A visit to the Grand Canyon in the USA is at the top of pretty much everyone on the planet's mental 'must see' list. So big a draw is it, that there's even a film whose story is entirely about  its mystique.

With this kind of press, you'd think there'd be a good chance of a visit actually being a big fat anti-climax. Far from it. The reality is actually even more awe inspiring than the overused imagery we're used to seeing.

This huge scar in what is essentially an otherwise featureless landscape is just jaw dropping in its scale and complexity.

Top tip: Stay the night in one the hideously overpriced hotels at the top of the Canyon, or camp in the bottom, but just make sure you're still there after the bus loads have gone home, and as the sun sets. It just adds a new dimension to an already stunning experience.

Williams, the town seen as the 'gateway to the Grand Canyon' is well worth a proper visit too, and has a great Mexican restaurant called Pancho McGillicuddy's, where they serve excellent margaritas!