1

Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Image: Wes Hicks

Yes, the entire Appalachian Trail is extremely long. Actually, it is over 2,190 miles long. But, the Shenandoah National Park, 75 miles from Washington, D.C., has over 500 miles of hiking trails, including more than 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail ; You can tackle a small section in a day’s hike.

The park is the perfect place to explore the great outdoors in Virginia and it consists of 200,000 acres of protected land that are home to animals like deer and songbirds.

2

Burroughs Mountain Trail, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Image: Scott Longerbeam

More than 260 miles of maintained trails lead visitors through peaceful old-growth forests, river valleys, and subalpine meadows on the Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state.

The park is home to one of the most iconic mountains in the world: Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above sea level straight into the clouds. Check out the Burroughs Mountain Trail for stunning views of mountain peaks and the alpine landscape.

3

Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Image: Tim Golder

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is home to the largest collection of odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion, known as hoodoos. Many of them can be viewed from the 5.5-mile Rim Trail .

The park also offers hikes for all levels, including backcountry options for those looking for a little added adventure and guided Full Moon Hikes for night-owl explorers.

4

Upper Emerald Pools Trail, Zion National Park, Utah

Image: Jamie Hagan

A park filled with hiking trails for all experience levels, Zion National Park, Utah's first national park , is famous for its massive cream, pink, and red sandstone cliffs, and freestanding arches.

Hikers should attempt to visit at sunrise and sunset to enjoy the breathtaking views of sunlight splashing off the cliffs and into the rivers below. And if it is an approachable trail they’re looking for, the Upper Emerald Pools Trail is an easy hike leading to sparkling waterfalls.

5

Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana

Image: Aaron Clinard

Over 700 miles of hiking trails, including more than a dozen options around the Many Glacier area , like the popular Grinnell Glacier Trail , can be found at the Glacier National Park.

Lucky visitors can spot some of the park's varied wildlife, including 71 species of mammals, from the tiny pygmy shrew to one of the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the country.

6

Charlies Bunion Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

Image: Leslie Cross

The Great Smoky Mountains are world-renowned for its animal and plant life diversity, as well as for its miles of official and backcountry trails with views of waterfalls and old-growth forests.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park spreads across two states and offers plenty of activities for hikers. For a particularly breathtaking vista, hike to Charlies Bunion, a popular outcropping along the Appalachian Trail.

7

Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland

Image: Eduardo Gutierrez

Considered a moderate-difficulty trail, Maryland's Billy Goat Trail has three sections totaling eight miles, though portions are strenuous and challenging . Outdoor enthusiasts can experience the raging Potomac River and the rocky crags of Great Falls. The hike is very popular, so early hours are advisable to beat the crowds.

8

Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park, Colorado

Image: Leslie Cross

An old park, Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado, has been around since 1898. The 80-acre park has miles of hiking, much of which are uphill . But there are less strenuous hikes, too, like the Chautauqua Trail, which offers views of the Flatiron mountains and Boulder.

9

Canyon to Rim Loop, Smith Rock State Park, Oregon

Image: Alex Diaz

Hikers of every level can find an appropriate trail at Smith Rock State Park, in Oregon. These vary in length and difficulty, but they all offer beautiful views of the Central Oregon landscape**.**

The park offers hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and visitors may spot golden eagles, prairie falcons, river otters, and beavers throughout the day.

10

Petroglyph Wall Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada

Image: Kristin Melville

As visitors to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area can testify, not all short-distance hikes are the same. Many are labeled difficult, and it can take four to five hours to complete a five-mile hike.

Along the different routes, desert wildlife can be spotted, including lizards, toads, and hawks. One of the park's most beginner-friendly hikes is the 0.2-mile Petroglyph Wall Trail , where centuries-old rock art can be appreciated.

1

Empire State Building, New York City

Image: William Wachter

Undoubtedly, the Empire State is the most famous building in New York City. Every year, about 2.5 million people visit it, and it has been featured in countless movies and TV shows. Designed by American architect William F. Lamb, it was inaugurated in 1931.

For forty-one years, the Empire State Building was the tallest skyscraper in the world. The symmetry, limestone façade, huge windows, and the monumental and luxurious lobby are some of its main features. The design of this Art Deco masterpiece is so spectacular and breathtaking that in 1986 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

2

The Carlyle, Miami Beach

Image: Luis Erives

Miami has the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world. The city has a remarkable collection of around 800 structures built in this style. Visiting the Art Deco district along Collins Avenue, Ocean Drive, and Washington Avenue is like traveling back in time. And perhaps the Carlyle, for its sophisticated combination of horizontals and verticals, is one of the most emblematic.

It was built in 1939 by German-American architect Richard Kiehnel, and its façade has barely changed since then. Its interior, on the other hand, went from hotel rooms to apartments.

3

Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, Tulsa

Image: Quang Vuong

The Boston Avenue United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is one of the few examples of an Art Deco church. Beginning in the 1920s, little Tulsa became the oil capital of the U.S., and the sudden influx of resources encouraged investors to build increasingly grandiose buildings. Thus, this church is considered the first ecclesiastical building strictly designed for an emerging automobile culture.

Constructed from Indiana limestone, the church features a steel-frame tower topped with a copper and glass lantern. A seven-pointed star symbolizes seven virtues: patience, purity, knowledge, suffering, kindness, love, and truth. The complex also includes a sanctuary, a small chapel, and offices, while the lobby serves as a social center.

4

Union Terminal, Cincinnati

Image: Fred Copley

Cincinnati Union Terminal in Ohio is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. Its green terrazzo floors, fine-grained Indiana limestone façade, and vast rotunda adorned with industrial murals by Winold Reiss make the station a true architectural masterpiece. In fact, it is considered the pinnacle work of Alfred T. Fellheimer, who had previously designed Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Unfortunately, Union Terminal began construction in 1928, during one of the worst periods in the country's economic history. The Great Depression was marked by a decline in train travel, and the opulent Union Terminal was considered a white elephant. In 1972, it was finally closed. Years later, however, the building regained its former luster. Today, it is served by Amtrak’s Cardinal line, while the rest of the complex houses several museums.

5

Carbide & Carbon Building, Chicago

Image: Anthony Fomin

The Carbide & Carbon Building, a 37-story skyscraper completed in 1929, is one of Chicago's most striking architectural achievements. A bold example of Art Deco design , the building is clad in black granite and green terra cotta, with genuine gold leaf adorning its tower.

It is so luxurious that the Burnham Brothers architectural firm is said to have designed it to resemble a champagne bottle. In 1996, it was designated a Chicago Landmark, and in 2021, it was renovated and reopened as the Pendry Chicago Hotel.

6

The Guardian Building, Detroit

Image: G + L

This 43-story Art Deco skyscraper is located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Nicknamed the Cathedral of Finance , it was planned by architect Wirt C. Rowland and completed in 1929. Both the interior and exterior feature numerous modern decorative elements, including mosaics, murals, stained glass, and even a historic Tiffany clock.

Forty craftsmen worked on its design and construction, which required granite, stone, terra cotta, and more than two million distinctive "Union Guardian Orange" bricks. In 1989, the Guardian Building was designated a National Historic Landmark.

7

Chrysler Building, New York City

Image: William Wachter

The Chrysler Building in New York City is one of the greatest examples of the Art Deco style in the world. It was designed by architect William Van Alen at the request of industrial magnate Walter Percy Chrysler and completed in 1930.

The building exhibits great attention to detail, featuring many elements that mimic Chrysler automobile pieces, such as the ostentatious ornamentation of the tower. In the lobby, the ceiling mural—once the largest in the United States—was painted by artist Edward Trumbull. Following the building’s automotive theme, it depicts scenes of progress, transportation, and energy.

8

Eastern Columbia Building, Los Angeles

Image: Jordan Rubin

Located in downtown Los Angeles, this emblematic 1930s building features a striking turquoise terra cotta exterior. The Eastern Columbia Building was designed by renowned architect Claud Beelman, who also created several of the city’s notable Art Deco structures. At the time of its construction, the building was so unique that the city allowed it to exceed the maximum height limit.

Its unique color, majestic vertical lines, iconic clock, and golden ornamentation attracted Hollywood moguls and stars from the beginning. It was first used as office space and was later converted into luxury apartments. In 1985, the Eastern Columbia Building was declared a Historic-Cultural Monument.

9

Circle Tower, Indianapolis

Image: Alejandro, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The construction of a 14-story skyscraper in Indianapolis was a major news event in the early 20th century. "Circle Tower Is Rising," declared the Indianapolis Times in 1929. Circle Tower stands as a magnificent example of Art Deco architecture.

Built of ornately carved granite and limestone and decorated with Egyptian figures, Circle Tower has a unique, trapezoidal shape. This unusual silhouette was promoted as an icon of luxurious office space. The interior, on the other hand, features marble and terrazzo floors, bronze elevator doors, geometric flowers, zigzags, and concentric swirls. Details in the lavishly marble-clad lobby exude elegance.

10

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

Image: David Vives

The Griffith Observatory is one of Los Angeles’ most important cultural attractions. This Art Deco icon opened in 1935 and was designed with a revolutionary idea in mind: the cosmos should be accessible to everyone, not just astronomers.

Built of reinforced concrete on a 3,015-acre site donated by Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, it is a blend of modern design and Greek and Beaux-Arts influences. The building's most emblematic feature? The planetarium in the central dome!

1

Peanuts

Image: ZENG YILI

We’ll start with what some describe as "arguably the longest story ever told by one human being." When Charles Schulz started Peanuts in 1950, he wasn’t aware that he would single-handedly produce a plethora of amazing stories until his death in 2000. The original Peanuts run, which introduced iconic characters like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Linus, appeared in over 2,600 newspapers and has been translated into 21 languages.

2

Marmaduke

Image: Oliver Bichard

As any Great Dane owner can tell you, these massive dogs can sometimes be a handful. However, if the comic strip Marmaduke has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how messy their lovable dog is, the Winslow family will always care for their Great Dane, the titular Marmaduke. This comic strip was created in 1954 by cartoonist Brad Anderson, who continued to make Marmaduke comics for 61 years until his death in 2015.

3

Krazy Kat

Image: Shelby Murphy Figueroa

While perhaps not as well-known as other comic strips in this article, George Herriman’s Krazy Kat (also known as Krazy and Ignatz ) is considered by many critics to be one of the most influential comic strips in history. At first glance, Krazy Kat , which ran from 1913 to 1944, appears to be a simple gag-a-day comic depicting an anthropomorphic cat and his mouse rival. However, Herriman’s impressive artwork and groundbreaking creativity have led critics to regard Krazy Kat as one of the most significant pieces of American art .

4

Garfield

Image: Jason Yuen

Garfield is a strong contender for the title of "world’s most famous cartoon cat." True, he is competing with heavy hitters like Tom from Tom and Jerry or Felix the Cat, but this Monday-hating, lasagna-loving orange cat is truly a force to be reckoned with. Created by Jim Davis in 1976, Garfield was first introduced in a comic strip named Jon after the cat’s owner. However, Garfield quickly took the spotlight, and the comic strip was renamed Garfield in 1977. From that point onward, Garfield became an international icon, earning the Guinness World Record for being the world's most widely syndicated comic strip.

5

Calvin and Hobbes

Image: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0

Can you remember the stuffed animal you would carry everywhere as a child, going on imaginary adventures all across your backyard? Well, for many of us, Calvin and Hobbes perfectly encapsulates those beloved memories. Created by Bill Watterson in 1985, this comic strip depicts the adventures of a young boy named Calvin and his best friend Hobbes, a whimsical and friendly tiger. What’s most moving about this comic strip is that both Calvin and the readers see Hobbes not as a stuffed animal, but as the best friend a young boy could have.

6

The Far Side

Image: Luis Cortés

Up until this point, we’ve been focusing on multi-paneled comic strips, which have several panels at their disposal to tell a compelling story. However, The Far Side has the remarkable distinction of making us laugh heartily with just a single panel. Written and drawn by Gary Larson, this comic strip combines surreal humor with unexpected punchlines , often depicting social situations or the author’s unique view of the world.

7

Dilbert

Image: The Conmunity - Pop Culture Geek from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0

The break rooms of offices across America are filled with newspapers, which tired employees read during their breaks before returning to work. In that sense, artist Scott Adams perfectly chose office humor as the ideal backdrop for his comic strip, Dilbert . First published in 1989, the strip tells the story of the titular Dilbert, a white-collar engineer trying to navigate the hilarious madness of working in an office.

8

The Family Circus

Image: William Fitzgibbon

At times, the chaos of living with a big family might seem not too dissimilar to the frenzy and excitement of a circus. This seems to be the premise behind the beloved comic strip The Family Circus , created by cartoonist Bil Keane and continued by his son Jeff after Bil’s death. This comic strip revolves around an unnamed family and the many adventures that their three small children and modern life bring to them.

9

Popeye

Image: Jonathan MONCK-MASON

Years before becoming the world’s most famous sailor, Popeye debuted in 1929 as a character in a comic strip called Thimble Theatre . Interestingly, he first appeared when the series was already in its tenth year, but he quickly became its most famous character, eventually overshadowing the original cast and becoming the protagonist. In due time, the strip was renamed Thimble Theatre Starring Popeye before being simply shortened to Popeye in the 1930s.

10

Little Nemo in Slumberland

Image: Hayffield L

We’ll end with the oldest comic strip in this article, which many believe to be the father of all American comic strips. In 1905, American cartoonist Winsor McCay first published Little Nemo in Slumberland . The comic revolved around the titular Nemo, a young boy who often found himself embarking on wonderful adventures in the dream world. McCay’s remarkable artistry and surreal imagery influenced generations of cartoonists and visual artists throughout history.