10405 Best Sights in USA

Commissioned in the French boulevard style, the mall is a grand allée of shade trees extending down the middle of the Back Bay's Commonwealth Avenue. Studded with statuary, it serves as the green link between the Public Garden and the Back Bay Fens. One of the most interesting memorials, at the Exeter Street intersection, is a portrayal of naval historian and author Samuel Eliot Morison seated on a rock as if he were peering out to sea. The Boston Women's Memorial, installed in 2003, sculpted by Meredith Bergmann, is between Fairfield and Gloucester streets. Statues of Abigail Adams, Lucy Stone, and Phillis Wheatley celebrate the three women's progressive ideas and contributions to Boston's history.

A dramatic and personal memorial near Dartmouth Street is the Vendome Hotel Fire Memorial, dedicated to the nine firemen who died in a 1972 blaze at the Back Bay's Vendome Hotel, which, now office space, is across the street. The curved black-granite block, 29 feet long and waist-high, is etched with the names of the dead. A bronze cast of a fireman's coat and hat drapes over the granite.

From an outstretched hand to a Constellation shaped like a drinking gourd, dozens of images and symbols are woven into this sweeping and remarkable trompe-l'oeil mural, which makes a humble concrete bridge appear ivy-covered and made of intricately carved stone. The public art is the work of nationally known artist William Cochran who used ideas submitted by Frederick residents and others nationwide as inspiration. The bridge and the waterway it spans are part of the multimillion-dollar construction, development, and renovation efforts that revitalized the Carroll Creek Park area. Restaurants offer outside seating along the walkways that flank the creek and bands play during summer festivals. Thousands of visitors now enjoy this area's charms year-round.

The center's Halseth Gallery houses a permanent collection of nearly 500 mostly American paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs, including works by Norman Rockwell, Grandma Moses, and Rufino Tamayo. The center also draws some of the best traveling art exhibitions from around the country. Concerts and other programs are presented throughout the year as well.

Como Park has picnic areas, walking trails, playgrounds, and swimming facilities. The adjacent Como Park Conservatory, in a domed greenhouse, has sunken gardens, a fern room, biblical plantings, and seasonal flower shows.

Como Park Zoo is home to large cats, land and water birds, primates, and aquatic animals.

Just beyond Bar Harbor proper, this easy-to-moderate 0.8-mile round-trip trail through woods to the rocky shore passes through land that belonged to George B. Dorr—Acadia National Park’s first superintendent and a key player in its creation. Views extend to Ironbound Island across Frenchman Bay, and you can check out remnants of Dorr's estate, including the manor house's foundation, remains of a saltwater pool, stone steps to the ocean, and old gardens and apple trees. There's parking, but it's only about 1½ miles by sidewalk from downtown on Main Street/Route 3. There are historic markers along the way; coming or going, you can connect with the Bar Harbor Shore Path via a side street. Check if the Shore Path has fully reopened after major storm damage in 2024. Moderate.

This direct-to-consumer Newberg-area winery produces Pinot Noir along with Chardonnay, and Tempranillo. Take in estate views from the patio of the winery's hilltop tasting room, while you taste wines presented in graduated cylinders, an homage to the previous owner, a particle physicist-turned-winemaker.

This moderately difficult 2½-mile hike guides visitors east- and west-facing viewpoints with distinctly different rewards. A gentle ascent along the iconic white-blazed Appalachian Trail first leads to a concrete trail marker. A short westbound spur trail reveals a rocky outcrop at Compton Peak for spectacular views of Dickey Ridge and Massanutten Mountain. An eastbound spur trail delivers visitors to a curious hexagonal-patterned geological feature made of greenstone lava and basalt called a columnar jointing. Hiking time is about two hours. Moderate.

A half-dozen or so covered picnic tables are scattered over this area, which rests against a badlands wall ½ mile south of Badlands Loop Road. There's no potable water, but there are bathroom facilities and you can enjoy your lunch in peaceful isolation at the threshold of the Badlands Wilderness Area. The Conata Basin area is to the east, and Sage Creek area is to the west.

The original contents of Emerson's private study, as well as the world's largest collection of Thoreau artifacts, reside in this 1930 Colonial Revival building just east of the town center. The museum provides a good overview of the town's history, from its original Native American settlement to the present. Highlights include Native American artifacts, furnishings from Thoreau's Walden Pond cabin, and one of the two lanterns hung at Boston's Old North Church to signal that the British were coming by sea. Those with kids should ask for kid-friendly guides, scavenger hunts, and drawing sets.

The conical Concord Point Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operated lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay. Built in 1827, it was restored in 1980. You can climb up 30 feet for views of the bay, river, and town.

This 2½-mile beach, flanked by the Riegelmann Boardwalk and the amusement park rides beyond, has become an essential part of New York legend. Although open (and visited) year-round, the beach really heats up in summer, when it can feel like the entire population of New York is out sunning and swimming. In winter, you'll see Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian inhabitants of neighboring Brighton Beach strolling the boardwalk in their Sunday best. Moreover, the annual Polar Bear Plunge on January 1 sees thousands of revelers greet the new year by diving into the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Run by the Coney Island Polar Bear Club ( www.polarbearclub.org), a winter bathing club founded in 1903, it's free and open to everyone as long as they've registered on the website—although donations are highly encouraged at registration, to benefit local nonprofits and the community. Amenities: toilets; food and drink. Best for: swimming; people-watching.

The cast of talented freaks and geeks who keep Coney Island's carnival tradition alive include sword swallowers, fire-eaters, knife throwers, and contortionists. Every postmodern show is an extravaganza of 10 different acts to fascinate and impress. Next door is The Coney Island Museum with a large collection of artifacts celebrating the history of this legendary amusement area. The vibe continues at the Freak Bar, offering beverages and pinball. Museum and bar open year-round.

This cemetery contains the remains of more than 2,000 soldiers (most of them unknown) as well as the graves of generals Dabney Maury, Seth Barton, Carter Stevenson, Daniel Ruggles, Henry Sibley, and Abner Perrin.

Established in 1891, this ponderous stone building is the oldest museum in Louisiana and features heavy trusses, gleaming cypress paneling, and elaborate Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It houses a collection of artifacts from the Civil War, including uniforms, flags, soldiers' personal effects, and a rudimentary hand grenade.

Built in 1887 by Confederate veterans, this tiny nondenominational chapel behind the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was once part of the old Confederate soldiers' home. A video and displays of Confederate memorabilia pay tribute to the soldiers.

Since it opened in the early 1990s, this nonprofit community art gallery has mirrored Twisp's growth into a renowned artists' colony. Set along the town's charming main commercial drag, the gallery hosts a half-dozen exhibitions each year. The outstanding gift shop stocks an impressive selection of works, from paintings to postcards to pottery.

Directly adjacent to the visitor center and parking lot, a covered pavilion includes picnic tables, trash cans, and access to restrooms. Groups can rent it for $25 for the morning or afternoon. Reservations can be made at  recreation.gov.

Along the Boardwalk Trail, benches built into the handrails offer idyllic spots to stop for a picnic along your walk.

Congress Hall was the meeting place of the U.S. Congress from 1790 to 1800, one of the most important decades in our nation's history. Here the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution; Alexander Hamilton's proposals for a mint and a national bank were enacted; and Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee became the first new states after the original colonies. On the first floor you can find the House of Representatives, where President John Adams was inaugurated in 1797. On the second floor is the Senate chamber, where in 1793 George Washington was inaugurated for his second term. Both chambers have been authentically restored.

Italian gardens, ponds, fountains, and statuary punctuate wide lawns at this park in the heart of the city. Fifty cents buys you a ride on a carousel with 28 horses that were carved and painted about a century ago.

Established in 1807 "for all denominations of people," this cemetery is the final resting place for such notables as U.S. Capitol architect William Thornton, Marine Corps march composer John Philip Sousa, Civil War photographer Mathew Brady, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, and many members of Congress. Air Force veteran and gay rights activist Leonard Matlovich is also buried here under a tombstone that reads "When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men, and a discharge for loving one." The cemetery is about a 20-minute walk from the Capitol. You can take a self-guided tour year-round during daylight hours; pick up a map at the gatehouse or download one from the cemetery website. On Saturdays and some Sundays from April through October, you can join a one-hour docent-led tour at 11 am. Check the website for all kinds of themed tours and other events, including film screenings during the summer. 

The indoor, walk-through South American rain forest alone justifies a visit to this zoo. It comes alive with dozens of species, some rare and endangered such as keel-billed toucans, broad-snouted caimans, and black-and-gold howler monkeys living in a lush environment of waterfalls, ponds, greenery, and bamboo. The zoo itself has 36 acres of exhibits featuring more than 300 animals: bison, tigers, leopards, timber wolves, sloths, a red panda, bald eagles---and proud peacocks that freely roam the property right along with you. There's also a colorful carousel and a New England farmyard.

Although it's just over an acre, this beautiful, volunteer-run botanical garden makes for a relaxing, colorful, and fragrant encounter with nature—it's hard to believe you can find such a quiet spot just a block off Lincoln City's busy main drag. Visit with the artfully arranged rhododendrons, magnolias, Sitka spruce, and flowering perennials, or take a guided tour. You're also welcome to come enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds. There's a cute on-site gift shop that's open March through November. Although admission is free, the garden thrives thanks to donations. 

A town highlight is the Conrad Mansion National Historic Site Museum, a 26-room (13,000 square feet) Norman-style mansion that was the home of Charles E. Conrad, who made a fortune in shipping and freighting on the Missouri River and founded Kalispell. Docents lead entertaining and informative guided tours, including a variety of special theme tours offered throughout the year.

The country's oldest rice mill that's still in operation, dating from 1912, produces distinctive wild pecan rice. Tours are conducted on the hour between 10 am and 3 pm, and includes a presentation about the surrounding area and a guided walk-through of the mill. The adjacent Konriko Company Store sells Cajun crafts and foods.

Here you can connect with nature by taking a 45-minute boat tour (ages two-plus) along the Gordon River, renting a kayak, or going on a guided nature walk. The Dalton Discovery Center highlights six Florida ecosystems in its exhibits, which include a spectacular aquarium that's home to a loggerhead sea turtle and a touch tank where you can learn about the many animals found on local beaches. Preschoolers can have hands-on fun at the Little Explorer Play Zone. The on-site wildlife hospital's viewing area gives you a peek at staff working on any number of animals. Check out Cinema Sunday and other events in the Nature Center.

This is a great place to meet some of the park's animal handlers and to gather round for a critter encounter. You'll learn about the park's veterinary care, ongoing research, and food preparation for hundreds of animal inhabitants. Interactive exhibits are simple fun for younger children and have messages about worldwide efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats. Here, you also can find out how to connect with conservation efforts in your own community. At The Animation Experience at Conservation Station, a Disney artist leads a class in drawing a famous (animal) Disney character. For people with disabilities: Guest may remain in wheelchairs or ECVs. Begin a family conservation project here.

The 6-acre formal garden is known for its ever-changing seasonal plantings, including tulips, lilacs, crabapple trees, summer perennials, and chrysanthemums. Opened in 1937, it is named for the large greenhouse built at this location in 1899 to grow plants for the park's landscapes and to offer seasonal displays to the public. Each of the garden's three areas has a distinct design: the French-style North Garden, the Italianate Center Garden, and the English-style South Garden. The ornate Vanderbilt Gate at the main entrance was donated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney; it once adorned the Vanderbilt mansion on 5th Avenue.

Take a guided tour of a real mine, which ceased operations in 1904. With 5 miles of underground tunnels, Consolidated is said to be the largest gold mine east of the Mississippi. Enter the mine (which has been reconstructed for safety), pass through a breathtaking stone passage, and then begin a descent of 120 feet into the mine's geological wonders. Knowledgeable guides expound on historical mining techniques and give demonstrations of tools, such as the "widowmaker," a drill that kicks up mining dust and caused lung disease in many miners. After the tour, guests are invited to pan for gold, prospector style, from a long wooden sluice. Gemstone mining is also available for an additional fee.