Holding the unique distinction of being the only waterfall along the Columbia River Gorge Highway located below the highway itself, Bridal Veil Falls is a favorite among waterfall enthusiasts. According to the popular hiking app AllTrails, it’s considered to be one of the best “bang for your buck” spots within the gorge. Named for its …
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If you ever visit western South Dakota, you must take a drive on the famous Needles Highway. During our travels throughout Deadwood (Deadwood, South Dakota: Entertaining Guests Since 1876.) and Rapid City, several locals highly recommended it. It's part of South Dakota Highway 87, a 38-mile state highway that runs through Custer State Park (Custer …
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As South Dakota’s first and largest state park, Custer State Park is a must-visit when in the state’s Rapid City region. This vast wildlife preserve is home to bison, elk, mule deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, river otters, cougars, feral burros, prairie dogs, and more – offering a refreshing escape from mundane city life. …
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Arguably one of the most famous and world-renowned tourists traps within the United States, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is something that most people learn about early in school. Featuring the iconic faces of four notable U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson, it sits at an elevation of 5,725 feet above …
As the final resting place of Wild West icons Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, Deadwood, South Dakota has rightfully earned its place in the United States' Frontier Gold Rush Hall of Fame. Established in 1876, the city earned its name from early settlers who discovered an abundance of dead wood in its surrounding valleys …
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As Oregon’s most famous waterfall, Multnomah Falls is unmissable if you're in the Portland area. Towering at 620 feet (189 m), it's the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon (fact) and the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States (allegedly - at least, according to the National Park Service). This beautifully tiered waterfall …
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Hands down my favorite part of Death Valley National Park, the Badwater Basin Salt Flat is a must-see for anyone visiting the park. Officially the lowest point in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level, it was once considered to be the lowest elevation in the entire Western Hemisphere. It is now …
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The Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial. I had been to Washington D.C. once, back in 2003 at the tender age of 13 for my 8th grade graduation school trip. To say I barely remember it is an understatement. Returning 15 years later as an adult was an entirely different experience. It was still a whirlwind …
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During my 2018, 16-state, East Coast road trip, the one state that truly blew me away was Vermont 😍. I fan-girled hard over it because it's just so beautiful. It remained “the most beautiful state I've visited so far” until Montana and the Idaho panhandle entered the picture in 2020. It’s now firmly number 2 …
Before I visited Idaho, I always pictured it like Iowa or Ohio - just flat, nothing, boring, potatoland. Pleasantly surprising, Idaho is none of that, at least not the areas we went to. We drove through the entire eastern half, south to north, starting at the Utah border and driving approximately 2 hours north to …