40 Fascinating Places You Won't Believe Are in the United States
One of the best things about the United States is how diverse the landscape is. Just about every type of ecosystem can be found here, from swamps to deserts to glaciers and more. Similarly, the population is incredibly diverse, which leads to fascinating developments — like towns and homes built to look as if they came from abroad. As a result, you can find some pretty unbelievable places across the country, both natural and manmade. We picked some of the most striking of them all to share with you — from lunar-like landscapes to European-style castles in the American countryside.

White Sands National Park
One of the newest national parks, White Sands in New Mexico, is a surreal field of stark white dunes, some up to 60 feet tall. They're not made of sand, but of gypsum — and this is the largest gypsum desert in the world.

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch
If you prefer a more colorful backdrop for your photoshoot, visit the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch in California. There are 50 acres full of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers in all hues.

Leavenworth, Washington
No passport? No problem. Head to Leavenworth, Washington to feel as if you've been transported to Germany. The town mimics a Bavarian village, complete with an Oktoberfest celebration each fall.

The Wave
If you're looking to visit this impressive sandstone rock formation in Arizona, near the border of Utah, you're going to have to work for it. Very few permits are issued to visitors seeking to make the six-mile out-and-back hike — you have to be really lucky to score one.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
There’s something incredibly humbling about standing next to a 300-foot-tall sequoia tree, which is exactly what you can do in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They're located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, and you can find the famous General Grant tree here.

The Biltmore Estate
The grand Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest home in the United States, built for George Vanderbilt in 1895. The 175,000-square-foot house was designed to emulate a French châteaux. It has 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and — wait for it — 65 fireplaces. Read More…