15 days in Canada, Utah & Wyoming Itinerary

More than the country of car-packed streets seen in TV shows and movies, the United States of America is a complex and diverse home to over 300 million people living in a wide range of landscapes and climates. From its big-city skyscrapers to its sprawling natural parks, the country's ''melting pot'' combines many ethnic groups that share a strong sense of national identity despite their cultural differences. A country of road trips and big blue skies, the United States harbors orderly cities filled with restaurants, parks, museums, and innumerable sightseeing opportunities, as well as pristine natural areas perfect for a holiday in the great outdoors. To see as much as you can of this diverse land quickly, drive over some of the more than 6 million km (4 million mi) of highways leading through deserts, mountain peaks, fertile fields, and giant urban centers.

Still largely undiscovered by foreign tourism, Wyoming is anything but "the bunchgrass edge of the world," as a writer once called it. Though the state's geography includes mostly wide-open plains, swaths of high desert, and sweeping mountain ridges, it also contains many small towns filled with places to visit, such as historical buildings, museums, shops, and restaurants. A great place to discover the last vestiges of the Old West, Wyoming's tourist attractions include the country's first national park, Native American reservations, and a smattering of ghost towns from the early frontier days. As you travel across this "Cowboy State," remember that distances between towns can be vast, requiring more advance vacation planning than travel in more densely populated parts of the country.

Most people remember their holiday in Canada by the country's great outdoors, yet this sprawling land of hulking mountains and rocky coastlines also boasts numerous modern cities, home to some of the world's finest dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Made for leisurely road trips, North America's biggest country features vast landscapes still unspoiled by mass tourism. A tour of Canada reveals a place packed with diverse cultures, living in tolerance and enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the world. If the vastness of those natural landscapes overwhelms you at any point during your Canada vacation, head to the openhearted cities of Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal, ideal destinations for art lovers, history buffs, shopaholics, fashionistas, and impassioned foodies.

Few experiences captivate the imagination of true nature lovers like holidays in Canadian Rockies, where a string of national and provincial parks protect a landscape of towering peaks, sparkling lakes, virgin forests, and mighty waterfalls. Wildlife galore adds to the area's charm, drawing visitors from every corner of the world. You may be tempted to spend your Canadian Rockies vacation exploring the picturesque roads and railroad routes, but for a well-rounded tour, remember that you can also hike, bike, skate, ski, paddle, and sled your way though this pristine natural scenery. A string of friendly alpine towns scattered across the Rockies serve as ideal resting places after those long days in the great Canadian outdoors.

Popular with tourists throughout the year, Ontario holidays allow you to explore unspoiled natural landscapes and big cities packed with amenities and modern attractions. Containing the national capital and the country's largest city, this east-central province provides a home for nearly 40 percent of Canada's population. Home to a staggering number of lakes (250,000), this playground for nature lovers boasts approximately a third of the world's fresh water. You can spend your entire Ontario vacation driving, walking, skiing, or cycling across the region's sprawling wilderness, but for a well-rounded experience, make sure you spend some time in Toronto, cosmopolitan provincial capital known for its multicultural neighborhoods and outstanding food scene.

Canada's only predominately French-speaking province, Quebec boasts a French heritage that not only sets it apart from other parts of this sprawling country, but also from the rest of the continent. A trip to Quebec allows tourists to discover a land with a European look and feel, which you can best appreciate by immersing yourself in the region's bistro culture. Like the rest of Canada, this province features impressive natural attractions, which many choose to discover on a network of nearly 3,500 km (2,100 mi) of bicycle paths. For an urban experience, add Montreal to your Quebec sightseeing itinerary and discover a busy metropolis with a perfect blend of history-steeped neighborhoods and trendy districts offering modern distractions for every traveler's taste.