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These 11 U.S. airports and train stations are worth a visit

Landmarks

Image: Thierry Biland

Image: Thierry Biland

Even if you are not travelling

These 11 U.S. airports and train stations are worth a visit

Some American train stations and airports are much more than transit points. They are architectural landmarks and pieces of history that are very much worth a visit, even if you are not traveling anywhere. From magnificent halls to mid-century modern terminals, these places are a reward in themselves for passengers who take a moment to slow down and look around. If you live anywhere near one of these places, you have probably already experienced what we are talking about.

Image: David Vives

Opened in 1913, Grand Central is as much a civic monument as it is a train station. Its vast Main Concourse, crowned by a celestial ceiling painted with constellations, has become one of America’s most recognizable interior spaces.

Beyond the trains, visitors can admire the marble staircases, the iconic four-faced historic clock, and hidden details like the Whispering Gallery.

Image: Charlie Schroeder

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, also known as the Honolulu International Airport, offers an open-air design uncommon in mainland US airports. Tropical gardens, breezeways, and Hawaiian art create a relaxed atmosphere that reflects island life.

For many visitors, it feels like the vacation begins the moment they arrive. The airport’s layout embraces the local climate and culture rather than shutting them out.

Image: Andy Feliciotti

Union Station opened in 1907 as a monumental gateway to the nation’s capital. Its massive Great Hall, with gold-leaf ceilings and classical arches, was designed to impress visitors arriving by rail. For decades, it symbolized Washington’s role as a crossroads of American travel.

Today, the station blends history with modern life, housing shops, exhibitions, and restaurants beneath its grand vaults. Many visitors stop by simply to admire the architecture, even if they don’t have a train to catch.

Image: David Syphers

Jackson Hole Airport is unique for its location within Grand Teton National Park. The small terminal uses rustic materials like wood and stone, echoing the surrounding mountains.

With sweeping views of the Tetons visible from the runway, arrivals and departures feel like part of a scenic experience. It’s often cited as one of America’s most beautiful airports.

Image: Hudson Thomas

Chicago Union Station’s Great Hall is one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts design in the Midwest. Completed in 1925, its massive skylight floods the room with natural light, drawing attention to its marble columns and elegant proportions.

The station remains a busy transportation hub while also serving as a quiet architectural escape from the surrounding city. For visitors, it offers a chance to experience the classic American railroad greatness that is still in use.

Image: Heber Davis

Salt Lake City’s rebuilt airport blends modern design with references to Utah’s dramatic landscapes. Clean lines, natural light, and public art create a sense of openness rarely found in large airports.

For travelers passing through, the airport provides a calm and visually pleasing environment. Its thoughtful layout and contemporary design make it a surprisingly enjoyable place to spend time.

Image: Yaw Afari

This striking Art Deco landmark opened in 1933 and looks more like a museum than a train station. Its sweeping semi-dome, colorful mosaics, and bold geometric lines reflect the optimism of early-20th-century American design.

Although rail service today is limited, the building remains a cultural center, housing museums and rotating exhibits. Visitors can explore its incredible interiors and experience one of the finest Art Deco spaces in the country.

Image: Avel Chuklanov

Portland International Airport is frequently praised for its relaxed atmosphere and strong regional character. Recent renovations emphasize natural wood, open spaces, and artwork inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

Known for its friendliness and easy navigation, PDX feels more like a community space than a stressful transit point.

Image: Nils Huenerfuerst

Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station is a monumental blend of Beaux-Arts and Art Deco architecture. Completed in 1933, it features massive columns and a cavernous waiting room that makes the place almost seem like a cathedral.

Still serving Amtrak and regional rail, the station rewards visitors who pause to look upward and take in its details. Its scale and symmetry make it one of the most impressive train stations in the United States.

Image: Cyrus Crossan

The main terminal at Dulles International Airport is a creation of Eero Saarinen, known for its elegant roofline that appears to float above the building. Opened in 1962, it redefined how airports could look and feel.

Its airy interior and dramatic angles make it a favorite among architecture enthusiasts. For travelers, Dulles offers a reminder that even modern transportation spaces can be beautifully designed.

Image: Metin Ozer

Established in 1909, College Park Airport is recognized as the oldest continually operating airport in the world. Early aviation pioneers trained here, and the site played a significant role in the beginnings of powered flight in the US.

Today, a small museum on the grounds tells the story of those early pioneers. Visitors can stand where aviation history was made.

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You won’t believe where these were filmed: Movie locations you can visit

Culture

Image: Johannes Plenio

Image: Johannes Plenio

Movie magic made real

You won’t believe where these were filmed: Movie locations you can visit

Would you like to walk through the scenery of Jurassic Park, explore the caves featured in Indiana Jones, or travel through the same landscapes as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars? Well, we have good news, you can! Nowadays, most movies rely on digitally created environments and special effects. But it wasn’t always that way, and many productions took their film sets to incredible real-world locations. Today, we’ll show you where in the world these 10 famous movies were filmed!

Image: Peter Thomas

Hawaii

The first Jurassic Park (1993) is unforgettable, especially thanks to its amazing landscapes. Sadly, there are no dinosaurs, but those places are very real, and they can be found in Hawaii. The movie used several locations across the state, with two standouts: the island of Kauai, where the famous waterfall scenes were filmed, and Kualoa Ranch, a private nature reserve on the island of Oahu.

Image: Leo_Visions

Tunisia and California

When you watch Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977), it feels like the characters are really traveling across the galaxy. But many of those "alien" worlds are, in fact, very real, and you can visit them. Much of Tatooine was filmed in Tunisia, where you can even walk inside Luke Skywalker’s home at the Sidi Driss Hotel. And if international travel isn’t an option, Death Valley, California, which was also used to film Tatooine scenes, can make you feel extraterrestrial without leaving the US.

Image: Metin Ozer

Georgia

If you want to visit the places where beloved Forrest Gump walked, buy a ticket to Savannah, Georgia. Chippewa Square is the exact place where he famously said that life is like a box of chocolates. The bench used in the scene is now in the Savannah History Museum, but you can still take a walk through the square and visit other filming locations in the city.

Image: Rowan Heuvel

Italy

Corleone is a real town in Italy, but the version of the place we see in The Godfather was filmed elsewhere, though not so far away. Director Francis Ford Coppola felt that the real Corleone looked too modern, so he turned to Sicily instead, specifically the villages of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò. That’s where you’ll find iconic spots like Bar Vitelli, where Michael asks for Apollonia’s hand, and the Chiesa di San Nicolò (also known as Santa Lucia), the church where the couple gets married.

Image: Alex Vasey

Jordan

It may seem too incredible to be real, but many Indiana Jones locations actually exist. Petra, in Jordan, is one of them, playing a starring role in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). The exterior of the "Temple of the Sun" was filmed at Al-Khazneh, better known as "the Treasury," which is literally carved into Petra’s sandstone cliffs. And that’s not all: the movie also features scenes filmed across five other countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

Image: Tom Def

Austria

The Sound of Music (1965) was filmed mainly in Salzburg, Austria, where the beautiful landscapes and picturesque buildings provided the backdrop for some of the film’s most memorable scenes. If you visit the European country, you can see places such as the Mirabell Gardens, where Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi," the Nonnberg Abbey, where Maria lives, and the Basilika St. Michael in Mondsee, where the famous wedding scene takes place.

Image: Stephen Han

New York's Katz's Deli

If someone says, "I’ll have what she’s having," you instantly know the movie. Like most of When Harry Met Sally (1989), that legendary scene was filmed in New York City. But the iconic line was specifically delivered at Katz's Deli, located at 205 East Houston Street. You can still go there today and order a dish of your choice.

Image: Peter Thomas

Oregon and England

Although Colorado’s Stanley Hotel inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, it never appears in the movie. The creepy exterior of the Overlook Hotel was actually filmed at Timberline Lodge in Oregon, where you can visit or even spend the night. The inside, however, is all movie magic: the hotel’s interiors were built entirely on sets at Elstree Studios in England, inspired by the Stanley Hotel but not filmed there.

Image: Santeri

New York City

TV also gets a spot on this list! And when it comes to iconic shows, Sex and the City is impossible to skip. For six seasons, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda took us all over New York City, but nothing beats the front of Carrie’s famous apartment, which you can actually see in the West Village at 66 Perry Street. Even though it’s a private residence, you can still admire it and take a few photos from the same sidewalk where the characters once walked.

Image: Nico Smit

Australia

The 2013 version of The Great Gatsby features magnificent settings, but to see Gatsby’s Mansion in real life, you’ll need to travel far from Long Island. The mansion’s exterior was filmed at St. Patrick’s Seminary (now the International College of Management) in Australia, a grand Gothic-style complex that looks just like a castle. But not all scenes were shot there: several party scenes were also filmed in Sydney’s Centennial Park, a public park open to visitors.