Tina from Travels and Trifles is hosting this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and the prompt is “Home Sweet Home” and here’s the specifics for this prompt:
If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see?
-Tina
The U.S is my home and has been for the past nearly 21 years. My mom often says she’s glad I have chosen the U.S to be my home. “Why wouldn’t I?” I’d tell her. “I’m an American,” who just so happens to had been made in China.
I have played tour guide to plenty of foreigners before as families and my mom’s friends come to visit. I don’t know why she’d always hand this job to me because as much as I love to show off my home country and state, I don’t like all the “why” and “how” questions. For example, how where those mountains formed? Why are they keeping this area wild? In China, this would’ve been developed into a resort with hotels and shopping malls.
I typically ignore the second question because it’s stupid.
Anyway, typically, we’d show our guests the mountains, which is plentiful in my home state of Utah. We are surrounded by mountains, as I previously mentioned in Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #222.
Yellowstone is a must-visit if someone were to come visit. After all, it’s only a 5-hour drive from my house.
I remember my many visits to this iconic place were due to either family or my mom’s friend visiting. The itinerary of the time spent inside the park was often tight because in my mom’s opinion, Yellowstone is a place that can be seen in 2 days. She mostly took the guests to all the tourist attractions – Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Springs, West Thumb, and Fishing Village to see Yellowstone Lake – and never to the off-the-beaten path attractions like the Upper Geyser Basin.
It’s truly an amazing place that keeps me coming back time and time again. I hope one day, I will get to visit the off-the-beaten-path attractions of Yellowstone.
Lastly, I am always a sucker for a nice drive to the central and southern part of Utah because the landscape there is so different from the north. Most people would assume Zions National Park is the most beautiful place in the state. I think the most beautiful places are those off the beaten path. Though I don’t consider neither Bryce Canyon nor Capitol Reef National Park off the beaten path, the road connecting the park is technically off the beaten path.
If you ever find yourself touring the U.S by car, I would highly recommend Highway 12. It’s a scenic byway that runs between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Park. The views along the way are absolutely wonderful. I spent 2 days touring the approximately 120-mile byway, staying in a cabin (for the first time) in a town less than 1,000 in population. It’s now another place on my list of must-re-visit places because beside the two parks, there are plenty of other off-the-beaten-path places along Highway 12.
This is Another Story 
I agree with you Yinglan, Utah is one of our most beautiful states. During our visit we actually had snow in our rental home during July! We also had a magnificent storm while visiting Bryce and all of the other tourists left. My husband and I played cards in our car and after the storm broke we had the entire place to ourselves and the most beautiful light I’ve seen anywhere. Loved your images this week and laughed at your “made in China” comment!
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You were fortunate to see snow. There hasn’t been many good storms lately. The only snow nowadays is in the higher elevations. There’s supposed to be a good storm coming tonight, I’m crossing my fingers that it’ll bring significant accumulation as it’s much needed. I agree, the views after a storm is always beautiful. I managed to capture a few of them and those photos remain some of my favorites.
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You make a wonderful tour guide. I loved it!
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Thanks, glad you liked it. 🙂
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Beautiful beautiful. I’ve always thought the Mormons really scored when the got Utah. I think it should have been the Presbyterians. (Joke. 🙂 ) I’ve been to Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, and Zion. I’ll have to keep that Highway 12 in mind next time. I want to see Monument Valley too.
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That’s what my mom always says too. 😄
Yes, there are so many more places to see in this great state, I think, particularly in Grand Escalante National Monument, which is where Highway 12 is located.
I would love to see Monument Valley too.
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Yes…great minds think alike with our energy towards “home”. I love that you also bring people to these fascinating landscapes. How lucky they are to have you. Stunning photos, and now I am homesick for Yellowstone. A bit cold right now though. I guess I can wait.
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Thank you. Yes, I imagine Yellowstone is very cold and probably snowy at the moment. There was a big snow storm here today and I had to shovel my driveway late in the afternoon.
I hope to return to Yellowstone one day, too, but perhaps to explore some of the off-the-beaten-path sites, which I would imagine there are many.
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When we worked there, people would asked my husband where to hike. His response any where you are not. lol. It was a joke. But there really is some out of the way places people dont bother with. I think 90% of the visitors never leave the road.
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Haha! 😄I agree, most people who visits Yellowstone tend to stay on paved roads. I think I’m mostly the same way unless I have an off-road vehicle, then I’ll most likely explore the unpaved portions. I took my car down 2 unpaved road adventures so far and don’t think I’d like to take it down those adventures again.
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hahaha HIking îs the way. With a can of bear mace on hand. It works on people too. lol
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😄😄😄
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Beautiful! Love your photos and Yellowstone used to be a dream of mine when I was younger. Thank you for taking us!
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Thank you. 🙂
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