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Three things often stand out for guests of this two-brand winery's creekside tasting room: the fervor of father-daughter owners Ed and Mia Mascarin to make wines from world-class grapes, the hosts' authentic hospitality, and the sense of discovering an absolute jewel. “Our goal is to express the sites whose excellent fruit we have access to,” notes winemaker Matt Taylor, a third-generation Sonoman. "We're not looking to re-create a recipe." For 32 Winds, Taylor makes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel wines from sterling sources. The Mascarin wines, from estate and other vineyards whose farming Taylor oversees, include a Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir, and a Syrah-based field blend whose 15% white grapes contribute to its unique flavors and texture. Reservations are a must here.
World-class contemporary art dominates the changing shows at this multilevel nonprofit that holds a special place in the New Mexico art scene. Visually compelling collaborations with an international set of museums and artists cross media boundaries, and often explore issues that are not only dear to the hearts and minds of this multicultural, environmentally diverse state, but resonate globally. The installations here are always top-notch, the works displayed are of the highest quality, the ideas—whether expressed in video, prints, sculpture, diodes, or paint—provocative.
Similar to New York City’s High Line, this abandoned elevated rail line—open since 2015—is now a fun place to walk or bike and take in art all at once. Edgy, splashy and bright murals are depicted along the 2.7-mile route. The route runs through Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, Bucktown, and Logan Square, making it an appealing way to neighborhood hop without getting snarled in the traffic below. Take along some water and sunscreen; on summer days the more exposed stretches of the trail get rather sunbaked.
The name derives from an archaic Spanish word meaning "to plant grapevines," and that's exactly what this winery's husband-wife team started doing in the late '90s. Abacela has steadily established itself as one of Oregon's most esteemed wineries. Hot-blooded Spanish Tempranillo is Abacela's pride and joy, though inky Malbec and a subtly floral Albariño also highlight a repertoire heavy on Mediterranean varietals, which you can sample in a handsome, eco-friendly tasting room where you can also order light appetizers to snack on.
This important museum dedicated to Maine's Indigenous tribes—collectively known as the Wabanaki—is the state's only Smithsonian-affiliated facility and one of the few places in Maine to experience Native culture as interpreted by Native peoples themselves. Spanning 12,000 years, the "core" exhibit, People of the First Light, features items such as birch bark canoes, basketry, and bone tools as well as photos and interactive displays. Changing exhibits often showcase contemporary Native American art. A birchbark canoe made at the Abbe anchors the free Orientation Gallery beside the gift shop at the entrance. Check the website for events, from basket weaving and boatbuilding demonstrations to author talks and family-friendly pop-up rainy days activities.
Opened in 1928, the Abbe's Acadia National Park location at Sieur de Monts is its original home. Longtime exhibits in the small eight-sided building include artifacts from early digs on Mount Desert Island and dioramas of Native American life here before European settlement.
This small winery specializes in small batches of Chardonnay and Pinots, with weekend tastings served to hip-hop beats in its cozy North Plains tasting room. Owner-operator Bertony Faustin is the first known Black winemaker in the state and has done much to elevate the voices of BIPOC winemakers, notably through his documentary, Red, White & Black.
Housed in a sloped Oregon pine building designed to mimic the surrounding hills, this beautiful winery is worth visiting for its looks alone. After a brief tour of the facilities, guests are ushered into an underground cave filled with French oak barrels and are seated at small tables illuminated by candlelight. Here guests are guided through a tasting of Abbot Claim’s unfined, unfiltered, and (mostly) estate Pinots and Chardonnays produced relying heavily on biodynamic and organic methods. Make sure to take a peek at the Oculus, a little library room off to one side of the cave with a skylight that lets in plenty of natural light.
Originally part of John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s seaside estate, this stunning hilltop garden is the creation of its namesake—Rockefeller's wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller—and famed landscape designer Beatrix Farrand. An ever-present Narnia vibe begins on the drive up through the woods, where blowers keep the large mossy granite rocks free of leaves and needles, to magical effect. Even before entering on the Spirit Path, lined with Korean funerary statues, the garden’s earthy pink high wall entrances: it resembles those in Beijing’s Forbidden City. The English-style main border garden has many colorful annuals; one side is more shaded, so bed heights vary, adding whimsy to the symmetrical space. In smaller garden spaces nearby, you can rest on a bench, step through a pagoda, look out on Little Long Pond, and contemplate more Eastern sculptures, from seated Buddhas to guardian animals. An easy forest trail leads to the large terrace—with commanding, expansive ocean views—that fronted The Eyrie, the Rockefellers’ massive summer “cottage,” until it was torn down in 1962.
Head out to Abita Springs to see where this popular beer is made—the area has long been known for its artesian spring water, which is used in their brewing process. Half-hour guided tours ($10) are on Monday through Thursday at 1 and 3 pm, on the hour Friday noon–3 pm, as well as weekends noon–4 pm. Tours include one pint of beer, though you can upgrade to a flight of four different 4-ounce brew samplings for an additional $5. There is also a craft soda tour option, which can be fun for anyone who doesn't drink alcohol. Note that closed-toe shoes need to be worn on all tours. The Tap Room on premises features 30 taps, including Abita mainstays and beer only available on-site.
The city's foremost outdoor draw, the BioPark comprises four distinct attractions: Aquarium, Botanic Garden, Zoo, and Tingley Beach. Verdant grounds are the setting for summer performances, the River of Lights brings crowds over the winter holidays, and exhibits like River Otters, Komodo Dragons, and the Sasebo Japanese Gardens have year-round appeal. The garden and aquarium are located together, just west of Old Town (admission gets you into both facilities) while the zoo is a short drive southeast, off 10th Street SW, and Tingley Beach (and its trout-stocked ponds) lies between. An electric shuttle connects them all.
The only surviving European-style opera house in America is the current home of the Opera Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Ballet; for the past century, it was home to the Philadelphia Orchestra. Designed by Napoleon Le Brun and Gustav Runge, the 1857 building has a modest exterior; the builders ran out of money and couldn't put marble facing on the brick, as they had intended. The lavish interior, modeled after Milan's La Scala, has elaborate carvings, murals on the ceiling, and a huge Victorian crystal chandelier.
Atop a 367-foot mesa that rises abruptly from the valley floor, Acoma Pueblo's terraced, multistory, multiunit Sky City is like no other pueblo structure. It's one of the oldest continually inhabited spots in North America, with portions believed to be more than 1,500 years old. Captain Hernando de Alvarado, a member of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's expedition of 1540, was the first European to see Acoma. He reported that he had "found a rock with a village on top, the strongest position ever seen in the world." The Spanish eventually conquered the Acoma people and brutally compelled them to build
About a dozen families live at the mesa-top pueblo full time, with most other Acomas living on Native American land nearby and returning only in summer and for celebrations, such as the feast day of St. Stephen (September 2), and Christmas mass (both are open to the public). Acoma's artisans are known for their thin-walled pottery, hand-painted with intricate black-and-white or polychrome geometrical patterns.
Once you park at the mesa base, plan to spend time in the superb
Expect no heavy reds at this boutique operation specializing in Rhône-style whites. Owner-winemaker Susan Tipton, who sourced her grapes' vines from Château de Beaucastel in France's Châteauneuf du Pape appellation, produces Viognier, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc but also spotlights lower-profile varietals like Bourboulenc and Clairette Blanche. (There's also a Grenache rosé.) Tastings, by appointment only, take place in a 100-year-old barn or just outside it, in either case with vineyard views.
A tour of the restored Adams House includes an explanation of the tragedies and triumphs of two of the community's founding families (the Franklins and the Adamses) who lived here. The 1892 Queen Anne–style mansion was closed in the mid-1930s and sat empty for more than 50 years, preserving the original furniture and decor that you see today.
Between the massive stone-block post office and the old railroad depot, there are three floors of displays at the Adams Museum, including the region's first locomotive, photographs of the town's early days, and an exhibit featuring Potato Creek Johnny's Gold Nugget, the second-largest nugget ever discovered in the Black Hills. The Adams Museum is affiliated with Deadwood History, Inc., which also oversees the Days of '76 Museum, the Historic Adams House, and a cultural center and archives.
David Adelsheim is the knight in shining armor of the Oregon wine industry—tirelessly promoting Oregon wines abroad, and always willing to share the knowledge he has gained from his long viticultural experience. He and Ginny Adelsheim founded their pioneer winery in 1971. They make their wines from grapes picked on their 230 acres of estate vineyards, as well as from grapes they've purchased. Their Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay all conform to the Adelsheim house style of rich, balanced fruit and long, clean finishes. They also make a spicy cool-climate Syrah from grapes grown just outside the beautiful tasting room. Tours are available by appointment.
More than 100,000 Adirondack artifacts are in the collection of this acclaimed museum that explores the history and culture of the region. The 32-acre complex, on Blue Mountain Lake, encompasses 23 indoor and outdoor exhibit areas that examine nearly every feature of Adirondack life, including resort life, wood crafts, logging and mining, guide boats, and environmental issues. A library, snack bar, and shop are on-site.
Yes, this is a space designed with kids in mind, but there are also several elements that adults can enjoy, such as virtual reality stations, planetarium and laser shows, and the Max Flight: Full Motion simulator. Popular Way Late Play Dates are after-hours events exclusively for adults 21 and older. The Adventure Science Center sits on a bluff with good views of Downtown.
Aesthete may well be the best place in Sonoma County to sample wines this serious for such a modest fee. Adorable rescue animals it’s okay to feed, a cherished creekside sipping area, and the staff's earnest hospitality provide additional incentives to drop by. But the celebrated winemaker, Jesse Katz, constructs the Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs, and Bordeaux reds with such elegance that all distractions fade away during tastings. The estate Drystack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA flies under the radar, but maybe not for long: a recent barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc from the site scored a 97 from a top reviewer, high for a California wine from this grape. The Pinot Noirs are more full-bodied than many of their Sonoma County peers yet still refined.
This museum traces the African and African American experience in south Louisiana. Videos, artifacts, and text panels combine to create a vivid, disturbing, and inspiring portrait of a people. It is an ambitious and refreshing counterpoint to the sometimes sidelined references to slavery and its legacy.
Gilbert Stanley Underwood, architect of the Grand Canyon Lodge, also designed The Ahwahnee hotel. Opened in 1927, it is generally considered his best work. You can stay here (for about $500 or more a night), or simply explore the first-floor shops and perhaps have breakfast or lunch in the bustling and beautiful Dining Room or more casual bar. The Great Lounge, 77 feet long with magnificent 24-foot-high ceilings and all manner of artwork on display, beckons with big, comfortable chairs and relative calm.
A prime example of the wealth derived from chattel slavery, the Aiken-Rhett House is considered one of the best preserved town-house complexes in the country. Built in 1820 and virtually unaltered since 1858, it boasts original wallpaper, paint, and some furnishings. Two of the former owners, Governor Aiken and his wife, Harriet, bought many of the chandeliers, sculptures, and paintings in Europe. The carriage house remains out back, along with a building that contained the kitchen, laundry, and housing for enslaved laborers, making this the most intact property to showcase urban life in pre–Civil War Charleston. Be sure to take the audio tour, as it vividly describes the surroundings, giving historical and family details throughout.
One million red bricks adorn this striking 100,000-square-foot theater complex, worth seeing for its classical architecture and lovely 250 acres of English-style grounds and lake alone. Three works by William Shakespeare are among 14 productions staged annually in two theaters. Other famous playwrights round out the schedule along with musicals, concerts, and new works.
At the heart of San Antonio, this one-time Franciscan mission established in 1718 as Mission San Antonio de Valero stands as a revered repository of 300 years of Texas history. It is a monument to the 187 Texan and Tejano (Texans of Mexican descent) volunteers who fought and died here during a 13-day siege in February and March of 1836 led by Mexican dictator General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The Texan army lost, but the defeat inspired an April victory at the Battle of San Jacinto with the rallying cry "Remember the Alamo," spurring Texas toward independence from Mexico. Today the historic shrine (Alamo Church) and Long Barrack are the only structures remaining from the 1836 battle. Admission to those two are free, but you must have a timed ticket (reserve online or on-site) to keep crowds at a minimum inside the shrine. Once inside, be sure to see the Church's Sacristy Exhibit, an immersive journey through time all the way to its role as a sanctuary for women and children during the siege. You can also upgrade from the free tour to the "A Line in the Sand" self-guided experience ($20), which includes the audio tour, the Alamo Exhibit, and entry to Alamo Church. For the ultimate history lesson, take the "Remember the Alamo Guided Tour" ($45) led by Alamo History interpreters; it's 45 minutes long with a 30-minute guided walking tour and time for Q&A. This tour includes entry into the church and the Alamo Exhibit in the Ralston Family Collections Center, where you can explore artifacts from the Phil Collins Collection and others in 10,000 square feet of gallery space with more than 500 artifacts on display (rotated out of a collection of 5,000). You can also purchase tickets separately to the Ralston Center. The ongoing construction around the Alamo is part of a multi-year (through 2027) $550 million renovation and redevelopment of Alamo Plaza, including plans for a Plaza de Valero pavilion, a reconstructed walkway from the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk hotel to Alamo Plaza, a new education center (150,000 school children visit the Alamo each year), and a $185 million visitor center and Alamo museum in the historic Crockett Building across from the plaza.
As the headquarters to the Maritime Refuge, this free visitor center and natural history museum provides a wonderful introduction. The refuge covers some 3½ million acres spread across some 2,500 Alaskan islands, from Prince of Wales Island in the south to Barrow in the north. The 37,000-square-foot eco-friendly facility with towering windows facing Kachemak Bay is a must for anyone interested in the abundant aquatic, avian, and land mammal life of the region. A film takes visitors along on a voyage of the Fish and Wildlife Service's research ship, the MV Tiglax. Interactive exhibits detail the birds and marine mammals of the refuge (the largest seabird refuge in America), and one room even re-creates the noisy sounds and pungent smells of a bird rookery. In summer, guided bird-watching treks and beach walks are offered, and you can take a stroll on your own on the walkways in Beluga Slough, where Alaskan poet Wendy Erd's commissioned work lines the way.
On a 26-acre site facing the Chugach Mountains, this facility provides an introduction to Alaska Native peoples. The spacious Gathering Place has interpretive displays, artifacts, photographs, demonstrations, Alaska Native dances, storytelling, and films, along with a gift shop selling crafts and artwork. Step outside for a stroll around the adjacent lake, where seven village exhibits represent the traditional structures of Alaska Native cultural groups. Inside, you'll find tools, games, and innovations used in the past, plus hosts and storytellers during the summer months. The Center is tucked in the woods on the edge of town, but a shuttle runs June through August to connect guests to the Log Cabin Visitors Center and Anchorage Museum Downtown.
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