Imagine witnessing the immense beauty of the Grand Canyon, but on a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean minutes away from the beach. Waimea Canyon State Park on the garden isle Kauai is an astounding travel destination that will leave you awestruck and perplexed to its origins amongst the island chain.
If you want to enjoy a piña colada on the beach, swim with turtles or see the biggest waves of your life, then Oahu’s North Shore should be your next travel destination. You can explore the picturesque white sand beaches, rocky cliffs, turquoise waters and bask in the Hawaiian sun.
Head over to the Big Island to experience Hawaii’s only active volcano and witness the magnificence of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting exceptional crater lookouts, education centers, travel experiences and cultural landscapes.
Are you trying to see some of the biggest waves on the planet? Then look no further than Maui’s Jaws Lookout. Jaws is the local nickname for the Pe’ahi surf break, one of the best big wave surfing destinations in the world.
You don’t hear much about the Royal Gorge Region, an area southwest of Denver, near Cañon City. It remains one of Colorado’s more accessible, but still semi-hidden gems, with plenty to experience – from “glamping” in wall tents at Echo Canyon Campground to an elegant dinner aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railroad to rafting on the Arkansas River.
Southwest of Denver lies the San Luis Valley, an 8,000-square-mile high-elevation expanse extending from the Continental Divide southward to New Mexico. It’s an area so enormous, it generates its own weather and geography, including the main attraction at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve.
At 400 feet deep, Grand Lake is Colorado’s deepest lake and perhaps its most beautiful. Dubbed the “Gateway to the Rockies,” it’s a must-visit for anyone heading to that famous national park.
Like the more well-known Grand Canyon, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has a North and South Rim with lots of different viewpoints and hiking options. Located in southwestern Colorado, the area is truly stunning.
Nestled in the Cascade Range just north of Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California is the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. This area of 16,335 acres features a number of lakes (although not actually 1,000), streams, trails and backcountry campsites.
The Central Coast beckons as one drives north along Highway 101. The road turns inland from the ocean, ascending into Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara Wine Country. The landscape changes to pastures filled with oak trees, letting us know we have arrived in the land of the Chumash. Oak trees define the Santa Ynez Valley, symbolizing the ecological balance of the land around you. Like the oak tree, grapes are the fruit of the area.
