America is a country of hiking trails, stunning open skies, great road trips, beautiful valleys, mammoth mountain peaks, plains rolling off into the horizon, and more than four million miles of highways crisscrossing huge deserts. And let’s not forget about the beaches, the cities, Hollywood, or the food.
In other words, a lifetime isn’t enough to explore everything that our country has to offer. However, the great news is that there’s always something different waiting to be discovered!
What I’d say is that the great American experience is also about discovering the beautiful, the surreal, and the unknown, which is why I thought I’d round up some famous places you probably never knew existed in the US.
From New Mexico to New York, Hawaii to Alaska, make sure you add these incredible wonders to your bucket list right away!
Let’s get started!
1. Haiku Stairs of Oahu, Hawaii
When people think of Hawaii, they picture turquoise water, palm trees, and sandy beaches. While all of these can be found on the island of Oahu, there’s one more thing that may leave you jaw-dropped and gaping.
The so-called Stairway to Heaven on Oahu, Hawaii, is a steep hiking trail that doesn’t look like anything you’ve seen. Contrary to popular belief, this breathtaking hiking trail is actually closed to the public.
However, according to locals, there are still some experienced hikers who still go to this famous place to make the trek. It’s definitely a challenging climb with steep drop-offs on either side, so it’s not for the faint of heart. Once you’re up there, be sure to experience a breathtaking view of the Oahu coast.
2. Skagit Valley Tulip Fields, Washington
What better way to celebrate spring’s arrival than to attend a flower festival? Cherry blossoms may steal the show during the spring months, but believe me, there’s nothing quite like seeing millions of colorful tulips blooming. Hundreds of thousands of people from different parts of the world come to the Skagit Valley each year to see hundreds of acres of tulips.
Located in the northwestern part of Washington, this famous place has the largest tulip fields in North America. It’s pretty easy to get there, as the area is only 60 miles north of Seattle.
The Tulip Festival goes on for the month of April, but the best time to enjoy the experience at its finest varies from year to year. Some years, tulips may bloom in the last week of March. Depending on the weather conditions, they may bloom as late as the second week of April.
3. Rainbow Falls, Watkins Glen State Park, New York
If you’re looking for a spectacular outdoor experience, you should visit Watkins Glen State Park, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. This famous place boasts 19 waterfalls along the hiking trails that meander through the glen, offering breathtaking views of Glen Creek.
Rainbow Falls is the most famous waterfall in this area and becomes especially stunning in the fall as the colorful foliage grows all around. If you have a camera, make sure you bring it with you to take some photos. Some people say that Rainbow Falls are even more beautiful than Niagara Falls.
This famous place can be pretty busy with people during summer weekends, so it’s recommended to plan the timing of your visit accordingly.
4. Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado
While the Maroon Bells are known for being the most photographed spot in Colorado, pictures simply don’t do the place justice. You have to see this famous place for yourself, and once you’re there, you’ll understand why so many people love it.
Anchored by a marvelously reflective lake, North Maroon Peak and Maroon Peak tower over the area, creating a spot of natural wonder that captivates tourists to this unique destination year-round.
This gorgeous expanse of Mother Nature is home to over 100 miles of hiking and walking trails. According to the US Forest Service, the mountains got their peculiar maroon coloring from the weathering of hematite, a reddish-black mineral that contains iron.
5. Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming
Here’s another famous place you may want to visit: A kaleidoscopic wonder of nature, the Grand Prismatic Spring is the third-largest hot spring in the world and America’s largest.
This natural pool is a jewel inside the famous Yellowstone National Park, and you may think that the pictures of it you may see on the Internet aren’t real, but that’s the whole thing: this place is so surreal you find it hard to believe it exists.
The reason why the hot spring is multicolored is that the heat-loving bacteria produce colors ranging from red to green and everything in between.
Going to a famous place like this comes with the opportunity to take great pictures, so this is why you should bring your camera with you when visiting the Grand Prismatic Spring. I often bring with me an Instax camera when traveling; I love that I can have my photos printed in seconds.
6. Thor’s Well, Oregon
Thor’s Well is one of the most famous places along any Oregon Coast road adventure. It’s the true definition of a natural wonder and a splendid stop during a west coast road trip because of the unique water feature that seems to be an endless sinkhole.
The theory is that the well was initially a cave that had its roof fall down due to water erosion. Basically, this collapse left a circular hole both at the top and bottom of the cave. This resulted in a large, bottomless sinkhole in the rock bed, with ocean waves traveling up and coming to the surface.
It’s definitely a famous place that leaves you jaw-dropped. The best time to see Thor’s Well in action is an hour before high tide and an hour after high tide.
7. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns National Park protects 119 known caves, all of which make up a phenomenal underground world. This famous place is truly breathtaking, and it’s likely something you’ll talk about for many years.
Its huge caverns, covered in an astounding number of stalactites and stalagmites, create an underground fantasy land below the Guadalupe Mountains. You can tour the chambers at your own pace or join a ranger-guided walk for an even more immersive experience.
Bats dwell inside the cave, especially during the summer months. Some people may find it creepy, but watching the bats fly is actually one of the best things to do while visiting this famous place.
It’s worth mentioning that there’s a devastating disease called White-Noise Syndrome currently spreading across the country. It doesn’t affect humans, but it’s killing bat populations. To help prevent the spread of this disease, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park staff requests that visitors not wear any clothing or shoes that they’ve worn in another cave.
8. Bryce Canyon, Utah
With more than 2.5 million visitors per year, this famous place is known for its unique geology and spectacular sunrises. The gravity-defying rock formations called hoodoos can be found in other spots of the world, such as Cappadocia, Turkey, but it’s Bryce Canyon National Park that has the largest concentration on the globe.
With elevations reaching 9.115 feet, the area offers around 150 miles of visibility on a clear day. Moreover, since it’s exposed to little to no light pollution, this famous place provides optimal conditions for stargazing.
Unlike some national parks, this spellbinding spot isn’t closed during the winter months. In fact, lots of visitors prefer to visit it at this time of the year, as the contrast between the white snow and the orange-red hoodoos is a sight to behold.
9. Mendenhall Glacier Caves, Alaska
Here’s a famous place in Alaska you may want to visit: The Mendenhall Glacier Caves are a magical spot where water flows over millions of rocks and under frozen blue ceilings inside a partially hollow glacier.
To keep things simple, the Mendenhall ice caves are basically caves that are formed within a body of ice as water runs through the glaciers and creates a passageway. I know, it sounds a bit complicated—that’s why this article has pictures! I mean, just take a look at how this place looks and tell me you wouldn’t want to see it for yourself.
Once you’re in this famous place, the dancing ombre of light blues throughout the ice, from water to cobalt and sapphire, will truly captivate you. It’s almost unbelievable.
You may also want to read The 6 Most Sociable and Friendly Cities in the World.
