1

Long Island iced tea

Image: yeoul Shin

There are two theories about the origin of this cocktail, both rooted in Long Island , though not the sameLong Island!

One story claims it was born during the Prohibition era in a community named Long Island in Kingsport, Tennessee . Another, more recent, credits Robert "Rosebud" Butt with inventing the recipe in a 1972 contest held on Long Island, New York .

A daring choice for some, the iconic Long Island Iced Tea has a recipe with a long list of ingredients . To prepare it, you'll need tequila, light rum, vodka, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola. Only the bravest dare to try it!

2

Martini

Image: Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández

If you are one of those who loves a drink that's both strong and stylish , then the classic Martini is probably among your favorites. It is the choice of the sophisticated James Bond, who famously prefers his Martini "shaken, not stirred."

Traditionally made with gin and vermouth , and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist, the Martini has several variants, including the vodka Martini, which -as its name suggests- swaps gin for vodka.

While the origin of this classic is not entirely clear, most sources argue it comes from a drink called the Martinez , which had the same basic ingredients and was already being served in the mid-19th century at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, California.

3

Old Fashioned

Image: Nuff

Let's step back in time with the classic Old Fashioned ! This drink traces its roots back to the early 19th century right here in the United States.

Initially called "the whiskey cocktail," it was prepared much like it is today: mixing sugar with bitters and water, then adding whiskey or brandy. However, as the 19th century progressed, new ingredients like fruit juices, soda, or other liquors became part of many drinks. To stick to the original recipe and avoid these modern twists, people began ordering it as an "Old Fashioned."

The invention of this liquid delicacy is sometimes linked to The Pendennis, a gentlemen's club that opened in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky . However, mentions of this delicious drink across the country long predate the club.

4

Mint julep

Image: Abby Boggier

Originally from the south of the United States and very popular, especially in Kentucky , there are mentions of this fresh cocktail as early as the 1770s!

It truly stood the test of time, and we understand why. With a base of bourbon , a hint of sugar, water, the classic crushed ice, and the essential fresh mint , it is a mix that's hard to resist.

Served traditionally in silver or pewter cups , this classic American drink is perfect for summer. However, the touch of bourbon can also be good for a cool winter day.

5

Manhattan

Image: OurWhisky Foundation

Remember the original Old Fashioned recipe? Well, let's spice it up. Take the whiskey cocktail and add a splash of sweet vermouth . That's it! Now you have a chic drink: the popular Manhattan .

The Manhattan cocktail has a fascinating origin myth , situated -of course- in NYC . Legend has it that this recipe was created in the 1870s , at the Manhattan Club for a banquet hosted by Winston Churchill's mother! However, historical records show that Lady Randolph Churchill was actually in Paris and pregnant with Winston at the time.

According to more reliable sources, the Manhattan cocktail was actually invented in the 1860s by a bartender named Black , who ran a bar near Houston Street in Manhattan.

6

Sazerac

Image: Bon Vivant

The classic Sazerac cocktail embodies the spirit of The Big Easy , where it was born in the mid-19th century.

The Sazerac we savor today is named after the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of Cognac brandy, from which this cocktail was first created. To make a Sazerac, absinthe, bitters, and sugar were combined with the brandy. Over time, rye whiskey replaced brandy in the modern recipe.

What sets the Sazerac apart, besides its Frenchy name, is its distinctive serving style . The ritual begins by rimming an old-fashioned glass with absinthe. Next, the drink is mixed with ice and strained into the prepared glass. Finally, a classic touch: a twist of lemon.

7

Mai Tai

Image: wu yi

While it might sound like the name of an ancient martial art, the Mai Tai is actually a delightful cocktail born in the United States of America.

More modern and with a tropical touch, the Mai Tai is a vibrant blend of rum , Curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup, and lime juice. The year was 1944 when this balanced recipe was created by Victor J. Bergeron at his Trader Vic's restaurant in Oakland, California .

Apparently, the Mai Tai's name comes from the Thai expression "maitaʻi," which translates as "good," "excellent," or even "the best." So, if you haven't tried it yet, consider this your signal!

8

Tequila Sunrise

Image: Jamin Eyes

Named for its unmixed colors that mirror the beautiful moment when the sun rises, the Tequila Sunrise carries an intense blend: tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup .

The original recipe was a bit different. Between the 1930s and '40s , bartender Gene Sulit stirred up tequila with crème de cassis, lime juice, and soda water at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix. Some three decades later in Sausalito, California , Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice made a change to the original recipe. They traded out the original last three ingredients for orange juice and grenadine, creating the present version.

In case you're wondering, yes, The Eagles' song was inspired by this drink!

9

The Ramos Gin Fizz

Image: The Humble Co.

And New Orleans is here again! With its festive spirit, this city also gave birth to another American cocktail: The Ramos Gin Fizz . This delightful recipe was born in 1888 , courtesy of Henry Charles "Carl" Ramos, owner of the Imperial Cabinet Saloon .

Originally called the " New Orleans Fizz ," it was an instant hit. But if you want to try making it at home, be prepared for a trip to the grocery store, as the recipe is a bit long . The mix for a perfect Ramos Gin Fizz includes gin, lemon juice, lime juice, egg whites, sugar, heavy cream, orange flower water, and soda water.

10

Cosmopolitan

Image: Laure Noverraz

Who hasn't heard of the iconic " Cosmo "? This delightful, sweet drink is a blend of vodka , Cointreau (a type of triple sec), cranberry juice, and a splash of sweetened lime juice. It is served in a chic martini glass and often garnished with a lemon twist.

The origin of this drink is a subject of debate, with various reports suggesting its creation in different places across the country . Some stories trace it back to the 1970s in Provincetown, Massachusetts ; San Francisco, California ; or Minneapolis, Minnesota . Others claim it was born a bit later, in the mid-1980s , in the sunny state of Florida . The current recipe, however, has traces in the bustling city of New York.

Regardless of its birth city, this drink originated in our country and is part of American culture. Let's enjoy it!

1

First presidential candidate: Victoria Woodhull

Image: Daria Kraplak

In 1870, a publisher and stockbroker on Wall Street, Victoria Woodhull, stepped up to do something no woman had ever done before. In a letter to the New York Herald, she announced her intention to run for president of the United States. Some laughed, others scoffed, but Woodhull never flinched.

Her message was revolutionary for its time: equal rights for women, fair pay for workers, and an end to hypocrisy in politics. No electoral votes went her way, but that wasn’t the point. By daring to run, she opened the door for future generations and secured her place as the first woman bold enough to chase the presidency, long before the law recognized her right to vote.

2

First member of Congress: Jeannette Rankin

Image: C. T. Chapman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1916, Montana elected a woman to Congress for the first time. Jeannette Rankin was a suffragist who had already helped secure voting rights for women in her state before most of the nation even dreamed of it. When she arrived at the Capitol to take her seat, the gallery overflowed with onlookers buzzing with curiosity and disbelief. Rankin, calm and resolute, didn’t shout to be heard; she spoke with the steady conviction of someone who knew she belonged. Her presence proved that a woman’s reasoning could command the same respect as any man’s voice, and once heard, it could never again be silenced.

3

First U.S. senator: Hattie Caraway

Image: Stephen Walker

She started out almost unnoticed. In 1931, when Arkansas senator Thaddeus Caraway died, his widow, Hattie, was appointed to fill his seat, a move many assumed was merely symbolic. But Hattie had no interest in being a placeholder. The following year, she launched her own campaign, traveling dusty southern roads and shaking hands with quiet confidence.

Against all odds, she won, becoming the first woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. Dubbed "Silent Hattie" for her reserved manner, she wasn’t known for fiery speeches or flashy gestures. Through persistence and integrity, she proved that results, not rhetoric, are what truly echo in the chambers of power.

4

First woman mayor: Susanna Salter

Image: LSE Library

This is the story of a prank going sideways. In 1887, a group of men in a tiny Kansas town slipped the name of 27-year-old Susanna Salter onto the mayoral ballot in Argonia, confident that voters would laugh her off. To their dismay, when the ballots were counted, Salter had won.

Overnight, she became the first woman mayor in U.S. history. Far from feeling overwhelmed, Salter handled her duties with grace and sharp practicality, earning the respect of the same townsmen who tried to embarrass her. By the end of her term, she’d turned a bad joke into a precedent.

5

First state governor: Nellie Tayloe Ross

Image: Roman Manshin

Wyoming’s nickname, the Equality State, seems well deserved. When voters chose Nellie Tayloe Ross as governor in 1925, the nation watched as a woman stepped into a role no one of her gender had ever held before. She wasn’t the fiery campaign type; her strength came from quiet precision and an unwavering sense of duty.

Ross believed that leadership meant doing the work well, not making noise about it. Her calm authority and financial prudence won over even the most skeptical. Years later, as the first female director of the U.S. Mint, she literally shaped the nation’s currency, an apt legacy for a woman who always knew the worth of patience, persistence, and steady hands.

6

First cabinet member: Frances Perkins

Image: The New York Public Library

At the beginning of the 1930s, when breadlines stretched around city blocks and hope felt like a luxury, a female labor leader and consumer advocate came to the rescue. President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw in Frances Perkins not just a reformer, but a force of nature. As Secretary of Labor —and first woman ever to hold a Cabinet post—Perkins walked into the men-filled halls of power and quietly redrew the map of American work.

She championed fair wages, safer conditions, and limits on child labor, all while helping craft the Social Security system that still anchors millions of lives today. Decades later, her influence lingers in every pay stub, every pension, and every law that insists work should come with dignity.

7

First Supreme Court justice: Sandra Day O’Connor

Image: Stephanie Rhee

It’s hard to picture the dusty plains of Arizona leading to the marble halls of the Supreme Court, yet that’s exactly where Sandra Day O’Connor’s story began. Raised on a remote cattle ranch miles from the nearest town, she learned the value of hard work, clear thinking, and a level head. All these qualities would serve her well when, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated her as the first woman justice in U.S. history.

O’Connor brought that same frontier pragmatism to Washington, preferring reason over rhetoric and humor over ego. "I’m just trying to do the right thing, one case at a time," she once said. For a quarter century, her voice became the Court’s steady center, proving that fairness stretches farther than politics.

8

First U.S. Secretary of State: Madeleine K. Albright

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Madeleine Albright, born in Czechoslovakia and raised on the idea that words alone could shape nations, found a clever way to make hers sparkle beyond her famous brooches. She could easily become a spider when negotiations grew tense, and a gentle dove when peace was within reach.

Albright believed diplomacy could be both art and strategy. When she became the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State in 1997, she blended intellect with unmistakable flair, commanding global respect. She showed that courage, conviction, and strength can coexist with a warm personality occasionally sparkling from a lapel.

9

First major party’s presidential nominee: Hillary Rodham Clinton

Image: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It took nearly a century and a half after Victoria Woodhull’s daring run for president before another woman would stand beneath the spotlights of a major party convention. In 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton walked onto the stage with the spirit of the suffragists who had paved her path.

That night meant history was catching up. Smiling at the crowd, she declared, "We’ve reached a milestone, but we still have glass to break." Whether she won or lost mattered less than the fact that she stood there at all. Clinton’s campaign turned a dream whispered for generations into something tangible.

10

First elected vice president: Kamala Harris

Image: Manny Becerra

Fast-forward to 2020. A California senator steps up to the microphone, smiles, and thanks "the women who paved the way." Kamala Harris is the daughter of immigrants, a former prosecutor, and now the first woman ever elected Vice President of the United States.

Her voice carried the weight of generations who’d been told to wait their turn. Echoing the suffragists who once marched so she could stand there, Harris reminded America that progress is a relay, not a sprint. Her message rang clear and timeless: dream boldly, even when the trail ahead is foggy.

1

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Image: Yura Lytkin

Tucked away in eastern Nevada, Great Basin is the park that time forgot—in the best way possible. You can hike to a glacier, explore underground caverns, and camp under skies so dark you’ll see stars you didn’t even know existed , all without waiting in line or fighting for a decent photo spot.

2

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Image: Selma Rizvić

This park protects one of the largest remaining expanses of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States, which is a fancy way of saying it's got trees so tall and old they make you feel like an ant at a giant's picnic. The real magic happens at night, when the fireflies put on a light show that'll make you forget all about mosquito bites. Plus, you can rent a canoe and paddle through what feels like the set of a Southern Gothic novel—Spanish moss and all.

3

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Image: Pete Alexopoulos

With jagged mountain peaks and more than 300 glaciers, this park offers scenery that’ll make your camera work overtime . The hiking ranges from "pleasant afternoon stroll" to "why did I think this was a good idea?" so there's something for everyone, assuming everyone likes being surrounded by absurdly gorgeous wilderness.

The best part? While everyone's fighting over hotel rooms near Mount Rainier, North Cascades sits there looking spectacular with hardly anyone around. The park sees fewer visitors in an entire year than Yellowstone does on a busy weekend.

4

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Image: Nick Rickert

Located 70 miles off the coast of Key West, Dry Tortugas takes "off the beaten path" to a whole new level: you literally need a boat or seaplane to get there. The turquoise waters are so clear you could see fish judging your swimming technique from 30 feet away . Plus, there's Fort Jefferson, a massive 19th-century fort that feels like someone plopped a Civil War–era fortress in the middle of paradise and said, "Sure, that works."

Just remember: there’s no fresh water (hence the "Dry" part), no food service, and no shade except what you bring yourself. It’s like camping, but surrounded by the kind of blue water that makes you understand why people write songs about the ocean.

5

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Image: Ryuta F.

Home to the highest peak in Texas (Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 feet), this park offers hiking that'll remind your knees they're not as young as they used to be, but in a rewarding way. The fall foliage in McKittrick Canyon is legitimately stunning , which surprises people who assume Texas is all tumbleweeds and barbecue joints.

The park sits on an ancient fossil reef from when this whole area was underwater, mind-blowing, if you think about it for more than two seconds. There’s no cell service, limited facilities, and the nearest town is about an hour away, which may sound like a complaint, but it actually forces you to unplug and take in the amazing place around you.

6

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Image: Vyacheslav Makushin

Voyageurs is a water-based park that’s basically a summer camp for adults who can legally drink beer. With over 200,000 acres—about 40% of it water—houseboating is the way to experience it.

The fishing here is legendary, the northern lights make regular appearances, and in winter, the frozen lakes become highways for snowmobiles and cross-country skiers . It's remote enough that you feel like an explorer, but accessible enough that you won't actually die if you forget your matches.

7

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

Image: Dustin Weist

Colorado has so many stunning places that Black Canyon somehow gets overlooked. This canyon is deep, narrow, and so dramatically steep that parts of it only get 33 minutes of sunlight a day . The Gunnison River carved through 2 billion years of rock to create towering walls that make you feel appropriately insignificant, which is good for the soul occasionally.

8

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Image: Ivan Vashchenko

If you want to really get away from it all, Isle Royale is your jam: an island in Lake Superior that requires either a ferry ride or a seaplane to reach. Once you’re there, you’re committed; same-day visits aren’t really a thing. The park is car-free, crowd-free, and home to a fascinating wolf-and-moose study that’s been running since 1958.

The hiking trails crisscross the island through forests and along rocky shorelines where the lake looks more like an ocean . Backcountry camping is the main event here, and the solitude is so profound you'll hear sounds you forgot existed—like actual silence.

9

Pinnacles National Park, California

Image: Cyrus Crossan

California's newest national park is a playground of volcanic spires, talus caves, and rock formations that look like a giant was playing with clay and just walked away mid-project . The rock climbing here is world-class, and the cave exploration doesn't require any special gear—just a flashlight and a willingness to squeeze through some tight spaces.

The spring wildflower displays are spectacular, and the park is one of the best places to see the endangered California condor, which has a wingspan that makes eagles look modest. It gets hot in summer—and by hot, I mean "surface of the sun" hot—so plan accordingly.

10

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Image: Robson Hatsukami Morgan

This park sits on top of one of the world’s largest plug-dome volcanoes—and yes, it could erupt again—Lassen Peak last blew in 1915, which in geological time is basically yesterday. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and hot springs that make you feel like you're walking on another planet .

The hiking is fantastic, with everything from easy boardwalk strolls through geothermal features to challenging climbs up Lassen Peak itself. Add in alpine lakes, wildflower-filled meadows, and a fraction of Yosemite’s crowds (despite being just a few hours south), and you’ve got a spectacular California secret.