From the West Coast to the East Coast, the United States has plenty to offer travelers, from luscious forests to coastlines full of captivating shores and reefs, as well as cities with gorgeous skylines and more. Lonely Planet’s “Best in the U.S.” placed California’s Redwood Coast in the number one spot for destinations you need to see in 2018, and was followed by 9 other must-see locations. So check out this list because it might inspire you to grab your keys, get in your car, and go on a road trip to explore these awesome locations!California’s Redwood Coast offers all kinds of fun things for travelers like quirky stores, eclectic cafes, and brewpubs. The Redwood Coast also allows travelers to forget about the stresses of their everyday lives by enjoying scenic hikes along Patrick’s Point State Park in Humboldt County.
The magnificent coastal redwoods of Humboldt County are located four hours north of San Francisco. You can go for a hike amongst 2000-year-old redwood trees towering 20 stories high. And if you feel like you’ve been here before it might be because Hollywood had used the backdrops for films like “Star Wars” and Jurassic Park.”
Visit Boise, Idaho if you’re looking to spend some time with a community spirited by art. You can enjoy the downtown’s Treefort Music Festival or seek other festivities like the Boise Brew Olympics, or Punk in Drublic, which allows you to get a taste of some craft beer. After all, Boise is well known for their craft breweries as well as wineries. So drink up while you rock on to some punk rock.
Take a few twists and turns through the Boise River Greenbelt, which is a 25-mile park right smack in the heart of the city. If hiking or biking is more your thing, then you can head towards the mountains, which offer skiing and river rafting opportunities you can enjoy on your visit.
You could say that Chattanooga, Tennessee is the living embodiment of Southern living. Aside from politeness and charm, you might enjoy a warm peach cobbler or a classic hummingbird cake the way only Southerners do it, which is ideal for foodies. Of course, there are challenging biking and hiking trails near the Ocoee River, where you can also whitewater raft.
The city gave their signature train station a makeover that cost $20 million and is now full of nightlife and entertainment hotspot, which include an impressive guitar museum. You can also try an array of southern cuisine and enjoy some of the best beer ever.
With the world’s first lunar tourism flight set to launch in 2018, the Florida Space Coast is da bomb! You don’t have to physically journey into space, but you could here! The space coast’s Kennedy Space Center has launched countless vessels in orbit, including Apollo 8, the first manned mission that took a spacecraft into orbit around the moon.
Visit the Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) at Kennedy Space Center, where you can experience a simulated mission to the red planet, Mars. You can also watch satellites being launched from Cape Canaveral too, or stargaze while kayaking in the waters of Merritt Island at night.
If you’re looking for a vacation spot that’s simply swaggerific, then go to Cincinnati, Ohio. The city has some swag with its beer, arts, and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge hovering above the Ohio River. You can also learn about beer from the Brewing Heritage Trail. Sit at a picnic table at the Rhinegeist Brewery and watch bottles come rolling from the production line.
You can visit the newly renovated Music Hall, or the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. We hear the new performance space is dynamic. You can also walk over to Over-the-Rhine, a German neighborhood with funky shops and brick buildings that will make you feel like you’re in Europe.
For those of you who aren’t looking for a big city skyline, you can head on over to Maine’s Midcoast. Did you know that Maine is about 90 percent forested? As the locals say, “Ayuh,” it is! This makes it ideal for anyone looking to escape the city life and enjoy some quiet time in the backwoods to have some outdoor activities.
In 2018, the region’s 70th Maine Lobster Festival will premiere, so if you love lobsters, be sure to visit. After dining, art lovers can enjoy the growing art scene in Rockland. Main Street is lined with world-class art galleries and museums.
Richmond tends to attract nature lovers and adventurers from all over. Aside from cideries and microbreweries, Richmond offers whitewater rapids for thrill seekers, plus there’s a 52-mile bike trail along the banks of the James River.
You can stay at the Quirk Hotel, which has its own art gallery or you can visit an actual museum at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. If you’re a history buff, then be sure to stop by the American Civil War Museum.
The moment you hear of Kentucky Bourbon Country, your mouth might start watering. Keep in mind that this area has a distilling heritage that’s legendary. It’s known as the Golden Triangle between Elizabethtown, Lexington, and Louisville, and you’ll find some of the best distilleries and restaurants with bourbon-themed menus in America.
It seems like Minneapolis really went above and beyond to impress the world in 2018. The Target Center, which is the city’s NBA arena, got a makeover that cost $145 million that fans are bound to love. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden also received 18 new works of arts by famous chiselers. Farm-to-table restaurants, who are heavy on local ingredients, will appeal to foodies too.
Southeastern Utah has plenty of major landmarks like the Zion National Park and Sunrise Point. Aside from the desert landscapes of regions like the Arches National Park, there are other sites that are forested and are just as beautiful such as the plateaus of the new Bears Ears National Monument, which has been in the news because of political turmoil over protecting cultural and natural resources.
