United States – Page 5 – Travel World Heritage

04Apr201329Jun2015

Grand Canyon National Park

Julio Moreno UNESCO World Heritage Site, United States Exploring the grand canyon, is the grand canyon worth the trip, things to do in arizona, things to do in the grand canyon, things to do in the united states 0 Comment

Location: Arizona, United States (Nearest Town: Hurricane, Utah)

Visited: December, 2005 and September, 2008

Background and Opinion:

It’s THE Grand Canyon, pretty much everyone and their mother on Earth has heard of it! How can anyone bet against it right? I’ve been to the old hole twice and both times to the northern rim. It is spectacular to see, but it is best explored on the less traveled trails or you will find yourself pushing and shoving screaming children for a good view, let alone a picture. While it is easy to say “wow, it is so amazing, you must go there,” it is a bit harder to point out the pitfalls of this site to give you an idea on what to expect. As one of the most visited sites in the world, the Grand Canyon’s short trails on the northern rim are very very very crowded. In addition to being a World Heritage Site, it has also been called one of the top 20 natural world wonders in the world, so it’s popularity isn’t exactly waning. However, the canyon spreads across more than half of Arizona, so finding a spot to yourself shouldn’t be hard. Some people hike down to the bottom, and back up, taking several days in some cases, so come prepared. While I was quite satisfied with my visits, I must admit that I don’t think it’s the flawless gem most people make it out to be. While nature sites are abundant in America, I would still put it in the “can’t miss” list if you have never been here before.

13Mar201311Apr2013

While a National Park sounds like fun, many people don’t know what to do besides camping. While camping is a great experience, it doesn’t have to stop there. Thankfully, there are plenty things to do in northern California, where the Redwoods National and State Parks are located. Here are three things you can do if you visit the redwoods:

1) West Coast Game Park (Walk Thru Safari) [Outside Redwoods National Park]

Heading north, just past the Redwoods National Park is the West Coast Game Park Walk-Thru Safari. Many animals which have been on TV come here to retire. Because they are mostly docile, you can get a lot closer to them than you would in a regular zoo. In addition, they often feature baby animals which you can pet and even feed. When I went, there was a three month old black bear, a six week old lynx, and a baby white tiger named “Sultan.” Of course, that was a few years ago, so check out their website to see the current list of featured animals.

11Mar201329Jun2015

Location: (North of) Eureka, California, USA

Visited: September, 2007

Background and Opinion:
It is an understatement to say that these are “some big trees.” These behemoths tower higher than you can comfortably tilt your head up, making for a spectacular environment. There is nothing to really plan except for a camping stay near the beach, as this park is located along the northern Californian coast. The “avenue of giants” is a must as it is a side scenic route with some of the largest redwoods (you will see signs for it is you are driving up Pacific Coast Highway 1), some of which you can literally drive through! There are however two downsides.
1) This redwoods area contains the tallest known tree (and consequently, living thing) on Earth. However, due to past vandalism, its location is kept secret from the general public.
2) Accessibility on any sort of a modest budget is out of the question. Like pretty much anything worth seeing in the US, you have to drive to it (foreigners would have to rent a car). Being near the border of Oregon and California, it’s hardly “around the corner.”