US Weekend Trip Advice (Most Beautiful Natural Scenary Location)
 

I haven't seen much of USA landscape (nature) except Vermont, CA, Yosemite and Grand Canyon. I know US has a lot of beautiful places. Any recommendations?

I was planning a 4 day long-weekend trip and needed some advice on where to go in the USA for natural scenary. How about Colorodo, Montana, Mt Rushmore? Some places we found beautiful was Switzerland (Interlaken area), Germany (Black Mountains), Austria, Borneo, Vermont, Irish countryside.

We are interested in waking up to nature, hiking (not rigorous, but casual), seeing some wildlife (not zoo). We like mountains and lakes. We will be flying in, so need someplace that we can rent a car and drive to in a few hours.

Thanks

Yellowstone and the Tetons! Lots of info here just type in Yellowstone up top under search.

It would be helpful to know how far you would be willing to go??mainly how far to fly..
I took SWA into Las Vegas (cost me $188 RT )Rented a car and drove 3 hours to Zion.
there are short hikes--long the river or the up the mountains type..The scenery is awesome...I did not hike up the Virgin River, called the Narrows, mainly because of the cold water. My friends had no problem and had rented equipment in town..
For me--I would never make this journey between June and mid Sept.
due to high temps.. and crowds.Although it would be a good time to hike the river.
Another trip-
into Rapid city SD and drove up to Mt. Rushmore area..We did go in early June, which was a good thing--as we were told accommodations were filling up fast...
Good luck where ever you go..

I second the suggestion above and add an alternative:

Seattle area with Northern Cascades, Mt Ranier, Mt St Helens, Olympic Peninsula and San Juan Islands.

Another vote for Yellowstone and the Tetons. You have incredible natural beauty, with all different forms of landscape, and wildlife galore. You have hikes of all levels, lodges and campgrounds inside the park to stay in, and depending on where you go you can see moose, elk, bison, bears and wolves -- saw them all on our trip there.

Zion is gorgeous too, with stunning scenery and great hikes, but if you want the wildlife too you'll get more variety at Yellowstone.

You haven't said when you are planning to go. If it's fairly soon, you choices may be limited, since accommodations at the popular destinations fill up many months in advance. When are you planning to go?

The Colorado Rockies are so beautiful. Lots of easy hikes/walks in Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park. The areas around Vail/Aspen/Breckenridge are gorgeous also. Great shopping too! Prices in most of the ski resort towns should be good since it is off-seaon.

Absolutely Colorado. Enough years of long weekends convinced me to buy a second home there.

Acadia National Park in Maine outside of Bar Harbor. Absolutely breathtaking.

Thanks everyone for the great ideas!

I am going Memorial day Weekend.

Unless you are able to go to Alaska, there is absolutley nothing (except Yosemite) that even comes close to Yellowstone and Grand Teton

My recommendation is Arches Nat'l Park [great for hiking and spectacular scenery] and while in the area, Hwy. 128 [I believe]. IT runs along the Colorado River, starting from the same road ARches is off of. Once departing ARches, head toward Moab, and make a left immediately after crossing the river. Every bend is another photo op.