It’s easy for Americans to overlook the beauty of their own country. Many of us might consider the U.S. to be culturally and aesthetically vapid, but it is anything but.
During our time in Utah, I realized that there is still so much richness within American borders that remain to be discovered. Tour guides stumble upon petroglyphs and fossils on a regular basis. There are free-range cows, real cowboys, and places named after old-time outlaws in the Wild West.
I think many Americans also forget that tourists regularly pour into our country from all over the world. The U.S. is a coveted destination for many. And if we are at all down on America for lack of intrigue, we should reconsider.
5 Reasons to Travel Within the U.S.
1) Good roads.
Grab your friends and go on a road trip– there’s likely a scenic place not far from you! Many of the roads in the U.S., especially those around national parks, are well-maintained and dotted with gas stations, restaurants and motels. If you don’t mind driving, there is so much you can enjoy just by getting on the road.
Yellowstone National Park
2) Variety of accommodations.
Sure, there are cheaper destinations around the world, but it’s not terribly difficult to find diverse accommodations in the U.S. Whether you select an AirBnB apartment near a city or opt for the campground, you’ll likely find a good place to lay your head.
Furthermore, many Americans are growing interested in ecotourism, bed and breakfast, and even couchsurfing. The variety is just going to grow from here!
Utah
3) Diverse communities.
There are surprising pockets of culture all around the U.S., and one can’t simply generalize about any single location.
Within the U.S., it’s not hard to find local food, art, and traditions that are unique to that place alone. Anyone who thinks the U.S. is a cultural wasteland could not be more wrong. And many of these fascinating enclaves are accessible to visitors, too.
Carmel, CA
4) Save on flights (plus cheaper domestic flights!)
Local airlines such as Southwest make it easier to fly within the U.S. So, if you’re worried about the prices of transportation when it comes to travel, and you live in the U.S., then there’s no excuse not to stay here.
That said, if you’re not living in the U.S. but would like to visit, many domestic flights are relatively affordable. There are also train systems (some are better than others) that make domestic travel even more possible.
Napa
California Coast
5) An abundance of travel resources and uncrowded spaces.
It’s hard to find Yosemite Valley uncrowded, but there are actually many beautiful sites in the U.S. that are. And, you won’t have a hard time finding them, as each destination has many books and online guides ready to help.
If you’re up for doing the research, then going almost anywhere in the U.S., and having a great time, is possible. There’s an abundance of information, price points, travel styles within each region, and you’re bound to find the one that’s right for you.
Yosemite National Park
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I love traveling within the U.S. I’ve been lucky enough to live on both coasts, but there is still so much left to see. Forget my international travel bucket list; I need to create one for the U.S. alone!
*These are our own photos, not stock photos. Please borrow and share as such!
We bought a motorhome and moved into it for just over three years of traveling the USA. We at least drove through each of the 40 contiguous states but there is so much more to see out there that I wish health had not brought us off the road. Go as soon as you can and as often as you can; this is a great and varied country. And rental RVs are a great way to take a family to see these places since you can unpack once, sleep in the same beds every night, always have a toilet with you, and cook your own familiar food in between checking out the local cuisines.
Excellent post. I wrote a similar one earlier this year. When I was younger I was obsessed with traveling internationally, trying to fill my passport with as many stamps as possible but now that I’m older (i.e. not able to study abroad all the time 🙂 I do probably one international trip a year and more smaller, domestic trips. It’s been great because it’s allowed me to see states I had never been to and also these famous iconic gems that are in the US. While I don’t care for road trips around me as much, out West they sure are spectacular! I’d love to explore more of the Deep South and of course places like Yellowstone and Glacier National Park!
I always feel that people I know in America don’t travel enough – some of my friends don’t even have passports!! It’s so true though, the US is full of so many diverse places, there isn’t always a need to venture overseas! I used to live on the east coast, but there are so many places down south, in the midwest and on the west coast that I’m dying to travel to! My top places are Wilmington, NC, Nashville, New Orleans and Seattle!
Chrissy x
http://www.chrissylilly.com
Yellowstone was incredible– I’m so glad I got to go there! And I agree– the West is a great region to explore!
It’s so true! The US has a super diverse landscape; California alone has like 5 different terrains!
Ah thanks lady! I can’t believe you’re going camping in Yosemite– I’m SO jealous. You will have so much fun. Definitely visit Tuolumne Meadows while you’re there. You’ll love it. And take photos please!!
YES!! We love traveling the U.S. Road trips really. My husband and I traveled west a few times after we got married and before lots of kids. Those are still my favorite vacations and ones I cannot wait to revisit once my littles can handle being in the car that long! I think my favorite was Yellowstone, but really if it’s out west, I love it! 😉
I haven’t been able to do too much US travel, aside from some of Utah, Arizona, and the California coast, but one of my travel dreams is to do a US road trip. We were just talking about the other day how the US is so diverse. There’s every single kind of landscape there, from mountains to the sea to plains to the desert. And we have the redwood trees too (which I haven’t seen yet!) It’s pretty unique in a country! I’d love to discover more of it!
This right here! Whenever I’m outside of the US and people find out I’m from the States, I always feel so lame admitting I haven’t seen much of it. Our nature is ridiculously beautiful, but it’s just not as exciting to book a trip to see Redwoods then climb some foreign mountain. I’m changing that this year though, and I’m going to go camp in Yosemite this summer. That way I can at least brag about that to foreigners 😉
xo marlen
Messages on a Napkin
Yes, cell reception is a HUGE perk, especially when you’re lost or hungry!
Thanks Christina! I think I’ve been to more countries than states actually– which is crazy to think about. And a cross-country road trip sounds really fun as a family; I wouldn’t know whether to go through the Northern US or Southern US!
Yes– there’s lots of great ethnic enclaves to explore and enjoy. That bachelorette party sounds amazing and delicious. Hope you’ve had a great weekend, friend!
Aw you would love it here! Vegas is fascinating– AND it’s close to some of the coolest national parks in the US!
Exactly!! You would like it out west I think– it’s really special in a way that is quite different from the East Coast.
Yes!! There are too many parts of the US that I have yet to see.
I know right! We’re a diverse country with lots of great sights!
Yes… you’ve listed a TON that are so awesome. Big Sur is still one of my favorite places on Earth!
Absolutely!! You should come to California, you’ll love it.
That’s awesome Hannah! Can’t wait to see your gorgeous photos 🙂
That’s great! There really is a ton in the US to see. I’ve never really been to the Midwest or the South!
Thank you so much Mar! I’d love to go to Canada too– it has so much to offer.
I love this post, and these photos! I think its very important to see your own country. Living in Canada, I have only ventured as far as the west coast. I would love to go east one day and explore everything the Maritimes has to offer.
While I feel most at home on this side of the world–when it comes to vacation–I’d rather travel in America than anywhere else. Although it’s no longer just a short flight or a road trip for us, we made plenty of those over the past few years!
I love traveling in the U.S.! Thanks for the reminder that traveling in the U.S. offers us so much too! 🙂 My husband and I have happy plans to continue exploring and discovering in the States, as well as abroad. What a fun mix 🙂
Yes, yes, yes! I can’t wait to travel more in the U.S.! There are so many places I want to see–I think a road trip will need to happen soon. Especially to the West Coast! 🙂
So true! I don’t think I can pick, but the Black Hills of South Dakota and New Mexico are probably my favorite (so far), but Big Sur is so beautiful… and I think the best day of my life took place in Santa Barbara. I’m really really itching it get out to Utah and Zion National Park.. oh.. and New Orleans.. ha!
Y’know, I always get so jealous of people who travel overseas, but I never really stop to think about how diverse the landscape of U.S. is and what different experiences you get across our country. What you see in Maine is totally different from Arizona. And the culture in Texas is different from the culture in Michigan. It’s incredible to think about, really.
My small group was just talking about this last night! I would love to travel more around Europe and see the charming towns and historical sites, but our own country is also so full of amazing things! It’s so enormous and diverse that’s there’s really no end to the options.
I’d love to travel all around the US! For so long when I was growing up, I just wanted to leave the country. But I’ve really seen very little of it. I need to explore out west sometime!
Hubby and I plan to travel around US one day in the future, maybe when the little one is slightly older. First stop has to be Vegas, I personally think it’s in a world of its own and there’s no other place like it.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
I think people too often forget that our entire country was founded on immigrants. Sure today we are “Americans” but once we were Irish, Polish, Russian, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, etc. The culture so many people seek in international vacations is only a short drive from where they are. Personally I love visiting cultural festivals and experiencing art, food, and music from all over. My best friend’s bachlorette party is actually taking place in Cleveland at Little Italy! Wine and pastries galore! Have a lovely weekend Daisy!
http://www.accordingtokiki.net
Love this! I feel like it wasn’t until just a few years ago that I
realized how many amazingly beautiful places there are within the U.S.
As a kid, I was blessed that my parents took us on vacations out of the
country pretty much every year. So at one point I had been to more
countries than I had states! My husband and I would LOVE to take our
family on a huge road trip across the country at some point and soak in
all the glory this is this beautiful country 🙂
So true… I love traveling within the US! There are so many hidden gems within this country to explore! Also our cell phones work 🙂