29 Jun Top 10 Outdoor Vacations In The United States
For some, a vacation means sleeping late into the morning in a fancy hotel, attending a musical or a plethora of other touristy activities. However, if you’re in the mood for some adrenaline pumping, fresh air breathing, outdoors activities and sight-seeing, then outdoor vacations may be just what you need.
10. THE GRAND CANYON
Located along the Colorado river in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles of breathtaking beauty. There are a few different ways that you can tour the Grand Canyon, one form the north rim and one from the south rim, hiking, or if you’re feeling extra adventurous you can opt for an aerial view.
9. CUSTER STATE PARK
The Custer State Park in South Dakota is flowing with an abundance of camping, hiking, wildlife, swimming, fishing, you name it. You can set up a tent and rough it out in the great outdoors or find accommodations at one of the local resorts.
8. EAST TAWAS
When you talk about outdoor vacations in Michigan, East Tawas in Northern Michigan is the place to go. In East Tawas you’ll find a population of just under 3,000 people. It’s comprised of 3.29 square miles of fresh water and wildlife. Also, with just a 17-mile boat ride, you can visit Charity Island and take a tour of the historic lighthouse. Finish off the day with watching the sunset on one of the Great lakes surrounding Michigan, Lake Huron.
7. GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Located along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the Great Smoky Mountains are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. They may just be the most popular mountains in the United States. The Smoky Mountains reach heights of nearly 7,000 feet and possesses a continual smoky haze along the peaks of the mountains, hinting at where it got its name. There’s a lot of outdoorsy activities to do in the Smoky Mountains, including attending year-round festivals.
6. LAKE OF THE OZARKS
If you’re looking for a real treasure, head over to in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. Tourism is one of the main industries within the Ozarks. The heavily forested Ozarks have plenty of activities to fill up your vacation including fishing, hunting, horseback riding, or even just taking in all of the beauty of the many waterfalls. Don’t forget to visit the Bridal Cave while you’re there.
5. YOSEMITE
There are endless things to do in Yosemite including, partaking in an auto tour, biking, fishing, horseback riding, birdwatching, winter sports, water activities, you can even sign up to volunteer. For those of you that want the experience of being outdoors but aren’t in the mood for a lot of physically exhausting activities, bring along your paints and easel and spend the day interpreting that beauty that is surrounding you onto a canvas.
4. HUNTER MOUNTAIN
It’s quite common for people to associate New York with having bright lights and big city vibes. In actuality, the state of New York has an abundance of unoccupied land and forestry. Hunter Lake is located in Upstate New York, approximately 2 hours north of New York City. If you’re a fan of skiing, then this would probably be a dream vacation for you. The mountainous terrain makes it great for skiing, and if you’re feeling a little rusty you can even take skiing classes. Besides skiing, there are other activities including snow tubing and snowmobiling. If you want to really kick the adrenaline up, Hunter Mountain has the highest zipline tour in North America, and the second highest in the world.
3. THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
If you want the feeling of having the wind blowing through your hair and enjoying the outdoors without a lot of physical exertion, then the Pacific Coast Highway located in California may be the option for you. Situated along the California coastline, and passing through cities such as Santa Cruz and San Francisco, you’ll find over 80 miles of ocean views with several places to stop in case you want to capture some scenic views with your camera.
2. BEND, OREGON
The city of Bend is so amazing with all of its mountains and desert that I could not point out just one location to have your outdoor getaway. For example, if you’d like to immerse yourself in the local art culture, then take a stroll down the Tin Pan Alley and take in all of the art. You can go hiking through Pilot Butte or take some time out to learn about the volcanic history in Bend.
1. HYALITE CANYON
Hyalite Canyon is located just 15 miles south of Bozeman, on Hyalite Canyon road. There are a lot of outdoor activities that you can partake in in Hyalite Canyon including hiking, camping, fishing, and enjoying looking at wildlife. However, in the winter, Hyalite has several ice climbing and skiing paths.
TIME TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS
Now that we’ve shared some of the greatest sites to go to for your outdoor vacation, we hope that you find one that resonates with you. Maybe you’ll even treat yourself to more than one. Whatever you choose, we hope that you decide to get out there and enjoy all that this country’s natural wonders has to offer!
