The DailyMeal
The Alamo
The Fourth of July is a time when many Americans not only take a break, but also reflect on the great pride they feel for their country. This holiday can be the perfect opportunity to combine a feeling of patriotism with a well-deserved day trip or long weekend. The United States is immense, and full of many incredible destinations and natural wonders that would fill anyone with a great sense of pride. Some locations that make people think of America — say, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, or the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta — are vivid symbols of our nation, but don’t actually hold patriotic significance. As we compiled this list, we looked for places that are historically significant and also make people feel patriotic themselves while visiting.
Because of this, not all the locations in this gallery are obvious. They might be underappreciated (but meaningful) locations that deserve a bit more attention. Then again, others are very popular, and can even be a bit cliché — which is perfectly fine, too!
As far as which location in each state is the most patriotic, that can get a bit tricky, because each state has numerous worthy entries. So hit the road and decide for yourself! Use this list as a travel guide to explore 50 of the most can’t-miss destinations across America, and a solid starting point for a patriotic journey around this great land.
Alabama ~ Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
The Declaration of Independence states, as the first of the truths the Founding Fathers held to be self-evident, that “all men are created equal.” Although Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin wrote these words more than 240 years ago, most agree that the new country didn’t quite reflect that ideal. Even today, whether we truly have equality is questioned, but there’s no doubt we as a nation have come a long way. The civil rights movement was a massive part of this, and some of the most important individual events were the three marches in Alabama in March of 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and thousands of supporters made the 54-mile journey from Selma to the Alabama state capital of Montgomery to fight for African-American citizens’ right to vote. It is now recognized as the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, part of the National Park Service, which operates centers in Selma and Lowndes County in commemoration of the marches.
Alaska ~ Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park
America’s 49th state has only been a state since 1959, but it still has a rich history and boasts a whopping 50 U.S. National Historic Landmarks. As much as we’d like to choose destinations like the islands of Attu and Kiska — both significant in the fight against Japan during World War II — there is very little left there, the location is extremely remote, and the weather can be harsh and dangerous. Instead, we opted for the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, which commemorates the migration of an estimated 100,000 prospectors looking for their piece of the American Dream. Tourists can take ranger-led walking tours of the Skagway Historic District, ascend the 2,865 feet to White Pass via the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, explore the museum and visitor center for the Gold Rush’s 33-mile Chilkoot Trail, or even hike the route themselves.