Self-billed today as ‘the entertainment capital of the world’, Las Vegas, a popular setting for films and television shows, also has the most churches per capita of any major US city.

Seen by some as the epicentre of luxury fashion, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is certainly an exclusive street with shop names such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes and Ferre, some needing appointments to enter.

Part of the transport network run by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the city’s cable car system is the world’s last operational manually-operated system, and is mainly used by tourists rather than commuters.

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the state of Arizona. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.

Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves and biological diversity. 95% of the park is designated wilderness.