There are many reasons people come to the USA. The US is all about diversity. From its teeming cities and world-famous national parks to its glaciers and sand dunes, there is plenty to see. Here are 60 places you won’t believe are in the US.
1. Alvord Desert, Oregon
This stunning mountain-fringed landscape reminiscent of the Atacama Desert in Chile is in the Pacific Northwest. It covers an area of five by 10 miles and includes multiple natural springs.
2. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho
This lesser-known preserve is more than 1,500 years old. It is a volcanic landscape highlighted by caves, cinder cones, craters, and lava fields.
3. Supai, Arizona
This secluded village is in the Grand Canyon. The local Havasupai Tribe has resided here since approximately AD 1300. The eight-mile hike required to reach it helps keep it from becoming touristy.
4. Helen, Georgia
Helen is situated in the famous Blue Ridge Mountains. It features little shops and half-timbered buildings. Be sure to visit during their annual Oktoberfest especially if you enjoy beer.
5. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
This paradise might not have palm trees but it includes soft sand dunes, sandy bluffs, shaded wooded areas, and smaller lakes. Tour the historic lighthouse too!
6. Rawah Wilderness, Colorado
Rawah Wilderness has an Alpine look. This 78,000-acre area stretches from northern Colorado to the Wyoming state border. It features 78 miles of hiking trails and 26 lakes.
7. Horsetail Fall, California
Horsetail Fall is in Yosemite National Park. Every February when the sun sets this waterfall takes on an incredible burning orange aura and looks like flowing lava.
8. Jungle Gardens, Avery Island, Louisiana
This semi-tropical preserve spans across 170 acres of Avery Island. It’s home to birds and alligators but also includes bamboo forests, hot pink camellias, and interesting Japanese-style architecture.
9. Cliff Palace, Colorado
Cliff Palace in ensconced in the cliffs in the popular Mesa Verde National Park. It’s the largest cliff dwelling on the continent. It was built between roughly AD 1190 and 1260.
10. Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee
Situated in the Fall Creek Falls State Park, this waterfall resembles New Zealand’s Humboldt Falls. The water thunders over the rocks to crash 256 feet into a lovely lake.
11. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii
Visit the remote Summit District of this park to see its namesake shield volcano amidst striking Mars-like landscapes. The volcano itself is 10,023 feet high.
12. Sequim-Dungeness Valley, Washington
The Sequim-Dungeness Valley is found north of Olympic National Park. The city of Sequim is the official Lavender Capital of North America. Visit in July for the yearly Sequim Lavender Weekend.
13. The Palouse, Idaho/Washington
The Palouse features color-soaked meadows, golden wheat fields, rolling hills and epic sunsets reminiscent of Tuscany, Italy. Cruise the Palouse Scenic Byway to see the Washington section too.
14. Bonsai Rock, Nevada
Bonsai Rock is an Instagramable crag on the Nevada section of Lake Tahoe. You can visit this hulking boulder and quartet of trees by taking a brief albeit steep hike.
15. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
The odd rock-scapes here amidst the 244,000+ acres are positively other-worldly. It’s also a place of prairie and peaks where bison and bighorn sheep freely roam.
