New to the States and this batshit network? That's quite a thing! Where are you from?
It's a rather large country so traveling can be cumbersome but if you like the outdoors, Yosemite Valley here in California is incredible. Lake Tahoe is sort of close and the views are nice. As for what to avoid...Reno, Nevada (it's where gamblers go to die), bad coffee, the question 'how are you?' because it's a greeting and not an actual question, and anything 'super sized' unless you like cholesterol.