Best historical destinations in North America

Colonial architecture and important historic landmarks in North America

North America's historical record is shorter than other regions by conventional measure, but the depth and variety of what exists is frequently underestimated. The continent holds the physical remains of ancient indigenous civilisations, colonial settlement, revolutionary founding moments and the landscapes of more recent history whose significance continues to be debated and reappraised. Engaging with that full range produces a more honest picture of the continent than the obvious sites alone provide.

The historical experience varies enormously by region. Sites connected to pre-Columbian cultures, the colonial period, the civil war and the civil rights movement all exist within a continent where history is sometimes more contested and more recent than in other regions. That proximity and complexity is part of what makes historical travel in North America particularly engaging for those willing to look beyond the surface.

Context is everything here, perhaps more than in any other region. The history of North America is one where multiple narratives exist in tension with each other and arriving with an awareness of that complexity tends to produce a richer and more honest experience. Choosing guides and institutions that engage seriously with the full historical record rather than a simplified version of it makes a significant difference.

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National Park in Guatemala
Tikal National Park
Lost Mayan City in the Jungle
Maya rulers built Tikal into a powerful city-state that dominated the region for centuries. Its temple pyramids rise above the surrounding rainforest canopy in northern Guatemala. Tikal warred with and eventually defeated the rival city of Calakmul in 695. Archaeologists have mapped thousands of structures hidden beneath the dense jungle.
City in Cuba
Havana
Vibrant Streets, Timeless Rhythms
Spanish colonists founded Havana in 1519, developing it into a key Caribbean port. Fortresses built to guard the harbour helped protect treasure fleets from pirate raids. Havana's old town preserves colonial architecture spanning several centuries of Spanish rule. Vintage American cars from the 1950s still roll through its narrow streets today.
City in Cuba
Trinidad
Cuba’s Colonial Gem by the Sea
Spanish colonists founded Trinidad in 1514 along Cuba's southern coast. Sugar plantation wealth funded the colourful colonial mansions that still line its streets. Cobbled streets throughout the town remain largely unchanged since the 1800s. UNESCO recognised Trinidad's preserved colonial centre as a World Heritage site in 1988.
City in Mexico
Palenque (city)
Lively Jungle Gateway Town
Maya rulers built Palenque into a powerful city-state during the 7th century. King Pakal's tomb, discovered within a pyramid in 1952, held an elaborately carved sarcophagus. Dense jungle still surrounds much of the site, hiding structures yet to be excavated. Detailed hieroglyphic inscriptions found here helped scholars decode Maya writing.
National Park in United States
Mesa Verde National Park
Ancient Cliff Dwellings and Rich History
Ancestral Puebloans built elaborate cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde beginning around 600 AD. Cliff Palace, the largest of these dwellings, contains roughly 150 rooms. Families lived among the cliffs for centuries before leaving the area around 1300. Congress established Mesa Verde as a national park in 1906 to protect the ruins.
City in Mexico
Oaxaca
Colonial Charm and Rich Traditions
Zapotec people built the hilltop city of Monte Alban near Oaxaca starting around 500 BC. Spanish colonisers later founded Oaxaca City itself in 1529. Indigenous traditions and Spanish colonial architecture still coexist throughout the historic centre. Oaxaca's cathedral and monasteries reflect centuries of blended cultural influence.
City in United States
New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
Dutch settlers founded New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island in 1624. The English seized the colony in 1664, renaming it New York. Immigrants arriving through Ellis Island helped shape the city's growth for decades. Wall Street grew from a defensive wall built by Dutch settlers centuries earlier.
Town in Honduras
Copán Ruinas
Mayan Mystique Meets Rural Charm
Maya rulers built Copan into a major city known for its detailed stone carvings. Elaborately carved stelae throughout the site record the deeds of past kings. A hieroglyphic stairway there holds one of the longest known Maya inscriptions. Archaeologists have studied Copan's ruins since excavations began in the 1890s.
City in United States
Philadelphia
History, art and cheesesteaks collide
William Penn founded Philadelphia in 1682 as a colony built on religious tolerance. The city served as the nation's capital for a decade in the 1790s. Benjamin Franklin lived and worked in Philadelphia for much of his life. Cobbled streets in Old City still trace the colonial-era layout.
City in United States
San Antonio
River Walk, missions and fiesta spirit
Spanish missionaries founded San Antonio's missions, including the Alamo, in the 1700s. Texan defenders held the Alamo during a famous 1836 siege against Mexican forces. The mission later became a symbol invoked during the fight for Texan independence. San Antonio's River Walk now winds past several of these historic missions.
City in United States
Washington, D.C.
Capital of History and Culture
Congress established Washington, D.C. as the nation's capital in 1790 along the Potomac River. Pierre L'Enfant designed the city's grid of broad avenues and diagonal streets. British troops burned much of the capital during the War of 1812. Monuments and government buildings built over two centuries now fill the National Mall.
City in Mexico
Tulum
Ruins, reefs and boho beaches
Maya traders built Tulum as a walled coastal city overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It served as an active port for trade goods moving along the Yucatan coast. Tulum remained inhabited for decades after Spanish colonisers arrived in the region. A stone watchtower and temple still stand above the cliffs today.
City in United States
New Orleans
Jazz, Creole Flavors and Mardi Gras Vibes
French colonists founded New Orleans in 1718 along the Mississippi River. Spanish rule later shaped much of the architecture in the French Quarter. Jazz music developed in the city's clubs and streets during the early 1900s. Mardi Gras celebrations here trace roots back to French colonial traditions.
Monument in New York City
Statue of Liberty
Icon of Freedom and Hope
France gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States to mark a century of independence. Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi designed the copper figure, unveiled in 1886. Gustave Eiffel engineered the internal iron framework supporting the statue's structure. Millions of immigrants passed nearby Ellis Island within sight of the statue's torch.
City in Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Colonial Charm and Volcanic Views
Antigua Guatemala served as capital of the Spanish colonial kingdom of Guatemala for over 200 years. A series of earthquakes in 1773 devastated the city, prompting the capital to relocate. Baroque churches and convents left in ruins still stand throughout the historic centre. UNESCO recognised Antigua's colonial architecture as a World Heritage site in 1979.
City in United States
Boston
Historic charm meets modern innovation
Boston served as a flashpoint for events that sparked the American Revolution. Colonists dumped tea into the harbour during the 1773 Boston Tea Party. Paul Revere rode from Boston to warn of approaching British troops in 1775. The Freedom Trail today links sixteen historic sites across the city on foot.
Region in Mexico
Yucatán
Gateway to the Mayan world
Maya civilisation flourished across the Yucatan Peninsula for well over a thousand years. Spanish conquest of the region took decades to complete against fierce resistance. Colonial cities built atop earlier Maya settlements still show that layered history. Maya language and traditions remain widely practised across Yucatan communities today.
City in Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo
Colonial charm meets Caribbean buzz
Spanish colonisers founded Santo Domingo in 1496, among the earliest European settlements in the Americas. Its colonial zone preserves the oldest cathedral built in the hemisphere. Christopher Columbus's remains are said to rest within that cathedral. Cobbled streets throughout the district reflect over 500 years of continuous history.
Historic Site in United States
Pearl Harbor
Historic WWII Memorial and Tribute
Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The attack drew the United States into the Second World War the following day. The USS Arizona Memorial now floats above the sunken battleship's remains. Oil still leaks from the wreck, visible on the harbour's surface today.
Basilica in Mexico City
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Spiritual Heart of Mexican Faith
A vision of the Virgin Mary reported by Juan Diego in 1531 led to the basilica's founding. An older church now sits beside a modern basilica built to handle growing crowds. Millions of pilgrims visit each December for the Virgin of Guadalupe's feast day. A cloak believed to bear her image remains on display inside.
Monument in Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Memorial
Symbol of Unity and Freedom
The Lincoln Memorial opened in 1922, honouring the president who preserved the Union. A 19-foot marble statue of Lincoln sits within the memorial's central chamber. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech from its steps in 1963. Doric columns modelled on Greek temples surround the memorial's exterior.
Historic Building in Philadelphia
Independence Hall
Birthplace of American freedom
Delegates signed the Declaration of Independence inside Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1776. The same building later hosted debates that produced the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The Liberty Bell once hung inside the hall's tower before cracking. UNESCO named Independence Hall a World Heritage site in 1979.
Archaeological Site in Mexico
Chichen Itza
Unravel the Mysteries of the Maya
Maya builders raised the step pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza around the 9th century. Its staircases align so that shadows form a serpent shape during the equinoxes. A large ball court nearby hosted a ritual game tied to Maya cosmology. Chichen Itza flourished as a major political and religious centre for centuries.
Archaeological Site in Puebla
Teotihuacan
Ancient Pyramids, Timeless Mystique
Builders at Teotihuacan raised the Pyramid of the Sun around the 1st century AD. The city grew into a major metropolis housing well over 100,000 residents at its peak. Its identity and the language once spoken there remain debated among archaeologists. The Aztecs later gave the abandoned city its name, meaning 'birthplace of the gods.'
Government Building in Washington, D.C.
United States Capitol
Heart of American Democracy
Construction on the United States Capitol began in 1793, with George Washington laying the cornerstone. British troops set fire to the building during the War of 1812. Architects rebuilt and later expanded the Capitol, adding its cast-iron dome in the 1860s. Congress has met within its chambers for more than two centuries.
Neighbourhood in Washington, D.C.
Georgetown
Historic Charm with Modern Vibes
Georgetown was founded as a tobacco port along the Potomac River in 1751. It predates the city of Washington, D.C., which grew up around it decades later. Georgetown University, founded in 1789, ranks among the oldest Catholic universities in the country. Federal-style rowhouses along its cobbled streets date back over two centuries.
Museum in Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian Institution
World's Largest Museum Complex
British scientist James Smithson left his fortune to found an institution in Washington he never visited. Congress established the Smithsonian Institution with that bequest in 1846. Its castle-like headquarters building was completed in 1855 along the National Mall. The Smithsonian now oversees a wide network of museums and research centres.
Monument in United States
Mount Rushmore
Iconic granite faces carved into rugged horizon
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began carving Mount Rushmore's presidential faces in 1927. Workers used dynamite and drills to remove nearly 90 percent of the granite. Four presidents, chosen to represent the nation's founding and growth, appear on the mountainside. Construction continued for fourteen years before funding ran out in 1941.
Bridge in New York City
Brooklyn Bridge
Historic icon with stunning views
John Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge, though he died before construction began in 1869. His son Washington Roebling oversaw the project despite being disabled by decompression sickness. Workers used steel cables suspended from twin stone towers to support the span. The bridge opened to traffic in 1883 after fourteen years of construction.
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