Scenery: New York City
The Big Apple’s skyline has long been one of the world’s most dramatic, with its light-strewn skyscrapers soaring above Upper New York Bay and its rivers. To admire the panorama properly, make sure to put lots of water between yourself and Manhattan. Boats are plentiful here: Several companies operate sightseeing tours and dinner cruises on dozens of types of watercraft, including the tall ship Clipper City, a reconstruction of a 1954 vessel.
Scenery: The Grand Canyon
This gorgeous gorge is one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular creations, and it’s deservedly popular — particularly at the South Rim, the canyon’s most accessible area. While the views from there are breathtaking, it’s likely to be crawling with tourists; instead, head to the North Rim for even better sights (from 1,000 feet higher up) and a much more peaceful experience. For the best vistas, walk into the gorge, where there are fantastic trails for all abilities. Two of the best are the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails, which feature stunning views for most of their length.
Scenery: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
For unspoiled Caribbean bliss, head to this idyllic island, the least-populated and least-developed of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lawrence Rockefeller donated most of his land on St. John to the U.S. National Park Service in 1956, with the stipulation that it must remain protected from development. Today, the Virgin Islands National Park constitutes most of this 20-square-mile island, which offers incredible views of intensely green jungle and azure sea. St. John’s many delectable beaches include Trunk Bay; there are no bridges to mar the view, as St. John is accessible only by boat.
Scenery: The Great Wall of China
The "wall" is actually a series of fortifications constructed over the course of two millennia, stretching across more than 4,000 miles. The most-visited part of the Great Wall is north of Beijing, dates from the Ming Dynasty and offers the most scenic vistas in China: The hills here are steep, and the watchtower-dotted wall rambles up and down among them. Different sections of the wall have varying amenities and crowds; to avoid throngs of tourists, skip the heavily visited Badaling region in favor of the Mutianyu and Simitai areas, both northeast of Beijing.
Scenery: Paris
Anyone can visit the top of the Eiffel Tower, and seemingly everyone does. A better way to enjoy the best vistas in the City of Light is to dine at one of the latticework tower’s two restaurants. Spendy but spectacular, Le Jules Verne is a Michelin-rated purveyor of elegant gourmet fare 410 feet up, reachable by a private elevator. One hundred feet below, Altitude 95 serves less-expensive meals in a family-friendly atmosphere. Diners in both restaurants can see such iconic spots as the river Seine, the Montparnasse Tower, and, farther off, the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacré-Coeur basilica.
Scenery: Machu Picchu
The ruins of this ancient settlement lie 8,000 feet above sea level in Peru’s high Andes, with a commanding view into the Urubamba Valley. For the original Inca inhabitants, the surrounding peaks and deep gorges provided excellent natural defenses. For the modern traveler, they reveal some of the most incredible vistas in the world. Many visitors arrive via the Inca Trail, a rewarding but difficult multiple-day hike, though most take a train or a bus. Be sure to head up the mountain overlooking the abandoned city, where you’ll find the best views and the lightest crowds.
Scenery: Norway:This Nordic nation is famous for its fjords — tranquil inlets winding through glacier-carved, U-shaped valleys, concentrated along the southwestern coastline. One of the best places to soak in the dramatic natural beauty is on the massive outcropping known as Pulpit Rock, overlooking the Lysefjord near the city of Stavanger. Reaching the top means a hike of about two hours and an elevation gain of nearly 2,000 feet, but there are plenty of benches and tables on the way up where you can take a break — and the view from the top is well worth the climb.
Scenery: Na Pali Coast, Kauai:This 15-mile stretch of Kauai’s northwest coast is filled with cliffsides rising up to 4,000 feet above the ocean — Na Pali translates to "the cliffs" in Hawaiian — and as a result is largely inaccessible to cars. Helicopters are by far the best way to see the area: Much of it can be reached only by air, especially the region’s famous waterfalls, and there’s no easier way to enjoy the entire coastline. If you prefer not to take to the air, the 11-mile Kalalau Trail offers great hiking opportunities, and boating and kayaking are also popular.
Scenery: The Matterhorn and the AlpsReaching the 14,692-foot summit of the Matterhorn, situated on the border between Italy and Switzerland, is only for serious climbers — but there are plenty of hiking, rail and cable-car options that will give you a spectacular view of the famous peak and the surrounding Alps. The Swiss resort town of Zermatt is one of the best jumping-off points for the Matterhorn: After gazing at the mountain’s north and east faces, take a gondola from here to mountain lake areas such as Grindjisee for a perfect, yodel-worthy alpine hike. Or, continue up to the 12,740-foot Klein Matterhorn peak — the endpoint of Europe’s highest cable car — where you’ll find fantastic, 360-degree panoramas.
Scenery: Japan:At 12,388 feet, Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain; one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains,” the nearly symmetrical volcano has inspired poets and artists for thousands of years. It’s located just west of Tokyo, so for the best views, situate yourself to the east of the metropolis. This will give you the chance to see stunning sunsets as the sun sinks behind the mountain, throwing it and the cityscape into sharp, dramatic silhouette. One particularly good viewing spot is Tokyo Tower, an Eiffel Tower lookalike with observatories at 492 feet and 820 feet.
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