The United States is a big place with a lot of ground to cover. So what is buzzing for travellers in the coming year? Here are our top 10 picks for US destinations that should be on your radar in 2012.
US Virgin Islands
In a year when travellers are likely to still be watching their wallets, the US Virgin Islands are our number one choice for an American tropical getaway. The US territory is eternally warm, rimmed with white-sand beaches on turquoise water, and each of the islands has their own identity. If you want a break from the resorts, St John is nearly two-thirds lush national park, with tent cabins amid trees and hikes to secluded beaches. This sadly may be the last year for the Maho Bay Camps, a long-standing eco-resort that is the place to stay if you are watching your budget; or try the St John Inn which offers great value rooms with kitchenettes. For more action, the previously inaccessible Hassel Island, now part of Virgin Islands National Park on St Thomas, can be explored by snorkel or kayak, and the Captain Morgan Rum Distillery on St Croix will open its new visitor centre in the spring.
Hudson River Valley, New York
Any visitor to New York City should spend a day or two in the Hudson River Valley, a slice of rural Americana just north of the city. Its leafy drives, wineries and farm-to-table food options draw even spoiled-for-choice Manhattanites. A favourite spot to stay is former B-52s singer Kate Pierson’s Lazy Meadow, a renovated 1950s cabin complex near Woodstock.