7 of 77

Write now Article Tools

Although there are any number of impressive buildings in the United States, the top five tourist attractions showcase nature at its finest. Each of these top five attractions is part of the National Park Service, open to visitors, and easily accessible from a major US city.

Each park, as a tourist attraction, offers a rare look at nature's majesty. Not only do these parks enchant visitors with their beauty, they provide a place of peace and solitude. Few buildings that man has created can rival that.

1 EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

This hundred mile long subtropical wilderness is located just southwest of Miami and is accessible by tour or private auto. A unique mix of saw grass prairie, junglelike hammocks, and mangrove swamp, this park runs from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay. Laden with tropical and temperate plant life, the Everglades are home to more than 700 different plant species and more than 300 species of birds, most notably waders not seen elsewhere. It is also home to endangered manatees and the Florida panther. From algae to alligators, this park is dependent on the cycle of water (drought and replenishment) to maintain its unique ecosystem.

2 GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park is easily accessed from either Flagstaff, Arizona, or Las Vegas, Nevada. This immense gorge is a mile deep and 18 miles wide, and exists on a scale so immense that even from the best tourist vantage point, only a fraction of its 277 miles are visible. Most visitors see the Grand Canyon from the South Rim, where dramatic overviews of the canyon allow tourists to gaze down deep into the inner gorge of the Colorado River. On a good day, travelers can see 100 miles of canyon, some of the oldest rock in the world.

3 DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Located in California, Death Valley is just a car ride away from Los Angeles or Las Vegas. It's the largest national park in the lower 48 states, as well as being the hottest and driest location in North America. Less than 2 inches of rain fall per year, but spring (the rainy season) provides an abundance of wildflowers, along with some 900 varietals of plants. This striking landscape is 282 feet below sea level, in essence, a sunken fragment of the earth's crust. Its eroded rock formations, crystalline air, luminous sand dunes, and 20 mile long salt lake are not to be missed.

4 HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, the park is the site of numerous tours and is accessible by automobile from Hilo. Within the park, two of the world's most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, provide new wonders for travelers. Mauna Loa, the dominant volcano, rises more than 13,000 feet above sea level, with a base more than 18,000 under water, making it taller than Mt. Everest. Indeed, it is the most massive single mountain on earth. Fresh lava flows to the sea, as well as twisted shapes, cinder cones, and gaping pits can be seen in the park, and there are hiking trails throughout.

5 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

Two hours from Denver lies the heart of the Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Road. Here, visitors will find tiny tundra flowers juxtaposed with massive mountain peaks. The park is a testament to the changes nature has wrought over millions of years, from melting glaciers (which created mountain lakes) to grinding boulders, which created the jagged peaks on view today. Great hiking opportunities abound, with sightings of big horn sheep and elk. Whether it's mountain meadows or forests of spruce and pine, Rocky Mountain National Park is sure to take vistors' breath away.

Learn more about this author, Christine Zibas.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Top five tourist attractions in the USA?
We want to hear your view. Write now!