Summary
- Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky offers impressive cave formations and outdoor activities like hiking and horseback riding.
- Olympic National Park in Washington boasts diverse ecosystems, rugged coastlines, and crystal clear lakes.
- Taos Pueblo in New Mexico is a historic site nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, featuring authentic ceremonial buildings and a rich history.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) first started designating World Heritage Sites in certain countries across the globe in an effort to preserve the locations for future generations to come.
Each year, additional sites are added, and the United States is proud to play host to a total of 24 natural and cultural World Heritage Sites across the country. While many are worth visiting, others are decidedly not. These are the top-rated UNESCO sites in the U.S. to see on the vacation of a lifetime.
10
Mammoth Cave National Park
Sunrays beaming inside in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, USA
Mammoth Cave National Park features one of the most intricate cave systems in the world and has quickly become one of the most impressive ecological sites in the country.
Here visitors can look forward to seeing almost every variety of cave formation from stalagmites to stalactites and even gypsum needles. There are many tours worth taking, but some are more difficult than others. For those wanderers who would prefer to stay on the surface, hiking and canoeing are available as well as the chance to go horseback riding and camping.
- Location: Kentucky
- Date of Inscription: 1987
- Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day including holidays
Fees and Passes at Mammoth Cave National Park:
- A private vehicle pass is valid for seven days and costs $30
- A motorcycle pass is valid for seven days and costs $25
- An individual pedestrian/bicycle pass is valid for seven days and costs $15.
There are restrictions when it comes to the use of strollers and child backpack carriers (front packs are permitted) during a trip to the Wild Cave Tours to ensure the safety of all visitors.
9
Olympic National Park
A stream flowing in Olympic National Park in Washington
Olympic National Park offers explorers the chance to experience everything from rugged coastlines across the Pacific to hiking on mountain peaks to exploring crystal clear lakes.
There’s also a diverse range of ecosystems located in the area for those travelers who are hoping to enjoy sightings of spotted owls or marbled murrelet. Located near Seattle, the park is now officially an International Biosphere Reserve.
- Location: Washington
- Date of Inscription: 1981
- Opening Hours:
- Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day including holidays
- Cave Tours and the Visitor Center are limited to after-hours and close at 4:30 pm in the winter and around 6:00 pm in the summer seasons. It’s recommended to check weather conditions before planning a visit due to possible closures.
Fees and Passes at Olympic National Park:
- It is free to enter the park. Fees apply to cave tours, camping facilities, and any shelter rentals.
For a budget-friendly getaway during your visit to the World Heritage Site, travelers could also experience the Olympic Peninsula Loop or see nearby attractions at Rialto Beach.
8
Taos Pueblo
Ancient Indian Taos Pueblo adobe city in Taos, New Mexico
It’s easy to see why Taos Pueblo has earned itself the title of becoming a top-rated UNESCO World Heritage Site in the U.S. For travelers who are drawn to archeology and architecture, the site is located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and is truly worth a visit.
Engulfed in a rich history, it is still inhabited by communities to this day and features authentic ceremonial buildings that are around 1000 years old.
- Location: New Mexico
- Date of Inscription: 1992
- Opening Hours: Open Sunday to Saturday from 09:00am – 16:00pm
Fees and Passes at Taos Pueblo:
- Adults: $25 per person
- Groups consisting of 8 or more adults: $22 per person
- Seniors: $22 per person
- Students: $22 per person
- Children 10 and under: Free
7
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Luxurious mountain cabins perched on a hill near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
For outdoor travelers who enjoy being surrounded by clear-running streams and misty mountains, undisturbed forests, and the scenic views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is ideal.
It’s famously home to a smoky-blue haze and has since been referred to as the “land of the blue smoke” by local Cherokee residents. It also hosts the largest block of virgin red spruce and here visitors can enjoy other activities such as hiking, fishing, or even horseback riding.
- Location: Tennessee
- Date of Inscription: 1983
- Opening Hours: Open Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am – 6:30 pm
Fees and Passes at Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
There is no entrance fee charge. However, parking tags are required for all vehicles that park for a period longer than 15 minutes. They can be purchased online or onsite.
Parking Tag Costs:
Parking tags are available for purchase both online and onsite.
- Daily charge- $5
- Weekly charge – $15
- Annual charge – $40
6
Everglades National Park
Nesting birds and chicks in the Everglades National Park in Florida, USA
The Everglades National Park first became a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and now has around a million visitors each year. In addition to hosting tropical birds and the largest mangrove ecosystem in the world, it’s home to an incredible array of endangered animals with the likes of the manatee and the American crocodile.
Travelers may even be lucky enough to catch a rare sighting of a Florida panther when visiting the national park.
- Location: Florida
- Date of Inscription: 1979
- Opening Hours: Open Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Fees and Passes at Everglades National Park:
- A vehicle entry fee is valid for seven consecutive days and costs $30
- A person/cyclist entry fee is valid for seven consecutive days and costs $25. Individuals who are 16 years old and younger gain entry for free
5
Yellowstone National Park
Emerald Pool with striking colors, located in the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park
For those animal enthusiasts, Yellowstone National Park is the perfect World Heritage Site to visit when planning a getaway. Here visitors can look forward to sighting the world’s largest concentration of geysers also known as hot springs, including the famous and impeccably timed Old Faithful Geyser.
This cone geyser is located at the top of the Upper Geyser Basin in the southwestern part of this heritage site and ejects fountain-like columns of steam varying in height from between 100 to 180 feet!
Luckily it’s known to erupt around 20 times a day, so visitors could be fortunate enough to experience the phenomena in real time. In addition, visitors can look forward to spotting a range of wildlife with the likes of moose, elk, wolves, and bears. Other outdoor activities include hiking, fishing, or even a scenic bike ride through the park.
Did you know around half of the world’s geothermal features are located in Yellowstone National Park which amount to around 10,000 in total?
- Location: Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
- Date of Inscription: 1978
- Opening Hours: Open 24 hours
Fees and Passes at Yellowstone National Park:
- A private vehicle pass is valid all year round and costs $35
- A motorcycle pass is valid all year round and costs $30
- An individual pedestrian pass is valid all year round and costs $20
To view the current road status and any seasonal opening or closing dates that may arise, visit the park roads page for updates.
4
Statue Of Liberty
Aerial view Statue of Liberty and Jersey City and Manhattan cityscapes
The Statue of Liberty ranks at number 4 among the ten top-rated UNESCO World Heritage Sites throughout the United States of America. Located on Liberty Island, the copper statue was generously gifted by France when the U.S. celebrated the centenary of its independence and has since gone on to become one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.
Upon visiting the landmark, visitors are able to enjoy a tour and visit the museum or experience the statue’s pedestal and crown. Visitors can look forward to exploring the Liberty Park grounds as well as the sights and sounds of Ellis Island, which once housed the busiest immigration station in the whole of the U.S.
The park can be accessed via the Statue Cruises ferry that departs daily from Battery Park as well as the Liberty State Park.
- Location: New York
- Date of Inscription: 1984
- Opening Hours: Open Monday to Sunday from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Fees and Passes at the Statue of Liberty:
- General access to the Statue of Liberty is free
Pedestal Access:
- Children under 4: Free
- Children aged 4-12: $12.30
- Individuals aged 13+: $24.80
- Seniors aged 62+: $18.30
Crown Access:
- Children under 4: Restricted
- Children aged 4-12: $12.30
- Individuals aged 13+: $24.80
- Seniors aged 62+: $18.30
3
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Monk’s Mound at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville
Located in southwestern Illinois, the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site lies near the banks of the Mississippi River. It has the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico calling the site home which earned the historic site the title of being one of the most important archeological sites in North America.
The popular destination also features The Monks Mound, a large prehistoric earthwork. Visitors can explore the site through self-guided tours or enlist the help of a professional tour guide.
There is also a museum exhibition gallery, a public programming auditorium, and an orientation show theater available to visit on-site.
- Location: Missouri
- Date of Inscription: 1982
- Opening Hours: Open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fees and Passes at the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site:
2
Grand Canyon National Park
A Desert Big Horn Ram Sheep at the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
Ranking at number 2 is the Grand Canyon National Park, which is not only an official UNESCO World Heritage Site in the U.S. but is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
The canyon itself has a unique composition of geological features and a series of erosion forms attracting around 5.5 million visitors each year. Here travelers will be greeted with garden sites as well as food storage areas and ancient artifacts.
To this day there are still a few modern tribes who believe the Grand Canyon site to be their homeland. Travelers visiting the park can choose to participate in a wide range of activities from hiking and rafting to swimming and horseback riding.
- Location: Arizona
- Date of Inscription: 1979
- Opening Hours: Open Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Fees and Passes at the Grand Canyon National Park:
- A private vehicle pass is valid all year round and costs $35
- A motorcycle pass is valid all year round and costs $30
- An individual pedestrian pass is valid all year round and costs $20
1
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
The Kilauea Iki Crater in Hawaii, with lava, a volcano, and mountains. This is the Crater Rim Drive to Keanakāko’i, an overlook hiking trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park undoubtedly deserves a spot on any Hawaii travel itinerary. Not only does it contain two of the world’s most active volcanoes, the Mauna Loa and Kilauea, but it also offers visitors the opportunity to drive around the crater rim, experience a ranger-led tour, and explore the grounds through a breathtaking hike.
- Location: Hawaii
- Date of Inscription: 1987
- Opening Hours: Open Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day
Fees and Passes at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:
- A private vehicle pass is valid for seven days and costs $30
- A motorcycle pass is valid for seven days and costs $25
- An individual pedestrian/bicycle pass is valid for seven days and costs $15
Prepare for an adventure and visit any one (or all!) of these top-rated UNESCO sites in the U.S.
