Scotland

Choose Scotland over England if you want drama in the landscape rather than the capital. Edinburgh is compact enough to cover on foot, with a castle on a volcanic crag above the medieval Old Town, and from there organized day tours reach lochs, glens and Highland villages, so you can see wild country without driving it yourself. The language is English, if sometimes delivered with an accent that takes a day to tune into, and many Americans arrive with family roots worth chasing in a local archive or clan museum. Paperwork matches the rest of the UK, so apply online for the Electronic Travel Authorisation before you fly. Pack layers in any season: the weather changes fast, and summer evenings stay light very late.