When tourists plan vacations across America, they usually stick to the well-worn path between large cities and well-known national parks. However, some of America’s most breathtaking landscapes are lurking in plain sight just a few miles off the interstate or down a serpentine back road.
These unexpected vistas show that some of the best travel experiences take place when you’re willing to drive the long way home. Here are 20 breathtaking U.S. views well worth a special trip.
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
This otherworldly slot canyon near Page looks like something from Mars. When sunlight filters through the narrow opening, it creates beams that dance across the swirling sandstone walls.
The orange, purple, and pink hues seem to shift every few minutes, making each visit unique.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Imagine rolling dunes that stretch to the horizon, but instead of golden sand, everything’s pure white gypsum. Kids love sliding down the hills, while photographers chase the sunset reflections across this desert wonderland.
The contrast against the deep blue sky creates one of nature’s most striking color combinations.
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Tunnel View, Yosemite
This classic overlook delivers exactly what it promises—one glorious frame capturing El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome in a single view. Artists and photographers have been setting up tripods here, and for good reason.
Early morning fog often hangs in the valley below, turning the scene into a living watercolor.
Marble Canyon, Arizona
Unlike its famous cousin, Horseshoe Bend, which draws massive crowds, this lesser-known bend in the Colorado River offers similar drama with far fewer people. The red rock canyon walls tower hundreds of feet above the emerald water.
A short hike leads to the viewpoint, where the river makes an almost perfect U-turn.
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana
This narrow mountain road in Glacier National Park wasn’t built for speed—it was built for jaw-dropping views. Switchbacks reveal cascading waterfalls while mountain goats often pose on cliffsides just feet from the car.
The road’s engineering itself became an attraction when it opened in 1936.
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Cathedral Rock, Sedona
Red rock formations throughout Sedona grab attention, but Cathedral Rock steals the show. Its twin spires rise nearly 200 feet above the desert floor, creating what locals call the perfect ‘yoga rock.’
Photographers love how the formation frames the sunset perfectly.
Artist Point, Yellowstone
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone deserves comparison to its Arizona counterpart. Here, the canyon’s yellow and orange walls earned the park its name, while the Lower Falls plummet 308 feet into the gorge.
Early explorers thought the steam rising from hot springs looked like smoke signals.
Haleakala Crater, Maui
Watching the sunrise from 10,023 feet feels like witnessing Earth’s creation. The massive volcanic crater stretches for miles, with cinder cones dotting the landscape like scattered toys.
As morning light hits the clouds below, visitors often feel as if they’re floating above the world.
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Cadillac Mountain, Maine
For early risers, this spot offers bragging rights as the first place to see sunrise in the U.S. during certain times of year.
The granite summit provides 360-degree views of Acadia National Park, surrounding islands, and the Atlantic Ocean stretching to infinity.
Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, Utah
Thousands of hoodoos – tall, thin rock spires – fill this natural amphitheater like nature’s pipe organ. From Sunrise Point, the formations glow orange and pink as dawn breaks.
Unlike most canyons formed by rivers, water erosion from above created this labyrinth of towers.
Lake Tahoe from Heavenly Gondola, California
From this viewpoint, the world’s largest alpine lake appears unnaturally blue. The gondola whisks visitors 2.4 miles up the mountainside, revealing panoramic views of the 22-mile-long lake straddling California and Nevada.
In winter, snow-covered peaks frame the cobalt waters.
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Watkins Glen State Park, New York
Carved by glaciers, this gorge features 19 waterfalls along a 1.5-mile walk. Stone steps and bridges follow Glen Creek as it cascades through rainbow pools and beneath natural bridges.
The most famous shot captures Rainbow Falls framed by stone walls that seem to close in from above.
Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina
The Mile High Swinging Bridge might test your nerve, but views from America’s highest foot suspension bridge reward the brave. Looking down 5,280 feet reveals 100 miles of Blue Ridge Mountains on clear days.
Bears, eagles, and deer frequently appear on the trails below.
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
This dramatic canyon, carved by the Columbia River, features the highest concentration of year-round waterfalls in North America. Multnomah Falls drops 620 feet in two tiers, while dozens more cascade from basalt cliffs.
The gorge creates its own weather patterns, painting rainbows across the mist.
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Providence Canyon, Georgia
Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon spans just 7 miles but packs incredible color into every clay wall. Rain-carved gullies reveal pink, orange, red, and purple layers accumulated over millions of years.
Unlike its Arizona cousin, visitors can hike the canyon floor without permits.
Palouse Falls, Washington
Eastern Washington’s high desert hides this surprising 200-foot waterfall. The basalt amphitheater around the falls formed during prehistoric mega-floods when ice dams broke, reshaping the entire Pacific Northwest.
The spot holds special significance to local Native American tribes.
Chimney Rock, North Carolina
Two rock columns tower 315 feet above the surrounding forest, reached by an elevator built directly into the granite. On clear days, views stretch 75 miles, encompassing Lake Lure and countless mountain ridges.
The outcrop appeared in the movie Last of the Mohicans.
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Valley of Fire, Nevada
Just an hour from Las Vegas, this state park glows red with Navajo sandstone formations shaped by wind and water over 150 million years. Elephant Rock, Fire Wave, and the Seven Sisters formations create natural sculptures rivaling any art gallery.
Ancient petroglyphs add human history to the geological drama.
Buffalo River Overlook, Arkansas
Morning fog often fills the valley below this overlook, with the Buffalo River snaking through like a silver ribbon. Limestone bluffs tower hundreds of feet above the water, while cypress trees line the banks.
The river runs free for 135 miles, making it unusual in the dam-heavy Eastern U.S.
Badwater Basin, Death Valley
Standing 282 feet below sea level, visitors can see their car’s shadow on the valley floor from the parking lot. Salt flats stretch to the horizon, creating polygonal patterns that look like they were designed by architects.
The Panamint Range rises dramatically across the valley, showing Earth’s extremes in one view.
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Through Nature’s Lens
These 20 vistas demonstrate that America’s most breathtaking views sometimes take a little extra effort to reach. Whether driving an extra 50 miles on a dirt road or walking a short distance off the main road, these trips pay travelers back in memories lasting well past breakout vacation snaps.
The real magic is experiencing them for yourself—no photo can truly capture the scale of Yosemite’s walls or the silence in Antelope Canyon. Next time you’re planning a road trip, be sure to factor in some additional time for these breathtaking detours.
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