The daily grind of life can make you forget there is awe and wonder in this world. If you’ve been looking at the same four walls for 8 hours every day only to go home and look at more walls, that could be a clue that it’s time to dig out of your hole. Having a job is great, but what makes it even greater is that it’s your gateway to experience greater things. It’s time to put the wow factor back in life, and you can do that when you make plans to vacation at one of these extraordinary getaway destinations.
1. The Northern Lights
Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights top nearly every list of notable wonders this world has to offer. They are as mysterious today as they were at the dawn of history. While nobody can fully explain the cause or purpose of these polar waves of color, there are many places in Alaska you can visit where they could be on full display on any given night.
2. The Grand Canyon
When you look into the Grand Canyon, you are looking deep into the earth’s past. Created over a period of 6 million years, this great canyon has seen it all. It’s experienced the coming and going of every type of dinosaur, climate change, and the introduction of man. If you’ve never stood before the Grand Canyon and felt overcome by the sheer magnitude of its size, it’s time to set a date.
3. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Jaw-dropping scenery doesn’t just occur in the United States. If you ever get a chance to get off this giant continent, be sure to visit the Zhangjiajie National Forest in China. Like the Grand Canyon, perhaps its greatest feature was created by millions of years of erosion. Columns of majestic sandstone rocks stand tall above a lush forest to create a scene you would have only thought existed in fairy tales. Of course, the lush forest is also home to a variety of interesting forest creatures you’ll also want to meet.
4. Fairy Pools
At first glance, the Fairy Pools look like the cover of a good sci-fi book in which the pages include wizards, hobbits, and of course, fairies. Located in Glen Brittle, Scotland, these vibrant blue pools which are continuously filled with bubbling falls of water so clear you can see every pebble beneath are perfectly accented with a backdrop of wrinkly, old mountains. There’s sure to be some Scottish lore behind their beauty but you’re going to have to visit to find out exactly what it is.
5. Marble Cathedral
A little closer to home, but not close, is the Marble Cathedral located in Chile. This South American network of blue marble caverns towering over complementary-colored water could possibly be the most beautiful water marvel you’ll ever see.
6. Serengeti National Park
While landscapes have taken over the majority of space on this list, and for good reason, it would be a shame to forget the beauty of animals in their natural habitat. There is no better place on earth that presents animals in their native scenery quite like the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Watching zebras race across dusty plains formed by millions of years of volcanic ash and rock and elephants taking their time to get to that place they haven’t forgotten will develop memories you’ll want to conjure for the rest of your life. Predators and their prey share territories, watering holes, and daily life on the Serengeti. It’s a wonder this place still exists, and hopefully, it will continue to exist for many millions of years to come.
The world offers a plethora of beauty and magic that just waits to be explored. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken a vacation, make your next one unforgettable so that the next time you’re staring at those same four walls, maybe you’ll see beyond the walls and remember how the dust flew under pounding hooves over layers of volcanic rock and ash.
Lisa has a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Arts. She is an experienced blogger who enjoys researching interesting facts, ideas, products, and other compelling concepts. In addition to writing, she likes photography and Photoshop.