The Americas span over 15,000 kilometres from the northern tip of Canada to the southern tip of South America, encompassing every climate, every landscape type, and every category of travel experience.
North America
The United States is too geographically and culturally vast to treat as a single destination. New York for density, culture, and food; Los Angeles for sprawling creative energy; Chicago for architecture and a more manageable scale; New Orleans for music and a distinct cultural identity; San Francisco for tech culture and natural access.
The national parks system is one of the United States’ great achievements. Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Olympic offer landscape experiences unlike anything in Europe. The parks are busiest in July and August; spring and autumn shoulder seasons offer better conditions and lower crowds.
Canada is an outstanding travel destination that receives less attention internationally than it deserves. Vancouver and British Columbia offer some of the world’s best mountain, coast, and wilderness access within a city context. Quebec City is one of the few genuinely European-feeling North American cities. The Rocky Mountain national parks (Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay) are spectacular and accessible.
Mexico is consistently underestimated by travellers who associate it primarily with resort beach destinations. Mexico City is one of the world’s great capitals, with extraordinary museums, world-class food at every price point, and genuine intellectual and creative energy. The colonial cities of the interior (Oaxaca, Guanajuato, San Cristobal de las Casas, Morelia, Puebla) are beautiful and far less visited than they deserve.
Central America
Central America is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the world relative to its geographic size. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize, and Panama are the most practical destinations for independent travel.
Costa Rica has built a sophisticated ecotourism infrastructure around its exceptional biodiversity, protecting 26 percent of its land area in national parks and reserves. It’s more expensive than its Central American neighbours but more logistically accessible.
Guatemala rewards more patient travel than Costa Rica. The Mayan ruins of Tikal are among the most dramatic archaeological sites in the Americas. Lake Atitlan and the colonial city of Antigua are both extraordinary.
Belize combines Caribbean coast beaches and islands with jungle interior, Mayan ruins, and the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Small and English-speaking, it’s among the most accessible Central American destinations for first-time visitors.
South America
South America rewards longer visits and more patient travel than most regions. The distances are large and logistics can be complex, but the rewards are correspondingly significant.
Peru is South America’s most visited country. Machu Picchu is one of the world’s genuinely great archaeological sites. Lima has one of the world’s outstanding food scenes, the Colca Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon, and Lake Titicaca at 3,800 metres elevation is unlike any other body of water.
Colombia has transformed significantly as a travel destination. Medellin’s dramatic mountain-valley geography and transformation narrative reward extended exploration. Cartagena’s walled colonial city is one of the most beautiful in the Americas.
Argentina is one of South America’s most sophisticated travel destinations. Buenos Aires has major-world-city infrastructure and culture. The wine regions (Mendoza, Salta) produce some of the southern hemisphere’s best wines. Patagonia, shared with Chile, offers some of the world’s most dramatic wilderness landscapes.
Brazil is enormous and enormously varied. Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s most physically beautiful cities, though it requires more active security awareness than other South American destinations. The Pantanal in the west is the world’s largest tropical wetland and one of the best places on earth for wildlife watching.
Practical Advice for Americas Travel
Safety varies enormously by destination and within destinations. The Americas include some of the world’s safest destinations (Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay) and some that require active safety planning. Our destination-specific safety guides provide current, specific assessments.
Internal distances require planning. For trips covering multiple countries or regions within large countries, budget time and cost for internal flights.
Visa requirements. Most Western passport holders enter North America and most of Latin America without a visa or with simple e-visa processes. The significant exception is Brazil, which reinstated an e-visa requirement for US, Canadian, and Australian citizens; UK and EU passport holders remain visa-free for stays up to 90 days. Requirements have shifted more than once in recent years, so check current rules for your specific passport nationality before booking.