United States of America is a huge country with varied landscapes. When it comes to the western region, we can safely say that the region has great outdoors. When it comes to scenery in the West, the Hyperbole is on point. Surfers, Kayakers and beachcombers flock to the Western coastline which stretches from Sunny San diego to the bluffs of California and on to the rocky, mood-filled beaches of Oregon and Washington. Moreover the Western cities have distinct personalities. We look at some of the astounding places in the Western USA for a visit.
San Francisco
This is a very important city of USA. It is said that Good times and Social Revolutions tend to start here. It is situated in northern California …a hilly city on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay. The city is known for its year round fog, iconic golden gate bridge, cable cars and colorful vintage houses. In the site of the bay is located Alcatraz Island, site of the notorious former prison. The city is frequented by lots of visitors and travelers to USA.
Los Angeles
This is a sprawling city in the southern California and the center of nation’s film and television industry. It is located in a large basin bounded by the Pacific Ocean on one side and high mountains as high as 10000 feet on the other. Studios such as Paramount Pictures and Warner brothers offer behind-the-scenes tours that are so exciting to the travellers. The city is often designated “Creative capital of the world” as more number of artists, writers etc stay in the city than anywhere else. There are lots of places to see and enjoy. It is surely a must see.
Seattle
It is a city on Puget Island in the Pacific Northwest and is surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forest and contains thousands of acres of parkland. It is the largest city in the Washington State and is home to some of the large tech industry giants such as Microsoft and Amazon. The futuristic space needle, a 1952 world trade legacy is its most iconic landmark. There are plenty of things to do and see in Seattle and due to its pleasant weather round the year, the city is frequented by lots of tourists.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas is Nevada’s Mojave Desert is a resort city that is famous for its vibrant night life, which is centered around 24 hour casinos and other entertainment options. Its main focal point is the strip that is just over 4 miles long. The boulevard is home to themed hotels with elaborate displays such as fountains with music as well as replicas of the Egyptian Pyramid, the Venetian Grand Central and the Eiffel Tower. Most of the Casinos are located on Fremont streets with The Stratosphere being one of the exceptions. This place is a heart throb of pleasure seeking tourists, who just throng this place for fun and pleasure.
Portland
Portland is the largest city of Oregon. The place has almost abundance of natural beauty – perfect parks, leafy trees, vibrantly flowering shrubs lining pretty residential streets, the Willamette River meandering through town, and Mt.Hood on the horizon. You can feel the open minded, appealingly off-kilter vibe of the place.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a 3500 sq.mile wilderness park. Mostly in Wyoming, the park extends to Montana and Idaho too. This park is home to 60 percent of the world’s geysers – natural hot springs that periodically erupt in towering explosions of boiling water and steam. While this astounding phenomenon and bubbling mud its draw in the crowds (over 4 million people each year), the surrounding canyons, mountains and forests are no less impressive, teeming with elk, bison, grizzly bears and wolves.
Grand Canyon National Park
Situated in Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park embodies the scale and splendor of the American West. It features layered bands of red rock revealing millions of years of geological history. There are multiple viewpoints such as Mather point, Yavapai observation station and architect Mary Colter’s lookout studio and her desert view watch tower. Lipan Point with wide views of the canyon and Colorado River is very popular during sunrise and the sunset.
Napa and Sonoma Wine Country
America’s premier viticulture region has earned its reputation among the world’s best. Rolling hills, dotted with century old oaks, turn the color of Lion’s fur under the summer sun and swathes of Vineyards carpet hillsides as far as the eye can see. Napa competes with France when it comes to wineries and also acts as an outpost of San Francisco’s top-end culinary scene. Sonoma is famous for its agricultural diversity with goats –cheese farms. These places are frequented by large number of tourists.
San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands are located in the state of Washington. It is known for rural Pacific Northwest landscape and wildlife. You can indulge in fishing, whale – watching, beach combing, sailing, hiking, cycling, paddling, crabbing, clamming, philosophizing and memorable and psychedelic sunsets. The farm-to-table cuisine becomes even more sublime in low - key atmosphere, especially when paired with Washington wines.
Columbia River Gorge
Dividing Oregon and Washington is the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, which was carved out some 15000 years ago by cataclysmic glaciers and floods. Hikers have plenty to keep them busy, which features many steep, lovely trails that lead through canyons lined with ferns and gushing rivers and across wildflower fields to grand vistas. Summer wind sports are legendary – gorge channels westerlies inland against the current, creating world-class windsurfing and kiteboarding conditions. There are also mountain biking and rafting possibilities around Hood River. The gorge offers lovey waterfalls, agricultural bounties and wine tasting. This is a special place, so take time to enjoy it.
