Absolutely agree. As I live in Colorado, the Grand Canyon is kind of in our back yard, and Ive been there several times. If it wasnt the inspiration for the phrase, Pictures dont do it justice, then it should have been because there is nowhere else on Earth where there is a more dramatic difference between photos and reality. A photo cant even begin to capture the immensity and vastness of the Grand Canyon. That first moment when you walk up to the rim and suddenly see this unimaginable expanse stretched out before you is just indescribable. Its especially amazing because you cant even tell the canyon is there when youre just a short distance back from the rim.
The only other natural wonder that I thought was as impactful was seeing the total solar eclipse in 2017. That took me by surprise with how deeply emotionally impactful it was. It was the only time in my life that my knees actually buckled due to being overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of something I saw. As with the Grand Canyon, everyone should try to experience a total eclipse at least once. And you must get as close to the center of the path of totality as possible. Even 99% totality doesnt cut it, and is nowhere near the effect that occurs with totality. After experiencing it, I now understand why people plan for years in advance, and travel around the world, just for a few minutes of totality. It is worth whatever it takes to get there when it happens.
WOW, old thread, but that’s okay.
Visiting the ruins at Chichen Itza had a similar effect on me. When I went, you could still climb to the top of the temple. The whole experience there was very “other worldly” feeling to me. Just to see the structures, and try to comprehend that there was a vital city there, many hundreds of years before.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza