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Unreal Travel Spots You Won’t Believe Exist in the United States

By Two Monkeys Travel - Contributor January 14th, 2019 Posted in Destination, North America Travel Blog, Travel Blog, Travel Guides No comments

The fact is that the Earth is full of beautiful places. Generally, it doesn’t matter whether they are wonders of nature or the man is involved in their creation. Sometimes those spots are so lovely that you simply aren’t sure that they can exist. Every one of them is worth visiting and enriching life just by standing there. Meet some of those unbelievable travel locations in the US. Perhaps it is hard to believe that these places belong to our planet, but they are surely thereabout.

1 The Cadillac Ranch

Photo by Mike P. CC BY 2.0

Stanley Marsh 3 was an eccentric helium millionaire. Along with a San Francisco art collective ‘The Ant Farm’ (Chip Lord, Doug Michels, and Hudson Marquez), he decided to establish an installation in 1974 alongside Interstate 40. As he wished, he accomplished his plan, and Cadillac ranch was born. If you are one of the Route 66 lovers, Cadillac Ranch is the must-see spot on your way to Texas.

When you come to a dusty Texas field near Amarillo, you will see ten half-buried graffiti-covered cars (the oldest one is from 1949 and the newest one is from 1964) facing ‘in the same direction as the Cheops’ pyramids’. The truth is that cars initially established two miles east further out, but they are moved here in 1997 because the city has been expanding over time.

Anyway, it is an amazing and unique place opened to the public 24/7. Become one of many who have sprayed these cars with paint for over four decades. Just bring some cans of spray paint, come here, and leave your own mark at probably the most popular America’s folk art installation.

Consider yourself privileged if you arrive at a moment when the Cadillacs are painted in a particular color to support some special event. For example, in honor of Marsh 3’s wife’s birthday, they were pink, and after Doug Michels passed away, they were entirely black.

Before you leave this place, take a photo of your graffiti. Whatever you create will last for just a few hours. Then, some other admirer will do the same..until the next time.

2 Haiku Stairs – Stairway to Heaven

Haiku Stairs in Oʻahu, Hawaii were the only possible access to Haiku Station in 1942 when they were built. That station, located on the high of 2000 feet, was actually a radio tower US Navy ships used when they were sailing in the Pacific.

In the ’50s, the wooden stairs were replaced by 3,922 metal steps. Since 1987, stairs have been closed to the public. There was a plan for reopening after they repaired in 2003, but that idea is on hold due to numerous resident complaints about safety.

Nowadays, the stairs are old but well built and entirely safe. Officially, it is illegal climbing there, and the penalty for contempt of this decision is $1,000. However, the guards often let hikers through. That means that every person needs to decide if the risk is worth the effort!

It is a pretty tricky situation if you ask me. Generally, there is no need to take such a risk when you can use the Moanalua trail. This path is entirely legal and also leads to the Haiku Station. Be prepared that the station itself is nothing astonishing, but the journey and views of the island from the imposing mountain ridge are something special indeed.

I assume that you will choose the legal way to reach the top, and I want to warn you that this way is pretty demanding. In other words, if you have this mountain top on your ‘must have’ list, be prepared that you need to be in an excellent physical condition. Don’t worry! Plenty of ropes hanged along the way will help you succeed.

If you decide to visit this marvelous place, you will have the chance to enjoy the breathtaking sunrise, experience the adventure of your life, and take photos of the stunningly beautiful nature which you couldn’t even imagine. Just come. This place is beyond every your dream, and you can’t find anything similar anywhere else.

3 Painted Hills

Photo by Francis Storr CC BY-SA 2.0

There are many various reasons why people like visiting the Painted Hills. Just imagine millions of years of history which spreading in front of your eyes. Although the hills look like as they have come from another planet, they are just an ancient floodplain that has become a multi-layered colorful landscape over time.

The hills got its name from the delicate gold, yellow, red, and black colored formation of strata in rock. You can see this place (one of the seven wonders of Oregon) in all its beauty at any time of the day, but the claystones are especially beautiful in the late afternoon.

These hills represent one of the three parts of the National Monument John Day Fossil Beds. Scientists study a collection of 40,000 fossils at this place for decades. By visiting this wonder of Mother Nature, you will get an opportunity to learn about ancient relatives of rhinos, elephants, and many other creatures.

To get here, you should take the journey throughout Shaniko, the ghost town, and the town of Fossil where the bone of mammoth found. Don’t miss a hundred years old Kam Wah Chung and Co. Museum, placed along your way, which is full of fantastic artifacts and gadgets people used a century ago.

When deciding to visit this impressive location, your best option is to start from Mitchell, Oregon. The hills are about 9 miles (14.5 km) northwest of that town. Pick out one of five trails:

  • Carroll Rim trail
  • Painted Hills Overlook trail
  • Painted Cove trail
  • Leaf Hill trail
  • The Red Scar Knoll trail

Every one of them leads to one colorful side of the hills where you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama view.

4 Fly Geyser

Photo by Ken Lund CC BY-SA 2.0

Situated on Fly Ranch in northern Nevada, two hours north of Reno, this parcel of 3,800-acre land became famous for an iconic and unique geothermal Fly Geyser created accidentally after one energy company decided to drill a test well there in 1964.

Thanks to an ‘error’, at the very edge of the Black Rock Desert, calcium carbonate and hot water have been forming several inches of unique creation each year. Simply put, the Fly Geyser is an exceptional example what the man and nature can create together.

Nowadays, three sediments of brightly colored mounds are almost six feet tall. When you stand in front of this red and green wonder, you will be entirely astonished by scalding hot water the geyser still spews four or five feet into the air.

I don’t know what you think about it, but I am fascinated by the awesome fireworks of colors. Generally, it is not essential to me that I know the colors are the result of a flourishing of the thermophilic algae in hot and moist environments. They are simply beautiful and look unreal!

Along with enjoying this magnificent place, you should know that a ticket you buy to feel this unusual experience is donation-based. It is an excellent opportunity to spend some wonderful moments here and be generous at the same time. Welcome!

5 Prince William Sound

Photo by Ken Lund CC BY-SA 2.0Photo by Sanjoy Ghosh/a> CC BY 2.0

I invite you to find the path of the first explorers who discovered Alaska in 1741 and enjoy all the beauty of Prince William Sound, a curving inlet of the Gulf of Alaska. Surprisingly, the access to the Sound is wild but simple. Thanks to a new tunnel roadway, you can come to this magnificent place after just an hour’s drive from the city Anchorage.

Located in the middle of the Chugach National Forest, eastern of the Kenai Peninsula, and northern of the Gulf of Alaska, this place is a wonderland of massive glaciers, high mountains, plentiful wildlife, and dense spruce forests.

Can you imagine spending your vacation absorbing the beauty of huge glaciers, fjords, two hundred islands, protected waterways, breathtaking coastline, numerous rock reefs, and islets? There, you may have an opportunity to see dramatically calving massive ice chunks from one of seventeen tidewater glaciers right into the sea.

Come to enjoy 220 species of birds (including a bald eagle, the USA’s national symbol), approximately thirty land mammals (including giant black bears), and ten marine mammal species (including killer whales). If you are an adventurer, go rafting, biking, and hiking. Otherwise, visit some of the historical museums, and taste specialties of halibut and salmon. WOW!

Useful Tips for International Travelers

The first question when you decide to visit the US should be: ‘Do I need to apply for ESTA‘? The answer is: ‘Yes. If you are the international traveler from one of 38 ‘Visa Waiver Countries’, you don’t need a visa anymore. However, you definitely need a valid ESTA approval and digital chipped passport’.

Well, the US government established ‘Visa Waiver Program’ on January 12, 2009. That means that every passenger needs to be pre-screened by this automated system before boarding. Therefore, you need to check ESTA application, which will allow you to stay in the US 90 days regardless of whether you come to this country for business reasons or as a tourist.

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Written by Two Monkeys Travel - Contributor

Two Monkeys Travel Group – Community Travel Blog is a travel blog and website. We quickly grew into a valuable source of inspiring travel stories, advice, itineraries and travel guides, with the aim of demonstrating how to live a sustainable life of travel, whilst living your own definition of success. If you'd like to contribute and write a guest post, contact us at [email protected]