<strong>1. Blue Ridge Parkway:</strong> Fall colors vividly pop in this aerial photo of the parkway in the North Carolina portion of its route. (The parkway continues into Virginia). More than 15.7 million people paid recreational visits to the parkway in 2022, making it the No. 1 US National Park Service site.
1. Blue Ridge Parkway: Fall colors vividly pop in this aerial photo of the parkway in the North Carolina portion of its route. (The parkway continues into Virginia). More than 15.7 million people paid recreational visits to the parkway in 2022, making it the No. 1 US National Park Service site.
Kirk Wester/Adobe Stock
<strong>2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area:</strong> A bicyclist rides along one of the many bike paths and trails at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Francisco is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/best-bicycle-cities-world-travelers/index.html" target="_blank">one of the top cities in the world</a> to visit by bike.
2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area: A bicyclist rides along one of the many bike paths and trails at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Francisco is one of the top cities in the world to visit by bike.
George Rose/Getty Images
<strong>3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park:</strong> Another sunrise comes to the third-most visited NPS site, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee. It also holds the distinction of being the most visited national park in 2022. (There are 63 in total).
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Another sunrise comes to the third-most visited NPS site, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee. It also holds the distinction of being the most visited national park in 2022. (There are 63 in total).
Nickolay Khoroshkov/Adobe Stock
<strong>4. Gateway National Recreation Area:</strong> The sun sets on Sandy Hook Bay in this area along the New Jersey shore. The recreation area extends into parts of New York, too.
4. Gateway National Recreation Area: The sun sets on Sandy Hook Bay in this area along the New Jersey shore. The recreation area extends into parts of New York, too.
andykazie/iStockphoto/Getty Images
<strong>5. The Lincoln Memorial:</strong> At the epicenter of American history, the Lincoln Memorial is on the National Mall in Washington. It celebrated its <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lincoln-memorial-100th-anniversary-washington/index.html" target="_blank">100th anniversary</a> in 2022.
5. The Lincoln Memorial: At the epicenter of American history, the Lincoln Memorial is on the National Mall in Washington. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022.
Jbyard/Adobe Stock
<strong>6. George Washington Memorial Parkway</strong>: Gorgeous spring tulips and dogwoods adorn the parkway in McLean, Virginia. The parkway also runs through parts of the District of Columbia and Maryland.
6. George Washington Memorial Parkway: Gorgeous spring tulips and dogwoods adorn the parkway in McLean, Virginia. The parkway also runs through parts of the District of Columbia and Maryland.
Alamy Stock Photo
<strong>7. Natchez Trace Parkway:</strong> This 444-mile ribbon of beauty goes through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Pictured is a stretch of road in Franklin, Tennessee.
7. Natchez Trace Parkway: This 444-mile ribbon of beauty goes through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Pictured is a stretch of road in Franklin, Tennessee.
John/Adobe Stock
<strong>8. Gulf Islands National Seashore: </strong>This treasure on the Gulf of Mexico occupies various pristine spots in Mississippi and Florida. Pictured are the famous white sands of Santa Rosa Island.
8. Gulf Islands National Seashore: This treasure on the Gulf of Mexico occupies various pristine spots in Mississippi and Florida. Pictured are the famous white sands of Santa Rosa Island.
James Randklev/Corbis Documentary RF/Getty Images
<strong>9. Lake Mead National Recreation Area:</strong> Like many other sites, this recreation area crosses state lines, occupying parts of Arizona and Nevada. Despite recent heavy rains and snows, many people are concerned about the lake's future. The Southwest's long drought has put the body of water under intense pressure.
9. Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Like many other sites, this recreation area crosses state lines, occupying parts of Arizona and Nevada. Despite recent heavy rains and snows, many people are concerned about the lake's future. The Southwest's long drought has put the body of water under intense pressure.
David McNew/Getty Images
<strong>10. Vietnam War Memorial:</strong> Almost 4.9 million people came to the memorial in 2022. The memorial in Washington chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
10. Vietnam War Memorial: Almost 4.9 million people came to the memorial in 2022. The memorial in Washington chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
J. David Ake/AP