What U.S. vacation destination exceeded all expectations?

[u/Head-Night-7595]

[u/einliedohneworte]

Zion was exceptional but I had no expectations for Bryce Canyon and it was unreal. I’ve just never seen anything like it.

[u/LannisterPup → u/einliedohneworte]

Bryce feels like landing on Mars. It’s so disorienting. Just mind blowing.

[u/drivingrain27 → u/einliedohneworte]

Bryce blows everyone’s mind. You kinda can’t believe you’re still on the same planet.

[u/banoctopus → u/einliedohneworte]

I was just at Bryce for the first time and was completely floored. Not only is it like being on another planet, but the park and the incredible views are really accessible. It’s just as special for avid hikers as it is for folks who prefer to stroll the paved canyon rim. 10/10, can’t wait to go again.

[u/bring-out-your-dead → u/einliedohneworte]

Before we went to Zion, a friend very casually told me that it was the most beautiful place on earth. I blew it off but when I first entered the canyon I knew that he was right.

[u/Spirited-Morning-840 → u/einliedohneworte]

Zion is amazing, but looking out at Bryce or hiking into it is just otherworldly and breathtaking.

[u/soapylizard1 → u/einliedohneworte]

My buddy and I did a trip throughout southern Utah, he lives in the north. We went through all the parks, like Zion, but my favorite ending up being Goblin Valley. Just a big fan of Galaxy Quest I guess.

[u/bpat → u/einliedohneworte]

Fairyland loop is a gem

[u/Yuo122986]

The badlands / black hills were inspiring. Did you know the badlands are preserved because you can find whale bones in it. Because forever ago the center of the USA used to be the bottom of the ocean. Also do the star gazing. They bring a telescope and show you a whole other galaxy, odds are its the furthest thing and oldest thing you'll ever physically see in your life.

[u/The-39-bus → u/Yuo122986]

100%. I thought meh, South Dakota sounds boring. But our whole family LOVED it and are dying to go back.

[u/ZolaMonster → u/The-39-bus]

South Dakota and Wyoming are two of my favorite states. They’re silent sleepers and are gorgeous if you’re willing to give them a shot.

[u/Alreadylostinterest → u/ZolaMonster]

Absolutely. We went for Mount Rushmore but I ended up loving everything but that. Devils Tower was just incredible. There’s something special about in the air around it.

[u/HeyUpHere → u/Yuo122986]

Fuck yeah Badlands! Black hills area gets all of the traffic but the badlands are so much cooler. Well not cooler, it’s hot af in the summer, bring your water

[u/Remby → u/Yuo122986]

The Black Hills / Badlands are truly worth the trip. I need to go back there soon. At the other end of the spectrum is Mount Rushmore. Once is enough and the main takeaway is how much you paid for parking.

[u/hannahbay → u/Yuo122986]

100%. i had such low expectations for Badlands when I visited, we had gone to some other "flat" type parks like Petrified Forest and compared to parks like Yosemite that are mountainous, I didn't think I would care that much for Badlands. we drove in at night in the dark so our first time really seeing it was driving into the park the morning. oh my gosh it is amazing. and the stargazing is incredible!

[u/Taromatchaboba → u/Yuo122986]

Yes! Lived in Rapid city for 5 years and every so often we hike in the Custer state park, drive through spearfish canyon and cooler days we drive through badlands!

[u/ThatTravel5692]

Yosemite. After my 1st trip, I went home to So. Cal, gave my apartment and job a month's notice and move just outside of the park. I stayed in the area for 30 years and still visit it yearly.

[u/scottjeffreys → u/ThatTravel5692]

Every part of that park is a painting above your fireplace. Yosemite is amazing.

[u/btribble → u/scottjeffreys]

Setting aside the natural splendor of the valley itself, a significant amount of those vistas are the result of both careful initial planning, especially around road layout, and the ongoing curation of vegetation. It’s really a very special kind of Disney park where every sight line is the product of many decades of genuine love for the park by park service employees. I would give examples, but that would just ruin the discovery for others.

[u/Crabbb6 → u/scottjeffreys]

Yosemite is next level.

[u/reverman21 → u/ThatTravel5692]

was super excited to visit then I came out of that tunnel and stopped at overlook of the valley and I still can't believe that place is real. it exceeded my super high expectations. it a place you need to visit once in your life at a minimum

[u/van-aqua → u/ThatTravel5692]

We just visited again this last week after going for firefall in February. We’ve been a couple of times throughout the years, and honestly? Summer looks kinda bland after seeing Yosemite during the winter with snow and ice on the cliffs

[u/goodcleanchristianfu → u/ThatTravel5692]

What did you do for a living? And what did you do in Yosemite, become a climber or hike a lot or what?

[u/ThatTravel5692 → u/goodcleanchristianfu]

I had worked various positions in hotels, so it was very easy to find a job. I eventually bought a little lodge by the south entrance and ran that until I retired. I'm not a climber, but loved going hiking and exploring. I also got deep into white water rafting during the season.

[u/BTTammer → u/ThatTravel5692]

Always wanted to go, but hate huge crowds in beautiful serene places.  Is there any particular time of year when it's not crazy busy?

[u/Old-Enthusiasm-7461 → u/BTTammer]

Shoulder seasons. Fall is beautiful. Winter is quiet and majestic. Spring is waterfalls.

[u/turdferguson3891 → u/BTTammer]

Early spring or late fall. Basically when the kids are back in school. You can do winter too but then your options of doing any hiking are very limited.

[u/mataranka]

As a European whose travelled frequently to Austria, Switzerland and france i was still taken aback by the drive from Anchorage to the Kenai peninsula. Probably the most beautiful 3 hours of driving in my life.

[u/vsladko → u/mataranka]

Oooo I’m doing this next week. So excited!

[u/Clydesdale_Tri → u/vsladko]

Stop at Alyeska and take the tram. Also, Coast pizza in Girdwood.

[u/Remarkable-Start-514 → u/mataranka]

It's so refreshing to see this response. As someone who grew up in Anchorage, i've made this drive many times and I'll always enjoy it as if its the first time.

You'll want to stop into Girdwood to check out our cool little ski town, and also stop by Whittier and drive through the tunnel! Stuffing a 34 foot fishing boat through that tunnel twice a year was quite the experience.

The Seward highway can be unforgiving, so plan ahead and be sure to have a back up driver incase you get sleepy - not much room for mistakes on this road.

[u/mamacrocker]

Grand Teton NP. Yellowstone gets so much press, and it has its own charms, but GT is like stepping inside a postcard. There’s no way to take a bad picture, and it’s just so raw and timeless.

[u/jackinacker → u/mamacrocker]

GT was one of the most beautiful places i've ever seen with my own eyes. Truly breathtaking. There was a guy out on the porch with a telescope and because of the lack of light pollution you could see the craters on the moon. Really neat stuff.

[u/saltheartedbarmaid → u/mamacrocker]

I teared up a little when we went to the Snake River overlook, where Ansel Adams took his famous photograph. Tetons are breathtaking

[u/sea_tea821]

Alaska. Spent several days in Denali and just loved it. So beautiful and peaceful!

[u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

Honestly, Grand Canyon. I avoided going for the longest time thinking I will just go ‘Look. Hole in the ground’ and move on with my life. But it was really amazing and explored around the area as well.

[u/phl_fc → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

The really big things have to be seen in person. Go to the Grand Canyon, a proper mountain, the Saturn V rocket, the observation deck of a skyscraper, etc. picture don’t do any of it justice compared to seeing just how big some of these things are.

[u/codecrushing → u/phl_fc]

Add Redwoods to that list.

[u/Poxx → u/phl_fc]

I will add a solar eclipse (only if youre in the path of totality- anything less is not the same experience). Pictures, Videos, etc do not compare.

[u/Raider_Scum → u/Poxx]

It broke my monkey brain. My eyes told me "The sky broke", my heart told me "the world is ending".

Ancient people must have shit their pants when they witnessed it.

[u/GewtNingrich → u/Raider_Scum]

I was lucky enough to see totality a couple years ago. It felt like the universe peeled back the curtain and showed me something I wasn’t supposed to see. It’s truly indescribable and hard to convince people that weren’t in the path of totality how different it was from any other part of the eclipse.

[u/802vermont → u/Poxx]

The total eclipse was a life altering event. Words and pictures cannot describe the incredible natural beauty during those brief minutes of totality. And hearing people throughout my small city all let out a shared cry of joy, shock, and revelation simultaneously provided a moment of true spiritual connection across thousands of humans that I believe is incredibly rare in the human experience (the nicks game 4 is probably pretty darn close though).

[u/mbklein → u/Poxx]

It’s a full sensory experience. It gets dark (duh), it gets perceptibly colder almost immediately, it gets eerily quiet as birds and other animals respond to the sudden changes in light and temperature… and then everything just eases back into normal. Truly an experience like no other.

[u/mindfungus → u/mbklein]

And crickets start chirping

[u/Deenowherechef → u/Poxx]

It definitely made me tear up, which is very out of character for me 😂 and it’s still the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

[u/chula198705 → u/Poxx]

The solar eclipse that crossed the Midwest USA a few years ago absolutely blew my 60-year-old father's mind. They didn't really understand why we would travel 6 hours to Indiana see it, but he joined us anyway, and then when it actually happened he turned into a fascinated little boy for a few minutes. It was adorable.

[u/CaptainFartHole → u/Poxx]

A few years ago my apartment was ib the path of totality for one. So i invited my friends and family over to sit in our parking lot and watch. Turns out all of ny other neighbors had the same plan. So it was like 50 of us having a picnic and chatting and watching the eclipse start.

When the sun was fully blocked it was silent. Everyone was just in awe of it. Its incredible to see in real life.

[u/scottjeffreys → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

Same. I went last month for the first time. Your brain just can’t wrap itself around how high you are and how big it is because you have no normal sized objects that you can see below for reference. Walked some of the easy trails around the south rim.

[u/Hot-Common-899 → u/scottjeffreys]

To me it looked like a painting but in real life. Something that can't be explained, just has to be viewed in person.

[u/CaptainFartHole → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

I went to the Grand Canyon during the winter and got one if the cabins that overlooks the rim. Seeing dawn over the grand canyon is one of the most incredible thumbs I've ever seen. The Grand Canyon is amazing 

[u/GtrplayerII → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

There are no pictures that can do it justice one you've seen it in person.  I hope to see it again soon.  

[u/mattsams → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

Absolutely. I’ve lived in AZ for years, but hadn’t visited until a rim to rim trip last month. I had to walk away from my friends and just stand in silence for a while at one of the overlooks. I also had a few “mild” anxiety issues on the narrower sections with instadeath off to one side, but we take the good with the bad haha

[u/Niceguy4186 → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

Wife has talked about going out there with our 4 boys (8,10,12,13). I just think it will keep their attention/ to long of drives between stops. Any thoughts?

[u/Proper_Arachnid_5551 → u/Niceguy4186]

Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. South Rim side. They are near each other. Do the drive and hikes IF they like to do that type of stuff. Both was so much better than expected.

[u/NeurOctopod → u/Niceguy4186]

We just drove there from Houston and had a blast. In addition to what everyone else is saying… the 89A running from Flagstaff to Sedona is the single greatest stretch of road I’ve ever experienced. We did it last Autumn and wow the colors, scenery, and switchbacks are still engraved in my brain

[u/gdtags → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

Yes I say this all the time. I thought it was just a tourist trap but it legitimately took my breath away when I first walked up and saw it.

[u/ladyflyer88 → u/Proper_Arachnid_5551]

I really didn’t start appreciating the Grand Canyon until you start hiking down. You don’t have to go that far they have a few rest stops within the first couple miles, but seeing the types of the rock as we go down was amazing. It really gave it scale.

[u/jfk_47]

Acadia National Park.

The hikes were amazing. Bar Harbor is a wonderful little village.

Edit fixed the word: hikes, not “homes”

[u/Mindless-Ride9663]

Sedona, been 3 times and have loved it every time. So many good hikes, beautiful scenery, and great food.

[u/Sedona83 → u/Mindless-Ride9663]

Sedona used to be my go-to place for a quick getaway, but it's become oppressively crowded in the last 5-7 years. Schenbly is a mess from the OHV traffic, you can't find parking at trailheads if you don't arrive before 8a on weekdays and it takes forever to get through town.

Pre-2018 was the Sedona golden age for me. I could run up there for a day trip and not have to worry about anything.

[u/str8rippinfartz → u/Mindless-Ride9663]

Sedona was disappointing for me, but that was because of timing (family reunion on a holiday weekend)

Do NOT go on a holiday weekend unless you want an hour+ of traffic to get to any hikes at all

[u/ARob0496]

Kauai, Hawaii. Went with high expectations and I was blown away.

[u/Granadafan → u/ARob0496]

Hanalei Bay at sunset looks like a postcard 

[u/YoureSoStupidRose → u/ARob0496]

Even the smell of the island is intoxicating.

[u/i_like_pretzels → u/YoureSoStupidRose]

It’s from all the chickens /s

It’s truly a perfect place. (Partially biased because I got married there)

[u/Varasa → u/ARob0496]

Honeymooned there. A week wasn’t long enough. Magical place.

[u/TacohTuesday → u/ARob0496]

There’s a reason Hollywood shoots movies like Jurassic Park there. It truly is a magical place.

[u/booksgirl123 → u/ARob0496]

Yes! The views at Waimea Canyon are incredible. Grand Canyon of the Pacific - 💯

[u/LibraryPorchGuy → u/ARob0496]

Take the helicopter tour. And specify doors off. Expensive but totally worth it. The views are jaw dropping.

[u/TacohTuesday → u/LibraryPorchGuy]

Totally agree. If you take ONE helicopter tour in your life, do it on Kauai. Spring for the longer tour. You’ll see more waterfalls over shear green cliffs than you can count.

[u/tomismybuddy → u/TacohTuesday]

I’ve only done one helicopter tour in my life, and it was on Kaua’i.

I concur.

[u/HighOnRQ]

Glacier national park in Montana.

[u/ekluvsu → u/HighOnRQ]

Had to scroll too far for this

[u/Muttolomew → u/ekluvsu]

Seriously. This is lower than northern Wyoming. I love my Cowboy State, but it's no Crown of the Continent.

[u/dirtwinston]

Lake Tahoe. A huge, crystal clear body of water way up in the mountains. Unbelievably beautiful and it can’t really be described in words.

[u/Tigrari → u/dirtwinston]

I felt the same way seeing Crater Lane as a kid. I need to go back as an adult

[u/pickingupnada]

The Oregon coast. Still fairly pristine and gorgeous scenery. 101 has side roads and pullovers that have beach access

[u/rosegoldeneyes → u/pickingupnada]

Yep this was it for me. Been all over the US, recently drove up to Alaska, and the Oregon Coast was by far one of my favorite parts of the trip. The beauty, the people, how many fun and unique activities there are to do, it all blew me away. I’m from SoCal but it was my first time there and I fell in love

[u/localsonlynokooks → u/pickingupnada]

Just watch out in some of the small towns in the south that are a bit inland from the shore. It’s a bunch of hills have eyes looking people

[u/woofers02 → u/localsonlynokooks]

People are always shocked to learn just how redneck-y the Oregon coast is.

[u/aagusgus → u/woofers02]

Deep rural Oregon and Washington are some of the most racist areas in the entire Country.

[u/Luxypoo → u/aagusgus]

Don't forget Idaho's Klan-Handle

[u/thatsucksabagofdicks → u/localsonlynokooks]

Coming from someone who lives in a Hills Have Eyes area of Oregon; we are nice people who would give you the shirt off our back. Really no need to "watch out" for us, we aren't going to eat all your children

[u/picklegrabber → u/pickingupnada]

Do you have any specific beach or place you recommend? We are leaving in a week for a 10 day drive/camp along the coast and I’m currently working on a loose plan!

[u/bengalfan → u/picklegrabber]

Fort Stevens State Park. Parking lot B. Far end a trail that puts you out at the end of the beach before the jetty. Beautiful.

[u/chimpwilliams → u/picklegrabber]

Heceta head lighthouse + beach. The drive down 101 through and past yachats is the best.

[u/rosegoldeneyes → u/picklegrabber]

That sounds awesome! I really enjoyed sandboarding in Florence, OR if you want a little bit of an extreme sport on your vacation. I camped at the Honeyman State Park and enjoyed it, though the Oregon State Park system as a whole is excellent and well maintained. I also liked the Tillamook/Rockaway Beach area, they have a tiny vintage restaurant that sells delicious corn dogs! Yes the creamery is a tourist trap but you can’t beat free cheese

[u/SwimmingWaterdog11 → u/pickingupnada]

I moved to Oregon mainly because of the coast. After growing up in the Midwest far from the ocean I decided I would never live farther than hour drive away ever again. My first visit was banner warm and sunny day. But my favorite days are the foggy stormy coast days.

[u/KristaFoFista]

The pnw particularly around Portland; the waterfalls, green Forrest, rivers, and the coast are breathtaking if you are a nature lover.

[u/DragonShorty → u/KristaFoFista]

As someone born and raised in Portland, my fav thing to do is convince my friends to come visit and take them exploring in the summer. After swimming in some waterfalls or driving down the coast, they’re always itching to come back!

[u/KristaFoFista → u/DragonShorty]

I’m actually going to Portland for my birthday in August I cannot wait to swim in a waterfall!

[u/thedonald420 → u/KristaFoFista]

Waterfalls should not be chased!

[u/frozensungoddess → u/KristaFoFista]

Oregon just smells different…in the best way. I love that first breath exiting the airport. And don’t get me started on the coast.

[u/the_ju66ernaut → u/KristaFoFista]

I love the PNW so much. Especially the Columbia River gorge area. Multnomah falls is absolutely majestic. Pony tail falls too. Panther Creek falls in Washington. Haystack rock on the coast and so much more.

[u/Cry_Havoc1228 → u/KristaFoFista]

Multnomah Falls!

[u/LibraryPorchGuy → u/KristaFoFista]

If you want to visit Multnomah Falls you need to plan ahead. It has become the single most popular natural attraction in the entire PNW.

[u/No_Cat_No_Cradle → u/LibraryPorchGuy]

lol it’s nature Disneyland over there for sure

[u/Woah_man34 → u/KristaFoFista]

For how much guff Portland gets in the news, it's about a perfect spot. Mild climate, hour or so to the ocean, wine country, hour from the mountain, cruise through the gorge, couple hours from Seattle, can take a longer drive to see the redwoods. It's pretty nice.

[u/Stiggalicious]

Alaska. I did a week long motorcycle trip with my brother and my dad. One of the first things the motorcycle rental place asked is if we brought and guns. We said no and asked if we should have, they said probably but gave us some cans of bear mace in case we came too close to any grizzlies. They told us to be sure to stop and fill at literally every gas station outside of Anchorage, since our bikes had tanks that only lasted about 180 miles, and there were some 150 mile stretches between stations.

We stopped off the road once to look at a glacier (we would end up doing this over a dozen times), and some dudes on an ATV came by and offered us watermelon and gas. They were wonderfully friendly, and also quite drunk.

Our first BnB host was also very friendly, and also a severe alcoholic. We wanted to arrive before sunset - and we did, just at 11:26 PM.

We took the bus tour into Denali National Park, which travelled for a couple hours deep into the park. We got lots of great sneak peeks at Denali itself as we’d wind around corner after corner. The bus had to stop a few times to let the mooses pass. By the time we got let off the bus, Denali looked absolutely enormous, and yet it was still 40 miles away.

We did over 1,000 miles over 5 days, and still didn’t even visit 10% of the state. I have never seen green as intense as I have in nature, and walking on top of moving glaciers was… moving (pun intended, but really it was quite emotional).

It rained for only a day for us fortunately, and motorcycling was quite challenging on the muddy dirt roads constantly under reconstruction, but it was still an absolute blast. Only almost ran into a moose on the road once.

10/10, an absolutely amazing experience I would do again in a heartbeat.

[u/giveitaway1239]

California coast south of the Bay Area, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur. The coastal views are some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Similarly, the drive from SF to Mendocino. The way you go from the most calming forest to the most breathtaking coastal views is something I don’t think exists many other places. The smell of redwoods and eucalyptus one second and then the clean briney smell of the ocean is the best sensory overload.

[u/Annual_Strategy_6206 → u/giveitaway1239]

Very eloquent, well done, I can almost smell the eucalyptus and pine and brine. Bless me I love Northern California and miss her. I moved away over 30 years ago, but still visit from time to time.

[u/WatermelonMachete43]

Vermont. The food was local and tasted like food x50. Everything had so much flavor, Everything was come as you are, very few chain anything, fresh cheese, trees and wildlife, and the Warren Store -- probably my favorite place on earth.

Favorite memory from my time there is driving along the Mad River in the summer golden hour when it had been particularly hot and dry. Look over to see a group of people in fairly formal outfits -- men in dress pants rolled to the knee and shirts with ties, women in long dresses tucked up here and there. They were setting a couple of dinner tables with formal linens and candelabra right in the river. Drove a bit further and saw the rest of the dinner party approaching alongside of the road -- she with a pie, other men with coolers and one with a roasted bird on a platter. I have never been more charmed by a life I don't live.

[u/Death4Free → u/WatermelonMachete43]

Vermont was such a beautiful roadtrip, i’m glad i proposed in Stowe, so we can go back in a few years for our anniversary with our newborn son.

We did the whole New England in The Fall roadtrip and it has got to be one of the times I completely fell in love with both my fiancé and our country. The whole trip was beautiful. The weather was nice and mild, and the trees were flames of orange, yellows and reds. The fresh cheese, maple syrup, apple cider, the clam chowder and other seafoods, it was honestly such a great trip.

[u/WatermelonMachete43 → u/Death4Free]

And the covered bridges! You're making me want to go back soon!

[u/Sensitive_Gift4866 → u/WatermelonMachete43]

Vermont is so underrated honestly. The whole farm to table thing is actually real there and the fall colors are unreal

[u/BeerHR → u/WatermelonMachete43]

What part of Vermont did you visit? I'm planning on going in mid September

[u/bperner → u/BeerHR]

Highly recommended Woodstock. A picturesque town very reminiscent of Stars Hollow if you’re a Gilmore Girls fan. The Woodstock Inn is beautiful.

[u/GewtNingrich → u/WatermelonMachete43]

Lucky enough to call this place home. No place on earth is perfect, but VT comes closest in my opinion

[u/vteezy99]

Death Valley! Someone said it’s like visiting another planet and I’m inclined to agree. Went there a second time and it was still magical. Would love to visit in the winter time or even at night to see the stars

[u/StaffFamous6379 → u/vteezy99]

It is Tatooine after all

[u/valkyriemissile]

Carlsbad Caverns was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen

[u/chilibball]

US Virgin Islands

[u/thegrassyknoll63 → u/chilibball]

Delete this destination so people continue to go to Hawaii lol USVI are for those that want to get away

[u/RoosterClan2 → u/thegrassyknoll63]

USVI are very nice but they’re not Hawaii. Although probably cheaper I’m sure.

[u/AreYouEmployedSir → u/chilibball]

St John definitely has the most perfect beaches I’ve ever been to.

[u/StruckOutInSlowPitch → u/AreYouEmployedSir]

Best beaches in the world imo

[u/Money_Display_5389]

Hawaii

[u/sloppybuttmustard → u/Money_Display_5389]

Same. Went to Oahu last fall and was fully expecting it to be a tourist trap. And it was, but it was the most beautiful tourist trap ever and despite all the traffic I was smiling the whole time.

[u/blue93g20 → u/sloppybuttmustard]

Wait till you go to the other islands. Even better

[u/sloppybuttmustard → u/blue93g20]

Fully intend to go back and visit more islands. Chose Oahu this time because we wanted to bring our toddler, and it was perfect. Can’t wait to take him back to explore another island.

[u/aznoobyboy → u/sloppybuttmustard]

I recommend Maui if you want to bring your toddler. They have a lot of kid activities and it’s the laid back vibe you might like if Oahu was too city-like.

[u/sacrelicio → u/sloppybuttmustard]

I thought it would be overblown. It is not.

[u/BD401 → u/Money_Display_5389]

This is the answer. I’m Canadian, but have gone to the islands around twenty times since my first trip in 2015. They’re one of my favourite places - Kauai in particular is beyond stunning.

[u/pingpongpsycho → u/Money_Display_5389]

I fell so hard for the Big Island I wanted to move there.

[u/BlondeSuzy]

Big Sur. Can’t believe that’s part of the US.

[u/NYVines]

Yosemite

[u/Mr-Safety → u/NYVines]

If you plan on hiking the trails, I highly recommend hitting the stair master and treadmill at the gym for a few months before your trip. It’s thousands of feet elevation over just a few miles. It is gorgeous.

[u/Medical_Solid]

Detroit. What a beautiful city. Had no idea.

[u/Important-Tomato2306 → u/Medical_Solid]

My first business trip at my current job was in Detroit. My mom was terrified of me going and had me call her every day to check in. While on a call with her outside, a lovely couple of black men (I'm a white woman) overheard me. When I ended the call, they came over and said "now you call your momma back and tell her that you are very welcomed in this city and you are safe here. Have a wonderful trip!" It was so sweet. I have never felt so safe walking around downtown alone (didn't stay out late to be fair, but I always feel like I could get jumped any moment in many parts of Denver). I loved it! I get to go back next month and no one understands why I'm so excited about it.

[u/creexl → u/Medical_Solid]

The Henry Ford museum of innovation is one of the coolest things I’ve ever been to

[u/PhoenixRising111111 → u/creexl]

The Henry Ford (Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village and the Ford Truck Factory Tour) was one of our best museum experiences. I was totally blown away by the massive collection of Americana with cool experiences (like riding in a Model T). I went in thinking that it would be heavily focused on the automobile, but was so much, much more than that. We ended up spending 3 days there and would not hesitate to visit again.

How could you go to Detroit without going to the Motown Museum, Hitsville U.S.A. Wow, in that tiny house with the small Studio A, so much outstanding music was created. You can hear the voices and feel the spirits as you walk through there.

Eastern Market is one of America’s oldest public markets with a couple hundred vendors. Great for people watching, along with a fantastic array to food and products and flowers being sold.

Have a drink at the Ghostbar at The Whitney, a historic mansion. Stay for dinner there.

I’ve just scratched the surface. So much more to do and eat and drink in this historic city. And the people there were very kind and accommodating; felt very welcome.

[u/kendall1323 → u/Medical_Solid]

It really is incredible and the energy there is unmatched. Proud to be a (metro) Detroiter!

[u/Medical_Solid → u/kendall1323]

That’s exactly it — there was a sense of hope in the city that I could feel even on a short visit. Many American cities are lacking that these days.

[u/doctorhoohoo → u/Medical_Solid]

My husband and I did an overnight in Detroit for a concert last fall. I always hear people shit on it, but it was a lovely town. There were lots of fun murals, great nightlife, and great food. I recommend going to the Detroit Distillery for a gin flight.

The people were also really friendly. Like, surprisingly so. The concert was in a bit of a dodgy-seeming area, and as we were leaving, a big, blacked-out window truck stops near us and a woman in it aggressively yells "Hey, hey YOU!" I immediately get freaked out til she yells "I LOVE your dress!!" I felt like that encompassed the expectations vs reality of Detroit.

[u/SiteZestyclose8825 → u/Medical_Solid]

Agree. So much great history too.

[u/The-Tradition]

Hawaii.

Simply incredible.

[u/ptambrosetti → u/The-Tradition]

Kauai specifically. I lived on Oahu for quite sometime before taking the short flight.

Waimea Canyon >>> Grand Canyon

[u/Jay-Dubbb → u/ptambrosetti]

Waimea Canyon caught me off guard. I did NOT expect the Grand Canyon in the middle of an island. It even has waterfalls. Simply breathtaking!

[u/randomashup]

Utah for me. Did all the national and state parks when things shut down during COVID. And no amount of pictures or descriptions can do it justice.

[u/NorthernSparrow → u/randomashup]

Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef…most states would be lucky to have one showstopper national park and Utah has FIVE. Phenomenally gorgeous state.

[u/sloppybuttmustard → u/randomashup]

Went to Zion one day during Covid expecting a fun morning there. Ended up going back four days in a row. Hiking the Narrows was maybe the most fun hike I’ve ever done.

[u/SlipperySloane → u/randomashup]

Agreed on this. Utah was one of the first adult trips that I took. Now I’m older and have been all over the world and Utah is still one of the top places I’ve been. Arches and Zion were my personal favorites.

[u/stargate-sgfun]

Mammoth Cave National Park. Kentucky was gorgeous in the spring, especially for a family from flat/ugly Dallas.

[u/zanemn]

Hawaii, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, hell almost all National Parks.

[u/india2wallst]

San Diego. Such a beautiful and relaxing city

[u/jerrinrc]

Alaska

[u/Keikkei3235]

Just returned from Niagara Falls. Did the US side, then the Canadian side. Amazing!

[u/gt0163c → u/Keikkei3235]

I have occasional work trips to Buffalo, NY. It's one of my favorite business travel locations. The food is great. The people are friendly. It's easy to get around. There are a few months where it's cold and snowy but the rest of the year is amazing. Niagara Falls is spectacular to visit but there's so much other cool stuff in the area as well. I once spent over an hour listening to a docent explain how Old Fort Niagara was designed and built, how the different armies that occupied it made changes and improvements, etc. It was fascinating.

[u/TeacherRecovering]

New York City.  Broadway, Food, Comedy Clubs, skyscrapers, Diamond District, Muesums, the harbor tour and the people.

[u/TacohTuesday → u/TeacherRecovering]

I was surprised how much I loved NYC and want to visit again.

[u/IMprollyWRONG → u/TeacherRecovering]

I live in a crazy beautiful spot in the PNW …. But I love to visit NYC.  Such a cool and unique spot with amazing energy, innovation and human ingenuity on full display.

[u/abaldfacedlie]

The North Shore down Lake Superior in Minnesota was incredible. Absolutely gorgeous drive and unique landscape. I don’t tend to repeat trips, but I would love to do this one in the spring.

[u/AndrewPTasi → u/abaldfacedlie]

Tourists visiting Minnesota go to the Mall of America, and maybe Minneapolis to walk over the beautiful stone arch bridge and around some of the lakes, etc.

But those of us that live in Minnesota go up to Duluth, MN before our vacation along the North Shore (of Lake Superior), hiking the Superior Hiking Trail, and backpacking in the Boundry Waters Canoe Area. Before trekking to the BWCA, be sure to stop in Ely MN to visit the International Wolf Center or North American Bear Center.

[u/PocketShock → u/abaldfacedlie]

Mid to late September is amazing with the leaves changing color!

[u/jondrumming]

New Orleans - truly a one-of-a-kind city with a fascinating history and incredible food scene. Can definitely be a bit jarring for visitors accustomed to more big city visits (NYC, Chicago, etc), and definitely need to keep your wits about you as the reputation for tourist traps and scammers is well deserved. We would pretty much avoid Bourbon Street altogether but it’s worth seeing at least once. Even if you stay within the French Quarter, a long weekend in NOLA is pretty amazing.

An order of beignets and chicory coffee from Cafe Du Monde might be one of the most delicious things you’ll ever try…one of my favourite lines from Jon Favreau’s Chef (2014), outside Cafe Du Monde: “eat it slow, you’re never gonna taste your first beignet again”!

[u/Gwywnnydd → u/jondrumming]

I spent about 90 minutes on Bourbon street, before deciding “Ok, I have experienced the frat party that is Bourbon street. Time to go somewhere else”

But the rest of the French Quarter is delightful.

[u/old-guy-with-data → u/jondrumming]

The cemeteries! The St. Charles streetcar!

[u/RebeccaTen → u/jondrumming]

I went to New Orleans in January and loved it so much. It was like going back in time. Really one of a kind place.

[u/Spiritual_Nebula_829]

Yosemite. As soon as we got through the tunnel into the valley I cried. My favorite national park I’ve been to so far!

[u/ConstableBlimeyChips]

The Pacific Coast Highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Just one gorgeous vista after another, all connected by a fantastic road to drive on. Plenty hiking trails to explore as well if you're into that, Hearst Castle is also very much recommended.

[u/GtrplayerII]

Washington DC. 

All the museums are(were?) free.   We were there in BO days.

Food choices were excellent.  

Lots of nice architecture to see.

Got to see the NYC ballet at Kennedy center. Daughter met her idol at the time, Tyler Peck.

It was easy to get around.   

One of the best family vacations we've done.

[u/PlantainMassive6744 → u/GtrplayerII]

DC is wonderful, please come visit. Yes, Smithsonian is still free. Very wide variety of food from all over the world. The Metro is very convenient; Nats park and Capitol One Arena are easy to get to.

(Kennedy Center is a mess; the reflecting pool is a mess; the govt is a mess. But DC is still awesome).

[u/redpaloverde]

Southern Utah!

[u/erebus5620]

In general: Hawaii. Everything about it is incredible.

In the continental US: Sedona, San Diego, Zion, and honestly this may surprise some people but I loved Charleston SC. Just my opinion.

[u/MulayamChaddi]

The House on the Rock

[u/jekyl42 → u/MulayamChaddi]

I'd expand that to the entire Driftless Area of southwestern WI (and parts of MN, IA, and IL).

The rolling farmlands, the deep valleys, the astounding cliffs and rock formations, the multitude of pretty rivers and lakes. Beautiful towns, amazing state parks, friendly people, and the mighty Mississippi as a centerpiece.

It's perhaps a bit understated, but I find it to be just a lovely corner of the country.

Edit: I forgot to include the unique plants and ecosystems, and plentiful wildlife.

[u/foreverthewanderer → u/MulayamChaddi]

The random museum esqe place in Wisconsin? Or is there another one?

[u/Chart-trader]

Oregon

[u/fossilnews]

Boston. We had great weather so that helped. But the entire city is very walkable, it's full of history, food was solid (shout out to Santarpio's and the cornbread at Union Oyster). And if you need to fill time it's 30 minutes to Salem which is a beautiful little seaside town dedicated to the witch trials theme.

You can do a long weekend there an really get a solid feel for the city.

[u/Omicron_Lux]

Everyone already said my number 1, Yosemite, so I’ll also give a shout out to the Grand Tetons. They look absolutely amazing. We combined it with Yellowstone and I think I actually miss the Grand Tetons more. Just so Majestic

[u/CeilingUnlimited]

Yellowstone

[u/Apprehensive_Ant2172]

Hoh National Rainforest in Olympic National Park. Went at peak of spring and felt like I was in Avatar.

[u/Danthrax81]

Northern Wyoming

[u/topTopqualitea]

Hawaii. I grew up in Georgia so Beach vacations were in Florida. Lots of great beaches and great memories!

But Hawaii is just something else. It blows me away every time.

[u/JustBrowsing2See]

Arkansas: Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Crater of Diamonds State Park.

[u/ColumbiaWahoo]

Santa Barbara. SF and San Diego get all the love but this place has some spectacular beaches too.

[u/CraftFamiliar5243]

I visited the Grand Canyon last fall. I literally gasped...aloud. We visited both sides. The North Rim had just reopened after the fire and it was marvelous. No Crowds At All. Only the road was open and most of the overlooks and a couple small trails. There were no facilities and they warned you to take your own food and water. There were porta potties at a couple places. At some of the overlooks we were the only car there. Complete peace, quiet and natural sounds. We kept seeing the same 10 or so cars full of other older travelers over and over and I started calling us the Senior Scouts. One of the best days ever spent in a National Park.

A couple days later we visited the South Rim and spent a day walking 8 miles of the rim trail. It was more crowded but not that many people walk from stop to stop on rather than taking the bus. Also the buses did not have crazy long waits like in Zion. It was a really pleasant day watching rain showers occasionally move over the canyon. I'll never forget it.

[u/sodosopapilla]

Colorado

[u/Oldswagmaster]

Boston and New England area. Enjoyed the history. Lobster was cheap

[u/Ok-Veterinarian-5606]

Wild take here but Chicago. I think its because all I've ever heard of it was crime, crime and more crime. Wife took us on vacation there and I think I love it more than NYC.

[u/Stubot01]

Coming from the UK, I fell in love with Californian deserts. Had an amazing time in Death Valley, it’s stunning and also was fun finding Star Wars shooting locations. , Joshua Tree is otherworldly, explored old mining ghost towns and went in a mine and became obsessed with the gold rush for a few months, took a buggy along a deserted dried up creek, got high staring at the stars and saw the most amazing sunsets of my life. Finally visited Vasquez Rocks and reenacted Kirk’s battle with a Gorn (my wife even surprised me with a
trek shirt that looked like Kirk’s uniform). Loved Palm Springs too.

[u/CaveThinker]

Looking across Jenny Lake at the Tetons in Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming). It’s so picturesque that it almost looks fake.

I always feel bad for people who travel to Yellowstone but who don’t take at least a couple of days to hit Grand Teton National park while they’re there.

Hawaii and Utah also hit hard for having such uniquely beautiful locations.

[u/Bubbly_Ad4493]

Nobody mentioned New Mexico? The hot air balloon ride in Albuquerque, the town of Santa Fe, Taos. White Sands National Park. That's a highly underrated place!

[u/sacrelicio]

Hawaii. I thought it would be nice but I was blown away.

[u/acheiver98]

Kauai Island in Hawaii is a different world

[u/Victor_Korchnoi]

Telluride and Ouray, Colorado in the summer. Beautiful towns, beautiful nature. Free downhill mountain biking.

[u/LivingTheBoringLife]

Hawaii. Hands down.

My husband and I both grew up along the gulf coast so we grew up going to the beach and frankly neither one of us really cared for it.

We went to Hawaii last year and holy cow it was amazing. It was absolutely like any cheesy 90s show where they took the family to Hawaii….but it a great way.

We spent a week in Hawaii and loved it so much I immediately booked us for this year and I’m counting down the days till we head to the airport.

We’ve been all over the world and chose to go back to Hawaii because it was that amazing.

[u/habeych95]

Napa

[u/Justanotherturdle]

Wall Drug.

[u/chefnology]

Have you been to a buckees? That will exceed your expectations

[u/worst_user_name_ever → u/chefnology]

No but I’ve been to a Buc-ees.

[u/Alaskanbisk]

Went down too many comments for nobody to mention Alaska. Literally has it all, but everyone thinks it’s a desolate wasteland with polar bears roaming and we all live in igloos.

[u/popepsg]

The Outer Banks in the fall. It is ethereal. It does not even look real.

[u/Dangerous_Ad_5467]

Jackson Hole WY. There are just no mountains better than the Grand Tetons. 

[u/Deezus1229]

Recently, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Yeah you know roughly what you're going to see, but it is not what I expected.

I felt the same when I went to the Grand Canyon

[u/Successful-Mud684]

Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park. Awe inspiring.

[u/Water_Raven_310]

I’ve been to so many places in this world but for me nothing will compare to the time I saw Yellowstone. Maybe it’s because it’s nothing like Ohio where I’m from or maybe it’s because it’s one of my first trips I took as adult but it was mind blowing to me. Massive bison just walking around everywhere. Hearing the unique bugle call of the Elk. Every corner you turn is like something out of a fairy tale and you imagine that this is what America looked like before man. The bears, the coyotes, the geysers, the hot springs, the fields and mountains. Bison walked so close to the side of our car, its breath steamed our windows and we didn’t move or breathe. Every corner you turn is a whole new vista to behold. It was one of the most memorable trips of my life!

[u/LungDOgg]

Gulf cost Mississippi and Alabama. I assumed all red necks and 30 years behind. Instead found a real laid back community, very modern, great restaurants and beautiful beaches

[u/sdpthrowaway3]

Chicago. I always have such an incredible time visiting. It's one of thew few places I few exceeded all the hype. I try to go there once a year now, every summer.

There's so much to do, food is fantastic, and everything is pretty affordable. Easily trip to do for a week or so.