From the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon, through the magical Niagara Falls, to the unrelenting buzz of New York, North America has a place to suit every traveller. The US itself is renowned for its bustling cities, like New York and San Francisco, which each have their own unique atmosphere. On the east coast, downtown Manhattan's bright lights ensures it really is the city that never sleeps and there is always something to do, be it a walk in Central Park or a trip out to the Statue of Liberty. Frisco, by contrast, provides a more relaxed approach to life, although with a busy downtown and cutting edge nightlife the west coast city certainly stands up well when compared to the Empire State's main attraction. But while it may boast the likes of Chicago and Los Angeles, the US does not have the monopoly on exciting cities in North America. Canadians take a different approach to life than their southern cousins, usually preferring a more sedate, less claustrophobic existence in their cities and this is reflected no better than in Toronto. A laidback approach to life gives the city a relaxed and friendly feel that can be difficult to find in many other cultures. Further north and travellers begin to get back to nature. Rather than indulging in the excesses of city life, tourists can enjoy the natural world of Alaska and can even visit areas where polar bears mingle somewhat dauntingly with the local vehicles and properties. For getting a closer look at nature, North America has some of the best spots in the world. With a number of national parks covering thousands of acres of land across the US, there are some of the most breathtaking views in the world on show. While there could be nothing to compare with the sight of the sun setting over the Grand Canyon, at the same time the lush greens and cascading waterfalls of Yellowstone National Park are also impossible to beat. The lakes which divide Canada from the US are some of the largest in the world and offer travellers the opportunity to relax with a quiet time at the lakeside or go for adventure by taking some time to sail around the lakes themselves. Niagara Falls also lie between the two countries and provide a view and experience like no other. Washington DC ensures that history fans get their fix in North America, as the seat of American power and the place where esteemed figures of American political history, from Washington himself, to Lincoln, to Kennedy, have made decisions that changed the world. In the south of the US, states such as Texas offer something quite different once again, with large open spaces and a culture which is unique to them. Cities of the calibre of Dallas and the sultry New Orleans may both be in the south, but both offer a different experience of what it means to be American. North America may not be one of the cheapest regions in the world to visit, but it does offer a wide and varied range of experiences for travellers. North, south, east and west all have cultures of their own and many have more than one style of experience for a visitor.