Best for nature lovers: The northern lights should be on everyone's bucket list as they're a spectacular natural phenomenon, and Fairbanks, Alaska, is your best bet to see them. Explore Fairbanks says the city offers a lot of different viewing options, depending on whether you like heated comfort, outdoor options, or dog sleds.

Northern Lights in Alaska

Best for nature lovers: Yes, Grand Canyon National Park is an obvious choice, but there's a reason why it’s one of the most popular destinations in America — because it's beautiful, breathtaking, and unlike anything else you'll ever see. The largest canyon in America, you don't even need to love hiking to enjoy it — you can drive the rim.

Grand Canyon National Park

Best for nature lovers: It's impossible to understand just how massive a 2,000-year-old redwood tree is unless you've stood in a forest full of them. The old-growth groves of California's Coastal Redwoods are a must-see, and even more so if you're a Star Wars fan — some of the groves that stood in for Return of the Jedi's Moon of Endor still exist.

California's Coastal Redwoods

Best for nature lovers: There really isn't anywhere else in America that hosts wildlife, geysers, and stunning natural beauty while inside an active supervolcano like Yellowstone National Park. Glorious in any season — there's skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, swimming in the summer, and camping and hiking all year round.

Yellowstone National Park

Best for nature lovers: Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert don't look like any other form of plant life anywhere else on Earth. Per the National Wildlife Federation, Mormon settlers named them "Joshua trees" because of their supposed resemblance to the biblical Joshua raising his hands towards heaven.

Joshua Tree National Park