The United States of America is a vast country occupying an area of land totalling roughly 9.60 million sq km, the bulk of which borders Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, with the state of Alaska running up and jutting out from the north-west side of Canada. The islands of Hawaii constitute just one of the 50 States of America, and lie 4000 km off the country's west coast in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic coastal area is home to the oldest cities in America where a large chunk of the nation's population of over 9.5 million people live in locations where much of America's major historical events took place.
Cities such as New York, Boston and Washington still retain evidence of a strong European cultural heritage, but nevertheless contribute to a sense of national pride, honour and independence that have forged the richest, most powerful nation in the world - an apartment in New York often being chosen as much by those with a passion for American history as by anyone wanting to experience the heady buzz of a shopping trip to one of the most exciting cities on the planet! Parts of the west coast of the USA were only settled as recently as 150 years ago yet the region has evolved in line with the rest of the country and boasts many great towns and cities, such as San Francisco, which has become a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis.
The people of America exude warmth, optimism and vivacity and welcome visitors to their country with open arms, so your trip will be well received wherever you decide to look for holiday accommodation in the USA. From east coast to west coast, the choice of quality self catering apartments, condos, chalets or villas in the USA - some with private pools - is as big as the welcome that awaits you.
Travelling west from the bustling, exciting cities of the east coast and stunning backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, the north-east landscape is marked by the mighty Great Lakes, most of which occupy an area larger than many European countries, and some of which straddle the Canadian border. The rivers and canals that link the lakes to the Atlantic have made virtual seaports out of some cities that lie on their shores, like Chicago and Detroit. The Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers help to drain central regions that have historically been used for grain production, and the Great Plains to the west of America offer a chance to see real cowboy country in action. Here, vast tracts of hot, dry land are used for rearing livestock by traditional methods as well as more modern techniques - land lying in the awesome shadow of the Rocky Mountain range that continues from Canadian territory to the southern boundaries of the USA. The Sierra Nevada Mountains separate the western coastal regions of California from the desert terrain of the Great Nevada Basin, demonstrating another variation in America's rich natural diversity and enormous combination of landscape and environments that support a wide assortment of native flora and fauna - from leafy, hardwood forests of maple and oak on the east coast to giant sequoias and redwoods on the west; from fertile, green farmland to arid, barren desert waste.
Generally speaking, the climate of the USA is temperate, rising in temperature the further south you travel, and experiencing more extreme levels of winter cold in the north of the country. While it's freezing here, it may still be warm enough to swim from the beaches of southern California, plan days out to Disneyland from your villa in Kissimmee or lounge around the pool of your villa in Florida. So for year round vacation potential, you can't fail if you rent a holiday apartment in Florida, a villa in Orlando or a self catering condo in California, many of which are available with private pools. The opportunities for family vacations in the USA are endless, with something to suit everyone - from quiet strolls round Californian vineyards to rowdy rides in Florida's theme parks; from the scenic splendour of the Great Lakes in Chicago and the north-east to the magnificence of a Rocky Mountain chalet or apartment in Colorado. And it goes without saying that a winter holiday in America can provide some of the world's best ski resorts located in many outstanding mountain regions, like Mt. Baker - the perfect situation for a skiing chalet in Washington State. It is not until you've visited this country that you can truly feel the impact of America's sheer size and mind-blowing wealth of natural treasures.
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