Take a Roadtrip Through the States and Identify These Landmarks

WORLD

By: Beth Hendricks

7 Min Quiz

Image: Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

"This land is your land, this land is my land/From California to the Staten New York Island ... " Remember that song? You probably sang it as a kid (we did), and your heart would swell with pride thinking of this land that was "made for you and me." 

There's a lot of history to be found in this land. From the birthplace of a nation, Philadelphia, to the current capital, Washington, D.C.; from the bright lights of New York City to the vast solitude of the Grand Canyon; from an "arch" to a "needle" to a "crater," a single road trip, properly planned, can take you on highways and byways in and around some of the United States' most notable landmarks.

Music lover? Head to Graceland. Thrill seeker? They'll let you jump off the New River Gorge Bridge (on one particular day, that is)! Equestrian? Churchill Downs will be your speed. And don't forget about the Alamo! (See what we did there?)

The question is, can you identify some of America's most notable sites? Take the clues offered in this quiz and a handy screenshot for an extra hint and identify these road trip hot spots. Who knows, there may even be one or two that aren't accessible by car! So, buckle up, grab some snacks, and set off on the road trip of a lifetime!


Homeless and tempest-tost: Which of these well-known statues bears the words of "The New Colossus" on it?

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free ... " You recognize those words from the poet Emma Lazarus, right? They are prominently featured on the pedestal upon which the Statue of Liberty stands.

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This landmark's signature color was initially meant to be only its primer. Which one connects a bay to the ocean?

The Golden Gate Bridge's distinctive orange color was actually never meant to be; the orange was intended to be a primer only. Architects intended it to be blue and yellow to help it be more visible, but the color it is, dubbed "international orange," also accomplished that task.

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The artist behind this landmark died before it was completed; his son took over. Which of these is it?

Mount Rushmore, a landmark that bears the faces of four famous presidents, was started in 1927 by Gutzon Borglum. Unfortunately, he died before the project was done, leaving his son to complete it in 1941.

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Nearly 100 died during the construction of this landmark that sits on the Nevada-Arizona border. What is it called?

The Hoover Dam claimed the lives of 96 people during its construction, including those who perished through drowning, rock slides, falls, truck accidents and injuries sustained after being hit by heavy machinery. Despite the number of deaths there (and plenty of rumors), no one is buried at the site.

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It's the world's tallest arch and its legs were built separately and then joined. (Wow!) Which is it?

The Gateway Arch, sometimes referred to as the St. Louis Arch, or just "The Arch," had an interesting construction history. Its two legs were built separately and then joined at the top, which required perfectly precise measurements.

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You can still see bullet holes in the facade of this Texas landmark. Which of these is it?

Despite the building undergoing numerous renovations in its 275-plus-year history, repairers have not touched the bullet holes on its front. Though weathering has made them more challenging to spot, if you look closely, you'll see them!

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Most people know it as "The Bean," but artist Sir Anish Kapoor might take issue with that. What is its actual name?

Chicago's "The Bean," a nickname derived from the structure's shape, is officially known as Cloud Gate, the work of an Indian-born British artist named Sir Anish Kapoor. Rumor has it that Kapoor initially hated the nickname, but eventually embraced it.

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The last ringing of this Philly landmark occurred in 1846 to commemorate George Washington's birthday. What is it?

The Liberty Bell, housed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, rang for the final time on the anniversary of George Washington's birthday — February 22, 1846. No one is sure when it cracked, but that's how it still appears today.

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That's deep: You could put One World Trade Center in this body of water, with room to spare. Which landmark is it?

Oregon's Crater Lake is deep — really deep. At its deepest, it extends 1,943 feet. With One World Trade Center in New York measuring 1,776 feet, you could submerge the entire building in the lake and still have roughly 167 feet to spare.

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This landmark draws the most visitors annually of any U.S. attraction, with more than 50 million. What is it called?

New York's Times Square is a bustling expanse of space in an already bustling city. It attracts 50 million visitors annually, including one million on New Year's Eve, making it the United States' most-visited attraction.

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It erupts 17 times each day, which likely contributes to its name. Which of these landmarks are we referencing?

Yellowstone's Old Faithful is known to erupt roughly 17 times each day ... um, faithfully? Is there really any better name for this geyser? It has been called Old Faithful since 1870.

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Stinky! This Seattle landmark only gets a professional cleaning every 47 year. What is it?

The Space Needle, which was built in 1961 for the following year's World's Fair, got its first professional cleaning in ... 2008. Say what? Hey, it's hard to thoroughly clean a structure that's more than 600 feet tall!

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This Tennessee spot is second only to the White House in terms of "home" visits annually. What is it called?

Graceland, the one-time private residence of Elvis Presley, claims that honor. It is considered the second most-visited home in the country each year, with roughly 700,000 people paying it a house call.

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It's more commonly known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, but what is this landmark's official name?

The Marine Corps War Memorial, located in Arlington, Virginia, is more frequently called the Iwo Jima Memorial, thanks to a photograph taken of the second flag-raising on Iwo Jima. That photograph won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945.

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Now that's clever: This building looks like a pyramid on the ground, but a record player from the air. Which landmark are we referencing?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the banks of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, was designed by superstar architect I.M. Pei. If you're on the street, it just looks like a pyramid, but if you grab a glance from the air, the property takes on the appearance of a record player.

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This landmark commemorates "a day that will live in infamy." What is it?

Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Pearl Harbor National Memorial commemorates the attack on Pearl Harbor that led to World War II, "a day that will live in infamy," according to then-President Franklin Roosevelt.

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Located in Selma, Alabama, this landmark is best known for a march that included civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. What is it called?

The Edmund Pettus Bridge came to be known as an important landmark in the civil rights movement, when King and others crossed it in a march to Montgomery, Alabama. The bridge was also the site of Bloody Sunday, a confrontation between police and marchers.

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You can thank a significant piece of paper for the naming of this Philadelphia tourist attraction. What is it?

Does the Declaration of Independence ring a bell (no Liberty Bell pun, intended)? Independence Hall stands in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a place of historical significance. The U.S. Constitution also collected signatures here.

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The island earned its name for brown pelicans that used to inhabit it. What do we know it as?

We know it as a now-defunct prison island, but Alcatraz actually used to be called, "La Isla de los Alcatraces," or "Island of the Pelicans." Of course, it's better known today for its celebrity inmates, including Al Capone.

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It might be America's most significant "rock." What do we call it?

Plymouth Rock, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, holds historical significance as the believed landing spot of the Pilgrims who first came to the New World. Today, a piece of the rock is situated under a portico at the site in Plymouth.

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The first dome ever placed on an American home belongs to this residence built by Thomas Jefferson. What is it called?

Monticello, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, was built by Thomas Jefferson, with construction commencing in 1768. In 1800, the dome was added, making it the first home in the United States to have such a feature.

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A pack of cigarettes served as the inspiration for this Chicago landmark. What is it called?

Willis Tower, formerly (and better) known as Sears Tower, got its design inspo from a pack of cigarettes ... and we're not blowing smoke! Designers on the project pulled cigarettes out of a pack and held them at different heights, simulating the tubular design of today's tower.

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When you build a home on a waterfall, you can't be shocked when it has structural problems. Which landmark attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright are we referencing?

Located in Pennsylvania, Fallingwater is, in fact, built on "falling water," a waterfall to be exact. The Frank Lloyd Wright design, built for Edgar J. Kaufmann, suffers from structural issues today, but it's still super cool to look at!

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More than 400,000 are buried here, including former President John F. Kennedy. What frequently-visited cemetery is it?

Arlington National Cemetery, situated just outside the nation's capital, is somewhat of a tourist stop in its own right. Perhaps its most famous resting place belongs to former President John F. Kennedy, where you can view the Eternal Flame.

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This Arizona feature is 18 miles wide at its widest point. What do we know it as?

The Grand Canyon, which occupies 1,900 square miles in Arizona, is four miles wide at its most narrow point and 18 miles wide at its widest. And it's still not the widest canyon out there; you'd have to travel to Tibet to find that.

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This fort was built to offer protection to the Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. What is its name?

Fort Sumter, which sits in the Charleston Harbor off of Charleston, South Carolina, has deeper historical significance than just a point of protection. Fort Sumter was host to a battle that essentially started the Civil War.

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There's no shopping here, but there's plenty to see. What is the two-mile-long park in Washington, D.C., known as?

Sorry, shopaholics, the National Mall doesn't have a thing to do with shopping. It is a two-mile-long stretch of park in Washington, D.C., that plays host to sites like the Washington and Lincoln Memorials.

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He was 6-ft.,4-in. tall in real life, but if you travel to this landmark, you can see him in 19-ft.-tall form. What attraction is it?

The Lincoln Memorial, built in tribute to the 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, portrays the former leader as larger than life — 19 feet tall! In real life, Lincoln was no slouch, coming in at more than 6 feet tall.

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This grandiose home is the site of the United States' most-visited winery. What is the North Carolina-based estate called?

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, houses the United States' most-visited winery. Luckily, if you overindulge, there are 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms on the estate to help you out.

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It starts at Boston Common and ends at the USS Constitution, but do you know its name?

Freedom Trail was conceived of by journalist William Schofield, who wanted a walking trail in his city that could connect many of its important historical landmarks. Among its many stops are Paul Revere's house and the Bunker Hill Monument.

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Made entirely of adobe, this New Mexico landmark is more than 1,000 years old and 7,200 feet in elevation. What is it called?

Taos Pueblo is unusual because it is both a sacred site and a landmark of interest to tourists. Located at 7,200 feet elevation, it is composed entirely of adobe, a mixture of sand, clay sand, grass and straw.

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Don't take this Georgia site for "granite"; it is the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. What is it known as?

Stone Mountain? It kind of makes you wonder why they didn't name it Granite Mountain! Situated in Georgia, Stone Mountain holds the distinction of being the largest chunk of exposed granite anywhere in the world.

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During the Cold War, this site was equipped to host the entire U.S. Congress. What is the name of this West Virginia attraction?

Today, the Greenbrier is known as a world-class resort, but for years, it could've been the seat of the U.S. government, if necessary. A large underground bunker still exists under the complex today, large enough to house the entire U.S. Congress.

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One thousand feet wide and 460 feet high at its tallest point, this Las Vegas landmark is refreshing in more ways than one. What is it?

The Bellagio Fountains are a Las Vegas landmark in their own right. More than 1,200 fountains span 1,000 feet delivering choreographed shows set to music and lights. At the highest point, the fountains reach 460 feet in the air.

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This landmark often gets overshadowed by Mount Rushmore, but it's a legitimate attraction in its own right, even though it's still under construction. What it is called?

The Crazy Horse Memorial, located in South Dakota, often takes a backseat to Mount Rushmore, but its significance is just as important — a memorial to the cultures and traditions of Native Americans. It has been under construction since the 1940s!

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns this impressive structure that took 40 years to build. Do you know what it is?

The Salt Lake Temple, part of Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City, is the largest Mormon temple in the entire world. No wonder it took four decades to complete from start to finish!

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The first successful flight, which lasted all of 12 seconds, has a landmark in its honor in North Carolina. What is it called?

The Wright Brothers are typically believed to be the first to coordinate a successful flight, which lasted 12 seconds and spanned 120 feet. In honor of that achievement, the Wright Brothers National Memorial was created at the site of the achievement.

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Three-quarters of a million people "travel" through this New York landmark daily. What do we know it as?

Whether you call it Grand Central Station or Grand Central Terminal, the result is the same: Thousands and thousands of daily commuters traveling from point A to point B. By some estimates, the number can reach one million daily during the holidays.

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Feeling patriotic? "The Star-Spangled Banner" was birthed in which of these fort landmarks?

Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, should hold a special place in the hearts of all patriotic Americans. It is, after all, the site where Francis Scott Key penned the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

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At 45 feet tall and 350 feet long, this L.A. landmark was actually created to sell real estate, not movie tickets. What is it?

The Hollywood Sign seems like it should've been created for the glitz and glamour of the movie lifestyle, but it actually wasn't. Instead, it was created to be a larger-than-life billboard advertising the Hollywoodland real estate development.

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