If you’ve ever been wowed by the natural mystery and splendor of a cave or cavern, then you know the many fascinations that cave exploration can offer. Read on to learn about some of the most compelling caves in America, certain to satisfy the underground explorer in you:

 

Maramec Caverns, Missouri

This dazzling cave system, which has been rated one of the best in the United States, is located near St. Louis. There are seven levels of caves available for touring, each offering a different variety of fascinating formations and underground landscapes. And added benefit if the Maramec Caverns is that they are located in the State Park, so visitors can explore the natural splendor aboveground after they’ve taken in all the wonders of the caves. 

 

Luray Caverns, Virginia

These caves, located in the stunningly gorgeous Shenandoah Valley, are some of the largest and most-visited caves in America. The unique rock formations, colors, and sounds of the underground world at Luray Caverns will captivate you. Make sure to visit Luray’s famous and celebrated “Stalacpipe Organ,” known as the world’s largest musical instrument. The way it works is this: stalactites covering nearly four acres of the surrounding caves produce symphonic musical tones when electronically tapped by specialized mallets. It’s a music like none you’ve ever heard and definitely a major drawing point of the Luray Cavern experience.

 

The Lost Sea Caverns, Tennessee

The Lost Sea Caverns in Tennessee contain the largest underground lake in the United States, which you can explore via a guided tour in a glass-bottomed boat. You’ll be dazzled by the beauty of the caverns, relishing the exotic cave flowers, startling rock formations, and vast lake. You can also take flashlight tours if you want a truly memorable and atmospheric experience that brings the caves to life. The above-ground offerings in the area are great, too, including an eighteenth-century village and a variety of excellent restaurants, shopping venues, and cultural offerings.

 

Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas

The Natural Bridge Cavern system is a major attraction located near San Antonio. It is the largest cave system in Texas, very popular with families and ideal for trips with schools, camps, and scouting groups. Natural Bridge offers a variety of compelling tour options, including an “Illuminations Tour,” which will let you fully experience the darkness inside the caverns (while relishing rock formations dramatically lit in eye-dazzling ways), a “Lantern Tour,” which give you a chance to carry your own lantern through the caves like a mid-century cave explorer, and an “Adventure Tour,” which is designed for those who love physical challenges (rock climbing, crawling, obstacle courses, etc). There are also several great resources and tours to help you learn about the area’s fascinating mining history.

 

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

In this massive cave system, the largest in the world, there are over 300 miles of underground terrain to explore. The cave’s vast chambers and labryinthine twists and turns offer an endlessly fascinating underground adventure. There are cave tours offered for every level of experience and intensity, and the cave’s location in a National Park makes it ideal for people who want to explore a richly fascinating above-ground wilderness as well. The park is full of wonderful hiking, biking, and walking trails, fun activities for kids, and bustling wildlife.