America's 250th Anniversary from New York

The Port of New York is a bustling maritime gateway rich in history and cultural diversity, making it a must-visit destination. Don't miss the chance to savor authentic New York pizza and explore the vibrant Chelsea Market. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is pleasant, and the city is alive with activity.

Baltimore is a culturally vibrant port city on the Chesapeake Bay, birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner and home to a world-class food scene centred on the legendary Maryland blue crab. Must-dos include exploring the Inner Harbor and National Aquarium, eating steamed crabs at a waterfront crab house, and visiting Fort McHenry at sunset. The best season is late spring through early autumn, when crab season is in full swing and the harbour comes alive.

Yorktown, Virginia, is where the American Revolution was won — the 1781 siege battlefield, preserved by the National Park Service, offers walking the same redoubts stormed by Alexander Hamilton and Lafayette in the decisive victory over Cornwallis. Must-dos include the battlefield driving tour, the American Revolution Museum's living-history camp, and the Nelson House with its Revolutionary cannon scars. April through October delivers the best weather, with October 19th's Yorktown Day the annual highlight.

Charleston, South Carolina, preserves America’s finest concentration of antebellum architecture alongside a culinary scene that has made it one of the nation’s most celebrated food cities. Must-dos include strolling Rainbow Row and the Battery, visiting the International African American Museum at Gadsden’s Wharf, and savoring shrimp and grits at a Low Country restaurant. Visit March through May for azalea blooms and the Spoleto Festival, or September through November for comfortable walking weather.

Miami is a city of perpetual reinvention — the Art Deco jewel of South Beach giving way to the street-art murals of Wynwood, the Cuban rhythms of Calle Ocho, and the glass-and-steel towers of a skyline that has redrawn itself every decade since Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south in 1896. Must-dos include strolling the pastel-fronted Ocean Drive at dusk and exploring the world-class collections at the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. November through April delivers idyllic weather — warm and dry — while summer brings heat, humidity, and hurricane risk. Miami handles cruise departures elegantly, with the Port of Miami a short taxi ride from the best neighbourhoods.

Key West is the southernmost point of the continental United States, a tropical island of Victorian conch houses, Hemingway's six-toed cats, and the only living coral reef in the country. Must-dos include touring the Hemingway Home, tasting authentic Key lime pie and conch fritters, and watching the sunset spectacle at Mallory Square. November through April offers the most comfortable weather with lower humidity and warm ocean temperatures.

Nassau wears its layered past lightly — pirates once commanded these shores, and the elegant colonial facades along Bay Street still whisper of British rule — but today the Bahamian capital is above all a place of cerulean water and indolent pleasure. The Queen's Staircase, 65 steps hand-carved from solid limestone by enslaved labourers in the late 18th century, and the clifftop ruins of Fort Fincastle reward those who venture beyond the waterfront boutiques. Paradise Island's Harbour island, accessible by water taxi, delivers some of the Atlantic's most celebrated pink-sand beaches. Nassau is year-round in climate; November through April brings the most reliably perfect weather.