Pu’ukohola Heiau is the ruins of the last major ancient Hawaiian temple. It is notable in Hawaii’s recent history for being the home of King Kamehameha I, who was responsible for uniting the independent islands of Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai, and Niihau under his rule. This unification took decades at the cost of …
The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural attractions on Earth. It’s a vast and visually powerful landscape with plunging cliffs and variegated colors slashing across the ancient rocks. Known for its multihued toned, the colors of the rocks change color through the course of the day, culminating in a spectacular sunset. It also …
I love deserts, so it should come as no surprise that Death Valley is one of my favorite national parks in the U.S.—and that’s saying a lot considering there are some amazing locations across North America, and even in California. I’ve visited Death Valley on two occasions: first during my 2009 road trip and second …
Zion National Park seems to be a favorite of almost everyone who has visited the park. The heart of the park is Zion Canyon which was cut by the Virgin River. The result is a stunning landscape created by the combination of mountain, valley, and river. One of the things which makes Zion so popular …
Joshua Tree National Park is located in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, centered roughly between Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego. It gets its name from the Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia, seen above) which inhabits most of the park. Due to its remote location in the desert, Joshua Tree isn’t a popular national …
Southern Oregon and Northern California is a sparsely populated part of the country with some of the best scenery and natural attractions in the United States. Across California there is no shortage of beautiful places to visit, and that includes in the north of the state, where fewer travelers venture. Those road tripping the area …
Banff is probably the best known national park in Canada. Located in the Canadian Rockies, just a 90 minute drive from Calgary, it is also one of the more accessible national parks in Canada. Part of the fame of Banff comes the fact that it is also Canada’s oldest national park. Established in 1885, just …
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the first national parks when I began traveling full time. I had previously been to Volcanoes in 2006 as part of a geology department trip with the University of Minnesota. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the few places on Earth where you can see an active …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Statue of Liberty: The Statue of Liberty, a hollow colossus composed of thinly pounded copper sheets over a steel framework, stands on an island at the entrance to New York Harbor. It was designed by sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi in collaboration with engineer Gustave Eiffel and was a gift …