My wife and I have a dream that when we retire or win the lottery we will buy a van and travel around the United States. We’re not interested in going aboard because there is so much to see right here in the United States. Listed below are the top 10 places to visit in the USA.
10.) Asheville, North Carolina
Using a mixture of cosmopolitan flair and Southern charm Asheville is beaming with restaurants with boutiques and street musicians. In July of each year there is a street festival called the Bele Chere where people flood the downtown area. They enjoy a children’s play area, music, food and enjoy the art. Of course Asheville is known for the 8,000 acre and 250 room of the Biltmore House where you can take a public tour. Thomas Wolfe Memorial is here because this is where the author grew up.
9.) Denver, Colorado
Here you can find the 23 acre Botanic Garden and the zoo. You can visit the Museum of Nature and Science and the Denver Art Museum. There are more than 500 shops and restaurants to see as you walk down the mile long 16th street mall. To make sure you get plenty of exercise you can bike along 850 miles of paved trails that can connect with a network of larger dirt trails. You can pick up a bike at one station and leave it at another when you sign up for the city’s bike sharing program.
8.) Southern Utah
Where the natural playground of Southern Utah where lies the North rim of the Grand Canyon along with Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Lake Powell. There are also five state parks here in Kane County where the wonders are in abundance. You can go playing golf, camping, four wheeling, hiking and view rock formations and red rocks that are mind boggling. You can visit old movie sets in Frontier Movie Town where a lot of the old Western movies were made.
7.) California Coast
Oh the adventures in the wine country are unforgettable. You can tour the wineries and drive the Pacific Coast Highway. Then you can visit the Hearst Castle and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You have the option of scuba diving in Monterey Bay or to explore the Big Sur coast near Carmel. The downtown shops and restaurants of San Luis Obispo will keep you busy and you can shop till you drop or you can take a 90 drive north to Los Angeles if you prefer bigger shopping trips.
6.) Alaska
Denali National Park showcases some of the wild terrain of the United States. This is the home of Mt. McKinley which stands 20,000 foot tall. You can take a bus trip along the Denali Park Road which is the park’s only road and is 92 miles long. Included in the bus ride will be more of a chance to see the animals, since the animals are more used to the noises of the bus and are less likely to run away and the noises from the hikers scare them away.
5.) New Orleans
New Orleans is famous for the Mardi Gras and fabulous French Quarter. With strong diverse cultural roots it is home to a world famous music scene. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina New Orleans had to be rebuilt and when they rebuilt they made a new program which is called voluntourism. This is where the people that visit their city help with the rebuilding of New Orleans. If you want to be involved in this you can be but you don’t have to, you can just come to relax, have fun and party. Go to Audubon Park where there are lakes and nature trails or visit the historic mansions and ride the famous streetcars.
4.) Montana
Having more than 700 miles of trails and more than 1 million acres of meadows, lakes, and forests, the Glacier National Park in the Rocky Mountains is more than a fun filled day. You will be sharing the park with the 70 mammal species that call it home such as the grizzly bear and the grey wolf. There are more than 270 bird species like the harlequin ducks and the golden eagle. Millions of years ago the glaciers were responsible for making the park’s terrain. If you don’t have time to do the hike through the park then you can take the 50 mile Going-To-The-Sun Road and this will let you get a great view of the park. In the winter sometimes the park has to close because of the snowy conditions so you might want to check with the park before you make the trip.
3.) Hawaii
When you go to Hawaii you can pick an island you want to go to or you can island hop and see all six. They are the Big Island, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. In Oahu there lies Honolulu which is their state capital. Of course there are different things to see and do on each island that is why it would be so important to see each one. On Maui you can take a drive and take in the sunrise or sunset, depending on the time of day, by driving up the 10,000 foot Haleakala Volcano. On Kauai you can go on serious hiking trips on the rugged Na Pali Coast. Then on Big Island you can visit the Volcanoes National Park and as you visit Papohaku Beach on Molokai you will see why the 3 mile beach is ranked as one of longest beaches in the state of Hawaii.
2.) Sedona/Grand Canyon
When you drive about a two hour trip from Phoenix you can witness the red rocks that come up out of the desert. People come here for all kinds of reasons, some just to see the majestic Grand Canyon but some also come to commune with nature and meditate and many use it as a meditation of healing. You have your options on how to see the Grand Canyon. Some hike down it on mule, some hike or some raft the canyon and then you can always just look down into it. The canyon has a depth of 6,000 feet into the ground but on the average is about 4,000 feet deep and is 277 miles long.
1.) New York City
This city is called the city that never sleeps and it is because there is always so much to do there. You can see the Statute of Liberty or you can go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or take in a Broadway show. Even the nature lovers will enjoy Central park with its 25 acres and all the fun things you can do in a park. Also, make sure you stop by the Carnegie Deli for a big roast beef sandwich like nobody else can make.
