Stunning Destinations You Won't Believe Are In The USA

Hey tourist! It's normal to want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be overwhelming after all. Thankfully, sometimes all an individual needs is a good trip. Not everyone can afford to travel too far from their home, nor for too long, unfortunately. With this in mind, there are plenty of beautiful getaways close to home travelers would not believe. Following destinations are the most incredible spots located right in America's backyard, convenient for an affordable weekend getaway.

Peculiar Mendenhall Ice Caves

An incredible, out-of-this-world experience for active travelers is to visit the Mendenhall Ice Caves. Located in Mendenhall Valley, Southeast Alaska, the ice caves are exactly what they sound like. Reaching approximately twelve miles long and located approximately ten miles from the nearest town, visitors are encouraged to explore this natural phenomenon with curiosity. Called by its alternative name, Sitaantaagu, which translates to ‘Glacier Behind The Town,’ this spectacle is reachable by kayak and trek or a strenuous seven-mile hike. Being federally protected is not the only reason these tours are often booked out; these ice caves are ever-changing and temporary as they may extend, alter shape, and possibly disappear each year altogether. Anyone intrigued to visit an extraordinary display would do well to journey towards America’s hidden gem.

Mendenhall Ice Caves make for a brilliant opportunity to explore the Northern reaches of the USA, however, the next destination will leave most daring tourists awe-stricken and eager to travel down south.

Prohibited Haʻikū Stairs

The Haʻikū Stairs is one of the most incredible hidden treasures for travel in the United States, but it’s illegal to breach. Located in Oahu, Hawaii, this destination is an old abandoned stairway along Oahu's Ko'olau mountain range with 3,922 steps up to a hill to an old military base. Constructed for strategic communication capabilities during World War II, the stairs were the primary means of transporting equipment and reaching the off-limits base. Now guarded with security and a fine of six hundred dollars for trespassing, many daring sightseers brave the poor conditions and possible penalties for the opportunity to see a godly view of Oahu and the world as far as the eye can see.

Although the Haʻikū Stairs are off the beat-and-track and a prohibited trail, the following destination is just as spectacular and an option for guided tour.

Gigantic Redwoods

Muir Woods, otherwise known as the Redwoods, is located in San Francisco, California. Muir Woods is a national monument, named after John Muir—a conservationist—after a visit from President Theodore Roosevelt, who used his authority as President of the United States to create the United States Forest Service and enable the 1906 Antiquities Act. His actions also included creating 150 national forests, fifty-one federal bird reserves, five national parks, and eighteen national monuments, which, as mentioned, includes Muir Woods.

As a federally protected site, nature and wildlife thrive here, with towering trees called Sequoia Sempervirens averaging between six hundred to eight hundred years old, and some reaching more than one thousand years old. Here tourists will be overwhelmed with the power of life and experience a plethora of unique animals, including banana slugs, mountain lions, and owls. Any traveler looking to be submerged in exotic flora and fauna will do well to visit the Redwoods.

Muir Woods is a fantastic natural occurrence in America, but up next is a phenomenon that hasn't grown upwards, and in fact has grown downwards instead.

Crazy Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the next impeccable destination located in the United States. Located in the Chihuahuan Desert or southern New Mexico, this national park includes a series of over one hundred ancient limestone caves, fashioned as a result of sulfuric acid dissolving limestone slowly into strikingly beautiful mineral formations. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is quite the popular destination, giving eager globetrotters the journey of a lifetime in one of the oldest and most prevalent complexes for scientific study in the world. Travelers will be amazed by the speleothems (ornamental rock arrangements) protected as it is included on the National Register Of Historic Places and two-thirds of the area is a designated wilderness area, which ensures no further changes will be made to it. Some may find it hard to believe such a beautiful place is so close to home!

With such size and ancient history, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is great to see. The next location on the docket, however, is a journey located in the United States important to Natives.

The Daring Devil’s Tower

In the Northern Plains of Wyoming, there is a sacred landmark that has captured the heart and soul of millions, called Devil’s Tower. The structure, which stands tall in isolation, is a laccolithic butte composed of igneous rock. With indigenous populations in the region, such as Kiowa tribe, Devil’s Tower is sacrosanct in their culture and tradition, rooted deeply in stories and star legends. Many daredevils attempt to climb parallel cracks in the natural formation which stands approximately 867 feet tall. This great location for tourists who will not believe such a wonder is in America often allows those same tourists an incredible view of the stars due to low light pollution.

Travelling to Wyoming for a daring devil trip would be life-changing. However, the next spot is a ridiculously neat structure in the deep south.

A Creative Cadillac Ranch

For those living in Amarillo, Texas, seeing cars in the ground may be daily business, however, for the rest of the country and the world, it may be completely arbitrary. An art structure which accomplishes just that, deemed Cadillac Ranch, is amazing artwork many find hard to believe is located in the United States' Deep South. Placed just off Route 66, ten retired Cadillac cars are buried single file with models from 1948 to 1964. Adapted by American superstar Bruce Springsteen in ‘The River,’ Cadillac Ranch is portrayed as a metaphor for death. However, as a tourist attraction, this fine art is a great attraction for those on a journey through Texas and is sure to make a lasting impression on all passersby.

Cadillac Ranch is great for those who appreciate large art, but for those who prefer natural occurrences, the next spot is for you.

The Mythological Thor’s Well

Thor’s Well, an apparent sinkhole that runs as a seemingly never-ending drain, is a peculiar phenomenon also called the 'Gate To Hell' occurring off the coast of Oregon that has been attracting adventure seekers for years. It is considered a feature of the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, encompassing 2,700 acres, where lots of people gather for critical views and experiences, including checking out the coined ‘Gate to Hell’ and its bizarre behavior. Potentially dangerous due to sneaker waves that may pull away strangers into the ocean or at least cause scrapes and bruises, backpackers should be careful during their visit. Photographers attempt to capture enticing pictures during high-tide and stay to spot the mechanics of the well during low tide.

Although full of mystery and excitement, Thor's Well is not the only awesome destination in Oregon. The next stop is a hotspot for hikers.

An Adventurous Oneonta Gorge

For those who enjoy hiking and adventure on their travels, Oneonta Gorge in the Columbus River Gorge, Oregon, is the perfect place to visit. A marvelous trek for the venturesome, Oneonta is a challenge as visitors walk a mile up a creek bed (sometimes chest deep in water), work their way over a logjam, and arrive at lower falls. Encouraged to enjoy the outdoors and all this astonishing natural formation has to offer, many make the trip during summer weather to avoid colder water and journey past the lush moss and vegetation that make this destination picture perfect. However, those who prefer privacy are encouraged to avoid going on weekends as this unbelievable hotspot is often packed with awe-struck globetrotters.

It's important to know about the best location for treasure hunting,

a gem in the United States, coming up next.

Glimmering Glass Beach

Glass Beach, located two hours north of San Francisco in Fort Bragg, Northern California, is a stunning sight. It is a combination of three locations with shores lined with tumbled glass formed and smoothed via waves and pressure. Treasure such as this comes from the persistent dumping of garbage into nearby bluffs until approximately 1967. With two of three beach locations accessible by foot and a third requiring a kayak or other water transport, there is plenty of glass in all different shapes and sizes, often remnants of old car lights or other glass-based products. What was once garbage is now so valuable that it is a misdemeanor to remove the glass from the beach. Leaf peepers will do well to check out such a fantastic highlight of American sites to visit.

If the glitz and glimmer of Glass Beach is not enough to peak your interest, no fear, the following is a spectacle located in America's backyards and is sought after by millions around the world.

Incredible Grand Prismatic

In Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, one of the most vibrant and enticing spectacles, Grand Prismatic, attracts millions to its out-of-this-world features. This natural hot spring, the third largest in the world, is 370 feet in diameter, 121 feet deep, and stretches to a deep crack in the earth. The spring emits almost alien looking, bright colors, including vivacious blue, green, yellow hues that dance and dazzle all who enjoy this unbelievable commodity. Such variance is caused by a species of thermophilic bacteria, which result in deep and rich tones. Those in the presence of this great sensation will be awestruck that it is located in the great United States.

Ready to travel through the United States yet? It's only a matter of time with these astonishing sights!