Sightseeing in the USA

21.2.1. Tourist attractions in the USA draw millions each year with their beauty and grandeur. They mesmerize people of all ages and cultures.

One of the USA top tourist attractions, the majestic Grand Canyon (1,218,376 acres) was first mapped out in 1869 by Major John Wesley Powell, a one-armed geologist who ventured down the capricious Colorado River he and eight other men were exploring in wooden rowboats. Today only Mexico’s Barranca de Cabre and Idaho's Hell’s Canyon are deeper than this National Monument. Though its depth drops to 6,000 feet, the floor heats to over 100 degrees. The summers in the area are sizzling and the winters are freezing cold. Even for those who come at the right time of the year, hiking to the bottom of the Canyon will only take 2 days.

21.2.2. Mount Rushmore is an iconic national memorial (1,829 m) in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, U.S. Huge sculptures of the heads of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are carved in granite on the northeast side of the mount mass. The four heads, each about 60 ft high, represent, respectively, the nation's founding political philosophy, preservation, expansion and conservation. The memorial, first suggested by Jonah Robinson of the South Dakota State Historical Society, was dedicated in 1925. Work began in 1927 under Gutzon Borglum and was finished in 1941, after six and a half years of actual work. The federal government paid most of the costs. This world-famous attraction is visited by almost 2,000,000 tourists annually.

21.2.3. The Walt Disney World Resort attracts more travelers than any other resort on Earth. Six different theme parks and a wilderness preserve cover well over 20,000 acres - about the size of a city like San Francisco. Visitors can make memories at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, the Animal Kingdom, and two massive water parks. The big WDW just might be the most family-friendly resort in history. To top it all off, trips to the Walt Disney World Resort are often touted as the highlight of childhood. Perhaps that’s why families around the world can’t stop coming back.

21.2.4. National Mall and Memorial Parks (est. 1965) in Washington, D.C. attract over 25 million annual visitors, making this the second most visited tourist attraction in the world. People flock to see iconic landmarks for themselves - everything from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, an obelisk rising over 550 feet. The historic structures, famous museums, and charming gardens are what make visitors eager to return. The autumn season especially brings colorful flair and fair weather to National Mall and Memorial Parks.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-04