While going out of the country [1] is a must-have experience for any traveler, it's important to remember all the gems of our own nation [2] — because they are plentiful. Even better news? Staying within the United States is, as a whole, cheaper than traveling internationally. Make it a point to check out all 71 of these American destinations [3] . . . whether in your lifetime, the next decade, or even 2017! Hey, why not shoot for the stars?

San Diego, CA

Mount Desert Island, ME

Yosemite National Park, CA

New Orleans, LA

Baltimore, MD

The Rocky Mountains

St. Louis, MO

Point Clear, AL

Dallas, TX

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, UT

Kulm Wetland Management District, ND

Chicago, IL

Conanicut Island, RI

O'ahu, HI

Swan Valley, ID

The Smoky Mountains

Las Vegas, NV

Mount Rushmore, SD

Louisville, KY

Milwaukee, WI

Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Los Angeles, CA

Assateague Island, MD

Cleveland, OH

The Grand Canyon

Avalon, NJ

San Francisco, CA

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI

Crater Lake, OR

Denver, CO

Myrtle Beach, SC

Indianapolis, IN

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Santa Cruz Island, CA

Blackwater Falls State Park, WV

The Florida Keys

Albuquerque, NM

Atlanta, GA

Bryce Canyon, UT

Thornton, NH

Minneapolis, MN

Lake Superior

Miami, FL

Glacier National Park, MT

Nashville, TN

Salt Lake City, UT

New Canaan, CT

Charlotte, NC

Shoshone Falls Park, ID

Biloxi, MS

Detroit, MI

Lake Tahoe

Boston, MA

Jewel Cave National Monument, SD

Washington DC

Virginia Beach, VA

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK

Austin, TX

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, NM

Kodiak, AK

Mackinac Island, MI

Des Moines, IA

Dewey Beach, DE

Pittsburgh, PA

Omaha, NE

Seattle, WA

Stowe, VT

Memphis, TN

Death Valley National Park, CA

Orlando, FL

Philadelphia, PA