this is the America I know, from my life experiences ...
I grew up in Tampa Bay Florida on the peninsula called Pinellas county where we were surrounded by water on three sides and could drive any direction and within 7 miles (usa) be in the water. I love the beach, walking in the white sand (kinda like sugar). My whole college career was spent studying on the beach , with the crashing waves in the back ground and warm sun on my skin. I love swimming in the Gulf of Mexico but scuba diving isn't so great as there isn't much to see, not much vegatation or reefs on this side of Florida. If you like to scuba dive you would go to the very end of Florida Key West - though it is not as great as the barrier reef in Australia.
As I kid we played in huge Orange groves that went on forever it seemed. A lot of people have citrus trees in their yards (Oracle, grapefruit) so you can eat free fruit most of the year. Also there are a lot of Alligators in Florida. I could go to just about any city park with a small or large lake and be sure to see an Alligator sunning itself on the lake banks or swimming slowly in the lake. I love Alligators! (but don't want any close encounters with them). It is completely illegal to feed alligators, you can be fined a huge amount if found feeding them. My ex-boyfriend almost got fined for throwing french fries at an alligator once.
Another great thing about living in the Tampa Bay area (Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg) is it is only a three hour drive to the east coast of Florida and the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches on that side are different, the sand is harder and darker. On the Gulf of Mexico side you can find tons of beautiful sea shells. It is also under 2 hours to Orlando where Disney World is and a TON of other amusement parks. The Disney area is like a huge playground - though every thing costs money (not much is cheap or free).
The weather in Florida is HOT and HUMID, some say it is compatible to Sydney Australia. July - September is the worst, you can barely stand going outside. If you do (and of course you have to) you will be sweaty and very uncomfortable. You must run the air conditioner all summer long to be comfortable in Florda. Unless your like me and just hang out at the beach all the time, enjoying the ocean breeze and jumping in the water when your hot.
I left Sunny Florida about six years ago for a job in Dallas Texas, and there is a saying "Every thing is bigger in Texas" and they aren't kidding. Texas is so different from Florida. Florida is greener and more tropical, whereas Dallas Texas is dry and brown. Not a lot can grow in this dry desert climate. The people are wonderful though in Texas, open and the friendliest people I have ever met. I went to my first Rodeo in Fort Worth. It was funner then I thought watching people bull ride and kids chase and rope cattle. Dallas wasn't the 'Old Wild West" that I envisioned though ... instead there are a lot of SHOPS and restaurants. I asked a women co-worker once "what do you do in Dallas Texas" and she smiled and said ' SHOP and Eat'. So there you have it for Texas.
I then moved to North Carolina - the Appalachian mountains. These are not the highest mountain chain in America, but they once were before millions of years of erosion occurred. Having come from the flatland of Florida and Dallas the North Carolina mountains are a real treat. I live at 3400 feet elevation and I am surrounded by three mountains over 6000 feet elevation. The town I live on is mostly Christmas Tree farms (like 90%). So every where I look is Christmas trees. There aren't many people here either , the town may have 200. But the air is crisp and clear and the views are great. I drink mountain fresh water every day out of my well. Deer run through my yard daily. We have Apple trees and small creeks full of Trout fish you can catch and eat. The only thing I don't enjoy is the winding roads through the mountains, I seem to get car sick a lot. For fun I hike up and down the mountains and enjoy the peaceful nature. It's very different from my years in Florida enjoying the beach and warmth. As it is cooler up here in the mountains and it snows in North Carolina too, it almost never snows in Florida.
For vacation I got to visit California last year, and I LOVE it. I visited San Fransisco (nice city life with trolley cars to take you anywhere you want), then I visited Napa Valley (the Wine country) and Yosemite Park - a HUGE wilderness area with amazing mountains, water falls and wildlife. I highly recommend all these areas.
I also got did a road trip last September to the New England East Coast of America - Maryland, Washington DC, New York, Connecticut, Mass. , Maine, New Hampsire, Vermont. Every place has it's own charm and it's own heritage. One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing the lobster boats and then eating fresh Maine lobster in Boothbay, it was so fresh. You wouldn't want to be in Maine in the winter - January - April it's to cold.
It will be very hard for you to decide where in America to go to because there are such diverse places - the Pacific coast, the great plains, the New England East coast, the South , the Midwest.
Another thing to consider is the time of year. If you come to America in July stay away from Florida *smile* - to hot. If you come in October you might love the New England area because of the changing leaves on the trees - it's so colorful. The Pacific is beautiful year round (California, Oregon). If you like adult night life and gambling (casino stuff) you might love Las Vegas - it's an adult playground I hear ( I have never been there). Lots of bright lights and flashy stuff. Then their is New York - every one has heard of NY. I visited for the first time last year and actually hated it . But my 24 year old daughter loved it there ... there are a lot of people and things to do and see in NY but very expensive. I do recommend visiting New York though - the Statue of Liberty is amazing. You can learn A LOT about America from New York - because that is typically the first place a lot of immigrants came to from other countries (NY and California).
There is history to learn in every state ...
How long will you stay if you come to America? I hope you can stay at least a month - there is so much to do and see. Spring (April-June) and Fall (September-November) are good times to come, as the weather is comfortable.