100 Reasons to Love America in 2023 (2024)

The Summer's Hottest Tour Swiftly Rolls On

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is shattering attendance records, thrilling audiences with surprise guests (Ice Spice! Maren Morris!) and bridging the generation gap (So. many. Swiftie Dads). Future dates include stops in Denver, Seattle and L.A.

More can't-miss summer concerts:

Madonna - The Celebration Tour marks four decades of the Material Girl’s stranglehold on pop music—and popular culture. U.S. dates begin July 18 and run through Jan. 20.

Pink - The North American leg of the “Trustfall” singer’s Summer Carnival tour starts July 26 in Cincinnati. “I’m dumb lucky I get to do all of these things,” she told People in February.

Beyoncé - Among Queen Bey’s backup dancers on the European leg of her Renaissance World Tour: her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy. The party comes stateside on July 12.

The One-of-a-Kind Coach Beard, a.k.a. Brendan Hunt

The unsung MVP of Ted Lasso: the scruffy and sage Brendan Hunt, who also co-executive-produced the acclaimed Apple TV+ series. On the nagging question of a spinoff, Hunt recently told fans on Reddit: "Everything is possible. But that includes the possibility that we're done."

America the Breathtaking

From spacious skies to purple mountain majesties, our natural wonders never cease. Check out the intoxicating bloom at Moore Manor Lavender in Newport, Maine. It kicks off in June and peaks in early July, and the farm is free to visitors.

Other sights to see:

Texas’s Big Bend National Park
Kayak the Rio Grande, hike the 14.5-mile South Rim Trail, or just gaze at the stars: According to the National Park Service, Big Bend has the least light pollution of any park in the Lower 48.

The Alaska Railroad’s Centennial Celebration
The nation’s last full-service railroad, which turns 100 this year, spans 470 miles, connecting Seward to Fairbanks—and its passengers to the timelessness of the Last Frontier.

California’s Superbloom
Record winter rainfall has sparked an explosion of colorful wildflowers in the Golden State (as in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, below), the first since 2019.

Arizona’s Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Fifty million years of Mother Nature’s hard work have left sandstone mesas and buttes that can be neither adequately described nor suitably photographed. You’ll try anyway.

Georgia’s Toccoa Falls
Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the free-falling waterfall, which cascades from a stunning 186-ft.rock face, is one of the tallest east of the Mississippi.

We Have the Best Milkshakes

We searched far and wide for the top shake-makers in the U.S.A. These are the cream of the crop.

Holsteins Shakes and Buns (Las Vegas) Try the Cereal Bowl Bam-Boozled shake (above): vanilla ice cream and vodka (!) topped with Cap’n Crunch, Froot Loops, Pocky sticks and vanilla frosting.

The Bus Stop (Upperco, Md.) Try the Chippy Berry Extreme: strawberry and chocolate chip ice cream topped with a cookie sandwich, chocolate flakes, a fresh strawberry and a wafer.

S’Moreology (West Covina, Calif.) Try the double-scoop strawberry milkshake topped with Marshmallow Fluff and a cherry.

The Crazy Mason (10 locations across the South) Try the How the Cookie Crumbles: Milk & Cookies ice cream and crushed Chips Ahoy!, topped with a cookie bar, hot fudge, whipped icing and another cookie.

Cheesecaked (Norcross, Ga.) Try the Unicorn Milkshake: birthday cake ice cream and cheesecake topped with whipped cream, rainbow candy, marshmallow, lollipop and sprinkles.

Damar Hamlin's Improbable Comeback

The Buffalo Bills safety suffered cardiac arrest after taking a hit and collapsing during a Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, cleared by specialists to return, he has resumed practicing in preparation for the 2023 season. “This is what a prayer outcome looks like,” Hamlin recently wrote on Instagram.

Pedro Pascal is Owning His Moment

Whether walking the Met Gala red carpet in red Valentino or having his Starbucks order scrutinized on TikTok (iced quad espresso with six shots!?), the Last of Us and Mandalorian star, 48, is leaning into our collective fascination and relishing his role as “the Internet’s daddy.” “I am having fun with it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

We Help Our Neighbors

When catastrophic tornadoes hit the South and Midwest in late March, Americans’ sense of compassion was on full display. Right: Volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse help rebuild a home in Silver City, Miss., after an EF-4 storm decimated the town and killed 26.

Shonda Rhimes's Reign Continues

Shonda Rhimes minted another certified hit with Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, a spinoff loosely based on the early life of the monarch. Fans call it even sexier than the original series. As Atlanta native Arsema Thomas (who plays Young Lady Danbury) told People: “It’s a departure. What a beautiful experiment to be a part of."

Five Ways to Get Your Culture Fix

The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. - The museum, which seeks to recognize female artists, reopens on Oct. 21, following a transformative $67.5 million renovation.

Rooftop Films’ 2023 Summer Series in New York City - The popular film festival returns for its 27th season, showcasing shorts, docs and features at unique outdoor venues across the five boroughs. Eva Longoria premiered her directorial debut, Flamin’ Hot, this year.

The International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C. - The long-awaited IAAM — which celebrates the extensive cultural contributions of Africans and African Americans — opens on June 27 on the location at which 45 percent of enslaved Africans entered the country.

Duke Riley’s “Death to the Living, Long Live Trash” Exhibit at Brooklyn Museum - Fishing lures created with detritus collected from Northeastern beaches are just one highlight of this eco-conscious exhibit that runs through July 16.

The Airstream Heritage Center in Jackson Center, Ohio - Calling all glampers: Celebrate the iconic aluminum travel trailer — and how it still conjures the urge to pack up and explore — at this charming museum dedicated to the RV lifestyle.

The Bear is Back!

The FX favorite The Bear, which offers an unsentimental look at Chicago restaurant life through the eyes of damaged chef Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White, above, with Ayo Edebiri) drops 10 new episodes on June 22.

SVU Turns 25!

They’re a credit to the force! (From left) Kelli Giddish, Mariska Hargitay and Ice T ring in a landmark 25th season of Law & Order: SVU this fall.

Flounder and Sebastian Get (Too) Real

Reaction to The Little Mermaid’s realistic-looking sea creatures has been mixed — and hilarious.

"Everyone wants a photorealistic live action Little Mermaid until it comes time to reckon with what a true flounder looks like," tweeted one fan.

Ben Platt and Noah Galvin head to Theater Camp

The delightful mockumentary about an upstate New York drama camp—starring real-life couple Ben Platt and Noah Galvin—hits theaters July 14.

The film, which premiered at theSundance Film Festivalin January, is co-directed by Molly Gordon and filmmaker Nick Lieberman in their feature directorial debut.

"In 2017, Molly, Nick, Ben and I wanted to make something together," Galvin explains in a video posted to the Sundance Institute's YouTube page in December, sharing the years-long journey from concept to fully realized film.

"I think at the core...it's really about how theater is a place where you can fully be yourself and kind of really find your people," Gordon adds.

Bob Barker Nears a Milestone!

The legendary Price Is Right host will turn 100 on Dec. 12.

“I’m the old man they watched all these years doing fun games with people of all colors cheering each other on,” Barker told People in 2007. “It’s an atmosphere that hardly exists anyplace else.”

Other brands and American institutions hitting the century mark in 2023: the Hollywood sign, Russell Stover, Crystal hot sauce, Hasbro and the Walt Disney Company.