Best time to visit the United States

If your idea of the perfect winter's day involves skiing, snowshoeing, sledding (and maybe a hot chocolate or two), a trip to Colorado is just the ticket. Known locally as the "gateway to the Rockies", Colorado is home to Rocky Mountain National Park, where hardy hikers can strap on a pair of snowshoes and explore an unspoiled, frozen landscape. Colorado also has some of the country's most famous ski resorts, like Aspen, Breckenridge, Steamboat and Telluride, so if your vibe is a little less action sports and a little more drinks by the fire, you'll feel right at home in one of the resort lodges.

If cold winters just aren't your thing, channel your inner snowbird and head south for the winter. In contrast to the oppressively humid summers, winters in Southern US cities like New Orleans, Nashville and Miami are sunny but cool and relatively dry. By visiting in February, you'll also conveniently miss hurricane season, which descends on southern states from June to November and often significantly impacts coastal areas.

If you're looking to really see the soul of the South, plan your visit around New Orleans' carnival season, which kicks off in early January and concludes in mid-February with the most epic of festivals: Mardi Gras. There's nothing quite like celebrating Fat Tuesday in NOLA, so join the revelry and let the good times roll.

The Southwestern US is known for its otherworldly scenery, from magical crimson rocks and statuesque saguaro cacti in Arizona to towering sandstone spires and rose-colored hoodoos in Utah. These popular desert landscapes can be absolutely scorching in the summer months, with intensely hot sun and temps surpassing 100°F, so a springtime trip is perfect for those who want to explore comfortably. Plus, the parks are usually much less crowded in the spring, which means fewer people to compete for the best photo ops with.

Utah and Arizona's proximity to one another makes Southwest road trips a breeze, and in under a week, you can be sliding through slot canyons in Zion National Park, conquering buttes in Sedona and catching spectacular sunsets in Arches National Park.

Spring is a great time to visit California's coast, cities and parks before crowds and temps peak in the high summer. Days will be sunny and warm but not stiflingly hot, ideal for driving up the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, celeb-spotting in Los Angeles, or chilling on the beach in Santa Monica.

In May, Yosemite National Park is a traveler's dream; peak runoff season is between April and May, so waterfalls are particularly showstopping this time of year. Flowers are blooming, wildlife is becoming more active and by late May, the picturesque road over Tioga Pass should be fully open for vehicles. The park sees most crowds between July and August, so you'll have a better chance of snagging accommodation by visiting earlier in the year.

Summertime is officially here, baby! June's summer solstice brings a whopping 18-20 hours of glorious sunlight per day in Alaska, so if you're itching for some outdoor adventures, now is your chance. With the dark, freezing winter days in the rearview, roads into Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park will be melted and accessible, and wildlife will be active. Get ready to spot bears congregating near salmon-stuffed streams, pods of migrating grey whales, as well as caribou, moose and Dall sheep.

Daytime temperatures are cool but comfortable, ideal for hiking, kayaking, glacier walking, or just wandering around Anchorage for some brewery and museum-hopping.

In the high summer months, parts of the country can get uncomfortably or even dangerously hot (we're looking at you, Death Valley), which makes July a perfect time to head to the northern states. Although Montana and Wyoming do have a handful of pretty hot days, temperatures drop significantly with elevation, so you'll be able to hike, swim and explore comfortably inside the national parks.

By late June/early July, roads will be free of snow and accessible to vehicles, so you can travel the length of Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Grand Loop in Yellowstone, keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife. Since certain roads in the parks are only fully open for a short window, be prepared for a surge in visitors at this time. Arriving at the parks on the early side and booking accommodation well in advance is always a good idea.

Although the Pacific Northwest is known for being relatively rainy and gloomy for most of the year, its summers truly shine. August is the warmest and driest month in this region, with long sunny days perfect for exploring some of the most wild, rugged landscapes in the US. This month, you'll be able to spot glaciers from wildflower-laden hiking trails in Mount Rainier National Park, camp along the sea-stack-dotted coastline in Olympic National Park, or simply enjoy wandering the quirky neighborhoods of Seattle and Portland... no umbrella needed.

Foliage enthusiasts get in formation! By October, the deciduous forests of the Northeast have turned, and fall colors are in full swing. It's a magical time to be in Vermont, where the maple trees in the Green Mountains are ablaze with dazzling reds and oranges, and the villages are full of locals and visitors enjoying fall activities. So grab your camera, a flannel and a cold pumpkin beer, and enjoy the show.

Winter in parts of the US can start to see freezing temps and snowfall, but California's surreal and dramatic desert landscapes are finally cooling down to palatable levels. So, if you're up for trading your winter wonderland for a desert one, Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley are both gorgeous in December. Although the nights can get chilly, the days are mild, and you can hike Ryan Mountain or Badwater Basin without the threat of melting. Plus, Joshua Tree is a designated International Dark Sky Park, and its incredible stargazing opportunities might just rival twinkling Christmas lights.