The Most Beautiful Places in America

Based on opinions from travel writers/photographers and others in the industry, USA Weekend developed the following list of The Ten Most Beautiful Places in America:

• Clingman’s Dome along the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee)

• From Key Largo to Key West (Florida)

• Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, Ca)

• Grafton, VT

• Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)

• Na Pali Coast (Hawaii)

• Red Rock Country (Sedona, AZ)

• Squares of Savannah, GA

• The upper Mississippi River (Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota)

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

69.1 Overview

With protecting and preserving cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, www.unesco.org) has designated 830 properties worldwide as World Heritage Sites. The sites encompass both natural and cultural heritage.

69.2 World Heritage Sites in the U.S.

There are 23 World Heritage Sites in the United States. They are as follows:

• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (Illinois; www.cahokiamounds.org)

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico; www.nps.gov/cave)

• Chaco Culture (New Mexico; www.nps.gov/chcu)

• Everglades National Park (Florida; www.nps.gov/ever)

• Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona; www.nps.gov/grca)

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina/Tennessee; www.nps.gov/grsm)

• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii; www.nps.gov/havo)

• Independence Hall (Pennsylvania; www.nps.gov/inde)

• Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek (Alaska; http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/72)

• La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site (Puerto Rico; www.nps.gov/saju)*

• Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky; www.nps.gov/maca)

• Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado; www.nps.gov/meve)

• Monticello and the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA; http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/442)

• Olympic National Park (Washington; www.nps.gov/olym)

• Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (Hawaii; www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/about/welcome.html)

• Poverty Point National Monument (Louisiana; www.nps.gov/popo/index.htm)

• Pueblo de Taos (New Mexico; http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492)

• Redwood National and State Parks (California; www.nps.gov/redw)

• San Antonio Missions National Historic Park (Texas; www.nps.gov/saan/index.htm)

• Statue of Liberty (New Jersey/New York; www.nps.gov/stli)

• Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (Montana; http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/354)

• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; www.nps.gov/yell)

• Yosemite National Park (California; www.nps.gov/yose)

• U.S. Territory

69.3 Market Resources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list)