6 Breathtaking U.S. Destinations From Another World

With space tourism now hitting the mainstream — well, as mainstream as Katy Perry and Gayle King can make it — you might be wondering if it’s time to start planning your next vacation to the farthest reaches of the universe.

Discover America’s Most Alien Landscapes

That said, there are plenty of places in the beautiful U.S. of A. that offer alien landscapes, mind-boggling views, and some seriously mysterious vistas — all surprisingly close to your average airport.

RELATED: Travel to the Coolest Hidden Wonders in Every State

And if, like many Americans, travel is a bit out of reach at the moment, here are five such places you can explore through photos and maybe visit in the future.

Haleakalā National Park, Maui, Hawaii

Located on Maui, Hawaii, Haleakalā National Park (specifically the summit at the dormant volcano of the same name) treats the adventurous visitor to a landscape that is as Mars-like as one can experience without some pretty major space gear. You might even say it’s better than Mars, with the park’s refreshing waterfalls and abundant native wildlife, two things you’d be challenged to find on the Red Planet.

Sequoia National Park, California

You’ll feel like you’ve been accidentally miniaturized (“Honey, I Shrunk the Tourist?”) in this surreal forest where everything seems larger than life. How much larger? Sequoia National Park is home to the world’s largest trees (by volume), but don’t count out Mount Whitney, which at 14,505 feet is the highest peak in the contiguous United States.

Devils Tower, Wyoming

Jutting out from the landscape that surrounds it, you can’t help but imagine that this monolithic geological formation is a landing site for intelligent life from outer space. In fact, Devils Tower played a major role as exactly that in Stephen Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. 

Painted Hills, Oregon

They’re called the Painted Hills because, well, these hills look painted. This is a unique landscape of red and gold created over millions of years by changes in climate and heaps of volcanic ash. Basically, a lot of bad stuff created some really pretty stuff that would be right at home in the magical land of Oz.

Watkins Glen State Park, New York

Located in New York’s stunning Finger Lakes region, Watkins Glen State Park is one of those rare natural wonders where paths, walkways, and bridges have been seamlessly built into the landscape for relatively easy access. They allow visitors to get up close and personal with dramatic scenery, most notably at Cavern Cascade, where even the average, not-so-adventurous traveler can enjoy the view from behind a waterfall.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

“Otherworldly” doesn’t even begin to cover it when describing Antelope Canyon in Arizona, a natural wonderland shaped and carved by floods and the passage of time — a lot of time. While the sun bounces off the “pristine slot canyons,” visitors will not only get the feeling that they have stepped into a unique piece of natural artwork, but also into another world completely.