The best North American trips combine a big city with a few days in the outdoors. The distances are huge, so the places below work best as separate trips or as stops connected by a flight. Afterward come three road trips and a few planning rules that apply to all of them.
Five destinations
New York City, USA. New York rewards at least four days. Spend them in the Metropolitan Museum and MoMA, walking Central Park and the High Line, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on foot, taking the free Staten Island Ferry for a view of the Statue of Liberty, and eating your way through Queens, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Late April to June and September to October are the most comfortable seasons.
San Francisco, USA. The city has the Golden Gate Bridge, steep streets, cable cars and the Mission and North Beach neighborhoods for food. Alcatraz tours sell out ahead, so reserve in advance. It is also the usual start of a drive down the California coast, or a base for Muir Woods, Sonoma and Napa. Layers are essential: summer afternoons are often foggy and cool.
Banff, Canada. Banff National Park in the Rockies has turquoise lakes, glaciers and mountain trails within an hour of the town. Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper are the classic stops. The best season is June to September, with September’s golden larches a favorite. Parks Canada charges an entry fee, and parking at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake is managed through shuttles, so check the current system before you go.
Mexico City, Mexico. The capital offers a huge mix of Aztec and colonial history, galleries, markets and food. Highlights include the historic center and Zócalo, the National Museum of Anthropology, the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán and the canals of Xochimilco. Teotihuacán’s pyramids are about an hour outside the city. The city stands at 2,240 m, so go easy on the first day. Plan four or five days.
Orlando, USA. Orlando is the theme-park capital, with Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. It works best for families, and tickets should be bought in advance. Avoid school holidays and summer if possible, since heat, rain and long queues are all worse then. Combine with the Kennedy Space Center or the Florida beaches for variety.
Three road trip ideas
Pacific Coast, California (4–7 days). San Francisco to Los Angeles along Highway 1 through Monterey, Big Sur and Santa Barbara. The coast road can close because of landslides, so check conditions before you leave. April to June and September to October have the clearest views.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina (3–5 days). This 469-mile road connects Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains and passes Asheville. The speed limit is low (typically 45 mph or less), so give yourself time. Mid-October is the usual peak for autumn colours.
Yucatán Loop, Mexico (7–10 days). Mérida, Valladolid and Tulum, with Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Cobá on the way, plus swims in cenotes. Roads are good, but plan driving in daylight and carry some cash for tolls and small towns.
Planning rules that save time
Mix cities and nature. A week of city sights is tiring, as is a week of hiking. Four days in a big city followed by four in a park feels balanced.
Keep daily drives to 4–5 hours. Everything is farther away than it looks. A short drive leaves time for viewpoints, a walk and a proper meal.
Check seasons first. Summer heat in the desert Southwest, winter snow in the Rockies and hurricane season on the southeastern coasts all change your options. Our guide to the best time to visit North America covers the details.
Book key items early. Alcatraz, national park lodges, timed-entry parks, Broadway shows and popular restaurants often sell out weeks or months ahead.
By country
The USA is the best choice for variety. It has big cities, major national parks and some of the best road trips. Canada is cleaner and calmer, with mountains, lakes and cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal that are easy to explore. Mexico offers rich history, food and good value, with a very different pace from its northern neighbors.
Pick one or two of these places for your first trip, and use the North America travel overview to plan the route between them.