Bryce Canyon National Park bristles with otherworldly spires, and waterfalls plunge into pools perfect for a wild swim in nearby Zion.

BBC: Five family-friendly adventures

Towering behind the camp at 8, 000 feet are the Mahale Mountains, where waterfalls and cool pools beg to be explored during an afternoon excursion.

FORBES: Where We're Going Glamping

Visitors can swim under waterfalls or in natural pools, explore miniature caves and dive off a 5m-high wooden platform into the balmy waters below.

BBC: Livin�� la vida Bonito

The memorial will feature two huge reflecting pools, with waterfalls flowing down their sides, where the iconic twin towers stood, according to the memorial's Web site.

CNN: Creating 9/11 memorials a slow process

For the damsels in distress, slower-paced fun can be had with a stroll around the grounds, which contain tropical gardens, cascading waterfalls, serene lakes, and pristine pools, or a leisurely day on the sands with a good beach read.

BBC: Daily deal: Seven nights in an Acapulco resort

Lacking dramatic waterfalls or cliffs from which to leap, this chain of pools and cascades is deceptively tame.

BBC: The secret swimming holes of Vermont

But with magnetic termite mounds to ogle, rock pools to submerge your bod, and three famous waterfalls, it is no wonder.

BBC: The top places to escape Australia��s major cities