United States

United States

Flags of the United States line both side of a road.

“The diversity of America is a strength of the country, and I don’t think that we use that. We don’t talk about our strengths. I mean, having so many diverse people in this country from all aspects of all over the world, and we don’t use that. I think we should talk about who we are – that melting pot that we’ve become.”

–Steve Stoute

The lyrics in the anthem America the Beautiful expresses it best–the United States of America really is beautiful.

O beautiful for spacious skiesFor amber waves of grain…For purple mountain majesties…Above the fruited plain!…America! America!…God shed His grace on thee…And crown thy good with brotherhood…From sea to shining sea!

The United States really is a beautiful and wonderfully diverse country. When you travel to each of the 50 States and even within each State you will feel as if you’re traveling to another country.

The United States is a country built by immigrants and each corner of this country is influenced by a variety of cultural diasporas including former enslaved people from Africa and the West Indies. Even traces of Native American culture can be found despite earlier efforts to erase them from the narratives of American history.

The United States has not always been the land of the free but it has always been the home of the brave.

As Paul Tsongas said, “America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.”

  • Photo of The Beatles music group.

    On this day, the Beatles take the airwaves in the U.S. with their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

  • Elephant Seal in Point Reyes. Northern California.

    As the country concerned itself with the U.S. government shutdown, an elephant seal colony decided to make a North California beach their new home on the sand.

  • dinosaur fossil found on a dinosaur dig

    Join World Footprints as we embark on an exciting journey in Big Sky Country, Montana, where we uncovered new dinosaur fossils and other incredible treasures. Our recent trip offered a hands-on experience in paleontology, making it an adventure of a lifetime.

  • Cesky Krumlov

    World Footprints will criss-cross the United States from Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, Florida to Wisconsin and we will put a spotlight on the rich history throughout the Czech Republic.  We will also stroll through North Little Rock, Arkansas and journey to Martinique. Veteran travel journalist David Yeskel has seen the evolution of Las Vegas over the decades.  From its humble beginnings as "sin city" to the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas has survived the odds of a failing economy and multiple attempts to reinvent itself to become a burgeoning metropolis with 2 million residents.  But the city has also maintained a small-town feel for its residents amidst the bright lights and glamour.  David will offer a different perspective on Las Vegas as well as offer some essential travel tips that can maximize a visit to the city. View of the Las Vegas strip with the New York casino [...]

  • California flag when California became a state

    Settled 100 year earlier by Spain, the territory known as Alta California was rich in natural resources and ocean harbors. In 1846, settled by Europeans moving west,

  • Pea Island marker

    North Carolina’s Outer Banks offers everything from open-sea beaches, theatre, wildlife preserves and popular shipwreck diving sites to down home cooking and history. On today’s show we explore these barrier islands and put a spotlight on Thailand and Indonesia. The Outer Bank’s Roanoke Island was the site of the first English settlement in the New World. A local popular theatrical production called “The Lost Colony” celebrates the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. The Lost Colony is America’s longest running outdoor symphonic drama. We’re given a behind the scenes look at this epic drama that has drawn theatre goers every year since 1937. Before the farm-to-table and locally-source movement in food there was Owens Restaurant leading the way. An Outer Banks institution, Owens is North Carolina’s oldest family-owned restaurant having been owned and operated by the same family since 1946. During a visit, we met [...]

  • Integratron

    People come to the desert for many reasons. Some believe the never-ending sun and the warm, dry air are therapeutic. An hour north of Palm Springs, California, nestled in the lunar landscape of Joshua trees, amid the low desert scrub, lies a place some believe is magical, possibly even supernatural in its healing ability.

  • Depiction of the Battle Of Little Big Horn also known as Custers Last Stand. Photo: David D

    On June 25, 1876, one of the most significant battles in American history unfolded during the Great Sioux War—the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This fierce clash, also known as "Custer's Last Stand," pitted the 7th Cavalry of the United States Army, led by General George Armstrong Custer, against a coalition of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes.

  • Arches National Park

    World Footprints will talk to intrepid travelers, explore America's Natural Parks and endangered World Heritage Sites, and we'll pay a visit to the Philippines and Northern Florida. First, the Congo's Virunga National Park has been ensnared in bloody conflict for years but National Geographic Explorer correspondent, Justin Hall, discusses whether this vast natural resource can uplift the Congo's fortunes. This park is unique with its active chain of volcanoes and rich diversity of habitats that surpass those of any other African park Then, hear about what lies "Beyond the Horizon" with author and traveler Christopher Many, who has taken some unconventional means to traveler around the world. Also, we welcome back television personality and former Travel Channel host, Samantha Brown, who has joined forces with AARP to celebrate the centennial of the U.S. National Park Service. Finally, Dr. Mechtild Rossler, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center joins World Footprints to discuss [...]

  • cherry blossom

    Today we’ll go on some remarkable adventures and we’ll review the history of friendship between the United States and Japan. Mary Anne Potts has worked in the adventure travel editorial space for more than eleven years. She started on the editorial staff of National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2001 and has moved up the ranks from there.  She has run the magazine’s website and also launched its social media presence. Mary Anne continues to run Adventure as a standalone digital brand for National Geographic and includes her National Geographic Adventure blog which Outdoor Magazine recognized as No. 3 within its Top 10 List of Adventure blogs. Richard Wiese has been called the modern day Indiana Jones.  He is a world-class explorer and host of ABC’s new program, Born to Explore.  As an explorer and field scientist Richard has traveled to all seven continents.  From tagging jaguars in the Yucatan jungles [...]

  • CraddockTerry

    Join World Footprints as we explore Lynchburg, Virginia's history on an art and architectural tour including spotlight stops at the Point of Honor historic home and the Riverviews Artspace.

  • ExhibitsIconsPlaces Outdoors SlideshowImage Dinos 1560x592

    Award-winning travel writer and photographer David Noyes has learned to experience the world through more than his lens and pen.  He says that in order to appreciate our world we must investigate a destination as part of the human condition.  His new book, The Photographing Tourist, David shows us remote places around the world and he offers tips that well help anyone develop the well-trained eye of a travel photographer.