Dominating the already spectacular skyline of Las Vegas, the Sphere at the Venetian Resort is a vast music and entertainment venue which holds the title of the world's largest spherical building, towering at 366 feet (111m) tall and spanning 516 feet (157m) in width. The Sphere is also home to the world's largest video screen, an immense LED display covering 580,000 square feet (54,000sqm). This screen comprises 1.2 million LED 'pucks,' each containing 48 individual diodes, allowing it to display an astonishing 256 million colours. The brightness of this display is so intense that it can even be seen from space.

Just one of seven enormous sculptures created by Gary Greff and located along the ‘Enchanted Highway’ near Regent, North Dakota, Geese in Flight turned out to be a record-breaker. Standing over 110 feet (33m) tall and 154 feet (47m) wide, it took more than a decade to complete – but the effort was worth it. Quickly declared the world’s largest scrap metal sculpture, it helped fulfil Greff’s dream of putting his hometown back on the map after decades of economic decline.

Occupying a former railroad bridge, the Walkway Over The Hudson opened in 2009, allowing pedestrians, joggers and cyclists to cross the majestic river unimpeded by traffic. Towering 212 feet (65m) above the river’s surface, it runs for 1.28 miles (2.06km), making it the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world and offers breathtaking panoramas over the surrounding Hudson State Historic Park. Visitors can ride a glass elevator down to the Poughkeepsie waterfront to get a great view of the bridge’s structure from below.

The brainchild of Leland W. Sprinkle, the Great Stalacpipe Organ, officially designated the world’s largest natural underground musical instrument, has to be seen (and heard) to be believed. Located in the stunning Luray Caverns in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, this musical marvel spreads over 3.5 acres, using stalactites to produce chiming tones when struck by rubber-tipped mallets linked to a keyboard. The caves themselves are among the largest and most impressive in America, boasting cathedral-sized rooms 10 storeys high.

There are several contenders for the world’s largest ball of string, all of them (of course) in America. Although lighter than all the others, the official Guinness world record holder is over 13 feet (4m) in diameter and 41 feet (12m) in circumference. Made from scraps of nylon twine collected from neighbouring dairies and ranches, it took J.C. Payne of Valley View, Texas three years to roll this monster, from 1989 to 1992. It now resides in Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum in Branson, Missouri.

If your kids love Lego, they are going to seriously adore Legoland New York. The biggest Legoland in the world, it has more than 50 rides, shows and attractions over its 150-acre site. Visitors can take to the skies in Merlin’s Flying Machines, find out what it’s like to be a Lego mini figure on New York’s exclusive Legoland ride and even watch an expert Model Builder at work. Whether they’re die-hard brick builders or just looking for a few fun rides, this park delivers – big time.

In a state not lacking in breathtaking natural beauty, Colorado’s Grand Mesa is among the most impressive. Formed nearly 10 million years ago, it’s not only the world’s largest flattop mountain but also one of the largest landforms of any kind on Earth. Reaching heights of around 11,000 feet (3,400m) it stretches for about 40 miles (64km) and some 300 lakes are spread across its top, along with forests of beautiful aspen trees and the Powderhorn Ski Resort.

Not recommended for claustrophobes, Kazumura Cave on Hawaii's Big Island is the world’s longest lava tube, as well as being the deepest cave in America. One of countless such tubes which crisscross the islands, it was formed between 350 and 700 years ago and stretches for 40.7 miles (65.5km). It takes two full days to traverse (an arduous trip involving 17 rope drops), but less adventurous visitors can take shorter tours lasting anywhere between one to eight hours, allowing plenty of opportunity to view the cave’s impressive array of lava formations.

Where else could the world’s largest cowboy boots possibly be but Texas? Although originally built in 1979 to occupy an empty lot in Washington DC, a bidding war soon broke out to bring them to their spiritual home, where they ended up at the Lone Star Mall in San Antonio. The boots are a mighty 35 feet (11m) tall and according to Bob Wade, the Texan artist who made them, each one could hold more than 300,000 gallons of beer. 

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson is home to one of New Jersey's greatest thrills. Kingda Ka is not only the tallest roller coaster in the world, but also the fastest in North America. Definitely not for the faint hearted, it is 456 feet (139m) high and accelerates from 0 to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in a terrifying 3.5 seconds. Once at the top you’ll be rocketed back downwards in a 270 degree spiral, so think twice about eating anything beforehand. 

Another Six Flags record breaker is the aptly named Texas SkyScreamer. One of the top attractions at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, this hair-raising carousel stands at 400 feet (122m), making it one of the tallest swing rides in the world. The ride also reaches speeds of up to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h), giving adventurous riders breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape (assuming they can keep their eyes open).

Amusement parks are a great way to spend a day, but bibliophiles will be more than happy to do the same at the aptly named Powell’s City of Books. In business for more than four decades it occupies an entire city block in Portland’s chic Pearl District and stocks over a million titles spread over three floors, nine colour-coded rooms and some 3,500 different sections. It’s impossible to take it all in at once, but fortunately the store opens 365 days a year, so book lovers can visit any time they like.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park in Arizona is home to the world’s largest natural travertine bridge. This impressive geological formation stands 183 feet (56m) high and spans a tunnel that is 400 feet (122m) long and up to 150 feet (46m) wide. The bridge was formed over thousands of years by the deposition of limestone from mineral springs, creating a stunning natural feature that visitors can explore via several hiking trails – catering to both leisurely walks and more challenging hikes​. 

The US does love a larger-than-life roadside attraction, and the world’s largest pistachio monument is no exception. Standing 30 feet (9m) tall, it can be found on McGinn’s Pistachioland, a 111-acre pistachio farm, vineyard and souvenir shop which calls itself "the nuttiest place in New Mexico." Dedicated to the ranch’s late founder, Thomas McGinn, a plaque reads "Tom dreamed big, expected big, and accomplished big things. He would have said this monument is not big enough. His legacy lives on."

Can there be a better place to take the kids than this? Founded in 1925, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has grown into the world’s largest celebration of childhood, spanning five floors and containing over 130,000 objects. With a mixture of permanent and temporary displays on everything from dinosaurs and steam locomotives to Harry Potter and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the museum has all the bases covered, with most exhibits designed to be interactive to encourage family participation.

Now discover the most iconic landmark in every state 

Beating even London’s British Library and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the US Library of Congress is the granddaddy of them all. With 838 miles (1,348km) of bookshelves, it’s officially the world’s largest library, home to more than 173 million items, including 41 million books, 75 million manuscripts, 15 million photographs and 4.1 million audio recordings. Treasures include a perfect copy of the Gutenberg Bible on vellum (one of only three in the world) and one of the oldest known examples of printing, a Buddhist sutra dating from AD 770.

It sounds like some kind of hair-raising amusement park ride; two narrow parallel bridges spanning 24 miles (38.6km) of open water, supported by 9,500 concrete pilings. But the Pontchartrain Causeway, the world’s longest continuous bridge over water, is anything but. Since 1956 it has played a vital role by linking the city of New Orleans with more isolated communities on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, while also giving tourists more direct access to the city. 

Built to honour George Washington, America’s first president, the Washington Monument is an imposing marble obelisk that towers over the nation’s capital. Its cornerstone was laid in 1848 and it eventually grew to the impressive height of 555 feet (169m), making it the tallest stone structure in the world built without any steel reinforcement whatsoever. Most contemporary buildings of any significant height are now constructed around a framework of steel-reinforced concrete to give them the necessary structural strength. 

The Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, a concrete deck arch bridge on the Norfolk Southern Railway line, spans Tunkhannock Creek in Nicholson, Pennsylvania. Towering 240 feet (73m) above the creek bed and measuring a phenomenal 2,375 feet (724m) long, it was the largest concrete structure in the world when it was completed in 1915 and remains the largest concrete railway bridge in the world to this day. It is still used daily for a regular through freight service. 

Its 28 miles (45km) of beachfront on the Atlantic and 10 miles (16km) of estuary frontage on Chesapeake Bay make Virginia Beach the largest pleasure beach in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records. A popular year-round destination with an abundance of recreational activities and attractions suitable for all ages, it attracted over 13.5 million visitors in 2022. 

On the border between Texas and Louisiana, Caddo Lake State Park is home to one of America’s most unique natural environments, a 26,000-acre natural lake containing a maze of shallow, meandering bayous and the world's largest cypress forest. Its astonishing natural beauty makes it a major draw for tourists, who can go boating or fishing beneath the majestic, permanently submerged trees, or find a spot of dry land for hiking and camping. Just watch out for alligators. 

Cavalcade Rodeo, an annual seven-day event in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is the world’s largest amateur rodeo. First held in 1947, it was the brainchild of Alice Adams, a well-known bronc rider. Today it attracts over 1,000 contestants and 25,000 visitors. Events include ranch bronc riding, bull riding, wild horse races, team roping, wild cow milking, barrel races, chuck wagon races and the queen contest. After the excitement of the day visitors can let their hair down at the nightly dance where they are entertained by a variety of local and national performers. 

The quasi-Gothic exterior of the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield resembles a haunted castle more than a penitentiary. The prison closed in 1990, but the building is now open to the public, allowing curious visitors to experience the eerie atmosphere of its famous East Cell Block, with its rusting grilles and peeling paintwork. Standing six tiers high and containing 600 cells, this enormous space (used in films such as The Shawshank Redemption) was once home to over 1,200 inmates, making it the largest free-standing prison cell in the world.

Often described as the 'longest art gallery in the world', Nine Mile Canyon in the desert of eastern Utah gives even The Louvre a run for its money. Somewhat mis-named, the canyon itself is actually 40 miles (64km) long and contains a vast treasure trove of more than 10,000 petroglyphs and pictographs carved and painted on weathered sandstone. Created mainly by the ancient Fremont culture and the Native American Ute people, these astonishing images give archaeologists and tourists alike a chance to travel hundreds, or even thousands, of years into the past.

A full-scale replica of Noah’s Ark built according to measurements found in the Bible, Ark Encounter counts itself as the world’s largest freestanding timber frame structure. The centrepiece of a Christian theme park in Williamstown, Kentucky, this enormous vessel is 510 feet (155m) long, 85 feet (26m) wide and 51 feet (15.5m) tall, with a maximum capacity of 10,000 people. Each level contains models of animals that might have been on the ark (including um… dinosaurs).

The aptly named Cathedral Caverns in Woodville, Alabama boasts many attractions, but is most famous for its gargantuan entrance. One of the largest cave openings in the world, it measures 128 feet (38m) wide and 25 feet (8m) tall. The caverns themselves are no less impressive, stretching approximately 1,500 feet (457m) underground. A notable feature inside the caverns is 'Goliath', one of the largest stalagmites in the world, measuring 45 feet (14m) tall and 243 feet (74m) in circumference.​ Tours run throughout the day and there’s even an annual race through the caves.

Many of us have a rotating globe at home, but probably not quite this big. Designed and built by DeLorme, a mapping corporation near Yarmouth, Maine, Eartha is the largest in the world. Built on a scale of 1:1,000,000 (meaning an inch is equivalent to 16 miles/26km) it weighs 2,540kg (5,600lbs), has a diameter of more than 41 feet (12m) and took two years to construct. A cantilever system allows it to both rotate and revolve (as the real Earth does), and it’s housed in a glass atrium so can be seen from miles around.

Completed in 1965, the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri is the tallest arch in the world and the tallest monument in the western hemisphere. Designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, it was built to commemorate the westward expansion of the United States and towers 630 feet (192m) over the surrounding city. Intrepid visitors can take a tram ride to the top to enjoy spectacular views, or simply enjoy the free museum on the ground level, which explores the founding of St. Louis.

At 56 feet (17m) tall and weighing 20,955kg (46,200lbs) it’s hard to believe that the world’s largest rocking chair could actually rock, but it did! Indeed, its functionality was a condition for it to take the record, and it scarcely mattered that it took 10 men to set it in motion. Now securely welded to the ground, the chair is located in Casey, Illinois, and remains a major attraction for anyone travelling on Route 66. Once a year, people can even take a lift up and sit in it for photo ops. 

What else could we end with but the world's largest collection of the world’s smallest versions of the world’s largest things? Located in the tiny town of Lucas, Kansas, this quirky celebration of roadside Americana is the work of local artist Erika Nelson, who hand-sculpts tiny recreations of any giant objects or sculptures billed as the 'world’s largest'. Nelson also operates a museum inside a van which takes parts of her collection on the road, so keep your eyes peeled for what must be one of the most delightful record-breakers out there. 

Incredible early images of the world's most famous landmarks