Road Trip! Try And Figure Out Where In The US These Photos Are From!
- by Joshua Laurent
- – on
- in Lifestyle
Forget anything that divides us as people for a minute. In fact, forget the people all together. When you take a step back and look at the diversity of the United States when it comes to the landscape, both natural and man-made, there are few places like it on Earth. From what Mother Nature created to what was designed and built, if you can conjure the image in your head, you're probably going to find it somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, respectively.
Sometimes figuring out where you are in America is easy. In taking a look at the Golden Gate Bridge or Statue of Liberty, it's as easy to know you're in San Francisco or New York. That's like taking a look at they Great Pyramids of Giza and instantly knowing you're in Egypt. So, you won't find anything that sinks to that level of easiness in this quiz.
We're going to show you pictures of beautiful city scapes and interesting street corners. We'll show you beauty from above and beauty up close. Everything you see in this quiz comes from America, but with 50 states and six times zones (did you forget Alaska and Hawaii?) are you going to be able to burn your map and declare yourself master of all you survey?
Where in the USA can this be found?
Major United States cities are havens for unique large artistic installations that often becomes synonymous with that city. Here you see a structure/sculpture that is called "The Bean." It's a popular stop on almost every tour of the major city we're looking for, and as you can tell, it's a great place to get shade on those hot, summer days. If you're an expert as skylines, maybe the reflection will help a little bit as you tell us which city "The Bean" is in.
Where in the USA can this be found?
Creative architecture plays a pivotal role in many of the landmarks you'll find in this quiz. What you see here is the side of a children's hospital in a major US city. This is a great example of how architecture can actually help shape the feeling and attitude of a building. While very serious work is going on inside, there is still some whimsy and life in the color scheme chosen for this building. Where is this children's hospital located?
Where in the USA can this be found?
Despite the United States featuring plenty of concrete jungles, the smart city planners of the 180s and early 1900s knew the value of open land, even if came at the cost of development. Here you see one of the more famous parks in America, and perhaps the world. It's important to have places where you can still lay out on the grass and see the sunshine, even if your city is packed with millions of people. Where is this park?
Where in the USA can this be found?
Here is another fine example of the melding of aesthetic beauty with big-city functionality. While the top of this bridge is very cool looking, it was part of a giant construction project that took over 10 years and ended up costing this US city more than double the original budget. We're going to show you the very top of a few things in this quiz and see if you can identify it. For now, let's start with this bridge. Where is it located?
Where in the USA can this be found?
This is Acorn Street and while it looks like a street you'd find in London, we assure you, it is actually found tucked away in one of the busiest cities in the United States. We were curious what it would cost to live here, so we looked it up on a real estate site and a 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 2700-foot home on Acorn Street would run you just over $3 million. What city would you find this pricy real estate in?
Where in the USA can this be found?
We think this might be a bit of an easy one, but hey, isn't making things a little bit easy now and then what America is all about? This is the famous Flamingo Hotel. Nearly 60 years ago, when it was originally built, it was known as the Flamingo Motel and was just a shell of it's current self. The Flamingo is credited as one of the hotels that helped build this famous city. Can you tell us where you'll find The Flamingo?
Where in the USA can this be found?
Here's an easy one if you know anything about transportation. This train station, while not the busiest in America, is easily the most well-known. This grand lobby is like an echo chamber with people rushing and lamenting they're going to miss their train. If you look closely at a few of the signs you may be able to get a sense of where it is. We'd give you the name of the station, but we think that would give it away. What city is it in?
Where in the USA can this be found?
If you can't get enough of people turning left for a few hours, this race track (now known as "speedways" in fast-car talk) is one of the most famous in the United States as it hosts what is considered one of the top events. Sure, this state has plenty of other things to do and if we listed them, it would give away where this hamlet of racing is, so we're just going to have you name it without any clues. Where is this?
Where in the USA can this be found?
The real landmark in this photo is the street sign. You'll notice it says Frenchmen Street. If you know where that is, this is a simple question. If not, we think you can still figure this out if you take your time and look at what's happening in this picture. Imagine this brass band is playing the Final Jeopardy! music while you figure out your answer. Or just take the clue that there is a brass band playing on a street corner and that should be enough.
Where in the USA can this be found?
We're happy to give away that this beautiful nighttime cityscape is Los Angeles, California. We're getting into the nitty gritty on this question with you. See all of those white and red automoblie lights captured zooming into and out of LA? We want to know what street they are on. Los Angeles has a lot of famous streets, and this is among them. It was even the title of a David Lynch film from the 1990s. Drive on up and tell us the name.
Where in the USA can this be found?
This is one of the more famous lighthouses you'll find in the United States. We'll give you a small clue in that Billy Joel has made reference to it in at least one of his songs. Lighthouses are kind of scary when you think about it. Back in the day, their sole existence was to prevent ships from crashing into rocks. Turn the light off and there's a good chance you lose a lot of lives. Thankfully, we have GPS these days.
Where in the USA can this be found?
While it's easy enough to guess that we're in New York City here, what's not as easy is guessing which borough of the city we're in. Once called New Amsterdam, rumor has it the Dutch bought the land that is now New York City for the equivalent of $24 worth of beads and trinkets from the Indians. It's a little hard to believe this story if adjusted for inflation, but it's a cute story. Where in NYC are we in this photo?
Where in the USA can this be found?
We'll keep this simple and let you only name the state on this one. It's cool to think that in a world where automation seems to be taking over everything that there are still places where someone wakes up at the crack of dawn, heads out on their boat (which they probably paid their life savings for) and catches lobster. The bring them ashore, sell them to the local fish wholesaler and by dinner time, you're eating what was caught in the morning.
Where in the USA can this be found?
To be perfectly honest, we're not sure which one of many little towns in front of this towering mountain we're looking at. We want the name of this mountain, which is also one of the only active volcanos in the continental United States. Thankfully, there have been no signs of eruption for hundreds of years. We question why you'd want to build at the base of an active volcano, but hey, if it doesn't go off, nothing beats the view, right?
Where in the USA can this be found?
This is not actually a real Prada store placed in the middle of nowhere. It was designed as an artistic installation, created from materials that would never go into making a real, lasting structure. The idea was that it would deteriorate naturally over time, although it did feature real Prada goods inside. We're only looking for you to identify the state in this one and we don't think it's going to ruin anything telling you the town you'll find this in is named Valentine.
Where in the USA can this be found?
Don't worry, that's not a real fire breathing dragon. We know this because real fire breathing dragons don't exist...or so we're told. Now, there's only a handful of cities where this fire-breather could actually exist. You don't expect to see something like this is a small town in the midwest or in the middle of a super busy city. Maybe that's just where it is. We'd tell you what the location he is at is called, but that would give away the answer. What city is this dragon in?
Where in the USA can this be found?
We tossed in a handful of easy ones because nobody likes to get everything wrong. Of course, we're sure there are still people who won't recognize the city where you find The Gateway Arch. The reason it's called the Gateway Arch is because the city that it is found is known as "The Gateway to the West." That has more to do with what the city was used for during the early days of America and less what it is known for today.
Where in the USA can this be found?
We're looking for the city in this one and we've included two well-known landmarks that should give away exactly what we're looking for. We can't name either one for you or it might spark something in your mind, especially the island you see in the distance. The one thing we can say is that this is probably the most unique city in the entire United States when it comes to things you can't find anywhere else. Can you name this gem?
Where in the USA can this be found?
We can't do a quiz of great landmarks without throwing a beach into the mix. While we kind of think that this photographer may have played with the color a little bit, this truly is one of the nicest beaches you'll find in America. We're going to give you one hint: It's on the coast of the United States. That probably wasn't much of a hint, huh? Anyway, put on your thinking caps, or bathing caps, and guess where this is at.
Where in the USA can this be found?
You think you know what this is immediately, but we'd urge you to take a second and think if your first reaction is correct. We're only going to look for the state with this answer. Again, we know you believe you know where this is, but you could be wrong. Then again, you could be correct. Where do you think you'll find the top of this castle in the United States? Look through the answers and give this a little thought.
What nickname were these houses given?
This may be the toughest question in the entire quiz, yet we're going to give you more clues than any other question. First, the state: California. Second, the city: San Francisco. Third, the TV show that you've seen these houses on: Full House. Our question to you is what the nickname of these houses are called? When you learn the answer, it kind of makes sense, but in just looking at them it's hard to figure out. Good thing this is multiple choice
Where in the USA can this be found?
There are a lot of these tower-like constructions around the world, but as far as we can tell, this city has the largest in the United States. It was the birthplace of grunge music back in the early 1990s and served as the backdrop for the television show Frasier. If those aren't enough clues, we could buy you a big cup of coffee at Starbucks, since that's where the company started, and provide more, but what we've given you should do it.
Where in the USA can this be found?
There are those theaters, arenas and stadiums that let you know you've "made it" in the entertainment business and while it doesn't seat tens of thousands, Radio City Music Hall is one of those venues with a little extra special shine on it. The most famous show at the venue is easily the Christmastime tradition of the Rockettes. Several dozen women, most nearly six feet tall, dancing and kicking sounds like a good holiday tradition in our eyes, but we're just the sentimental type.
Where in the USA can this be found?
There aren't a lot of indoor amusement parks in the world and this one is by far the biggest in the United States, but where is it? You'll notice its call Nickelodeon Universe and most of the rides are designed for smaller children. There really aren't any true thrill rides and the park won't take you more than two hours to get through, but isn't nice to know we live in a world where you can promise the kids a good time and still deliver, rain or shine?
Where in the USA can this be found?
While there are a lot of people who would argue with you that Wrigley Field should take the honors, there are probably just as many, if not more, who would argue with you that Fenway Park is the greatest baseball park in America. Now just over 100 years old, it houses the Red Sox, which until 2003, couldn't muster a world championship for over 80 years. Of course, they've now capture the MLB world championship two other times since 2003.
Where in the USA can this be found?
There's something about the roundness to this building that brings us a sense of peace. The columns, the dome, the entire structure, with the exception of the steps, there isn't a 90-degree angle to be found in the place. If you're looking for other famous buildings and monuments like this one, you've come to the right city because you can't throw a ball and not hit something famous. If monuments aren't your thing, there are also several dozens museums here.
Where in the USA can this be found?
It's not like we're going to ask you where you'd find the Statue of Liberty. If you don't know that it's in New York City, there's little we can do for you. No, we'd like to ask where you'd board the boat to go visit Liberty Island, where she's stationed. A gift from France, one of the best views of Lady Liberty is at the very tip of Manhattan. We want you to tell us what the very tip of Manhattan is called.
Where in the USA can this be found?
One of the real treasures of the United States are all of the cities that have amazing riverwalks. We'd name a few here, but then we wouldn't have wrong answer to pick from. Most of these riverwalks sprang up in the 1800s when shipping was one of the major industries of the United States. While it still plays a role in commerce today, you're just as likely to find a riverboat full of tourists or a casino on a riverwalk these days.
Where in the USA can this be found?
There aren't a lot of cities that can get away with having so many buildings sporting pastel colors like turquoise and pink, yet somehow it works here. A famous TV show of the 1980s was based here with its main characters, Crockett and Tubbs. We'd tell you the name of the show, but that would give away the answer. We should also add if you're visiting, bring some money as this city pops up as one of the most expensive in almost every survey we've seen.
Where in the USA can this be found?
Again, we'd be a fool to ask you what you're seeing in the picture. It's obviously Niagara Falls. In the foreground are the US Falls because they are solely in the United States. Far in the background you'll see the Horseshoe Falls, located in both the US and Canada. Since this picture was taken on the US side of the falls, we're counting it all as part of America today. The city itself is called Niagara Falls, but what state is it in?
Where in the USA can this be found?
Another obvious landmark, the Grand Canyon. It's hard to believe it, but the entire canyon is really just a shrine to erosion as rivers cutting through the rock over billions of years have created this natural beauty. About 20 years ago, the observation horseshoe was added as an attraction. Not only does it bring you out over the canyon, but the floor is made of glass so you can literally see all the way to the floor of the canyon. Scary!
Where in the USA can this be found?
To answer, you're first question, we have no idea what the heck a guy playing bagpipes at night in front of The Alamo means. Maybe it doesn't mean anything. We also don't know, but would guess that the people at the hotel in the background new exactly what they were doing by putting their name into every picture taken of this historic fort at night. It's the most-visited tourist attraction of this city, but answer us this: Do you remember The Alamo? Or at least where it's at?
Where in the USA can this be found?
This is one of the largest bridges in America with an estimated 30,000 vehicles passing over it every day holding over 50,000 people. Sure, that's not the Golden Gate Bridge, but this structure east of the Mississippi River can certainly hold it's own. You've got to wonder why cities spend so much money on a bridge when there was surely a less-expensive way to get across the water. Oh well, we're not engineers. We'll leave it to the people who know what they're doing.
Where in the USA can this be found?
With it's neon-lit buildings this is a city that's easy to identify at night, but not so much during the day. Still, it's one of the America's biggest cities and the freeway system that runs through the heart of it is used by hundreds of thousands of people every day. The one clue that we'll give you is that the 1996 Summer Olympics, the last Olympics held in America, came from this city. Can you tell us what this city is?
Where in the USA can this be found?
This is the Hoover Dam, one of the largest of its kind in the United States. If you saw the final Vacation move, you'll recognize it as one of the stop the Griswold Family made. It also played a role in the first Fugitive movie. Here's an interesting note for people who find this kind of stuff fascinating: The concrete hasn't fully dried inside this dam yet. It's estimated that it's going to take another few decades before the entire thing is cured. What state is the Hoover Dam in?