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By Bryan Oettel

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Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona


As anyone who has ever experienced the true magnificence of this giant rip in the earth's skin can attest, photos never do the place justice. So go. And while anyone brave enough to drive the South Rim and fight its infamous traffic might have little patience or time left for much more than a quick glimpse, true adventurers will find rewards galore. There's the classic mule trip down into the depths of the Canyon that has been a signature experience for nearly a century. Escape the hordes by hitting the Rim Trail or escaping to the equally spectacular North Rim. For those more aquatically inclined, you can paddle along the Colorado River's alternating rapids and quiet water made famous by John Wesley Powell in 1869. Or maybe most magical of all, you can marvel at the feel of two-billion-year-old rock at this World Heritage Site.

Move on to *Acadia National Park

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