Whether you are from inside the United States, or you are from another part of the world, you probably think that the big tourist hotspots are New York City, Orlando, Florida, and maybe southern California. But, there is so much more to see and do than just these limited locations. If you are coming to the United States, and you are looking for something else to do rather than hit the regular same old boring tourist traps, I want to present an idea to you – don’t just stay in one particular location or city; instead, travel along a corridor, and visit several locations along that corridor. By doing this, you will have an opportunity to see and experience many places. And, part of the experience is seeing all the scenery and beautiful landscapes while you’re traveling from one location to the next.
With this in mind, here are four corridor ideas that you should consider seeing and experiencing:
1. The Pacific Coast Corridor
Start in Southern California, down by Los Angeles, and take the Pacific Coast Highway north to the San Francisco Bay area.
While in the bay area, make sure to see the many places to see while in the area. And definitely make sure you don’t miss the Golden Gate Bridge.
While in the area, make sure to visit California’s wine country. This includes Napa Valley and Sonoma.
I’m now going to ask you to take a detour, and instead of heading north, head east. Your next destination is the beautiful and rugged Yosemite National Park. While there, you can see the giant granite monolith known as El Capitan, as well as some of the other natural beauty to be found in the park.
Head north from there until you get to Lake Tahoe, which is on the border between California and Nevada. This is one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, so you’ll definitely want to see it.
From there, head back west until you get back to California’s Pacific Coast Highway, then head in a northward direction until you get to Redwood National Park and State Park – here you will find the world’s biggest and tallest trees.
After you’re done with that, keep driving north along the Pacific Coast highway until it becomes the Pacific Coastal Drive in Oregon. This state has a multitude of different state parks that line the entire length of its coast – you should visit some of them. Once you get to the northern part of the state, head inland towards Portland, Oregon, and check out their sites as well. While you’re in that area, make sure to check out Multnomah Falls – this is a beautiful site to behold and is the kind of scenery you might find in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
After you get done with Oregon, head north into Washington state. You may first want to check out Mt. St. Helen National Park. After that, head out to where you can see their coast, and see the beautiful Olympic National Park.
After that, you can see the Tacoma, with its backdrop of Mt. Rainier, and of course Seattle with all of its many sites, as well as its waterfront.
Then, take a ferry to visit some of the islands in the northwestern part of the state.
You can finish off your trip on a cruise ship that takes you north to see the glaciers on the coast of Alaska. While in Alaska, make sure to visit Denali National Park, and check out the Northern Lights.
2. The Mountain Corridor
For this corridor, you start out in Las Vegas, Nevada – the gambling mecca of North America. If you’re not into gambling, there is plenty of other entertainment available in the city. There is plenty to see and do in this city.
Once you get done with Vegas, head eastward to the Hoover Dam – one of the largest dams in the world. And, while you’re there, make sure to do some boating on Lake Mead.
From there, the Grand Canyon is only a hop, skip, and jump away. This canyon, carved out over a very long period of time, is the largest canyon in the world. It is truly a site to behold.
Afterwards, head north into the rugged backcountry of Utah. Yes, it’s very rugged, but beautiful, and the stars at night are unlike anything you’ll experience in the city with all of its light pollution. It’s best to hire a guide to go with you if you decide to hike and go camping in this terrain, but it’s definitely worth it.
Head north from there to Salt Lake City, Utah, where you can visit the local sites. Make sure to see the Mormon Temple while there – you don’t have to be Mormon to enjoy the beauty and magnificence of its architecture. And, the Great Salt Lake is nearby.
When you’re done seeing the sites in and around Salt Lake City, you can head north until you get to Grand Teton National Park. And, just north of there is the famous Yellowstone National Park. Both of these parks are in Wyoming, and both have a lot of natural beauty to see.
The next place you’ll want to see takes you east, across the beautiful stretches of Wyoming to southwestern South Dakota – Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore, and the towns of Keystone and Deadwood.
From there, head in a northwestern direction into the state of Montana. The eastern two-thirds of the state is known as Big Sky Country – the views are spectacular.
You will finish this corridor at Glacier National Park, which sits on the border with our neighbor to the north, Canada.
3. The Mississippi Corridor
I call this the Mississippi Corridor because it basically follows the direction of the river northwards, although much of what I suggest is not actually on this river.
You will start this corridor in San Antonio, Texas. This city has many interesting sites to see, including the famous Riverwalk.
From there, head in an easterly direction towards the city of Houston – one of America’s biggest cities. There are plenty of sites and much to do in this place. Make sure to check out their massive highway structures – they are a site to behold.
While in the area, head over to Galveston and check out their beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.
From there we will head over to New Orleans, Louisiana. This city was started by the French before the area became part of the United States. While in New Orleans, check out the French Quarter. You might also consider taking a cruise down the Mississippi River on an old-fashioned riverboat to get a feel for what that was like.
Head north to Natchez, Mississippi, where there are some beautiful plantation houses left over from the days of slavery.
The next place, Hot Springs National Park, is located in the state of Arkansas, which means heading north, then slightly west. While there, you can soak up the hot springs while relaxing.
You now want to head east to Nashville, Tennessee, which is home to our country music and Christian music industries. While there, you will want to visit the many famous landmarks, including the replica of the Parthenon. Also, downtown has a hopping live music scene, so make sure to experience that.
The state of Kentucky is just north of Tennessee. On your way north, you can visit Mammoth Cave National Park, see some horse racing, and visit the city of Louisville, which sits right on the Ohio River, one of the Mississippi River’s largest tributaries. Before you head to the next destination, you might want to off-track and head to the hill country of eastern Kentucky – it’s beautiful and rugged.
Next, we’ll head west to St. Louis, Missouri, which sits on the mighty Mississippi River. While there, visit its many sites. And definitely don’t miss the Gateway Arch.
From there, we’re going to head north, going to the city of Chicago, which sits on Lake Michigan – make sure to visit the John Hancock Building observatory, Navy Pier, Shedd Aquarium, Natural History Museum, and a baseball game at Wrigley Field.
From here, we’ll drive around the southern edge of Lake Michigan into the state of Michigan and start heading north. Once you get to northern Michigan, visit Mackinac Island, go over the Mackinaw Bridge, and then go through the locks at Sioux Saint Marie on the Canadian border. If possible, finish this corridor with a boat ride on the Great Lakes.
4. The Atlantic Corridor
This corridor follows the Atlantic coast in the eastern United States. It starts up in Maine and ends in Florida.
Like I said, we’ll start out in Maine. While in Maine, you’ll want to visit Acadia National Park, take a boat ride to see the rugged coastline, and see the city of Portland (yes, the same name as the city in Oregon, but on the other side of the country). While you’re in the state, make sure to try some of their fresh lobster.
From there, head over to New Hampshire, to White Mountain National Forest. While there, visit Mt. Washington and Mt. Lafayette.
Head south from there to the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and visit the numerous sites that are available to see around the area. Head over to Cape Cod and visit a handful of its beaches. While in the area, you’ll definitely want to see Martha’s Vineyard, which is an island just south of the Cape.
Next, hop on the Massachusetts Turnpike and head west until you get to New York State. The scenery from the turnpike is beautiful and rugged. When you get to Albany, the state’s capital, start heading north.
This will take you to the massive Adirondack Park, in upstate New York. This is a beautiful wilderness area full of great drives and hiking trails. Make sure to spend a few days there.
Once you’re through with Adirondack Park, head south back to the New York State Thruway, heading west in the direction of Buffalo. This highway allows you to see some beautiful farm valleys which are surrounded by hills and forests.
Once you get to Buffalo, follow the signs to take you to the Niagara Falls. These massive falls are a sight to behold, and are located on the boundary between the United States and Canada.
From there, your next stop will be Washington, DC with all of its beautiful monuments. There are several routes you can take to get from Niagara Falls to the nation’s capital, and all of those routes will take you through the state of Pennsylvania, and the picturesque Allegheny Mountains, which is part of the larger Appalachian Mountains chain.
If you want, before you head to the nation’s capital, you could head over to New York City and see all that it has to offer, all before heading to D.C.
Once you get to Washington, D.C., you’ll probably want to stay several days to take in, and absorb, all of the majestic monuments, museums, and other landmarks.
After visiting the nation’s capital, head west to Shenandoah National Park in the state of Virginia. Do some hiking while there. And, while you’re in the area, make sure to hike at least a little bit of the Appalachian Trail.
Your next stop will be the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which is east-southeast from where you were. Here you can enjoy the beaches and the great seafood found at local restaurants.
From there you’ll head south to Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. There’s a lot of history to be had in these two places.
After you’re done visiting those two cities, head south to Florida. Spend some time in Orlando visiting all the tourist traps. Then head south to Miami, and Miami Beach. Make sure to visit the beaches, and check out the nightlife.
You’ll finish this corridor driving south over the Overseas Highway from Miami to Key West, which is the farthest south you can go in Florida.
Conclusion
These are four corridors you can take when visiting the United States. Or, if you’re from the U.S., these corridors will allow you to experience some of the beauty of your own country.
Enjoy!
