By Liam 
Awe Inspiring Places to Visit in 2024
While the USA is rightfully well-renowned for its stunning natural beauty, its cities sometimes get a bad rap.
Cities have their good and bad points but it is hard to deny the beauty of America’s cities. It is fascinating to see regional differences between cities that manifest in their layout, architecture and culture.
We’re drawing from all over the map in our list of the 10 most beautiful cities in the USA, which is in no particular order.
1. Charleston
With some of the country’s oldest architecture and a picturesque location on the coast, Charleston is one of the 10 most beautiful cities in the USA. Charleston is the oldest city in South Carolina and has become a booming tourist hotspot with one of the best food scenes in the country.
A stroll down Waterfront Park and checking out Charleston’s pastel colored houses on “Rainbow Row” are perfect ways to spend an afternoon. Plus, there are some excellent small town beaches within an hour’s drive.
2. Juneau
Juneau, the capital of Alaska, derives its beauty primarily from its incredible location. The Southeastern Alaskan city is surrounded by glaciers, mountains, fjords and islands. The famed Mendenhall Glacier is under a 20 minute drive from the city center and one of the top attractions.
Meanwhile, the views from the Mount Roberts Tramway are unmatched. Scenic fjord cruises and wildlife viewing, like whale watching, are also popular activities. Apart from its stunning natural beauty, Juneau has a charming and quaint downtown area.
3. New York City
New York City stands nearly 3,000 miles away from Juneau and feels like a completely different world. While the USA’s largest city can be noisy, dirty and unapproachable New York City is still one of the most beautiful cities in the country. NYC boats some of the most iconic buildings in the world.
The Flatiron Building, Empire State Building and Chrysler Building are man-made beauties and museums like the MoMA and Met are two of the world’s finest art museums.
Central Park is an oasis in the middle of Manhattan and a must-visit. Meanwhile, tourists can ride the Staten Island ferry for free (that’s right) and see the Statue of Liberty. Walking on the Brooklyn Bridge also provides a beautiful vantage point.
4. Chicago
While the extreme cold makes Chicago a tough sell in the Winter, Summer in Chicago is unparalleled. The lakefront city awakens from its slumber as crowds gather to attend music festivals, like Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, and lounge at the Lake Michigan beaches.
Chicago’s skyline is one of the most impressive in the world and one of my favorite ways to take it in is running south along the lakefront trail.
The Chicago Riverwalk is another excellent way to take in the city’s massive skyscrapers, along with the popular architecture boat tour. Compared to NYC, Chicago is clean and well worth a visit for its beauty and terrific food scene.
5. Santa Fe
New Mexico’s capital, Santa Fe, stands on the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the North-Central part of the state. Santa Fe’s downtown is well known for its pueblo style architecture.
Santa Fe has also become a mecca of art and culture. It was the first city in the USA designated by UNESCO as a “Creative City”. Art lovers can visit the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, New Mexico Museum of Art and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Hiking and Skiing are other popular activities to do in and around the city.
6. Saint Augustine
Plenty of tourists flock to Miami and Orlando each year but Florida is also home to the USA’s oldest continuously-occupied city. Spanish colonists founded Saint-Augustine, which is 40 miles south of Jacksonville, in 1565. The city’s architecture still reflects its heritage.
Spanish colonial buildings and narrow streets give Saint Augustine a European feel. The Lightner Museum, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Cathedral Basilica of Saint Augstine are three must sees. Travelers looking for a laid-back getaway should consider heading to Saint Augustine.
7. San Francisco
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge is just one of the many reasons San Francisco is on our list of the 10 most beautiful cities in the USA. San Francisco, the tech capital of the country, is situated East of the Pacific Ocean and West of its namesake bay and has a number of microclimates due to its unique location.
SF has beautiful parks within city limits, including the Presidio, Golden Gate Park and Land’s End. Victorian homes, like the “Painted Ladies”, add man-made beauty to the California city, along with the famous hill-traversing cable cars.
Hotels in San Francisco are notoriously expensive but mystery deals can help travelers save.
8. San Diego
Heading down the California coast, San Diego is next on our list.
San Diego can lay claim to the best weather in the entire country. In San Diego, 344 days are hotter than 60 degrees Fahrenheit in and only 25 are hotter than 80 degrees, on average.
There are excellent beaches in the San Diego area, including La Jolla, Coronado, Blacks Beach and Torrey Pines. Balboa Park is home to 18 museums and the San Diego Zoo.
Meanwhile, the downtown Gaslamp District is historic and the center of the city’s nightlife. San Diego is also a gateway to Mexico, with cheap flights if travelers cross over into Tijuana.
9. New Orleans
New Orleans has a rich history. The city, on either side of the Mississippi River, was under Spanish and French control until the Louisiana Purchase, in 1803.
Few would argue that the “Big Easy” isn’t one of the most exciting cities in the USA and one could argue it is the most unique city in the country.
A lot of the French and Spanish colonial architecture remains and it’s one of the most European-feeling cities in the USA. The French Quarter is at the center of the action and visitors should check out the jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street.
Between Jazz, Mardi Gras and the distinctive cuisine, New Orleans is one of the most culturally-rich and beautiful cities in the country.
10. Savannah
Savannah rounds out our list and it’s another stunning Southern city. Forbes recently named Savannah the second most beautiful city in the USA and it’s not hard to see why. Between mansions, oak trees covered with Spanish moss and cobblestone streets, Savannah transports visitors back hundreds of years.
The laid back pace of life appeals to visitors and Forsyth Park is a perfectly pretty place to take a Sunday afternoon stroll.
Honorable Mentions:
- Seattle, WA
- Boston, MA
- Asheville, NC
- Madison, WI
- Portland, ME