Many nature lovers long to live in a cabin out in the country, but for most of us, that’s not a reality. Like it or not, the amenities we need and the jobs that pay for them are more available in cities, and most of us end up settling in them or their suburbs.
That doesn’t mean city-dwelling nature lovers have to despair though– there are a lot of U.S. cities with great outdoor recreational opportunities inside them and not far away.
Seattle, Washington
Image Credit:ARTYOORAN/Shutterstock.
Seattle has long had a young, active vibe to it, so it’s no wonder that it draws outdoor-oriented people. The Olympic Peninsula, with its mountains, rainforests, and beaches is close by. So are Mount Rainier and the North Cascades along with many other public lands.
Bend, Oregon
Image Credit: Nicholas J Klein/Shutterstock.
Portland is close to the coast, Mt. Hood, and the Columbia River, but Bend, being on the lee side of the Cascade Range, is a lot sunnier and drier. Its central location makes it not too far from all kinds of great outdoor destinations.
Bishop, California
Image Credit: Michael Kaercher/Shutterstock.
Although incorporated as a city, Bishop feels more like a town and is tiny compared to most of the other places on this list. Set in the Owens Valley between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains, it’s a gateway and base for virtually unlimited adventures in the nearby mountains.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Image Credit: Lucky-photographer/Shutterstock.
Yes, Sin City, the Neon Capital of the World, is also a great place to live if you love the outdoors. Within the city limits are a number of parks to enjoy. Just outside the city limits are Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Amazing Valley of Fire State Park is about an hour away, and several national parks are within a few hours to a day’s drive away.
Boise, Idaho
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.
In recent years, Boise has seen explosive growth in both its population and economy. One reason is that it gets a lot of sunny weather. Another is the year-round outdoor recreation all around it.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.
The Wasatch Range is in SLC’s back yard, and it has world-class skiing, an abundance of hiking, great rock climbing, and adventurous mountaineering opportunities. The people of SLC tend to be very active and spend a lot of time outdoors, contributing to the fact that it’s one of the healthiest and fittest cities in America.
Moab, Utah
Image Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock.
Moab is kind of like the Bishop of the Southwest, not that big but always bustling with activity and blessed with a treasure trove of outdoor recreation. Some of the most beautiful sandstone country in the world surrounds it, including Arches National Park just minutes from the city limits.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Image Credit: Manuela Durson
/Shutterstock.
Flagstaff’s high elevation keeps it relatively cool in the summers compared to much of the rest of the state. That high elevation also means that in the winter, excellent skiing is close by. A lot of public land is in the area, including Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It’s also not that long a drive north to the Grand Canyon, east to Petrified Forest National Park, and south to Sedona and famed Oak Creek Canyon.
Grand Junction, Colorado
Image Credit: Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock.
Year-round recreation and good weather have helped Denver and the I-25 corridor north and south of it really boom over the past couple of decades, but the area has come to feel crowded and expensive to a lot of people. If you want the Colorado lifestyle without the Denver prices and congestion, try Grand Junction near the western edge of the state. It’s more of a desert setting than a mountain one, but the big mountains still aren’t too far away.
Rapid City, South Dakota
Image Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock.
The largest city in western South Dakota, Rapid City is a gateway to the fabled and spectacular Black Hills and all the natural and historical sites out there. And only about an hour to the east is spectacular and otherworldly Badlands National Park.
Duluth, Minnesota
Image Credit: Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock.
Duluth isn’t known as an outdoor mecca, but if you’re looking for a decent-sized city in the Great Lakes region with great access to the outdoors, check out Duluth. Situated on the shores of Lake Superior, it’s a perfect base for exploring Minnesota’s incredible North Shore region and the Superior coast of Wisconsin and of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Austin, Texas
Image Credit:Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock.
Austin may be best known as the capital of Texas and the Live Music Capital of the World, but it’s also one of America’s healthiest, fittest, and most active cities. Several public parks and lakes in the city offer outdoor recreation from hiking to mountain biking to boating to rock climbing. And just beyond is the gorgeous Texas Hill Country with all its parks and scenery.
Fort Myers, Florida
Image Credit: charles hester/Shutterstock.
Fort Myers is on the quieter Gulf Coast of Florida. The beaches are the big draw here, especially world-famous Sanibel Island, but it also isn’t far from Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park, and you don’t have to deal with Miami traffic to get to them.
Asheville, North Carolina
Image Credit: Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock.
Asheville is surrounded by mountains, some of which are among the highest in the East. The incredible Blue Ridge Parkway brushes its southern boundary, and it’s one of many ways to get to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. National forest land is also all around, and it includes the awesome “waterfall country” of western North Carolina.
Portland, Maine
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.
Portland is modern and big enough to meet your needs while retaining an authentic New England feel without the traffic, crowds, and costs of Boston. It’s a perfect place to embark on a journey up Maine’s Atlantic coast, including Acadia National Park, and it’s also not that far from Baxter State Park and from New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World That Everyone Must See
Image Credit: Sergio Amate/Shutterstock.
There’s no way you could ever come up with a definitive list of the world’s most beautiful places. However, if you ask around, some places come up a lot more frequently than others do.
The following are some of the places that people mention over and over again, not in any particular order.
30 Breathtaking Places You Must See Before You Die
The Two Best Scenic Wonders in Each of the Mountain States
Image Credit: Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock.
The Mountain States– Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico– have some of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in the United States. Because they’re so big, it can take a lot of time to visit them, so it helps to be able to plan for some specific destinations.
Following are our choices for the top two must-see outdoor locations in each of these seven states.
Leave a Reply