Vacationing in America is a great choice; this country has some of the most popular vacation getaways in the world. It also offers travelers a wide array of options to choose from. If you are planning to take a trip to the United States, here is a list of 20 fun facts that might help you enjoy your visit better.

1. Scientists proved that Kansas is, Factually, Flatter than a Pancake

A team of scientists set to prove the well-known saying that goes, “Kansas is flatter than a pancake.” A value of 1.0 suggests complete, mathematical flatness, and based on this, the scientists decided to measure the flatness of a Pancake and then the State of Kansas. 

The team purchased a pancake from the “International House of Pancakes” and calculated its flatness to be about 0.957. The value for the state of Kansas was 0.9997, leading to the conclusion that Kansas was, in fact, flatter than a pancake. [1]

2. Las Vegas is considered the “Gambling Capital of The World.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, has more than 100 casinos–far more per square foot than any other city in the USA or even the world. [21] The city isn’t limited to physical casinos either. Nevada is one of the few states in the US that allow online gambling (which is extremely popular in Las Vegas) along with offline gambling. Technically speaking, the Macau region actually gets more revenues from the gambling industry than Las Vegas does. Still, the title of ‘Gambling Capital’ is still mostly associated with Las Vegas.

The city makes a vast portion of its revenue from gambling itself. Some major casinos like the MGM Grand, Cosmopolitan, and Planet Hollywood are among of the city’s major attractions. [2]

3. Kentucky has More Barrels of Bourbon than Its Total Population

Kentucky has about 73 distilleries in total. It produces more bourbon than any other place in the world. In fact, many places state that 95% of all bourbon in the world is produced in Kentucky’s Bourbon County. This claim dates back to 2003, though, so the percentage has probably changed by now. [22]

The total number of barrels of Bourbon in 2021 was about 10 million, far more than its population. If you count other spirits, the number reaches 10,880,328. The population in Kentucky is 4.468 million. [3]

4. Dull (Scotland) and Boring (USA) paired up to celebrate ‘Dull and Boring Day.’

The town called Boring in Oregon, USA, and the village Dull in Scotland, teamed up in an effort to make their towns’ names more interesting.

A large sign greets you as you enter Dull by saying, ‘Welcome to Dull, paired with Boring, Oregon, USA. Later on, an Australian town called Bland also decided to join in, forming this trinity of cities with monotonous names. The Dull, Boring, and Bland Day is celebrated on August 9th. [4]

5. About 61,000 People in the US Are In the Air at a Time

According to aircraft acquisition company Duncan Aviation, 61,000 people are traveling by air in the USA at any given moment. Most of these people are flying through the busiest airport in the USA, the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta. [5] 

6. About 60% of American Travelers Use their Smartphones to Plan and Book Trips

As the dependence on smartphones grows in all areas of life, traveling is no exception. With the ease of information available online, the internet has become the best way to learn about tourist destinations.

According to a survey, 62% of people use social media to search and learn about leisure trips. Google Maps, Google Weather, and apps of branded airlines also contribute to the high reliance on smartphones when booking or planning trips. [6]

7. New Jersey is home to the Biggest Roller Coaster in the World

Kingda Ka, a huge roller coaster, is located at Six Flags Great Adventure Park in Jackson, New Jersey. It is also one of the fastest roller coasters in the world and the fastest one in North America.

This roller coaster is 139 meters in height and can take you from 0 to 128 miles per hour in just about 3.5 seconds. The ride is full of adventures; it takes you up at an impsible 90 degrees and then plummets back at a terrifying 270-degreee angle! The maximum height of this roller coaster is equal to 45 regular stories; in other words, 456 feet! Finally, you have to bear a 129-foot high camel hump before the ride ends. [7]

8. Many Places in the US Have ‘Christmas’ In Their Name

Many places have the word Christmas in their names, while others embody the festive spirit of Christmas with names such as Eggnog, Bethlehem, North Pole, and Mount Holly. The Christmas Lake in Minnesota, the Christmas Valley in Oregon, and the town called Christmas in Florida – all have the word Christmas in them.

The more festive names such as the towns called Santa Claus in Georgia and Arizona, Joy in Illinois, and Wintergreen in Virginia all have a joyous spirit to their names. [8]

9. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Is the Second Most Visited Museum in the World

This museum had more than 4.5 million visitors in 2019. It is located in Washington, D.C, USA.

This museum is considered to have the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft. It is also a leading institute on research on space and aviation history as well as related science and technology. [9]

10. Sitka in Alaska is the Largest City in the USA

Sitka is the largest city in the US, with a total area of 2,870.3 square miles. The city has a population of just 8,640 people, the fourth largest in Alaska.

This area is rich with Russian history, with building such as St. Michael’s Cathedral showcasing its history as a once Russian city. [10] 

11. The USA Has No Official Language

If you thought English was the official language of the USA, you’re wrong. It actually doesn’t have an official language.

Though English is the most commonly spoken language in the United States, only 90% of the people speak English. It is followed by Spanish and other languages, including Chinese, Vietnamese, and French. About 350 languages are spoken in the US in total. [11]

12. New York Used To Be Called New Amsterdam

In the 17th century, Dutch settlers occupied New Amsterdam, which they renamed after Holland’s largest city.

The English later re-captured this colony called New Netherlands, named the city New York. It was named in honor of the Duke of York, who later became King James II of England. [12] 

13. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the People of France to the United States

The Statue of Liberty is considered a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. It was designed by the French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi with Bartholdi’s own mother being the inspiration behind it.

The statue was originally supposed to arrive in 1876 to commemorate the US gaining independence from the British. It officially arrived On June 17, 1885, in New York as a symbol of friendship between the people of America and the French. [13]

14. Alaska Was Once a Part of Russia

Alaska was sold to the US by the Russian Tsar Alexander II in 1867 for $7.2 million. Initially, the US didn’t pay much attention to the region until they found a gold deposit in Yukon in 1896.

The US did not establish a formal rule over the region, only controlling it through military or naval forces or Treasury rule. Alaska officially became a US state on January 3, 1959. [14] 

15. The United States has the Longest Known Cave System in the World

The Mammoth Cave System in the US is officially the longest in the world measuring a known 420 miles. It is twice the size of the 2nd longest cave system situated in Mexico. 

The 420 miles is the portion that has been explored; it is estimated that it has about 600 miles of unexplored area to it. The Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky houses thousands of tourists every year wanting to explore this giant cave system. [15]

16. Hawaii is Composed Entirely of Islands

Hawaii is the only US state comprised of islands, and it is the smallest state by total area. Honolulu is its capital and the biggest city in the state, with a population of 905,000 (2022). The state is a tourist favorite in the USA and is also popular abroad. The crescent beach and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are among the most visited spots. [16] 

17. Alaska Shares a Boundary with Canada and the USA, Making it Both the Easternmost and Westernmost State in the Country

The Amatignak Island and the Semisopochnoi Island are the Westernmost and the Easternmost points in the USA, respectively. Both of them also happen to lie in the same state, Alaska. 

The International Date Line at 180 degrees longitude divides the Earth into Eastern and Western hemispheres. The Amatignak Island and Semisopochnoi Island both lie at 179 degrees longitude east and west of this line, making them the eastern and westernmost points in the country. [17]

18. The US Lacks an Efficient Public Transport System, Which is an Issue Many Tourists Face

Many Americans own a private car and thus do not travel by public transport. However, the lack of a mass public transport system can be a big problem when it comes to tourists.

Some point to geographical, historical, and other reasons for the lack of an extensive system for transport. However, very low fares also contribute to the US not being able to manage the system properly. [18]

19. Ride Sharing Apps like Uber and Lyft are Becoming More Popular in the US than Regular Taxis

Features such as booking a ride with just a tap, a ride picking you up from your doorstep, and low fares are some of the reasons for the rising popularity of such apps. 

Taxis in the US also tend to be super expensive, further pushing people towards using these apps. According to statistics, using ride sharing apps is even becoming less expensive than owning a car, further contributing to the rise in their popularity. [19]

20. When Shopping In the US, the Prices Are Likely Higher than the Tag Shows

While most other countries show the final price on tags, the US does things differently. In the US, price tags usually do not include sales tax. Thus, the item’s actual price is higher than the one shown. 

Many tourists fall for this and purchase an item, thinking it has a price lower than its actual one. So, when shopping in the US, make sure to check the sales tax first! [20] 

Conclusion

Vacationing in America is an excellent way to learn about the country’s history and diverse culture. There are many sights to see, places to visit, and people to meet in this country. Either way, if you find yourself planning a vacation anytime soon, you will hopefully find at least one fact above that is both interesting and useful! we hope that you will find many more things to see and do when vacationing in America.

References

1. Zero Gravity: The Lighter Side of Science. (n.d.). Www.aps.org. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200310/pancake-kansas.cfm
2. news. (2022, March 3). How Las Vegas Became the Gambling Capital. World Today News. https://www.world-today-news.com/how-las-vegas-became-the-gambling-capital/
3. Kentucky Now Has 10 Million Barrels of Bourbon Aging – Double the Population. (2021, October 4). Fred Minnick. https://www.fredminnick.com/2021/10/04/kentucky-now-has-10-million-barrels-of-bourbon-aging-double-the-population/
4. Dull, Boring and Bland day: together in tedium. (2018, August 9). The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/dull-boring-bland-day-oregon-perthshire-new-south-wales-tartan-tourism-a8484246.html
5. Hines, N. (2017, April 11). Here’s how Many People are Flying Over the U.S. at any moment. VinePair. https://vinepair.com/cocktail-chatter/how-many-fly-usa-any-moment/#:~:text=At%20any%20moment%20in%20time
6. U.S. Consumers Increasingly Rely on Smartphones to Book Travel. (n.d.). Www.travelmarketreport.com. https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/US-Consumers-Increasingly-Rely-on-Smartphones-to-Book-Travel
7. Kingda Ka |. (n.d.). Six Flags. https://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/attractions/kingda-ka#:~:text=Kingda%20Ka%20is%20quite%20simply
8. American cities and towns named after Christmas. (n.d.). Stacker. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://stacker.com/stories/196/american-cities-and-towns-named-after-christmas
9. National Air and Space Museum. (n.d.). Smithsonian Institution. https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/factsheets/national-air-and-space-museum
10. The City & Borough of Sitka Alaska – About Sitka. (n.d.). Www.cityofsitka.com. https://www.cityofsitka.com/about-sitka
11. WorldAtlas. (2018, May 9). What is the Official Language of the United States? WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-official-language-of-the-united-states.html
12. Editors, H. com. (n.d.). New Amsterdam becomes New York. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/new-amsterdam-becomes-new-york#:~:text=Following%20its%20capture%2C%20New%20Amsterdam
13. Editors, H. com. (n.d.). Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/statue-of-liberty-arrives-in-new-york-harbor
14. Office Of The Historian. (2019). Milestones: 1866–1898 – Office of the Historian. State.gov. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/alaska-purchase
15. Mammoth Cave: Explore the World’s Longest Cave. (2017, June 28). Www.doi.gov. https://www.doi.gov/blog/mammoth-cave-explore-worlds-longest-cave#:~:text=Mammoth%20Cave%20National%20Park%20preserves
16. Kiffel-Alcheh, J. (2015, April 29). Hawaii Pictures and Facts. Geography. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/hawaii-1
17. The Easternmost Point in North America Is Actually West of Alaska. (2021, February 17). WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-easternmost-point-in-north-america-is-actually-west-of-alaska.html
18. Stromberg, J. (2015, August 10). The real reason American public transportation is such a disaster. Vox; Vox. https://www.vox.com/2015/8/10/9118199/public-transportation-subway-buses‌
19. 9 Best Taxi Apps That Are Performing Well in 2022. (2021). https://www.spaceotechnologies.com/blog/best-taxi-apps/

20. adviser, & Korniyenko, A. (2019, May 28). OPINION: Frustrated by hidden taxes? There’s a better way. The DePaulia. https://depauliaonline.com/41814/opinions/frustrated-by-hidden-taxes-theres-a-better-way/
21. Salem, M. U. (2022, September 11). How Many Casinos are in Las Vegas? (Updated 2022). Best Hotel For. https://www.besthotelfor.com/how-many-casinos-are-in-las-vegas/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Nevada%20Gaming
22. Is 95% of the World’s Bourbon Really Made in Kentucky? (n.d.). InsideHook. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/booze/kentucky-bourbon-95-percent
23. Hawaii Population 2021/2022. (n.d.). Www.populationu.com. https://www.populationu.com/us/hawaii-population#:~:text=Hawaii%20population%20in%202022%20is