With almost 200 countries in the world, there’s certainly no shortage of places to explore. Amidst the numerous options presented, we often forget to explore the gems closest to us. We’re here with a list of locations right here in the United States that should be on your travel list.
Taste your travel
For our food lovers, Make It from CNBC has a list of 10 cities you should be planning a trip to. Locations on this list range from Oregon to California, and Florida to Texas. This list was compiled using two dimensions, the first being affordability (which is absolutely an essential factor), and the second being the diversity, accessibility, and quality of the city.
For those looking for full-service restaurants, head to Portland, which also ranks fifth for diversity. Coffee shop fanatics should head to San Francisco and explore the vast amount of coffee shops per capita this gorgeous city offers and pick up gourmet specialty foods along the way. For our ice-cream lovers, Miami has the most ice cream and frozen yogurt shops per capita.
The Washington Post also has its own list of the top 10 food cities to explore in the United States, so between these two lists, food-lovers will have plenty of locations to explore.
Bound for natural beauty
Towering skyscrapers and bustling streets certainly have their own brand of beauty, but the silence in Redwoods, California and the magnificent flow of water over the edges of Niagara Falls are also sights to behold. The Matador Network created a list of 18 natural wonders from California to Hawaii to Florida nature-lovers are sure to enjoy.
Our star-gazers should definitely plan a trip to Death Valley, California or any of the Canyons in Utah. For our water-lovers, Crater Lake in Oregon offers exciting opportunities to go cliff-jumping surrounded by beautiful scenery. Take the chance to be mesmerized by caverns in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico or Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.
From the volcanoes of Kilauea, Hawaii to Hubbard Glacier in Alaska and the plethora of rock formations in Utah, there’s plenty of natural beauty to explore right here at home.
Instagram Classics
Whether you’re trying to find a pop of color to match your aesthetic or spice up your profile, there are plenty of photo-perfect spots sprinkled across the United States, as this article from Curbed lists out for us. Those who love color should definitely plan a photo-op visit to the beautiful graffiti backdrops at Wynwood Walls in Miami and Lilac Alley in San Francisco. The HOPE Outdoor Gallery in Austin, Texas also hosts levels upon levels of walls covered with graffiti that continuously morph as visitors graffiti their own art on the walls.
Those opting for a more architecture-based scenery should definitely consider Acorn Street in Boston, the Franklin Street Bridge in Chicago, or Washington Street in Brooklyn. The Salk Institute of Biological Studies in San Diego is also sure to amaze you.
Whether it’s a road trip or just a weekend stopover, we hope these locations offer some inspiration for local travel right here at home. While you’re planning for your next adventure, we also encourage you to even start exploring fun tourism-worthy spots right in your hometown!