South East Express Team

Shutterstock Welcome to Papakolea Beach One of only four green sand beaches in the world, Papakolea sits at the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island. The olive-colored sand comes from a cinder cone that erupted 49,000 years ago, creating crystals that mix with regular beach sand. Getting here takes work – it’s a hot 2.5-mile … Read more

Shutterstock Weeki Wachee River This crystal clear waterway starts at one of Florida’s deepest natural springs, stretching 12 miles through Hernando County, beginning at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, and flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. You can see right through the pristine water to the sandy bottom. The Seminole people gave this place its … Read more

Shutterstock The National Cowboy Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum sits in the heart of Oklahoma City, where it has shared the story of the American West since 1955. This 220,000-square-foot building was first known as the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center. Inside, visitors will find more than 28,000 pieces … Read more

Shutterstock A Meaty Slice of American History The SPAM Museum in downtown Austin, Minnesota takes up 14,000 square feet of canned meat. The museum first opened its doors in 1991 and moved to 3rd Avenue NE after major renovations in 2016. The museum, nicknamed ‘Guggenham,’ shows how this simple canned meat has grown into a … Read more

Shutterstock The Hoh Rainforest, Washington Most people think rainforests are tropical, hot, and far away. The Hoh Rainforest, tucked into Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, proves them wrong. Here’s what makes this cool, mossy ecosystem unique in North America. Shutterstock Moss Species Create Their Own Mini-Worlds More than 130 types of moss grow on every surface in … Read more

Shutterstock Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in North America and the third-largest in the world, after Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand and Boiling Lake in Dominica. This natural wonder sits in the Midway Geyser Basin next to the Firehole River, stretching 370 feet … Read more

Shutterstock The Painted Desert, Arizona The Painted Desert isn’t just another Instagram backdrop. Beyond the tourist spots and familiar viewpoints, this 93,500-acre stretch of Arizona holds geological stories spanning 200 million years, painted in layers of red rock, black volcanic glass, and petrified wood. Shutterstock Why The Painted Desert Is Not Actually a Desert Each … Read more

Shutterstock Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania In the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania sits a town that looks like it belongs in the Alps. Jim Thorpe, formerly called Mauch Chunk (meaning ‘Sleeping Bear’ in the Lenni Lenape language), got its new name in 1954 to honor the famous Olympic athlete. The town has peaks that reach 1,519 feet … Read more