With an abundance of natural spectacles across the United States, planning sightseeing trips can be a challenge. To help, we have compiled a list of ten must-visit landscapes that should be on everyone's bucket list. These locations have mesmerised tourists, featured in Hollywood movies, and adorned countless postcards, showcasing wild America at its most theatrical.
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is so vast that storms sometimes form inside it. Carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, the gorge is a mile deep, up to 18 miles wide, and stretches for 277 miles. The South Rim, open year-round, offers viewpoints such as Mather Point and Yavapai Observation Station. It is also a popular day trip from Las Vegas by helicopter.
Yellowstone National Park, spanning Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, sits atop a supervolcano that heats groundwater, creating a geothermal wonderland with around 10,000 hydrothermal features. The park contains half the world's geysers, including the famous Old Faithful, which erupts up to 180 feet high around 20 times a day. Visitors can explore the Upper Geyser Basin via boardwalks.
Niagara Falls, comprising the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls, sees around one million bathtubs of water pour over its edge every minute during peak flow. The best views from the US side are from Goat Island, while the Maid of the Mist boat tour takes visitors into the mist of the falls.
Yosemite Valley in California features iconic scenery, including the monolithic El Capitan and Half Dome, as well as Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America. Other highlights include Alaska's epic glaciers and lofty mountains, Oregon's surreal lake, Hawaii's stunning coastline, and New Mexico's white desert that resembles snow-covered ground.
