The United States as a whole is a place of diversity and history. There is a lot of variety in the United States when choosing where to visit and where to avoid. If you have never visited the United States you may be asking which place is better to visit. The West Coast or the East Coast? Many people will have arguments for both coasts that will sound promising. However, the East Coast is by far much better, especially for first-time visitors to the United States. There are many reasons that the East Coast is better, and we will go through a lot of them.

There is a lot to experience in the United States, and it can be difficult to choose what you want to experience on your trip. Should you choose to visit Los Angeles or New York City? Do you even want to visit a big city? Perhaps amusement parks are more your speed. If you are considering any of those questions or statements then you might want to consider the East Coast as it has much more variety when it comes to things to do.

UPDATE: 2022/11/15 10:45 EST BY TYLER GOLEC

27 Reasons Why East Coast USA Is Better Than The West Coast

Now, this is a debate that will surely not end with this article, however, this article does serve as a great platform for travelers supporting the East Coast side of this argument. So, to make sure the argument of this article remains solid, updates have been made to its content and its list of reasons has been expanded. Our goal at TheTravel.com is to provide our readers with the best possible travel reading experience.

27 More States, More Variety

One thing the east coast has that the west coast doesn't is more states. The states on the West Coast are bigger and more spread out. The states on the East Coast are smaller and more compact. At first, this may sound like a bad thing, but that means you can travel to these areas more quickly and see many things on your journey. Each state on the East Coast has a different culture and there is plenty to choose from when it comes to stuff to do. If you want to vacation on a beach you can, or you can take a 3-hour drive to a large city.

26 Learn About The Salem Witch Trials In Salem, Massachusetts

The Salem Witch Trials were a huge event that took place in America. Salem, Massachusets was the main place where these trials took place. There was a suspicion that several people in Salem were practicing witchcraft, and they were punished by those who thought they were. There is plenty more to learn about the trials in Salem as they have set up several museums and monuments covering the event. There is the Salem Witch Museum where you can learn about the actual trials themselves, then there is the Witch House which teaches people about the age in which this happened. There is even a memorial honoring those who lost their lives in the trials.

25 See All The Seasons

The West Coast is known mostly to be hot and muggy. Either that or freezing in the more mountainous areas. Most of the West Coast doesn't get to experience all four seasons and gets the brunt of the two major seasons. However, on the East Coast people will be able to experience all four seasons. Even in places where it is hotter, the temperature will still cool down, and the leaves will still turn orange. If you want to see pure beauty take a road trip through West Virginia during fall before the leaves fall to see all the pretty colors.

24 See America's History In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As mentioned before, Philadelphia located in the state of Pennsylvania is one of the richest cities in United States history. It is by far one of the oldest cities in America and is where most of America's important documents were founded. There are several historical sights you can see in Philadelphia, one of the most important being the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell is located in the Independence National Historical Park and has many museums surrounding it, so you can spend a whole day just learning about America's history.

23 Its Own Culture

The West Coast and the East Coast both have very different cultures from each other. The West Coast has a more laid-back vibe to it while the East Coast is much more in a hurry and all about business. While this may sound like a bad thing if you are somebody who likes to get stuff done then the East Coast will definitely help you with this. You will definitely experience this in bigger cities like New York City and Atlanta to name a few. You really have to visit both sides of the spectrum to truly understand the difference in culture.

Related: Three Days In NYC: The Perfect Winter Itinerary

22 Eat Tasty Seafood In Baltimore, Maryland

Another great port city is Baltimore located in Maryland. This is a great spot for eating the freshest seafood and the city is known for its tasty crab cakes. The harbor area of the city is fairly popular among tourists because there is a lot to do. There is a lot of history in Baltimore, therefore, there are a lot of museums in the harbor area. There are several shopping areas as well as even an aquarium. If you are looking for a big city that doesn't have the crowds of New York City then Baltimore can be your dream city. You can even take a boat tour of the harbor. What's not to love?

21 All The Different Beaches

If we haven't made it apparent already the East Coast is the place to be if you like the beach. While the west coast has Long Beach and Santa Monica the east coast has so much more variety. Depending on how far up the East Coast you are located depends on how your beach experience will be. The further south you go the warmer the waters and the more clear. Florida has amazing beaches two swims in while New York has great beaches to walk along and see the sights. While these are vastly different it gives you the choice of how you want to spend your time at the beach.

20 Disney World Is Located In Orlando, Florida

While Orlando, Florida has a lot to do in terms of tourist attractions the number one thing you can do there is go to Disney World. One of the few locations in the world that has Disney World is one of the most popular Disney Worlds in the world. You can easily spend 3 or 4 days exploring each park. There is the main Disney Park, the Magic Kingdom, and Epcot. Then there is even Harry Potter World and Universal Studios to attend. You can easily spend upwards of a week in Orlando experiencing all the family fun. There are even numerous water parks to choose from if you visit in the summer months.

19 Participate In The Freedom Trail In Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, located in the state of Massachusetts, is another great place in America to learn about its history. A great way to soak in all of this history is through something called Freedom Trail where you do a walkthrough of downtown Boston and stop at several historical places and landmarks. If you are more of a sports person then Boston has you covered. You can visit Fenway Park which is one of the oldest baseball stadiums in the world and is home to the world-famous Red Socks.

18 Walk The Boardwalk In The Jersey Shore

While the Jersey Shore may have been tainted by the TV show on MTV, it is still a great coast town on the east coast. There is a large coastal spot that has a large boardwalk in which many restaurants and bars are located. If you want to have great nightlife, then the Jersey Shore is the place to do it. There are even places with carnival rides right on the beach. Jersey Shore is also located near Atlantic City (which we will talk about more later on). There is plenty to do on the Jersey Shore, and it is definitely worth the visit if you are into party cities.

17 Skiing In The Mountains

Not only are there a ton of beaches to go to on the East Coast, but there are plenty of spots to enjoy the winter cold as well. If you are a fan of winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating then the East Coast has you covered. One of the best places to participate in these activities in Vermont. The best part is you don't have to be an expert in any of these winter activities as Vermont accommodates any skill level. Not to mention how pretty the sights you can see in the mountains are.

Related: 10 Best Ways To Celebrate The Holidays In Boston

16 All The Ice Cream In Waterbury, Vermont

Everyone likes ice cream and if you are a true fan then you should visit Waterbury located in Vermont. The Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory is located in Vermont and you can take a tour of the facility and see how the delicious ice cream is made. You can even see how they make some new flavors of ice cream. Ben and Jerry's is known to have a ton of different flavors of ice cream. Not only that but you can even see old ice cream flavors and pay your respects. There is, of course, a place for you to try and buy different flavors of ice cream.

15 Incredible Diversity

The amount of diversity on the east coast heavily outweighs the amount of diversity on the west coast. There are many people living and working on the East Coast that are from different backgrounds and cultures. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone's is very different from the last. You can almost learn more from the people on the East Coast than any museum has to offer. There are even places like Chinatown in New York City where people have taken a chunk of their culture and are sharing it with the rest of the world.

14 Surf And Tan In Miami, Florida

As mentioned before, one of the best places to hit up when you are visiting the East Coast in Florida. Orlando isn't the only great place to visit in Florida, however, as Miami has a lot to offer tourists as well. Miami is known to be one of the most popular coastal cities in the United States. It has a great beach with warm weather and crystal clear blue waters. The city of Miami has a lot to offer as well. Similar to the Jersey Shore Miami has a great nightlife with things like bars, restaurants, and clubs.

13 Take A Leisure Vacation In The Carolinas

Obviously, by now you realize that if you like the beach life you should probably be on the East Coast. Another great place to experience the great beaches of the East Coast is the Carolinas. North and South Carolina have great beach cities like Charleston in South Carolina and the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Myrtle Beach in South Carolina is a great tourist attraction as it is a great beach with a large boardwalk with several restaurants and attractions on it. The warm weather and the great food will make you want to move to one of the Carolinas.

12 Atlantic City, New Jersey Is Better Than Las Vegas

As mentioned before, Atlantic City is one of the highlights of the East Coast. Many people say that Atlantic City is the East Coast version of Las Vegas. However, Atlantic City is much better because it is located on the coast. Las Vegas is located in the middle of nowhere. The large boardwalk in Atlantic City is lined with hotels, restaurants, shops, and even amusement rides. You even have the opportunity to hit up the beaches if you want. The nightlife is the best part of Atlantic City as there are so many clubs, bars, and casinos you can be up all night.

11 Live The City Life In New York City, New York

If you are planning to visit the East Coast, you are probably already considering visiting a city that never sleeps. However, that doesn't mean we weren't going to include it on this list. You can visit several landmarks like Times Square or Central Park. Central Park is such a different feeling to the city itself that it feels as if you escaped city life while still being in the city. There is a lot to do in New York City like shop, eat at great restaurants, and enjoy the many attractions.

10 Visit The Ivys

If you are looking to stay on the East Coast for the long run you are probably looking at schools for yourself or for your kids. You chose right if you chose the East Coast for its schools. Especially when it comes to its colleges. While the west coast has Stanford the east coast has way more variety and some top colleges in the world. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, and UPenn are just a few of the award-winning schools that you can attend if you are on the East Coast.

9 Cheaper Cities

If you are looking for somewhere affordable to live then you should really consider the East Coast as a good option. While not everywhere on the East Coast is cheap as far as living is concerned there are plenty of cities that are great if you want to live cheaper. If you want to see the cheapest then you should probably look in the southeast near Florida and Georgia. Nothing will ever beat the outrageous prices of living in San Francisco. If you are looking for an escape from ridiculous prices the East Coast is the right place to look.

8 Superior Cuisine

The East Coast definitely has better food when it comes to choices in food. There is so much variety on the East Coast. However, there are things that the East Coast specializes in. If you head south then you will be treated to special southern cooking. If you consider New Orleans a part of the East Coast then the competition is definitely over. Things like Cajun dishes take the cake compared to foods on the West Coast. If you are looking for a place with unique flavors along with a lot of variety in their food then the East Coast is a great choice!