With so many natural spectacles packed into the U.S., planning sightseeing trips can be a conundrum — the choice is bewildering.
With this in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 10 must-visit-at-least-once landscapes that should be inked into your bucket list. These are places that have mesmerized tourists, stolen scenes in Hollywood movies and adorned millions of postcards — wild America at its most theatrical.
Our round-up includes a canyon in Arizona so vast that storms sometimes form inside it, a geothermal wonderland in Wyoming containing half the world’s geysers, a waterfall in New York that will leave you awe-struck (even if it does seem familiar) and a valley in California that’s home to some of the world’s most famous cliff faces.
Alaska claims two entries, thanks to an epic glacier and an extremely lofty mountain, while Oregon makes the cut thanks to a lake that’s surreally beautiful.
Advertisement
In Hawaii, there’s the coastline that wowed Steven Spielberg and a bizarre monolithic rock that caught his attention in Wyoming.
In New Mexico is a jaw-dropping desert that looks like it’s covered in snow.
1. Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and so deep it has its own weather systems (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
While there’s a postcard familiarity about the Grand Canyon, nothing beats experiencing the humbling majesty of the chasm in real life.
Carved by the Colorado River over millions of years (with rocks as old as two billion years old), the gorge, an uncontested entry on the seven natural wonders of the world list, has an immensity that’s almost difficult to comprehend.
Advertisement
A mile deep and up to 18 miles wide, and stretching for 277 miles, it’s one of Earth’s most jaw-dropping landscapes, and so huge that storms sometimes form within it.
The South Rim offers one of the best ways to experience the Grand Canyon. It’s open year-round and is where you’ll find viewpoints such as Mather Point or Yavapai Observation Station. The canyon is also a popular day trip from Las Vegas by helicopter.
Great place to stay: El Tovar Hotel (rooms from $270) is set directly on the canyon rim and is imbued with historic charm. It was built in 1905 as a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian Villa.
2. Yellowstone’s geothermal drama — Wyoming/Montana/Idaho
Old Faithful, which shoots hot water around 180 feet into the air, is one of around 500-700 geysers in Yellowstone National Park (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Thanks to a vast supervolcano lurking beneath the surface and heating the groundwater, Yellowstone National Park — which spans Wyoming, Montana and Idaho — is a geothermal adventure land, with around 10,000 hydrothermal features making it seem as if the land itself is breathing.
The 3,472-square-mile park features brightly colored hot springs, mud pots, travertine terraces and between 500 and 700 geysers (roughly half of the world’s total).
The most famous of these is Old Faithful in Wyoming, which blasts water up to 180 feet in the air around 20 times a day.
One of the best ways to view the park’s theatrics is to walk the boardwalks around Wyoming’s Upper Geyser Basin, home to Old Faithful and around 150 other geysers.
Advertisement
Great place to stay:Old Faithful Inn (rooms from $205, open May to October) oozes rustic simplicity — there’s no wifi or air conditioning, for example. But on the plus side, you’re within walking distance of the world’s most famous geyser.
Niagara Falls is a sight and sound you’ll never forget. Pictured is the epic Horseshoe Falls, which straddles the U.S./Canadia border. Goat Island, on the U.S. side, can be seen on the far left (Getty Images)
Around one million bathtubs of water pour over the edge of Niagara Falls every minute during peak flow. It’s a sight — and a thundering sound — that you’ll never forget.
Niagara comprises three waterfalls — the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, which are both in the U.S., and the vast Horseshoe Falls, which straddles the U.S./Canadian border.
Advertisement
The best way to experience the spectacle from the U.S. side is from the close-up viewpoints on Goat Island, which sits with the American and Bridal falls on one side, and the Horseshoe Falls on the other.
For perhaps the most awe-inspiring encounter, board the Maid of the Mist electric boat tour, which will take you right into the mist of the falls.
Great place to stay:The Giacomo is set in a restored Art Deco tower just minutes by foot from Niagara Falls State Park and the bridge to Goat Island.
This Yosemite Valley image was taken from Tunnel View, with El Capitan on the left, Half Dome in the distance (center) and Bridalveil Fall on the right (Getty Images)
Few would argue that Yosemite Valley delivers some of the USA’s most iconic scenery.
Within this seven-mile-long glacial valley, which sits within Yosemite National Park, monolithic El Capitan (3,000 feet) and Half Dome (4,700 feet) rise dramatically from the valley floor, and Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America, cascades 2,425 feet down a vast cliff face into Yosemite Creek.
One of the most breathtaking places to drink in the valley’s majesty is Tunnel View, just outside the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41.
It’s a vista made famous by the work of legendary photographer Ansel Adams, from where you can see El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall.
Advertisement
Great place to stay:Yosemite Valley Lodge (rooms from $350) is in the heart of the valley, close to Yosemite Falls.
Denali, as seen from Reflection Pond in Denali National Park (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) is North America’s highest peak at 20,310 feet — but also one of the world’s great vertical ascents: from base to summit, the Alaskan behemoth measures 18,000 feet.
It’s a sight to behold, though famously elusive, with clouds often cloaking the summit.
Advertisement
The mighty mountain sits around 90 miles from the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve, which is near the small town of Denali Park on the eastern edge.
As private cars are banned beyond the 15-mile mark, better views of Denali are offered by Denali National Park bus tours, which venture further in and feature a trained naturalist who both drives and provides narration.
Great place to stay:Grande Denali Lodge (rooms from $280) is about 1.5 miles from the park entrance and offers sweeping mountain views.
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S. — and has some of the clearest water in the world (Getty Images)
Behold America’s deepest, and most surreal, lake.
Crater Lake fills the caldera of a mammoth volcano that collapsed 7,700 years ago, and plunges to a depth of 1,943 feet. And the dazzling water is among the clearest on Earth. With no rivers in or out, it’s topped up only by rain and snow.
Adding to the otherworldly vibe is Wizard Island, a lone volcanic cinder cone at the west end that rises to 755 feet.
You’ll get the best photographs from the 33-mile road that loops the caldera, but taking to the water on a boat tour is also a must.
Advertisement
Great place to stay:Crater Lake Lodge (rooms from $280) is perched dramatically on the rim of the caldera, with showstopping views as standard.
The Na Pali Coast — so dramatic it was used as a filming location in Jurassic Park (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It’s no exaggeration to say that this landscape is truly cinematic — after all, it has the stamp of approval from Steven Spielberg.
The director used the serrated emerald cliffs of the Na Pali Coast as a stand-in for “Isla Nublar” in Jurassic Park.
Advertisement
In the movie, we see a helicopter carrying Dr. John Hammond and guests flying towards the shoreline’s seemingly razor-sharp ridges — this part of the coastline is so steep that road-building is completely thwarted. A fact that’s helped to preserve its lush, primeval look.
A helicopter tour is the gold-standard way to see the cliffs, but you’ll also get a great view from the water. Ground-level views are available via the Kalalau Trail.
Great place to stay:Hanalei Colony Resort (rooms from $350) is set by the beach, just minutes from the Na Pali Coast.
Devils Tower gives one section of rural Wyoming a startling look (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Devils Tower is one of America’s most startling natural sights, an 867 foot-high rock monolith in a rural area near the Black Hills of Wyoming that will stop you in your tracks.
The formation, created around 50 million years ago when molten rock erupted from below and cooled into distinctive hexagonal columns, has long attracted tourists — it became America’s first national monument in 1906. However, most will know it from Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where it was used to striking effect as the point on Earth where aliens want to make contact with the human race.
For eye-popping up-close views, there’s a 1.3-mile trail that loops the base. Want to see what the view from the top is like? There are around 200 routes — but you’ll need to be an expert climber.
Great place to stay:Devils Tower Lodge (rooms from $200 per night) is just a few minutes from the monument’s base.
Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska is not just breathtaking, but easily accessible (Getty Images)
Mendenhall Glacier is vast — around 27 billion tons of ice stretching 13 miles from the mountainous Juneau Icefield to a lake dotted with icebergs. And it’s on the tourist trail, remarkable for being so easily accessible.
While many glacier visits require plane, helicopter or boat trips, followed by adventurous climbing, Mendenhall is an easy 12-mile drive from nearby Juneau city. Once there, tame trails lead to viewpoints with breathtaking vistas. You can even take to the water — guided kayak tours offer the chance to paddle among the icebergs.
There’s also the bonus of Nugget Falls, which plunges into the lake from a height of 377 feet, and the chance to spot wildlife, including black bears and eagles.
Advertisement
Incorporate the Visitor Center into your visit to learn about the glacier’s dramatic retreat since the 18th century.
White Sands National Park is 275 square miles of ‘snowy’ sand (Getty Images)
Snow in the desert? At White Sands National Park, you’d be forgiven for thinking so.
The park, which sits within the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert, is 275 square miles of brilliant white powdery gypsum sand, and looks for all the world like an Arctic landscape.
However, in the summer you can expect highs of 100F. Remarkably, because gypsum doesn’t absorb heat very efficiently, it’s possible to walk barefoot across the dunes even in strong sunshine.
The Dunes Drive loop, which begins just beyond the main park entrance off U.S. Route 70, between Las Cruces and Alamogordo, is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the spectacle, especially at sunset. It’s a paved route, and there are several parking areas from which you can step directly onto the snowy grains.
Great place to stay: Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces (rooms from $180) is around one-hour’s drive southwest of the park.
From Monday, June 1, to Tuesday, June 9, no trams will stop at Market Street or Shudehill.
This means that all services from Bury will go to Altrincham via Exchange Square.
The trams will not stop at Piccadilly Gardens, Piccadilly, Market Street and Shudehill.
Advertisement
Other tram routes will also be affected, with services from Altrincham not calling at Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street and Shudehill.
Trams from the Trafford Centre will go to Etihad Campus and services from Manchester Airport will go to Victoria via Exchange Square.
Information on Bee Network’s website states that customers might need to change trams, take a short walk or hop on the free bus to complete their journey.
It also states that a replacement bus will operate between Piccadilly and Victoria.
Advertisement
A statement on the website reads: “For customers on the Bury and Altrincham lines, the easiest way to reach Piccadilly will be by changing trams at St Peters Square.
“You may need to change platforms for the right trams, see departure boards and signage on stop for more details.”
Tram services will resume via Market Street/Shudehill stops from Wednesday, June 10.
It joined a number of other M&S Outlet stores in the region, including one at Quayside in Salford, formerly Lowry Outlet; one at Urban Exchange in Manchester city centre; and another at the Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks in Ellesmere Port.
Click here to keep up to date with the latest Family news in our newsletter
The arrival of the store was largely welcomed by shoppers, although some did share their disappointment that it didn’t include a Food Hall, and suggested the original M&S site in Golden Square would have been a better location.
Advertisement
Others raised concerns about traffic in the area, saying they already struggled to get in and out of the retail park.
Now the retailer has confirmed that the 6,000 sq ft store is closing for good with the company saying its performance ‘hasn’t been where it needs to be’.
Pete Dobson, regional manager at M&S, said: “Our Warrington Riverside Outlet store will close on Saturday 20th June and we’d like to thank all of our customers who have shopped with us and our colleagues. We will continue working hard to serve customers at our nearby Gemini store, offering the very best of M&S Food, Fashion, Home and Beauty, and at our Stockton Heath foodhall.”
Advertisement
The Outlet store – one of 16 new stores M&S that opened across the UK in the 2025/26 financial year – was an addition to the M&S stores that already exist in Warrington, including the huge one over at the town’s Gemini Retail Park and the food hall in Stockton Heath.
More than 20 new staff were recruited to join a 28-strong team at the Riverside store, which also sold kidswear and a curated range of home and beauty products.
M&S says all colleagues have been redeployed to alternative roles at the company. The closure is part of M&S’s wider ‘store rotation programme’, which is focusing on opening more food-led stores in easily accessible sites.
Advertisement
Other sites to close include its branch in Oxford Street, Swansea, which shut down on Saturday leaving shoppers ‘heartbroken’. The store has been a major shopping attraction in the city for many years.
A further store closure is scheduled for June in Newport, with the retail chain citing changes in customer shopping habits as the reason for the shutdown.
Those with an understanding of how the embassy in Washington works describe it as being almost like a government department itself in size – and, crucially, with connections to so many aspects of the Whitehall government machine, given the importance of the UK-US relationship. This is particularly true on military and intelligence matters, much of which will likely be redacted from this document drop on national security grounds.
The machine was reported stolen at 5.15pm on Saturday (May 30) from Farmbank Road in Ormesby.
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “Two males, all dressed in black, are believed to have driven away on the vehicle and drove it around a field.
“Officers conducted a search with support from NPAS. The vehicle has since been recovered.”
Advertisement
A National Police Air Service spokesperson added: “On Saturday, May 30 at 5.25pm, a police helicopter crew lifted from NPAS Newcastle to assist Cleveland Police with a vehicle search.
“This was located by the crew in the helicopter. The total flight time was one hour.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 quoting reference number 103716.
Some people may notice some changes to their bus routes in Cambridge
Some routes for Cambridge buses have been changed with the aim to “improve punctuality and reliability”. From Sunday (May 31), a number of major Cambridge bus routes, run by Stagecoach, were updated.
Advertisement
A Stagecoach spokesperson said the company was making a “few updates” to “improve punctuality and reliability across Cambridgeshire ”. The following services have changed:
Cambridge 1 – timetable adjustments for journeys towards Fulbourn to improve punctuality
Cambridge 4 – Now serving Bourn Quarter and peak times during Monday to Fridays. New stopping times are at 8.10am, 8.30am, 4.05pm and 4.45pm
Cambridge 6 – The 8.40am journey from Mondays to Saturdays will be adjusted. In Cambridge city centre, buses will now depart from stop E4 on Emmanuel Street instead of E5
Cambridge 7 – A new morning journey from Sawston at 8.22am and adjustments to the 3.03pm journey from Pampisford
Cambridge 8A – In Cambridge city centre, buses will now pick up from stop E5 on Emmanuel Street instead of Drummer Street bus station bay 10
Cambridge 13 – Timetable adjustments to improve punctuality
Madingley Road park and ride – Minor Saturday timetable changes to improve punctuality
Newmarket Road park and ride – Minor timetable changes to improve punctuality
Milton park and ride – Buses will now serve Science Park Main Road stop instead of the stop inside Cambridge Science Park, helping to speed up journeys
Tiger 4 – The 8.50am journey from Addenbrooke’s to Newmarket will now depart at 8.40am.
The Winchburgh Community Chest will distribute the funding to local organisations, including voluntary groups, and cultural, environmental and sports clubs.
A major funding boost has been announced for groups in and around Winchburgh, with local organisations set to benefit from a £4,000 support fund.
Advertisement
The Winchburgh Community Chest will distribute the funding to local organisations, including voluntary groups, and cultural, environmental and sports clubs, through the West Lothian town this year.
Led by Winchburgh Developments Ltd (WDL) and supported by Winchburgh Community Council, the initiative is being backed by award-winning local housebuilder Cala Homes (East), through its Community Pledge programme of support for the area.
Applications are now open with groups able to apply to the grant before the deadline on Tuesday, June 30, with groups able to apply for up to £750.
Penny Lochhead, Community, Sports and Greenspace Manager at Winchburgh Developments Ltd, said: “This is the first time we have joined a housebuilder partner with our own community funding and entered into a local application process.
Advertisement
“We have many voluntary groups in the community, and we are sure this will allow some great new activity and extra projects to take place locally this summer.
“Cala has previously supported groups directly in the community along with our schools’ projects and we look forward to this new joint initiative having a further positive impact for our community groups across the summer.
“Working alongside our community council, the funding decisions will be made the week after the closing date so funds can be distributed to groups in July for positive impact and activity over the summer.”
Elaine Carrigan, Sales and Marketing Director at Cala Homes (East), said: “We’re thrilled to be demonstrating our commitment to supporting Winchburgh through its Community Chest initiative.
Advertisement
“This project forms a key part of our Community Pledge for the area, which is designed to bring measurable and meaningful benefit to the town and the people living in it.
“Collaborating with communities on initiatives that really make a difference help us forge even stronger connections with the areas in which we build, and we are excited to be continuing our close work with WDL on this project.
“We are looking forward to learning about the groups which will benefit from this additional funding and watch them make a real difference to the lives of the people living in the town.”
The TV personality and healthcare professional, now 46, came out as gay aged 30 during his marriage to Sulvinder, after which they divorced in 2011.
On what would have been their 20th wedding anniversary last week, Sulvinder posted about the impact the divorce had on her life, her self-esteem and ability to move forward – saying she felt ‘extremely unattractive’ and ‘ashamed’.
‘I mourned. It was heavy because the future I thought I had was gone and the person that I thought I had married was gone as well,’ she said.
Advertisement
She revealed that despite attempts to ’embrace [her] new life with travelling, partying’, ultimately she let the ‘past dictate her life’ and struggled to ‘let anyone in’.
Sulvinder told her followers that ‘you get to choose what your story is going to be… no one else’, adding that she ‘never wanted’ her ex-husband’s coming out to be her ‘story’.
His ex-wife, Sulvinder, shared a very personal update about the impact of her divorce after Dr Ranj came out as gay (Picture: Instagram)
Upon turning 45, she said: ‘I had no balance. It was all work. I was miserable. It was eating away at me’ and has been trying to transform her life ever since.
Her post has since gone viral, with Dr Ranj – who is in a long-term relationship with partner James Colebrook – now taking to Instagram to say ‘this is something I never expected to revisit’.
He also emphasised he was sharing his side with ‘kindness’ and not intending to take away from anyone else’s story.
Advertisement
Posting a long statement, he began that it’s been almost two decades since that ‘complicated, emotional and deeply personal’ time.
He continued: ‘I’m genuinely sad that this subject can still bring up pain and difficult feelings. That has never been, and would never be, my intention.
‘I’ve only ever spoken about it because it’s a significant period of my life, when asked directly, and in the hope that it might help someone else. I don’t do it for attention or sympathy; it’s a very painful time.’
He made clear he was careful to leave other people’s identities and perspectives out of it when he spoke about that period of his life.
Advertisement
Sharing ‘everything has already been said’ about it, however, he added that ‘people still make assumptions and pass judgement’ but ‘life and relationships are rarely straightforward’.
Explaining the origins of their marriage in his 20s he said that their relationship broke down ‘for many reasons’, including the fact they were ‘young and still working [themselves] out’.
He’s been with his partner, fitness expert James Colebrook, for two years now (Picture: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
With the support of therapy, he accepted his identity as a gay man but never set out to ‘intentionally try to mislead anyone’. Acknowledging things may have ‘been different’ had he figured out his sexuality earlier, he said ‘identity and sexuality are complex, fluid and evolving things’.
‘We all make decisions and take steps we feel are for the best at the time. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don’t. When we don’t, it can be painful and messy, but more than that, it’s just sad and heartbreaking for everyone involved. There are no winners in a breakup,’ he wrote.
Then, he noted the ‘importance’ of their relationship in what they ‘shared’, ‘meant to one another’ and ‘learned from each other’, adding that he ‘looks back at that time, and that person, with nothing but respect, gratitude and kindness.’
Advertisement
He’s known for offering healthcare advice on daytime TV (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Reiterating that life is full of different turns, he said he’s ‘different to the person I was then, and the world has changed too’.
Dr Ranj concluded: ‘It’s important we keep moving forward, which is often easier said than done. As long as every step we take is with kindness – towards others and ourselves – that’s all that matters.’
His words were met with an outpouring of support, including from partner James, who commented: ‘Love you and always proud of you.’
‘Sending you love bud it’s a tough time but you’re handling it with honesty and great strength,’ itsyobogaurav wrote.
‘The courage you have shown and continue to show in how you authentically live your life is always inspiring to me,’ Nadianagamootoo added.
Advertisement
The daytime TV star has previously expressed his regret over the emotional impact this situation had on his ex-wife.
In 2018, he told The Mirror: ‘I was completely broken. It was the lowest point in my life.
‘I can only imagine how hard it was for my wife, though – she didn’t deserve any of that. I feel so incredibly sorry for what she had to go through.’
Got a story?
Advertisement
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
While Sydney remained tight-lipped on the debate throughout the season, it seemed she had something to say about it all in a post shared on Instagram before the season finale aired.
Alongside a series of behind-the-scenes snaps from season three – including some of the more racy set-ups involving her character – Sydney said simply: “It’s called… acting.”
In the past, Sydney has repeatedly called out the “double standard” she has noticed around the way male and female actors who have appeared nude on screen are treated.
Back in 2022, she told The Independent: “When a guy has a sex scene or shows his body, he still wins awards and gets praise. But the moment a girl does it, it’s completely different.”
Advertisement
Elsewhere in the same interview, she also made a point of saying: “I’ve never felt like Sam [Levinson, Euphoria’s creator] has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”
He claimed: “In terms of the story that we set out to tell, which is a story about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me.”
Emergency services attended the scene on Sunday evening (Picture: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
A teenage girl has died after she was pulled from a river, making her the latest casualty in the UK’s recent spate of water-related deaths.
The girl, 13, was pulled from the River Wharfe near Burnsall, close to Skipton, on Sunday evening following reports that she had gone missing in the water.
Specialist rescue teams and paramedics attended the scene and the girl was airlifted to hospital, where she later died.
A police spokesperson said: ‘Our thanks go to the members of the public who helped at the scene.’
Advertisement
Her identity has not been confirmed.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking Newsalerts the moment it happens.
Advertisement
The girl was airlifted to hospital, where she later died (Picture: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
Emergency services were called to Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough at 8pm on Saturday. A specialist search operation involving the National Police Air Service, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service is ongoing.
The boy’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Meanwhile, a woman has died and a man is in critical condition after the pair tried to rescue their pet dog ‘who had become stuck’ at Rossall Beach in Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire.
The coastguard rescued the couple just after 8.30pm on Saturday, but the woman later died in hospital.
The dog was recovered ‘safe and well’.
Advertisement
This weekend’s incidents are the latest in a series of deaths and disappearances in UK bodies of water in recent days.
At least 15 people have died in water since May 24, many of them involving young people.
Expert bodies, including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), have issued advice on how to stay safe in the water.
Advertisement
The RNLI’s Float to Live campaign has been put out to raise awareness of how floating in water can save your life.
The girl is the latest casualty in a string of water-related deaths (Picture: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
The organisation’s website reads: ‘This advice is useful to everyone, however you use the water. It has helped save the lives of more than 50 people in all sorts of situations.
‘From children in rip currents to runners falling into canals, from people swept out by waves, to fishermen falling overboard.
‘The best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged. Try to relax and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to.
‘Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability – and it’s OK if your legs sink, we all float differently. Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety. Practise floating in a supervised location like a swimming pool.’
You must be logged in to post a comment Login