Yellowstone National Park
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national
park. Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, it is home to a large variety
of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved
within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the
world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of
the Yellowstone.
Grand Canyon National Park
A powerful and inspiring landscape, the Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses
through its immense size; 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a
mile deep. One to 18 day raft trips are available for kids of all ages.
Wild Horses of Assateague Island
Assateague's wild horses are well known, even to many people who have never
been to the island. The "wild" horses on Assateague are actually feral
animals, meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have
reverted to a wild state. Horses tough enough to survive the scorching heat,
abundant mosquitoes, stormy weather and poor quality food found on this
remote, windswept barrier island have formed a unique wild horse society.
Enjoy their beauty from a distance, and you can help make sure these
extraordinary wild horses will continue to thrive on Assateague Island.
Admiralty Island, Alaska
Admiralty Island became a National Monument in 1979, a designation which has
kept the island and its inhabitants protected. It is now a premier bear
viewing location, that can be added to your Alaska vacation. Appropriately
called the "Fortress of the Bears" by the local Tlingit natives, the island
is a paradise for bears. Over 1,600 bears live here, one of the highest
concentrations of bears in the world! These majestic animals come to Pack
Creek in search of food and spend much of their summer catching salmon.
Observe and photograph the bears in safety from good vantage points.
The
Redwood Forests
The California trees people call "redwoods" are actually two distinct
species, both of them best described in superlatives. Sometimes called
simply the "big trees," giant sequoias grow only in California's Sierra
Nevada Mountains toward the state's eastern border. The most massive living
things, they can reach 280 feet tall and 23 feet across. The largest rise a
little over 300 feet and spread almost 30 feet across. The oldest have been
around over 3,000 years. Coastal redwoods are the tallest living things on
on our planet, growing 300-350 feet tall and 16-18 feet across, with record
specimens soaring 360 feet. They are the primary tree in the redwood forests
that grow from near the California coast from the northern border down to
Big Sur.
Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park displays the results of 70 million years of
volcanism, migration, and evolution -- processes that thrust a bare land
from the sea and clothed it with unique ecosystems, and a distinct human
culture. The park highlights two of the world's most active volcanoes, and
offers insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and views of dramatic
volcanic landscapes.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern
New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show
cave, Carlsbad Caverns. Visitors to the cave can hike in on their own via
the natural entrance, or take the elevator directly to the Underground
Lunchroom some 750 feet below. Carlsbad Caverns includes a large cave
chamber, the Big Room, a natural limestone chamber which is almost 4,000
feet long, 625 feet wide, and 350 feet high at the highest point. It is the
third largest chamber in North America and the seventh largest in the world.
Mount
Rainier National Park
Learn about glaciers. Discover life in a rainforest. Hike the Wonderland
Trail. Explore subalpine ecology. Watch clouds shroud the mountain and
disappear. Visit a rustic historic building. Dream about climbing to the
summit. Study geology. Experience a mountain meadow. Listen to a glacier
crack.
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls are voluminous waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling
the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the
U.S. state of New York. The falls are 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo,
New York and 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin
cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls
is composed of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls
lies on the Canadian side of the border, and American Falls on the American
side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side,
separated from the main falls by Luna Island.
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine
Sanctuary
Each year Kohola, the Hawaiian Humpback whale, swim from Alaskan feeding
grounds to the warm waters of Hawaii. The whales journey across vast oceans,
navigating by instinct alone. Hawaii is their winter home, a place to play,
to give birth and to start new generations. If you are in Hawaii during the
months of December through April, don’t miss out on an unforgettable Kauai
whale watching experience.