More than a gift of friendship of the French to the Americans, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) has always stood as a stark symbol of freedom from all sorts of oppression, along with being a welcome to every immigrant harboring the great American dream. This landmark, deemed as one of the most heavily recognized in the United States, offers an unparalleled New York experience with its commanding presence.

Tour this marvelous city in class and comfort. Sigh over Manhattan’s skyline as you roam around the harbor aboard this ferry that knows no sleep. And keep in mind that even uneventful days call for nice perks: admission to the Staten Island Ferry is free at any time of the year.

Enveloping the scent of home to some 80,000 Chinese-Americans and counting, Chinatown is an intimate district where Chinese food, culture and religious practice are tasted with lasting gusto. Whether you hit a Chinese restaurant or the Buddhist temple, you are inevitably lost inside a genuine Oriental affair.

Enter this miniature Italian land, and utter a series of Grazie with mouth-watering food, high-end fashion havens, and limitless possibilities for recreation.

Once called the “Empty State Building,” the world’s tallest building for around 40 years (1931-1970) initially hurdled the Great Depression, a time when terribly few could afford rents and could shell out money if at all. But the Empire State Building is fated to be a stark symbol, an architectural triumph that offers a stunning view from its outdoor observation decks.

Although much smaller than other major landmarks in the world—the Tiananmen Square in China, the Red Square in Moscow, and the Champs-Elysées in romantic Paris—Times Square has nonetheless achieved a grand status as a cultural hub. Theaters, chic hotels, music centers… Times Square offers more than what you would most likely expect. Here lies the comfortable coexistence of Broadway traditions and modern leisure, making this destination an A-lister for every tourist searching for prime entertainment in the Big Apple.

The old site where Central Park now stands looked less than promising: pig farms, swamps, quarries, and a considerable number of shacks. The lush 843-acre park that it is now, however, was a product of dumping several million cartloads of stone and the eventual planting of around 500,000 trees and shrubs. The once-underdeveloped location is now New York’s well-loved leisure site: skating rinks, playgrounds, wide cycling lanes, and a hefty bunch of concerts and public events that define classic recreation in the city.

Known as “The house that Ruth built,” the Yankee Stadium is witness to the rage of New York Yankees sports fan when legendary baseball player Babe Ruth hit the first stadium home run in 1921. Given a facelift in the 1970s to seat thousands more, this world-renowned stadium presently hosts sports, music and other memorable events in restless New York.

Megaresorts and giant casinos, vying to one-up each other with fiery artificial volcanoes and dozens of artificial lakes, dancing fountains, million-gallon fish tanks, and miniature cities, The Strip is a huge playground where the frontiers of tourism, gambling, and entertainment are constantly challenged.

The scantily-clad Sirens of TI wage a nightly battle against a band of renegade and bare-chested pirates, amidst an ostentatious display of pyrotechnics, singing and dancing. When you tire of pirates and sirens, there’s Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere to entertain and amaze you. Come see one of the most enduring and most famous show in Las Vegas.

The Fremont Street Experience is downtown’s brilliant rejoinder to The Strip’s themed attractions. Experience the lights, free shows, and amazing sounds…only at Glitter Gulch!

Nowhere does the sight of an exploding volcano induce looks of amazement instead of panic, except of course, Las Vegas, on The Strip. See for yourself and marvel at the ingeniousness of this structure.

Auto Collection definitely offers something for everybody. If you have the cash, you can take your pick from an imperial collection of classic cars. However, if money’s tight, the next best thing is to have your picture taken beside a vintage car. Don’t be shy and take lots of pictures. Lucky for you, photo ops are free!

Housed inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, are six kings and queens – descendants of Leo, the legendary feline, whose roars, moviegoers have come to associate with silver screen classics.

San Francisco’s most famous landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge presents a spectacular site as it links the city to Marin County. It’s one of the world’s largest suspension bridges—2.5km long and high as a 48-story building.

For incredible views of the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the cityscape, go to Fisherman’s Wharf. This historic waterfront has many attractions: a colony of sea lions at Pier 39, the San Francisco National Historical Par, Ghirardelli Square, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, the Musée Mécanique, the Anchorage, and scores of seafood restaurants and souvenir shops. It also serves as a take-off point for San Francisco’s most notorious attraction—the island of Alcatraz.

It used to be a maximum security prison in the middle of the Bay. Now it’s a historical site and a tourist attraction. It offers a museum, gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and remarkable views of the bay.

Japantown or Nihonmachi comes alive, vivaciously so, during the colorful Cherry Blossom Festival. In summer, it hosts traditional Japanese music and dance performances, flower arranging demonstrations, and martial arts presentations.

Ginza means Silver Mint, Tokyo’s most upscale and fabulous fashion center. Eye-candy - the really expensive kind - and neon lights line the streets and fill the cityscape. A glass cylinder tops the profusion of shops and restaurants in the form of Ginza’s poster mall, the San-ai Building. Other landmarks you may want to check out include: department stores Wako and Mitsukoshi, Nissan Gallery, Sony building, and art gallery Nichido Garo. Chuo-dori becomes especially festive during weekends as the Pedestrian’s Paradise draws in thousands of shoppers. On the street is entertainment of the loudest kind: street hawkers, musicians, and puppet shows. You won’t lack for movie theaters in Ginza, but be sure to see traditional Japanese theater - the Kabuki Theater at the corner of Showa-doi and Harumi-dori.

Taller than the Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower at 333 meters, delivers spectacular views and dramatic lighting. The Tokyo Tower Wax Museum, the Mysterious Walking Zone, and the trick Art Gallery are inside.

Scary rides? Check. Pampering c/o spa? Check. Shopping galore? Check. Restaurants aplenty? Big check. As amusement parks go, Tokyo Dome City is certainly one of the best.

This famous Japanese shrine boasts of an intriguing legend: A thousand years ago, the Hirokuma brothers fished out a statue of Kannon—the Bodhisattva of Mercy—from the sea. The village chief, who agreed to have the statue enshrined, later became consecrated as one of the gods of the shrine, along with the Hirokuma brothers. Definitely one of the most famous shrines in Tokyo, the Asakusa Shrine also hosts the Sanja Festival in May.

Japan’s most splendid Shinto shrine features a long gravel path toward the entrance, clean and quiet lines and colors, and exhibits of royal mementos. Opened in 1920, the shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who died in 1912.

East meets West in this beautifully landscaped garden. Pink is the color of spring in Shinjuku Gyoen, as 1,500 cherry blossoms wake up from its restful winter sleep. Ceremonial tea houses and tropical plants in greenhouses add more color and charm to the park.

The answers to all your sumo-related questions lie in the museum’s display of costumes, ceremonial aprons (kesho-mawashi), and referees’ lacquered paddles. Not enough? The museum also showcases sumo dolls, wood-block prints, and hair cuttings, as well as samplings of famous wrestlers practicing calligraphy. Sounds surreal? Maybe, but delicate-brushstrokes-at-odds-with-immense-bulk-and-strength is still a sight to see. Now, off you go to the wonderfully surreal (or surreally wonderful) Sumo Museum.

There is lovely bridge over Tokyo Bay. At night, it features light shows that change every so often. It will take you from Shibaura Wharf to Odaiba’s wonderful restaurants. You can walk along its length on the pedestrian walkway or take in the view at the observation towers. Or you can appreciate its nighttime splendor with a boat cruise that starts from Hinode Pier to Asakusa.

There’s a golden treasure and over 50 huge lanterns at this shrine. The main building itself is decorated with gold in 1651 and is now listed as a National Treasure. The lanterns are made of stone. The shrine honors Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified Japan and transformed Tokyo (then Edo) into the nation’s capital.

Take a leave of absence from frugal purchases and wise spending. As you stroll through the tree-lined fashion hotspot, expect to rub elbows with Japan’s elite, wearing Chanel, Armani, or Yves St. Laurent and walking their designer dogs.

Honoring Inari, the Shinto god of harvests and Tadasuke Ohoka, a famous Edo Period administrator, the Myogonji Temple features two fox statues and small Inari shrines.

The local shrine to Sugawara no Michizane or Tenjin, the father of Japanese learning, has a lovely garden, heart-shaped pond, wisteria trees, and traditional drum bridges.

Enclosed by walls and moats, the Imperial Palace keeps much of its imposing charms to itself. The 5km jogging path around the palace gives as good excuse as any for a closer look at what’s inside. The circuit takes you near the Marunouchi business district, Budokan (where sports and concerts are often held), British Embassy, and Hibiya Park.

Self-declared movie capital of the world, Hollywood is not one to dismiss shameless self-promotion. Indeed, the big sign on Mount Lee in Griffith Park is a true-blue LA iconic landmark. Composed of several business and residential districts, Hollywood’s top attractions include: The Academy Awards, L.A. Film Office, Outpost Estates, Hollywood Black Film Festival, Hollywood Christmas Parade, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the heart of Hollywood are three famous boulevards: Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard, and Melrose Avenue.

LA’s largest park lends itself to a whole lot of playing tennis and golf, horseback riding, and relaxing. Griffith Park is also home to the Museum of the American West, LA Zoo, Travel Town Museum, and Griffith Park Railroad. Caves, hills, and breathtaking views complete the picture, made all the more perfect when viewed at the Griffith Observatory, a state-of-the-art window to the universe.

The Malibu Way of Life has been enticing droves of visitors and would-be residents from across the globe for decades. Its sandy beaches embrace the Pacific, with warm waters and exciting diving sites. Numerous movies stars have made Malibu their home, adding to the glamorous appeal of the place. This stretch of beach is also home to a bird sanctuary that shelters over 200 species of birds that stop over every year.

The possibility of celebrity sighting draws the tourists here as much as the mementos of fame, immortalized in marble. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a must-see in this city, probably the only way one can honestly relate of having “walked among the stars.” It features around 2,500 of Hollywood’s leading ladies and gentlemen—from the Silent Movie era to today’s special-effects-riddled flicks. The walk officially begins, once you see the Silver Four Ladies of Hollywood Gazebo—Dolores Del Rio, Mae West, Anna May Wong, and Dorothy Dandridge.

The home of movie magic, Universal Studios brings you and your family to famous sets like Wysteria Lane (Desperate Housewives), the Bates Motel, and Amity Island (Jaws). Also included in the main attractions are the special effects, stunts, live shows, and movie-themed rides. Water World, Terminator2:3D, and Spider Man Rocks are our picks for best live shows, while Back to the Future (motion simulator), Jurassic Park (water ride), and Revenge of the Mummy (indoor roller coaster) make our list of top Universal Studios’ rides. There’s a good selection of restaurants at the Universal City Walk, where you can eat to your heart’s content.

Chinatown oozes vividness that lures visitors to a variety of shops, restaurants, and everything in between. Aside from the food and the merchandise, make sure you visit the Golden Pagoda and the Seven Star Cavern Wishing Well.

The people you will see congregating at the main gate are about to experience a grand tour of one impressive studio – Paramount Pictures. Considered “the longest continuously operating film studio in Hollywood,” the studio offers walking tours on weekdays between 9am and 2pm.

This former swampland is now a popular site for recreational activities (read: all-American barbeques), after a major clean-up effort by the guardians of the city. If grilling your own meat isn’t your thing, the park has a good snack bar where you can order fish and some yummy baby back ribs.

The Los Angeles Lakers, King of the Clippers, have made Staples Center their home base. The stadium boasts of a 20,000-seat capacity, an awesome sound system and video scoreboard. It often hosts concerts as well as sports events.

This building with the famous dome is where the legislative branches—the Senate and the House of Representatives—congregate. Apart from its democratic and historical value, it is an artistic feat photographed and visited by many; its grounds frequently host major non-political events such as Fourth of July festivities and concerts.

Honoring the 16th American President, the 19-ft Lincoln Memorial towers over the National Mall’s West End as one of the major city landmarks.

The National Zoo is home to at least 2,000 of our animal friends. This Woodland Park attraction is an excellently landscaped family favorite in the city.

Here are bits of trivia on the White House: George Washington never lived here, thus John Adams was the first to do so; and before it was the "White House" it was called the “Executive Mansion.” 

At the Visitor Center (located next to the White House), learn more about the famous American landmark’s history, architecture, and furnishings.

This Romanesque monument is dedicated to the third American president and author of the Declaration of Independence. Many of his “impressive, stirring words” have shaped American ideals, and have been immortalized on the walls of his memorial’s interior.