The first boardwalk was built in Atlantic City in 1870, when a railroad conductor was asked to find a way to prevent sand from filling shorefront hotel entryways. Coney Island (pictured) in New York also includes roller coasters, carnival attractions and other slices of Americana.
Seaside boardwalks —
The first boardwalk was built in Atlantic City in 1870, when a railroad conductor was asked to find a way to prevent sand from filling shorefront hotel entryways. Coney Island (pictured) in New York also includes roller coasters, carnival attractions and other slices of Americana.
Bob Jagendorf
Two and a half hours northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Taos Pueblo is a village of adobe buildings that has been continually occupied by Native Americans for more than a thousand years.
Taos Pueblo —
Two and a half hours northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Taos Pueblo is a village of adobe buildings that has been continually occupied by Native Americans for more than a thousand years.
John W. Shulze
The Super Bowl is huge, but the purest way to experience the American-branded mix of militant strategics, refined athleticism and noble savagery is at a college football game. At fields such as the University of Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium (pictured) prepare for some neck spittle.
College football —
The Super Bowl is huge, but the purest way to experience the American-branded mix of militant strategics, refined athleticism and noble savagery is at a college football game. At fields such as the University of Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium (pictured) prepare for some neck spittle.
Chuck Thompson/CNN
Someday, media roundups of colorful American spectacles won't include the annual Burning Man gathering in Black Rock, Nevada. But that won't be for a long, long time.
Burning Man —
Someday, media roundups of colorful American spectacles won't include the annual Burning Man gathering in Black Rock, Nevada. But that won't be for a long, long time.
Epona Music
Blues music grew up in the juke joints of the South. A few classic juke joints, like Mr. Handy's Blues Hall in Memphis (pictured) still remain. You'll find more along Highway 61, aka the Blues Highway, which stretches from New Orleans to the town of Wyoming, Minnesota, an American experience in and of itself.
Juke joints —
Blues music grew up in the juke joints of the South. A few classic juke joints, like Mr. Handy's Blues Hall in Memphis (pictured) still remain. You'll find more along Highway 61, aka the Blues Highway, which stretches from New Orleans to the town of Wyoming, Minnesota, an American experience in and of itself.
Jewell Willett
Chicago's Wrigley Field has a classic jewel box design -- green seats, open roof, exposed steel, brick, stone -- with ball-swallowing ivy-covered walls, bleacher bums and passing El trains.
Wrigley Field —
Chicago's Wrigley Field has a classic jewel box design -- green seats, open roof, exposed steel, brick, stone -- with ball-swallowing ivy-covered walls, bleacher bums and passing El trains.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images/File
Other countries have Christmas lights (fairy lights, in the UK), but no one else takes the task of impressing the neighbors quite as seriously as Americans.
Outdoor Christmas lights —
Other countries have Christmas lights (fairy lights, in the UK), but no one else takes the task of impressing the neighbors quite as seriously as Americans.
Taber Andrew Bain
Soul food makes the list because it's delicious, unapologetically artery-clogging and it brings us face to face with our turbulent past. Sylvia's in New York (pictured) may be the most well known.
Soul food —
Soul food makes the list because it's delicious, unapologetically artery-clogging and it brings us face to face with our turbulent past. Sylvia's in New York (pictured) may be the most well known.
Mario Tama/Getty Images/File
Other countries have horse races, but none were founded by the grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Also, those races don't have a traditional drink made of bourbon (mint julep), nor do they encourage everyone to dress like a flamboyant Southern aristocrat.
Kentucky Derby —
Other countries have horse races, but none were founded by the grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Also, those races don't have a traditional drink made of bourbon (mint julep), nor do they encourage everyone to dress like a flamboyant Southern aristocrat.
Rob Carr/Getty Images/File
The United States has more than 1,300 megachurches. More than 50 draw a weekly attendance between 10,000 and 45,000, such as New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia (pictured).
Megachurches —
The United States has more than 1,300 megachurches. More than 50 draw a weekly attendance between 10,000 and 45,000, such as New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia (pictured).
John Amis-Pool/Getty Images/File