Best US destinations for views from top to bottom
[travelsensations-widget-author photourl=”http://viewfinder.expedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lily-Rogers.jpg” websiteurl=” https://viewfinder.expedia.com/author/lrogers/” name=”Lily Rogers”] Lily is a Southern California-based writer, editor, and traveler. She aspires to never be too far away from her next adventure, whether it be exploring the deserts of SoCal or the mossy forests of her native Pacific Northwest. She also loves international travel and always looks forward to crossing another destination off her bucket list.[/travelsensations-widget-author]
Travel is the best way to challenge comfort zones. Whether that means eating a dish you’ve never tried before, experiencing different climates, cultures, and languages, or seeing your country from new angles, life is more rewarding when you traverse new territory.
We asked 1,000 travelers how adventurous they get when sightseeing, and over 44 percent responded: As long as we don’t get hurt, let’s go!
To test the limits, we’ve found nine remarkable places to seek adventure at every level—literally. From the tip-top of observation decks to subterranean caves, here are some of the best places to get views of America from new heights. And once you get enough visual inspiration, be sure to follow our Travel Sensations series to explore your other senses.
ABOVE THE GROUND
Spring Green, Wisconsin
House on the Rock
Peer down the trap door-style window at tree tops 156 feet below. We dare you.
Forneys Creek, North Carolina
Clingmans Dome
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is best viewed from above, and Clingmans Dome delivers 360-degree scenes from 6,643 feet.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Sunrise Point
Sunrise, sunset, midday; there’s no bad time to take in this awe-inducing landscape. Reds, oranges, and golds glow across craggy spires as shadows throw shapes over the ground. See it all from above when you hike the Rim Trail.
ON THE GROUND
Alamogordo, New Mexico
White Sands National Monument
Almost blindingly beautiful, these bleached out dunes will transport you to another world. Stay for sunset when the sky casts pink and blue hues over the rolling white landscape.
Fort Bragg, California
Glass Beach
Mother Nature is so powerful she can turn trash into treasure. See her work her magic turning glass into smooth, colorful stones.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Hanging Lake
This mossy waterfall haven is a must for earth-loving adventurers. Get up close to the fresh, rushing waters of Spouting Rock waterfall to cool off after a long hike.
BELOW THE GROUND
Page, Arizona
Antelope Canyon
Standing at the bottom of these swirly marvels of color, you may need to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real.
Key Biscayne, Florida
Neptune Memorial Reef
Dive down and pay tribute to those put to rest here as you explore sea life and man-made structures dressed in coral and other marine organisms in this underwater lost city.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Ruby Falls
An underground waterfall lit by colorful lights greets you when you journey deep below the surface of Lookout Mountain. Go for an extended tour to traverse all the wondrous cave spaces.
Where are your favorite scenic views? Follow #ComeToYourSenses and visit the Travel Sensations hub to explore more amazing immersive journeys.
[one_half]
Image credits:
Clingmans Dome, NC:
Top: Shutterstock.com/Pavone
Middle Left: Shutterstock.com/Jon Bilous
Middle Right: Shutterstock.com/anthony heflin
Bottom: Shutterstock.com/Adventures On Wheels
Fort Bragg, CA:
Top Left: Shutterstock.com/IrinaK
Top Right: Shutterstock.com/Wollertz
Bottom Left: Shutterstock.com/Wollertz
Bottom Right: Shutterstock.com/artem evdokimov
Chattanooga, TN:
Top Left: Shutterstock.com/Andrew Schmidbauer
Top Middle Left: Shutterstock.com/Bob Pool
Top Middle Right: Shutterstock.com/rkriminger
Top Right: Shutterstock.com/TechWizard
Bottom: Shutterstock.com/Andrew Schmidbauer
Antelope Canyon, AZ:
Top Left: Shutterstock.com/Inga Locmele
Top Right: Shutterstock.com/Backthelens
Bottom Left: Shutterstock.com/SharonPhoto
Bottom Right: Shutterstock.com/paulista
[/one_half]
[one_half_last]
Bryce Canyon, UT:
Top: Shutterstock.com/canadastock
Bottom Left: Shutterstock.com/Filip Fuxa
Bottom Right: Shutterstock.com/Tim Stirling
Alamogordo, NM:
Top Left: Shutterstock.com/Katrina Leigh
Top Right: Shutterstock.com/Laurens Hoddenbagh
Bottom Left: Shutterstock.com/Rosemary Woller
Bottom Right: Shutterstock.com/Katrina Leigh
Lake Glenwood Springs, CO:
Top Left: Shutterstock.com/EdgeOfReason
Top Right: Shutterstock.com/Adam Springer
Bottom Left: Shutterstock.com/Maciej Bledowski
Bottom Right: Shutterstock.com/S.Evig
House on the Rock, WI:
Top: Flickr/Dan Century
Bottom Left: Yelp/Karl W.
Bottom Right: Yelp/Lorna D.
Neptune Memorial Reef, FL:
All Photos: Flickr/Todd Murray
Header Image:
Shutterstock.com/SharonPhoto
[/one_half_last]
More Articles With Adventure
The global impact of coronavirus is affecting travelers everywhere. Here's how you can prepare and what to expect if you booked travel with Expedia.
The global impact of coronavirus is affecting travelers everywhere. Here's how you can prepare and what to expect if you booked travel with Expedia.
The global impact of coronavirus is affecting travelers everywhere. Here's how you can prepare and what to expect if you booked travel with Expedia.
We've rounded up some of the best forest bathing spots around the globe where can combine your newfound houseplant obsession with breaking free from your home's four walls.