Detroit, Michigan

Nickname: Motor City, Motown, The Renaissance City, Rock City, Hockey town

Detroit (French: Détroit, meaning strait) is known as the world's traditional automotive center and an important source of popular music. Founded in 1701 by the Frenchman Antoine de Cadillac, the city was called the Paris of the West in the late nineteenth century for its architecture.

Tourist attractions

Many of the area's prominent museums are located in the historic cultural center neighborhood around Wayne State University. These museums include the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Science Center, and the main branch of the Detroit Public Library. Other cultural highlights include Motown Historical Museum, Tuskegee Airmen Museum, Fort Wayne, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID), and the Belle Isle Conservatory. Important history of Detroit and the surrounding area is exhibited at The Henry Ford, the nation's largest indoor-outdoor museum complex.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Nickname: Sheltered Bay

Honolulu is the capital of the State of Hawaii. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter."

Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, which saw the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaii's subsequent annexation by the United States, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu would remain the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian Islands.

Within Honolulu proper can be found several volcanic cones: Punchbowl, Diamond Head, Koko Head (includes Hanauma Bay), Koko Crater, Salt Lake, and Aliamanu being the most conspicuous.

Waikiki is the world famous tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean next to Diamond Head. Just west of Waikiki is Ala Moana Center, the world's largest open-air shopping center.

Houston, Texas

Nickname: Space City

Houston was founded on August 30, 1836 by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. The city was named after General Sam Houston, commander at the Battle of San Jacinto. In the 20th century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions, and NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in the energy, aeronautics, and technology industries. The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled. Houston is also home to Rice University, one of the United States' leading teaching and research universities, and the University of Houston, Texas's third-largest public research university.

Tourist attractions

The Museum District is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene as one of five U.S. cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.

Space Center Houston is the official visitors’ center of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Here one will find many interactive exhibits including moon rocks, a shuttle simulator, and presentations about the history of NASA's manned space flight program.

Other tourist attractions include the Galleria (Texas's largest shopping mall located in the Uptown District), Old Market Square, Tranquility Park, the Downtown Aquarium, and Sam Houston Park (which contains restored and reconstructed homes which were originally built between 1823 and 1905). The San Jacinto Battlefield State Historic Site where the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution was fought is located on the Houston Ship channel east of the city.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Nickname: "The Entertainment Capital of the World", "Sin City"

Las Vegas (often abbreviated as Vegas) is an internationally known vacation, shopping, entertainment, and gambling destination. It was established in 1905.

The name Las Vegas is often applied to the unincorporated areas of Clark County that surround the city, especially the resort areas on and near the Las Vegas Strip. The center of gambling in the United States, Las Vegas is marketed as The Entertainment Capital of the World and is famous for its massive, lavish casino resorts. It is also commonly known as Sin City, due to the popularity of legalized gambling, availability of alcoholic beverages at any time (as is true throughout Nevada), and various forms and degrees of adult entertainment. The city's glamorous image has made it a popular setting for films and television programs.

Las Vegas is one of the most dynamic cities in the world, "reinventing" itself as a gambling mecca, family destination, capital of hedonism ("What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"), or hotspot for dining and shopping over the years. Several events stand out as turning points:

Las Vegas' climate is an arid desert climate typical of the Mojave Desert, in which it is located, marked with very hot summers, moderate winters, abundant sunshine year-round, and very little rainfall.