O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
….Katharine Lee Bates
Many songs have been written about the majesty and beauty of America, and they all inspire love and pride for this wonderful country. But none of them match the experience of walking through the waves of grain in Kansas, or standing atop the majestic Rocky Mountains in Colorado or feeling the sea spray on your face on the coast of Oregon!
From 58 national parks to some of the most visited cities in the world, America has a wealth of memorable adventures awaiting you. Each region has its own flavors, heritage and culture. No matter what you are looking for, America has it.
The desert Southwest may seem dry, desolate and boring to some, but a closer look reveals the majesty of the Grand Canyon with helicopter tours, rafting trips and hiking trails to challenge hikers of any strength. Sedona, AZ, which is in the heart of Red Rock country, boasts of lavish resorts, plenty of Southwest style arts and shopping areas, tours of the beautiful landscapes and award-winning golf courses. Hot Air Balloon enthusiasts descend upon Albuquerque, NM every October for 10 days of balloon races and spectacular views of the desert sky, dotted with hundreds of hot air balloons.
Winter sports abound in the mountain regions across the continent. From the multitudes of ski resorts in the Colorado region and extreme skiing in the Tetons, to the famous Olympic slopes in Utah and the best skiing in the Green Mountains of Vermont, America has winter activities for every adventurer. Summer is no less magnificent with hiking, fishing and white-water rafting in those same locales.
Enough cannot be said about the wonders that are the national parks. President Teddy Roosevelt designated Yellowstone as the first national park. Today you can kayak in the park, hike, camp, horseback ride and more as you visit the famous Old Faithful geyser and the almost 200 waterfalls including the 300’ Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River.
For more urban adventurers, New York City is filled with enough culture and activity to make any vacation a memorable one. Take in a Broadway show, eat at Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center with its 360-degree view of the city or take one of the myriad of food tours offered in the city. Stroll thru the 840 acres of Central Park situated in the heart of the city. New York City is also a busy cruise port, with sailings to Canada, the Caribbean and even across the pond to the Old World.
If New York is too fast-paced for your style, maybe a jaunt to the Big Easy, where Cajun food, jazz music and riverboats rule the day. Savannah, Georgia or Charleston, South Carolina offer windows into the Old South with cobblestone paths, antebellum mansions and carriage rides. Attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, visit the days of the Wild West or climb Mount Rushmore, all in the state of South Dakota.
America has something for every taste: Top rated dude ranches across Montana and Wyoming if you want a trip back in time to the old west or Colonial days throughout the Northeast, including tours of Boston, historic Philadelphia, Fort McHenry in Maryland where Francis Scott Key penned the poem that would become our national anthem, and the many monuments and museums that make up Washington, D.C. For wine lovers, tour the vineyards of the Napa Valley in California. The star-struck can stroll Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, tour the famous movie studios in Hollywood or rub elbows with the most famous mouse on the planet at Disneyland.
As different as night and day are, the final additions to our country include, the tropical paradise of Hawaii with luaus, volcanos and spectacular sunrises, and Alaska with ancient glaciers, beautiful snow-covered mountains in the five largest national parks in the US, including Denali National Park, and cruise ports in native villages.
From sea to shining sea, the USA is full of wonder and adventure for all ages and all interests. When looking for your next vacation destination, the land of the free has more than you can ever imagine right in your own backyard!
