When you think of culturally significant monuments, you might think of Egyptian pyramids or the Eiffel Tower, but there are many remarkable places closer to home, too. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) asks countries to identify, protect, and preserve their outstanding examples of cultural and natural heritage. Discover nine amazing UNESCO sites you can visit in the U.S. and Canada—in some cases, both!
1. Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek
UNESCO Site since 1979
A coastal playground for breaching whales, grizzly bear patrolled alpine forests, and the world’s largest non-polar icefield are all found within this multi-country UNESCO site. The icy wonderland of pristine wildlands is a network of national parks and protected lands that can be explored from Alaska in the U.S. and Canada’s Yukon Territory and British Columbia.
Nearby KOA
Valdez KOA Journey
2. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
UNESCO Site since 1995
Encompassing Northern Rocky Mountains prairie and glacial formations, this UNESCO site reaches into the USA and Canada at the Montana/Alberta border. The incredible bio-diversity of these joint national parks is home to endangered lynx and bald eagles, blue high-altitude lakes, and ancient fossils. The famous Going-to-the-Sun-Road helps visitors explore these vast wildlands.
Nearby KOAs
St. Mary / East Glacier KOA Holiday
West Glacier KOA Resort
Whitefish / Kalispell North KOA Holiday
Lethbridge KOA Journey
3. Mammoth Cave National Park
UNESCO Site since 1981
Beneath tranquil wooded hiking paths colorfully decorated with wildflowers is a thrilling underground world at Mammoth Cave National Park. A duel UNESCO and International Biosphere Reserve, the park preserves 285 miles of unique natural caves and underground passageways. Incredible limestone formations are at every turn, and so are 13 different bat species flying overhead.
Nearby KOA
Horse Cave KOA Holiday
4. Taos Pueblo
UNESCO Site since 1992
Nestled in a valley off the Rio Grande River is Taos Pueblo, an ancient adobe settlement and home to a thriving Native American community. The adobe-walled village is culturally and historically preserved. The complex of dwellings and ceremonial rooms are terraced, tiered levels reaching up to five stories high. The public may visit Taos Pueblo to learn about the pueblo and its one thousand years of history.
Nearby KOA
Santa Fe KOA Journey
5. Statue of Liberty
UNESCO Site since 1984
The Statue of Liberty has welcomed people into the United States from its pedestal in New York Harbor since 1886. The copper-plated statue was a gift from France to the United States to celebrate American independence and symbolize freedom and democracy. Visitors to Liberty Island can walk around the statue’s base and view the harbor from inside Lady Liberty’s crown.
Nearby KOA
Delaware Water Gap / Pocono Mountain KOA Holiday
6. Wood Buffalo National Park
UNESCO Site since 1983
Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada’s largest national park at 17,300 square miles and is so large it protects an entire ecosystem. Inside the park, the world’s largest wild wood bison herd, numbering 3,000 members, thrives. Whooping cranes breed at the world’s largest inland delta waterway, and beavers have constructed the world’s largest beaver dam at 2,624 feet long—so huge it can be seen from space!
Nearby KOA
Grande Prairie KOA Journey
7. Tr’ondëk-Klondike
UNESCO Site since 2023
Another recently designated UNESCO site, Tr’ondëk-Klondike is a collection of structures and archaeological artifacts. They tell the story of indigenous people adapting to colonization during the Klondike Gold Rush. Cultural celebrations happen at the First Nation fishing camp, Jëjik Dhä Dënezhu Kek’it also called Moosehide Village. Success of the gold rush is evidenced in the colorful and ornate Victorian buildings of the frontier town Dawson City.
Nearby KOA
Valdez KOA Journey
8. Old Town Lunenburg
UNESCO Site since 1995
Old Town Lunenburg is a beautifully preserved British colonial settlement on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Some of the boldly colored wood-constructed buildings date back to the 18th century, and the town plan designed in England is still intact. The seafaring community was built to support Atlantic fishing and overlooks the harbor entrance to the ocean beyond.
Nearby KOA
Halifax West KOA
9. Historic District of Old Québec
UNESCO Site since 1985
On the banks of the St. Lawrence River, Old Québec is fit to inspire fairytales. The castle, or in this case, the grand hotel Château Frontenac, is surrounded by fortified defense works, including towers and cannon-ready ramparts. At first, the town served as the capital of New France, then switched hands in 1760, becoming a British colony. Explore the ancient streets of the lower part of town, then take a funicular to the upper town for a head-turning 360-degree view.
Nearby KOA
Quebec City KOA Holiday
Eva Barrows is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer. Eva writes about local places, people and events on her website www.evabarrows.com. She founded the online literary journal Imitation Fruit in 2007 and has enjoyed promoting fellow writers and artists ever since.
