Looking for beautiful, natural scenic vacation ideas

[Philagoofy]

What area/states do you find have the most beautiful, natural scenery? I'm looking for different vacation ideas in the U.S.

 

[CDoobee]

I LOVE going out west! The mountains in Colorado, the mesas in Utah, the Grand Canyon, etc. are beautiful!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Lakes Region and/or White Mountain New Hampshire for beautiful water areas and forests. Lots of glaciar caves to hike through as well. On Golden Pond was filmed in the area and it is more lovely than the film shows. Great for water sports (sailing, kayaking, fishing), day hikes, camping. Lots of great small towns with amazing places to eat and surprisingly good theatre when you want "city" again as well.

Caddo Lake area of East Texas/Lousianna. Classic bayou in the most lovely sense of hte word. Spanish moss hanging everywhere and mist along the water most mornings and evenings. Best for fishing and just relaxing and taking in a totalyl "different" feel.

Rocky Mountains in Colorado for dramatic peaks and rock formations. Not green enough for my tastes but you ahve to see them once for sure. Great for hiking, camping, fly fishing and skiing in the winter.

 

[librarygal]

Oregon is nice. We spent a week there last summer. There is the Columbia River Gorge and all the waterfalls, Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, and the scenic coast. We went to Colorado this year. I would not recommend it. Many of the pine trees have been killed by a beetle so the scenery is not as nice as it used to be plus it is too much on the same thing.

 

[mum4jenn]

The Smokey Mountain area.

 

[Darcy03231]

Here's another vote for the Colorado rockies.

I live in NH and think the White Mountain area is also very scenic.

We did a camping/kayaking trip in June on the Upper Delaware River between New York and Pennsylvania that was also very scenic.

 

[Minnesota!]

Northern MN/WI is stunning! Just got back from a week up there and I had forgotten how truly breathtaking the landscape is! Amazing!

 

[Nik's Mom]

If you are considering a Winter vacation, then Mammoth Mountain in California is beautiful!

 

[luvwinnie]

Acadia Natl Park in Maine.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

The Oregon coast is stunning. Also the views of the Hudson River from West Point, NY and the surrounding area is very scenic.

 

[stsomewhere]

We loved the Natural Bridge state park in KY.
The hocking Hills state park in OH.
Cumberland Falls in KY
Taquahmon Fall in MI

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Drove from southern California up the coast , into Canada, and on to Alaska and back.

take lots of pictures!!!

 

[Trish Bessette]

Vermont - in early October.

Enough said

 

[kacaju]

grand canyon!! We took a trip out west, we flew into Las Vegas, drove to the south rim of the grand canyon, then drove to Page AZ and then into Ut to Bryce then Zion National Parks. From Zion we drove back to Vegas. It was an awesome trip and beautiful!!

 

[shortbun]

This is a beautiful country!!! We loved the Grand Canyon/Sedona/Phoenix area several years ago. We had a Zen feeling the whole time we were there as the awe inspiring views and colors all day, everywhere you look just took our breath away. The Pacific Northwest is outstanding, green, mountainous with a coast line that just plain rocks!!! This is amazing all the way down to San Francisco and past on the coast. I love, love, love Cape Hatteras National Seashore - gorgeous beaches, windswept dunes, amazing ecosystem in both the beach and the sound with fabulous birds, fish, crabs, snakes and other really cool animals as well as flora simply unique to that area and NO FAST FOOD anywhere, lol! Rent a kayak, learn to surf, experience the recently ranked #1 beaches in this country of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.(Dr. Beach)
The Smokies are beautiful and although Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are very touristy - respite can be found in fabulous cabins with amazing views and private hot tubs outside these developed areas. The Great Smokey National Park is stunning and the myriad of activities offered daily by the rangers are really fun! We just love driving some of the small tour/driving areas looking for black bear in trees or stopping to picnic. We've also enjoyed tubbing/minature golf and even Dollywood was fun once, lol! I really also like SW Gulf Coast Florida. Sanibel, Captiva and very remote Upper Captiva will capture your heart. The manatee hang out at all the docks and sunset is an event! Shelling can occupy my time down there for hours(watch the sunburned necks) and Ding Darling Nature Refuge on Sanibel makes a great drive or family bike trip. Watch out for the alligators sunning themselves on the path, lol! Seriously. Alaska!!!! Incredible!!! Get there before they dig it all up and be sure to see a lot of it because it's so big the scenery changes-it's all gorgeous. My favorite spots are along the coastline(huge) and spotting eagles in their nests or walking on glacier fields. Hawaii, can we really talk about scenic areas in this country and not talk about Hawaii. Until I went to Hawaii, I thought it to be a tourist trap. Not so. It is so lush and green with beautiful beaches and volcanoes with triple rainbows and amazing birds...I think I've hiked most of the islands and flown over three. My favorite is the Big Island because of it's diversity in scenery but Kauai, Maui, Lanai,Molakai and Oahu have their share of fans as well because you will never run out of things to do or see in the state of Hawaii. Sorry you asked? I could discuss the canoe trips in the boundary waters of Minnesota and Michigan- amazing, thrilling and unforgetable. I loved the Adirondacks in upstate New York and the Catskills in the lower forested area of the same state. New England in every season has amazing scenery to offer- fall is self explanable, winter is pristine, summer is green and lush with fabulous hiking and spring offers hope and crisp mornings with the sun finally burning off the haze on the sides of the mountains and the rocky beaches of the coast. Aren't you sorry you asked?

 

[Philagoofy]

Thanks for all of the great responses. No, I'm not sorry at all that I asked. I love all of your ideas.

Anyone care to share their experience in Idaho? Hell's Canyon - awesome?

Thanks & keep other ideas coming.

 

[Golf4food]

I think you could find something scenic in every state, even the "boring" ones that aren't the usual tourist destinations. It's a HUGE country with a little bit of everything! You could probably just throw a dart on at a map and wind up having a good time.

 

[hercamore]

There's a book out called something like"25 Best Scenic Drives in America".

check it out.

We love the Rockies, norhtern MN, Yellowstone.

so many choices.



herc

 

[dispor]

We vacationed in the Black Hills of South Dakota this summer. It was beautiful there, even in the Badlands.

 

[kristilew]

We spent several days hiking in Sedona, AZ this summer. I think it is the most beautiful place I've ever been. Can't wait to go back!