The continent of North America covers a huge expanse of almost 10 million square miles, so it is perhaps unsurprising that the area is home to some of the most incredible places on the planet. Whether it’s the cold beauty of the Alaskan north or the stunning landscapes of Mexico in the far south, the continent is a traveler’s paradise. The following is a list of 10 of the most breathtaking places to visit in North America.
Horseshoe Bend – Arizona
The Colorado River is a beautiful sight all on its own but Horseshoe Bend is the jewel in its crown. The beautiful meander in Arizona was created over thousands of years and the contrast between the deep turquoise water of the river and the orange rock of the cliffs makes it one of North America’a most stunning places.
Tamul Falls – Mexico
Just one look at Tamul Falls in Mexico makes it easy to understand why it made it to the list of the most breathtaking places. This beautiful waterfall is 105 metres high and drops into the Tampaon River below, where tourists can take regular boat trips in its mesmerising turquoise waters.
The nature around creates a refreshing experience which you can enjoy with your partner or family. You can row a boat to get there and on the way back have a nice swim downstream.
If you feel inspired visiting Tamul Waterfalls, check out our guide before you go
Mendenhall Glacier – Alaska
The Mendenhall Glacier in southeast Alaska is part of Tongass National Forest and is over 13.6 miles long. It is home to some of the most stunning caves on the planet. The incredible glacier is a popular tourist attraction, more than 500,000 people a year get to experience this unique view.
You can also explore the bright blue icy ceilings of the hollow glacier.
To reach this beautiful sight you need to start in Juneau, take Egan Drive and turn right at Mendenhall Loop Road. Mendenhall Loop Road turns into Glacier Spur Road and ends at the visitor center. The drive time is less than half an hour.
Upper Antelope Canyon – Arizona
Arizona is famous for it’s beautiful orange rocks and nowhere is this more prevalent than at Upper Antelope Canyon. The area is one of the most photographed canyons in the world, thanks to it’s stunning passageways and incredible colours. Upper Antelope Canyon isn’t just one of the most beautiful places in North America, but the whole world!
Mammoth Hot Springs
In a beautiful corner of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming there lies Mammoth Hot Springs. The springs were created over thousands of years, as the calcium carbonate in the hot water naturally created beautiful terraces and crystal clear pools. As hot water rises through limestone, large quantities of rock are dissolved by the hot acidic water, and a it then forms beautiful white chalky terraces. It is a must see natural wonder, the springs are very different from the other thermal areas in the park.
Mammoth hot springs are divided into two areas Lower and Upper terraces. Each terrace has a unique set of features and a variety of springs.
Niagara Falls – Canada/USA
Niagara Falls is one of the most famous tourist destinations on the whole planet and is considered to be one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. The beauty and the grand scale of the waterfalls attracts an insane number of 30 million visitors each year. Niagara Falls is actually a group of three waterfalls: Bridal Veil Falls, the American Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls.
Niagara Falls key facts:
- The height is 170 feet ( 51 metres)
- The falls are around 10,000 years old
- Located on the border between Canada and the US
- Out of the 3 waterfalls, Horseshoe is the longest and tallest waterfall
The falls are located on the Canada-United states border and can be viewed from both countries. On the US side they are located 17 miles away from Buffalo, New York (31 minute drive) and if you are travelling from Toronto it will take you 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach the falls.
Together the falls are 3,716 feet wide and have the highest water flow rate of 6 million cubic feet. It is an impressive sight to see this much water flowing over the edge making an amazing powerful sound.
The origins of the falls go back 10,000 years when a massive ice sheet drove through the area forming the landscape as it is today. And when the ice melted Lake Erie and Lake Ontario were split between higher and lower elevations making the water go between two lakes through the Niagara Escrapment thus creating a waterfall.
Niagara Falls has a long history and it is famous not only for its extraordinary beauty but also for many other things like: impressive stunts over the falls, cultural inspiration, and hydroelectric power.
It is definitely worth visiting Niagara Falls at least once in your life and experience the beauty and power of nature.
Grand Canyon Skywalk – Arizona
At over 277 miles long and over a mile deep, the Grand Canyon is one of the most incredible sights on earth. So what better way to view this natural wonder then by standing on a glass bottomed skywalk some 240 metres above the Colorado River below! The Grand Canyon skywalk may not be for the flight of heart but it is one of the best ways to witness the true size and scope of the Grand Canyon.
Yukon Northern Lights – Canada
If you’ve ever caught even a glimpse of the Northern Lights you’ll understand just what a special sight they are and, in the Yukon Territory in North-West Canada, you can get one of the best views of the Northern Lights on the entire planet!
Redwood Forest – California
Redwood Forest in California is famous for it’s huge redwood trees which are part of the Sequoia subfamily. It is really hard to comprehend how big the trees are unless you have seen them in person. See the pictures below to understand the size in perspective.
Redwood National Park consists out of 4 parks spanning over 38,982 acres. Back in 1820 this beautiful forest covered more than 2,000,000 acres, but due to commercial use it has dramatically decreased. Now it is a protected area which is full of unique flora and fauna.
Yosemite National Park – California
Nearly 4 million people visit Yosemite National Park each year and it’s easy to see why. The beautiful World Heritage Site is famous for it’s massive sequoia trees, beautiful waterfalls, granite cliffs and wildlife.
It is also the home of the El Capitan, a huge cliff face that is one of the most famous climbing locations in the world, especially for free solo.
Over 800 miles (1,300 km) of trails are available to hikers in Yosemite National Park, also more than 95% of the park is wilderness which adds an important aspect to its natural beauty.
