Canyon de Chelly National Monument lies in northeastern Arizona on Navajo Nation land, surrounding a network of deep sandstone canyons near Chinle. The monument is distinctive because it is both a protected landscape and a living community, with Diné families continuing to farm, raise livestock, and maintain homes within the canyon.
Valley of Fire State Park lies in southern Nevada, northeast of Las Vegas, where more than 40,000 acres of red sandstone formations rise from a desert landscape of limestone hills and broad valleys. The park is Nevada’s largest state park and is named for the fiery appearance of its sandstone when sunlight strikes the rock. Wind and water have shaped the landscape into arches, narrow passages, domes, and ridges in shades of red, orange, tan, pink, and white.
Bolivia's third largest city, it lies high in the valley of Cordillera Oriental. It is an agricultural hub of the country, especially for grains. Founded in 1574 by a conquistador, it is the home of an excellent archeological museum.
The Marshall Islands, a remote chain of atolls and islands in the central Pacific, invites travelers into a world where tradition, ocean life, and recent history all leave a lasting impression. Spread across nearly a million square miles of ocean, this independent nation offers rare access to some of the world’s most pristine marine environments.
Do you want a vacation experience so unique and thrilling that you actually have to wear a hard hat? Look no further than New Zealand's White Island, where you can stand on an active volcano! Located offshore from Whakatane and Tauranga, White Island is New Zealand's only live marine volcano and one of the most active in the world. The tours are quite the experience, especially since you can hear the hissing and bubbling of the volcano all around you!
Healy is a small community in Interior Alaska, located along the Parks Highway just north of Denali National Park and Preserve. The town stretches through the Nenana River valley, with low hills, spruce forests, wetlands, and broad views toward the Alaska Range.
Photo Credit: Photo by Wallace Fonseca on Unsplash
Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain, and the eponymous park that surrounds it, are popular with South Island tourists, especially mountaineers and other adventurers. The only way in or out is State highway 80, which also happens to be one of the country's most scenic roads.
Other Popular Destinations in New Zealand
Auckland
A veritable paradise on Earth, Auckland combines the best of both worlds – a thrilling urban metropolis surrounded by striking natural areas, sparkling blue water, and colorful wildlife. New Zealand’s cultural and recreational hub, beautiful Auckland has something for everyone.
Queenstown
This beautiful resort town has a little something for everyone! Whether you are into skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, or mountain biking there is no end to the year around adventure sports you can take advantage of. If you love wine, Queenstown lies close to the center of a small wine producing region, including The Two Paddocks vineyard which is owned by actor Sam Neill.