I spent a year driving across the US in an RV. These were 7 of my favorite places — and the 2 I'd skip next time.
Sarah Silbiger took a yearlong sabbatical traveling around the US. Most of her favorite spots weren't national parks, but rather national monuments.
In 2023, Sarah Silbiger, a 30-year-old freelance video and photojournalist, embarked on a yearlong journey across the United States in a camper van, taking a sabbatical from her life in Philadelphia. She sold all her belongings before setting off on her road trip. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Sarah was unfamiliar with the American Southwest landscape. However, her travels revealed a diverse array of stunning landscapes within the country.
One of Sarah's favorite places was the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. In this Sonoran Desert, she could see the organ pipe cactus, which is the only place in the US where it grows in the wild. Another favorite spot was Pismo Beach, California, where she was captivated by the smell of eucalyptus trees, a delightful contrast to what she'd seen online. The monarch butterflies, which migrate and sit in these eucalyptus trees, were a magical sight.
For wildlife enthusiasts, Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona offered a unique experience. This park is home to coatis, which resemble raccoons and travel in large packs around the park. Goblin Valley State Park in Utah was another favorite, with its hoodoos, giant rock formations that resemble mushrooms, and fewer crowds compared to nearby national parks. Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona impressed Sarah with its gigantic crystals that look like logs, a geological phenomenon she had never seen before.
However, despite the allure of national parks, Sarah preferred national monuments for their lesser-known beauty and lack of crowds. In California, she visited Yosemite National Park, but found it challenging due to crowds and access issues. Instead, she recommended visiting the Cedar Breaks National Monument, a nearby national monument with similar landscape but without the crowds. For those considering skipping Yosemite, she proposed exploring other national monuments and state parks for a more peaceful nature experience.
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