There’s nothing quite like discovering that you don’t need to travel abroad to see jaw-dropping landscapes. Without spending ridiculous amounts of money or traveling on abhorrently long flights, you can take a road trip or grab a quick flight to one of these ten truly fascinating places you won’t believe are in the United States!
1. Mendenhall Glacier & Ice Caves, Alaska
Expanding nearly 14 miles in length, the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska is a wondrous sight. A relic of the Little Ice Age, the glacier is estimated to be about 3,000 years old.
Within the glacier are spectacular ice caves with a stunningly surreal blue coloring that will take your breath away. Unfortunately, the glacier is receding rapidly due to climate change, so we recommend visiting this natural wonder while you can!
2. Leavenworth, Washington
Step into a Bavarian-style village nestled in the Cascade Mountains in Leavenworth, Washington!
Once a booming mining town, Leavenworth became a ghost town after gold and timber became harder to find. In 1930, the town debuted as an aesthetic alpine village with a backdrop of scenic mountains, and since then, its success has boomed, attracting more than two million visitors yearly.
Called the Christmas Town, Leavenworth is especially popular during the holiday season, hosting an international Santa Claus exhibition, a gingerbread competition, and a reindeer farm!
3. Vail, Colorado
World-famous for its skiing, resorts, and outstanding scenery, Vail, Colorado, features the third-largest ski mountain in North America.
Whether in the summer or the winter, Vail is a spectacular getaway destination full of adventure and sightseeing opportunities. The town is adored for its beautiful European-style old-world charm paired magnificently with the refined luxury of fine dining, shopping, and other accommodations.
4. Death Valley National Park, California
Death Valley National Park is coined “the land of extremes”. It is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the United States and the location of the highest temperature ever recorded in 1936 at 134 degrees.
Serving unique natural wonders, the park boasts plenty of attractions, such as Badwater Basin, the lowest place in the U.S.
5. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Florida
A designated National Historic Landmark, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
The estate was commissioned to be built by James Deering, an American executive of the Deering Harvester Company, to rival those in Europe. Its final construction includes a pavilion, swimming pool, a cottage, and gardens with a reflecting pool and fountain, while historic art, furniture, and antiques decorate the estate’s interior.
6. Hoh Rain Forest, Washington
The Olympic National Park protects the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the biggest temperate rainforests in the United States. Within its lush embrace are many plant and animal species that call it home, including Roosevelt elk, big leaf maple, salamanders, and the endangered Northern spotted owl.
7. Crater Lake, Oregon
Part of Crater Lake National Park, the park’s main feature is the eye-capturing Crater Lake. The lake is famous for its stunning deep blue coloring and appealing clarity, but that’s not all. Crater Lake is also widely known as the deepest lake in the United States and one of the top ten in the world!
8. Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Located on Navajo land, the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons are slot canyons estimated to be anywhere from 8-60 million years old when the pronghorn antelope once roamed the land. It is one of the most photographed locations for its magnetic pictures that capture stunning red, orange, gold, and pink patterns from the light shafts reaching the canyon floor.
9. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Colorado
A wondrous sight, the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve protects impeccable landscapes of towering sand dunes as far as the eyes can see. And though the park is well-known for homing the tallest sand dunes in the United States, it is also highly favored for its elk and bison viewing, alpine lake fishing, and birding.
10. Nā Pali Coast State Park, Hawaii
Nā Pali Coast State Park is a place of wonder renowned for its luscious vegetation and impeccable vistas, which were famously used as the setting for the Jurassic Park movies. Along the Nā Pali coast are outstanding whale-watching opportunities to pair with the breathtaking sights of roaring waterfalls, lush forests, and rocky coastlines.
11. Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America, has quickly become one of the most popular tourist destinations for its outrageously gorgeous landscapes. Part of Nevada and California, Lake Tahoe is nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the second deepest lake in the United States, next to Crater Lake.
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