Arizona

By Gisel Habibnejad While the summer may be over, true wanderlust still lingers and remains for some of us throughout the year. Whenever that tick strikes, you can take a quick trip to any of these awe-inspiring locations to temporarily quiet the urge but leave us speechless forever. Palouse Hills Stretching across southeastern Washington, north central Idaho, and northeast Oregon, the Palouse hills have become a wonder in itself proving the beauty America’s land has to offer. The history of this destination extends as far back as the ice ages, which is believed to have formed its elevated hills. However, the region began a growth in population in the late 19th century. You can also find the Oregon Trail 160 miles south of the hills. Northern Lights Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights can be seen near all the magnetic poles of the earth. For those of you who don’t know, Alaska is a hotspot for these–we hope you don’t mind the cold! Surely, the cold temperatures are worth it for this experience. The colors alone will excite the inner science geek within you. Antelope Canyon Shades of pink and orange take over when one steps into Antelope Canyon. The popular attraction is located on Navajo land in Arizona and has only been open to the public since 1997. You can attribute it’s beauty to flash flooding which still occurs from time to time. Grand Teton National Park 40 miles worth of majestic mountain peaks and its colors embody the Grand Teton National Park located in Wyoming. The national park has been preserved so greatly, prehistoric plants and animals particular to the region can still be found here (more than 1,000 vascular plants, dozens of species of mammals, 300 species of birds, more than a dozen fish species, and some species of reptiles and amphibians). Ruby Falls Head to the south of the United States (north for us) to experience a unique underground waterfall called Ruby Falls in Tennessee. The 145-foot high cascade is housed in Lookout Mountain and was formed about 200 million years ago when it was once a shallow sea. If the name sounds familiar to you, that must mean you’re a Johnny Cash fan who co-wrote the song “See Ruby Fall,” whose title was inspired by this attraction.