The US has plenty to offer history buffs with many charming towns and diverse cities packed full of fascinating heritage, culture, and old world charm. Here is our pick of the best places to visit for delightful historic centers, magnificent monuments and intriguing tales of life over the centuries.

To best appreciate this handsome city’s historical importance, follow the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail. Marked by a red-brick path, the walking trail will take you to 16 historic landmarks over the course of a few hours, including Faneuil Hall. Built in 1741, it has hosted many significant meetings over the centuries including America's very first town meeting and is often referred to as "the home of free speech".

 

Exclusive neighborhood Beacon Hill was home to the first descendants of the early English colonialists known as the Boston Brahmin. The picturesque area, with its red-brick row houses and gas-lit narrow streets, remains an elite enclave and is well worth a wander.

Head to the historic harbor, the setting for the infamous Boston Tea Party. The informative and interactive museum here brings to life the story of the protest that helped start the American Revolution. You can board two tea party ships, replicas of the 18th-century vessels that would have been docked here at the time. Read our full guide to the city here. 

Just over the water you’ll find Harvard University, the nation’s first college, which was established in 1636 by Cambridge University alumnus John Harvard. Join a student-led walking tour to hear about the incredible history of these hallowed halls or simply wander around Harvard Yard by yourself. The university's prestigious alumni include numerous presidents: John Adams (the country's second president), John F Kennedy and Barack Obama to name just a few.  

Arguably the world’s most exciting modern city, New York is absolutely brimming with historic sites too but the atmospheric museum on Ellis Island has to be one of its most memorable and moving. Catch the Statue Cruises ferry from Battery Park on Manhattan to what was the gateway to the USA for over 12 million immigrants. You can hop off at Liberty Island, site of the Statue of Liberty, too.

Linking Manhattan with Brooklyn, this bridge is one of the city's most iconic landmarks. A marvel of engineering at the time, it took 14 years to build and over 600 workers. It was one of the world's first steel wire suspension bridges and the longest when it opened to great celebrations in 1883.

Wandering around New York's many colorful old neighborhoods is a highlight of any visit – don't miss Brooklyn Heights over the bridge. The charming, affluent enclave was the first in the city to be classified a historic district. It has an abundance of old buildings including wonderful examples of brownstone townhouses and Federal-style wood-frame houses.

 

The oldest city hall in the US is just one of Manhattan’s many must-see historic landmarks. After marveling at its elaborate architecture, go for an alternative history lesson with excellent tour guide Joyce Gold. Her Gangs of New York tour, which starts just east of the hall, brings to life the city's dark underbelly with stories of the 19th-century gangs that once ruled notorious slum the Five Point district.

Don't visit the Big Apple without checking out our updated guide to the key sights and best hotels. 

San Antonio is a treasure trove of Spanish colonial architecture. In fact the city, which was colonized by the Spanish Empire in the early 1700s, has the largest concentration in North America. Its most famous site is the Alamo, one of five missions that are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can explore these fascinating structures, comprised of a church and buildings where the priests and Native Americans lived and worked, on the River Walk's new eight-mile Mission Reach trail. Here are 5 more reasons to visit San Antonio too.  

Founded by the French in 1718 and later ruled by the Spanish, this beguiling port city on the Mississippi oozes old world charm. It has a vast number of historic buildings, especially in the Vieux Carre (or French Quarter), where you'll find Jackson Square and St Lois Cathedral.

As well as oodles of Southern charm, the swinging city has an impressive musical heritage – it was, after all, the birthplace of jazz. You can't leave town without heading to a jazz bar where it all began on Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny district, just east of the French Quarter. Here's where to sleep and what to see in the Big Easy. 

Sun-kissed St Augustine has serious credentials when it comes to history. Established by the Spanish in 1565, it's the oldest permanently-occupied European settlement in America. As such its historic center is jam-packed with wonderful examples of early colonial architecture and intriguing museums.

 

Discover 340 years of history at 17th-century Spanish fort Castillo de San Marcos, which commands the western shore of Matanzas Bay. It weathered many attacks during the colonial wars and is now a national monument. Re-enactments (complete with cannon firings) give visitors a glimpse into the extraordinary role this fort played in America's history and what life was like for early settlers.

Anyone interested in the rich history of the Deep South shouldn’t miss a visit to South Carolina’s soulful city of Charleston. Its elegant architecture, including wonderful examples of antebellum (pre-war) homes, fabulous cuisine and verdant parks are big draws for visitors. As is the historic harbor – it was just off the coast at Fort Sumter that the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861.

Well-preserved plantation buildings that pre-date the Civil War are another of Charleston's highlights – don't miss the magnificent Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, spend a day exploring its vast and splendid gardens. Be sure to join the moving tour of the restored slave cabins, which tells the important story of the role enslaved people played in the plantation's history.

Another southern belle, Savannah’s historic center is one of the largest national historical landmark districts in the country, and pretty Forsyth Fountain is at its heart. Wander around the shady pathways of Forsyth Park, stopping to marvel at the grand old homes that overlook it, then hop on a trolley tour to soak up the rest of the city’s sights.

Step back in time to 18th-century Virginia at Colonial Williamsburg, the city’s restored historic area that vividly recreates American colonial life. It’s the world’s largest living history museum and has won numerous awards for its immersive experiences that include live re-enactments by costume-clad actors. The kids, in particular, will love it.

Originally occupied by Pueblo Indians between 1050 to 1150, the scenic city of Santa Fe was subsequently settled by Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta in 1609-1610. Today it has a wealth of historic adobe houses and Spanish colonial architecture. Visit the country’s oldest church (San Miguel Mission) or take a trip to one of the eight northern Indian pueblos just north of the city to learn about the area's Native American culture.

New Mexico's capital also has the country’s oldest public building – the Palace of the Governors, which was built in 1610. Today it hosts the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, which draws thousands of art-lovers to the city in August. But it also has a thriving creative scene all year round with hundreds of galleries to explore.

Ancient history meets modern-day life at the fascinating Taos Pueblo, just outside of Taos to the north of Santa Fe. This extraordinary settlement of adobe dwellings and ceremonial buildings is believed to have been constructed between 1000 and 1450. Remarkably, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and national historic landmark remains home to a Native American community.

This epicenter of political power is a must-visit to truly understand the heritage of the nation. The capital city is packed full of historic and handsome architecture. But The Mall is where you’ll find the big guns: the Washington Monument, Capitol Building, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veteran Memorial. Neighborhood Heritage Trails will take you to discover some of D.C.'s lesser-known areas.

Visit Capitol Hill at sunrise to enjoy sweeping views of the beautiful US Capitol Building and down to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial before the crowds gather. You can pre-arrange guided tours inside this political powerhouse and the public can enter the Library of Congress for free.

You could dedicate an entire week to exploring the city’s many fantastic and varied museums but you wouldn’t get close to doing them justice. The newest addition to the Smithsonian Institution's portfolio, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, should be at the top of your list. It opened in September 2016 and is the first national museum devoted to African American art, history and culture.

Despite Washington's heavyweight status, Philly takes some beating when it comes to historical importance. Any tour of the “birthplace of the nation” must start in its historic district where the most significant sites are concentrated including the Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, and the Liberty Bell.

Cobblestoned Elfreth’s Alley is America's oldest residential street. Once home to the fledgling city’s many merchants and artisans, most of these narrow shuttered houses remain privately owned. However, you can get a glimpse of what life was like at the enchanting museum, which is spread across two houses built in 1755.

Built to protect the bay from naval attacks in the mid-19th century, Fort Point is still a prominent landmark on San Francisco’s photogenic waterfront, although it’s now dwarfed by the gorgeous Golden Gate Bridge. Learn about the area’s strategic importance inside the fort – or simply come here to ogle its fantastic views.

Discover the most jaw-dropping bridge in every state. 

The city’s earliest beginnings can be found in the lively Mission District. This is the oldest part of the city and where the Spanish missionaries first established the settlement that was originally known as Yerba Buena. Mission Dolores is San Francisco's oldest remaining building.

Find 50 amazing things to do in the Golden State here. 

Atmospheric Oakland Cemetery, with its ancient oaks and historic gravestones, is one of Atlanta’s most important sites. Thousands of Confederate soldiers lay buried in this peaceful place that sits at the highest point of the city, as well as Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. You can also visit the apartment in the redbrick house where she penned the famous novel. It's now a museum.

Another of the city’s most famous historic figures is Martin Luther King Jr. Explore the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, which incorporates the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached, the home where he was born and the moving Behold sculpture, which celebrates King's guiding principles.

Now discover Atlanta's cool neighborhoods, hotels and best places to eat.