If you are into hanging out by the lake, camping out on a beautiful summer night, and doing some challenging hiking, then you will absolutely love Indiana Dunes. The park has some of the most beautiful beaches in the great lakes, which should come as no surprise as the park is known for its gigantic coastal sand dunes. These same dunes create some of the most unique and beautiful landscapes for hiking as well.
The United States is a vast country with many cultural and regional differences that requires time to explore. While many travelers choose to take flights from place to place, taking a road trip in the USA is a one-of-a-kind experience that will give you a better idea of this amazing country and its people.
From exploring the popular West Coast with iconic cities and jaw-dropping national parks to taking the less touristy routes such as the American South, hitting the road in America is an amazing experience that will challenge some of the familiar stereotypes and create life-long memories.
Situated roughly 50 miles Northeast of Portland, Oregon, and roughly 96 miles South of Seattle, Washington as the crow flies, Mount Saint Helens is located in a beautiful part of America’s Pacific Northwest that has an abundance of tourist attractions. Visitors to the Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument can learn about the 1980 eruption that left such a lasting impact on the surrounding landscape, hike in some of the most beautiful and serene landscape, and marvel at the power of mother nature.
In case it doesn’t look familiar, this is the stretch of coastline that was featured in the iconic 1980’s movie, “the Goonies”. You know, the stretch of coast that hid the treasure of the famed pirate One-eyed Willie. It’s easy to see why they picked this location to film. The Pacific Ocean coastline in Oregon is some of the most rugged and most beautiful coastline in North America. In addition to these jaw dropping rock formations, the area also boasts some of the state’s most beautiful beaches and hiking trails.
When it comes to beautiful lighthouses, you can’t find many that are more beautiful than the Heceta Head Lighthouse on the coast of Oregon in the United States. In my opinion, it is the prettiest lighthouse in North America. Perched up on Oregon’s rocky Pacific Ocean shoreline, the lighthouse is the definition of postcard material. It is especially pretty at sunset or when large waves are crashing against the rocky shore.
If you are a big fan of waterfalls, then you are in for a real treat if you ever visit the Portland, Oregon area. There are some incredibly beautiful falls in North America, with Niagara Falls in New York State probably the most famous of those. Though Multnomah Falls in Oregon doesn’t get the notoriety that Niagara Falls gets, it is a beautiful waterfall in its own right.
If you haven’t been paying attention to the news concerning the US national parks lately, you may not be aware that there is a growing problem in the parks system. They are becoming far too popular and far too easy to access. Now, you may be wondering how the parks being too popular and too easy to access are problems, and on the surface I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that. The parks should be enjoyed by people and they should be accessible to everyone. However, only to a certain extent and I explain why.
Imagine a place where cactuses grow to be as big as telephone poles, the sunsets look like they came right out of a postcard, and the roadrunner you grew up watching on cartoons really does scurry around the landscape. If that sounds intriguing to you, then you will absolutely love Saguaro National Park in Arizona.
This beautiful desert park also includes over 100 miles of great hiking trails and a number of paved roads that assist visitors in seeing the park. Visitors to the park are able to hike, camp, bird and animal watch, go star gazing at night, or just relax and enjoy the serenity of the desert. One thing this park is never in short supply of is peacefulness.
The fifty states that make up the United States are different, and in some aspects, they can be very different. In this five-part series of articles, I am going to help you get acquainted with the fifty states that make up the United States of America. By outlining the top travel destination or event in each state, I hope to teach you a little bit about that state and perhaps give you some ideas for future travel plans. I will go in alphabetical order, highlighting ten states in each article. In this article, I am focusing on Alabama thru Georgia. You can find links to the other articles below. I hope you enjoy!
The month of February has brought some very big news for the national parks system in the United States. This month, the United States National Parks Service announced the addition of a new national park. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has officially been designated as America’s 61st national park. This is great news for all of those who love beautiful places and want to see those places preserved.