Traveling can be logistically hard and fiscally challenging, even when staying in the boundaries of the United States. There are so many places to see, so many activities to do, and so many roads to drive that getting a great view of the wonders of America can be challenging.

For those who simply want to get a good view and “see” the spectacular sites of the country, we have Google Street View. You won’t be able to smell the dusty air of the Grand Canyon or taste a slice of real New York Pizza in front of the Empire State Building, but you can get a pretty detailed visual of these attractions and others from the inexpensive comfort of your home computer desk. Unfortunately, as is the case any time you try an imitation instead of the real thing, not all of the images are perfect. The Empire State Building below, for example, looks so warped it’s a wonder it’s still able to stand.

The technology and effort are absolutely amazing and the results are pretty cool, but it goes to show that nothing can replace getting up and going out to see the real thing.

Here are some of the views of America that we explored through Google Street View. Each image links to the view itself if you want to explore further.