1

Grand Canyon

Image: Tim Hart

The Grand Canyon: Every angle seems worthy of a picture! This Arizona landmark is truly awe-inspiring, and very few would be able to visit without wanting to take home endless photos of it.

Whether you capture shots from the rim, hike to the bottom, or take a mule ride, the views are simply unforgettable. Hoover Dam is the second most photographed spot in Nevada—a worthy opponent!

2

Central Park

Image: Jermaine Ee

Not only is New York’s gem the most filmed park, but it’s also the most photographed in the state!

A stroll through the oasis that is Central Park always merits a picture or two. Scenic green spaces, bike and boat rides, flower gardens, and even a zoo—there’s no shortage of photo-worthy spots. That’s enough to surpass the number of pictures taken from the Empire State Building and even Niagara Falls upstate.

3

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

Image: Nico Smit

Picture this: you, a Mai Tai, and the sparkling Pacific Ocean. That’s the vibe at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, the most photographed spot in the Aloha State.

A paradise on Oahu’s famous Waikiki Beach, this resort—featuring its iconic Rainbow Tower, lush gardens, and multiple pools—certainly has no shortage of social-media-worthy corners.

4

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Image: Connor Gan

This one wasn’t hard to guess. South Dakota’s most photographed spot is Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a truly awe-inspiring sight: the 60-foot faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln carved into the granite mountainside.

Did you know it took 14 years to complete and involved over 400 workers? Arguably, it deserves all the attention it still gets.

5

Disney's Magic Kingdom

Image: Brian McGowan

Another easy guess: the most magical place on Earth! Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida is undoubtedly one of the most popular spots for tourists—and that’s in a state known for its paradisiacal beaches, like those in Miami and Key West!

It seems that castles, parades, fireworks, and timeless characters are enough to win the hearts of most Florida visitors.

6

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1701919747996-1e9531dde0a9?

A one-of-a-kind outdoor venue, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado undoubtedly takes home the prize. Nestled among stunning red rock formations, this dramatic landscape looks even more breathtaking at sunrise.

Imagine an epic rock concert there—or simply the joy of standing at its center and hearing your voice naturally amplified.

7

Wrigley Field

Image: Blake Guidry

Whether you're a Chicago fan or not, the unwritten rule for tourists is simple: if you walk by Wrigley Field, you snap a picture. It’s a baseball lover’s dream and a must-see for any visitor to the Windy City.

Home to the Chicago Cubs, this historic ballpark has witnessed its share of legendary moments, from Babe Ruth’s called shot to the Cubs’ unforgettable 2016 World Series win. It even appears in more pictures than The Bean or Navy Pier!

8

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Image: Chang Ye

Is the movie Rocky to blame? Maybe. The Philadelphia Museum of Art houses an impressive collection of masterpieces from around the world. But let's be honest—most people just want to photograph or film themselves conquering the "Rocky Steps."

In the famous movie, the protagonist climbs those stairs daily as part of his training before his big triumph. His fists-up gesture is so famous that they even added a statue of him nearby! After your triumphant run and snapshots, take some time to explore the museum’s galleries and admire its stunning architecture.

9

Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Image: Daniel Halseth

Sun, sand, and surf! Virginia Beach Oceanfront is the perfect destination for a classic beach getaway.

A scenic boardwalk, fresh seafood, and a towering 12-foot bronze statue of King Neptune are all frequent subjects of photos taken in this area. Even the occasional seagull makes for a popular portrait choice!

10

Brown University

Image: Keming Tan

Several universities rank among the most photographed spots in their states, and Brown University is no exception! This Rhode Island Ivy League school boasts a beautiful historic campus, complete with Gothic architecture and an intellectual atmosphere that captivates visitors.

Brown’s campus is so popular and charming that online tours are available for people to explore from the comfort of their own computers!

11

Disneyland

Image: Brandi Alexandra

Did you see it coming? Another Disney win! The original theme park, located in Anaheim, California, appears in more photos than the Santa Monica Pier, Golden Gate Park, or Hollywood’s Universal Studios. Walt Disney, who personally oversaw the park’s construction, would surely be proud!

1

Unlimited drink refills

The only thing better than a tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is knowing that you can get up and get a refill as many times as you want. This is nothing new for Americans, but it’s one of the most surprising things for foreign tourists. While American restaurants see unlimited refills as a way to keep customers happy at extremely low prices, in most other countries, you usually pay for each drink separately.

2

The measuring system

America follows the U.S. customary units system, which includes elements derived from the old Imperial System used in the United Kingdom. Why is it so difficult for foreigners from other English-speaking countries to understand the American system, then? Although countries like Canada or the UK use Imperial units for things like body weight or distances, they also use metric units for other areas, while non-English-speaking countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand, rely entirely on the metric system.

3

Sales taxes

How do you know if you have enough money to buy anything at a store? You look at the price and calculate the sales tax that will be added at checkout —unless you are in one of the five states that don’t charge sales taxes. If you travel abroad, however, you don’t have to worry about calculations; you just have to look at the price tag. It’s not that sales taxes don’t exist elsewhere, but that they are already included in the advertised tag.

4

Measuring temperature

If foreigners are confused about the American measuring system, they are definitely baffled by the way we measure temperature. The Fahrenheit scale was developed following scientific parameters, but also considering human body temperature: 0°F is really cold weather, and 100°F is really hot weather. The Celsius scale, however, is based on water: at 0°C, water freezes, and at 100°C, water boils. The range difference often results in foreigners being confused at the high temperature numbers.

5

Entrees

The topic of American portion sizes being bigger than portion sizes elsewhere is nothing new, but is not the only important difference when it comes to eating out. In a standard American menu, the Entree section will include dishes that are considered main courses, while the Appetizer section will have snacks or finger foods typically eaten before the main course. Why is this confusing for non-Americans? The word ‘entree’ originally referred to appetizers, and is still used with that sense in most countries, especially in Europe and Latin America.

6

Dollar bills

American dollar bills are easily recognizable all around the world, not only because they are often used as an international currency, but also because dollar bills are somewhat unique. Firstly, they are made of a special cotton and linen blend that gives them a unique texture and makes them extremely durable. They are also the same size and color, no matter the value, while other countries tie the size or color of the bill to the different values.

7

Decimals and thousands separators

This is less of a U.S. and more of an English-speaking countries issue, but one that confuses foreigners nonetheless. All around the world, we learn that big numbers are grouped in threes: once we go from nine hundred and ninety-nine to a thousand, we have to use a comma. Or is it a period? While English speakers use a comma for the thousands, non-English speakers use a period. When it comes to decimals, the symbols are also swapped: in English, decimals are separated by a period, but for the rest of the world they are separated by a comma.

8

Citizen-based taxation

Foreigners often find the American taxing system confusing, but this particular instance can also surprise many American citizens who realize that they have to pay taxes even if they live abroad and don’t do business or have properties in America. The U.S is one of two countries in the world that uses citizenship (and not residence) as a taxing basis. The only other country that uses this system is Eritrea, located in East Africa.

9

Political colors

The history of political colors in the U.S. is fairly recent —the red-blue dichotomy was formally established during the 2000 presidential election— but no less important or symbolic. It does, however, stand out from the political use of color in other parts of the world where —leaving specific color associations aside— red is often tied to left-wing ideologies, and yellow (not blue) is the color associated with liberalism.

10

Football

Why is America the only country that uses the name football for a sport that is not soccer? The English are to blame here. In the 19th century, football was used for many different sports, among them Rugby football, Association football, and Gridiron football. Association football, also called assoccer (and later, soccer), became extremely popular in England, while Gridiron became popular in America. While the English ultimately decided to use football for Association football, Americans had already identified that word with Gridiron football, so they adopted soccer as the alternative.

1

1776

Image: Bureau of Engraving and Printing., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During the American Revolution, the Grand Union Flag, also called the Continental Colors, was created to represent the colonies. It featured 13 alternating red and white stripes (symbolizing the original colonies), but instead of stars in the upper left corner like we see today, it displayed the Union Jack.

2

1777

Image: Bureau of Engraving and Printing., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1777, following the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress adopted the first official flag of the United States. It featured 13 alternating red and white stripes, which still honor the original colonies today. Replacing the Union Jack, it introduced a new element that would be key for the rest of its history: 13 white stars set in a blue field, or canton, arranged in a circle to symbolize equality and unity among the states.

3

1795

Image: Nyttend, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It wasn’t until 1795 that the flag changed again, when two more stars and two additional stripes were added to represent the recently admitted states of Vermont (1791) and Kentucky (1792). This version was the only US flag to feature more than 13 stripes and later became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner", since it was the very flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that would later be the lyrics of the national anthem.

4

1818

Image: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1818, the flag’s design changed once again. The 15 stripes were reduced back to 13 to permanently honor the original colonies. Five new states had joined the Union, bringing the total number of stars to 20. These stars were sometimes arranged in straight rows and other times in the shape of a large star, which earned this version the nickname "The Great Star Flag."

5

1912

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Each new state joining the Union meant one more star on the flag. In 1912, when New Mexico and Arizona were added, the number of states reached 48, so their stars also took their place. That year, President Taft issued an executive order setting the official proportions of the flag and specifying that the stars should be arranged in six horizontal rows of eight.

6

1960

Image: chris robert

The most recent design change came in 1960. After Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union in 1959, two more stars were added, bringing the total to 50. They were arranged in nine alternating rows of six and five stars, like the official flags you see displayed across the country today.

7

Flag time

Image: Jon Sailer

Beyond its official design, the US flag follows a set of protocols established over the years. One key rule specifies the time to display it: generally, the flag should be flown from sunrise to sunset. If displayed at night, it must be properly illuminated.

8

Weather conditions

Image: Anandu Vinod

The flag code doesn’t just set the time of day; it also indicates the proper weather conditions for display. According to the protocol, the flag should not be flown in bad weather, such as rain, snow, or storms, unless it’s an all-weather flag designed for such conditions.

9

Position

Image: Roger Starnes Sr

Of course, the flag must always have the blue canton in the upper left corner. But there are more rules for its position. When flown with other symbols, such as state flags, the national flag must be in the center and slightly higher. Additionally, if it needs to be lowered from the flagpole, the flag must never touch the ground.

10

Don'ts

Image: Alex Martinez

If you need to handle the flag, it’s important to know the proper way. But it's also crucial to know what not to do. Some of the key "don'ts" include never letting it touch the ground, avoiding creasing it, not writing or drawing on it, and one that might surprise many: don’t use it as clothing or decoration.