Albuquerque Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County, and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 448,607 as of the 2000 census. The metropolitan area has a population of roughly 712,738 and includes the city of Rio Rancho, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

Anaheim The economy of Anaheim is mainly comprised of entertainment, tourism, and the service sector. It is home to many national conferences that take place at the Anaheim Convention Center. Anaheim is also the location of the Disneyland Resort, with two theme parks (consisting of Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park), three hotels and a shopping, dining and entertainment complex. There are also many hotels and the hospitality sector is a huge employer in the city. Banco Popular North America's Regional Headquarters for California is located in Anaheim.

Anchorage Anchorage has an abundance of nightlife, restaurants, and places to shop. Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall, located in the heart of downtown Anchorage, has 110 stores including Nordstrom, JCPenny, and the Gap. There is a full-size family-owned shopping mall in Anchorage: Dimond Center, located at the intersection of East Dimond Boulevard and Old Seward Highway is the largest shopping center in Alaska, at 728,000 square feet, with 120,000 square feet of professional office space. The mall is home to over 200 stores and offices and 17 eating establishments, with an ice skating rink, bowling alley, athletic club, library, and Dimond 9 Cinemas. The anchor stores are: Best Buy, Gottschalks, and Old Navy. Lodging is offered by the 109-room Dimond Center Hotel. The Mall at Sears located on East Northern Lights Boulevard has great shopping and food court in the center of town. The Northway Mall is located on Penland Parkway near Airport Heights and the Glenn Highway. Ship Creek Center is a place that has Alaska, Russian gifts, dining, groceries and dancing.

Atlanta Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of Georgia, in the United States. It is the county seat of Fulton County, although a portion of the city (the 1909 annex) is located in DeKalb County. According to the latest census estimates (as of December, 2004), the city has a population of approximately 419,122 and the Atlanta metropolitan area totaled 4,708,297. Atlanta has long been considered the economic powerhouse of the Southern United States and is arguably a poster-child for cities worldwide experiencing rapid urban sprawl, population growth, and commercial development. As a result, Atlanta is a common case study for college students who study urban geography around the globe.

Augusta Augusta is generally regarded as the most revered golf course on Tour by American fans. Since the Masters is held there each year, fans watching on TV have the unique opportunity to become familiar with the course, something the other majors do not afford. The course is well-known for its beauty as well; because the Masters is held in early spring, the flowers are in full bloom during the tournament.

Austin Austin's official slogan is The Live Music Capital of the World. Austin has a vibrant live music scene boasting more music venues per capita than any other U.S. city. Austin's music revolves around the many nightclubs on 6th Street and an annual film/music/multimedia festival known as South by Southwest. The longest-running concert music program on American television, Austin City Limits, is videotaped on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Austin City Limits and Waterloo Records run the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual music and art festival held at Zilker Park in Austin. Other annual events include Eeyore's Birthday Party in April and Carnaval in February.

Baltimore Probably most prominent example is the city's association with blue crabs. The Chesapeake Bay for years was the east coast's main source of blue crabs, and Baltimore became the central hub of the crab industry. In the tourist district (between Harborplace and Fell's Point) it is almost impossible to find a shop or restaurant that does not serve crabs or crabcakes, or sell some sort of crab related merchandise. Maryland's distinctive way of eating crabs is often not understood by outsiders. Traditionally crabs are steamed in rock salt and Old Bay Seasoning, a favored local all-spice manufactured in Baltimore for decades. They are eaten on tables spread with newspaper with the use of only a wooden mallet, a knife, and one's hands. Cold beer is also said to be a must.

Boston Boston has many nicknames. The City on a Hill came from original Massachusetts Bay Colony's governor John Winthrop's goal to create the biblical "City on a Hill." It also refers to the original three hills of Boston. Beantown refers to early Bostonian merchants' habit for making baked beans with imported molasses. The Hub is a shortened form of writer Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase The Hub of the Solar System, now more commonly The Hub of the Universe. William Tudor, co-founder of the North American Review, christened the city The Athens of America for its great cultural and intellectual influence. Boston is sometimes called the Puritan City because its founders were Puritans, and also called The Cradle of Liberty for its role in instigating the American Revolution. Citizens of Boston and the surrounding area are called Bostonians.

Branson Originally envisioned as a center for lumber shipment, the city began to develop tourism in the 1930s. Today, Branson is a major regional destination in the United States with a well-known reputation for live music theaters, primarily in the genres of Country and Bluegrass. The city hosts three major amusement parks, as well as a diversified armada of live theaters which house everything from comedy and magic shows to variety music and dancing. Built along a portion of Highway 76 nicknamed "The Strip" because of its Las-Vegas-style road-side neon signs, Branson has built its reputation as the family-friendly version of its Nevada counterpart.

Charlotte Nicknamed the Queen City (a moniker it shares with Cincinnati, Ohio), Charlotte was named in honor of Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of England. Charlotte is also known as the "Hornet's Nest". After being driven out by citizens' fierce opposition to British occupation during the American Revolution, General Cornwallis wrote that Charlotte was a “hornet's nest of rebellion". A resident of Charlotte is referred to as a Charlottean (shar-la-tee'-uhn).

Chattanooga Chattanooga has traditionally marketed its tourist attractions very aggressively, including the Tennessee Aquarium (a major expansion, coinciding with a completion of a major riverfront development project, opened in May, 2005), caverns, and developments along the Tennessee River. The Southern Belle Riverboat [8] offers great daytime sightseeing cruises as well as upscale dinner cruises. In the fall it offers the Fall Color Cruise, allowing breathtaking views of the landscape as it changes seasons. Also in the downtown area are both the Creative Discovery Museum (a hands on children's museum dedicated to science, art, and music), the IMAX 3D Theatre, and the Hunter Museum of Art (which also completed a recent expansion).

Chicago In 1998, the city officially opened the Museum Campus, a 10-acre (4-hectare) lakefront park surrounding three of the city's main museums: the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium. The Museum Campus was constructed on the southern section of Grant Park. Grant Park is also home to Chicago's other major downtown museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, which is partnered with The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. To the west of Grant Park is Millennium Park. Navy Pier, a 3000-foot (900 m) pier housing restaurants, shops, museums, exhibition halls, auditoriums, and a 150-foot-tall (45 m) Ferris wheel, is located north of Grant Park on the lakefront. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood, is housed in the only in-place surviving building from the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

Colorado Springs Much of the Springs tourism comes from the area it was built around, most famously Pikes Peak. The city is host to numerous trails and parks due to its close proximity to the Rocky Mountains, making the city a popular destination for its scenery. With the mountains as close as they are the Springs has also gained notority for its rock formations and other geological features.

Columbia One of the best known parks in the state of South Carolina, Finlay Park has hosted just about everything from festivals and political rallies to road races and Easter Sunrise services. This beautiful 18-acre park has had two lives; first dedicated in 1859 as Sidney Park, named in honor of Algernon Sidney Johnson, a Columbia City Councilman, the park experienced an illustrious but short tenure. The park fell into disrepair after the Civil War and served as a site for commercial ventures until the late 1900's. In 1990, the park was reopened and has become a beautiful diamond in the downtown area, offering a green oasis in contrast to the glass, asphalt and concrete in the urban environment. It serves as the site for such events as Kids Day, The Summer Concert Series, plus many more activities. In 1992, the park was renamed Finlay Park, in honor of Kirkman Finlay, a past mayor of Columbia who had a vision to reenergize the historic Congaree Vista district, between Main Street and the river, and recreate the beautiful site that was formerly known as Sidney Park.

Columbus Annual festivities in Columbus include the Ohio State Fair—one of the largest state fairs in the country; the Columbus Arts Festival and the Jazz and Ribs Festival, both of which occur on the downtown waterfront. ComFest (short for "community festival") is an immense three-day gathering in Goodale Park (just north of downtown Columbus) with art vendors and live music on multiple stages, hundreds of local social and political organizations, body painting and beer. Coinciding with the weekend of ComFest is the large Gay Pride Parade, reflective of the sizeable gay population in Columbus.

Dallas Dallas is the third-largest city in the state of Texas and the ninth-largest city in the United States. It is the main cultural and economic center of the DallasFort WorthArlington metropolitan area (colloquially referred to as Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex), which is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 5.7 million in 12 counties [4]. The city was founded in 1841 and formally incorporated as a city on 2 February 1856. Dallas is known globally as a center for telecommunications, computer technology, banking, and transportation. It is the core of the largest inland metropolitan area in the nation and lacks any direct link to the seaDallas's prominence despite this comes from its historical importance as a center for the oil and cotton industries, its position along numerous railroad lines, and its powerful industrial and financial tycoons.

Daytona Beach The city and its beaches, lined with hotels, motels, condominiums and houses, attract over 8,000,000 tourists each year. In a wide variety of price ranges, hotel and motel rooms are typically plentiful except during special events. Daytona Beach has high security around its main hotel locations, with multiple cameras filming hotel and beach areas.

Denver Denver hosts a great and rich history of culture, and continues to remain a true testament to "Colorful Colorado". Landmarks and historical points of interest include: The 16th Street Mall, along with the D&F Tower, reminding visitors of Denver's origins16th Street Mall, a street restricted to pedestrians and free shuttles, located in the middle of Downtown Denver and home to many shopping, residential, and office buildings. Avenue Theater, a professional theater located in the Downtown Denver vicinity. Black American West Museum, which reflects the history of African Americans in the West and Denver. Brown Palace Hotel, a historic hotel that has hosted many celebrities, dignitaries, and other important people

Durham Durham has a rich and vibrant art and cultural community. Events include jazz festivals, blues festivals, symphony concerts, art exhibitions, and a multitude of cultural expositions, including the American Dance Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. A centerpiece of Durham's culture is its Carolina Theater which shows both live performances as well as films, primarily independent releases. Durham features excellent culinary offerings, particularly for a city its size, with a wide selection of diverse and renowned establishments. These establishments are primarily concentrated in the Ninth Street, Brightleaf, and University Drive areas. There is a resurgence of restaurants in and around the downtown area, including several new restaurants in the American Tobacco District.

Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate canal system, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 152,397. The city is also sometimes referred to as "Fort Liquordale" because of its beaches, many bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, and overall party atmosphere

Fort Worth The oldest continuous zoo site in Texas, the Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 with one lion, two bear cubs, an alligator, a coyote, a peacock and a few rabbits. From these humble beginnings, the Zoo has grown into housing more than 350 native and exotic species, and has been named as a top zoo in the nation by Family Life magazine, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today, one of the top zoos in the South by Southern Living Reader's Choice Awards, and has been placed in the top 10 zoos in the United States.

Greensboro Greensboro Arboretum (17 acres) is an arboretum located in Lindley Park at 401 Ashland Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina. It is open to the public daily without charge. The arboretum features landscaped grounds with labeled plant collections, annual and perennial flowers, an arbor, gazebo and a lighted fountain, including the following displays and collections:
Butterfly Garden
Conifer Collection
Dwarf Conifer Collection (more than 80 species of small conifers)
Groundcover Collection ....

Honolulu Diamond Head is part of the complex of cones, vents, and their associated eruption flows that are collectively known to geologists as the Honolulu Volcanic Series, eruptions from the Konolau Volcano that took place long after the volcano formed and had gone dormant. The Honolulu Volcanic Series is a series of volcanic eruption events that created many of honolulu's well-known landmarks, including Punchbowl Crater, Hanauma Bay, Koko Head, and Manana Island in addition to Diamond Head.

Houston Relocated this year from New Orleans, the Essence Music Festival brings its multitude of music stars and inspiring programs to Houston, July 1-3. Last year, Essence attracted more than a quarter of a million people throughout the three-day happening. Due to the hurricane damage to the New Orleans Superdome, the star-studded mega-festival will temporarily take up quarters at Reliant Stadium.

Indianapolis Beginning in 1999 the city became host to the annual Indy Jazz Festival. The festival is a three day event held in Military Park near the canal. Past stars have included B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, Kool and the Gang, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Dave Brubeck, Emmylou Harris, Chris Isaak, Jonny Lang, Norah Jones and regional and local favorites such as Jennie DeVoe, Cathy Morris and Buselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. Every May Indianapolis holds the 500 Festival, a month of events culminating in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade the day before the running of the Indianapolis 500. The Circle City Classic is one of America’s top historically African-American college football tournaments. The football game is the showcase event of an entire weekend. The weekend is a celebration of cultural excellence and educational achievement while showcasing the spirit, energy and tradition of America’s historically black colleges and universities.

Irving Irving contains the Las Colinas area, including the Mustangs at Las Colinas, which is the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. Irving has the headquarters of ExxonMobil, Michael's Stores, and Zale Corporation, and the national headquarters for the Boy Scouts of America. Irving is home to the Dallas Cowboys.

Jacksonville Jacksonville operates the largest urban park system in the United States, providing services at more than 337 locations on more than 80,000 acres (320 km²) located throughout the city. Jacksonville gathers significant natural beauty from the St. Johns River and Atlantic Ocean. The Jacksonville Beaches area is a center of recreation and nightlife, and the many parks around the city have received international recognition. The city center includes the Jacksonville Landing shopping center and the Riverwalk. Downtown Jacksonville has a memorable skyline with the tallest building being the Bank of America Building, constructed in 1990 with a height of 617 ft (188 m).

Kansas City Kansas City ranks second in the world in number of fountains (160), exceeded only by Rome. 39th Street District, known as restaurant row and featuring one of Kansas City's largest selections of independently owned restaurants and boutique shops. A center of literary and visual arts an bohemian culture (website) American Jazz Museum (website) Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (website) 18th and Vine Historic District River Market District (website) Crown Center, headquarters of Hallmark Cards and major downtown shopping and entertainment complex. Connected to Union Station by a series of covered walkways.

Key West Key West is a seaport destination for many passenger cruise ships. The Key West International Airport provides airline service. Hotels and guest houses are available for lodging. Many restaurants offer a choice of indoor or outdoor dining. It is a popular gay tourist destination, has a large Naval flight school and was the Winter White House of Harry S. Truman. The central business district primarily comprises Duval, Whitehead, and Simonton Streets.

Kissimmee Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. The population was 47,814 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 56,153. It is the county seat of Osceola CountyGR6. The Houston Astros conduct spring training here.

Knoxville The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee to the west and North Carolina to the east runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. On its route from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park.

Las Vegas Las Vegas is the most populous city in the state of Nevada, United States, and a major vacation, shopping, entertainment and gambling destination. It was established in 1905, officially became a city in 1911 and became the largest American city founded in the 20th century. The center of gambling in the US, Las Vegas is marketed as The Entertainment Capital of the World, also commonly known as Sin City, due to the popularity of legalized gambling, availability of alcoholic beverages at any time (like all of Nevada), and various forms and degrees of adult entertainment. The city's glamorous image has made it a popular setting for films and television programs.

Lexington Lexington is home to the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland race course, a Jif peanut butter plant which produces more peanut butter than any other factory in the world, Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky (UK). The area code (859) spells out UKY. UK's basketball program is immensely popular in the city, and the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team have won more games than any other team in college basketball history.

Los Angeles Great restaurants of all types abound in Los Angeles, thus the city is a fine location for exquisite dining. Many celebrity chefs are also based in the city, the most notable being Wolfgang Puck. The nightlife in Los Angeles is very vibrant, with an immense array of bars, clubs, lounges, and other venues that cater to many tastes. Nighttime hotspots include places such as Downtown Los Angeles, Silver Lake, Hollywood, and West Hollywood, which is the home of the world-famous Sunset Strip. Furthermore, the Los Angeles area also boasts a prominent shopping scene. Anything can be bought in the city; some of the best shopping areas include Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Third Street Promenade and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Old Town Pasadena, the Hollywood and Highland complex, the Beverly Center, The Grove, Melrose Avenue, and Robertson Boulevard.

Louisville Louisville is home to a number of annual cultural events. Perhaps most well-known is the Kentucky Derby, held annually during the first Saturday of May. The Derby is preceded by a two-week long Kentucky Derby Festival, which starts with the annual Thunder Over Louisville, the largest annual fireworks display in the nation. The Kentucky Derby Festival also features notable events such as the Pegasus Parade, Great Balloon Race, a marathon, and about seventy events in total. Usually beginning in late February is the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, an internationally acclaimed new-play festival that lasts approximately six weeks.

Memphis Many museums of interest are located in Memphis, including the National Civil Rights Museum, located in the former Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It includes a historical overview of the American civil rights movement, ranging from the abolishment of slavery to more modern themes such the GLBT movement. A yearly parade and celebration happens outside the room where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot, on Martin Luther King Day. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, founded in 1916, serves as the region's major art museum. It is located in Overton Park, in Midtown and is adjoined to Memphis College of Art, which also contains a small gallery of student-made artwork.

Miami Miami is a major city in the southeast corner of Florida, in the United States. Miami and the surrounding metropolitan area are situated on northern Biscayne Bay between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. By population, Miami is the second-largest city in Florida (after Jacksonville), and the county seat and largest city of Miami-Dade County. It is also the largest city in the South Florida metropolitan area, which comprises Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, making up the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States and the sixth largest in the country as a whole.

Miami Beach Miami is a major city in the southeast corner of Florida, in the United States. Miami and the surrounding metropolitan area are situated on northern Biscayne Bay between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. By population, Miami is the second-largest city in Florida (after Jacksonville), and the county seat and largest city of Miami-Dade County. It is also the largest city in the South Florida metropolitan area, which comprises Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, making up the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States and the sixth largest in the country as a whole. Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28, 1896, with a voting population of just over 300. In 1940, 172,172 people lived in the city. According to the 2000 census, the city proper had a population of 362,470, while the larger metropolitan area had a population over 5,000,000. The U.S. Census Bureau estimate of the population of Miami in 2004 was 379,724[1].

Monterey The City of Monterey is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in northern California. As of 2005, the city population was 30,641. The city is noted for its rich history of resident artists beginning in the late 1800s and its historically famed fishery. Monterey is home to the Naval Postgraduate School and Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center, the Defense Language Institute, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf and a field station of the Marine Mammal Center. The Monterey American Viticultural Area is also located in the area.

Myrtle Beach Broadway at the Beach which is located on the north side of the city is known widely for its restaurants and all kinds of entertainment venues such as Ripley's Aquarium and NASCAR Speedpark. At the heart of downtown located right off of U.S. Route 501 there is the Myrtle Beach Pavilion which is a major amusement park in the area that draws a great number of visitors and locals.

Nashville The most well-known annual event in Nashville is the CMA Music Festival (previously known as Fan Fair). The CMA Music Festival is a four day event in June featuring performances by country music stars, autograph signings, artist/fan interaction, and other activities for country music fans. In September, Nashville hosts the Tennessee State Fair at the State Fairgrounds. The State Fair lasts nine days and includes rides, exhibits, rodeos, tractor pulls, and performances of all kinds. The Nashville Film Festival takes place each year for a week in April.

New Orleans Favorite tourist scenes in New Orleans include the French Quarter (known locally as "the Quarter"), which dates from the French and Spanish eras and is bounded by the Mississippi River and Rampart Street, Canal Street and Esplanade Ave. The French Quarter contains many popular hotels, bars, and nightclubs, most notably around Bourbon Street. Other notable tourist attractions in the quarter include Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the French Market (including the Café du Monde, famous for café au lait and beignets), and jazz at Preservation Hall.

New York The people of New York City, New Yorkers, share a unique culture rooted in centuries of immigration and city life. There is considerable diversity in this local culture, varying by ethnic group, social class, and neighborhood. To some observers, New York, with its large immigrant population, is more a quintessentially cosmopolitan, global city than something specifically "American", but to others, the city's very openness to newcomers makes it an archetypal city in a "nation of immigrants". The city government maintains translators in 180 languages; the term "melting pot" was first coined to describe densely populated immigrant neighborhoods on the Lower East Side.

Oklahoma City Besides the skyscrapers that cluster in the city's central business district, one of the more prominent landmarks downtown is the Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, a large downtown urban park. Designed by I. M. Pei, the Crystal Bridge is a tropical conservatory that contains foliage more akin to the Amazon River basin than the Great Plains of North America. The park has several amphitheaters where live theater and concerts can be seen and heard in the summer. There is also a lake in the middle of the park inhabited by large goldfish. Waterfalls and fountains add life-giving oxygen to the lake as well as an added attraction for visitors.

Omaha Omaha is home to the Omaha Community Playhouse, one of the most famous and best-endowed community theaters in the United States, and to Girls and Boys Town; its Henry Doorly Zoo is widely considered one of the premier zoos in the world. The Blue Barn Theatre, a nationally famous semi-professional company that specializes in the works of contemporary playwrights, was founded in 1989 by a group of recent graduates from Purchase College. Ak-Sar-Ben (now demolished), The Orpheum, and the Holland Performing Arts Center are venues located within Omaha.

Orlando The city is well known for the tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby Walt Disney World Resort, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement District . Other area attractions include SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort. Despite being far from the main tourist attractions, downtown Orlando has recently seen much redevelopment, with many more projects currently under construction or planned. One of the oldest attractions in this area is Gatorland. Orlando sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year. Orlando is the 2nd largest city in the country for number of hotel rooms. The city's nickname is "The City Beautiful", though plans are underway to change this title through a local contest. Its symbol is the fountain of Lake Eola. The current mayor is Buddy Dyer.

Park City is the main location of the United States's largest independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival, home of the United States Ski Team, the largest collection of factory outlet stores in northern Utah, the Olympic bobsled course, a luge run, and golf courses. Outdoor-oriented businesses such as backcountry.com and Rossignol have their headquarters based in Park City. The city has many upscale luxury national retailers, clubs, bars, and restaurants, and has nearby reservoirs, hot springs, forests, and hiking and biking trails. Park City is also the original home of the Mrs. Fields Cookies chain.

Philadelphia Philadelphia is one of the oldest and most historically significant cities in the United States. During part of the 18th century, the city was the second capital and most populous city of the United States. At that time, it eclipsed Boston and New York City in political and social importance, with Benjamin Franklin playing an extraordinary role in Philadelphia's rise.

Phoenix Phoenix's downtown area is called Copper Square, although most locals still call it Downtown. Incorporating the themes of Phoenix's early history with culture and local events, Copper Square is the name for the one square mile area surrounding Central Avenue and Jefferson. This is a slowly growing hotspot for activities and action. Downtown attractions include the Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Museum of History and the Phoenix Art Museum. Also downtown is the Burton Barr Central Library. Downtown Phoenix currently features about twenty-five mid-rise and high-rise buildings ranging up to 39 stories tall. Only two skyscrapers reach over 400 feet tall (122 m), the last of which was constructed in the 1970s.

Portland Portland is known as "The City of Roses" or "Rose City", nicknames that originated during the 1905 Lewis and Clark centennial exposition. Its climate is ideal for growing roses, and the city has many rose gardens, including the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. Other nicknames for the city of Portland include "Stumptown", "Bridgetown" (due to its numerous bridges), "Puddletown" (due to the weather), and "River City" (due to its proximity to the Willamette and Columbia Rivers), "PDX" (after the city's airport code) and, "P-town".

Raleigh Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 276,093, making it the second most populous city in North Carolina, behind Charlotte. Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill make up the three cities of The Triangle, so named in 1959 with the creation of the Research Triangle Park, a research park between Durham and Raleigh (mostly located within Durham County). The Triangle is equivalent to the U.S. Census Bureau's Combined Statistical Area of Raleigh-Durham-Cary. Its total population as of 2004 was over 1.46 million. The estimated Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area population, as of 2004, is 914,680.

Richmond Richmond has a significant art community, and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts is consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. In addition to many art venues associated with the university, there are also several attractions nearby, including the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Richmond Symphony, and the Richmond Ballet. The Byrd Theatre in Carytown is a classical movie theater from the 1920s era that still features movies on a regular basis, and has become popular among the college student population, particularly due to its low ticket price of $2.00.

Sacramento Sacramento is the capital of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County, California. It is the 6th largest city in California. It was founded in December, 1848 by John Sutter. Sacramento grew from Sutter's Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839, and the city is now a quickly growing metropolis. During the gold rush, Sacramento was a major distribution point, a commercial and agricultural center, and a terminus for wagon trains, stagecoaches, riverboats, the telegraph, the Pony Express and the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Saint Louis There are several museums and attractions in the city. The City Museum offers a variety of interesting exhibits, including several large caves and a huge outdoor playground. It also serves as a meeting point for St. Louis' young arts scene. The Eugene Field House, located in downtown St. Louis, is a museum dedicated to the distinguished children's author. The Missouri History Museum presents exhibits and programs on a variety of topics including the 1904 World's Fair, and a comprehensive exhibit on Lewis and Clark's voyage exploring the Louisiana Purchase.

Salt Lake City Winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, are popular activities in the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City. Eight ski resorts lie within 50 miles (80 km) of the city. Alta, Brighton, Solitude, and Snowbird are located in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons to the southeast, Deer Valley, The Canyons, and Park City Resort are located to the east, near the city of Park City in Summit County, and Sundance is located to the southeast in Utah County. The ski resorts see frequent storms that deposit light, dry snow due to a phenomenon known as the lake effect, where storms amplified by the warm waters of the Great Salt Lake precipitate in the Wasatch Mountains. The ski resorts in Utah are promoted as having the "Greatest Snow on Earth." Alta and Deer Valley only allow skiing, while the others allow both skiing and snowboarding.

San Antonio San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County (pronounced "bear") located in the U.S. state of Texas. The city is on the northern edge of the South Texas region and southeast of the Texas Hill Country. San Antonio was named for the Portuguese Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day it was when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. Famous for its River Walk and the Alamo, Tejano culture, and being home to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks, the city is visited by 20 million tourists per year.

San Diego Downtown San Diego is located on San Diego Bay. Coronado Island and Point Loma separate the bay from the ocean. Ocean Beach is on the west side of Point Loma. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach lie between the ocean and Mission Bay, a man-made aquatic park. La Jolla, an affluent community, lies north of Pacific Beach. Mount Soledad in La Jolla offers views from northern San Diego County to Mexico. Mountains rise to the east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas. Cleveland National Forest is a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego. Numerous farms are found in the valleys northeast of the city. The city of San Diego itself has deep canyons separating its mesas, creating small pockets of natural parkland scattered throughout the city.

San Francisco The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California and the fourteenth-largest in the United States, with a 2005 population of 799,263. It is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and is the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area, whose population is seven million. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major American city, after New York. The city is famous for its history in progressive social movements.

San Jose San Jose is the third-most populous city in California after Los Angeles and San Diego, and is the county seat of Santa Clara County. It is the tenth-most populous city in the United States, and has held the title of The Safest Big City in America for the past several years. The city is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay within the informal boundaries of Silicon Valley. With an estimated population of 950,000, San Jose is also the largest city in Northern California.

Santa Fe The city is well-known as a center for many arts and all reflect the multi-cultural character of the city. There are many outdoor sculptures, including many statues of Saint Francis, and several other holy people, such as Kateri Tekakwitha. Given that Saint Francis was known for his love of animals it is not surprising that there are great numbers of representations of crows, bulls, elephants, livestock and other beasts, all over town. The styles run the whole spectrum from Baroque to Post-modern.

Savannah Savannah is served by Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, near Interstate 95. The city is the home of four colleges and universities offering bachelor's and master's degree programs: Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah State University, and South University. Bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. programs in engineering are offered through the Savannah campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition, South University offers doctorate degrees of pharmacy.

Scottsdale With more than 330 days of sunshine, Scottsdale is best known as a premiere destination in the United States and the world for golfing. Recently named "America's Best Place to Live for Golf" by the Robb Report, Scottsdale is home to more than 200 area courses offering layouts that range from the rolling green fairways of traditional course architecture to the cactus-studded excitement of desert golf designs. The combined quality and quantity of the city's daily fee golf clubs and courses have labeled Scottsdale a "must-visit" destination for the avid golfer. Scottsdale is home to the Phoenix Open Golf Tournament held at the Tournament Players Club, and later in March, hosts the Ping LPGA Tournament. As a result, many famed golfers have chosen to settle in the Scottsdale area.

Seattle The Woodland Park Zoo, opened as a private zoo in 1889, is the oldest on the West Coast, and has been a leader in innovations in naturalistic zoo exhibits. The Seattle Aquarium has been open on the downtown waterfront since 1977. The Seattle Underground Tour, visiting places that existed before the Great Fire, is also popular. There are also many community centers for recreation, including Rainier Beach, Van Asselt, Rainier, and Jefferson south of the Ship Canal and Green Lake, Laurelhurst, and Loyal Heights north of the Canal.

Steamboat Springs Steamboat Springs, known as Ski Town USA, is a city in Routt County, Colorado, United States. The population was 9,815 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Routt CountyGR6. The town is an internationally known winter resort destination, highlighted by the Steamboat Ski Resort, which is on Mount Werner in the Park Range just east of the town. It also contains the much smaller Howelsen Hill ski area. It is located in the upper valley of the Yampa River, along U.S. Highway 40 just west of the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass.

Tampa The city of Tampa is proposing building a more recognizable landmark in the downtown area - and two ideas that have been proposed is a Space Needle building similar to that of Seattle's. Another plan calls for four large fabric "gates" to be placed at four areas leading into the downtown area that would be illuminated at night and would be recognizable to outside visitors welcoming them into the downtown area.

Tucson The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is held every year in February for two weeks. It is one of the largest and most well-known gem and mineral shows in the world, and it features many of the finest mineral specimens available. There is no single location for display of minerals, but rather dozens of locations spread across town: many big hotels and most motels are occupied for the occasion, with professionals displaying their specimens in such locations as hotel bedrooms, lobbies, tents, and lawns. The show has an estimated attendance of more than 50,000 people from over twenty countries. Attendees frequently include the general public, experts, beginning collectors, museum employees, dealers, retailers, and researchers. Many museums and universities, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Sorbonne, have displayed materials at the show.

Tulsa With the city's interesting mix of Southern settlers, Northern oilmen, and Western ranchers and thanks to Tulsa's location in an area rich with Native American history and culture, the city and surrounding areas are home to many unique museums and attractions.

Washington Washington is a major national center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city. Arena Stage, one of the first not-for-profit regional theaters in the nation, is rich with history and produces an eight-show season ranging from classics to world premieres, dedicated to the American canon of theater. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, the Washington Ballet, and a variety of other musical and stage performances. Notable local music clubs include Madam's Organ Blues Bar in Adams Morgan; Blues Alley in Georgetown; the Eighteenth Street Lounge in the Dupont Circle district; and the Black Cat, the 9:30 Club, and the Bohemian Caverns jazz club, all in the U Street NW area. The U Street area actually contains more than two dozen bars, clubs, and restaurants that feature jazz either nightly or several times a week.

Wichita Wichita is also home to the Wichita River Festival, held each May in the Downtown and Old Town areas of the city. It is one of the longest continuous running festivals in the state of Kansas and features over 70 events, including musical entertainment, sporting events, traveling exhibits, cultural and historical activities, plays, interactive children's events, a flea market, river events, a parade, block party, food court, fireworks and souvenirs for the roughly 300,000+ patrons who attend each year.

Williamsburg In the 21st century, Colonial Williamsburg has continued to update and refine its attractions, with more features designed to attract modern children and offer better and additional interpretation of the African-American experience in the colonial town. Just a little more after Dr. Goodwin's work began, the effort to maintain and improve this corner piece of Virginia and United States history remains a remarkable work-in-progress. Today, Colonial Williamsburg is Virginia's largest tourist attraction based upon attendance and forms the centerpiece of the Historic Triangle with Jamestown and Yorktown joined by the Colonial Parkway.