The U.S. Redefines Exploration

The idea that Americans don’t travel internationally often gets framed as a lack of curiosity. However, geography tells a different story. From turquoise tropical water to snow-covered peaks, from red rock deserts to moss-draped swamps, the U.S. contains nearly every landscape travelers fly across oceans to see. Tropical coastlines in Hawaii. Subtropical wetlands in South Florida. High-altitude peaks in Colorado. Vast desert formations like the Grand Canyon. Temperate rainforests in the Pacific Northwest. Arctic tundra in Alaska. Few countries contain that level of environmental range within a single national border.

“I feel like even just in California…you can travel like 100 miles…and be in a completely different area. Florida…is tropical. But then you could also go to Oregon where…you can be in mountainous regions on one side and then…rainforest…on the coast, because it’s so moist from the ocean and [it has] crazy unique animals,” senior Fiona Rusk said. And I don’t know exactly how many states I’ve been to. My guess would be, like, 15 to 20. And…even crossing the state line between two states is like an entirely different experience.”

That scale changes the cost-benefit calculation of travel. In smaller nations, experiencing a dramatically different landscape usually requires crossing into another country. In the U.S., it often only requires a domestic flight or a few hour drive.

“If it’s [far] like California, we’ll fly. But like Florida, we've done road trips to Florida,” Fiona said. “And then once we fly into the state, usually we road trip within the state. I think it’s a good way to immerse yourself in a place.”

That doesn’t mean Americans avoid international travel; millions travel abroad each year. But the geographic abundance at home reduces the necessity of leaving in order to experience environmental diversity. Adventure is accessible without a passport.

“And I think not enough people go to states for the national parks, because that’s why I travel,” Fiona said. “But I think once you start trying to get into America’s backyard, if you will, you’ll be like…‘this is a beautiful country.’”

International visitors often remark on the sheer size of the country. Distances are long. Regions feel distinct. Alaska does not resemble Southern California. New England does not resemble the Southwest. And while global travel offers direct immersion into different cultures, if you think about it, the U.S. is a melting pot of different cultures.

“I mean, I’ve been to Maine where it’s like fishing villages, [with] people who completely consist on lobster and crab fishing. And the Native American culture also is something that a lot of people overlook, because there are beautiful Native American museums [and lands] all over the United States,” Fiona said. “And…if you go to the Southwest, the infusion of Mexican culture is amazing.”

Geography shapes behavior. In a country this large and environmentally diverse, exploration doesn’t always require a passport. That doesn't make Americans less curious—it reflects the scale of what already surrounds them. When mountains, deserts, tropical coastlines, fishing villages, and Indigenous lands all exist within one map, staying domestic isn’t necessarily staying small. Sometimes it's just staying expansive.