The destinations that truly make America great

There's a note in my journal about Angels Window on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon: that I looked up at it against a clear blue sky from a white-water raft on the Colorado River below; that I understood why this rocky ridge with a hole in it would have been given this name. I was on an adventure trip with a girlfriend, after a difficult year, and there was something unexpectedly restorative about the landscape. It has an austere magnificence, that makes human existence and trouble seem blissfully insignificant. Layers of time, exposed.

A sort of upside-down mountain is how I thought of the Grand Canyon, once we had hiked out of it at the South Rim. There is nothing else like it. – Sarah Hampson

It is difficult to imagine living somewhere other than Canada – until you visit southern California just about any time of the year, and remember that, hey, the sun – it exists! The few times I've been fortunate enough to visit the Eureka state, it's always taken remarkable discipline and self-control to board my return flight.

The clear skies of Santa Monica, the al fresco dining of Los Angeles, the beaches of Malibu, the simple open-air pleasures of Santa Barbara – it's enough to forget where you came from, or where you should otherwise be headed. But if you must only know of one reason to keep visiting, and falling in love, with America, it is this: The Godmother sandwich, with "the works," at Santa Monica's Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery. Enjoy it outside, in the sun, for as long as you can. – Barry Hertz

Chicago's a great theatre town. Yes, it's the only place you'll find Hamilton aside from Broadway right now – but the work that grows locally is as good as what you'll find in New York, too. Outside of worthily well-known companies such as the Goodman Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater (where Stratford Festival stars often pop up in the off-season), there are dozens of excellent ensemble-oriented companies scattered around the city that will take you well off the beaten tourist path. Many of my favourite American dramas of recent years have premiered at these – most recently, Stephen Karam's achingly honest Tony-winning play, The Humans, at the 123-seat American Theater Company in North Centre. – J. Kelly Nestruck

While it's the paintings in other areas of the endless Metropolitan Museum of Art that beckon, the experience of walking into Gallery 131 of the Sackler Wing takes my breath away every time I visit. The enormous slanted wall of glass looks out onto Central Park, and the Temple of Dendur dominates. It was built in about 15 BC, during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus, ruler of Egypt. "The two columns on the porch rise toward the sky like tall bundles of papyrus stalks with lotus blossoms bound with them," reads the Met's description. You know the room: It's where Harry and Sally joked about there being too much pepper in their paprikash. It's the first gallery I visit, always. And part of the joy of the experience is knowing what's ahead – upstairs (Goya, Rembrandt, Van Gogh) and beyond: a day, a night in New York. – Marsha Lederman

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. And the pros go as far as they can – to isolated refuges for the fringe that are American shelters not just from the rest of the world but from America itself. I'm talking Key West, where the troubadour Michael McCloud gives no bleep at the Schooner Wharf Bar. I'm talking the windswept oceanside town of Mendocino in northern California. And I'm talking Joshua Tree, Calif., a place of humbling, majestic beauty (Joshua Tree National Park), wild-west watering holes (the Joshua Tree Saloon and nearby Pappy & Harriet's) and the funky lodging and unique hospitality of Spin and Margie's Desert Hideaway. Hideaways, that's the ticket. – Brad Wheeler

I will always love travelling in the United States because its geographic diversity is so accessible. So much of Canada's wilderness is out of reach for the average traveller, which has its own merits. But from the rugged backwoods of Maine to the arid plains of West Texas and the barren tundra of Alaska's North Slope, America's highways always get you to the places you want to see. – Guy Nicholson

I have been to Las Vegas too many times to count and it never ceases to entertain. In many ways, it represents the worst of America: greed, lust, gluttony, entitlement, hollow fame (not to mention regretful marriages). But the Strip is also a wondrous sea of humanity where everyone is pretty much equal. Rich or poor, urban or rural, every gambler is out on that same casino floor. Did that bride glowing in her white dress just pay $25 for drive-through vows or spend $40,000 for a grand ceremony at the Bellagio? It's impossible to tell. Luxury retailers that typically reside in pricey zip codes sit in hotel lobbies and in malls alongside greasy food courts. (Why not have Burger King with your Vuitton?) Of course the super-rich have access to high-roller rooms, private dining areas and roped-off tables at the clubs. Yet, such exclusivity doesn't seem to matter. When everyone is misbehaving, indulging and having the time of their lives, who cares which side of the rope you're on? – Domini Clark

For the past several years, my friends and I have organized a road trip to Buffalo, N.Y. We have our own theme song (ripped from an old tourism ad, the chorus goes, "The place to be/it's got to be/we all can see/it has to be/Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, U.S.A.") as well as our own logo (don't ask). I'll be honest: The weekend usually involves the Pearl Street Grill's sprawling patio, a Bisons game at the delightfully retro Coca-Cola Field, then drinking ourselves into oblivion bar-hopping around Allentown, followed by a late-night visit to Jim's SteakOut and an early morning brunch at the Towne diner. But the city is one of the most architecturally arresting on the East Coast (with several Frank Lloyd Wrights) and a park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Plus, you're never far from the border, which is a good thing with Trump in charge. I'm all for offering Buffalo the chance to join Ontario. – Mark Medley

Nothing feels more American to me than strolling across Niagara's Rainbow Bridge, taking in the great frothing maw of the Falls and, once on the U.S. side, heading to Michael's Restaurant for their oozing delicious pizza and lingonberry juice, and then walking back through the dilapidated former glory of Western New York in a lovely, greasy coma toward home. – Craig Offman

My favourite room in the world is in Detroit, at a bar opened in 1935 called Cliff Bell's. A yellow marquee and an old ticket booth invite you in. Inside it's dark: The ceiling is rounded mahogany, like a deep-brown chestnut. The bar is brass-lined and the banquets are deep, the ghosts of old conversations everywhere. Today, young jazz musicians mix with older ones who used to back the city's Motown acts. Tigers fans in their jerseys join them at the bar. It's said that Canadians are polite but sometimes unfriendly, and Americans not terribly polite, but always friendly. It's what I've always found in Detroit. Stay friendly, America. – Zosia Bielski

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Your turn: Globe readers share their top U.S. travel spots

The drive from Miami to Key West is magical. While you're at it, camp out on Deer Island and watch the sun rise and set without moving an inch. – John Lawrence, Niagara Falls, Ont.

Cycling around San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge. – Kate Guthrie-Douse, Markham, Ont.

U.S. National Parks – physically, the United States is remarkably beautiful and diverse. From the mountains of Glacier NP in Montana and Rocky Mountain NP in Colorado to volcanoes in Hawaii's Volcanoes NP, to Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Great Smokey Mountains, and the Grand Canyon, the United States national parks are a trove of beauty and majesty. I was engaged in one, I shared precious moments with family and friends in many. The fact that the greatest places in the U.S. were preserved for all speaks to the vision the United States once had. If only the country could value, protect and cherish diversity in all its places and people like it cherishes and protects the national parks. – Jennifer Sullivan, Calgary

My favourite place to visit in the U.S. is New Orleans. I have family who live there. The river walk along the Mississippi is very nice. Watching the mighty river flow by always fascinates me, as well as looking toward the Crescent City Connection bridge. The Shops at Canal Place are lovely. Shopping in the French Quarter is fun, as well as visiting [Lakeside Shopping Center].

I enjoy staying in the residential part of Central City and exploring new venues along OC Haley. The Christmas lights in New Orleans are beautiful, as are the large hotel lobby decorations. A stroll along St. Charles Ave. and a streetcar ride are not to be missed. Audubon and City parks have wonderful huge oak trees. Be sure to visit this fascinating city. There is so much to enjoy. – Betsy Wicks, Calgary