Wanderlist

Though I just got back from Arches National Park and Moab where the weather was perfect, and even though the weather is perfect here in Albuquerque today (78 degrees at 11:40), I feel the need to wander.

The British-published Rough Guides list these 28 places/events as things not to miss in USA. How many have you checked off?

1 Monument Valley, AZ • Massive sandstone monoliths stand sentinel in this iconic southwestern landscape.

2 Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA • Piled high with salmon, lobster, clams, and crab, the oldest public market in the nation is also home to some great seafood restaurants.

3 Savannah, GA • Mint juleps on wide verandas, horse-drawn carriages on cobbled streets, and lush foliage draped with Spanish moss; this historic cotton port remains the South’s loveliest town.

4 Mardi Gras, New Orleans, LA • Crazy, colourful, debauched, and historic – this is the carnival to end them all.

5 Yellowstone National Park, WY • The national park that started it all has it all, from steaming fluorescent hot springs and spouting geysers to sheer canyons and meadows filled with wildflowers and assorted grazing beasts.

6 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, OH • Housed inside this striking glass pyramid is an unparalleled collection of rock music’s finest mementos, recordings, films, and exhibitions.

7 Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL • Though each of Orlando’s theme parks strives to outdo the rest, Walt Disney World remains the one to beat.

8 Aurora borealis, AK • Winter visitors to Alaska just might see the skies ablaze with the shimmering veils of the Northern Lights.

9 Chicago’s modern architecture, IL • The history of modern architecture is writ large on Chicago’s skyline, site of the world’s first skyscraper.

10 Niagara Falls, NY • The sheer power of Niagara Falls is even more overwhelming when seen from below, aboard the Maid of the Mist.

11 Crazy Horse Memorial, SD • A staggering monument to the revered Sioux leader, this colossal statue continues to be etched into the Black Hills of South Dakota.

12 Burning Man Page 943 • Every summer a temporary community takes life in the middle of the Nevada desert and hosts an art and music festival wholly unlike any other.

13 Swamps • From the steamy Everglades of Florida to the ghostly bayous of Louisiana’s Cajun country, America’s swamplands are hauntingly beautiful.

14 Sweet Auburn, Atlanta, GA • This historic district holds the birthplace of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and other spots honoring King’s legacy.

15 Graceland, Memphis, TN • Pilgrims from all over the world pay homage to the King by visiting his gravesite and endearingly modest home.

16 Skiing in the Rocky Mountains • The Rockies make for some of the best skiing anywhere, with their glitzy resorts and atmospheric mining towns.

17 Ancestral Puebloan sites • Scattered through desert landscapes like Colorado’s magnificent Mesa Verde National Park, the dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans afford glimpses of an ancient and mysterious world.

18 The National Mall, Washington DC • From the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol by way of the towering Washington Monument – the National Mall is an awesome showcase of American culture and history.

19 Hiking in the Grand Canyon • Explore the innermost secrets of this wondrous spot on many of its superb hiking trails at the heart of California’s best-loved park.

20 Miami’s Art Deco, FL • This flamboyant city is deservedly famed for the colourful pastel architecture of its restored South Beach district.

21 Las Vegas, NV • From the Strip’s erupting volcanoes, Eiffel Tower, and Egyptian pyramid to its many casinos, Las Vegas will blow your mind as well as your wallet.

22 Glacier National Park, MT • Montana’s loveliest park holds not only fifty glaciers, but also two thousand lakes, a thousand miles of rivers, and the exhilarating Going-to-the-Sun road.

23 South by Southwest, TX • This thriving ten-day music festival in Austin is one of the nation’s best and plays hosts to bands from around the world – and Texas, too.

24 Hawaii’s volcanoes • Hawaii’s Big Island grows bigger by the minute, as the world’s most active volcano pours molten lava into the ocean.

25 Driving Highway 1 • The rugged Big Sur coastline, pounded by Pacific waves, makes an exhilarating route between San Francisco and LA.

26 New England in the fall • The Northeast’s breathtaking fall foliage presents an ever-changing palette of colour and light.

27 Yosemite Valley, CA • Enclosed by near-vertical, mile-high cliffs, and laced with hiking trails and climbing routes, the dramatic geology of Yosemite Valley is at the heart of California’s best-loved park.

28 Rodeos • Relive the Old West with cowboys and cowgirls at rodeos like Cheyenne Frontier Days and countless smaller ones.