15 Incredible United States Destinations That Will Make You Feel Like You’re on Another Planet
The United States is a land of extremes, one moment you’re in a bustling metropolis, and the next you’re staring at surreal landscapes that seem to appear straight from a sci-fi movie. The country is full of places that could make you think you’ve stepped off Earth – from desert wonders to lush, otherworldly forests.
Whether you are a weekend wanderer or a dedicated adventurer, there are spots will take you to another dimension. With every turn, you’ll be saying ‘Wait, how is this even real?’ Get ready for a trip through some of America’s most mind-boggling landscapes.
South Dakota Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park is a maze of steep cliffs, spectacular canyons, and huge grasslands. Millions of years of shaping have created a rugged beauty that feels like it should be on Mars. The landscapes roll past in colorful shades of pink, orange, and red. If you visit at sunrise or sunset the colours are awesome. The area is also chock full of fossils, making it a hotbed for paleontologists and the inquisitive.
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
When walking through Antelope Canyon, you feel like you’re stepping into a dream. The sandstone walls are narrow, twist and turn, and light shines from above as if it’s playing off the cracks. This sacred Navajo land holds a slot canyon, and guided tours provide intriguing explanations of the area’s geological and cultural importance. It’s no wonder this has been the backdrop of movies and photo shoots—it is pure magic.
Painted Hills, Oregon
The Painted Hills look like a giant took a paintbrush to the Earth. The stripes of red, yellow, and black that make them so vibrant are the accumulation of about 10 million years of volcanic ash and ancient plant material. The light and angle changes as you wander along the trails but the colors shift as if the hills themselves are alive. It’s a reminder of the planet’s history and the natural forces that keep working on it.
New Mexico’s White Sands National Park
The White Sands National Park is like a desert where the sand is as white as fresh snow. Over 275 square miles, this phenomenal outstretch of gypsum dunes looks surreal. Whatever you want to do, whether sledding down the dunes, taking a sunset hike, or just marveling at the never-ending horizon of white, it’s an experience that you’ll never forget. The gypsum sand is cool to the touch even on the hottest days.
Mono Lake, California
The Mono Lake is like something out of a science fiction novel. One of the most bizarre landscapes in the country, its otherworldly tufa towers—spiky limestone formations that rise out of the water—have made it a popular spot for photos. The ecosystem in this ancient lake, which is more than 760,000 years old, is also unique. The salty waters here attract millions of birds annually to feed on the brine shrimp and alkali flies that thrive in its salty waters.
Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park
Colorado, who needs the Sahara? The Great Sand Dunes National Park boasts not only the tallest sand dunes in North America, but some of them reach over 700 feet high. Up at the top, you feel like you’re on a different planet altogether, with towering montanaes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as a backdrop. If you’re after adventure you can sandboard or sled, or for unparalleled stargazing, go after dark.
Devils Tower, Wyoming
Devil’s Tower comes in at 867 feet above the surrounding landscape, like nature’s skyscraper. A geological marvel made famous by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, this has puzzled scientists and fired up legends among Native American tribes. Millions of years ago, volcanic activity gave it its columnar shape, but when you stand before it, you’ll feel like it’s more of a gateway to another dimension.
The Wave, Arizona
The Wave is your place if you’ve ever wanted to walk through a real-life Salvador Dalí painting. Renowned for its swirling patterns and vibrant colors, this stunning sandstone rock formation in the Coyote Buttes area is stunning in and of itself. It is a challenging hike, and you need a lottery-based permit system to get here, but if you do, you are rewarded with one of the most jaw-dropping sights in the country.
Crater Lake, Oregon
The U.S.’s deepest lake, Crater Lake, reflects the sky like a giant sapphire — the water’s so pristine it’s mirror-like. This blueish-green water is just breathtaking and feels at times otherworldly: formed from the collapse of a volcano around 8,000 years ago, it now sits in the valley of a slumped volcano, flanked by gorgeous cliffs. Hike rim trails or board a boat tour and explore the volcanic cinder cone Wizard Island rising from the lake’s surface.
Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon isn’t a canyon; it’s a series of natural amphitheaters full of hoodoos, tall, spire-like rock formations that resemble nature’s version of sculptures. The whole area glows shades of red, orange, and gold at sunrise, and it’s ethereal. When you walk its trails, you might think you’re in a fantasy world rather than a national park.
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Go beneath to uncover the Carlsbad Caverns – an enormous cavitated labyrinth complete with bizarre stalactites and stalagmites. It feels like an alien cathedral, the “Big Room” — one of the largest cave chambers in North America. Easy walks and adventurous crawls through narrow passages are available on guided tours of this subterranean wonder for everyone willing to explore.
Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park
The sandstone in the Valley of Fire has been carved over time by wind and water and sports fiery red sandstone formations. This park’s name says it all. Staring up at the rocks and petroglyphs that relate to the stories of ancient peoples, there is a historical feel added to the already surreal landscape. During golden hour, the entire valley glows and it’s a photographer’s dream.
Hawaii Haleakalā National Park
It is easy to see why visitors to Haleakalā call it the “House of the Sun” when standing atop the crater. The dormant volcano on Maui, provides views beyond the clouds, especially at sunrise. The land is barren, and rocky so much so that it looks like the moon, but the park’s diverse ecosystems, from rainforest tropical to the desert dry, have made it one of the most fascinating places on Earth.
California’s Joshua Tree National Park
Desert meets whimsy in Joshua Tree. Massive boulders and surreal rock formations dot the landscape, along with the park’s namesake trees, spiky branches, and Dr. Seuss look alike. By night the park becomes a stargazer’s paradise with some of the clearest skies in the country. A strange kind of beauty resides in nature, it’s beautiful, hardcore razzle-dazzle and by the time it’s all over time has slowed right down.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.
But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.
10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
