You don’t have to leave the country to experience unforgettable vacation experiences and breathtaking natural wonders. The US contains almost every type of terrain, climate, landscape, and geographic formation. Whether you’re dreaming of ancient forests or frozen caves, you can find wonders beyond your imagination on your next vacation right here within the United States.
The secret? Most people don’t know where the most beautiful places are hiding. We are honored to take you on a tour of eight of the United State’s most precious hidden gems to plan your next vacation.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta is a gorgeous, culture-rich city to visit but few people know about it’s hidden treasure: the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Here, you will find incredible works of art in both beautiful plant life and spectacular water features.
The garden hosts events and programs all year, from educational classes to art festivals. While the summer is full of sunny activities for the whole family, you can’t miss the breathtaking blend of flowers and light displays during the winter holiday season and the January Winter Wonders.
Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
The Devil’s Tower in Wyoming is a national monument, considered a sacred site by more than 20 Native American tribes. The tower itself is a mind-blowing spire of igneous rock that stands over 800 feet tall from the base and over 1200 feed over the Belle Fourche River. If you wanted to see one of the great geological wonders, Devil’s Tower is a fantastic place for nature hikes, sight-seeing, camping, and learning about Native American legends.
Olympic National Park’s Ancient Forests, Washington
Have you ever wanted to walk among trees that are 1000 years old? If so, you can find them in the Ancient Forests of the Olympic National Park in Washington. These forests include Douglas Fir, Western Hemlocks, Sitka Spruce, Grand Fir, Western Redcedar, Western White Pine, and Lodgepole Pine.
Explore the Hall of Mosses and stand below trees so big they will make you think you’ve woken in the Fairie Underhill. The summer is peak camping and hiking season in these legendarily beautiful woods that will carry you back through the centuries, but winter activities are a wonderful way to escape the crowds and see these evergreen forests in their prime.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico
If you’re looking for a unique and history-rich camping experience, explore the White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Here is home to the world’s largest collection of Ice-Age fossilized footprints showing over 20,000 years of human history while enjoying the glory of the pristine white desert surroundings. Summer or winter, the sands are the same. Bring a disc sled to slide down the dunes and explore the local museum sites. You can even go on a barefoot hike, which is a rare treat for barefoot enthusiasts.
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
If you love beautiful rock formations and ancient fossils, you’ll adore visiting the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. This park is a delight for the eyes, especially at sunset when the setting sun paints the entire rocky expanse with beautiful reds and golds. Where else can you see bison, camp among prarie dogs, and climb steep canyon walls all in one place? Camping is the primary activity in the Badlands, followed by exploration of one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Here you’ll find ancient signs of pre-historic horses, rhinos, and eve saber-toothed cats.
Blooming Mystical Lavender Labyrinth, Michigan
A mandala in lavender, the Blooming Mystical Lavender Labyrinth is a manmade natural wonder to behold. Lavender is not just a flower, it’s a vibrant blooming bush that has been planted in circular rows around a fragrant and beautiful mandala garden in the heart of Cherry Point Farm near Shelby Michigan. the Lavender Labyrinth features a spiral pattern that can be walked in utmost inner peace. The best time to visit is in mid summer when the lavender is in full bloom.
Munising, Michigan
Irridescent cliffsides, breathtaking waterfalls, and fantasy-like coastlines are what you’ll find along the lake shores of Munsing, Michigan. Here, you will find the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the Hiawatha National Forest, and the Grand Island National Recreational Area in Michigan’s upper pinensula. In other words, it’s an all-around beautiful place to visit, with a never-ending variety of outdoor activities to choose from. We particularly love the boat tours that will show you the spectacular painted rocks to the glass-bottom boat shipreck tours. Explore summer kayaking in the summer and frozen caves in the winter in this wonderfully picturesque location and one of the US’s best-hidden gems.
Mono Lake, California
Mono Lake is a saline (salt water) lake known as an inland sea. It is known for it’s eerie mineral tufa towers. Mono Lake is bustling with fishing, water sports, and hotspring vacationers in the summer, but winter is considered the best time to visit. In the winter, the lake is heartbreakingly beautiful and you can enjoy the bubbling hot springs in the crisp winter air.