Be a part of our journey by our high 10 pure wonders of the US From the Oregon Coast to the Florida Springs, uncover breathtaking landscapes.
Two and a half years in the past, my household and I launched into an journey that utterly modified our lives. We swapped our day by day routine for the liberty of the open street, the confinement of school rooms for the vastness of the nice open air, and the hustle of cityscapes for the great thing about nature.
As a father, witnessing my sons develop and be taught by these experiences has been nothing in need of magical. From the rugged shores of Oregon to the crystal-clear waters of Florida Springs, every vacation spot has been a chapter in our household’s storybook of journey.
On this article, I want to take you on a vivid journey by essentially the most breathtaking pure wonders within the US we’ve encountered. It’s not simply concerning the locations themselves but additionally concerning the unimaginable magnificence that left us in awe, the laughter that echoed in opposition to the majestic backdrops, and the priceless moments that unfolded in these beautiful settings.
These landscapes usually are not simply stunning sights; they’re the canvases that maintain our household’s most cherished recollections, every a testomony to the awe-inspiring great thing about the pure world now we have been lucky sufficient to discover as we’ve mastered RV life.
10. Saguaro Nationwide Park
First up is Saguaro Nationwide Park exterior of Tucson, AZ. We don’t have cacti like this on the East Coast, so this was loopy to see. In the event you don’t know, Saguaro NP is legendary for its massive saguaro cacti, the biggest cacti in the US. These giants can stay for as much as 200 years.
The park can be dwelling to abandon tortoises and a wide range of hen species, which was fairly enjoyable for the children to identify. It’s additionally dwelling to roadrunners, however we didn’t see any getting chased by a coyote, sadly.
Like most of the nationwide parks we visited, Saguaro had a pleasant Junior Ranger Program for the boys to be taught concerning the desert atmosphere and its inhabitants.
9. Carlsbad Caverns Nationwide Park
Let’s go from the desert to an enormous underground cavern at Carlsbad Caverns Nationwide Park. The park has over 119 caves, shaped from sulfuric acid dissolving limestone, creating an interesting underground world.
You actually must see it to imagine it.
We have been additionally lucky sufficient to observe the Brazilian free-tailed bats fly out of the cave entrance at sundown. The boys thought we have been at Batman’s bat cave!
8. White Sands Nationwide Park
Simply down the street in New Mexico is White Sands Nationwide Park. If I needed to describe this place, strolling over the white dunes felt like stepping out of Luke Skywalker’s Starfighter.
It actually felt like we have been in one other world. The dunes are product of white gypsum, which is outwardly fairly uncommon, and creates a surprising white desert.
We purchased some sleds from the customer middle and had a blast sledding down the comfortable sand dunes.
7. Redwood Nationwide Forest
If you wish to really feel insignificant, simply go to the Redwood Nationwide Forest. This forest in Northern California is thought worldwide for its redwoods, which have been simply as mind-blowing for me and my spouse because it was for the boys.
There are many family-friendly trails by the forest, and I like to recommend climbing as many as doable to develop an appreciation for the huge, historic bushes.
And in the event you maintain your eyes open, you may even spot an elk or two.
6. The Drive By Utah (Canyonland, Arches, Moab)
This one on the checklist is just a little totally different. Sadly, we didn’t have time to cease and actually take pleasure in this space, however the drive by was stunning sufficient to say.
Simply driving by, we loved varied landscapes, from deep canyons to towering rock formations and arches like those you’ll see at Arches NP sculpted by erosion. My largest remorse to date shouldn’t be with the ability to spend extra time on this space.
5. Florida Springs (Three Sisters, Weeki Wachee)
Florida is identified for Disney and its seashores, however our absolute favourite a part of the sunshine state is the Springs. The springs are crystal clear, excellent for swimming and snorkeling, and so they keep a brisk 72 levels year-round.
That’s excellent to chill off within the sizzling Florida solar. We obtained to swim with some Manatees at Three Sisters Springs, and the boys beloved the massively standard mermaid present at Weeki Wachee.
4. Bonneville Salt Flats / Silver Mountains
The Salt Flats are one other place that feels out of this world. We appreciated it a lot right here that we visited twice. Apart from being a fantastically distinctive, otherworldly panorama that’s fascinating to discover, the flats are additionally well-known for being a website the place quite a few land velocity information have been set.
The boys completely beloved it once I floored it in our truck and pushed it to the max on the speedway. The huge, flat space is ideal for enjoyable perspective images, and we had a whole lot of enjoyable taking footage.
Our campsite within the shadows of the Silver Island Mountains was a stark distinction to the Salt Flats, however extraordinarily stunning in its personal proper.
3. Yosemite Nationwide Park
Phrases can’t describe how stunning Yosemite Nationwide Park is. Till you’ve seen locations like El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls, you simply received’t perceive. I might simply sit and stare at these landmarks for hours.
The park can be dwelling to various wildlife like black bears that the boys beloved studying about (from a protected distance).
2. Pinnacles Nationwide Park
Earlier than attending to California, we had by no means heard of Pinnacles Nationwide Park, however I’m glad we discovered it. Pinnacle NP is thought for its spectacular rock formations and spires, remnants of an historic volcanic area.
Our favourite half was grabbing the flashlights and exploring the talus caves. They have been darkish, chilly, and damp, however we had a blast. It’s additionally an excellent place to see California condors, one of many world’s largest birds, however we weren’t fortunate sufficient to see one.
1. The Oregon Coast
My absolute favourite a part of the complete nation is the Oregon Coast. We spent a while on the dunes in Florence and plan on visiting the pure bridges in Brookings, however my favourite spot is the coast in Seaside and Cannon Seashore.
Haystack Rock is an iconic 235-foot sea stack, the third tallest on the earth. At low tide, we beloved exploring the tide swimming pools, and in the summertime, we beloved watching the Puffins.
Seaside has a large seashore subsequent to Tillamook Head, and the world has numerous hikes, every with implausible forest and ocean views. The world is breathtaking.
The seashores are excellent for constructing sandcastles, flying kites, beachcombing, and clamming, a brand new exercise we realized with the children. The 2 cities provide family-friendly eating and procuring, making it a whole household vacation spot.
I feel that is the place we’ll ultimately ditch the wheels and challenges of RV life and put down roots.
Wrapping Up The Pure Wonders of the US
As I write this closing, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and nostalgia.
The previous two and a half years of exploring America’s pure wonders with my household have been greater than only a sequence of journeys; they’ve been a journey of discovery and bonding.
Every park, path, and sundown has taught us one thing new concerning the world and ourselves. We have now shared tales beneath starlit skies, marveled at nature’s grandeur, and realized to worth our planet’s valuable presents.
Watching my boys’ eyes mild up with surprise and curiosity has been my most treasured expertise as a father. Our journey doesn’t finish right here; we proceed to look ahead to extra adventures.
To households dreaming of their very own adventures, get on the market and discover. Life is brief, however the world is huge, stunning, and ready to be found.
Your checklist of favorites will likely be totally different from ours, however the pleasure of exploring with household is a common treasure everybody ought to expertise.
