Have you ever been to that one place that you thought you could never leave because of how beautiful it was? Have you ever found yourself fawning over pictures of the most perfect places? Have you ever found yourself staring at a place that had so much potential to be beautiful or outstanding? Have you ever found yourself wanting to do more to help a city with potential beauty?
I, often, find myself staring at pictures of some of the world’s most beautiful places. The way the place was created just makes you almost drool. This world is full of many majestic places that will make you feel like you are standing in a movie scene or that you are not in real life. Those places are what dreams are made of. Those places are what drives you to go on vacations every year. The most beautiful places in the world are always well-taken care of. It is so magical to feel, touch, see, and hear all that you can while you are visiting or being a tourist in the most beautiful place on earth. Below you will find a list of 10 of the most beautiful places in the world and 10 that need a makeover.
20 Beautiful: Huacachina, Peru
Huacachina is a small village in Southwestern Peru. It is a small oasis surrounded by sand dunes. There are around 100 people that permanently live there, while there are around tens of thousands of tourists that visit each year. Huacachina is built around a lake that is called “the oasis". Many tourists are not only attracted to the oasis, but also to the sport of sandboarding the nearby sand dunes. Locals say that according to legend, the mud and the water at the are supposed to heal. Tourists will take mud baths and play in the water in hopes of receiving healing. This place truly is an oasis.
19 Beautiful: Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon National Park is located in Northwestern, Arizona, U.S.. People from all over the world pile in to see the Grand Canyon, the gorge of the Colorado river, and the national park. The Grand Canyon is layered bands of red rock. The red rock has thousands of years of geological history in it. The gorge of the Colorado river is a beautiful sight to see. The river runs right between the Grand Canyon. The national park has over 1.2 acres in it. There were more than 6 million visitors to the national park last year, 2017. The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the whole world.
18 Beautiful: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park is found in Croatia. It is one of the oldest, yet largest parks in Croatia. The park has over 73,000 acres. Over 1 million people come to visit Plitvice lakes each year. The park is known mostly for its stunning lakes that form a cascade. Currently 16 lakes can be seen. All of the lakes are connected and follow the flow of water down the mountain. The lakes are known for the majestic colors: azure, green, grey, and blue. The colors of the lake change due to the changing quantities of the minerals or organisms and the angle of the sunlight beaming onto the lakes.
17 Beautiful: Milford Sound
Milford is a fiord found in New Zealand. It is New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. There are vast amounts of wildlife that live here. Seals, penguins, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, and more. The Milford Sound has become known as the breeding ground for Fiordland penguins. The fiord will attract around one million visitors per year. There are also beautiful waterfalls in Milford Sound. Sometimes, if you catch the right windy-rainy day, you can see the wind play with the waterfalls. The wind will hit the water just right and cause the water to move upwards instead of downwards like a waterfall is supposed to fall.
16 Beautiful: Rainbow Mountains
Rainbow Mountains are a part of the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park found in China. The Rainbow Mountains were formed by many layers of different colored sandstones and minerals pressed together and then pushed up by tectonic plates. The Rainbow Mountains were voted in, by China media outlets, as one of the most beautiful landscapes in China. Surprisingly, the land is formed of only dirt and mud so just one touch could create a horrible erosion. China designated pathways for tourists in order for the protection of the magical mountains. If you ever get to visit the Rainbow Mountains, take your time and soak up each platform you look at or look over.
15 Beautiful: Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a place that looks like it has come straight from an ancient movie set. Machu Picchu is a 15thcentury Inca citadel that is situated on a mountain ridge. This ancient place is located in Peru. The Incas built the estate in 1450. The Incas abandoned the estate a century later. Machu Picchu is known as “the lost city of the Incas” and was discovered and broadcasted to the world by historian, Hiram Bingham, in 1911. There are 3 primary structures here: the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. The structures have been rebuilt for tourism.
14 Beautiful: Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven beach is found in Australia. This beautiful beach earns its name honestly. The beach has crystal white sand and turquoise blue waters. The sand is crystal white because it is 98% pure silica. The sand here is very special because it does not retain heat. Unlike other beaches, you can walk on Whitehaven beach and your feet won’t blister from scorching hot sand. Also, the sand is real fine. This means that it can damage electronic equipment such as your cell phone, tablet, or cameras. Shockingly, the sand here is great for polishing jewelry. The beach has Whitehaven beach BBQ and a camp facility. The island is only 4 miles long, and can only be accessed via plane or boat. This majestic beach is a beautiful vacation destination.
13 Beautiful: Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake is a glacially fed lake found in Banff National Park, Canada. This lake covers around 120 acres. When Moraine Lake is completely full, it will produce a beautiful, distinctive shade of blue. The distinctive color of Moraine Lake is due to the light reflecting off of the rock flour that is being deposited into the lake on a daily basis. You can take a hike down Rockpile Trail to follow alongside Moraine Lake. Rockpile Trail has one of the most photographed views of Moraine Lake. Moraine Lake is nothing less than stunning if you are into camping or photographing nature.
12 Beautiful: Maroon Bells
The Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains in Colorado, U.S.. The two peaks are named Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. Both peaks are considered to be “fourteeners”, which means that both peaks reach at least 14,000 feet high. Maroon Creek Valley is the valley that is between the two peaks. This valley is the most photographed part of the Maroon Bells. The Maroon Bells come with a warning. The warning at the beginning of the peaks say to be careful of down sloping, loose, rotten, and unstable rocks that kill without warning. The Maroon Bells are made out of mudstone and is called the “deadly bells”, because mudstone is weak and fractures easily. However, mudstone is how the two peaks received its name, because the mudstone is a maroon color.
11 Beautiful: Bora Bora
Bora Bora is on an island in French Polynesia. Bora Bora is surrounded by a lagoon and barrier reef. It is known for its aqua-centric luxury resorts. You have probably seen or heard of your favorite celebrity vacationing here. The economy on the island is solely based off of tourism. Even though you spend most of your time soaking up the sun or swimming in the crystal clear water, you can visit a few land marks on the island such as the WWII cannons. Snorkeling and diving are the most common activities here. There are all kinds of species of rays and sharks to see while snorkeling or diving. This magical island is very aqua-centric, but is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
10 Makeover: Varanasi
Varanasi is the oldest city in the entire world, and it is found in India. It is one of the major hubs for Buddhism in India. This city is known for its muslin, silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. In fact, is told that Buddha founded Buddhism here when he gave his first sermon nearby in Sarnath, back in 528 B.C.E.. Modern Varanasi was built during the 18thcentury by Maratha and Brahmin Kings. This city has embankments made in steps with stone slabs along the river bank for cultural purposes. The city is rich in history, culture, religion, and much more. It is beautiful history, but if re-built or remodeled would be a beautiful city once again.
9 Makeover: New Orleans
New Orleans is located in Louisiana, U.S.. It is known for its celebrations, festivals, distinct music, unique dialogue, and Creole cuisine. Most of you might have heard of New Orleans for its Mardi Gras festivities that are put together every year. New Orleans was hit really hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 causing a 50% decrease in the population and a loss in a lot of the architecture. New Orleans has been rebuilt some, but never has been back to how it was prior to the hurricane. Hopefully one day New Orleans will be just as beautiful as it once was.
8 Makeover: Detroit
Detroit is the most populous city in Michigan. In the 20thcentury, Detroit began to successfully grow in the auto industry. By the 1940’s, Detroit became the 4thlargest city in the country due to the expanding auto industry. However, the auto industry began decreasing in success causing loss of jobs. Detroit’s population decreased by 60% due to crime rates and job losses. It was going to be the largest city to ever file for bankruptcy in the United States, but it was able to turn the financial crisis around with new government a few years later. Detroit is known for its crime rates and abandoned buildings, but once Detroit remodels and re-strengthens its financial situation it will be a beautiful city once again.
7 Makeover: Philadelphia
Philadelphia is known as Philly and is located in Pennsylvania. Philly is very rich in history. It has the liberty bell, Independence Hall, and more. It is a major industrial city and a railroad hub. It is home to the birthplace of the U.S. Marine Corps. Many firsts happened here such as the first hospital, first library, and much more for the United States. With Philly growing so fast, it became hard to upkeep with all the trash. Trash began piling up along with littering. Before everyone knew it, Philly became a very dirty city. Once Philly is cleaned up, it will be the historic-beautiful city it once was.
6 Makeover: New York City
New York City is located in New York, U.S.. It has one of the largest metropolitan in the whole world, New York Metropolitan. New York City is the largest populated city in the United States. It is known for its vast skyscrapers. In fact, Times Square is one of the most visited spots of the city. Times Square is filled with skyscrapers with illuminating digital billboards. There is no place quite like New York City. Since it is over-populated, it has an enormous amount of trash, litter, and crime. The city is very special and beautiful, but the streets need cleaning up some.
5 Makeover: Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the “city of angels”. It is located in a large basin with mountains as tall as 10,000 feet on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. It is known for its iconic Hollywood sign, famous movie studios, and for its opportunities to become famous or see famous celebrities. Also, Los Angeles hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984. This city is magical, but it needs to be cleaned up. The city has the largest homeless population in the States and like New York City has an enormous amount of trash. This city will remain magical no matter how dirty it is, nor how many homeless people thrive on the streets, but if it was cleaned up a little it would be astounding.
4 Makeover: Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps. There is always a party to have or to take part in here. The focal point of Las Vegas is a place called The Strip. It is known for its massive gambling scene, 24-hour clubs, and entertainment. The Strip has themed hotels, fountains synchronized to music, the Eiffel tower, Egyptian pyramid, and the Venetian Grand Canal. Due to the large amounts of tourists and the chaotic parties that last 24-hours, the city has become one of the dirtiest cities in the States. Las Vegas may be fun, but the city needs to be cleaned up in order to be its true potential.
3 Makeover: Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a beautiful destination located in a coastal resort city in Miami, Florida. It is located on man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. Miami Beach has the historical Art Deco Historic District here. The Art Deco is comprised of hotels, apartments, and other structures that was built between 1923 and 1943. The nightlife, partying, and massive amounts of tourists have affected the beaches of Miami. Even though the beaches are stunning, it takes a lot of effort and volunteers to clean up after all the people. Miami Beach fights being dirty year round, but it is a majestic city.
2 Makeover: Atlanta
Atlanta is the capital of Georgia. This city was burned down to the ground during the Civil War, but rose from the ashes to what it has become today. Atlanta is the national center of commerce. This city has a large impact on global commerce, finance, research, technology, education, media, art, and entertainment. Atlanta has become a huge part of the war on drugs and other criminal activities. With Atlanta growing larger and larger, it has had a problem keeping up with the trash on the streets. There is a lot of graffiti on the architecture and trash being piled up on the streets. The city is a place for world domination, but it takes a whole city to keep clean.
1 Makeover: Houston
Houston is located in Texas, U.S.. Houston is known for its refinery plants. There are 10 refinery plants there. The refinery plants can refine about 2 million barrels of oil a day. The dirtiest part of living in Houston is the pollutants that the refineries produce each year. Air pollution is a different kind of “trash”, but none-the-less it is still a form of dirt. During Hurricane Harvey, the refineries in Houston leaked more than 2,000 tons of extra air pollution. Houston is dirty because of its dirty air, but hopefully soon it will find a solution to cleaner air.