If you're sightseeing in North America, then there are numerous tour operators that run trips based around either geographical destinations or themes. In South America and Central America the choice is more limited, but it's still nearly always possible to join a ready-built holiday. Some of the South American cities can be quite hairy when you get outside the tourist areas. So don't wander off the beaten track during the day, and be careful at night.

Sightseeing Holidays in America

Washington DC is arguably has the higher concentration of powerful people than anywhere else on earth. The first must-see sight is the White House, which you can take a tour of – book as early as you can, turn up early on the day, expect airport style security, and don't take any bags or cameras. Political geeks will also want to see the Capitol Building and the Library of Congress – in the Capitol Grounds, you can see a somewhat random clutch of statues of US Presidents, including the obscure President Garfield and President Grant. Far more recognisable are the sights along the National Mall, including the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. At the end of the day, you can hang with the interns in at cut-price bars that have special offers on food and beer, or melt your credit card at the top restaurants where lobbyists take politicians to impress. You should also check out the Smithsonian Institute, which is a group of museums, rather than just one building – you'll be sure to find something of interest in the vast collection!

Niagra Falls' big sight is, well, the Falls. But there are numerous ways to experience this fantastic natural wonder. Go on the Maid in the Mist Boat to sail right up to the foot of the Falls. You can also walk behind the waterfall, and do a boardwalk alongside it, and ride on a ferris wheel that gives you a great view over the rapids. And you can take a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls, or ride a cable car over the whirlpool, or take an elevator to the bottom of the waterfall – as close as you can safely get, anyway. If you get bored with the Niagara Falls themselves, or inexplicably manage to exhaust the Falls-related activities, then don't worry – you can go wine tasting, take a bus tour dedicated to the doings of gangsters, or get married.

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Argentina has numerous sights of note. You're likely to start of in Buenos Aires, the pulsating Argentine capital. La Boca is the main tourist district – see the brightly painted buildings, and wander the Caminito pedestrian street to find arts and crafts. The Cementerio de la Recoleta is full of enormous and ornate tombs, and the biggest is the final resting place of Eva Peron; try to resist the temptation to make "Don't cry for her, Argentina" jokes. Buenos Aires can be a rather edgy city, so be careful – and you should also see some of the rest of Argentina. The Igazu Falls in the north are one of the natural wonders of the world, and taller and far less touristy than Niagara Falls.

The most obvious thing to see in Panama is the Panama Canal, an engineering marvel. From Panama City, take a trip to the Miraflores locks and museum. Idle there to watch the enormous ships making the crossing between the Atlantic and the Pacific Panama Viejo has some fascinating ruins, while Casca Viejo has old colonial buildings. Boquete is a pretty mountain village – come here to tour a coffee plantation, take a jeep safari in the mountainous national park, and swim in the solar powered swimming pool. Panama is a great place to see rainforests, particularly as the Panama Canal allows an easy access route into the interior of the country.