Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

The Grand Canyon is a spectacular destination beyond compare. Located within Grand Canyon National Park in the state of Arizona in the United States, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, 18 miles (29 km) wide, and over 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) deep. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and Wonder of the Natural World was carved by the Colorado River over an estimated 17 million years. Now, it tells two billion years of geological history through the layers exposed on its walls. Visitors to the Grand Canyon can enjoy the view from a popular viewpoint on the South Rim. Rafting the Colorado River, or descending the walls of the canyon by hiking or horseback-riding are also popular activities. Helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon are also available for tourist willing to splurge. The closest international airports to the Grand Canyon are in Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona. From there, visitors can reach the park by car.

Credit: Wilbur E. Garrett of National Geographic

Landmannalaugar, Iceland

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Credit: Patrik Pangerl

Landmannalaugar is a region in southern Iceland that is home to strange and beautiful geological formations. The multicolored rhyolite mountains in particular are breathtaking to behold. Visitors to this area enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and hot springs. Popular hikes include a trip up the peak of Bláhnúkur, a walk through the ice caves of Hrafntinnusker, or an extended multi-day hike along the Laugavegurinn trail. Tourists can visit Landmannalaugar between June and late September. Accommodations are sparse, consisting of only an austere mountain lodge that has room for 78 people total. Landmannalaugar can be accessed by car or by daily bus service from Iceland’s capital Reykjavik.

Credit: Mathieu Noël

Credit: W

Credit: Örvar Atli Þorgeirsson

Credit: Jennifer Jesse

Credit: Ladislav Kamarád

Credit: Örvar Atli Þorgeirsson

Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Torres del Paine is a national park located in south Patagonia, Chile. The park is known for its immense rock towers and peaks, part of the Andes mountain range. The name Torres del Paine means Towers of Blue (Paine is an indigenous name for the color blue). The most famous peaks in the park are Cordillera del Paine, a set of stark peaks, and the Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Blue), a set of jagged, horn-like mountain tops. Also in the park are a glacier, a lake, and rivers. The most popular activity in the park are the multi day hikes, especially the Base Of Las Torres trek. Tourists can reach the national park via dailiy bus service from the city of Puerto Natales. Accommodations in the park consist of basic lodgings called “Refugios” and camping.

Credit: Hauke Steinberg

Credit: Peter Essick of National Geographic

Moriane Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Nestled quietly within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, is the incredibly beautiful Moriane Lake. This glacially-fed lake is rather small, with a surface area of only 0.5 square kilometers (0.19 square miles). Lake Moriane is a striking blue-green color, caused by the presence of glacial rock flour that refracts sunlight. The alpine lake is located at an elevation of 1,885 meters (6,183 feet), and is surrounded by stark mountain peaks. Visitors to this picturesque lake can enjoy hiking in the area, and also check out the other amazing aspects of Banff National Park, such as the lovely Lake Louise.

Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, the Ansel Adams Wilderness is a wilderness area encompassing 937 square kilometers (362 square miles or 231,533 acres). Within the Ansel Adams Wilderness are glaciated mountains including Mount Ritter, Banner Peak, and the Minarets, all of which are part of the Ritter Range. The wilderness area is also home to many lakes, including Shadow Lake, Thousand Island Lake, Lake Ediza, and Garnet Lake. A popular feature located in the Ansel Adams Wilderness is Devils Postpile National Monument, an unusually symmetrical formation of columnar basalt. Visitors to the wilderness area can enjoy 562 kilometers (349 miles) of hiking trails, opportunities for technical rock climbing on the Minarets, and cross-country skiing at Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain in the winter.

Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California

Credit: Mark Wetters

Shadow Creek, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California

Credit: Rob Kroenert

Credit: Brian Tobin

Credit: Steve Dunleavy

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, USA

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Great Sand Dunes National Park, located in the state of Colorado in the United States, encompasses an area of 340 square kilometers (130 square miles, or 85,000 acres) of magnificent sand dunes. The 12,000 year old sand dunes include the tallest dunes in North America, rising 230 meters (750 feet) above the valley floor. The park contains other landscape features found in the high desert, such as alpine lakes, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands, all of which provide habitats for many kinds of wildlife. Visitors to the park can enjoy hiking over the dunes, though it is wise to either keep the visitor center in sight, or bring a compass, as there are no marked trails on the ever-changing dunes. The closest town with accommodation is Alamosa, 30 miles southwest of the park. There is also tent camping available within the park. The nearest international airport is located in Denver, the capital of Colorado, which is a 4 1/2 hour drive from the park.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Lake Bled is a glacial lake that lies in the municipality of Bled, located in northwestern Slovenia. The picture perfect lake features a small island in the middle which is home to the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church. You can often hear the bell of the church ringing, as it is believed that visiting the church to ring its bell brings good luck. The romantic church is a popular place to have a weeding, as is the nearby Bled Castle. Visitors to Lake Bled can enjoy a walk around the lake, try their hand at fishing, or take a swim in its lovely emerald waters in the summer months. There are also ample opportunities for hiking in the nearby Triglav National Park. The closest airport to Bled is the Airport Joze Pucnik Ljubljana, just outside the city of Kranj.

Credit: Rainer

Credit: Santi Rodríguez

Credit: Pilar Azaña

Monument Valley, Arizona and Utah, USA

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Monument Valley is a an area know for its impressively formed sandstone buttes. The region is part of the Colorado Plateau, located in the Navajo Nation on the border between the states of Arizona and Utah in the American Southwest. Encompassing much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Monument Valley is an important part of Native American heritage. For a $5 fee, visitors to Monument Valley can take a 2-3 hour scenic drive over a 17 mile (27 km) dirt road, which is open from 6:00am-8:30pm from May to September, and 8:00am-4:30pm from October to April. Other visitors may chose to enjoy a multi-hour or overnight horseback ride to some of the more spectacular views and sites. If you’re interested in a unique view of Monument Valley you can even take a hot air balloon ride over the area. Visitors who are arriving via car can only access the park via Highway 163. There are two hotels near Monument Valley, and the nearest town of Kayenta, Arizona, is about 20 miles (32 km) away. Monument Valley is part of a greater network of attractions called the Grand Circle which also includes Grand Canyon National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Zion Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Arches National Park.