We asked our staff, “What’s your favorite natural wonder you’ve seen on the road?” See what locations left an impression on us in this month’s Staff Sound-Off.
Tenorio Volcano National Park in Costa Rica. The beauty and tranquility of this area was just breathtaking.
— Daniel Jean-Louis, account manager
Kentucky is a wonderful place to live, not least because of its natural beauty. Cumberland Falls and Mammoth Cave are at the top of my favorites list, so it’s fortunate I live less than three hours from both.
— Ashley Ricks, graphic designer and circulation manager
My favorite natural wonder is the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. I went on a 10-day trek and hiked for six to nine hours each day, winding through some of the world’s tallest mountain ranges in order to make it to the next guest house before dark. Although the hikes were exhausting, I got to experience quaint mountain villages and remote temples and monasteries. I enjoyed traditional Nepalese food at the tearooms and met people from all over the world. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget.
— Kelly Tyner, director of sales and marketing
This is a tough one. Alaska makes such an impression on any American traveler. It’s impossible to describe how big and wild it continues to be. It is a treasure. But I’m going with Wadi Rum in Jordan. Wadi Rum is a rose-colored desert whose sight lines are interrupted by mountains that seem to rise from nowhere. I want to go back there to spend a couple of nights at a camp to stargaze. I am told the heavens at night in Wadi Rum will make you ponder the universe like never before.
— Mac Lacy, publisher
For me, it’s driving through the Smokies. I’ve been through several times, and I always get goosebumps when I drive through.
— Kyle Anderson, account manager
All of New Zealand is beautiful, but Milford Sound is stunning beyond words. I’ll always remember the moment I got my first glimpse of the sound and the surrounding mountains from the picture window in a hotel room. I’ve never felt so awed by nature.
— Brian Jewell, executive editor
