Usually, travelers from abroad to the United States have glitzy places like Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, and of course, New York City in mind. After all, these are the places with all the “action”, right?
Well, in fact, there’s also the American Mid-West. While places here may not easily be on the radar of visiting tourists, there’s actually plenty to see and experience.
Accordingly, in this article, we share some attractive destinations in the American Mid-West which you can easily visit while on your trip to the United States.
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Branson, Missouri
Branson is a place with a lot of fun to be had, without burning a hole in your pocket. Also, this is one place which has many attractive destinations within a relatively small area such that you won’t have to traverse too far to enjoy yourself.
Experiences you can relish here include a trip to the ever-popular Silver Dollar City theme park, as well as fishing at the beautiful lake here. Once here, a long-term vacation can easily be on the cards, especially given the ease with which cabins can be rented at reasonable prices.
St. Louis, Missouri
This is another attractive destination in the state of Missouri with a lot to offer. The most well-known landmark is of course the Gateway Arch; with visitors always ensuring they visit it. At the same time, there are attractive riverside cruises which are definitely recommended.
The city is also host to one of Anheuser Busch’s major breweries, which you can also get to visit, making for a truly memorable and unique experience.
Oh, once here, a stroll up “The Hill” should surely be on the cards!
Kansas City, Missouri
Yet another destination in the state of Missouri which we definitely recommend visiting is Kansas City. Being the largest city in the state, it definitely has a number of unique places to see and experience.
Activities which we recommend here include:
- Trying out the barbecue here which is truly unique to the city.
- Visiting any of the numerous fountains here; at last count, we reckoned there are as many as 200 of them all over town!
- Experiencing the vibrant music scene of Kansas City, especially jazz and blues.
Minneapolis/St. Paul
The twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in the state of Minnesota also have a lot to offer, while considering places in the American Mid-West to see and experience.
This is especially true since these cities have grown exponentially in recent times, with suburbs stretching over many miles and encompassing many smaller towns in the vicinity.
Here, we definitely recommend visiting Mall of America, which is the biggest mall in the United States. Sure, it is actually located in Bloomington, but that’s easily accessible from both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Also, do try the culinary offerings here, which are truly unique and special. Further, like Branson, there are many lakes which you can easily visit and enjoy with your family!
Traveling to the American Mid-West from Abroad on an ESTA
While one of the biggest concerns in front of foreign travelers to the United States is a visitor visa, there are citizens and nationals of select countries who enjoy a unique privilege known as ESTA which stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
As long as your country is on the VWP or Visa Waiver Program list, you can easily get ESTA approval.
Typically, this approval is obtained virtually instantly upon applying (which you do online). Yet, we strongly recommend that you go through the formalities and have your confirmed ESTA USA status in place, at least 72 hours prior to the departure of your flight to the United States.
Remember that once ESTA approval is granted, you can not only visit the American Mid-West places we recommend in this article, but in fact all of the United States!
Cleveland, Ohio
From being one of the main manufacturing and transportation hubs in the United States, Cleveland has gradually outgrown that marquee status, onto one which is especially renowned for its tourist attractions.
In Cleveland, there are clearly a number of places which you can visit. Ones which we especially recommend include:
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Playhouse Square, one of the biggest performing arts centers in the United States
- Cleveland Orchestra
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
While this is not a big-city experience, a trip to Mount Rushmore is one you will definitely cherish, while on your quest to discover memorable places to visit in the American Mid-West.
It is here that you will find one of the most popular monuments in the United States, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which has the faces of four prominent former US Presidents carved onto it.
Conclusion
Quite clearly, the American Mid-West is a US travel experience you must try to have, especially while coming to the country from abroad.
