After six summers of working at camp in California Visa Manager Martin has seen some pretty cool places in the USA!

Read on to discover his favourite natural spots!

The Land of the Free has some incredible cities, but some of my favourite places in the US are away from the hustle and bustle. Here’s some of America’s top nature sites and with up to 60 days of travel you should check some of them out!

The Grand Canyon National park in Arizona is home to …. You guessed it! The Grand Canyon. Arguably the most famous canyon in the world, it is often listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. There are many types of tours including walking, driving, rafting and even mule tours! If you are visiting Las Vegas after camp you can even get a helicopter tour where you can fully appreciate the grandness of the Grand Canyon.

Yellowstone National Park was the first national park! Most of the park is in Wyoming, however, it does spread into Montana and Idaho.   Half of the world’s geysers are in Yellowstone, including Old Faithful which is the most famous in the world! It blasts 14,000-32,000 litres of boiling water into the sky on average every 90 minutes. 

If you are on the East Coast then Niagara Falls is right on your doorstep in just north of Buffalo, NY. The Niagara River links two of the Great Lakes, Erie and Ontario, and flows over the American, Bridal Veil and Canadian Falls with breathtaking power. The Canadian Falls are better known as the Horseshoe Falls and according to the Niagara Falls State Park, 681,750 gallons flows over every second! Although we definitely don’t recommend trying to go over the falls in a barrel like Annie Edson Taylor you can hop aboard the Maid of the Mist and take in the power of the flowing water from up close.

Everglades

Florida is a popular travel destination, and what could be more fun than a trip to the theme parks in Orlando? How about a trip to the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist! Take a trip on an airboat and see some incredible nature up close, including gators, crocs, and the Purple Gallinule, the most colourful bird in Florida! Steve Irwin visited the Everglades in the season 3 finale of The Crocodile Hunter! Follow in his footsteps and plan your visit and learn more here!

Yosemite

Despite some horrendous and devastating fires in recent years, Yosemite National Park remains one of the most majestic and well preserved natural spaces. Follow in the footsteps of Scotsman John Muir, who was instrumental in the US government making Yosemite a National Park. Home to huge waterfalls, incredible vista points, giant sequoia trees and significant wildlife. A pilgrimage to Yosemite will reward you with memories and some lots of insta envy from your friends back home!