It might be a cliché, but you should "remember the Alamo" for a reason. This ancient mission in San Antonio-made legendary by the 1836 battle between Texas and Mexico-is now a charming museum and one of the most iconic buildings in the nation.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, outside of Keystone, South Dakota, is a monumental work of large-scale sculpting genius you won't ever forget. About two million visitors a year come to this out-of-the-way place to see the massive tribute to Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Lincoln.
Boston has a number of worthwhile historical sites, but none more interesting or significant than the Old North Church in the North End district. A key part of our nation's heritage made famous during Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, the handsome edifice is open to the public and will bring chills to anyone with a patriotic bone in their body.
The USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is another moving landmark, built on the water above the shallowly sunken vessel submerged in the infamous attack. There's often a long wait but it's worth the patience; come early as possible to beat the big crowds.
Philadelphia is undoubtedly one of the most richly historical cities in the United States and a bastion of meaningful places and artifacts. The Liberty Bell is probably the best, rung to call the citizenry together for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence; it's located at the compelling Independence National Historical Park and open for viewing every day except Christmas.
Washington D.C. is a bastion of historical sites and landmarks. Make sure to at least take in the Lincoln Memorial, the handsome Greek temple-styled structure with a huge statue of Honest Abe, and the towering Washington Monument, the world's tallest stone structure that lies at the opposite end of the Reflecting Pool.
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument might not look like much, but the legendary cemetery is worth a visit for any true historians. The famous site of "Custer's Last Stand" marks one of the final armed attempts by the Lakota and Cheyenne tribes to maintain their lands.
