A Dive into Wonderland
Even if you don’t consider yourself the traveling type, everyone deserves an opportunity to take in the breathtaking sights of America. Of course, other countries have their own famous traveling sights (do the Seven Wonders ring a bell?), but here in America, it’s completely different from anywhere else. There are those who love to explore nature, those who get dragged along with their families, and those who take pictures from the parking lot and leave. Or maybe you’ve been dying to go on a trip but have never gone before. Whatever the case is, I’m crossing my fingers that you get to explore these sights if you happen to visit the States!
Yosemite National Park, California
A stunning view of Yosemite National Park, California
If you’re somewhat informed about Yosemite, you might think of the Half-Dome or the massive waterfalls plummeting down onto the rocks. Although these sights are beautiful from afar, going to see them up close on the trails makes it seem as if you’ve been dropped into a fantasy world both along the hike and after you make it to the top! Among hundreds of National Parks, Yosemite is the most popular National Park in not only California, but America, too.
The Mist Trail is loved by tourists for the beauty of nature, but mainly because of the Vernal Fall at the end of the hike. The Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls (the lower is shorter and less difficult) are other famous falls. If you are considering hiking, you may want to do a little research beforehand (such as what to prepare, the best season to visit, etc.), since these hikes are marked as medium to strenuous in level of difficulty.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
A snapshot of an erupting geyser at Yellowstone
America’s first National Park! Before I visited Yellowstone, I envisioned one thing when I heard of Yellowstone: bison. And it’s not entirely wrong; Yellowstone is known to have the oldest and largest herd of bison in the country. But there’s something more popular than the bison (I know, shocking): the geysers (pronounced guy-zer for a reason I’ve yet to understand).
Old Faithful, one of the geysers, is known for its frequent eruptions. Eruptions may sound scary since the same word is used for volcanoes, but it’s completely different. Unlike the explosive, lava-spitting volcanoes, geysers are hot springs where water and steam is sprung into the air when the water boils. At first thought, it’s not a very enticing idea, but geysers can dry up if their source of water isn’t consistent, which is why tourists visit Old Faithful; it can erupt 20 times a day.
Zion National Park, Utah
Since many people are familiar with the view in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, you may expect something similar. But this National Park (which also has a canyon) is a whole new wonder in itself.
Straight off the bat, Angels Landing receives massive interest from tourists and visitors from all over. However, as you can probably guess, it’s difficult to climb and many people love a challenge. Personally, I think the hard work was definitely worth it, with the satisfying overview at the end. But fear not! Even if you’re not much of a hiking person, there’s the Emerald Pools at Zion as well! The lower pools are an easy hike, so check it out if you’re interested! Of course, if you’re up for it, the middle and upper pools are beautiful, too.
If an exhausting hike isn’t for you, there are still options available; camping, going on the guided tour, viewpoints etc. You might even see a couple deer, bears, birds, and other wild animals along the way. Perhaps traveling isn’t your style, but if you have the chance, give it a shot! Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love with nature just like I did.
