From staff and Internet reports
America is replete with unique and beautiful locations and each year millions of travelers have a hard time trying to figure out just where they want to spend some vacation time.
So many choices, so little time.
Here are some great options to consider:
SOUTH DAKOTA
2015 is the 50th anniversary of the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup, a chance for cowboys and cowgirls to show their stuff as they move the park’s 1400 buffalo to their winter grazing territory. The Oglala Sioux and National Park Service are working to create the first tribal national park in the southern Badlands, with the aim of bringing buffaloes back to the grasslands where they roamed long before humans settled the area.
An even larger and noisier herd is gathering in 2015 for the 75th anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the largest annual meeting of motorcycle enthusiasts in the world. Over 500,000 people gather each August, and the 2015 rally is the perfect excuse to channel your Easy Rider and head out on a motorcycle road trip.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
With steaming geysers, multicolored pools, bubbling hot springs and hiking trails that stretch for miles, there’s plenty to excite nature-lovers in this national park. Plus, animal fans will appreciate a visit to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center to learn about wildlife in the area.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The nation’s capital has a lot going for it. Iconic landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument allow you to sightsee for days. The Smithsonian Institution is a must-see with its various huge buildings housing tons of interesting displays. If you can go in Mayearly June you can catch the annual Cherry Blossom festival.
SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco’s culture has been affected by many different populations and social movements. The best way to perceive the City by the Bay’s character is to explore each individual neighborhood. From the Mission to the Castro, visitors appreciate each enclave’s offerings.
NEW YORK CITY
Museum-strolling, theater-going, bar-hopping — the sheer number of things to do in the Big Apple puts most of its U.S. peers to shame. When you need some respite from the city’s busy streetlife and soaring skyscrapers, retreat to scenic Central Park.
SAN DIEGO
San Diego appeals to many different traveler types. While the beach is the marquee attraction, the city also boasts a love of outdoor activities and a vibrant downtown dining scene. Meanwhile, the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld offer good times for all ages.
YOSEMITE
Yosemite offers some of the world’s best scenery, with mile after mile of fantastic mountains and valleys. Don’t miss the giant Sequoyah tour and you can check out famous landmarks like Half Dome or get some exercise hiking the John Muir Trail. Come in spring, summer of fall to avoid winter’s wet weather conditions.
ANCHORAGE
The Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Center provide a perfect introduction to “The Last Frontier.” And you can break in your hiking boots along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and in Kincaid Park. Just save some time for exploring the city’s shops and eateries.
CAPE COD
While the Cape’s shoreline entices many visitors, the main draw here is the sense of tradition and laid-back atmosphere. Cape Cod hosts a loyal following of Northeasterners during the summer season; this can make house rentals and hotel rooms expensive, so book early.
CHICAGO
Chicago is known for its architecture — so much so that numerous companies offer tours devoted to the Windy City’s buildings. And at the foot of Chi-town’s iconic skyline lay a host of world-class museums, stand-out restaurants and eclectic neighborhoods.
JACKSON HOLE
With an enviable location near Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, Jackson Hole appeals to outdoorsy travelers. Whether you’re skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or visiting the National Elk Refuge, you’ll be in awe of what this destination has to offer.
GRAND CANYON
To experience some of the most inspiring views the American landscape has to offer, plan a trip to the Grand Canyon. Whether you choose to hike the Bright Angel Trails or raft the Colorado River, you’re sure to encounter plenty of photo-worthy vistas.
CHARLESTON
Beautiful architecture, relaxing beaches and plenty of Southern charm are the defining elements of Charleston. Exploring historic sites and nearby museums is a great way to spend your afternoons. Plus, Charleston also has offers mouthwatering Southern cuisine.
LAS VEGAS
Some of the best dining, shopping and nightlife in the world can be found at America’s playground. Though it may not be ideal for everyone, Sin City is a great getaway if you’re looking to escape the real world — however innocently or as excessively as you choose.
NEW ORLEANS
Does any city in America have a culture more unique than the Big Easy? A melting pot of influences ranging from Caribbean to European, New Orleans has a distinct personality. This vibrant city welcomes visitors with all the gumbo, jazz and partying they can handle.
SEATTLE
Seattle may be known for its consistently soggy weather, but this Pacific Northwest city has plenty to offer. Seattle exudes a laid-back aura, where cafe and bar culture reign supreme. Spend your stay mingling with Seattleites at Pike Place Market or on the slopes of Mount Si.
ASPEN
The snow-capped Colorado Rockies lure visitors from around the country in search of incomparable skiing and hiking trails. Your time off the slopes will be exciting, too: Quirky museums, high-end shopping areas and cozy mountain resorts please a variety of travelers.
NEW ORLEANS
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ future was far from certain. A decade later, it’s clear: The Big Easy is back and thriving. With a mix of refurbished history and new upstarts, the city has a raft of fresh options for travelers – all uniquely New Orleans. In a region that has always prided itself on its local culinary and cocktail traditions, New Orleans hasn’t lost a beat. After dinner and a drink, head to St Claude Avenue for the latest and most eclectic nightlife, from cabaret to gypsy jazz, punk rock, and bounce, New Orleans’ homegrown hip-hop dance music.
COLOADO RIVER REGION
Ever dreamed of rafting down the Colorado River? With a controversial proposal for large-scale development at the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers – with hotels, a gondola, and more – not to mention diminishing rainfall, and ever increasing flyover traffic from sightseeing tours, now is the time. Some 140 years since John Wesley Powell shared his account of the first river descent, the trip down the longest stretch of navigable river in the US has become one of the iconic US adventure travel experiences – and one that might not last forever. Starting in its namesake Colorado, the river is born as a trickle in Rocky Mountain National Park, a hiker’s paradise. In Utah, it runs through Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Located between the two, the city of Moab is the go-to hub for desert adventures, with legendary mountain biking, canyon hikes, and river floats. In Arizona, the 280-mile stretch from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead through the Grand Canyon features 98 rated rapids, sandy beaches and ancient ruins. The National Park Service restricts the number of people allowed on the water here, so rafters can experience the winding course in relative solitude.
INDIANAPOLIS
Prepare to be surprised by Indianapolis. On a trip to Indianapolis today, you can drink mead, entertain the kids at world-class museums, eat food grown on local micro-farms, tap out some witty prose on Kurt Vonnegut’s typewriter at the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library (careful what you type – it live tweets), and then dash off to play computer games with curious apes at the Indy Zoo’s new International Orangutan Center (indianapoliszoo.com). Indianapolis has a long-running love affair with cars. The recently opened Dallara IndyCar Factory (indycarfactory.com) lets you take the wheel in realistic driving simulators. For the real deal, head to the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway (indyracingexperience.com) for a pedal-to-the-metal spin around the legendary track with a real IndyCar driver at the wheel. If your automotive tastes run a tad greener, the US’s largest electric car sharing program, BlueIndy (blue-indy.com), is launching in 2015.
PIGEON FORGE/GATLINBURG, TN.
This has become one of America’s most-visited locations, with its hundreds of attractions, excellent hotels, shows and tremendous restaurants, and with the beautiful Smoky Mountains National Park at its doorstep this area can hardly be topped. Especially with he Dollywood theme park – one of the nation’s fastest-growing and interesting entertainment/educational venues — right smack in the middle of it all. And Knoxville, an interesting city in itself, only 35 miles away.
DULUTH
More than 150 Olympians hail from Duluth, and one visit will show you why. With trails in every direction, Lake Superior’s waves crashing on one side, and snow-covered slopes on the other, Duluth has emerged as the Midwest’s premier outdoors hot spot. The 290-mile Superior Hiking Trail (shta.org) hugs the lake from Duluth en route to Canada, passing waterfalls, red-rock overlooks, and the occasional moose. Without even leaving town, the mountain biker (and snowshoer) fantasy known as the Duluth Traverse (coggs.com) is in the works, linking several existing trails to cover the 26-mile length of the city.
MENDENHALL GLACIER CAVES, ALASKA
In Mendenhall Valley of Juneau stands this 12-mile glacier that is home to some incredibly surreal ice caves. If you follow the West Glacier trail, you can get a chance to see these whimsical ice clouds for yourself.
SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FIELDS, WASHINGTON
Located in Washington state, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the tulip fields between April 1–30 to see these gorgeous flowers in bloom. The festival is designed as a driving tour since there is no one designated “site.”
WATKINS GLEN STATE PARK, NEW YORK
We all know Niagara Falls is a sight to see, but located south of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region lies a lesser-known fantasy-like area called Rainbow Bridge and Falls. It will make you feel like you’re in Lord of the Rings.
CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO
In this National Park beneath the rocky land lies more than 119 known caves, formed from limestone and sulfuric acid. Visitors can take the natural entrance (pictured on the right) or ride down the elevator 750 feet below ground.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
The oldest city in the state of Georgia, Savannah has a charming personality and fairy tale-like array of Spanish moss trees, more than a dozen beautiful parks, rows of beautiful antique homes and a walkable riverfront.
World’s largest truck stop, Walcott, Iowa
Crack open a cold one at the Iowa 80’s Truckers Jamboree. A slice of Americana in Walcott, Iowa, the Iowa 80 — billed as the world’s largest truck stop — is hosting the 36rd annual Truckers Jamboree from July 9 to 11, with antique truck displays, a pork chop cookout, Trucker Olympics and more. An 18-wheeler named “America the Beautiful” welcomes truckers to the stop. On its side is a landscape painting featuring famous sites along I-80, America’s “Main Street.” (The actual highway stretches about 3,000 miles from New York to San Francisco.) You can also learn about big rigs of old at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum.
