If you are ever in the American Midwest, chances are Chicago, Illinois is tip-top on your list of places to visit. Chicago lies nestled on the southwestern banks of Lake Michigan, delights travelers with a cosmopolitan vibe and is known as The Windy City.

Travelers who choose to don a cowboy hat in their city of choice will undoubtedly have Dallas on the brain. This expansive city, snuggled in the northeast corner of Texas, boasts a population of 1.3 million people.

Perched on the cusp of the Missouri and Kansas border, understated Kansas City might not be on your bucket list quite yet. However, this city that bridges two states should be, and many travelers enjoy a phenomenally active vacation in Kansas City, Missouri.

Every traveler with a penchant for country music has beautiful Nashville, Tennessee on his or her bucket list. The undisputed capital of Country Music sits deep within the heart of middle Tennessee, its rolling hills giving way to a sprawling musical city.

Strolling through Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras is almost always on the bucket list of every great traveler. That said, New Orleans, Louisiana is an excellent destination just about any time of year.

A visit to the American Midwest simply wouldn’t be complete without a detour to St. Louis, Missouri. Straddled on the banks of the great Mississippi River, St. Louis marks the border of Missouri and Illinois.