In the words of Bruce Springsteen: “Baby you were born to run.”