I may be in my mid-life, but I still find new things to enjoy and obsess over.
Case in point: waterfalls. I took these natural beauties for granted until sometime in my early 50s. Yet lately, it seems they are pretty much all I think and blog about.
I’ve had a lot of fun thinking back on past trips I’ve taken and looking through past photos to recall where I’ve visited waterfalls around the world.
Turns out, I’ve been to quite a few!
I thought it would be fun to list all my favorite waterfalls here for future reference. I was inspired to do this by my new favorite blog, World of Waterfalls.
Here’s my list of my favorite visited waterfalls so far:
Mexico – Several years ago on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera, I took an unforgettable hike with my extended fam. We walked through a tiny village called Yelapa to a lovely waterfall known simply as Yelapa Falls. This place is so remote that you can only get there by boat from Puerto Vallarta. The falls drops into a pool you can swim in, and looking back now, I wish that I had! You can read more about our visit to Yelapa in my past post.
Maui – We saw many beautiful waterfalls on the road to Hana in Maui. I also visited and swam in a waterfall pool long ago on my first trip to Maui, also along the road to Hana, but unfortunately, I can’t remember the name. Back in those days, I wasn’t as avid a waterfaller so I don’t have as many stories or pictures – just lovely memories. Waterfalls large and small are just about everywhere you look on Maui!
Kauai – On our recent trips to Kauai, we sought out several gorgeous waterfalls. Favorites include Red Dirt Falls on the way up to Waimea Canyon, Waipoo Falls also in Waimea Canyon and Wailua Falls on the other side of the island. All of these are big, showy, high-drop falls and we didn’t get super close to any of them as the family is not quite as waterfall-crazed as I am. But hey, at least I got to feast my eyes on these beauties.
Ohio – Newcomers to Ohio may be shocked to hear that our state has many beautiful waterfalls, but it does – at least 300, and you can visit 50 or more of them. Our favorite Ohio waterfalls include Honey Run Falls in Amish country, Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Great Falls of Tinker’s Creek in Viaduct Park near Cleveland. There are many pretty falls in Hocking Hills, too. I have so many other Ohio waterfalls on my road trip bucket list!
Costa Rica – We spent a day at the gorgeous La Fortuna waterfall, or catarata, while we were in Costa Rica in 2022. It features an absolutely stunning 200-foot drop, lush rainforest surroundings and a swimmable pool at the bottom of the falls. We loved swimming in the pool and trying to swim against the current of the falls thundering into the water – a near-impossible task. You can read more about our visit to La Fortuna and the beautiful Arenal area.
West Virginia – I’ve written before about WV’s epic waterfall trail and I am happy to report I can cross this one off my bucket list: Sandstone Falls in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Although it’s a low-drop falls, Sandstone Falls is gorgeous and a perfect place to visit, spend time and even dip your toes in protected areas of the New River below the falls. I have so many more WV waterfalls on my travel wish list.
Virginia – VA is another state with plentiful natural beauty and waterfalls. We visited Crabtree Falls in the spring and it was gorgeous, requiring only a light hike and accessible to all. Then this summer, we stopped at the stunning Falling Spring Falls on our way back through Virginia. This is a state I’d love to come back and explore more in the future.
New York/Canada – How can I end this list without mentioning one of the most magnificent falls of them all: Niagara! Whether you visit from the popular and touristy Canadian side or the slightly more tranquil American side, Niagara is North America’s largest waterfall and it’s magnificent. We’ve gone to Niagara Falls both as a romantic trip with just the two of us and as a family trip with Z’s aunt and cousins. It’s only a six-hour drive from Columbus and it really is a must-see.
That’s where our waterfalling journey has taken us so far. My hope is to continue visiting waterfalls anywhere we go in this country or abroad!
I love the sights, sounds and experience of all that rushing water – and I know there are so many more gorgeous cascades to capture in my photographs and my mind’s eye.
Where’s your favorite waterfall? I’d love to hear your waterfalling stories in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
