If you Missed America’s 250th Birthday, these American History Cities and Destinations Are Still Worth Visiting.
While America’s 250th anniversary generated enormous interest in historic destinations, these American history cities remain worth visiting long after the celebrations end.
American history isn’t confined to a single city.
From the Revolutionary War battlefields of Massachusetts to the founding documents in Philadelphia, the Civil War sites of the South, and the frontier history of the American West, the United States offers thousands of places where visitors can experience history firsthand.
Whether you’re interested in the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers, the Civil War, Colonial America, or presidential history, these destinations help bring the nation’s story to life, such as:
- Philadelphia Beyond America 250
- Boston Beyond America 250
- Charleston Beyond America 250
- Washington, DC, Beyond America 250
At Should I Travel To …, we evaluate historical destinations using a consistent framework to help you judge where to travel to next.
3 Pros. 3 Cons. You Decide.
Featured American History Destinations
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Highlights:
- Independence Hall
- Liberty Bell
- Museum of the American Revolution
Best For: Founding documents and early American history.
Read: Should I Travel To … Philadelphia?
Boston, Massachusetts
The city where the American Revolution began.
Highlights:
- Freedom Trail
- Boston Tea Party Sites
- Paul Revere’s House
Best For: Revolutionary War history.
Read: Should I Travel To … Boston?
Washington, DC
America’s capital and home to the nation’s most important museums and monuments.
Highlights:
- National Mall
- Smithsonian Museums
- Lincoln Memorial
Best For: Presidential and national history.
Read: Should I Travel To … Washington, DC?
Browse By Historical Theme
If you’re interested in visiting specific eras of American history, you can browse by Revolutionary War Destinations, Founding Fathers, and Colonial America, and more.
Revolutionary War Destinations
- Boston
- Philadelphia
- Lexington & Concord
- Yorktown
- Charleston
Travelers can visit several sites where events leading up to the American Revolution occurred, especially in Boston.
Founding Fathers Destinations
- Philadelphia
- Boston
- Washington, DC
- Charlottesville
One way to understand American history is to experience it through the eyes of the Founding Fathers. Philadelphia is essentially Ben Franklin territory, while Thomas Jefferson left behind several artifacts in Charlottesville.
Colonial America
- Boston
- Philadelphia
- Williamsburg
- Charleston
The historic colonial-era American cities provide windows into the past and into why they sought their freedom.
Historic Towns & Destinations
Some of America’s most important history isn’t found in its largest cities.
Historic towns, settlements, battlefields, estates, and archaeological sites allow travelers to experience individual chapters of American history in the places where they happened.
You can explore England’s unsuccessful attempts to establish a colony at Roanoke Island, walk through the remains of the settlement that survived at Jamestown, experience colonial life in Williamsburg, visit the battlefield where the Revolutionary War reached its decisive conclusion at Yorktown, or travel north to the communities associated with Plymouth and the opening battles of the American Revolution.
These destinations are often smaller than Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington, DC, but their historical significance can be enormous.
Roanoke Island, North Carolina
Best for: The Lost Colony and England’s earliest colonization attempts
More than two decades before Jamestown, English colonists attempted to establish permanent settlements on Roanoke Island.
The first attempt was abandoned. The second became the famous Lost Colony.
Today, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site allows visitors to explore the story through archaeology, historical interpretation, trails, the surrounding landscape, and the enduring mystery of what happened to the colonists.
Why Visit: Lost Colony • Fort Raleigh • Virginia Dare • Archaeology • Carolina Algonquian History
Read: Should I Travel To … Roanoke Island?
Jamestown, Virginia
Best for: The beginning of permanent English settlement
Jamestown represents the next major chapter.
Established in 1607, Jamestown became England’s first permanent settlement in North America.
Visitors can explore archaeology and the remains of the original settlement at Historic Jamestowne while also experiencing reconstructed colonial history at Jamestown Settlement.
For travelers interested in understanding the origins of English America, Roanoke and Jamestown pair particularly well.
Why Visit: Archaeology • Early Colonial America • Pocahontas • John Smith • First Permanent English Settlement
Read: Should I Travel To … Jamestown?
Williamsburg, Virginia
Best for: Experiencing colonial America
If Roanoke is about the attempt and Jamestown is about survival, Williamsburg shows what colonial society eventually became.
Colonial Williamsburg recreates the streets, buildings, trades, politics, and everyday life of Virginia’s eighteenth-century capital.
It’s one of the strongest destinations in the country for travelers who want to do more than look at historical artifacts—they want to walk through an immersive interpretation of colonial America.
Why Visit: Colonial Williamsburg • Living History • Colonial Architecture • American Revolution • Eighteenth-Century Life
Read: Should I Travel To … Williamsburg?
Yorktown, Virginia
Best for: The decisive victory of the American Revolution
Yorktown completes one of America’s best historical travel sequences.
In 1781, American and French forces trapped the British army under Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. His surrender effectively ended major fighting in the American Revolution.
Today, visitors can explore the battlefield, historic Yorktown, museums, and the waterfront.
Why Visit: Revolutionary War • Yorktown Battlefield • 1781 Siege • American Independence • Military History
Read: Should I Travel To … Yorktown?
Explore Virginia’s Historic Triangle
Roanoke Island begins the story of England’s attempts to establish itself in North America, but three Virginia destinations allow travelers to follow what happened next.
Jamestown → Williamsburg → Yorktown
Jamestown represents permanent settlement.
Williamsburg represents the development of colonial society.
Yorktown represents the Revolution that ultimately separated the colonies from Britain.
Together, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown form Virginia’s Historic Triangle, connected by the Colonial Parkway.
For travelers interested in Colonial America and the American Revolution, this is one of the strongest multi-day history trips in the United States.
Read: Should I Travel To … the Historic Triangle in Virginia?
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Best for: Pilgrim and early New England history
Plymouth tells a different colonial story.
The Mayflower arrived in 1620, and Plymouth Colony became one of the most famous early English settlements in North America.
Visitors can explore the story of the Pilgrims, the Mayflower voyage, early colonial life, and the Indigenous peoples whose history long predates the colony.
Why Visit: Mayflower • Pilgrims • Plymouth Colony • Early New England • Indigenous History
Read: Should I Travel To … Plymouth?
Lexington & Concord, Massachusetts
Best for: Where the American Revolution began
On April 19, 1775, the battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.
Visitors can explore Lexington Battle Green, Minute Man National Historical Park, North Bridge, historic homes, and the landscape associated with the opening battles of the Revolution.
It’s also an easy historical addition to a trip to nearby Boston.
Why Visit: American Revolution • Lexington Green • North Bridge • Minutemen • Revolutionary Battlefields
Read: Should I Travel To … Lexington & Concord?
Salem, Massachusetts
Best for: Colonial New England and the Salem Witch Trials
Salem is famous today as one of America’s biggest Halloween destinations, but its historical significance extends far beyond October.
The city is closely associated with the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and also has a substantial maritime history.
For history travelers, Salem offers a very different perspective on colonial New England from Plymouth, Lexington, or Boston.
Why Visit: Salem Witch Trials • Colonial New England • Maritime History • Historic Architecture
Read: Should I Travel To … Salem?
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Best for: George Washington and presidential history
Mount Vernon provides a more personal way to explore America’s founding era.
George Washington lived at Mount Vernon for more than four decades, and visitors can explore the mansion, gardens, grounds, tomb, museum, farm, and sites interpreting the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate.
Its location near Washington, DC, makes Mount Vernon particularly easy to incorporate into a larger American history trip.
Why Visit: George Washington • Founding Fathers • Presidential History • Eighteenth-Century Virginia
Read: Should I Travel To … Mount Vernon?
Where Should You Start?
The best destination depends on the chapter of American history you want to experience.
| If You Want To Explore… | Start With… |
| England’s earliest colonization attempts | Roanoke Island |
| The first permanent English settlement | Jamestown |
| Colonial American life | Williamsburg |
| The decisive victory of the American Revolution | Yorktown |
| Pilgrim and early New England history | Plymouth |
| The beginning of the American Revolution | Lexington & Concord |
| The Salem Witch Trials | Salem |
| George Washington | Mount Vernon |
| Several periods in one trip | Virginia’s Historic Triangle |
Follow the Story of Early English America
For travelers who want to turn these destinations into more than a collection of individual stops, one of the most interesting ways to explore them is chronologically:
Roanoke Island → Jamestown → Williamsburg → Yorktown
Roanoke Island: The Attempt
Jamestown: The Permanent Settlement
Williamsburg: The Colonial Capital
Yorktown: The Revolution Won
Together, these destinations trace nearly two centuries of history—from England’s unsuccessful attempts to establish a permanent colony to the victory that helped create an independent United States.
American History Destinations Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best city for American history?
Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC are generally considered the top three for best cities for American history.
Is Boston or Philadelphia better for history?
Boston and Philadelphia tell different parts of American history. They’re not competitors. Instead, they complement each other.
Read: Boston vs. Philadelphia
What are the best Revolutionary War destinations?
The best Revolutionary War destinations are Boston, Philadelphia, Lexington & Concord, Yorktown, and Charleston.
Is Washington, DC, worth visiting for history?
Yes, Washington, DC, is worth visiting for American history. It focuses more on national history than Revolutionary history, but as America’s capital, it also serves as a repository for the nation’s history, landmarks, monuments, and artifacts.