Ranches and Cowboys

The 'Cowboy for a Day' experience from Blue Sky Ranch in Utah teaches guests horseback riding, cattle herding and roping skills. (Blue Sky Ranch)

China may have the Great Wall and France is famous for the Eiffel Tower, but there are hundreds of things that make America unique in the world. No matter what season of the year it is, there are always plenty of events and iconic American sites to visit. We take a virtual road trip to explore some of the most classic American experiences.

Cowboys are one of the most iconic images of the American West, and with them comes the long-lived cattle ranching industry. According to American Cowboy, cattle ranching firstspread to Texas, Arizona, and New Mexicoin the early1700s, several hundred years after the Spanish first arrived in Mexico. The Mexican ranchers were known as vaqueros and were eventuallydriven out by Texan ranchers, says the BBC. After the Civil War, there was an abundance of wild cattle, which led to long cattle drives up into the empty land of the West.

If you want to try some modern-dayridin',ropin' andtendin' some cows of your own, you're in luck. At the Blue Sky Ranch in Park City, Utah,guests can get the ultimate cowboy experience for a day and learn horseback riding, cattle herding and roping skills.The ranch's 'Cowboy for a Day' adventure starts off with a cowboy breakfast, after which the wannabe "cowhands" will meet their horse for the day, learn some basic horsemanship and head out to move cows out to pasture. There's lunch along the way, and after a long trail ride and full day in the saddle, the experience will end with cocktails and snacks at the ranch's own travern.Prices for the Cowboy experience start at $375 per person for a full day and $250 per person for a half day. For more info, visit the website.

NEXT: Sports event like no other

Kentucky Derby

Jennifer Patterson aboard Kentucky Derby winner Orb during a training session at Belmont Park on June 6, 2013 in Elmont, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Described by Hunter S. Thompson as "decadent and depraved," the Kentucky Derby is the longest running sports event in American history. The annual event happens on the first Sunday in May and pits 20 of the fastest thoroughbred horses against each other on the Churchill Downs race track in Louisville, Kentucky. Dating back to the first horse races in Kentucky in 1789, it wasn't until 1875 that Churchill Downs opened and established itself as the home of the Kentucky Derby, says a Kentucky Derby website. The Derby, however, is much more than an exciting horse race. Not only are there numerous traditions surrounding the race, such as a formal dress code (no jeans allowed on Derby day) and mint juleps to drink, but the betting surrounding the races can reach hundreds of millions of dollars, says The Fiscal Times.

Tickets for the event go on sale far in advance, and can cost anywhere from $65 (you'll be watching the race on a TV screen) to $5,000 (if you want a gourmet buffet and private wagering station), reported Bloomberg. Prepare to spend a little extra on your outfit as well, especially if you'll be wearing a fancy race day hat.

NEXT: Go here for funnel cakes and tractor races

State Fairs

From fried pickles and funnel cakes to livestock and produce, state fairs bring together all the diverse aspects of agriculture and small towns in the U.S. The first such fair was held in 1841, says Time Magazine, and since that time states and counties have been holding the annual events to judge the quality of people's farm animals, their pies, and their vegetables. But state fairs aren't just a celebration of the discipline of the farming life -- they're also a chance to cut loose and enjoy carnival rides, concerts, and fireworks. According to the Saturday Evening Post, the farming community began to shrink after World War I, and by 1980 only three in every 100 people lived on a farm, but that did nothing to diminish the popularity of state fairs.

Today you can find fairs in almost every state around the country in the summer and fall. Whether you want to see a giant butter sculpture of a cow in Iowa or watch pig races in Kansas, there's something for everyone at these state fairs. Check out some of the best fairs listed on USA Today or check the State Fair Directory for fairs near you.

NEXT: The wildest carnival of the year

New Orleans Mardi Gras

A float in the Krewe of Zulu parade makes it way down St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day. Fat Tuesday is marked in New Orleans with parades and marches through many neighborhoods in the city. (Rusty Costanza/Getty Images)

Although it has a reputation for drunkenness and debauchery, the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans is actually a religious holiday. Meaning "Fat Tuesday," Mardi Gras is the last day of excess before Ash Wednesday, which starts the Lenten season of fasting and penance for Catholics. In New Orleans, the carnival is influenced by Spanish, French and Caribbean traditions, and it has been canceled less than 20 times in the past 150 years, says Time Magazine, including for an outbreak of the yellow fever in the 1870s and for the Civil War. In addition to getting green, purple and gold beads, the event is celebrated with King cakes, which were traditionally made of a cinnamon brioche braid topped with icing and baked with a small plastic baby inside the cake to symbolize baby Jesus, says the Times Picayune.

In New Orleans, you can enjoy the parades and festivities around the city on the day of Mardi Gras either with family or with friends and drinks. Be sure to dress up in your wildest outfit, and if you live in the area you could even join a Krewe, one of the groups that build floats and march in the parade.

NEXT: The last great race on Earth

Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Iditarod rookie, Norwegian Sigrid Ekran, runs her team through a practice trail in Wasilla, Alaska, Feb. 28, 2007 prior to the 2007 Iditarod sled dog race. The Iditarod is 1,131-mile dog sled race through desolate tundra, dense forest, snow-swept mountains and the frigid Alaskan coast. (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Known as the "last great race on Earth," the Iditarod Sled Dog Race is a 1,049-mile trek through some of the most remote wilderness in the U.S. from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The Iditarod Trail was originally built as a result of gold rushes in Alaska as a way to deliver mail and supplies, and was traversed by men riding dog sleds in the early 1900s, says Iditarod history. The race itself has been held annually since 1973, and in the first year only 22 of the 35 mushers finished the race, according to Scholastic News. It's not considered one of the hardest races without good reason -- the mushers are alone with their dogs in a frigid, desolate landscape and must survive for more than a week on their own. One rookie musher, Cindy Abbott, said that compared to the Iditarod, climbing Mount Everest was pretty easy, reported the Alaska Dispatch. Another reporter who decided to try and follow the race by plane was warned that there are a lot of ways to die in Alaska, says Grantland.

For those who want to be in Alaska for the race, Anchorage and Nome are the best spots since that's where the race starts and finishes. And for those intrepid few who want to participate in the race, information about preparing for and entering the race can be found on the Iditarod website.

NEXT: A World Heritage Site where people live

Taos Pueblo

The largest multistory Pueblo structure in the U.S. might also be one of the oldest examples parts of American culture. It's the only Native American site that has been designated with UNESCO World Heritage status and National Historic Landmark status, and still has a living community. According to National Geographic, about 150 people live in the pueblo year around, while many others have homes elsewhere but also live in the pueblo. The Taos people have been living in the area for nearly 1,000 years and the pueblo was constructed of earth mixed with water and straw, says the Taos Pueblo website.

Although visitors can travel to Taos Pueblo and learn more about the historic site, be prepared to call ahead to get access to the tribal lands. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center lists a number of etiquette rules for visiting the pueblo, including respecting private homes, getting a permit to take photos or sketch pictures, and maintain silence during dances and Pueblo ceremonies.

NEXT: America's pastime

America's Pastimes -- Baseball and Football

Leon Hall of the Cincinnati Bengals tackles Emmanuel Sanders of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter on September 16, 2013 at Paul Brown Stadium on September 16, 2013 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh 20-10. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

Baseball and football are two of America's most cherished sports traditions, and every year millions of Americans head out to the ballpark or the football field to catch a game, rain or shine. Baseball and football have both worked their way into the fabric of everyday society, and the changes that have happened on the field have reflected the changing country (such as during the Civil Rights movement). Variations on baseball were first played in the 18th century in New York, Philadelphia and Massachusetts, but eventually the New York version of the game stuck, reported NPR. But what began as a provincial recreation turned into a colossal industry, with the Yankees estimated to have a total worth of $1.6 billion in 2010, says PBS. Football has an equally storied history. It began mainly in colleges, and was such a dangerous sport that in 1905, there were 18 fatalities, says Smithsonian Magazine. The National Football League was formed in 1920 and since then has turned into a $9.3 billion industry, says CNN.

If you're interested in catching a game, you can watch baseball and football events almost every weekend of the year at a variety of levels, from high school football games to games that pit some of the countries best players against each other.

NEXT: A parade to be thankful for

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Tom Turkey float makes its way through the streets of Manhattan during the 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22, 2012 in New York. (Andrew Kelly/Getty Images)

Enormous balloons, live music, and plenty of food and family to follow a morning on the cold streets of NYC are all a part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now in its 87th year, the parade originally featured Macy's employees and animals from the Central Park Zoo, says the Macy's website. The first balloons followed shortly after and were released at the end of the parade to float away until the helium leaked out. People who found the balloons could then return them to Macy's for a special gift.

The parade route in 2013 will travel from 77th Street down to 34th along Avenue of the Americas and will feature dozen of floats, bands, and cheerleaders. If you plan on traveling to New York City to view the festivities, be sure to book your hotel in advance to get a better deal.

NEXT: The glitz and glamor of the red carpet

Hollywood

The freshly painted Hollywood Sign is seen after a press conference to announce the completion of the famous landmark's major makeover, December 4, 2012 in Hollywood, California. Some 360 gallons (around 1,360 liters) of paint and primer were used. (ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

From Charlie Chaplin to Brad Pitt, the Hollywood film industry has been one of the staples of America for more than 100 years. With the addition of sound to film in the 1920s, then technicolor in the 1930s, movies soon became one of the preferred pastimes and a significant reflection of American culture. Hollywood has survived two world wars, the advent of television, and the Internet, reported The Guardian, and remains the hub of a huge film industry. The industry is actually a very stable one, since there are plenty of ways to earn money besides movie tickets, including overseas rights, video games and amusement park rides, says the New York Times.

NEXT: Experience the great outdoors

National Park System

View of the distinctive geological structures called "Hoodoos" in an amphitheater at the Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah on March 11, 2011. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

The United States is a land of great contrasts -- from the Everglades in Florida to the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the natural world is one of our country's greatest assets. The National Park Service program began in 1916, when the Interior Department was in charge of 14 national parks and 21 national monuments but had no organization managing them, says the NPS. President Wilson created the National Park Service within the Interior Department, giving them the responsibility to preserve natural and historic areas for the enjoyment of future generations. This desire to conserve and protect the natural world has led to beautiful parks, like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and the Smoky Mountains National Park. According to the American Historical Association, tourists made 279 million visits to parks in 2011, which generated $30 million and supported 252,000 jobs.

If you're looking for a wilderness adventure, you don't have to go all the way to the Amazon Jungle or the Sahara Desert -- check out the parks in your neighborhood and surrounding states. A full list of parks and park activities can be found on the National Park Service website.

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