Imagine standing in complete stillness as thousands of tiny lights blink in perfect harmony around you. Every spring in Congaree National Park, this bioluminescent ballet plays out under the forest canopy. This is nature’s very own light show, and it lasts only two magical weeks. Time your visit right, and you’ll be part of a glowing experience few ever witness.

Petrified Forest National Park stretches across the colorful high desert of northeastern Arizona, where grasslands, mesas, badlands, and ancient fossil deposits form an unusual landscape. The park is best known for its extensive petrified wood, much of it preserved from trees that lived in a river environment more than 200 million years ago.

Belgium may be compact, but it offers a surprising variety of experiences shaped by centuries of shifting borders, artistic innovation, and culinary tradition. In Brussels, the Grand Place sets the stage for history and architecture in one square lined with ornate guild halls. The city is also home to the European Union’s headquarters, surrealist painter René Magritte’s former house, and a lively comic book trail that winds through murals of Tintin and other Belgian icons.

Nelson is a small city in southeastern British Columbia, set along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake and surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains. Steep hills rise around the city, giving many streets views toward the lake and forested slopes. Nelson is known for its well-preserved historic downtown, heritage buildings, independent shops, galleries, and access to outdoor recreation.

Lac Abbe, straddling the border between Djibouti and Ethiopia, is one of East Africa’s most otherworldly landscapes.