1

Disneyland

Image: David Guerrero

Let’s start with "The Happiest Place on Earth" itself. The first theme park to be envisioned and built by creative tycoon Walt Disney was Disneyland, the one still located in Anaheim, California. It features a range of themed lands such as Fantasyland or Adventureland, and includes main attractions that are widely famous. Who hasn’t heard the "It’s a Small World" song, whether or not they’ve been on the ride?

Five more Disney parks went on to be opened in the United States, including Animal Kingdom and EPCOT. All of them feature parades, character meet-and-greets, and attractions that invite visitors to immerse themselves in the spirit of Disney films .

2

Legoland

Image: Clyde He

Legos began as small, colorful playthings for children—but they have grown into a whole subculture of their own. Fans who have spent decades inventing and carrying out new designs for their colored blocks dream of visiting the theme park one day. The first Legoland opened in Europe, but the California park debuted over 20 years ago and has been expanding ever since.

It features 9 sectors with over 60 rides, shows, and attractions, all themed around popular Lego sets and characters, such as the Dragon Coaster and Lego Ninjago The Ride. A standout feature is Miniland USA, which displays miniature Lego replicas of famous American landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and New York City. The park was so successful that similar resorts have since opened in Florida and New York.

3

The Big E

Image: Zachary DeBottis

The Big E, officially known as the Eastern States Exposition, is held between September and October in West Springfield, Massachusetts . It’s the largest agricultural fair in the northeastern United States, aiming to boast the best of New England culture, food, agriculture, and entertainment.

The fair features state-specific buildings representing all six New England states, each offering regional foods and crafts. The fairgrounds also host a large midway with rides, games, and live performances, as well as livestock shows, parades, and a variety of exhibitions. One of the biggest favorites of the 1.5 million visitors who attend each year is the Big E Cream Puff , a popular treat that’s been served since 1926.

4

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Image: Aditya Vyas

A round-the-clock fire-breathing dragon , spell-casting spots, immersive stores and alleys, along with themed rides and roller coasters—these can all be found at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, located within Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood in California.

The park's concept is to transport visitors into the magical universe of J.K. Rowling's books and films, featuring recreated settings such as Hogsmeade Village, Hogwarts Castle, and Diagon Alley. Guests can also enjoy interactive experiences, like purchasing magical wands or sampling "butterbeer," a beverage made using a closely guarded secret recipe.

5

Arizona State Fair

Image: PONCIANOMX

Arizona State Fair is held annually in Phoenix. It traditionally combines agricultural exhibits, concerts, and carnival rides, with attractions such as livestock shows, rodeos , and demolition derbies, as well as thrilling roller coasters and rides for all ages.

The fair receives around 1 million visitors a year, who love its diverse range of deep-fried and unique fair foods. A main attraction is the iconic "La Grande Wheel," one of the largest traveling Ferris wheels in North America, standing at an impressive height of 130 feet.

6

Dollywood

Image: Adam Kring

The only singer-songwriter to have her own theme park is Dolly Parton. Dollywood is located in her home state of Tennessee, in Pigeon Forge. It is open from March to early January, with seasonal festivals and special events throughout the year. The family-friendly theme park is nestled in the Smoky Mountains , themed around Appalachian culture and the life of country music star Dolly Parton.

Originally, it was a small attraction called "Rebel Railroad," until it was purchased and rebranded by Dolly Parton in the 1980s. Today, it boasts a mix of roller coasters, craft demonstrations, and live entertainment, including bluegrass and gospel music. Dolly herself is known to make surprise appearances at the park, events affectionately referred to by fans as " Dolly Sightings. "

7

Hersheypark

Image: mjimages

Hershey's Chocolate Bar is another American favorite with its own theme park. Hersheypark is located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and is a family-friendly amusement park that blends thrilling rides, water attractions, and entertainment, all themed around "The Great American Chocolate Bar. "

"Candymonium" is one of its iconic rollercoasters, and it also features a large water park called The Boardwalk. Hersheypark offers live shows, character meet-and-greets, and a range of dining options that highlight Hershey's chocolate and sweets. It opened in the early 1900s as a leisure area for employees of Hershey, starting as a small picnic area with a carousel. Now, it receives around 3 million visitors yearly!

8

State Fair of Texas

Image: Zabdiel Gonzalez

The State Fair of Texas is celebrated every year in Dallas, Texas. Another fair to celebrate the large state's rich history and cultural heritage, traditionally held in its home Fair Park , which has been expanded over the years to accommodate the growing attendance.

Beyond the live music and carnival rides, the fair is known for its iconic "Big Tex," a 55-foot-tall cowboy figure that serves as the fair's mascot. Another classic of the fair is the competition for the best new fried food item; past winners have included fried butter and fried Coca-Cola.

9

Puyallup Fair

Image: Scott Webb

The Puyallup Fair, officially known as the Washington State Fair, is held annually in Puyallup, Washington. One of the largest fairs in the Pacific Northwest, it features popular attractions like thrilling rides on the Midway , concerts by famous artists, and unique competitions such as pie-eating contests and rodeos.

The fair is also known for its iconic "Giant Pumpkin Contest," where the growers of the largest pumpkins are rewarded. Additionally, the fair hosts a "Food Truck Frenzy," offering a chance to try various local food trucks alongside traditional fair fare. The fair also includes a unique event called the "Farm & Garden Show," where visitors can learn about sustainable farming and gardening practices.

10

Seaworld

Image: J.U.L.Ö

SeaWorld can be found in Florida and Texas, but the first and most iconic park is the one in San Diego, California. This amusement and marine zoological park is known for its aquatic life exhibits, thrilling rides, and live entertainment featuring sea animals. Visitors can enjoy roller coasters like "Mako" and "Kraken," as well as interactive exhibits where they can get close to dolphins, sea lions, and other marine animals.

The park also hosts educational shows about animal behavior and conservation efforts. SeaWorld has played a significant role in animal preservation and has rescued thousands of marine animals over the years, including seals, sea turtles, and birds. In recent years, the park has also introduced virtual reality experiences to immerse visitors into underwater worlds.

1

Measuring

This is a difference most Americans are aware of: most countries use the metric system rather than U.S. customary units, and most use Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. Countries such as the UK and Canada still use some imperial units in everyday life, but they mainly use the metric system. Another measure that confuses foreigners is the particular way ingredients are measured in American recipes, which often use cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons rather than measurements by weight.

Fun fact: The only other countries that use the Imperial system officially are Liberia and Myanmar.

2

Sales tax

Do you find having to calculate sales taxes annoying? That’s a unique American experience. In the majority of the world, the price you see is the price you pay , because it has the sales tax already added.

Why is it different in America? Sales taxes vary across states , so retailers find it easier to showcase the base price and then calculate the total at checkout.

3

Cutlery use

Many Americans abroad are surprised by the realization that not everyone uses a knife and fork in the same way they do . In fact, no one else does. While most Americans have learned the American style —also called the zig-zag or fork switching method— that involves using the fork in the left hand for cutting and then changing it to the right to pick up the food, European and Latin American countries don’t do this . It might seem like a small difference, but it completely changes the way you eat.

4

Iced drinks

Do other countries not have ice? They do, but they don’t necessarily assume everyone will want it. While serving water and other beverages with ice is customary in America, in many other countries, you need to request it —even during the hottest of summers.

But even if you get ice, many times you will need to specify the amount : the same drink that would be filled with ice cubes in America might come to you with just two or three cubes elsewhere.

5

Date formatting

The U.S. is not completely alone on this one, but there’s a difference big enough to be worth mentioning. The standardized way of recording the date in America is month-day-year , a convention also followed by some Caribbean and Asian countries. But in the rest of the Western world, the conventional format is day-month-year , which can lead to confusion for Americans. In most Asian countries , the most commonly used format is year-month-day .

6

The word ‘American’

In the English language, ‘American’ is the only way to refer to people with U.S. citizenship . Other words, such as ‘Usian’ or ‘Unitedstatian’ have been proposed, but never stuck. This is why many Americans are surprised when other countries —Latin American countries in particular— use ‘American’ for anyone in the American continent , or continents, another big difference. In most European and Latin American countries, there is a different word for U.S. citizens, such as the Spanish ‘estadounidense’ or the Portuguese ‘estadunidense’ .

7

Moving out at 18 years old

This one is not so black and white, but more like a general tendency. Compared with most of Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Americans give serious consideration to the possibility of moving out after high school. Not everyone does, and not everyone can afford it, but it's fairly common.

In other countries, young adults generally move out if their job or education requires it , but they tend to stay at home a few more years if they can.

8

Driving a car as a teenager

America is quite car-centric , especially if you live outside of the big cities. While not everyone can afford to have a personal car —even a second-hand one—, it is common for 16 and 17-year-olds to legally drive their parents’ car, or save for their own.

In the rest of the world, the chances of high schoolers driving themselves to school are much lower, as most countries don’t allow underage kids to get a driving license .

9

Solo cups

Do plastic cups exist outside of the U.S.? They do, but they are not as iconic or as widely used as Solo cups, introduced in the 1970s as a disposable but sturdy cup for parties and events. Many foreigners visiting America are surprised when they realize that solo cups are a real thing , and not something that just happens in movies.

10

Filing taxes

Taxes in the U.S. are not that different from taxes in other countries, except for how they are filed . During tax filing season, thousands of Americans direct their efforts to ensure they have properly reported their income and that their return will match the IRS’s data.

In other parts of the world, however, the one responsible for calculating and filing taxes is the government , while citizens merely corroborate that everything is in order.

1

Elvis & Priscilla

Image: pasja1000

Elvis (2022) is an original script based on the life of Elvis Presley, directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. On the other hand, Priscilla (2023) is based on the autobiography Elvis and Me, written by Priscilla Presley and directed by Sofia Coppola.

Although based on the life of the same public figure, the two films have their unique tone, extremely distinct executions, and different goals in mind. While Elvis focuses on the King of Rock and Roll himself and covers a lot more ground, Priscilla is much more intimate and has his wife and her experience at the center of the plot.

2

Top Gun & Iron Eagle

Image: LCdr. David Baranek, U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

You've almost certainly seen Top Gun at some point. The 1986 hit that launched a young Tom Cruise to stardom as naval aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell was the highest-grossing title of that year, even though it was not only competing with a very similar film but wasn't even the first to be released.

Four months earlier, Iron Eagle , the story of brave fighter pilots battling in the skies, had been premiered. Although the Jason Gedrick-starring film had three sequels, none came close to the $1 billion mark that Top Gun grossed.

3

The Truman Show & EDtv

Image: Nathy dog

The Truman Show (1998) and EDtv (1999), both about a man whose life is filmed 24 hours a day for a TV show, were inspired by the then-emerging reality television.

While Truman is unaware that his life has been broadcast since he was a baby, Ed Pekurny is fully willing to air his daily life on TV —at least at first. Perhaps that lack of mystery, combined with a premiere just a few months after The Truman Show , meant that EDtv couldn't win over the audience. Would it be more popular if it had premiered earlier? Maybe, but it's hard to deny that The Truman Show is a masterpiece that will go down in cinema history.

4

Capote & Infamous

Image: Eric Koch for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Truman Capote was a seminal writer in American literature. His life is full of exciting stories, so it's not surprising that his biography inspired several movies and TV series. Yet, in the case of Capote (2005) and Infamous (2006), this happened almost simultaneously.

Even more unusual, both films chose to tell the author's process that led him to interview the killers of the Clutter family and that would later become his most successful work, In Cold Blood . Capote stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toby Jones gives an excellent performance in Infamous . Which was your favorite?

5

Deep Impact & Armageddon

Image: Javier Miranda

In the summer of 1998, Deep Impact hit the cinemas, and just a few months later, Armageddon was released. Since both movies have similar plots —basically a comet or asteroid threatens to destroy the Earth—we can focus on which one had the better cast. On one side, you have Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Tia Leone, and Morgan Freeman. On the other, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi, and Liv Tyler team up to save the world.

Looking at the box office returns, however, it's clear which one reigned supreme. Armageddon became the highest-grossing film that year, even though it received mostly negative reviews and was criticized for its scientific inaccuracies. All that said, Armageddon and Deep Impact are the pairing to go with if you're ever in the mood for a double feature.

6

Saving Private Ryan & The Thin Red Line

Image: Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHOM) Robert F. Sargent, U.S. Coast Guard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1998, Saving Private Ryan was one of the defining films of the year and captivated audiences with its heart-wrenching story and realistic portrayal of World War II. Shortly after making a fortune at the box office and scoring 11 Oscar nominations, The Thin Red Line hit the cinemas.

Both films feature similar themes and setups, but while Steven Spielberg’s take is a bit commercial and has a more straightforward narrative, the nearly three-hour-long version of Terrence Malick is more on the artistic side. That said, and despite the unfortunate coincidence, both movies are worth seeing if you like crude, realistic depictions of war.

7

The Prestige & The Illusionist

Image: jasper benning

For some reason, magic, a centuries-old form of entertainment, had its revival at the beginning of the 21st century thanks to cinema. While The Illusionist (2006) tells the story of Eisenheim, a Viennese magician who must confront Prince Leopold to avoid being discredited, The Prestige (2006) focuses on two rival magicians competing to win over late 19th-century London audiences. The two films, though different in style and tone, are excellent for any magic enthusiast.

8

Churchill & Darkest Hour

Image: Barthelemy de Mazenod

England's most famous Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, is one of the most revered leaders of World War II. Proof of that are the biographical films Churchill and Darkest Hour , released in 2017. Although both follow the same historical figure, they are very different in style, tone, and setting.

Churchill , starring Brian Cox, focuses on the last period of his wartime career, before the Normandy invasion. Released later but set earlier in time, Darkest Hour portrays Winston Churchill, played by Gary Oldman, as he holds the fate of Western Europe at the beginning of the war. The latter film turned out to be the more successful of the two, even winning an Academy Award for best actor.

9

K-9 & Turner and Hooch

Image: Martin Podsiad

In 1989, there were not one but two films that portrayed police officers teaming up with a dog to fight crime. The first was K-9 , starring Jim Belushi as the angry police detective Michael Dooley. Instead of taking a human partner, Dooley decides to get a German Shepherd named Jerry Lee. From there, all kinds of antics ensue.

Just a few months later, Tom Hanks played a meticulous police investigator who's forced to take a troublesome dog who's the only witness to a horrible crime in Turner and Hooch . Obviously, a lot of the humor from both of these movies stems from the erratic behaviors of their titular canines. So, if you are into dog jokes, then you'll probably find something to like here.

10

No Strings Attached & Friends with Benefits

Image: cottonbro studio

In 2011, two romantic comedies were released centered around the idea of friends casually hooking up to end up realizing they were in love. No Strings Attached had Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher in the leading roles, while Friends with Benefits starred Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake.

Although they are practically the same movie, they had some success. Both of them made about 150 million at the box office. However, if you have a problem telling them apart, don't worry, you are not alone!