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Tours in the USA

From jazz and blues in the Deep South to whale-watching in Alaska, everything you could dream of for a vacation is right in your own backyard. The beauty of the National Parks is off the charts; watch the sun set through Delicate Arch in Utah for an unforgettable experience.

Ways to explore USA

Boat journeys, walking and trekking, popular usa trip searches, us national parks, north america small group tours, solo tours in north america, discover our usa tours.

There’s no time like the present to discover the national wonders of your own backyard. Take the road less traveled on an adventure vacation to little-known corners of the country, or seek out a national park landmark like the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park - it's no wonder Zion made it into the 35 best hikes in the world ! No matter where you plan to go, Explore can help you make the most of your USA adventure with our signature small group tours . 

Explore offers USA tour packages designed for all kinds of travelers, from families to solo adventurers and everyone in between. Our guided tours average just a dozen travelers, which means we’re able to lead small group tours to remote destinations like the wilds of Alaska, as well as the urban jungle of Las Vegas.

New to Explore? Check out our top questions answered about small group tours  to find out more.

Our most popular tours in USA

Western usa national parks explorer.

Best of the American West

Outdoor Alaska

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Unforgettable experiences.

From big wows to hidden gems, our tours leave you feeling that you've really explored.

Expert tour leaders

Chosen for their great knowledge of your destination and a passion to make your trip extraordinary.

Small groups

Average groups of 11; solos, couples and friends, united by a desire for authentic experiences.

Responsible at heart

How we operate sets us apart; our flexible booking policy, our loyalty scheme & sustainable approach.

USA tour reviews

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Need some inspiration for your USA tour?

10 of the best national parks to visit

7 questions answered for your first small-group adventure tour

Protecting our National Parks

First solo trip with Explore? Top 7 questions answered

7 questions answered about your first walking trip

12 Best US National Parks for Kids

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USA Small Group Trips

Looking for a small group tour to USA? We currently offer 117 small group tours in USA having received 9 customer reviews. Our tours have been handpicked to provide you with the finest selection of small group tours that USA has to offer. If you are a solo traveler or a couple looking to meet other people, joining a small group tour is a great way to meet other like-minded travelers. Bon voyage.

117 USA Small Group Tours with 9 Reviews

• Starts New York, USA
• Ends New Orleans, USA

Real Big Apple to Big Easy

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities Active and outdoor & City sightseeing Active and outdoor , City sightseeing , Camping & Museum and gallery visits 'data-more-tripid='3522'>+2 more
• Accommodation Hostel
• Transport Private Vehicle, Boat & Train
• Age Range 18-35 yrs
• Operated in English
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,010
• Special Deal (25%): - US$ 752
• Total Price from: US$ 2,258
• Jun 16 Only 8 seats left
• Jul 07 Only 9 seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Starts Los Angeles, USA
• Ends Las Vegas, USA

LA to Vegas Adventure

• Activities City sightseeing
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping & Hostel
• Transport Private Vehicle
• Age Range 15-99 yrs
• Jun 11 Only 1 seat left
• Jul 09 Only 2 seats left

• Starts Anchorage, USA
• Ends Anchorage, USA

Denali Alaska Highlights

• Free cancellation
• Trip customizable
• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Adventure Trekking and Hiking , Adventure , Camping , Wildlife & Rafting 'data-more-tripid='43847'>+3 more
• Accommodation Camping, Guest House, Hotel & Tent
• Transport Boat, Bus & Flight
• Age Range 10-79 yrs

• Starts Honolulu, USA
• Ends Honolulu, USA

Honolulu Hawaii Experience 7D/6N

• Activities Adventure
• Accommodation Hotel & Hostel
• Age Range 18-99 yrs
• May 21 10+ seats left
• May 22 10+ seats left

• Ends San Francisco, USA

Wild Western USA

• Activities Natural landmarks sightseeing & National parks

• Starts Las Vegas, USA

Utah Parks Circuit

• Activities National parks
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping & Hut
• Transport Private Vehicle & Jeep
• Jun 15 Only 2 seats left
• Jul 20 Only 10 seats left

• Ends Los Angeles, USA

LA to Vegas: Grand National Parks

• Accommodation Hotel & Resort
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,340
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 434
• Total Price from: US$ 3,906
• Jun 02 Only 5 seats left
• Jul 14 Only 6 seats left

• Starts San Francisco, USA

Las Vegas to San Fran: Parks, Canyons, Valleys

• Accommodation Hotel & Lodge
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,745
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 562
• Total Price from: US$ 3,183
• Jun 11 Only 7 seats left
• Jul 23 Only 8 seats left

Highlights of the West Adventure 7D/6N

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Explorer
• Accommodation Hotel
• Transport Bus & Boat
• May 27 10+ seats left
• Jun 03 10+ seats left

Best of California

• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,299
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 495
• Total Price from: US$ 2,804
• Jul 15 Only 5 seats left
• Aug 05 Only 9 seats left

• Ends New York, USA

Niagara Falls, Washington DC, Philadelphia & Amish Country 4D/3N (from New York)

• Activities Adventure & Cultural, religious and historic sites Adventure , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Explorer 'data-more-tripid='32264'>+1 more
• May 23 10+ seats left

Real San Francisco to LA

• Activities Adventure & Explorer
• Accommodation Hotel, Hostel & Camping
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,055
• Special Deal (25%): - US$ 764
• Total Price from: US$ 2,291
• Jun 13 Only 5 seats left
• Jun 30 Only 6 seats left

Hiking Utah's Mighty 5

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & National parks
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping, Tent & Resort
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,549
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 383
• Total Price from: US$ 2,166
• May 29 Only 1 seat left
• Jun 05 Only 1 seat left

Vegas to San Fran

• Activities National parks & Natural landmarks sightseeing
• Accommodation Hotel & Camping
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,265
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 127
• Total Price from: US$ 1,138
• Jun 16 Only 6 seats left
• Jun 23 Only 3 seats left

USA Small Group Tour Reviews

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USA – 5 Days Blue Ridge Parkway to Great Smoky Mountains

USA – 5 Days Chasing Slot Canyons in Utah

USA – 5 Days Death Valley and Joshua Tree

USA – 5 Days Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Backpacking Adventure

USA – 5 Days Shenandoah – West Virginia Adventure with Rock Climbing via Ferrata

USA – 5 Days South Florida Highlights Miami to Key West

USA – 5 Days Yellowstone and Grand Tetons

USA – 6 Days Yellowstone Grand Tetons Adventure from Jackson Hole

USA – 6 Days Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Adventure

USA – 8 Day Eastern Highlights Washington DC New York Niagara Falls

USA – 8 Days Arches Canyonlands Antelope Zion Bryce Grand Canyon

USA – 8 Days Zion to Yosemite National Parks Adventures

USA – Alaska Fall Colors with Northern Lights

USA – Alaska Northern Lights Winter Wonderland

USA – Alaska Summer Fairbanks to Seward

USA – Best of Acadia National Park Maine

USA – Best of WA – North Cascades Olympic Mount Rainier National Parks

USA – Colorado Highlights with Fall Foliage

USA – Colorado Winter Adventures

USA – Hawaii – Kauai & Maui Islands Adventure

USA – Hawaii Big Island Volcanoes & Beaches

USA – Highlights of New Orleans

USA – Montana Glacier National Park Sun Road Llama Trek

USA – New Mexico Adventure – White Sands Santa Fe Balloon Ride

USA – New Mexico Balloon Fiesta & Santa Fe

USA – New Orleans Mardi Gras Carnival

USA – New Year in Las Vegas 5 Days Road Trip

USA & Canada – 8 Day New York Niagara Falls Washington DC

Must do adventure.

Check out the hundreds of colorful hot springs and geysers at Yellowstone National Park on the USA Tour and watch out for the grizzly bears, gray wolves, bison, and more. Feast your eyes on the Artist’s Point of the Grand Canyon and go rafting at the Yellowstone Lake.

Behold the most breathtaking natural show of lights and colors from the northernmost parts of the USA on the USA Tour. Take photographs of the stunning blend of colors of the Aurora Borealis from Fairbanks, Alaska. Camp at the wilderness to catch a glimpse of the myriad hues lighting up the dark skies.

The best part of the USA Tour is the trip to the New Mexico Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. Take part in the most exciting fest that is the Hot Air Balloon Festival, which goes on for nine days, and releases more than 500 hot air balloons of quirky designs and themes into the sky.

Bucket List Experience

The USA Tour will perhaps be the most memorable because of the breathtaking view of lights and hues that you will witness against the dark skies. Go on a Northern Lights Hunting trip at Fairbanks to catch a glimpse of the vibrant Aurora Borealis at the night sky. But begin the day with relaxing at the Chena Hot Springs, followed by a trip to Aurora Ice Museum. Visit the Morri-Thompson Cultural Center to take part in a variety of exciting events and pet the friendly reindeer at Running Reindeer Ranch.

Albuquerque

Spend a day of the USA Tour at Albuquerque. Board the tram of Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway to glide through the Sandia Mountains check out the Zoo and Tingley Beach at ABQ BioPark. Witness the fabulous dance performances and museum exhibits at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and stir the scientist in you at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. Ride the Hot Air Balloon at Balloon Fiesta Park for the most exhilarating experience and explore the nooks and corners of Old Town Albuquerque before heading back to the hotel.

New Orleans

Ditch the neon debauchery of Bourbon Street and experience the true essence of New Orleans at French Quarter. Hit the music clubs at Marigny and proceed to browse through the memorabilia at The National WWII Museum. Explore the eerie beauty of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and visit Jackson Square to hire a coach and get around in style. Marvel at the bohemian art of ByWater, the hippiest town in New Orleans, and relax at City Park.

Maine, the Eastern Promenade of Portland and check out the six lighthouses of which West Quoddy is the most famous. Take a trip to Acadia National Park and shop at the Outlets in Freeport and Kittery. Try out the authentic Maine Lobster at Lobster Shack and explore the unique and beautiful Casco Bay Islands. Go whale watching and sunbathing at Goose Rocks Beach and catch a movie at the idyllic Bridgton Twin Drive-in Theater.

Hawaii Islands

Savor the ultimate Hawaiian experience at Haleakala Crater, and get an in-depth insight into the devastating WWII at Pearl Harbor. Go on an adventurous hike at the Grand Canyon trails and feast your eyes on the picturesque waterfalls at NaPali Coast. Check out Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world, at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and enjoy swimming and snorkeling at Kaanapali Beach. Explore the lush green Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden and marvel at the black sand beaches of Waianapanapa State Park.

Aspen, the tiny and quaint mountain town. Go skiing at Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Highlands, and Snowmass Ski Resort and hiking at the trails that lead to Crater Lake and Maroon Lake. Take part in the White water river rafting at the rapids of Arkansas River and browse through the exhibits of the Aspen Art Museum. Check out the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies and savor the fabulous craft beer at Aspen Brewing Company.

When to Visit

Peak season.

The months between April and August constitute the best time to take part in the USA Tour, if you want to view the Northern Lights at Fairbanks, Alaska.

Travel Guide

Capital city, main airport, language spoken, electricity, vaccinations, emergency calls, faqs about usa, what is internet access like in the usa.

Wi-Fi access is available all over the USA for free and at a reasonable speed.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in the USA?

Use a quad-band unlocked GSM mobile phone to make calls in the USA.

What are the toilets like in the USA?

The USA has standard toilets and urinals. Soap and toilet paper will be available too.

Can I drink the water in the USA?

Tap water is safe for drinking in the USA. Bottled water and filtered hotel are also available.

Are credit cards accepted widely in the USA?

The USA widely accepts credit and debit cards of Visa and MasterCard.

What is ATM access like in the USA?

ATM access in the USA is widely available.

What to wear in the USA?

Wear your favorite skirts, dresses, shirts, tops, tunics, paired with shorts, pants. Pack in your warmest layers too for the Northern Lights Hunting trip on the USA Tour.

Is the USA safe for women to travel solo?

The USA is quite safe for women to travel solo.

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North America

Central america & caribbean, south america, north africa & middle east.

Few travellers make it to this icy continent, but the lucky ones who do get to explore a frozen Eden ruled by the elements and teeming with wildlife.

G Adventures Land

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Whether it’s a family retreat or a girls trip, you can surround yourself with a hand-picked crew and customize a tour that fits you all perfectly.

The Geluxe Collection

Our new line of premium active adventures is officially here. With perfectly paced itineraries, one-of-a-kind accommodations and elevated dining, this is adventure at its finest.

National Geographic Journeys

Go deeper into the cultures and habitats of the places we explore. More is included and you’ll enjoy greater hands-on exploration, interactions with local experts, and freedom to roam.

National Geographic Family Journeys

Are you an adventure-loving family in search of meaningful ways to discover the world together? These tours are specially designed for travellers seven and up and their inquisitive families.

Jane Goodall Collection

Step deeper into the animal kingdom while respecting all of its inhabitants. Our incredible collection of wildlife-focused tours is endorsed by the world-renowned ethologist.

Roamies by Hostelworld

The thrill of adventure. The awesomeness of hostels. Get ‘em both on these immersive small group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travellers.

Why choose us

As the leader in small group travel for 30 years, we know how to do it right: flexible itineraries, freedom to roam, safety, peace of mind, and locally based guides.

Change the world just by having the time of your life. When you travel with us, you become a force for good by acting responsibly and creating positive impact.

Together with our non-profit partner, Planeterra, we ensure local communities touched by our tours benefit from our visits in as many ways possible.

Trees for Days

Leave your destination even greener than you found it! For every day on tour, we’ll plant a tree in your honour and ensure that our forests get to live their best lives.

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United States Tours

Every day is Independence Day

Big and flashy, subtle and sophisticated, or homespun and disarmingly familiar, the United States has it all... a country where in the west so admired Celebrity and Pop Culture exists side by side with untouched wilderness. With so many cities and natural wonders spread across 8 million square kilometres of freedom, it's no surprise that the United States are the birthplace of the modern road trip. Few places on Earth can claim the variety, scope and scale of the United States, and its melting pot of influences from around the world has made for a culture rife with – and proud of – its contradictions. On a trip through the United States you should not miss a walk through Alaska's Denali National Park, a trip to the Kenai Peninsula or a nighttime stroll through New York. The charm of this country lies in adventure and exploration, in the enjoyment of American cuisine and in contact with the people, so that one takes home a lot of stories and a lot of unforgettable memories.

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Pure Brazil

The time in the Pantanal was amazing. Did the day trip to see the jaguars which was a long day, but worth it. Lots of animals around the lodge too. If you are lucky,...

Visit to the pantanal. Amazing lodge and wildlife.

Covered the highlights of Brazil making sure the traveller saw the best of its highlights with sufficient enough time to take in the various areas and experience wha...

Pure Brazil was one of the few tours that covered my personal highlights of the country, Amazon, Pantanal, Iguazu falls and Rio. Accommodation overall was both comfo...

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We get it. You’re not the homebody type. We aren’t either. Your passion, needs, and desires have shaped our business. Destination experts hand-craft transformative experiences designed specifically with you – our fellow traveler – at heart. We wouldn't trust your experience with anyone else.

Guided Touring Reimagined

We know you want to explore and also dive in. We’re curious travelers, just like you, so rest assured, you’ll experience must-sees and connect with the people and culture that define the destination. You’ll eat in locals’ homes, take cooking classes, travel by trains and tuk tuks, explore cities with food tours, and stay in igloos, castles, and chateaus.

Value Beyond Price

Your time is one of your most precious commodities, so you should spend more of it in the destination, not driving between places. We design tours that spend the fewest hours on the coach. One-night stays are a rarity. This is your trip, and you shouldn’t feel rushed. With choice, flexibility, and free time, take it all in – this is your tour.

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Travel with trust. Because this is your trip - something you've planned for and dreamed about. You should feel confident in your journey every step of the way.

Industry-Leading Travel Protection

Cancel for any reason (bad hair day applies) up to 24 hours before your tour leaves and get a full money-back refund. Collette issued a record-breaking $185 million cash back to travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Experience & Expertise

We've been doing this for a long time. Since 1918, in fact. Collette is the most experienced and longest-running tour operator in North America. You choose...

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You're a traveler with places to go. We'll take care of the details. You embrace the journey.

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Meet a group of people who share your love of travel. Learn from locals. Forge friendships in the coolest places.

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There's plenty of time built into our itineraries, plus optional tours, Choice on Tour excursions, and more. It's your trip, your way.

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You know what you want to see and do - let a team of experts handle all the details from the must-sees to centrally-located accommodations and local lessons.

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African Safari: Kenya and Tanzania

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Alaska's Northern Lights

Winter in Croatia featuring Plitvice Lakes and the Adriatic Coast

$4,949 pp* $5,399 pp.

Icelandic Adventure

Costa Rica: A World of Nature featuring Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano & Manuel Antonio National Park

Mediterranean Coastal Journey Spain, France & Italy

Exploring South Africa, Victoria Falls & Botswana

The Best of Ireland featuring the Wild Atlantic Way

$3,299 pp* $3,699 pp, historical greenbrier featuring washington d.c. & williamsburg, $2,299 pp* $2,499 pp, spotlight on northern italy featuring venice, verona & the dolomites.

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50 Virtual Tours That Let Your Tour The US From Your Couch

Posted: May 16, 2024 | Last updated: May 16, 2024

Virtual things to do in America

Alabama: learn something new at Birmingham Zoo

An excellent resource for kids of all ages, but also a fun and educational activity to fill the time with, the Virtual Zoo by Birmingham Zoo offers a selection of videos that take viewers behind the scenes. From a day in the life of a veterinarian to red panda training and sheep weigh-in, the videos offer a chance to learn plenty of fun facts about these animals. All videos are also accompanied by activities and curriculum standards for relevant grade levels. The zoo is a current member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums ensuring it meets rigorous standards of care and conservation too. 

Alaska: embark on a glacier tour in Kenai Fjords National Park

If you've always dreamed of exploring this remote part of the USA, this is your chance to do it from the comfort of your sofa. Rappel into a crevasse, kayak through icebergs and watch a glacier recede as you get up close and personal with the Kenai Fjords National Park, thanks to a virtual tour created by Google and the National Parks Service.

Arizona: walk through the Grand Canyon

Undoubtedly, the state's grandest attraction, the Grand Canyon might be out of reach for many, but the National Park Service has teamed up with Virtual Field Trips to allow virtual travelers to explore this remarkable natural wonder. Choose between an unguided exploration and discover unique locations along the Colorado River or learn more about the layers of the canyon.

Arkansas: immerse yourself in art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Connecting with art is one thing, but fully stepping into artwork is the stuff of dreams. Or rather, virtual reality. Here at the art museum in Bentonville, you can take a  360-degree view  of each world-class piece, by winding through galleries and soaring over the rooftops. From stunning architecture nestled in 120 acres of Ozark woods to the light spectacles in the Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room, it's sure to inspire you to visit in person.

California: scale El Capitan

California's Yosemite National Park and one of its most famous landmarks, El Capitan, is an incredibly enticing destination, especially for mountain climbers. And now you can scale the impressive mountain all the way to the top too. Join three professionals on an exhilarating virtual journey  to one of the world's most famous summits. 

Colorado: trek the Rocky Mountains National Park

Escape your living room and take in a deep breath of fresh mountain air as you go on a digital trek through the Rocky Mountains. Along your hike, you'll visit top sites such as Milner Pass and Chasm Lake, as well as several scenic overlooks. You'll also be able to walk around each stop along the way and discover the area by yourself. 

Connecticut: look inside Mystic Seaport Museum

If you're into maritime history, you'll find Mystic Seaport Museum's YouTube channel an absolute delight. The videos range from boat building demonstrations to knot tying and learning to read the night sky. However, it's the behind-the-scenes tours you won't want to miss. These videos take visitors inside the museum's non-public areas, including the Watercraft Hall that holds all sorts of maritime-themed artifacts. 

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Delaware: walk through a du Pont mansion with a curator

Located within the former home of Henry Francis du Pont, the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library is a treasure trove of antiques and artifacts relating to the history and cultural heritage of the United States. Although the museum has reopened, thanks to its dedicated curators you can take a peek inside from the comfort of your sofa. In a series of four-minute Facebook videos , the curators take virtual visitors through the museum and discuss the history of each room and its contents.

Florida: go diving in Dry Tortugas National Park

Imagine yourself on a tropical vacation as you go on a virtual dive through a shipwreck in Dry Tortugas and swim in the third-largest barrier reef in the world. As 99% of the Dry Tortugas National Park is underwater, you'll spend a significant amount of time exploring the seas, but once you're ready to head back on land, you can tour the Civil War-era fortress, Fort Jefferson.

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Georgia: visit the Georgia Aquarium

A fun and educational activity for the whole family while at home, observing these cute animals in the Georgia Aquarium never gets old. Take your pick from playful California sea lions, funny African penguins or scary piranhas. Don't miss a chance to scroll through the aquarium's animal album and learn more about the creatures too. Georgia Aquarium is a current member of the  Association of Zoos & Aquariums  so you can be sure the animals receive the highest standards of care. 

Hawaii: explore Volcanoes National Park

Another remote US destination, Hawaii and its nature are full of wonder. Get a closer look at the unspoiled beauty of this state as you fly over an active volcano, explore a lava tube and look out across volcanic cliffs in Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park – a once-in-a-lifetime experience even when enjoyed virtually .

Idaho: go on a wild adventure

There's plenty to love about Idaho's natural attractions and Visit Idaho has put together a handy playlist of some of the experiences you can enjoy in the Gem State. There's everything from rafting the Payette River to base jumping, kayaking to Shoshone Falls and even zip-lining through the Snake River Canyon to bring a bit of excitement and adrenalin into your living room.

Illinois: visit The Art Institute of Chicago

One of the oldest and largest art museums in the USA, The Art Institute of Chicago is a treasure trove of incredible exhibits and some of the most significant artworks in the world. Start by exploring the collection virtually , from the iconic American Gothic to Monet's Water Lilies and works by Dalí, Cézanne and Warhol. Then take a video and audio tour of the El Greco special exhibition and browse through a catalog of videos, offering a glimpse into the museum's history.

Indiana: imagine a weekend break at the French Lick Resort

Fancy a spa weekend away? Why not tune into French Lick Resort's virtual tours and imagine you've been whisked away to the West Baden Springs Hotel for the weekend. Start by arriving through the atrium and check-in at the lobby, take a peek inside the library and finally relax at the indoor pool – all are best viewed in full-screen mode. One of America's most historic hotels, once named the eighth wonder of the world, its interiors are chock-full of charming historical detail. 

Iowa: tour the Museum of Danish America

With several historic Danish settlements in the state, it's little surprise that one of those villages, Elk Horn, is home to the Museum of Danish America. Now open on Tuesday–Saturday, it also offers one of the best and most comprehensive virtual tours in all of America. From the first Danish settlers in the US to LEGO and new Nordic cuisine, it might not be a museum you'd ordinarily visit, but this is a great chance to discover something new.

Kansas: take in beautiful blooms at Botanica

Missing colorful flowers while at home? Worry not as Botanica, The Wichita Gardens and their brilliant employees are determined to bring the blooms to you. Executive Director Marty Miller has filmed a range of videos , showing off the beautiful blooming cherry trees, a walk through the tulips and stunning yellow magnolias among others. There are also video tours of the different parts of the garden as well as a live feed. 

Kentucky: enjoy a visit to Kentucky Derby Museum

Among Kentucky's most famous exports, the Kentucky Derby is one of the most historic horse races in the world and its story is well-documented at the Kentucky Derby Museum. You can now browse through the museum's collection online , alongside videos and expert commentary – a true delight for horse racing fans around the world. 

Louisiana: vacation in New Orleans

While you might have had to cancel that long-awaited trip to New Orleans, there's still a way to  enjoy the Big Easy virtually . Tour some of the city's most famous sites, including the French Market and lively Bourbon Street. There's also a separate tour that's ideal for kids and an exploration of the city's connection with voodoo.

Maine: visit Acadia National Park's most picturesque spots

Start your digital hike of Maine's picturesque Acadia National Park at the top of Precipe Trailhead. You'll then be able to virtually walk around some of the park's most beautiful sections, including Thunder Hole, where waves crash against the rocks with a thunderous boom, and the towering Cadillac Mountain. Finally, head on a calming seaside trek along the wild Ocean Path Trailhead.

Maryland: befriend sea creatures at the National Aquarium

One of Maryland's most popular attractions, it continues to delight people online with its virtual tour . With eight areas to explore, from shark alley to Pacific coral reef, learn more about the individual animals and see their natural habitats recreated. Once you've walked through the aquarium itself, don't miss the live exhibit cams, featuring sharks, colorful reef fish, graceful rays and mysterious jellyfish. The National Aquarium is a current member of the  Association of Zoos & Aquariums  so you can be sure the animals receive the highest standards of care. 

Massachusetts: tour the collection of Museum of Fine Arts

With more than 450,000 works in its collection, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is one of America's most comprehensive art museums. Thanks to Google Arts & Culture, it's now possible to tour this incredible museum from your living room. You can start by diving deep into the museums digitized collection before virtually heading inside the museum itself . 

Michigan: learn more about the state's history

You can now explore five floors of the Michigan History Museum and learn more about the state's history, from its first people, the Anishinaabe, up to the mid-20th century. The immersive  virtual tour  covers the whole museum and features topics like the Civil War, mining in Michigan and the growth of the car industry in the state. 

Minnesota: tour a historic stately home

Set (virtual) foot inside the stunning Glensheen Historic Estate in Duluth where you can follow the arrows and take a peek inside the luxuriously decorated rooms. To enhance your virtual experience , you can either download the Glensheen app or print out a virtual treasure book to learn more about every room in the historic house as well as its most notable details. 

Mississippi: go on a virtual river cruise

If you've never been on a river cruise before but you are tempted,  enjoy a trip virtually thanks to American Cruise Lines. Take in the scenery from the sun deck, stop for a drink in the sky lounge and lay your head to rest in one of the suites. An excellent idea for date nights at the moment, it's easy to imagine you're navigating the Mississippi River rather than sitting on your sofa.

Missouri: tour Kansas City's fountains

Did you know that Kansas City is also known as The City of Fountains? With more than 200 fountains, the city definitely isn't short on watery landmarks. This virtual tour features seven of those, including the grand Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain, designed by the same people who created the iconic Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, and the playful Children's Fountain. 

Montana: escape to the Glacier National Park

If you're in a desperate need of an escape, there's nowhere better to go (virtually) than Montana's remote Glacier National Park. Thanks to Google Earth , you can imagine yourself kayaking on the stunning Lake McDonald, hiking among towering red cedars and seeing the hard-to-access Bird Woman Falls.

Nebraska: explore the Nebraska State Capitol and Governor's Residence

With two incredible virtual tours on offer of two historic landmarks in the state capital Lincoln, there's plenty to discover. Start with a comprehensive tour of the Capitol building with information boxes presented along the way, then step inside the Governor's Residence and be amazed by its exquisite interiors.

Nevada: walk through Las Vegas and beyond

Have you always dreamed of visiting Sin City? You don't have to put your travel plans on hold because thanks to Google Earth you can visit this one-of-a-kind destination and surrounding areas virtually. Start by ticking off some of the most famous sights along the Strip, but there's also plenty to see for non-gamblers too as well as family-friendly attractions. Finally, leave the city behind and head to the Red Rock Canyonlands.

New Hampshire: learn at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire

Stuck for fun things to do with the kids? Embark on a virtual tour of the Children's Museum of New Hampshire and make the most of this resource to support at-home learning. With lots of different topics covered in the museum, from dinosaurs to puzzles, there are also plenty of resources for online learning so staying at home is not only fun but also educational.

New Jersey: join a virtual zoo school

Thanks to the efforts of Cape May County Zoo and its keepers you can learn about a different animal every day at the  virtual zoo school . So far the zoo has featured owls, American bison, cheetahs and African lions among others. The daily videos are posted on its website and on the zoo's Facebook page. As with all the zoos and aquariums featured in our gallery, Cape May County Zoo is a current member of the  Association of Zoos & Aquariums  too.  

New Mexico: tour the Carlsbad Caverns

If tight and dark places are not for you in real life, why not explore them virtually? This tour of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico gives a glimpse inside the caverns and the incredible formations that cover their ceilings and walls. Then, don a virtual headlamp and trek through a cave after virtually flying with thousands of bats that live here.

New York: go inside the American Museum of Natural History

Not only an exciting but educational activity, this virtual tour of one of the world's top scientific and educational institutions is truly eye-opening. Journey through 45 permanent exhibition halls as you come face to face with a blue whale, marvel at the size of a T-Rex and take a peek at the cross-section of a giant sequoia. There's also a digital version of the museum's collection and three fascinating online exhibits – the one on the museum's dioramas (miniature models) is unmissable.

North Carolina: explore Wilmington and beyond

If a seaside escape is long overdue, head to Wilmington in North Carolina virtually . This immersive 360°-experience offers a bird's eye-view of the city and has several videos touring the city's most notable attractions, including the battleship North Carolina and the Historic Downtown. When you've explored the city, virtually fly over to the Carolina Beach boardwalk or Kure Beach and imagine the sand between your toes.

North Dakota: escape to the Great Plains in Jamestown

Home to the world's largest buffalo monument, Jamestown has plenty of exciting attractions to discover. There's the National Buffalo Museum, of course, and the Frontier Village, capturing what life would've been like for early settlers. Both the 1883 Historic Stutsman Courtroom and Courthouse are fascinating too. If you have a VR headset, you can view this tour in 3D.

Ohio: walk through the history of the US Air Force

This incredibly well-designed virtual tour allows visitors to step through the doors of the National Museum of the United States Air Force and tour the entire museum. There are easy-to-follow arrows to point you in the right direction to the exhibits, from planes used in the Korean War to a decommissioned Air Force One, as well as 'hot spots', where you can watch additional videos and find links to more online resources.

Oklahoma: go inside the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Although the museum has reopened, you can still browse through its impressive collection online thanks to Google Arts & Culture. Read through the virtual exhibits first – we particularly love the exhibit about artist Charles M. Russell and the American Rodeo Gallery – then head inside the museum and walk around for yourself. 

Oregon: tour the Oregon State Capitol

Another breathtaking capitol building, the Oregon state Capitol is grand and unrestrained in its décor. Start your exploration at the rotunda where you'll be able to hear more about the State Seal. The accompanying audio guide will lead you to the House and Senate chambers, explaining the work that is done here. Both chambers feature videos of the legislative process in action. 

Pennsylvania: discover the historic sites of the Battle of Gettysburg

One of America's most important historical landmarks, Gettysburg is littered with notable Civil War sites. Thanks to this virtual tour you can follow in the footsteps of Civil War-era soldiers and learn more about such historic places as Culp's Hill, Devil's Den and Little Round Top – the site of an unsuccessful assault by the Confederate troops on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. There are information boxes to guide you along the way too. 

Rhode Island: tour the historic mansions of Newport

This seaside city located in Narragansett Bay has a reputation as one of the top New England summer resorts and is famous for its wealth of historic mansions and rich sailing history. Head over to the Newport Mansions website – a preservation society dedicated to protecting the area's architectural history – and you'll find several virtual tours of some of the most luxurious mansions in the area. The ostentatious décor of The Elms is our favorite.

South Carolina: peek inside the Governor's Mansion

The South Carolina Governor's Mansion dates from the 1850s and this exquisite property, the residence of the Palmetto State's First Family since 1869, is packed with treasures including paintings and silverware.  Step inside and virtually walk through the house at your own pace, making sure to pay great attention to the historic detail throughout. 

South Dakota: tour the Mount Rushmore National Memorial

If you've never had a chance to visit South Dakota and Mount Rushmore, this is the perfect opportunity to explore its pathways, lookouts and, of course, the famous stone carvings themselves. This virtual experience allows you to get an extreme close up of the four presidents – George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson. Their portraits, carved into the Black Hills, are equally as majestic online as they are in real life.

Tennessee: visit Nashville

A virtual visit to the Music City comes highly recommended as, thanks to Google Earth , you can now explore this fun city in great detail straight from your living room. Start in Downtown and take in sites like the Tennessee State Capitol and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where you even get to go inside. Then explore Nashville's connection to honky-tonk music and virtually walk through Midtown and Southern Nashville, where you'll find a full-scale replica of Greece's Athenian Parthenon.

Texas: see a digital exhibition at Space Center Houston

One of America's best space museums has put together an incredible virtual exhibition on Apollo 13, including videos, historic images and stories from the crew. Learn more about what went wrong on this mission that was later called a "successful failure", discover what the journey home was like for the astronauts and get a closer look at one of the artifacts from Apollo 13. 

Utah: explore the night sky in Bryce Canyon

Embark on an exhilarating virtual journey  that spans day and night in Bryce Canyon and you'll discover a lot more than just its stunning red rock formations. While this stone jungle and its hoodoos are fascinating up close and a virtual horseback ride through the canyon comes highly recommended, it's the night sky here that will totally surprise you – you can even see the Milky Way.

Vermont: walk through the Vermont State House

This virtual tour of Vermont State House allows you to explore all of the building's principal chambers. Built in 1833, the State House is the state capitol of Vermont and thanks to a careful restoration project in the early 1980s its stunning Greek Revival exterior and opulent interiors are simply jaw-dropping. 

Virginia: tour George Washington's home at Mount Vernon

The estate owned by the first President of the United States George Washington is now a comprehensive museum, looking at Washington's life and times and also offering a peek at how people lived in the second half of 1700s. This detailed virtual tour takes visitors through the buildings on the estate and allows you to discover the interiors too. Each room has an accompanying fact box and there are several videos to guide you along the way.

Washington: take in the calming scenery at Olympic National Park

A delightful escape to the great outdoors , Washington state's Olympic National Park is full of wonderful scenery to make you forget you're at home. You'll get to take in calming views of Rialto Beach, dotted with rocks and driftwood as well as discover the trails of Hoh Rain Forest and finish your virtual hike with a stop at Marymere Falls.

West Virginia: discover how hand-blown glass is made

Famous for its artistic hand-blown glass, Blenko Glass came to prominence when its work was used for the stained-glass windows of St Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. And although the factory's visitor center in West Virginia has reopened, there's a comprehensive video resource , explaining how the glass is designed and made, and then shaped into a variety of objects. 

Wisconsin: visit the Wisconsin State Capitol

Another stunning state capitol, it would be a shame not to take advantage of this building's virtual tour . Focused on the impressive rotunda, there are plenty of interesting facts to learn along the way about the central mural and other artistic details of this impressive structure in the lakeside city of Madison.

Wyoming: go on a virtual walk through the Upper Geyser Basin

One of the country's most enticing national parks, Yellowstone usually draws in plenty of visitors and it's no different now, only you'll have to walk through the Upper Geyser Basin virtually . Tour the boardwalks and learn more about the park, its wildlife and geology and then take a closer look at some of the most famous of Yellowstone's landmarks, including the Old Faithful. 

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The top affordable summer destinations in the U.S. for 2024

WalletHub shares this year's perfect getaways that won't break the bank

Summer’s just a heartbeat away. If you’re stuck in your cubicle, or you’re a teacher showing movies for the next week or so, or maybe you’re a high-powered CEO getting off your private jet: you’re fantasizing about the beach or a tent pitched in the wilderness...or a visit to the big metropolis you’ve always dreamed of.

According to personal-finance website WalletHub , nearly 82 percent of Americans plan to take a trip this summer (hopefully the remaining 18 percent aren’t traveling this summer because they already took off in the winter!). And close to half of those who plan to travel will take more than one trip (42 percent). That’s a whole lot of us—whether it’s far-flung travel or just renting a weekend space an hour away. We personally love the day trip turned into an overnight trip. WalletHub studied 100 metro areas, using 41 metrics, to come up with its list of the perfect summer getaways, considering our budgets and hopes to have a great time without credit card trauma down the road. The metrics were details like the average price of a two-person meal, the city's tennis courts and beer gardens, and average gas prices: you get the idea. It’s a great way to get a quick look at how a city measures up to others around the country.

This summer, you will want to hit Atlanta , since it is the top scorer on this study. It did well in all categories, including not having many travel hassles and costs, having good weather and a fair amount of entertainment options, and doing well in terms of safety (having low numbers for property damage and violent crime). Take a walk on the BeltLine or visit the Coke museum, and enjoy the best of Georgia’s capital.

Second on the list is Washington, D.C. It scored first for safety and did well in the other categories. With parks, cherry blossoms, historical sites, and an incredible art museum , this city makes for an incredible destination. Did we mention that the Smithsonian museums are free and are open daily except for Dec. 25?

In third place is Orlando, Florida, which fulfills all the amusement park -meets-beach desires you’ve ever had. In fact, Orlando is No. 2 nationwide for best activities (the No. 1 spot is taken by urban Honolulu, which is fourth on this overall list).

Here is the full list of the top 20 summer travel destinations:

1. Atlanta, GA

2. Washington, DC

3. Orlando, FL

4. Honolulu, HI

5. Tampa, FL

6. Austin, TX

7. Philadelphia, PA

8. Chicago, IL

9. El Paso, TX

10. Cincinnati, OH

11. Salt Lake City, UT

12. New York, NY

13. Richmond, VA

14. Miami, FL

15. Springfield, MO

16. Knoxville, TN

17. Tulsa, OK

18. Oklahoma, OK

19. San Antonio,TX

20. Los Angeles, CA

• Erika Mailman USA contributor

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US National Parks Tours & Vacations

Embark on an unforgettable adventure in the United States' most spectacular national parks.

As far as national parks go, the  USA  has it all. From lunar-like deserts and striated canyons to snow-capped mountains and alpine valleys teeming with wildlife. With a local leader by your side, you'll explore the most iconic sections of the parks, as well as lesser-known gems you won’t find in the travel guides. Our United States national park tours offer something for all kinds of adventurers. Hike through slot canyons in  Zion , join a real-life wolf tracker in  Yellowstone , tick off bucket-list-worthy hiking trails in  Yosemite  or witness the most beautiful night skies you've ever seen in  Denali . It’s time to dust off those hiking boots... the parks are waiting! 

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Popular US national parks

Us national parks travel faqs, do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

What is the best time to visit national parks in the US?

The best time to visit a national park depends on what you want to experience on your trip. The US is a huge country with diverse weather, foliage, and wildlife. Most parks change quite dramatically from season to season. Our trips run all year round but spring through to early fall is the most popular time to go when the weather is mild, crowds are smaller, and hiking conditions are good.

What is mobile/cell phone service and internet access like in US national parks?

Mobile phone service, Wi-Fi, and internet access vary, and some parks will have coverage while others may be completely cut off.

Most visitor centers, lodges, and restaurants will offer free internet access, but it’s worth reading up on coverage or checking with your guide before your trip begins so you can be prepared.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

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Southern USA Tours & Trips

Southern USA is the place where history was written during the American Civil War. With historic landmarks in South Carolina marking the start of the war, fascinating beaches in Florida Keys and Tennessee's whiskey and country music culture, the Deep South is a must-visit destination on your USA adventure.

99 Southern USA tour packages with 1,203 reviews

• Food & Culinary

Tennessee Music Trail to New Orleans

• Sightseeing
• Christmas & New Year

Georgia History Trail to Nashville

• Coach / Bus

Rhythms of the Road (including Hammond)

Would’ve loved it to have been longer! An extra night in each main city would’ve been great for extra activities

• Hiking & Trekking

Mount Sterling Appalachian Loop

Guide was great, thanks.

USA – 5 Days Blue Ridge Parkway to Great Smoky Mountains

• In-depth Cultural

Tastes and Sounds of the South (10 Days)

Well run and a lovely group of people

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Rhythms of the South (11 Days)

Good trip! Great venue! Lots to do. Well looked after. Disappointed in Nashville quality inn. Staff not helpful and hotel very tired and could be cleaned better

Asheville Inn Based Hiking Tour

My wife and I are very grateful to Kyle for his professional thoughtful service. We are so glad for Wildland trekking and Kyle to make this 45th wedding anniversary wonderful.

Southern Style

Loved it...we all had a fab time. Hotels, Attractions, Meals, Destinations and Live music all brill! Booked again for another tour next year - Travelling Time's Dixieland Delight. As we really loved Nashville and Muscle Shoals...but Nashville is too busy for us "oldies" at the weekend - this tour is perfect and we have added a few more nights on in Nashville after tye Muscle Shoals tour to make it an 11 day holiday - Perfect!

Memphis, Mountains & Music City

Had a great time with everyone on this tour. Dollywood was definately a highlight fir us. Great company throughout and loads of laughs. Don't hesitate to book a Travelling Time Tour...they will look after everything for you.

Southern Charms & Florida

The Old South and Florida tour was great. Very well organised, good itinerary and inclusions, hotels were comfortable and close to night activities (not always centre of town), the guide was excellent and very knowledgable. Would recommend this trip to anyone and especially any music lovers.

America's Musical Heritage

Excellent organization in all respects, Peter was overwhelming.

America's Musical Heritage with Extended Stay in New Orleans

• Local Living

Deep South & Delta Blues

Loved everything about the tour, great itinerary, transport, hotels, food and most of all our guide was wonderful with amazing knowledge of places we visited and the music we experienced.Fabulos vacation.

• Festival & Events

USA – New Orleans Mardi Gras Carnival

What people love about southern usa tours.

Trip was amazing. Really well organised and planned. John was a brilliant guide - incredibly knowledgeable about the area, the physical geography and the historical and cultural connections. Everything ran smoothly from beginning to end. Cannot recommend this trip (or John as a guide!) highly enough

A well planned and executed tour. Great way to see Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans and learn the history of music during the day and listen to it at night.

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Small Group Journeys

Small is big at Tauck, where our small group journeys average 24 guests; new for 2024, we're pleased to introduce even Smaller Group journeys averaging 15 guests. Experience deeper connections with the destinations you visit – with more time, freedom and flexibility, plus opportunities to connect more closely with your Tauck Director, local guides, and fellow travelers. Choose from among 70+ different trips worldwide, including classic journeys, African safaris and private departures for your group only, experiencing firsthand the art of traveling small.

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Introducing Smaller Groups

Averaging 15 guests on select itineraries

New for 2024 – Smaller Group Departures

We listened – and thanks to feedback from our guests, we're pleased to introduce Smaller Group departures averaging 15 guests, now available on select trips in destinations across the globe.

View Smaller Group Trips

Ebrochure – Small Groups

A guide to worldwide small group journeys

2024 Guide to Worldwide Small Group Journeys

Discover the world of Small Group travel with Tauck with an easy, user-friendly at-a-glance index to our 2024 Small Group journeys by destination.

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Vote for your favorite ice cream shop!

USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Paying a visit to these 20 independent ice cream shops across the country is a wonderful way to try new flavors and enjoy your old favorites — and cool off on a hot day! Nominated by a panel of experts, these spots were chosen for their use of quality, fresh ingredients (sometimes sourced right from their own farms), and creative takes on this beloved frozen treat. Which ice cream shop gets your vote?  Vote once per day until polls close on Monday, June 10 at noon ET. The 10 winning shops, as determined by your vote, will be announced on Wednesday, June 19. Read the official  Readers' Choice rules .

Paying a visit to these 20 independent ice cream shops across the country is a wonderful way to try new flavors and enjoy your old favorites — and cool off on a hot day! Nominated by a panel of experts, these spots...   Read More

Best Ice Cream Shop Nominees

Photo courtesy of LeManna // Getty Images

Andia's Ice Cream

Cary and Raleigh, North Carolina

Andia's small-batch ice cream offers appealing flavors like baklava, rose pistachio, and mango popping pearls in cups or freshly made waffle cones. Monster shakes that come in mason jars are frequent stars on Instagram with over-the-top additions like mini cupcakes and torched marshmallows. 

Photo courtesy of Kris Warren, An's Gelato

An's Dry Cleaning

San Diego, California

The made-from-scratch gelato flavors at An's Dry Cleaning are named after fabrics, like taffeta and twill, as an homage to the dry cleaning business that originally inhabited the historic 1934 building. The rotating menu offers options such as mango and peaches, macadamia, and lavender with honey and oats.

Photo courtesy of LauriPatterson / E+ Getty Images

The Boardwalk Italian Ice & Creamery

Boynton Beach, Florida

Boynton Beach's Boardwalk Italian Ice & Creamery offers a wide array of icy treats to beat the Sunshine State heat. In addition to cones, cups, and banana splits, those who prefer their refreshment in liquid form are welcome to spring for a root beer float or malted milkshake.

Photo courtesy of Justin Tsucalas

The Charmery

The Charmery has been churning up top-tier ice cream for Baltimore residents since 2013. Now equipped with multiple venues across Maryland, guests can look forward to diverse flavors that range from butter rum to honey cilantro.

Photo courtesy of Josh Foo

Coneflower Creamery

Omaha, Nebraska

Artisan ice cream may or may not have the healing benefits of the colorful native coneflower, but "farm to cone" flavors — like sweet corn ice cream and raspberry lime sorbet — surely lift spirits. The Omaha creamery also serves floats, ice cream sandwiches, ice pops, and local root beer on tap. 

Photo courtesy of Magone / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream

Charleston, West Virginia

Located in the heart of West Virginia's state capital, Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream has been a local favorite for Charleston residents since its debut in 1997. Visitors can look forward to sampling a variety of sorbets, gelato, ice cream, and sherbets. Look for specials like a banana pudding sundae with Nilla wafer crumble or seasonal pawpaw offerings.

Photo courtesy of MEDITERRANEAN / E+ Getty Images

Hallmark Drive-In

Old Lyme, Connecticut

On the Connecticut River shore, the seasonal Hallmark Drive-In offers a wealth of sweet treats that are perfect for a hot summer day. Moose tracks, grape nut, and cotton candy are a few of the unique ice cream flavors you'll find. The venue also crafts a stellar lobster roll for those in need of something more substantial.

Photo courtesy of subjug / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Honeys and Friends

Washington, D.C.

Visitors to the northern reaches of D.C. can find a wide assortment of different ice creams at Honeys and Friends, with close to 20 flavors gracing the menu. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch and banana cream pie are both perfect for an after-dinner treat, while the key lime pie serves as the perfect option for citrus fans.

Photo courtesy of agrobacter / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Igloo Frozen Custard

Lafayette, Indiana

In business since the early 1930s, Igloo Frozen Custard has established itself as one of Indiana's top spots for sweet tooths. While the venue only served vanilla frozen custard upon opening, flavors now range from butter pecan to birthday cake. Try Aunt Kathy's Dirt Sundae with crushed Oreos and gummy worms.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Conklin

Island Creamery

Maryland and Virginia

Churning an all-natural premium ice cream, Island Creamery's menu features ingredients from local dairy and fruit farmers. Try cherries jubilee or black raspberry or opt for the decadent bourbon caramel crunch or super-rich chocolate marsh mud.

Photo courtesy of AlessandroZocc / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Palm Springs, California

Kreem brings a wide array of ice cream flavors to Palm Springs. The vegan horchata and hibiscus rose flavors are perfect flavors for beating the Southern California heat, while Funky Cold Medina — made with sesame honey halva, orange blossom water, and pistachios — is next-level delicious.

Photo courtesy of Kurimuchicago

Kurimu Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Kurimu Chicago's ice cream and soft serve options feature a wide assortment of Asian-inspired flourishes and flavors. From lychee pearl to Thai iced tea, flavors can be topped with matcha powder and boba. Durian ice cream offers an opportunity to sample one of Southeast Asia's most divisive fruits.

Photo courtesy of Leopold's ice cream

Leopold's Ice Cream

Savannah, Georgia

The storied streets of Savannah are home to a wealth of vintage businesses, and Leopold's Ice Cream is no exception. Banana splits and hot fudge sundaes are just a few of the decadent desserts gracing the menu since 1919.

Lickety Splitz

Maple Shade, New Jersey

New Jersey's Lickety Splitz, inside Laurel Lanes Bowling and Entertainment Center, has mastered the art of alcohol-infused ice cream. A rotating menu of seasonal flavors keeps it interesting. Cognac fans should try the Henny Vanilla, while others may want to opt for the vegan Pineapple Dole Whip, made with pineapple, oat milk, and coconut. 

Photo courtesy of business owner

Ome Calli Frozen Treats

Beaverton, Oregon

There's a tiny slice of Latin America in the Beaver State in the form of Ome Calli Frozen Treats, a polished venue that specializes in sweet Mexican desserts. Indulge in horchata, corn, and tequila ice cream or try the chamo or tamarind with chile sorbet. The paletas de fruta are the perfect summertime treat.

Photo courtesy of owowcow creamery

Owowcow Creamery

New Jersey and Pennsylvania

One of a handful of ice cream companies in the country that's licensed by the Department of Agriculture to make its ice cream base from scratch, Owowcow Creamery's flavors are created daily with local roasted produce, organic extracts, hand-baked inclusions, and top-quality cocoa. There are 12 signature flavors available year-round, including blueberry lemon, honey lavender, and mint chocolate chip.

Photo courtesy of Maranda Burns

Peewee's Ice Cream

Medford, New Jersey

Peewee's Ice Cream has been crafting freshly churned desserts since 2019. There are 20 flavors that rotate with the changing seasons, with options like mint chocolate chip, lavender honey vanilla bean, and Irish coffee gracing the menu.

Photo courtesy of Penn State

Penn State Berkey Creamery

University Park, Pennsylvania

A storied institution on Penn State grounds, the Berkey Creamery has been serving up ice-cold dairy desserts since 1865. Enjoy a variety of ice cream, sorbet, sherbet, and ice cream sandwiches. Your purchase will help support research, outreach, and education in the Department of Food Science.

Photo courtesy of Albright Studios

Simply Natural Creamery

North Carolina

At this family-run creamery, Jersey cows produce the milk that serves as the base for all creamy treats. Enjoy hand-dipped cones and cups, sundaes, milkshakes, pints, and half gallons of the good stuff at Simply Natural Creamery's locations in North Carolina. 

Photo courtesy of og-vision / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Sorry, Not Sorry Creamery

California and Nevada

Sorry, Not Sorry Creamery stands out for its handcrafted, small-batch ice cream, which is made using high-quality dairy from Scott Brothers Dairy. Customers enjoy a variety of flavors to choose from (including four seasonal selections), such as Bumbleberry Cheesecake Crumble, Campfire S'mores, and the vegan Strawberry Shortcake.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Allison levine.

Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,...   Read More

Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world.  She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is  www.pleasethepalate.com   and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate .

Allison Tibaldi

Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based...   Read More

Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles.  She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education.  She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly. 

Carly Caramanna

Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the...   Read More

Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the latest in unique food, travel, and theme park trends. Growing up in the carb-filled land of bagels and pizza by the slice (aka New Jersey), her parents instilled a love of all things adventure and food. Featured on CNN Business, BBC, NPR, MSN, Huffington Post, and host of the Attractions Magazine podcast, she uses her expertise as a contributor to Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Delish, and many more. www.adventuresbycarly.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresbycarly/ X: https://twitter.com/CarlyCaramanna

Cele and Lynn Seldon

Lynn and Cele Seldon make up the team that is...   Read More

Lynn and Cele Seldon make up the team that is Seldon Ink and have spent more than 35 years covering all aspects of travel writing. With a keen focus on the Southeast, culinary travel, food and wine festivals and cruise travel, they have written dozens of magazine, newspaper, and online stories about their tasty passions and have become experts along the way. Their work has appeared in Garden & Gun , Southern Flavor, South Carolina Living, Porthole, TrailBlazer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution , various in-flight publications, and many AAA magazines. Follow along on their adventures at www.seldonink.com or @seldonink.      

Jacky Runice

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home...   Read More

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer

Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest...   Read More

Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest travel blogs in the world, Local Adventurer , where they hope to encourage everyone to find adventure in their everyday lives. They spent 7 years moving to a new city every year and are now based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50...   Read More

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].

Kristin Luna

Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer...   Read More

Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to  Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living  and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog  Camels & Chocolate  or on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

Marilyn Johnson

Marilyn Johnson is an award-winning Philadelphia...   Read More

Marilyn Johnson is an award-winning Philadelphia area-based food and travel writer focusing on the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Marilyn founded Philly Grub in 2008 and South Jersey Food Scene in 2019. Her work has appeared on MSN, NewsBreak, Philadelphia Today, Cherry Hill Neighbors, New Jersey Monthly, and other online publications. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Philadelphia, a society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, beverage, and hospitality.

Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion...   Read More

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is:  www.marlacimini.com  

Melissa Curtin

Melisa Curtin is a travel and food writer who has...   Read More

Melisa Curtin is a travel and food writer who has documented her globetrotting adventures for over a decade. A Connecticut girl madly in love with California, her work has appeared in Lonely Planet, LA Weekly, Canadian Traveler, AAA, Roadtrippers, JohnnyJet, Travel Awaits, and many southern California print publications. Melissa is always on the hunt for the best local bites and destinations with few tourists, splitting her non-travel time between Malibu and Palm Springs with her husband and ever-growing collection of plants.    Traveling around the world at age 20 on Semester at Sea sparked Melissa's desire for learning about other cultures. As a 20+ year educator and new travel advisor with Fora, she inspires others to reach their goals and pursue their travel dreams. Some of her recent favorite jaunts include a Viking river cruise from Paris to Normandy with her mom, truffle hunting in Tuscany, and eating her way through Florence. Get to know the Best of L.A. and California by checking out her website  LaLaScoop.com  or following the @lalascoop on Instagram .

Melody Pittman

Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Read More

Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Wherever I May Roam Blog  and is co-owner of the Southern Travelers Explore annual conference, in its 4th year, which brings CVBS and writers/influencers together from all over the country. She is a digital influencer and writes for both online and print publications, such as Travel Awaits, Charleston Home and Living Magazine, Matador Network, She Buys Travel, and more. Melody has worked with major brands during her nine-year career, such as Viking River Cruises, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Disney, hundreds of tourism boards, and GO RVing.  Melody’s first book “100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die” was released in the spring of 2023. She has a podcast, 100ThingsWV, and social channels to go along with the book. Melody loves road trips, small towns, cruising, and sharing lesser-known destinations with her followers via TikTok , Youtube, IG , and FB . After a year of full-time RV travel, she now resides in Mesquite, Nevada. 

Nicholas Dekker

Nicholas Dekker, aka Dr. Breakfast, is a food and...   Read More

Nicholas Dekker, aka Dr. Breakfast, is a food and travel writer based in central Ohio, writing his award-winning blog  Breakfast With Nick  since 2007, where he and his family document their journeys exploring restaurants, coffee, donuts, beer, the arts, family travel, and much more. Nick writes for  Columbus Monthly ,  Ohio Magazine , TourismOhio, Experience Columbus, The Kitchn, Great Lakes Publishing, Experience Worthington, Cubby at Home,  Worthington Spotlight ,  Proof Magazine,  and other publications.  He can be found on Facebook , Instagram and TikTok.

Roberto Serrini

Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and...   Read More

Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and Travel Journalist who has lent his vision to such global brands as Nike, Google and Apple. He has produced hundreds of short subject documentaries about travel and culture, and is extremely active in the film festival community earning over 100 wins and nominations globally. His commercial work can be seen at  www.robertoserrini.com  and you can connect with him socially @serrini on all social media platforms. 

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

The Trash and Treasures of Temu

How are these headphones $4.98 and every other question you have about the chaotic new everything store..

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Maybe you first clocked it during the Super Bowl, when its “Shop Like a Billionaire” jingle aired not once, not twice, but six different times. Maybe the site has been haunting you on Facebook and Instagram with targeted ads for products that are implausibly priced (a six-pack of bras, $16.58) and at times delightfully niche (a silicone nose model for piercing practice, $3.98). Or maybe you went to visit your parents one day only to find their home and garage teeming with cheap gadgets from China that they bought from a fun new app. Temu, which is both an app and a website, launched Stateside in September 2022. As of December 2023, it serves approximately 30 million daily users in the U.S. and was the most downloaded free app of last year. But while Temu may feel like a new kind of retail experience, it’s really just a turbocharged amalgamation of things we’ve seen before: the scale of Amazon and vastness of its merchandise selection, the aggressive advertising of Wish, the treasure hunt of a Ross or Marshalls, and the mobile gamification of commerce à la Candy Crush. And in a time of high inflation — as venture-subsidized start-ups shutter and even dollar-stores prices rise — Temu can feel like the last affordable shopping destination left.

What exactly is it?

At its core, Temu is just a giant marketplace where manufacturers and suppliers — around 80,000 of them, mostly based in China — can showcase their goods and sell them directly to consumers abroad. It’s up to the vendors to list their inventory on Temu’s site, but Temu will manage almost everything else: setting the prices, customer service, dealing with Customs, and handling payments and returns.

So it’s just Amazon but based in China?

Many of the manufacturers that sell stuff on Temu also supply goods to Amazon (and stores like Target and Walmart). Still, there are a few key differences between the two businesses. While Amazon owns some of its inventory — maybe purchased from a wholesaler or stocked as part of the company’s private label — Temu doesn’t own the products it sells. Amazon has been optimized for fast delivery, erecting a vast infrastructure of trucks and warehouses. Temu has optimized for lower prices. Its delivery system, which relies mostly on third-party shipping services like USPS, typically takes a week or longer, but the prices on average are noticeably lower than Amazon’s. John Deighton, a professor at Harvard Business School who studies consumer behavior, believes Temu’s “long-term strategy is to really hurt Amazon.”

How does it make money if everything’s so cheap?

By cutting out the intermediary steps between factories and consumers, Temu claims it can price products lower than most retailers. But experts hypothesize that Temu is most likely subsidizing at least part of the cost of its products in order to gain market share. John Deighton, a professor of consumer behavior at Harvard Business School, says he has seen an analysis of Temu’s financials that suggests no matter how much stuff it’s selling, it can’t be making up for what it’s losing. “It’s not just a loss; it’s a hopeless loss,” he says. “It’s on a scale that no amount of volume is going to redeem.” China Merchants Securities, a brokerage firm, estimated in 2022 that Temu is losing between $588 million and $954 million a year. Juozas Kaziukėnas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, calls the strategy a “shock-imposed buy”: When the price of something is so unbelievably low that customers have no choice but to hit “purchase.”  

Who is paying for this, then?

One reason Temu can afford to lose so much money is that its parent company, PDD Holdings, is a Chinese e-commerce giant whose revenue for the fiscal year 2023 was $34.88 billion. PDD Holdings is notorious for its brutal “996” work culture, in which employees work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days per week. According to the newspaper Nikkei Asia, PDD employees use pseudonyms at work and are discouraged from socializing with one another. The company has a strict clock-in, clock-out system, in which being even one minute late results in the deduction of one hour’s pay. PDD’s work culture was particularly scrutinized after the deaths of two of its employees. The first, in 2020, involved a 22-year-old who suddenly died while walking home at 1:30 a.m. after working late; the other, in January 2021, occurred when an engineer on leave jumped off the 27th story of an apartment building. An anonymous venture capitalist in San Francisco says of PDD, “It’s just one of the most insanely hardworking, brutal cultures, even in China. The intensity is unparalleled.” (When asked about the PDD work culture, a Temu spokesperson said, “We take pride in our energetic and creative team.”)

Is the website supposed to give me a headache?

Temu’s app and website feel like a cross between a carnival and a Pennysaver catalogue on steroids: There are lightning deals and limited-time offers, countdown timers and random-prize draws, all of them dangling the possibility of a rebate or discount (many of which expire after 60 minutes). You can play games like Fishland, in which feeding a certain number of fish wins you a free product, and Lucky Flip, in which you can earn rewards by matching symbols on cards. Occasionally, a picker wheel will pop up, tempting you to spin to win a discount. But as novel as this may seem to Americans, this chaotic, arcadelike shopping experience is not new to Chinese e-commerce — AliExpress has been using similar tactics for nearly a decade.

Is any of this stuff good?

Temu is dizzying: more than 3 million product listings, divided into 33 categories further split into dozens of subcategories. To figure out what people are buying, I reached out to both avid consumers and professional product reviewers. Many use the site as a place to buy unglamorous sundries they’d normally get from Amazon. One 20-something Goldman Sachs analyst uses it to purchase items for her pet: enrichment toys, treat dispensers, and water bottles. A venture capitalist says he ordered blackout curtains on the app when he realized they were far cheaper on Temu ($10) than on Amazon ($20).

Dorothy, a Chicago-based lawyer, first heard about Temu at her favorite dollar store when buying craft supplies. “I overheard some of the crafty mavens in the aisle talking. ‘Girl, you got to go on Temu,’” she says. She has spent $5,643.27 on Temu since January 2023 and found success in a few categories. “The jewelry is fantastic,” Dorothy says. She recently bought her daughter a customized 925-sterling-silver necklace (“A Sex and the City necklace like Carrie had”), which was received enthusiastically. She has also been pleased with purchases that are functional but can be disposed of quickly, like press-on nails and silk flowers for crafts, and she’ll also buy things she wants to try once but doesn’t wish to spend a lot of money on: silver lamé leggings and 89-cent clip-on bangs she keeps around so that when she suddenly has the impulse to get bangs, she can “put those on and stop myself.”

What’s with all the knockoffs?

The site abounds with close and not-so-close replicas of beloved products: There are copies of the viral Bogg bag , Yeezy Runners , Crocs , the 40-ounce Stanley tumbler , and even the Apple Watch . The site is also saturated with facsimiles of popular makeup and skin-care products, like a Tarte Shape Tape look-alike ($1.79) and something that resembles the Dior Lip Glow Oil ($2.69). The quality of the knockoffs can be a toss-up, though; Dorothy, for instance, is partial to a pair of $20 fake Ferragamo shoes that she calls her “fake-a-gamos,” but had to give away an Izod-polo-shirt look-alike because the logo looked like a “drunk alligator.”

Do I really dare use Temu lip oil?

“Once you start testing the formula, the texture, I would say it’s very different from the original product,” says TikTok influencer Demi Ngai , who has tried many of Temu’s beauty offerings. The most noticeable difference, she says, is the “overwhelming fragrance” of the Temu version. Dorothy’s review is a bit more blunt; Temu’s makeup, in her experience, is “garbage.”

Are any of the knockoffs actually good dupes?

Austin Evans, who reviews gadgets on his YouTube channel , says if he could recommend one tech accessory on Temu, it would be the Razer-mouse dupe, which often costs less than $20 (the price of a real one ranges from $30 to $180). Evans has also found that Temu’s cheap Bluetooth earbuds, the ones that look like AirPods, are “surprisingly good.”

Are the electronics safe?

There have been reports of Temu-related electrical snafus. In early 2024, a Swiss daily newspaper found that local police had received several reports of cheap electrical goods, such as chargers and batteries, that had caused major fires. Although the origin for these items is unclear, an officer on the Aargau police department’s TikTok account later named Temu as a “cheap platform” whose electrical goods may not adhere to certain standards and certifications. And earlier this year, a consumer-watchdog group in the U.K. tested eight heaters — three from Temu and five from TikTok Shop — and found that six were unsafe and posed fire hazards and explosion threats. Shortly after the report was released, Temu removed the heaters from its site. “We expect our sellers to meet the standards required by the markets they sell to,” a spokesperson said. “We adopt a comprehensive approach to vetting the merchants who sell products through our platform.”

Didn’t I just see some of this stuff on Etsy?

Many artists and small-business owners have found copies of their work being sold on the website. Jessi Roberts, founder of a Texas-based accessory and apparel business called Cheekys, hadn’t heard of Temu until her customers began sending her screenshots of the site, which listed counterfeit versions of her earrings — and even used her own product images. “They will pull every picture off our website,” she says. Even now, her customers will tag her in a Temu ad or comment on Temu’s Instagram post when they spot counterfeits, but their loyalty can backfire: “The problem is that the second they start talking about Temu or commenting on their post, Temu’s ads start coming to them hot and heavy.” Roberts and her lawyer, Andrea Sager, say they have submitted takedown requests for copied products dozens of times, most of which have been futile — only after Time published an article about her stolen designs did Roberts receive a message from a Temu employee letting her know that they had removed the counterfeit products. Sager, who represents small-business owners, says she is constantly on Temu’s website looking for her clients’ work. (“Temu has strict policies against sellers who infringe on intellectual-property rights,” a spokesperson said. “When we receive reports of infringement, we promptly investigate each case and take appropriate action.”)

What are the weirdest things Temu sells?

Many of the oddest wares I came across on Temu call to mind the Japanese term chindōgu , which literally translates to “unusual tool” and denotes a bewildering but impressive Japanese invention that solves an ultraspecific problem: butter in the form of a glue stick, a fan attachment for chopsticks to cool down noodles, a toilet-roll dispenser affixed to a headband for chronic nose-blowers. One day, on a whim, I typed the word silicone into the search bar, which yielded a seven-piece set of soft silicone body parts for piercing practice , silicone foot models, a silicone back-scrubber belt , sex dolls that looked like AI avatars in three dimensions , and an “artificial booty shaper” that was basically a pair of flesh-colored underwear made of silicone with extra padding on the butt (and a butt crack to make it look more realistic).

What happens when you buy something?

To find out, I placed two orders. My total haul, which was 29 items chosen through a mix of recommendations, curiosity, and personal need, came out to $120.08. From the moment I hit “purchase” to when the packages arrived from China, I received 12 emails updating me on their every move. Each order came in a large white plastic mailing bag. Inside, many of the items appeared to be in their original factory packaging, labeled with the manufacturer’s name, address, and batch number.

Is there anything a buyer should be wary of?

We asked people to share their biggest Temu flops. If there’s anything to stay away from, Evans says, it’s video games, especially those for the Nintendo Switch. Even if they look very realistic, there’s a chance that they could be counterfeit. Installing them, he has heard, can get your Switch console banned. Dorothy’s Temu fail was a nearly five-foot-tall stuffed giraffe she bought for her grandson — it was also one of the more expensive items she has ever bought on the site, at $63. When the giraffe arrived, it wouldn’t stand on its legs, so her grandson had no choice but to play with what resembled a wounded animal.

My own experience confirmed that no matter what category you’re looking at, Temu can be hit or miss. The first order, which took seven days to arrive, contained wireless earbuds, a compact desktop vacuum cleaner, ear-protection covers, silicone socks, white foam slippers, a neck fan, a gooseneck phone holder, and a Montessori tooth model, which I had hoped would convince my toddler to brush his own teeth. The silicone socks were covered in a fine white powder; the neck fan’s cooling power was weak. While Evans had spoken highly of the electronics, the wireless earbuds simply refused to connect to my phone, and I could not figure out how to use the vacuum cleaner.

But when my second package came, ten days after the order date, I was pleasantly surprised. There were still some duds, like a heated eyelash curler that performed worse than the non-heated ones that I already own and a pair of silicone stick-on nipple covers that were not as sticky as I would have liked. Still, I was satisfied with the quality of the wet bag for diapers and clothes, the tabi socks , a pair of grippy socks that can be used for Pilates , and this precision pin-tail comb with a stainless-steel tip , which has a substantial weight to it and is very similar to this Y.S. Park one I have that costs ten times more.

Okay, but was anything you ordered actually good ?

YouTuber Matt Shaver told me he’d had good luck with Temu’s jeans, which inspired me to try some for myself. After some browsing, I landed on this $19.11 pair — both because I liked their baggy shape and contrast stitching, and also because they had the highest percentage of cotton (95 percent cotton, 5 percent polyester). These jeans ended up being my most shocking discovery: comfortable, snug around the waist but baggy through the legs (which is how I like jeans to fit), and remarkably reminiscent of the much beloved Rudy Jude utility jeans and these double-knee painter pants by Stan Ray . Upon closer examination, some of the seamwork reveals the lower quality, but the jeans are no worse than what you would buy at any other apparel chain that makes its clothes in China (like Gap or Zara). My other Temu win was this two-in-one box cutter and thermal-paper corrector , which works a bit like magic: You swipe it across a label taped to a box that you want to reuse and the label’s text disappears.

Is there any way to decrease my odds of buying pure junk?

On a Reddit thread , one user shared a hack for finding quality products on Temu: Simply locate an item with excellent reviews on Amazon, upload the image to Google Lens, and “you will almost always find links to the exact same item on Temu for a much lower price.” If you’re looking at a Temu listing that doesn’t have quite enough information, you can do the same trick in reverse to read the product’s Amazon reviews.

How much Temu are Americans buying?

In December, research firm Cargo Facts Consulting aggregated data showing that Temu shipped around 4,000 tons of goods per day. In the same way that Temu has bypassed typical wholesalers to work directly with factories, the company has also done something unprecedented in the air-cargo industry: working directly with commercial airlines themselves rather than exclusively through freight forwarders, which it’s able to do because of its massive volume of goods. Sunandan Ray, CEO of freight-forwarding company Unique Logistics International, claims that, to expand shipping capacity, Temu has even gone directly to charter-flight operators — which would mean the company is effectively hiring an entire plane for its own purposes. “The airlines themselves cannot cope with this traffic, so Temu needs other options,” says Ray. Temu is shipping such an enormous volume of goods to the U.S. that it has helped spur the recovery of the air-cargo industry, which had flagged during the pandemic. Niall van de Wouw, the Chief Airfreight Officer at freight analytics company Xeneta , compares Temu’s effect on the air-cargo industry to the role PPE like N95 masks played at the start of the pandemic in 2020. “It’s nearly impossible to have a conversation about air freight in Asia-Pacific and not mention Temu or Shein,” he says.   

How are USPS drivers feeling about Temu?

Sean Fogelson, a former USPS delivery person in Cincinnati who works as a comedian, heard about Temu in June 2023 after orders started taking over his delivery load: “It just kept coming, and I’m like, What the hell is this shit, man? ” He coined the term Temu tired, which was the basis of a TikTok video that went viral.

Fogelson was especially frustrated with Temu’s packaging — the way the company would put an entire order’s worth of items in a single bag (as opposed to a sturdier box). On the USPS sub-Reddit, others agreed, harping especially on the “shrink wrap”–like packaging that often turns the parcel into an unwieldy, irregularly shaped object. Schlepping several of these packages around can be particularly burdensome for carriers because they can’t always fit them into their satchels.

Is the company spending a fortune on import taxes?

No. In fact, it’s spending very little by taking advantage of a consumer loophole known as the de minimis value, which applies to shipments so small they don’t warrant taxes or duty. In the U.S., shipments that contain merchandise with a value under $800 do not need to pay duties. The average Temu order size is $25, according to a Wired report , so the majority fall under the exemption.

According to a May 2023 report delivered to Congress, Temu and Shein were likely responsible for more than 30 percent of incoming international shipments falling under the de minimis provision. In 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection cleared 685 million de minimis shipments. The report points out that Temu’s business model relies on this provision, which allows the company to circumvent compliance with forced-labor restrictions, customs duties, and facing “the same level of customs scrutiny that other retailers might face” since de minimis shipments also bypass inspection. In 2022, Gap, for instance, paid $700 million in import taxes, H&M paid $205 million, and Shein and Temu paid zero.

What about the labor conditions?

Because Temu does not own its products or operate its own factories, the origins of its goods can be difficult to trace. Still, both the U.S. government and experts have claimed that Temu is laissez-faire when it comes to keeping its supply chains free of slave labor. According to a report published by Congress in June 2023, Temu admitted that it does not prohibit third parties from selling products originating from Xinjiang, where Uyghurs have been abused. And the tech firm Ultra analyzed shipping data and concluded that many of the products listed on Temu’s sister platform, Pinduoduo, some of which were also listed on Temu, came from companies in Xinjiang. (“We strictly prohibit the use of involuntary labor and expect our business partners and sellers to ensure they are compliant with platform rules and the law,” a spokesperson said.)

Are Shein and Temu friends?

Even though their offerings are different, there is certainly some overlap in what the two companies sell — enough to fuel an acrimonious rivalry. In December 2022, just three months after Temu launched Stateside, Shein filed a lawsuit against Temu, accusing the company of paying social-media influencers to make “false and deceptive statements” about Shein and creating fake Shein accounts on Twitter that “[tricked] consumers into believing Temu [was] associated with the brand.” (Temu said it “strongly and categorically rejects all allegations.”) In July 2023, Temu hit back with its own suit against Shein, accusing the fast-fashion retailer of “[forcing] manufacturers to sign loyalty oaths certifying that they will not do business with Temu.” (Both lawsuits were dropped in October.)

On December 13, 2023, Temu filed another lawsuit against Shein. The 100-page complaint accused Shein of using “mafia-style intimidation” against suppliers who “[dared] to work with Temu,” which included “physical detention … personal threats, and illegal seizures of merchants’ personal devices” to access Temu’s confidential information and trade secrets. (One supplier’s representatives, according to the lawsuit, were held in a small room at Shein’s office for up to ten hours.) In pages of corporate trash talk, Temu alleges that Shein did this to persuade suppliers to sign exclusivity contracts and that Shein had illegally seized IP rights. The lawsuit also purports that Shein bombarded Temu with fake copyright takedown requests — 33,000 over ten months — and blatantly copied Temu’s games and “arcade-style” look by poaching its marketing employees. Read the entirety of the lawsuit here .

Is it tee-mo o or teh-moo ?

In its 2023 Super Bowl ad, the company referred to itself as tee-moo (allegedly derived from its motto, “Team up, price down”). Then, in the 2024 Super Bowl commercial, the pronunciation switched to teh-moo. Michael Gross, managing director of the agency hired to produce the ad’s music, said Temu gave them no explanation; the company’s only instruction was to make sure the new pronunciation was heard several times throughout the jingle.

“Team up, price down” — what does that mean?

Group buying, known as tuán gòu in Chinese, involves offering discounted rates for bulk purchases, a concept Temu employs to incentivize consumers’ buying behavior. This is a common practice in China, where community leaders such as grocery-store owners and housewives will gather groups of buyers (often through messenger services like WeChat) who want to go in on a wholesale order together — whether that be groceries or household items like toilet paper. Collective purchases like this give the group access to lower prices. More recently, Chinese e-commerce websites like Temu have applied group-buying tactics both by selling products in bulk at low prices and by offering referral programs through which customers can unlock discounts by sharing links with friends and family.

If I start shopping on Temu, will I be able to stop?

As far as we know, no formal studies have been conducted that showed a link between Temu and a shopping addiction. Still, there are several Facebook groups for “Temu addicts,” and Reddit posts abound with individuals complaining that their mother-in-law or husband — or even themselves — is addicted to Temu. Ngai, the TikTok influencer, describes the experience as being “led down this rabbit hole. It’s Amazon but on steroids. It was just this endless scroll that you could go on for days.” Part of the hook, several shoppers told us, is the sense of embarking on a treasure hunt. “Temu very much feels like the 2024 version of the dollar store when I want to walk around and buy a couple of random things. It’s fun. It’s a little problematic but, largely speaking, appears to be pretty solid,” says Evans, the gadget reviewer. Dorothy, the super-user, is a dedicated shopper of Ross and Primark but says that after a long day at work, there’s something particularly soothing about scrolling through Temu “to see if there’s anything special today.”

I heard Temu is especially popular among boomer women. Why?

The site’s most loyal shoppers are those in the 59-and-older demographic — which has provoked everything from disdain and alarm to pure exasperation from younger generations (a recent Business Insider headline: “Is Your Mom a ‘Temu Victim’?”). Several experts have attributed this to the site’s design, which looks more accessible than Amazon’s. Another has suggested that older shoppers, if they’re less tech-savvy, may be more vulnerable to the psychological manipulations of Temu’s casinolike design. Nostalgia may also be at play: One older shopper told Business Insider that Temu’s offerings remind him of what he used to find on late-night infomercials. Another shopper said the site echoes the now-extinct experience of coming across strange gadgets and knickknacks in the checkout line of Bed Bath & Beyond.

What is this Boston address that shows up when I Google Temu?

Most of the business, including the entire engineering team, is based in China. But Temu is also registered as WhaleCo, Inc., in Massachusetts and headquartered in Boston at 31 Saint James Avenue, Suite 355. Little is known about the operations of the American office. “Temu chose Boston for its office in the U.S. because it offers access to skilled talent and convenient global transportation links,” a company spokesperson said. Deighton’s hypothesis is that the office serves as “an advertising buying station,” i.e., a small team of people whose sole function is to bid on Google AdWords and the like — though this is only a guess. “Somebody has to be placing those orders, and someone’s negotiating quantity discounts with Yahoo and so on,” he says.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels . We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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