Guided tours, museums, and sightseeing destinations will help acquaint you with the Indigenous and geological history of Utah’s Canyon Country. Along the way, delightful bites and insightful conversations are guaranteed.
Utah’s Canyon Country features a dynamic landscape; sometimes, the cliff sides are as grooved as a rumble strip, while at others, they seem to flow as lazily as hot fudge on an ice cream sundae. Make sure to pack a pair of binoculars to zoom in on the many cliff dwellings and natural arches that you will see on your trip.
Juneau, Alaska, will take your breath away! You will wonder at the vastness of glacier-carved mountains and expanses of frozen rivers of ice (or icefields). Juneau inspires a desire for exploration, breathing deeply, and curiosity at what remnants of the past remain hidden in the 17-million-acre rainforest.
Turn off all distractions, close your eyes for a moment, and relish the birdsongs and floral aromas that fill the air around you. In the winter, you might even catch sight of the aurora borealis. Then, after each day’s activities, hit the town for delicious food catering to all taste buds and budgets.
Delight in a scenic drive along the water as you head to the Alyeska Nordic Spa for some high-quality relaxation. Here, you’ll get acquainted with the Chugach Mountains, which are visible from the hot and cold pools that make up part of the spa’s signature hydrotherapy circuit. For a deeper dive into Alaska’s wilderness, take a floatplane to Katmai National Park & Preserve for some of the best bear watching in the state.
During a hot Southwestern day, the best way to beat the Arizona heat is to find an oasis. We recommend making your way to these Arizona state parks with bodies of water where you can cool off while you play.
Not only can you don your swimsuit and slide down the famous Slide Rock swim area into Oak Creek, but you can also hike along the easy, .25 mile (.4 kilometers) Pendley Homestead trail. Along the way, you’ll marvel at an apple packing barn, old cabins, and the original orchards of a historic 20th century homestead.
If you love to fish, then you’ll feel at home in many of Arizona’s state parks, where you can catch largemouth bass, bluegill, trout, catfish, and panfish. Several trails are also yours to explore, including ones for beginners and advanced hikers. You’ll marvel at the state’s riparian, desert, and mountainous ecologies.
Given how diverse and plentiful Arizona’s state parks are, it can be difficult to come to a group consensus on which ones to visit. Even when traveling alone, you might find it challenging to decide on the parks that should be at the top of your bucket list. This guide to six parks in Arizona’s Verde Valley will help you zero in on which parks are best suited to your interests.
Moab has so much to offer that locals you meet—like park officials or your rafting guides—may recommend additional attractions that aren’t on this guide. As you explore the area, look for petroglyphs, one of the most unique aspects of Moab’s landscape. They’re well worth a visit, as many of them are thousands of years old. As you would with any museum masterpiece, keep a respectful distance from the art and do not touch it.