(thread hijack mode on)
"...great places missed as people travel from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego"
Most trips are limited by time and funds to a direct-line sprint. Lots of great places off the straight line are missed. My particular pet peeve is that so many visitors to South America just drive along the Panamerican Highway, and ignore everything east of the Andes.
Brasil, in particular, is a vast and diverse country. The Amazon rainforest is mind-altering, but there's plenty more to see. The endless wetlands of the Pantanal, home to amazing fishing and wonderful wildlife. The rich Atlantic forest, reduced to remnants now, is still a magnificent backdrop to the southeast beach communities. The interior highlands are home to completely different ecological zones. South Brasil, on the border with Uruguay, has grasslands and a heritage derived from settlement by Europeans, particularly from Germany. (I was unprepared for the shock when I entered a restaurant and found an oompah band providing entertainment for Sunday diners. No samba for these steak and bratwurst eating citizens.)
(hijack mode off)