Why You Should Appreciate the Wealth of Beauty
There were 13 original states in the United States. In honour of Independence Day 4th July, here are the 13 most beautiful places to visit in the United States.
Yes, all the places are in the West, which has some of the most spectacular scenery. This is but a sample of my photos as I have not created any posts for our road trips in the United States.
We have many more favourite sites. If you have other places you would nominate for the top 13, please drop a comment at the end of the post.
Author & Photographer: George Mitchell
Our recommendations are not influenced by affiliate links – we have none. Our content and advice is derived from our personal experience based on living and travelling across the continent. We have made at least 10 multi-month cross-continent road trips.
We also have all of our original itineraries in both spreadsheet and Google Map formats, which we could share if there is interest.
Mount Rushmore NM, South Dakota
As it’s July 4th, it makes sense to start at Mt. Rushmore where the top four presidents carved between 1927 and 1941 – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
We actually saw our first thermal area and climbed our first volcano in New Zealand on our Three-Year Round-The-World Trip. However, we were very excited to see the spectacular sights of Yellowstone National Park (NP)! First, there are a few geysers, not just Old Faithful.
Second, there are terraces and you are allowed to hike through them.
Then there are hot pools. Do not walk in them.
At the minimum, you will be fined up to $1500. Else the steaming water (92°C to 135°C) or the acid will do wonders for your feet.
Finally there is a “scary” hike at the rim of the Yellowstone River Canyon… if you walk too close to the edge of an incredibly steep drop off.
The Yellowstone Falls are 308 feet (94 m) high, so the slope along the trail is at least that height.
Grand Teton NP, Wyoming
The special thing in Wyoming is to be able to enjoy wide open views of the mountains with farmland in the foreground.
Devils Garden, Escalante National Monument
We were happy that we took this diversion off the main north-south highway. The unusually shaped hoodoo and arch formations glowed in the late afternoon sunshine.
Bryce Canyon NP, Utah
We have visited here several times and once it even snowed: it was winter. Don’t miss the spectacular views from Inspiration Point.
The red-orange stone forest are called hoodoos and require a semi-arid climate to enable slow erosion.
Don’t miss the spectacular views and hiking trails at Sunset Point.
Goosenecks State Park, Utah
From this viewpoint, there is a 360° switchback in the San Juan River. The scale of the gooseneck is so large I could not capture it all without a wide angle lens.
Monument Valley, Arizona
This is one of our favourite places in all of North America. It is quintessential Southwest scenery. This is all you will see from the highway.
A 17-mile road allows you to drive into the area lined with red sandstone buttes that provide ever changing and amazing landscapes.
Grand Canyon NP, Arizona
We have visited here several times. I remember each time I would be amazed by how beautiful the scenery was.
However, we usually went off season and did not have to compete with other tourists for parking or sightseeing.
Sedona, Arizona
Some people come to Arizona for the birds.
Some people come for the resorts.
Some people come for the hiking. Other people come for the scenic drives.
For us it is to photograph the quintessential red rock formations.
Crater Lake NP, Oregon
It is hard to capture the scale of this crater. You certainly cannot capture the whole lake. We had a lot of haze and harsh mid-day lighting. It would be better to photograph at sunrise or sunset but the crater rim will be in shade.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
The quintessential feature of Oregon is its coastline. Cannon Beach with is rock formations is the quintessential coast of Oregon.
Mt Rainier NP, Washington
It is easy to forget that glacier-clad Mt. Rainier is a massive volcano. We enjoyed our hike to the fire lookout until on the way back, layer by layer of my hiking boots came off until I had to walk back only in my hiking socks. Ouch.
Picture Lake, Washington
This is one of our favourite places, plus it is a short day trip from our second home in Vancouver, BC. A drive to high altitude (1,846 m or 6,056 ft) takes you to a small mirror-like lake with a reflection and view of Mt. Shuksan in the North Cascades. While you are here, do not miss Artist’s Palette viewpoint.
There are many more places we saw along the coast that are beautiful and, even better, great for sunsets. Please leave your suggestions in the comments.
Final Comments
This could be composed into an exciting itinerary where you can see volcanoes, glaciers, meadows and mountains. It’s great for hikers and photographers.
This itinerary lets you experience the spectacular scenery of the United States.
Do you want more information? Then subscribe for free.
This was only a taste of some of the scenic wonders of USA. If you have other favourites, share your experiences with us. How long is your trip? What questions do you have?
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Itinerary Planning
Do you want to learn how to plan an itinerary? Use this ready-made itinerary map to plan your trip.
Our custom planning maps include all the possible Points of Interest pinned. You can create you own custom maps using the Google My Maps app.
Google Maps Ratings
Google Maps provides a rating from 0 to 5 for all sights, hotels and restaurants (but not cities). All of our recommendations are appended with the rating (prefixed with a G) from Google Maps. As it is based on feedback from locals as well as tourists, it is much more reliable than travel booking websites. We consider a score of 4 to 4.39 to be Very Good; 4.4 to 5 to be Excellent.
Other Places to Add to Your Itinerary
Do you love seascapes and volcanoes? Here are some places for you:
USA FAQ
Here are a few things to remember.
Do you need a Passport?
If you are not American, you will need a passport. Furthermore, it must be valid for the length of your planned stay AND you must have at least 6 months validity remaining. This rule applies to most countries in the world.
Do I need Health Insurance?
Definitely – don’t leave home without it! Medical care in the USA is very expensive. If you are members, check if you can get more reasonable insurance via AAA, CAA, or Costco.
Do I need a Car?
If you are going solely to a city then no. But if you are interested in nature and hiking then it is a necessity. North America does not have the extensive bus/train network like Europe.
Is the USA the Most Beautiful Country in the World?
Is United States more beautiful than Canada? New Zealand? Switzerland? These are frequently asked questions on social media. Personally, I don’t like this type of question. If you like nature you should appreciate all forms of beauty and geography. The United States offers coastal scenery, desert scenery, geothermal scenery, and volcanic scenery. Here is how I responded to these questions.
How Safe is the USA?
Some city areas are not safe. One problem is that people do not go downtown at night. By contrast, Canadian cities are full of people at night.
But as a tourist travelling in the rural areas, state and national parks, you will feel safe. You can see a table with two travel safety indexes at
Abbreviations
elev Elevation
Hwy Highway
km Kilometre = 0.62 miles (mi)
m metre = 1.09 yards
NP National Park
NPS National Parks Service
RT Round Trip
USD United States Dollar
USDA United States Dept. of Agriculture
WA Washington State ISO Country-Region Code
WTA Washington Trail Association
Terra Encounters 
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