3966 Best Sights in USA

Also known as the Nott House, this imposing Greek Revival mansion with Doric columns is furnished with the belongings of four generations of the Perkins-Nott family, whose patriarch, then the wealthiest merchant in town, built the house in 1853. Guided tours are offered from mid-July through mid-October, and showcase the fine items the family gathered in its global travels—including hand-painted wallpaper from Paris. The house also serves as a gathering place for village walking tours. It is owned by the Kennebunkport Historical Society, which has several other historical buildings, including an old jail and schoolhouse, a mile away at 125–135 North Street.

The White House Visitor Center is a fantastic way to get an orientation before visiting the White House and an excellent alternative for those who could not get tickets. Displays, artifacts, photos, videos, and interactive exhibits recount the life and times of America's most famous house, providing behind-the-scenes insight into the workings of the White House. Afterward, go for a walk around the grounds of the President's park for the iconic views of the White House.

This forest straddles New Hampshire and Maine, with the highest peaks on the New Hampshire side. The Maine section, though smaller, has magnificent rugged terrain. Hikers can enjoy everything from hour-long nature loops to a day hike up Speckled Mountain. The mountain is part of the 14,000-acre Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness Area, one of several in the forest, but the only one entirely within Maine. The most popular Maine access to the national forest is via Route 113, which runs south from its terminus at U.S. 2 in Gilead, 10½ miles from Bethel. Most of Route 113 is the Pequawket Trail Maine Scenic Byway—the section through the forest is spectacular come fall and closed in winter for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Three of the forest's campgrounds are in Maine; backcountry camping is allowed.

The forest this trail passes through is no ordinary woodland. To your left is the Big Woods, one of the last remaining stands of original Old Growth forest in Kentucky. The trail descends into the Green River Valley to the north side of Dennison Ferry, and the White Oak backcountry campsite.  2.5 mi. Moderate. There is no ferry, and no cross-river access to the Dennison Ferry Day-Use Area.

From the ridgetop near Mammoth Cave Campground, Whites Cave Trail makes its way down the wooded flank of Mammoth Cave ridge toward a spot where White Cave lies nestled underneath the forest floor. This small grotto with no known connection to the Mammoth Cave system isn't open to the public, but the trail passes by its entrance. 0.6 mile. Moderate.

Near Highlands and Cashiers, Whiteside Mountain is one of the highest continuous cliffs in the East. The sheer cliffs of white granite rise up to 750 feet, overlooking the Chattooga River in the Nantahala National Forest. A 2-mile loop (moderate) takes you to the top of the cliffs, including a long section following the striking ridgeline. The cliffs are also popular with rock climbers. Peregrine falcons nest here, and the cliffs are closed to climbers during falcon mating season.

This is a reconstruction of Waiilatpu Mission, a Presbyterian outpost established on Cayuse lands in 1836. The park preserves the foundations of the mission buildings, a short segment of the Oregon Trail, and, on a nearby hill, the graveyard where the Native American victims of an 1847 measles epidemic and subsequent uprising are buried.

In addition to offering pick-your-own blueberries, tomatoes, and pumpkins on a seasonal basis, Whitney's sells fresh produce, herbs, and dairy products. A deli and a bakery are also on-site, as well as an outdoor playground and greenhouse.

This triangular little patch of green, donated to the city in 1870 by politician Charles Wicker, is a neighborhood favorite and home to softball fields, a children's water playground, a dog park, and outdoor movies. The handsome central fountain is a great spot for chilling out and people-watching in warm weather.

This 85-acre hollow with picnic tables and a waterfall is a good place for a casual hike along a marked 1.6-mile loop trail that passes through a rare maritime oak-holly forest and winds along and over Dundery Brook. The trail passes a boulder dedicated to Queen Awashonks, who ruled the local Sakonnet tribe during the early Colonial period.

Contrasting views of the Hill Country and the downtown skyline make it worth the winding country road trip to this gorgeous nature preserve just west of town. Wander among the 227 acres on a network of walking trails or take a guided tour offered on weekends (by reservation only). The cool folks at the on-site research center (partnered with local St. Edward's University) offer numerous outdoor-oriented classes, nighttime stargazing sessions, and even live concerts by local and touring musicians. Reservations to hike the basin trails are not required on weekdays but highly recommended on weekends. Staff closes the gates whenever the parking area is full.

Formerly Wild Blueberry Land and built to resemble a giant blueberry, this museum's deep-blue geodesic dome is a can't-miss landmark along U.S. 1. Exhibits focus on the native plant’s ecosystem; the canning of the fruit during the Civil War to help feed soldiers; local blueberry farmers; and research efforts to improve management of the wild crop. The gift shop sells items like candles and socks with a blueberry theme or design; books about Maine wild blueberries and the culture it feeds; and foods made with the fruit, such as blueberry jam, vinegar, pie, and chocolate truffles. Outside, look for the wild blueberry patch in the native pollinator garden. 

The mystique of wolves is powerful and Wild Spirit is one of the few places where you can see them up close, in large enough enclosures that allow them to behave somewhat naturally. The staff at Wild Spirit are focused on educating the public about the dangers of trying to keep these animals, even hybrid wolf dogs, as pets. Camping is allowed on the premises, if you have a hankering to listen to wolf howls, but it's primitive. Guided tours are offered at noon and 3  pm. The gift shop also sells snacks; it closes after the last tour. The on-site Howling Wolf Grill offers hot food on limited days.

In this park's cultural preserve you can visit the homes, barns, workshops, and bunkhouse of a 19th-century dairy farm. Nature has reclaimed most of the ranch land, and native plants and wildlife have returned to the 7,000 acres of forest, grassland, canyons, estuaries, and beaches. Hike, bike, or ride horseback on miles of ocean-view trails. Dogs aren't allowed at Wilder Ranch.

One of the longest—and smoothest—mountain coasters in the South, this exhilarating ride extends 3,160 feet and reaches 27 mph in one continuous drop. There's also a high ropes adventure course.

Off the west shore of Flathead Lake, the lake's largest island is an ideal day-trip to hike, swim, and watch wildlife. An extensive trail system through one of the last short-grass prairie ecosystems in Montana provides an opportunity to get some exercise and see rare plants, bald eagles, truly wild horses, and full-curl bighorn rams. The only way to reach it is with a boat rental. Big Arm Rentals and Rides (in Big Arm) rents kayaks and power boats, or you can take one of their three daily shuttles.

The museum showcases the life and work of Austrian physician, scientist, and writer Wilhelm Reich (1897–1957), who believed that all living matter and the atmosphere contain a force called orgone energy. The hilltop Orgone Energy Observatory exhibits biographical materials, inventions, and equipment used in his experiments, whose results were disputed by the Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies. Stone faces the exterior of the boxy 1949 structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A mid-century gem inside and out, Reich's second-floor study, library, and laboratory look as they did in his day, with original sleek modern furniture. The observatory deck has magnificent countryside views. Trails lace the largely forested 175-acre property, known as Orgonon, which has a year-round waterside vacation rental cottage. Reich's tomb sits next to one of his inventions, a cloud accumulator.

This clean, sandy, 3-mile beach, with a dozen volleyball nets, gymnastics equipment, and a playground for kids, is an all-around favorite. The surf is gentle, perfect for swimmers and beginning surfers, and crowds are frequently smaller than in other spots along the shore. However, it's best to avoid the beach after a storm, when untreated water flows from storm drains into the sea. Amenities: parking; lifeguards; toilets; food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Take a trip back in time to experience the story of Oregon's early pioneers and the industrial revolution. The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill Museum complex (circa 1889), complete with working waterwheels and millstream, looks as if the workers have just stepped away for a lunch break. Teasel gigging, napper flock bins, and the patented Furber double-acting napper are but a few of the machines and processes on display. The Jason Lee House, the John D. Boon Home, and the Methodist Parsonage are also part of the village. There is nothing grandiose about these early pioneer homes, the oldest frame structures in the Northwest, but they reveal a great deal about domestic life in the wilds of Oregon in the 1840s.

A 4-acre beach that swarms on hot summer days with residents and visitors, Willard Beach offers easy swimming and boating, as well as views of Fort Gorges. Convenient and free parking, lifeguards, a snack shack, and restrooms all add to its popularity. Dogs are permitted after sundown in the summer or all day in the off-season. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

In the eyes of the world, Little Rock became a global destination in 2004 when the William Clinton Presidential Center and Park opened on 29 riverfront acres adjacent to the city's central business district. The Clinton School of Public Service is housed on-site in a renovated historic train station; the offices for the Clinton Foundation are also here. This energy-efficient, environmentally conscious complex is an architectural icon visualizing a "bridge to the future," mirroring Little Rock's six other bridges across the Arkansas River. See replicas of the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and President Clinton's limousine. Permanent and rotating exhibits, films, lectures, special events, and activities recount Clinton's years in office.

This wide, sandy beach edges a protected cove on both sides of San Simeon Pier. Fish from the pier or from a charter boat, picnic and barbecue on the bluffs, or boogie board or bodysurf the relatively gentle waves. In summer you can rent a kayak and paddle out into the bay for close encounters with marine life and sea caves. The NOAA Coastal Discovery Center, next to the parking lot, has interactive exhibits and hosts educational activities and events. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Wilmington was once a major railroad hub on the East Coast, and that legacy lives on at this museum that includes a caboose, engine, and freight car (complete with hobos), a children's play area, and a huge model-train display that's controlled by patrons via foot pedals. The museum holds the record for the longest model train ever assembled (925 feet, 6 inches), a feat that's commemorated among the exhibits.

The fossilized-coral reef, dating back about 125,000 years, demonstrates that the Florida Keys were once beneath the ocean. Excavation of Windley Key's limestone bed by the Florida East Coast Railway exposed the petrified reef, full of beautifully fossilized brain coral and sea ferns. You can see the fossils along a 300-foot quarry wall when hiking the park's three trails.

This 0.3-mile round-trip paved nature trail is wheelchair-accessible and also great for little ones. Take in the beautiful, craggy-sided Chisos and look through the V-shape rock-sided "Window" framing the desert below (you can hike to this very point via the quite rewarding, moderately difficult 5.6-mile round-trip Window Trail, which is accessed from the same trailhead). This self-guided trail, which is especially captivating at sunset, is easily accomplished in 20 minutes. Be on the lookout for wild javelina, which occasionally root through here. They're not normally aggressive, but give them a respectful distance. The trail is closed due to construction until mid-2027. Easy.

An early stop for many visitors to the park, a trek through The Windows gives you an opportunity to get out and enjoy the desert air. Here you'll see three giant openings in the rock and walk on a trail that leads right through the holes. Allow about an hour on this gently inclined, 1-mile round-trip hike. As most visitors don't follow the "primitive" trail around the backside of the two windows, take advantage if you want some desert solitude. The primitive trail adds an extra half-hour to the hike. Easy.

You can board this scenic railroad's restored cars at Weirs Beach or Meredith for one- or two-hour rides along the shoreline. Special excursions include fall foliage and the Santa train.

Geared toward younger children (but open to those 13 and under), Wise Wonders is the perfect place to burn off a few hours of energy. That said, adults also get a kick out of the cool, scientific gadgets and gizmos. In addition to interactive exhibits, there's an indoor playground. Wise Wonders also has a cute coffee shop, Ebon Coffee, serving up Belgian waffles and free Wi-Fi to parents who want to work while the kids are at play (the museum also offers staffed programming).