Whether it’s peaceful getaways or thrilling activities that you seek, the great outdoors of the United States has plenty of options for you to explore.
The US celebrated the 250th anniversary of its independence this year on July 4. In commemoration of this, Brand USA, the official destination marketing organisation for the US, recently shared a list of places that nature enthusiasts can explore across the country.
“Few places in the world offer this range of outdoor experiences across a single destination,” Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA, says in a press statement. He calls “the scale and breadth” of the US one of its “greatest travel strengths”.
The outdoor features are categorised into five groupings: thrill-seeking adventures, unforgettable landscapes, quiet escapes, off the beaten path and wildlife encounters.
The first category is perfect for those who enjoy outdoor adventures. For example, you can go caving in the limestone-rich states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.
The caves here feature subterranean rivers, underground waterfalls and complex vertical pits. One of the most popular is Ellison’s Cave, known for its 178.6m-deep vertical cave pit, the deepest in the US.
Tennessee is also where you can experience the longest zipline ride in North America. You can soar through the Smoky Mountains on WildSide Adventure Park’s MegaZip attraction, which spans 1759m, with a 304.8m vertical drop.
Another fun “elevated experience” is the Redwood Sky Walk in California. This 336.5m-long canopy walk in Sequoia Park Zoo lets you wander among mature coastal redwoods over 30m above the forest floor.
Other thrilling activities you can do include white-water rafting in Hells Canyon, Idaho; glacier adventures in Alaska’s Anchorage, Seward and Chugach/Matanuska regions; and “exotic- car” jet ski (you ride a jet ski shaped like a sports car) in St Croix, which is in the US Virgin Islands.
If you seek unforgettable landscapes, head to New Mexico for the White Sands National Park and the Unesco-listed Taos Pueblo; Arizona/Utah for historic hikes through Navajo Nation; and Texas for the Palo Duro Canyon State Park – the second largest canyon in the US.
For quiet escapes, go to states with serene landscapes like Vermont and Alaska. Book a stay with the Vermont Huts Association, which is a network of 19 backcountry accommodations that range from rustic cabins with wood-burning stoves to off-grid yurts and working dairy farms.
In Alaska, you can unwind at Chena Hot Springs. The remote geothermal resort is a great spot for relaxing in heated mineral pools while viewing the northern lights in winter. It also has the Aurora Ice Museum, showcasing ice sculptures inside the largest year-round ice environment in the world.
Or try something different by visiting places that are off the beaten path. For example, American Samoa – specifically, in Aunu’u Island. Take a water taxi to reach the small volcanic island, rich with wetlands and black sand beaches.
Meanwhile, Colorado has the Unesco-inscribed Mesa Verde National Park, which features cliff dwellings built by the Ancestral Puebloans.
For animal lovers, you’ll want to visit states like Maine, where you can attend a moose-spotting festival; South Dakota, where you can go on bison safari tours; and New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where you can go to wolf preserves and sanctuaries.
Florida is an interesting place if you love aquatic animals. Here you can legally swim with manatees in Crystal River; go shark- diving in Jupiter Island, and spot dolphins at the Egmont Key State Park.
If you want to night snorkel with manta rays instead, you can do so in Big Island, Hawaii. Do this during the months of April to November, as this is when you can see bioluminescent plankton glowing in the water.
You can check out the complete 50 outdoor experiences and Brand USA’s full five-part series of recommended US destinations at AmericaTheBeautiful.com (or visittheusa.com).
