Our Favourite States for an American Safari
Published 7th Sep. 2026
Written by Emily Heeks
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Casinos in Vegas, movie stars in LA and New York’s yellow taxis all rank among the USA’s most recognisable icons but look beyond the bright lights and you’ll find the wild and wonderful world of American safaris. From Alaska’s grizzly bears to Florida’s alligators, America’s animal kingdom boasts an A-list impressive enough to rival Hollywood’s. So, ready to wield your binoculars, pull on your cowboy boots and take a walk on the wild side? Read on as we turn the spotlight on our favourite stateside safaris…
Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
Welcome to Wyoming, where in true American fashion, this Wild West state delivers wildlife on a supersized scale. Base yourself within Grand Teton National Park, home to (deep breath) bears, wolves, moose, elk, coyotes, beavers, otters and bald eagles. And with an expert ranger at the wheel, clamber into a 4x4 for dawn and dusk drives, scanning the horizon until – bingo – a grizzly comes lumbering into view.
The magic continues after dark, as Grand Teton National Park sits slap-bang within the Dark Sky Community region. Far from the neon glow of urban America, it’s a stellar spot for gazing into the cosmos, glittering with constellations and distant planets. And if a shooting star streaks ahead? We reckon a glimpse of the seldom-seen mountain lion makes for a pretty worthy wish…
Image by - pchoui / Getty Images
Yellowstone National Park
Howdy, Yellowstone, where abundant wildlife meets geothermal wizardry for an American safari like no other. Spanning two million acres across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, this national park is prime territory for bison, wolves and red foxes, while hot springs hiss and steam and geysers erupt in theatrical bursts.
Fancy embracing the yee-haw spirit? Hang up your (Stetson) hat at a traditional ranch or take things up a notch with a stay on a working cattle farm, where feeding livestock and mucking in with morning chores put those shiny new cowboy boots straight to work.
Pair up with a trusty steed and saddle up, clip-clopping across the open plains and channelling Dolly Parton energy (confidence encouraged, singing optional…). By the end of your stay, you’ll be surprisingly well-versed in some rather niche talents, like reading the weather from the sky, judging distance in horseback time and knowing your red-tailed hawk cries from your bald eagle calls.
Image by - Olivier Romano
Alaska
Denali National Park
The word ‘safari’ typically conjures up visions of sun-scorched African savannahs but spin your globe north and Alaska flips the script, with fjords, alpine forests and sky-piercing peaks. For a snowier American safari, set your sights on Denali National Park during its winter season (September to May).
Bundle up and venture into the icy tundra, where excited chatter instinctively turns to hushed whispers as you decipher prints in the snow, sussing out wolf from lynx and moose from caribou. And with your mittened fingers crossed, the trail might just lead to the real deal – cue the scramble for the camera…
Winter is also prime time for hitting the aurora borealis jackpot, when ethereal green ribbons swirl across the night sky – bound to spark plenty of oohs and aahs. Nocturnal great horned owls might even join the chorus with a well-timed hoot or two of their own.
Alternatively, opt for an Alaskan summer safari, when long daylight hours bring wildlife out in full force. There’s also one particularly adorable perk to the warmer months: brown and grizzly bear cubs padding dutifully after their mothers along the Toklat River, trying their paws at salmon-swiping. Hearts are sure to melt.
Image by - Oksana Perkins/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Hawaii
Big Island
Don your most exuberantly floral Hawaiian shirt in the USA’s most remote state. Be sure to save some suitcase space for a snorkel and flippers, because safaris in the Aloha State take a distinctly aquatic twist.
Name a creature on your diving wish list. Green sea turtles? Manta rays? Whitetip reef sharks? Whatever springs to mind, chances are you’ll find it somewhere among Hawaii’s carnival-esque coral reefs, where marine life flits, floats and darts in every direction.
Come nightfall, take the plunge off Waikoloa’s shores to meet giant manta rays in all their majestic glory. Underwater lights illuminate the water, drawing in the plankton – and, hot on its heels, the mantas – which swoop and somersault through the glow in an enchanting phenomenon aptly nicknamed the ‘manta rave’.
Visit this island paradise between November and April and you’re in for an even bigger spectacle (quite literally), as humpback whales parade through the tropical waters off Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic site on their annual migration. Mahalo, Mother Nature.
Image by - Eliannedipp / Pexels
Florida
Everglades National Park
Rollercoasters, beach resorts and year-round rays might be signatures of the Sunshine State, but venture beyond the holiday hotspots and Florida really starts showing its teeth…
Down in the subtropical south, board an airboat to crisscross the Everglades’ maze of sawgrass marshes and mangrove-tangled waterways, where the stars of the show are undoubtedly the alligators and American crocodiles, measuring a jaw-dropping 14ft long (gulp). If you can tear your eyes away, scan the shallows for endearingly docile manatees and the canopy for pelicans.
As darkness descends, embark on a nighttime safari to experience the Everglades in a whole new light, or rather, hardly any light at all. Bobcats slink through the shadows, bats perform aerial acrobatics overhead and creepy crawlies emerge, stretching their many, many legs…
Image by - Wenxiao Guo / Unsplash.com
Louisiana
Cajun Country
Last, but certainly not least on our American safaris roundup is Louisiana: a land of bayous, swamps and Southern swagger.
After a toe-tapping introduction to New Orleans’ jazz scene, head west to Cajun Country, where the best seat in the house isn’t at a bar, but rather aboard a boat, where you can chart a course through the marshes. Here, the cypress trees are something of a birdwatcher’s bonanza, home to great blue herons, snowy egrets and flamboyant roseate spoonbills.
The wildlife roll call continues along the banks, where sharp-toothed river rats scurry, rattlesnakes coil around low-hanging branches and frogs strike up a tuneful symphony of croaks. Seems Louisiana’s musical talents extend all the way to the bayou…
Image by - imageBROKER/Sonja Jordan
Header image by - Daria Nikitina / Unsplash
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