The year was 2010, I was reading a magazine and came across a stat that said approximately 67% of Americans didn’t own a passport. I couldn’t believe it – with such a wide and diverse world out there, how could you stick with always staying in one country? Surely you needed to explore different landscapes, immerse yourselves in new cultures and wanted to try new experiences?
Of course, that was before I had been to America.
And I can now say, I can understand the stats a whole lot more. Having visited the States numerous times over the years, I feel like I’ve travelled to a multitude of different countries. I’ve sipped cheap beer in dive bars in Nashville while the twangs of country music reverberated off the walls and dollar notes sit pinned on the ceiling. I’ve kayaked down the Salt River in Scottsdale under the shadows of the mountains. I’ve watched wild horses gallop past the waters edge, the sun glistening off their manes. I’ve marvelled at the bright lights and fanfare of Vegas, taken an airboat over the Everglades in Florida, water peppered with the beady eyes of alligators, and eaten fluffy beignets to the backdrop of jazz while in New Orleans. Every city, every state I’ve been to has offered something completely unique, from the colourful characters I’ve met, to the cuisines that tell their own story.
People make a place and I can safely say I’ve had the pleasure of chatting to and running into some of the most incredible individuals while travelling America. A vibrant guide in Louisiana accompanied his tour of New Orleans with live harmonica playing and dancing in the street, a live cooking lesson in Hilton Head was paired with stories of Chef Sally Ann Robinson’s incredible past and a breakfast in Santa Monica gave an insight into the city’s local celebrity scene.
While the US is often stereotyped for fast food and excess, I found every region seemed to tell its story through what was on the plate and I’ve had some of the most incredible meals of my life here. From quaint cafes in Baton Rouge serving light French pastries to Nashville’s hot fried chicken from a market stall, the identity of each location is deeply interwoven through the dishes they served. In Louisiana, French, African and Creole influences blended together in dishes that felt steeped in history. In LA, meals weren’t rushed; they were social occasions packed with flavour and fresh ingredients. In Arizona, Mexican influences shaped everything from street food to family-run restaurants, while in Miami, every block seemed to offer cuisine from somewhere entirely different in the world.
America is a country that thrives on contradiction; flitting between over-the-top excess that leaves you jaw-dropped with awe, and pared-back simplicity. There are the stereotypes that you travel for – the towering billboards and glittering lights of the cities, then there are dark-sky reserves and remote hiking routes in the countryside, where health and wellbeing is at its core. You can watch unspoilt sunsets over Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, sipping a glass of local wine and dining on takeaway food from a trailblazing chef. You can explore Delray Beach on a golf cart, flitting between the many art galleries and boutique shops and you can dance with strangers to the sound of jazz in New Orleans. America isn’t without its flaws, and not every corner feels equal or easy. But there are countless experiences, people and places that exist beyond the noise of political division.
Travel will always be one of the best ways to broaden your perspective, and I still believe there’s immense value in stepping beyond your own borders. But America has challenged my assumptions and changed the way I view it. It’s a country so geographically vast and culturally varied that crossing state lines can sometimes feel like entering an entirely different nation. Looking back, I no longer read the passport statistics and scoff. Instead, I understand. It feels like a world unto its own, with so many corners and crevices begging for exploration and discovery. From the food and the culture, right down to the people that call it their home, America is beautiful. Packed with potential and something for every type of traveller, it’s just waiting for your story to be written.
