40 Places to Visit Before They're Gone

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Grand Canyon

Arizona

Not only is the Grand Canyon a National Park, a World Heritage Site, and a huge tourist draw, it's also sacred for numerous Native American tribes. However, proposals for a gondola ride, uranium mining, residential development, gaudy resorts, and spas, threaten to spoil the natural beauty of the canyon even more than the guardrails and touristy trappings already have.

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Did you know...

  • The largest pool in the world can be found at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Chile. It has 66 million gallons (enough water to fill 100 Olympic-sized pools). It's 3,323 feet in length, over twice the length of the next biggest pool. At a cost of $3,000,000, that sounds like a pretty good deal.
  • Minnesota might say that it's the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but Canada has it beat. The country as a whole has over three million lakes. That means Canada has 60% of the world's total number of lakes within its borders. It must seem like paradise for people who like to fish or boat!
  • The longest flight in the world is between Singapore and Newark, New Jersey. Depending on which way you're flying, it takes around 18.5 hours to complete the 9,534 miles of the journey. The flight is so long that it doesn't even have an economy class. Only first-class and business-class arrangements are offered.
  • Even though it is spread across five time zones, the entire country of China is set to Beijing time. Having a single time zone in the United States would certainly make things easier. Currently, the USA is spread across six, but a single time zone would make things a little wonky in Alaska and Hawai'i.
  • Taking a vacation is good for your health! Studies have shown that a vacation can help to lower your risk of heart disease. It's also a proven way to improve your creativity. So if you have some writer's block or need to lower your stress, grab a friend and go on an adventure!