I think Washington, DC would be good, though it is more skewed toward Government stuff, memorials, and museums than other cities.
As an American, I don’t think you can beat NYC for the culture and history. Even then, it’s not a true “America in Miniature” city - there are things you won’t see (or won’t see much of ) - hillbillies, surfer dudes, or survivalists!
New York City isn’t much different from London. Las Vegas is an adult theme park, ideal for gamblers or bachelor parties. The other cities that have been mentioned in this thread are better choices.
Then New Orleans is the place for you. It’s got a distinct culture, it’s fun to tour by day, and it’s fun to party in at night. They call it “the Big Easy” for a reason. I suggest you take one of their many walking ghost tours and go drinking on Bourbon St afterward. Find a bar with a live band.
I’ve had more than one European tell me the same thing - the east coast and the cities of the US were fun, but not really all that different than Europe. The scenic west, on the other hand, especially Arizona/New Mexico/etc, were what really blew them away. Between the VERY different landscape, the wide-open spaces, and the vast amounts of no human habitation, it was extremely different than Europe.
So I guess in that sense, I can see visiting Las Vegas instead of New York. That said, Vegas itself (as others have mentioned) is touristy and is still centered around gambling (though that’s changing). I’d say go to another Southwestern city for a real sense of something different, or (as the quote above says) travel around some in the area. Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico in general is beautiful; Arizona is as well (though I don’t much like Phoenix).
Speaking as a native New Yorker. I agree. New York City and London are very alike, though there are friendlier people and less crime in New York, plus the subway’s cheaper and runs all night. 
. The first time I went to England I was staying with friends in Oxford and took a day trip to London. The whole time I was thinking, “why did I bother? This is just like New York!” OTOH hiking portions of the Coast-to-coast train in Yorkshire? THAT was a Very England Experience ™.
However, American cities are not “samey” they are actually astoundingly different from each other and all are different from New York in almost every way. You don’t seem like you’re very into Vegas, though, and I would just generally advise against going on a vacation that doesn’t really appeal to you.
I’ve never been there, but Miami and New Orleans both seem like great ideas. Both stand at crossroads of culture and are also known for their kickass food and nightlife.
I wasn’t too fond of Miami, seemed a bit like the New Jersey with palm trees, but I did really like the Florida Keys. It’s a tropical paradise where you can drink the tap water and thow TP into the toilet, although Bahia Honda is the only really good sandy beach. Orlando of course has the them parks. Driving from Orlando to the Keys is long but doable. There are other ways of getting to Key West, although IMHO the overseas highway is part of the expierience.
My choices for an only visit would be (stars are cities I’ve been to personally)
Culture: *New York, San Francisco, or New Orleans
Theme Parks: *Orlando
History: *Boston , Philadephia, or *Washington, DC
Gambling: *Las Vegas
Mountains: *Denver
Tropical Paradise: *Florida Keys
I’ve also personally been to (and liked) Chicago and Seattle but I would not consider them “first trip” destinations.
If you like roller coasters the world’s highest is within driving distance from New York or Philadelphia.
As an Orlando resident, I can say without doubt there’s absolutely no reason to visit unless you like theme parks. It’s a fantastic place to live, though, other than the suddenly skyrocketing crime rate; big enough to matter, but small enough that there’s no real traffic.
Between the two. I would definitely go with New York. There is far more to see and do there than in Vegas. (In fact, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and possibly Washington (although DC may not be a good choice if you’re not interested in this country’s history - after all, if you were listing Australian cities for foreign visitors, where would you put Canberra?) would be above Las Vegas.)
New York over Las Vegas, without a doubt, but it would not be my first choice for a single US city trip. There are layers and layers of museums, restaurants, theater, clubs, and shopping, all wrapped up with tall buildings and cosmopolitanism. This is all stuff you can get elsewhere in the US, but not in all in one place, and not in that sort of depth.
If you’re not there to gamble, Las Vegas is a one-note spectacle of over-the-top artificiality with some nice restaurants. Good for a weekend with the boys (or girls) if you want to be a little bad, or wild, or what-have-you, without getting into danger, or trouble with the law.
What kinds of things does your traveling companion like to do? Clubbing? Mudbaths? Shopping? Kayaking? No snark intended, but it’s hard to know what a stranger thinks is fun.
If you are considering the national parks, and you should because they are incredible and very unlike what you have at home, please don’t worry about the wildlife. As long as you heed the warning signs and avoid overtly stupid acts like petting bison or picking up rattlesnakes, you are vastly more likely to be backed over by an RV in the parking lot than injured by an animal.
Like any big city, New York has it’s share of grime, bus exhaust, and crowds, but it’s far from the worst for any of those. If you don’t like those aspects of London, you won’t like them in NY, either. The rudeness is overblown; people are often loud and direct, but they are as helpful as elsewhere in the US. The crime rate is amongst the lowest for US cities and has been for years, so don’t let that put you off.
LOL… but forreal, I don’t think Las Vegas would give a good first impression of the United states…
There are dozens of reasons I’d recommend New York over Vegas for a one-time vacation trip. There’s one reason I’d recommend Las Vegas: the Grand Canyon. The grand Canyon is one of the true “you need to see this before you die” places in the entire world.
Where would you have him go, then? Muncie? Little Rock? Boise? Fresno? Or maybe Scarsdale, Dearborn, Tacoma, or Burbank? Great fucking vacation that would be. :rolleyes:
Let’s face it: no-one visiting America on vacation really wants to know what 99% of America is like, because 99% of America is, like 99% of most things, pretty fucking dull. People go to New York or San Francisco or Las Vegas or Chicago or Aspen or Key West or the Grand Tetons because those places have things that people find interesting.
Of course, different people are interested in different things, and some want big city lights and museums and restaurants, while others want beaches and surfing and nightlife, while still others want mountains and hiking and horseback riding. But no-one goes on vacation to live like 99% of the population.
and
I’ve never quite understood this. The idea that New York and London are basically the same place with different accents has always struck me as an incredibly superficial assessment of both cities.
I love San Francisco, i go there at least once or twice every year, and would recommend it as a good first destination to anyone seeking to visit the United States. But i’m unconvinced that it is some unique snowflake, unlike anywhere else you’re likely to go.
Chicago, duh
Vegas is cheesy flim-flam. Go there later.
Other excellent American choices for visiting: Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans.
I recommend Boston, so you can get your nose all out of joint when they talk about how they kicked you out that one time. 
Seriously though, I think Chicago is the “American-est” city. New York is amost an international city, and not all that much different than London. Las Vegas is nothing like anywhere else; it’s a fantasyland. Los Angeles is - Los Angeles.
Chicago. The city of broad shoulders. The Windy City. The city by the lake. Home of the skyscraper. If you want to visit a thoroughly American city, it’s Chicago.
I really think there should be more votes for Washington D.C. It’s a pretty interesting place for a foreigner to visit, I’d think.
I agree with this suggestion. Both you and the friend will find enough fun stuff to do in New Orleans. And assuming the trip is planned for the next few months, I think the weather will be better than it would in New York.
For fun, I made another poll to broaden the choices.
I voted for NYC, but upon further reflection, other options seem better:
Chicago is manageable and awesome.
San Diego is beautiful.
Boston is chock-full of history.
Philadelphia, also very historical, is worth consideration.
And if you want a true American Experience, think about Kansas City.
mmm
Everyone note that there are two Nashvilles.
mmm