No list of America’s natural wonders is complete without the Grand Canyon. It’s a mile down to the Colorado River from the rim, where most visitors stay to photograph the stunning view. It’s only 10 miles from the South Rim to the lesser-known North Rim, but because of the tricky geography, it’s a five-hour drive. Despite all of its beauty, Arizona developers attempted to build a $500 million shopping mall near the rim called the Grand Canyon Escalade. Thankfully, the National Parks Service and local Native American tribes vetoed the plan, which would have turned the Canyon into a kind of Niagara Falls-Disneyland.

Interested in visiting? Check out great hotels in the area here.