As of yesterday, the United States stopped requiring Brits to take a Covid-19 test before flying, meaning that it’s finally as easy to jet off to the States as it was before the pandemic.

The restrictions will be reviewed every 90 days, but for now things are looking up!

No doubt, Brits who love everything stateside will already be itching to book their trips for the next few years.

While Walt Disney World and New York City will forever be popular with British tourists there are all kinds of fascinating places in the USA – we're talking everything from a clown motel to a glass beach.

We take a look at some of the USA's best weird and wonderful attractions to add to your bucket list…

Omega Mart, Las Vegas

Ever wanted to go to a bizarre supermarket filled with unpredictable, trippy items like tattooed chickens, Mona Lisa ham and hidden doorways?

Well, Omega Mart is an art installation disguised as a shop and it’ll blow your socks off with weird objects like watermelon portals, rooms filled with flowers and slides into the unknown.

The website states: “Meow Wolf’s second permanent installation, Omega Mart , is an interactive, mind-bending immersive art experience . Participants explore an extraordinary supermarket that bursts into surreal worlds and unexpected landscapes.

One Tripadvisor reviewer said: “There are two ways to tackle OmegaMart. If you plan on fully exploring the complex mysteries, then expect a story involving evil corporations, estranged family members, interdimensional travel, aliens, and much more.

“If you don't want to get involved in all that, you will still have a great time just wandering experiencing all OmegaMart has to offer.

“All the workers are hilariously deep in their characters. If you see two of them having a conversation, stop and listen. It might be absurdly hilarious or you might learn some important information.

“If they notice you trying to bring down the corporation, they might help you or ask what you are doing.

“You can spend hours (depending how deep you want to go) watching videos, reading emails, looking through employees' desks, playing with machines, etc., etc.

“There are MANY hidden passages. You don't need to use them but they are extremely fun.”

Tickets cost $55 per adult (around £45). Find out more at omegamart.com.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Those looking to head to a National Park often head to Yellowstone, but the landscapes of this California park are stunning.

Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, collide at Joshua Tree park and create a fascinating habitat for plenty of plants and animals including the dagger-like Joshua Tree itself.

The land is formed by strong winds, torrents of rain and the burins sun and strange geological formations, dark nights and stunning sunsets make you feel like you’re on another planet.

There’s plenty to do in the park from hiking, camping and photography to bird-spotting, rock-climbing, biking, horse riding and even ranger programmes.

On TripAdvisor, one person said: “Hiking with friends. Beautiful. Absolutely in awe. Don't forget your sunscreen.”

While another added: “Joshua tree is the bewitching and mystical place. It is a park that offers something for everyone – activities like hiking and climbing boulders or relaxation under rocks or enjoying nature and magical sunsets. A unique place of unparalleled beauty.”

No reservations or tickets are needed to enter the park, but some campsites are first-come-first-served while others require pre-booking.

Find out more on joshuatree.org.

Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, California

This unusual beach is the southern beach of MacKerricher State Park, but don’t head here if you’re expecting white sand and blue sea.

The site is known for the colourful glass pieces that are mixed into the pebbles on the beach – thousands and thousands of red, green, blue and clear pieces of sea glass.

The glass beach used to be a rubbish dump, so the excessive amount of sea glass was formed from the broken bottles and jars thrown away by the locals.

Luckily, it has been cleared up since, but the glass beach remains studded with the tiny treasures that glitter in the sunlight.

You should note that it is illegal to remove any of the sea glass from the beach as tourists removing handfuls has depleted the amount over time.

It’s a fabulous area to hike and there are plenty of trails to follow some of which lead to glassy beaches outside of the state park’s boundary.

It's been a hit with visitors too. One took to Tripadvisor to share their experience, writing: “This was the highlight on our trip to Mendocino. I expected to be disappointed after reading reviews, but wanted to see for myself. I was blown away.

“I don't know where other people were looking, but there was glass EVERYWHERE. We could literally dig down and it was glass all the way.”

Marfa Lights, Texas

Most of us have heard of the Northern Lights which glow above the Northern hemisphere.

But, there’s an area in Texas where for more than 135 years people have reporter seeing strange lights above the horizon.

It’s tricky to get to as Marfa is a small town 50 miles from the border with Mexico, but anyone on a road trip may choose to head to the Marfa Lights Viewing Area on clear nights.

First spotted by a cow herd in 1883, the dancing, pulsating lights are as yet unexplained.

They show up around 30 times or less each year and are light balls around the size of a basketball that hover and dart around.

The lights also change colour according to reports and can be red, blue, white or yellow.

Supernaturalists believe the lights are from ghosts or even UFOs; you’ll have to see them yourself to decide.

Find out more on visitmarfa.com.

Clown Motel, Nevada

The Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada features over 800 terrifying clowns.

Both large and small, the Motel is littered with everything from tiny clown statues to life sized dolls.

And, to make things worse, it’s situated right next to the town’s Wild West-style graveyard.

The Old Tonopah Cemetery is a dusty desert site filled with creepy tombstones.

The owner of the clown motel says they hear footsteps, knocking and voices from unoccupied rooms.

Hame Anand, owner of the Clown Motel, toldThrillistthat: “This was how I knew that they were telling me, 'we are here, but don't worry about that”

The motel owner collects clown figures and now has more than 2,000.

Rooms 108, 109, 210, 215 and 217 have all been reported as the most haunted.

And, Hame has moved towards the macabre when decorating the rooms.

They’re all themed – there’s an IT room, an Exorcist room, a Halloween room and more. Find out more at theclownmotelusa.com.

Airboat Tour or Wildlife Show, the Everglades, Florida

The Everglades, in South Florida, is a region of tropical wetlands with an unparalleled landscape of forests, praries and wetlands.

It’s sometimes called the “river of grass” and is the only habitat on earth where both crocodiles and alligators live together.
And, the Everglades are even a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance.

So, it’s a great place to explore especially if you’re interested in nature.

You can head to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary where largest stand of old-growth cypress trees on the planet live known as the “land of giants”.

Or, head to big Cypress National preserve to spot the alligators.

An airboat tour is also a fun way to experience the habitat where the tour guides will help you spot the reptiles, turtles and birds.

Some tours combine the drive with wildlife shows and even snacks such as alligator sausage.

A park lover wrote on TripAdvisor: “We loved our experience in Everglades NP. Highly suggest the tram tour at Shark Valley. The ranger gave a ton of information and we saw dozens of gators, beautiful birds, many turtles, etc. Our kids loved it!”

While another added: “Everglades National Park was spectacular! Gators, birds, no crowds – a wonderful visit!”

Find out more at evergladessafaripark.com.

Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona

We’ve all heard of the colossal Grand Canyon – a 277mile long natural rock formation that reveals millions of years of geological history.

But, there’s also an incredible Skywalk that lets you experience the canyon with unparalleled views.

The 10-foot-wide, horse shoe shaped glass pathway extends 70ft out over the ridge placing you 4,000ft above the canyon floor.

And, the glass bottom lets you stare straight down!

Not for the faint hearted, this thrilling walkway is a breathtaking way to experience on of the seven Natural Wonders of the World.

But, don’t worry, apparently the Skywalk is strong enough to hold 70 fully loaded 747 passenger jets.

Do you’re not going to fall through the glass…

A general admission ticket to the Grand Canyon West including viewpoints and transport costs between $49-57 (£40-47) and the Skywalk costs between $26-31 (£21 to £26) on top.

Find out more at grandcanyonwest.com.

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

The Devil's Island and The Rock – two of the nicknames for the most famous prison island on the planet: Alcatraz.

Once a fort and military lockup, Alcatraz became a prison in 1931 and was widely believed to be escape proof due to being heavily guarded and surrounded by water, strong currents and sharks.

Those prisoners attempting to escape have inspired films about the island.

It was also home to some notorious criminals like Al Capone, Bootlegger George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly and Kingpin Ellsworth Johnson.

Now, Alcatraz is thought to be haunted by ghosts, but is no longer a prison after closing in 1963.

Tourists interested in all things dark may choose to go on one of the many Alcatraz Island tours or cruises available.

Find out more at alcatrazislandtickets.com.

Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls is known to be a romantic locale, but we’d argue that this awe-inspiring waterfall is for everyone from kids to couples and groups of friends.

If you’ve never seen the falls in person you simply do not understand the vastness of 600,000 gallons of water per second rushing off the cliff face and into the water below.

The water of the falls comes from four of the five Great Lakes – Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior – and empties into Lake Ontario.

Originally, 5.5billion gallons of water per hour would pour into the lake, but now half of this is diverted to create power.

And, the best way to see the falls is from right up close to them.

Now, for obvious reasons you can’t swim up to the waterfall, but you can take a Maid of the Mist boat.

Departing daily, this boat service launched in 1846 and now runs every 15 minutes offering you a 20 minute tour where you’ll feel the mist from the falls splash upon your skin.

The Maid of the Mist has hosted a whole range of celebs and honoured visitors including Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry, Marilyn Monroe and Stephen Hawking.

Adult tickets cost $25.25 (£20.74) and kids cost (£12.12). Children under five ride for free.

FInd out more on maidofthemist.com.

San Antonio River Walk, Texas

This gorgeous river walk takes you through the heart of San Antonio city and is one of the best rated attractions in the state of Texas.

The route is open 24/7 and is lined with vibrant shops, restaurants museums and recreation spots.

Colourful umbrellas, awnings and decor brighten the way alongside lush paths surrounded by towering Cypress trees and foliage.

While on the other side the winding river is often full of boats and cruises.

If you time your visit right you’ll be entranced by various parades, celebrations, floats and dancing such as the Bud Light River Parade, the Armed Faces Parade, Bud Light Stars, Stripes and Lights and the Fourth of July River Walk Artisan Show.

You can spend days ducking in and out of the shops and another few checking out local craft and traditional dancers.

In terms of food there’s plenty of Tex-Mex, barbecue, oysters, seafood and even a British pub with DJs and karaoke.

Walking is, of course, free while river boat cruises cost around $13.50 (£11) for a narrated tour.

Find out more on thesanantonioriverwalk.com.

Six Flags, Magic Mountain, California

It wouldn't be a classic trip to the United States without checking out one of their epic theme parks.

But, we'd suggest you branch out from the classic Disney or Universal trips and try out an American icon.

Six Flags has 27 parks across the US, Mexico and Canada, but Magic Mountain is often considered the best of the bunch.

The park has 20 rollercoasters including the brand new WONDER WOMAN Flight of Courage – the tallest and longest single-rail coaster on the planet which opens this summer.

There are plenty of rides for all the family from the Twisted Colossus to smaller thrills like Canyon Blaster.

The theme park is truly massive spanning 260-acres and contains an all-wood coaster, traditional rides like a pirate boat and hot air balloons and plenty of terrifying looping, dropping and high speed rides.

There are also water rides like the log flume.

Plus, there are many restaurants around the park to keep you going throughout an adrenaline-filled day.

Tickets cost from $70 (£57.48) for a one-day pass, but you can get unlimited entry for summer 2022 with a pass costing $99 (£81.29).

FInd out more at Sixflags.com.

Think there's a destination that should have made the cut? Let us know in the comments below.

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