I think it's really in the "eye of the beholder" and one's personal experiences. If someone lives in a city, and has pretty much been a city dweller all their lives, a trip to Amish Country would be mind blowing!
On the other hand, someone from the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, whose lived there all their lives, would be equally as blown away visiting New York City the first time, or San Francisco, or Chicago.
I've never seen the Grand Canyon. I hope to some day. People who live right there probably do not appreciate the wonder that's right in front of them, because they seen it all their lives. But someone from the Boston, Mass (or even me) would be blown away.
Even the things that are right in our own back yards can be breath taking. Coming into work one day, a couple years ago, (I live in the country), the fog was settled over the new sown fields, so visibility was endless. But the fog was only about 15 feet high. So when driving over a higher spot in the road, you could look down over the fields. This was within 1/2 mile of my home and I was breathless that morning! I couldn't believe how beautiful and awesome that was!
Then, there was the first time I heard coyotes howling, about 2 months after we moved into this same house. I'd never heard that before, even though I'd lived in this area pretty much all my life. Shivers went through me, and it was really eery. But awesome at the same time.
So you see, it's not so much looking for the "big" things that's all "awe inspiring", it's the things that really grab us, and speak to us, and motivate us, and move our emotions. And that, my fried, is all around us. Just open you're eyes and mind and be "inspired!" We live in a great country!
