Top USA Nature and Wildlife Tours - page 3

The Columbia River Gorge is known for its dramatic waterfalls and impressive vistas—but if you don't have car, planning a trip from Portland can be tricky. Instead, enjoy a hassle-free way to check off many top attractions in just half a day, all thanks to this small-group sightseeing tour. Visit the historic Vista House, admire Latourell Falls, stop at Multnomah Falls, and more, all while your guide shares insider stories.

Experience the thrill of meeting sharks face-to-face in the pristine waters of Oahu on this cage-diving adventure. See Hawaii's majestic hunters — Galapagos and Sandbar sharks in their natural environment — surrounded by the deep blue of Oahu’s North Shore. Observe from the safety of a floating cage. Stay on the surface, then using a mask and snorkel, look through large polyglass windows to watch the sharks as they gracefully glide by.

Learn all about more than 300 years of history on this guided carriage tour of Charleston. See the many mansions, churches, and gardens as your horse-drawn carriage tour covers more than 2.5 miles and 30 blocks of historic Charleston. Belgian and Percheron draft horses lead you through the streets while you learn about this “Holy City” and its role in the Civil War—leave your guidebook at home, these stories are better.

Explore the Florida Everglades on an airboat adventure and wildlife encounter at Sawgrass Recreation Park. This exciting airboat ride is a great way to experience the unique subtropical ecosystem of the Everglades. Skim across the water at high speeds while looking for alligators, fish, turtles, and wading birds. This guided tour includes admission to Sawgrass Recreation Park, a ticket to the alligator and reptile exhibit, and a guided airboat tour.

After dark is an excellent time to see manta rays in the waters around the Island of Hawaii. This tour is designed for snorkelers; Ride Alongs stay on the boat and may or may not see manta rays. Enjoy watching the manta rays feeding at night and snorkeling close to them during this approximately 1.5-hour experience.

Float over Phoenix and the Sonoran Desert in a comfortable and spacious hot-air balloon with an FAA-certified pilot. Depart before daybreak to get incredible views of the desert landscape during sunrise and be a part of the action as the balloon is inflated. If the wind is right, you can go inside for amazing photos. Upon touchdown, you are greeted with a Champagne toast and a commemorative flight certificate.

Have a unique Big Island experience snorkeling with manta rays on this tour. Take a short cruise out to the snorkeling site before dipping into the water to watch the manta rays up close. All necessary equipment will be provided for your excursion, as well as light refreshments and snacks. If you don't see manta rays on this excursion, book again for another night, free of charge.

Learn all the secrets of the chocolate-making process—and go behind the scenes at Hawaii’s largest chocolate factory—on this decadent, small-group tour. Pick from multiple tour times, make your own way to the Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Factory, and then drive with your guide to the nearby estate. See cocoa pods growing and learn about the harvesting process before indulging in a delicious and informative tasting of nine different chocolates.

Get all the thrills of a Charleston ghost tour without any walking on this haunted horse and carriage ride. A horse and carriage takes you down twisting side streets and cobbled alleyways with ease as your guide shares spooky stories from Charleston’s past. Make your way past the Mills House, the Circular Congregational Graveyard, and and Provost Dungeon in the heart of the Holy City.

Experience an unforgettable day at Maui Ocean Center and immerse yourself in the colorful aquatic world. Enjoy all-day access to explore over 60 exhibits at your own pace, including one of the world's largest displays of live Pacific corals. Encounter sharks, stingrays, and turtles in the 750,000-gallon (2.8 million-liter) open ocean exhibit, and dive into a virtual whale experience in the state-of-the-art Humpbacks of Hawaii exhibit and sphere.

Auke Bay, with its harbor of whale watching vessels, lies about a half-hour’s ride from Juneau. This whale watching trip saves you the trouble of getting to the harbor and back with a round-trip shuttle directly from your cruise ship dock or a designated meeting point.

See where famous movies such as "Jumanji", "Jurassic Park", "Jurassic World", and "50 First Dates" were filmed. A guide leads you to Hollywood hot spots and provides background on the history of the ranch. Travel by vintage school bus past some of the island’s most stunning natural attractions, such as Mokoli’i Island, Kaneohe Bay, and the Ko’olau Range.

See all sorts of marine life that you might not spot from shore on this Maui snorkeling cruise. Head to the Molokai Crater in search of manta rays, sea urchins, eels, and even harmless sharks. This tour also stops at a spot called Turtle Town along the Maui coastline, where you have the chance to swim alongside enormous Hawaiian Green sea turtles.

Experience the best of New England’s marine wildlife on this guided whale-watching cruise around the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Hop on a high-speed boat in Boston that gets to and from the whales in the least amount of time possible. Look out for humpback and fin whales, plus Atlantic white-sided dolphins, with the help of a naturalist guide. The on-board galley offers food and beverages for purchase during the trip.

Experience New Orleans’ wild bayou country first-hand on an exciting, family‐friendly airboat ride. This boat tour winds through the mossy cypress swamp near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named for the 19th-century pirate and smuggler. While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from a local guide as you admire lush, forested shoreline and spot local wildlife. Gators appear most commonly in the summer months, so keep your eyes peeled.

Discover a side of the Big Island of Hawaii that very few other travelers get to see on this one-of-a-kind submarine tour. Choose from multiple start times, head to the Kona coastline, and board the submarine. As you descend towards the colorful reef, peer through the portholes and spot fish and other marine life. Along the way, your on-board naturalist guide provides in-depth commentary about the aquatic sights.

Discover the best of Ketchikan on this full-day tour, featuring stunning wildlife and cultural highlights. Visit the salmon-filled Ketchikan Creek, explore Rotary Beach for sea creatures and potential whale sightings, and spot seals, eagles, and bears at Herring Cove. Conclude with a visit to Saxman Native Village to admire one of Alaska's largest totem pole collections and learn about indigenous traditions.

Immerse yourself in the rich culture and natural splendor of New Orleans’ mystifying swamps and wetlands on a New Orleans swamp tour and wetlands adventure. Relax in the luxurious interior of a New Orleans swamp tour boat as you cruise past cultural highlights like a Cajun cemetery, an Indian burial mound and a traditional fishing village. Scour the scenery for fascinating flora and fauna like snakes, turtles and alligators while listening to interesting commentary from your professional guide.

Cruise the Big Island coastline aboard a fast Zodiac RIB boat on this adventure that takes you to hidden sea caves, lava tubes, and scenic spots that you wouldn't be able to access on your own. Snorkel pristine coral reefs at Kealakekua Bay, a protected marine sanctuary and site of the historic Captain Cook Monument, and keep an eye out for dolphins, whales, and other marine life.

Experience the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon and the manmade marvel of Hoover Dam in one day with this small-group tour from Las Vegas. Make an early start to dodge the crowds and enjoy photo stops at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign and Seven Magic Mountains art installation on your way to Grand Canyon West. Enjoy an included walk across the Hoover Dam and upgrade to include a walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Imagine exploring the ocean floor without getting wet. On this submarine tour in Maui, you can descend over 100 feet (30m) in an air-conditioned sub and press your face against circular portholes in search of reef sharks and fish. Experience the sights, sounds, and scenes of life beneath the waves. Note: all passengers must be 36" (90cm) or taller to ride the submarine, a fantastic adventure for all.

Swap the bright lights of Las Vegas for the stunning natural beauty of Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend on this full-day tour. Leave the logistics, organization, and planning to your guide; simply turn up at your selected meeting point and relax knowing everything is all sorted for you. Enjoy an itinerary that includes a Navajo guide, a beginner-friendly hike, scenic views of the Colorado River, and more.

Explore the French Quarter and Marigny aboard a relaxing horse and carriage during this small-group tour in New Orleans. Discover the history, culture, and legends that surround this historic city as you see landmarks including the St. Louis Cathedral, Napoleon House, and French Market. You also get insider tips from your guide about the best places to eat, drink, and explore in New Orleans.

Set out from Oahu’s scenic North Shore to the depths of the big blue Pacific, where you have the chance to observe wild sharks from inside an underwater shark cage. Thanks to your professional, experienced crew, the Oahu shark dive is completely safe as they know the predators’ behavior, and the underwater cage provides proven safety against all different species of sharks. Whether you’re in the cage with sharks right in front of you or watching from up in the boat, Oahu shark diving is a Hawaii activity you’ll definitely never forget.