Congratulations! You have just finished your semester or year as an international student (F1 visa students, J1 visa students, M1 visa students) in the U.S.A. Now you can plan where you want to summer while on a student visa in the United States. The following article is a list of places that are within the U.S.A. where you can vacation, tour, and spend your summer break.
Table of Contents
West Coast U.S.A.
San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
In the San Francisco City area, you can visit the most famous and popular tourist spots such as the Fisherman’s Wharf (PIER 39), Union Square, Alcatraz Island, The Palace Of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street, The Painted Ladies…etc.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, North California, U.S.A.
Golden Gate Bridge is the most well-known landmark of San Francisco City. Two places you can look at the Golden Gate Bridge would be the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center or the Fort Point National Historic Site.
Cable Cars, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
The famous cable cars that you can take in San Francisco City is a must for tourists. You can experience going up and down the steep hills of San Francisco City while riding the famous cable cars. Most people buy tickets and hop on the cable car at the intersection of Powell and Market Street.
Fisherman’s Wharf (PIER 39), San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
The Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco City includes PIER 39 and the sea lions you can watch. The Fisherman’s Wharf has a lot of restaurants that sell seafood especially crab and clam chowder with sourdough bread bowls in the Fisherman’s Wharf area.
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
The famous Alcatraz Island is a must-see landmark of San Francisco City. The old prison on the Alcatraz Island has held some of the most notorious U.S. criminals in the past. To get to the Alcatraz Island, you would need to buy a ferry ticket and a ticket to tour the old prison.
The Palace Of Fine Arts, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco City is beautiful historical architecture with a park outside. It is free to walk in the park outside and a lot of wedding photos are shot here.
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
Golden Gate Park is a free park you can visit in San Francisco City. In the Golden Gate Park, you can visit the Conservatory of Flowers, California Academy of Sciences, the de Young Art Museum for fine arts, Japanese Tea Garden, Stow Lake to rent pedal boats and row boats, the Dutch and Murphy Windmills, Beach Chalet…etc.
Coit Tower, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
You can view the views of San Francisco City in Coit Tower which is upon a hill. You can get up to the Coit Tower by walking the steps, driving a car, or taking a bus. You have to buy a ticket to enter the Coit Tower.
Lombard Street, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
Lombard Street is one of the most famous attraction spots in San Francisco City. Lombard Street is a street that is located on a steep hill with various turns. The best time to visit Lombard Street would be in the spring and summertime when the flowers blossom.
The Painted Ladies, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
The Painted Ladies houses is a popular tourist spot in San Francisco City. The houses of the Painted Ladies are frequently seen on postcards.
Union Square, San Francisco City, North California, U.S.A.
San Francisco’s Union Square is the center of major department stores, bars, and restaurants. You can shop at Macy’s, Apple, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Chanel…etc. This area is the best place to shop and dine in restaurants while staying in San Francisco City.
Napa Valley, North California, U.S.A.
Napa Valley located in north California is best known for its vineyards, breweries, and distilleries. You can do wine tasting and ride hot air balloons in Napa Valley. Castello di amorosa is one of the more well-known wineries in Napa Valley because it is a medieval-style Tuscan castle. You would need to pay a fee and reserve a spot for the tour at the Castello di amorosa. If you are in San Francisco city, Napa Valley would be a good place to visit because the drive is only about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Joshua Tree National Park, South California, U.S.A.
Joshua Tree National Park located in South California is a beautiful national park that has a desert landscape filled with cactuses. Joshua Tree National Park is about a 3-hour drive away from Los Angeles. You do have to pay a fee to enter the Joshua Tree National Park.
Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Los Angeles city and the areas nearby offers numerous must-see tourist attractions, such as Runyon canyon park, the Hollywood sign, Disneyland, Santa Monica pier and beach, LACMA (urban lights), Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, Universal Studios Hollywood, Warner Brother Studio Tour, Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills, Hollywood Boulevard which includes the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Hollywood Stars) and the TCL Chinese Theatre, Melrose, the Grove, Venice canals, Abbot Kinney, Malibu beaches…etc.
Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Runyon Canyon Park located in Los Angeles city is a very popular place for locals to go hiking with their dogs and a great place for tourists to enjoy the city view of Los Angeles. The best time to visit Runyon Canyon Park is when the sun is out and the sky is clear or during sunset.
Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
The most famous landmark in Los Angeles is the Hollywood Sign. The Hollywood Sign can be seen from multiple places in Los Angeles but there is a specific area on the hill (3100 Canyon Lake Dr.) where most people go to take photos.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Urban Lights), Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
The famous “Urban Light” is located at the entrance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). A lot of people take photos there during the nighttime.
Disneyland Park, Anaheim, South California, U.S.A.
Disneyland in Anaheim, California has two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Both parks require fees to enter. Driving from Los Angeles to Disneyland in Anaheim takes about 1 hour.
Santa Monica Pier & Beach, South California, U.S.A.
Santa Monica Pier and Santa Monica Beach are must-see tourist attractions in Los Angeles. The Santa Monica Pier has a small amusement park and concession stands. There are also a lot of stores to shop and restaurants to dine in near the Santa Monica Pier.
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Griffith Observatory is a famous place for people to view the Los Angeles city view. Entering Griffith Observatory is free. Paid parking closest to the Griffith Observatory building is not easy to obtain because of the amount of people visiting.
The Getty Center, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
The Getty Center is a museum with beautiful architecture and views overlooking Los Angeles city. It is free to enter the Getty Center.
Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Universal Studios Hollywood is located very close to the main attractions of Los Angeles city. It only takes about 30 minutes to drive from The Grove to Universal Studios Hollywood depending on the Los Angeles traffic.
Warner Brother Studio Tour, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
The Warner Brother Studio Tour is a guided tour of the studios of Warner Brothers where you can learn about how they shoot shows or movies behind the scenes and get to see the sets where they actually film. For example, you can look at where they film the Ellen DeGeneres show and the set of Friends such as the coffee shop Central Perk. The tour is usually around 2 to 3 hours.
Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, South California, U.S.A.
Rodeo Drive located in Beverly Hills is a tourist destination to take photos. All the major luxury designer brands are located here or around this area.
Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood Walk of Fame/Hollywood Stars & TCL Chinese Theatre), Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Hollywood Boulevard is a very touristy part of Los Angeles because it includes the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Hollywood Stars) and the TCL Chinese Theatre. There are a lot of people dressed up as movie characters or celebrities on the Hollywood Boulevard, especially in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre. You can see the handprints, footprints, and signatures of Hollywood stars at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The Hollywood Walk of Fame has the stars of Hollywood celebrities which are spread across the streets in the Hollywood Boulevard area.
Melrose & The Grove, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
Melrose and The Grove are where locals usually shop and dine. Melrose Avenue is a street that has a lot of restaurants and stores, such as Paul Frank which is the store with the famous pink wall where people go to take photos. Alfred’s Coffee is also a hot spot in Melrose. The Grove is a popular outdoors shopping mall that has plenty of restaurants and stores.
Malibu Beaches, South California, U.S.A.
Malibu Beaches are located north of Los Angeles city. You can choose one to drive to, which from Los Angeles might take around 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how far the beach is in Malibu and Los Angeles traffic. Malibu Beaches are usually cleaner.
Malibu is where a lot of mansions are located and it is where the famous Japanese restaurant Nobu is located. Some of the scenes from the K-drama “The Heirs/Inheritors” was filmed in Malibu.
Venice Canals/Beach & Abbot Kinney, Los Angeles, South California, U.S.A.
The Venice Canals, Venice Beach, and Abbot Kinney are all located in Los Angeles. The Venice Canals in Los Angeles is a scenic spot to visit and stroll around. Venice Beach is a famous attraction in Los Angeles where there is a free outdoor gym and skateboarding park. Abbot Kinney in the same area offers unique boutiques, restaurants, and bars.
San Diego, South California, U.S.A.
San Diego located south of Los Angeles is known for attractions, such as the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, La Jolla Cove (to watch sea lions), Hotel del Coronado, SeaWorld San Diego, and USS Midway Museum. Driving from Los Angeles to San Diego usually takes about 2 hours to 3 hours depending on exact distance and traffic.
Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Seattle is located in the western and northern part of the U.S.A. Seattle is known for being the headquarters of Amazon and Microsoft and where the first Starbucks store was open. Seattle’s famous attractions include the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Gum Wall, and the first Starbucks store (Starbucks Reserve Roastery).
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.
Las Vegas is located northeast of Los Angeles and is a popular tourist destination in the United States. Las Vegas is famous for its hotel, casinos, and shows (such as the Cirque du Soleil). The well-known hotels and casinos are located on the Las Vegas Strip, such as the Bellagio Hotel & Casino (watch the Bellagio Fountain), MGM Grand, Luxor Hotel & Casino, the Mirage…etc. Driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Grand Canyon National Park & Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, U.S.A.
The Grand Canyon National Park is located east of Las Vegas. The drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon National Park area would take around 2.5 to 3 hours. The famous Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are all in the same area as the Grand Canyon National Park. You must book a sightseeing tour if you want to see the Antelope Canyon.
Lake Tahoe, North California, U.S.A.
Lake Tahoe is located east of San Francisco. It is a beautiful clear lake surrounded by greenery. You can go skiing in the winter and rent a boat during the summer in Lake Tahoe. Driving from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe takes around 3.5 to 4.5 hours.
Yosemite, North California, U.S.A.
Yosemite is a popular national park located southeast of San Francisco. The Yosemite National Park is surrounded by mountains and trees. Driving from San Francisco to Yosemite takes around 4 to 5 hours.
Big Sur, North California, U.S.A.
Big Sur is a popular area for people who live in the bay area to vacation. Popular attractions at or near Big Sur include visiting the Bixby Creek Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, Carmel-By-The Sea beach city, Monterey city (where HBO’s Big Little Lies were filmed)…etc.
Pacific Highway (California 1), California, U.S.A.
The scenic Pacific Highway (California 1) runs along the west coastline of the U.S.A. and is a famous road trip route in the U.S.A. The north point of the route is San Francisco and the end point is San Diego.
East Coast U.S.A.
New York City, U.S.A.
New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S.A. New York City is famous for attractions such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met), The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Washington Square Park, 5th Avenue, Broadway…etc. New York City is also where shows such as Sex and the City and Gossip Girl take place and are filmed.
Miami & Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.
Miami and Orlando are both located in Florida. Miami is famous for its nightlife and beaches and Orlando is known for housing Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando.
Disney World in Orlando is the biggest Disney in the world with 4 separate theme parks: Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Pandora is the ride of Avatar that is located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
Universal Studios is also in Orlando where it has 3 separate theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park.
Boston & Surrounding Area, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Boston and its surrounding area located north east of New York is famous for its clam chowder and prestigious Universities, such as Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Driving from New York to Boston is about 4 to 5 hours.
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States of America. The landmarks in Washington, D.C. includes places, such as the White House (which is the home of the president of the U.S.A.), Supreme Court of the United States, United States Capitol (is where U.S. laws are made), Library of Congress (which is the world’s biggest library), Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum…etc.
Middle U.S.A.
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Chicago’s main attractions include Millennium Park (Cloud Gate), the scenic boat ride or walk along the Chicago River, Willis Tower, Navy Pier…etc. The architecture in Chicago is beautiful and taking a boat ride can view those architecture quickly while sitting down.
U.S. Route 66, U.S.A.
Route 66 is a highway famous for its road trips. If you are in Chicago, you can drive to the Santa Monica pier in California via Route 66.
Outer Islands U.S.A.
Puerto Rico, U.S.A.
Puerto Rico is famous for its beaches, historical sites, and nature. Flying from Los Angeles to Puerto Rico is around 6.5 hours. Famous tourist attractions in Puerto Rico include Castillo San Felipe del Morro, old San Juan, Castillo San Cristobal…etc.
Hawaii (Big Island, Maui, Kauai, Oahu), U.S.A.
Hawaii is famous for its beaches and nature. Flying from Los Angeles to Hawaii is around 6 to 7 hours. There are four main islands in Hawaii: Big Island, Maui, Kauai, Oahu. Honolulu is Hawaii’s capital and largest city located on the island of Oahu. Waikiki is the most touristy place in Hawaii which is in Honolulu. A few famous tourist attractions in Hawaii include Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hana Highway, Hanauma Bay, Lanikai Beach…etc.
Where to Book Hotels, Airplane Tickets, Train Tickets, Car Rentals While Traveling The U.S.A.
- Google Flights (Airplane Tickets)
- Google Hotel Search (Airplane Tickets & Hotel)
- Skyscanner (Airplane Tickets)
- Priceline (Airplane Tickets & Hotel & Car Rental)
- Expedia (Airplane Tickets & Hotel & Car Rental)
- Trip Advisor (Hotel & Reviews)
- Kayak (Airplane Tickets & Hotel & Car Rental)
- Momondo (Airplane Tickets & Hotel & Car Rental)
- Matrix ITA Software (Airplane Tickets)
- Airbnb (Hotel)
- Kiwi Flights (Airplane Tickets & Hotel & Car Rental)
- Amtrak Tickets (Train Tickets)
Where To Check Reviews On Hotels & Vacation Spots in the U.S.A.
Don’t Forget Your Immigration Visa Documents While Traveling in the U.S.A.
When traveling in the U.S.A. as an international student (F1 visa students, J1 visa students, M1 visa students) or foreign worker (H1B work visa, O1 work visa, L1 work visa, P1 work visa), please always remember to bring your immigration visa documents and proof of identity with you in case for some reason you are asked to present those documents.
- I-20 Document
- Passport
- Student Card
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