We may talk a lot of smack about life in these United States, but that’s only because we love America so much.
How could we improve life for everyone if we didn’t point out the flaws?
Despite the country’s problems, which we’re more than happy to discuss, there are a lot of good things about America that we don’t always take the time to appreciate.
That changes today.
Good Things About America
“Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain…”
America is beautiful and spacious. The country features millions of acres of farmland perfect for growing grains, purplish mountains overlooking great plains, and two massive shining oceans.
The song doesn’t lie.
But there’s so much more to the wonderful country than America the Beautiful could ever hope to describe.
Here we’re highlighting the best things about America.
Innovation
The best thing about America is its innovative spirit. From Henry Ford to Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla to Steve Jobs, American innovators changed the world.
American innovation created assembly lines, automobiles, airplanes, computers, and social media. The country’s impressive achievements serve as a testament to human innovation.
What else will it imagine?
All the Open Spaces
America is a massive country with vast swaths of unpopulated, open land. Travelers to the Western states marvel at the natural beauty, clear skies, and starry nights of the undisturbed space.
Some places out west have so little light pollution that you can see the Milky Way in all its majestic glory. You can book a cabin in a remote forest and not see another human being for days.
If you want to get away from it all and enjoy solitude, America is the best place to do it.
Road Trips
America’s sprawling freeway system makes it the best country in the world for road trips. But it’s not just the freeways; it’s all the cool things you can find along the way!
The States burst with charming small towns and random roadside attractions. See the biggest ball of twine, Carhenge, Dinosaur Park, or Wall Drug. Explore the random little towns you’ll find scattered along highways.
And of course, make sure you play some of America’s iconic road trip games to pass the time on the long journey.
Entertainment
The US is a world leader in entertainment culture. We export our Hollywood films globally, and the biggest bands from the States tend to be popular around the world.
Most cities and states also do a great job of bringing that entertainment to the people. Every major city has concert venues, movie theaters, and auditoriums that attract shows, bands, and acts for nearly all tastes.
Even most rural areas are just a few hours’ drive from a mid-sized city offering entertainment options.
National Parks
Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, developed the National Parks System, with the idea that the country’s majestic lands belong to the people.
Today, it’s one of the best things about America.
The National Park Service protects millions of acres of federal land and allows tourists to explore the natural beauty hidden throughout the country. Parks include ancient forests, epic desert canyons, mountains, rivers, and beaches.
Millions of tourists visit the parks yearly to enjoy hiking, fishing, serene views, and the great outdoors.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
One of the good things about America is that we try to make sure everyone can participate in society.
The ADA is the gold standard for how a country should make spaces accessible. It ensures that a paraplegic person can access pretty much any commercial building in the country while also protecting the disabled against workplace discrimination.
Most other countries don’t have the same protections for disabled citizens. Many older cities were built well before we thought to care, making it difficult for the wheelchair bound to navigate the city streets.
America may not always succeed at accessibility, but at least we try.
A Better Life is Possible
America is the land of opportunity. Although some will insist it’s getting harder and harder to get ahead in the States, they can’t ignore that it’s still possible.
Only in America can a refugee come with nothing, work hard, and create opportunities for their children. Only in America can the children of poor, working-class people go to medical school and become doctors.
Although we can’t hide that it’s harder to jump social classes than in previous decades, we must acknowledge that with hard work and perseverance, it is still POSSIBLE.
It’s not in a lot of other places in the world.
Friendly
Americans are a friendly bunch.
We make small talk in cashier lines and on the commuter bus. We wave to our neighbors whom we’ve never actually spoken to.
People from other countries sometimes find this open behavior baffling, but some love it.
Americans usually go out of their way to make other people feel welcome (in person – your mileage will definitely vary online!)
Regional Cuisine
One of the best things about America that we rarely stop to consider is the variety of flavor scattered around the country.
America isn’t homogeneous, and that’s a good thing! Each city developed its own unique culture, making a trip across the US almost like a trip through different countries.
We’ve developed regional cuisines based on immigrant groups and ecosystems, offering a broad range of culinary delights depending on where you visit.
Travelers to New Orleans can sample the unique Cajun and Creole-style dishes the city made famous, while those visiting the Northeast can enjoy fantastic chowders and lobster.
You can visit Chicago and New York to see who really has the best pizza and hot dogs (hint: it’s Chicago!), head to Nashville for spicy chicken, or journey across the South to discover who really does BBQ right.
If you’re looking for a unique food experience, head to one of the hipster cities like Portland or Seattle, which constantly compete for the title of “best foodie vacation spot.”
You’re likely to stumble upon an epic food culture anywhere you go in the US.
Diversity
Most big cities in the US showcase the best thing about the country: The diversity. People from all cultures, countries, races, creeds, and ethnicities come together in America, all hopeful that we can make the world a better place.
The country is a melting pot welcoming people from all over the world.
What makes an “American” isn’t your background. It’s an idea for the future and a way of life.
Anyone can be an American.
The diversity also breeds acceptance of new foods, ideas, traditions, decorations, and anything else. Americans want to try new things, implement new ideas, and learn the perspectives of others.
Those we like get incorporated into our giant pot, and our society is better because of it.
Ethnic Food
America’s diversity brings something no other country can match: a huge variety in authentic ethnic cuisine.
Travel to any big city, and you’ll find a wide variety of Asian, Mediterranean, and Latin American food. Many are owned by one-time immigrant families who brought their favorite recipes with them overseas, meaning you get to experience the real deal.
You can have a real Vietnamese banh mi for lunch and authentic street tacos for dinner, then top it off with delicious Italian gelato for dessert. It’s all standard fare in America.
Possibilities
Americans aren’t afraid to try new things. We believe the world is full of possibilities, and “let’s give it a try” is one of our top cultural phrases.
Part of it is our lack of a deep cultural tradition, and though some people might view that as a flaw, I see it as one of the good things about America.
We don’t have centuries of culture dictating how things should be done. That makes it easier to try new things, combine ideas others wouldn’t dream of, and create unique masterpieces.
Our lack of tradition allows us to freely explore new possibilities, and I think we’re better for it.
Our Traditions
I know I just said America lacks tradition, but that’s not really true.
America has a lot of wonderful traditions. They just aren’t so deeply rooted that we refuse to look at other ways of doing things.
Some of America’s beloved traditions include trick-or-treating, tailgating, baseball’s opening day, and our holiday celebrations.
Free Speech
Free speech stands as a crucial freedom we all too often take for granted. We can gather and badmouth our political leaders without a second thought. We can tweet our opinions on legislation, say we hate this political leader or that one, and discuss our thoughts on policy openly with our friends.
The First Amendment allows us to disagree with our political leaders without fear of reprisal. It’s one of the most incredible ideas our Founding Fathers provided the world, and we must ensure we don’t lose it.
All the Freedoms
The Bill of Rights guarantees all citizens the freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and more. Citizens can say whatever they want about the government without fear of reprisal. We can protest, tweet our opinions, and discuss our thoughts openly with our friends.
We can also worship when and how we want, and we’re protected from government overreach in our personal lives.
The Bill of Rights is one of the most incredible documents the Founding Fathers provided the world. It’s a model for a free people.
Unfortunately, some of our fundamental rights are currently at risk, but most citizens remain hopeful that sanity will win over fascist ideology.
Agriculture
When thinking about the good things about America, people often forget something that gave us all these opportunities in the first place: agriculture.
The United States has more arable land for agriculture than any other country in the world. As a bonus, our different ecosystems allow us to grow all types of food, like citrus in the south, grains in the Midwest, and potatoes in chilly Idaho.
Our ability to produce food ensures we’re self-reliant and helps us feed the world. We’re a land of plenty, so we can throw off our scarcity mindsets and enjoy abundance.
Fresh Water
Our agricultural prowess is only possible because of our easy access to fresh water. The United States borders the Great Lakes, some of the biggest freshwater lakes in the world, while the Mississippi River brings water to the Great Plains.
We also have massive mountain ranges that collect snow and ice all winter, providing fresh water runoff to the agricultural valleys below, and a climate pattern that ensures rainfall throughout the Midwest.
The abundance of fresh water is one of the best things about America that nobody ever thinks about.
Wages
Wages may be stagnant, but they’re usually higher than anywhere else. Engineers, scientists, and business people flock to the US for the fat salaries that are only available in this country.
Anyone who’s thought about moving to Europe for a “better quality of life” knows that their earning potential will be severely limited if they move.
Of course, there’s always a trade-off, as European countries enjoy a plethora of benefits that Americans don’t have, but if you’re in a high-paying industry, you’ll likely earn more in the US than anywhere else.
You’ve Got Options
The abundance of options on where to live is one of the underrated good things about America.
If you don’t like the culture or politics of your local neighborhood, you can pack up and move somewhere that’s a better fit.
We have red states and blue states, bustling cities and quaint villages, beach villas and mountain cabins.
No matter what your culture or interests are, you can probably find a place to live in the US that’s a good fit. But the options aren’t just for where to live – there are so many great places to visit in the US that it’s impossible to see them all!
NASA
If Americans have anything to be proud of, it’s NASA. Our space program is one of the best things about America.
NASA put men on the moon and rovers on Mars. It launched telescopes to the outer reaches of the Solar System and captured images of black holes.
Our knowledge of the galaxy wouldn’t be possible without NASA’s contributions.
First Market
Lots of fantastic products debut in the States before anywhere else. Americans get first dibs on the newest releases and latest technology.
I know it’s not as epic as some of the other things on this list, but being the first to access cool new stuff is a good thing about America that we sometimes take for granted.
National Security
If you want to avoid war on your soil, America is a great place to live.
The odds of a foreign country invading the US are extremely low. Massive oceans surround the country, which only shares a border with two other countries. A raging river defends the Southern border, while vast swaths of rugged forest make the Northern border nearly impenetrable.
In addition, the US spends far more money on national defense than any other country.
Of course, The United States is also a war-mongering country that causes many of the problems elsewhere, so we can all take this one with a grain of salt.
The Best of America
It’s impossible to cover all the wonderful things about America in one article. The country offers so much – from freedom to opportunity, diversity to innovation.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re perfect. The country still has massive problems, but we can celebrate the good things about America while fighting to improve the bad.
So what’s your favorite thing about America? Share in the comments!