Michigan Sculpture Park Named the #1 Best in America
It’s always good when a local Michigan place gets attention and national recognition. We have so many great attractions here in Michigan, so the world should know. One popular reader poll has named a Michigan sculpture park the best in the country.
The honor is part of USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. “Discover the allure of open-air artistry at these ten sculpture parks and gardens. Selected by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best across the United States,” the publication states. “These captivating spaces blend the beauty of nature with the ingenuity of human creation. (They offer) visitors a unique journey through large-scale masterpieces set against the backdrop of the American landscape.”
Before getting to No. 1, let’s look at which park fell below us. Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, landed at No. 2. “Founded in 1931, the 300-acre Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, is part sculpture garden and part wildlife sanctuary, occupying the site of four former rice plantations. This National Historic Landmark hosts one of the world’s best American figurative sculpture collections.” No. 3 was Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park in University Park, Illinois.
So, what’s the No. 1 best sculpture park in America? Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. “Spanning 158 acres in Grand Rapids, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosts outdoor gardens and a five-floor, 15,000-square-foot Tropical Conservatory,” USA Today boasts. “The permanent sculpture collection features more than 200 works, many of which are displayed across the 30-acre sculpture park.”
“Visitors to Meijer Gardens can explore the vast outdoor collection, including monumental sculptures that harmonize with the surrounding gardens,” Meijer Gardens says in a statement. “The indoor Sculpture Galleries also offer captivating experiences, with rotating exhibitions highlighting contemporary sculptural work related to the permanent collection.” Find the complete list here.
8 Seemingly Unreal Places to Add to Your Travel Bucket List
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
This Arizona canyon was naturally carved by rainwater streams within the sandstone. The Navajo Nation gave it the name ‘The place where water runs through rocks.’ Visit Arizona explains that the Upper Antelope Canyon tour is more frequented due to increased sunlight and towering walls reaching 120 feet. Alternatively, the Lower Antelope Canyon tour is equally remarkable, providing visitors with an immersive encounter among the swirling sandstone walls.
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Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming
Among the world’s largest springs, the Grand Prismatic measures an expansive 370 feet in diameter, exceeding the size of a football field. Its vibrant appearance stems from bands of orange, yellow, and green that encircle the deep blue waters. These diverse colors originate from different strains of thermophile bacteria, thriving in the progressively cooler waters around the spring, as explained by Yellowstone National Park. For a bird’s-eye-like view of the Grand Prismatic, they suggest visitors follow the half-mile Fairy Falls trail to a lookout.
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The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
Located in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, the Door to Hell is a large fiery crater. It emerged when a natural gas field accidentally caught fire in 1971 and has been burning continuously since then, according to National Geographic. A well-visited tourist spot, the Door to Hell permits visitors to hike down into the crater for a close view of the flames and an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of the site. The Door to Hell, also referred to as the Darvaza Gas Crater, is located in a rural part of the country.
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Diamond Beach, Iceland
Found along Iceland’s South Coast, the Diamond Beach is a volcanic black sand shoreline adjacent to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Ice blocks from the glacier lagoon wash ashore after breaking into smaller pieces at sea, as mentioned in the Diamond Beach Travel Guide. The beach is also a natural habitat for seals.
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Mendenhall Glacier Caves, Alaska
According to the Tongass National Forest, the Mendenhall Glacier is among the numerous expansive glaciers originating from the Juneau Icefield, an area spanning 1500 square miles of rock, snow, and ice. The glacier gradually advances under the influence of gravity, descending down the slope. Over time, it carves the bedrock and erodes during its 13-mile path until it reaches Mendenhall Lake.
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Thor’s Well, Oregon
Located on the Oregon coast near Cape Perpetua, there’s a large sinkhole that appears to swallow seawater continuously, resembling a bottomless pit. According to Yachats Oregon, it’s often called the “drainpipe of the Pacific.” They explain that the well is actually a hole in the rock that gives the impression of draining ocean water. Some researchers believe this well might have started as a sea cave shaped by waves. Over time, its roof likely collapsed, creating openings at the top and bottom, which spray ocean water.
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Crooked Forest, Poland
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Found close to the town of Gryfino in West Pomerania, Poland, the Crooked Forest consists of 400 peculiarly contorted pine trees. As revealed by Discovery, these pine trees were planted approximately in 1930, back when the area was part of the German province of Pomerania. Starting from the ground, the pine trees exhibit a distinctive feature: they grow with a sharp 90-degree bend towards the north, before gracefully straightening up towards the sky.
Pink Beach, Padar Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
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The beach is named for its pink sand, which comes from tiny organisms in the coral reefs nearby. Visitors can swim, snorkel, and see marine life like sea turtles and manta rays in the clear water. The beach also has great views of hills and turquoise waters.
