Who was the first explorer to sail to North America?

Leif Erikson is considered the first explorer to sail to North America because he led a Viking expedition around the year 1000 AD. He is believed to have traveled from Greenland to what is now Newfoundland, Canada, establishing a settlement called Vinland. While there is debate surrounding earlier potential visits by other explorers, Erikson's expedition is believed to be the most significant and well-documented, making him widely recognized as the first known European to reach North America.