10457 Best Sights in USA

Johnson City is now a small but mighty natural wine destination thanks in big part to this mom-and-pop operation in the center of the town. Book an appointment for a tasting with animated winemaker Henry Crowson to experience his unique natural fermentations made without sulfites or filtration. Crowson and his dad craft about 2,000 cases of minimal-intervention wine each year in the adjacent production space, using the best Texas-grown fruit he can find and letting it spontaneously ferment using ambient yeast. Crowson added a restaurant, Picnic’d, serving charcuterie boards of butter, mezze, and meats and cheeses as well as specialty sandwiches and Amy’s Ice Cream.

This 2.6-mile round-trip hike through meadows and forests to Cold Boiling and Crumbaugh lakes presents an excellent opportunity to view spring wildflowers, but it's quite pretty throughout summer and fall. At Cold Boiling Lake, it's possible to detour to Bumpass Hell (thereby adding 3.8 miles round-trip to your trek). Moderate.

Home to the Lakers, the Sparks, and the ice hockey team Los Angeles Kings, the Crypto.com Arena is Downtown's top sports destination. It's also the preferred venue for superstars like Bruce Springsteen, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber. Though not open for visits except during events, the saucer-shape building is eye-catching.

The fragments of petrified wood strewn here once held clear quartz and amethyst crystals.

This easy ¾-mile loop leads you past petrified wood that once held quartz crystals and amethyst chips. Easy.

Originally used as a winter camp by the Shoshones, this popular recreation area has one of the world's largest natural hot and cold springs. Mixing water from the two springs allows for a variety of pools with temperatures ranging from 80°F to 105°F. The complex in Honeyville, about 11 miles north of Brigham City, has its own campground, hot tubs, a large soaker pool, a cold freshwater swimming pool, two water slides, and a lap pool.

In the higher reaches of the mountains is pristine Crystal Lake. There's excellent hiking along interpretive and wildflower trails as well as camping, fossil hunting, and ice-cave exploration. The ice cave is a 5-mile hike from the 28-site campground; June is the best time to see the 30-foot ice pillars formed over the winter. There's a cabin 6 miles from the gate for snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers, but it's closed when the snow is too deep to navigate (which is most of the winter). Motorized boats are not allowed on the lake.

For much of the year, this nearly 10-acre retreat near Reed College is frequented mainly by bird-watchers and those who want a restful stroll. But starting in April, thousands of rhododendron bushes and azaleas burst into flower, attracting visitors in larger numbers. The peak blooming season for these woody shrubs is May; by late June the show is over.

Seven galleries of campus history sweep you into exploring the past, present, and future of university achievements and traditions. Warp into space with the University of Colorado's astronauts, and see an Apollo 15 moon rock; strut to the tunes of master swing conductor Glenn Miller; challenge yourself to building a 1.5-million-LEGO-brick model of the Boulder campus; and see if you can name the school's latest Olympians.

This scenic 20-mile round-trip drive goes from the Quarry Visitor Center east to the Josie Morris Cabin. Josie's sister, Ann Bassett, was reputedly the "Etta Place" of Butch Cassidy legends. Morris lived alone for 50 years at her isolated home. Along the drive, watch for ancient rock art, geological formations, views of Split Mountain, the Green River, and hiking trails. The route is dubbed the "Tour of the Tilted Rocks" in the $1 guidebook sold at the visitor center.

This 4.6-mile, three-hour (round-trip) hike takes you through meadows and stands of aspen trees and up 540 feet in elevation to a lake with water lilies. Moderate.

Whether you're coming or going from Chaco's north entrance, or simply heading south on U.S. 550, Cuba is a good place to stop for gas and, depending on your inclination and the season, hot coffee or a cold soda. Remnants of when this route was the notoriously unsafe—and much narrower—NM 44 are gas stations, a convenience store, and El Bruno's, a better-than decent Mexican restaurant that's right on the highway at the far north end of town, plus a handful of inexpensive motels that could serve for a pre- or post-Chaco overnighter; your best bet in this regard is the Cuban Lodge. Continue south on U.S. 550 in daylight if at all possible (late afternoon is perfect): the views only get more spectacular as you go. Watch for Cabezon Peak on your right. But if you've got some time to spare, detour in Cuba to visit Pueblo Pintado, about 60 mi west, on Navajo Route 9 via NM 197 from Cuba's south end. Most of it is a very rugged ride, and the Pintado town site is little more than a few houses and a convenience store, but the ruins there—from a Chaco Culture great house—are worth a look and easy to find (for the intrepid, there is an even more rugged back route to Chaco Canyon itself from here).

The Cuba area has been known as a cheese center since the late 19th century. Stop by the Cuba Cheese Shoppe to buy locally made cheddar cheese, Old York cheddar spread, or any of the 100-plus varieties of imported and domestic cheeses the store offers.

Four blocks in the heart of Little Havana are filled with monuments to Cuba's freedom fighters. South of Calle Ocho (8th Street), Southwest 13th Avenue becomes a ceiba tree–lined parkway known as Cuban Memorial Boulevard, divided at the center by a narrow grassy mall with a walking path through the various memorials. Among them is the Eternal Torch of the Brigade 2506, blazing with an endless flame and commemorating those who were killed in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961. Another is a bas-relief map of Cuba depicting each of its municipios. There's also a bronze statue in honor of Nestor (Tony) Izquierdo, who participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion and served in Nicaragua's Somozan forces.

The East Coast branch of the country's most respected cooking school is on the grounds of a former Jesuit seminary overlooking the Hudson River. Tours are available Monday to Thursday when school's in session. Five student-staffed restaurants are open to the public. The Craig Claiborne Bookstore stocks more than 1,300 cookbooks in addition to culinary equipment and specialty foods. One- and two-day workshops and lectures are offered on weekends.

One of four branches of the country's most famous culinary school, the CIA Texas campus in San Antonio attracts food lovers and future chefs with a special interest in Latin American culture and cuisine. Associate and bachelor degrees in the culinary arts are offered here, but if you're just a foodie passing through, you can sign up for one-day classes that range from three to five hours on topics like Mexican desserts, live-fire grilling, holiday pies, and more. If you would rather relax and watch someone else work, check out the one- to two-hour chef demonstrations on a variety of topics, with tastings and take-home recipes included. To skip the work entirely, make reservations at Savor, the CIA restaurant, for a meal created and presented by advanced CIA students under the guidance of professional faculty as a culmination of two years of rigorous study. Cooking classes, tours, and demonstrations vary.

West of Highlands via U.S. 64 toward Franklin, the Cullasaja Gorge (cul-lah-say-jah) is a 7½-mile gorge passing the Cullasaja River, Lake Sequoyah, and several waterfalls, including Bridal Veil Falls, Dry Falls (which has a path to walk behind the waterfall), Quarry Falls, and the 200-foot Cullasaja Falls. The gorge and falls are in the Nantahala National Forest.

Rocks around waterfalls are slippery, and trying to cross the top of the falls is dangerous.

In the heart of Culver City is the Culver Hotel, built in 1924 and now preserved as a historic landmark. It will catch your eye with its old-world glory and lobby entrance, which has sweeping dark wood and a high ceiling. It's as seductive as the many classic film stars that took up residency here over the years, including Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, Ronald Reagan, and cast members from The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind as they filmed in the nearby studio.

The Culver Studios are best known as the location where Gone with the Wind was filmed in addition to classics including Citizen Kane and the Desilu Productions TV hits of the '50s and '60s, including The Andy Griffith Show, Lassie, and Batman. Amazon Studios currently occupies the space and is further developing it. This studio currently does not offer tours to the public, but the view of historic buildings from the front gate is still Insta-worthy.

This park on the east bank of the Cumberland River at the foot of the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge was designed with kids and families in mind. Sandboxes, a playground, an obstacle course, a climbing wall, and trails (one designed to attract butterflies) are among the offerings for kids; there's also a picnic area and 1,200-seat amphitheater. You can also enjoy great views of the river with the Nashville skyline just beyond the bank.

Take a day trip on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, an 1880s steam locomotive that chugs through portions of Colorado's and northern New Mexico's rugged mountains that you can't reach via roads. It's the country's longest and highest steam-operated railroad. The company offers round-trip train routes, several bus-and-train combinations, one-way trips, and themed rides.

There are six area trails made from old roads and abandoned railroad lines that guide hikers past historic sites, like the First Baptist Church of Thurmond and mining camp ruins of the Brooklyn Coal Co. The 5.4-mile round-trip Stone Cliff Trail boasts scenic views and river access as you hike along the banks of the New River.

At the end of a gravel spur road, an easy ¾-mile trail runs through sagebrush around Pierce Cunningham's low-slung 1888 log-cabin homestead. Although you can peer inside, the building has no furnishings or displays. Watch for badgers, coyotes, and Uinta ground squirrels in the area.

Located in the Catoctin Mountains, this state park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts: there's hiking, fishing, and a crystal clear man-made lake for swimming and boating. The showpiece for many is a 78-foot waterfall (hence the name, although some locals call it McAfee Falls)—the largest cascading waterfall in the state. The park also features an aviary, the historic Catoctin Iron Furnace, campgrounds, and activities such as maple syrup making, and a bird and reptile program for kids. Picnic tables and grills are available, and campsites/cabins can be rented from April through October.

This recreation area, part of the National Park Service, encompasses three reservoirs along 40 miles of the Gunnison River and can be accessed at the bottom of the East Portal Road. Blue Mesa, nearly 20 miles long, is the largest body of water in Colorado; Morrow Point and Crystal are fjordlike reservoirs set in the upper Black Canyon of the Gunnison. All three reservoirs provide water-based recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, and paddling, but only Blue Mesa offers boat ramps. Excellent fly-fishing can be found upstream (east) of Blue Mesa Reservoir along the Gunnison River. A variety of camping and hiking opportunities are also available. The Elk Creek Visitor Center on U.S. 50 is available year-round for trip-planning assistance. Camping at the Lake Fork Campground in the park provides a perfect middle ground between the North and South Rims of Black Canyon, ideal for seeing both sides over a weekend.

Frequent weekend festivals, including an annual celebration of seafood, take place at this scenic city park next to the Intracoastal Waterway. Sit on one of the piers and watch the yachts and fishing boats pass by. Put on your jogging shoes—the park is at the north end of a 6.3-mile waterfront biking-jogging-skating path. Tennis courts, a boat ramp, and a playground are here, along with the Maritime Museum. DivaDuck tours launch from this park.

The 1875 lighthouse was built from nearly 1 million bricks, which remain unpainted on the exterior. Except in high winds or thunderstorms, or during winter when the lighthouse is closed, you can climb 220 steps to the top of the northernmost lighthouse on the Outer Banks, taking in the view toward Virginia and south to Nags Head.

An affectionate play on the name of the nearby Murray Hill neighborhood to the north, Curry Hill is a roughly three-block area with a large concentration of Indian restaurants. There are dozens of eateries peppered (or is it spiced?) around Lexington Avenue between 26th and 28th Streets, with many regional cuisines represented, including a number of South Indian dosa spots. Check out Kalustyan's ( 123 Lexington Ave.), the long-standing Indian spice-and-grocery market, too.

A couple of schoolteachers from Indiana founded Camp Curry in 1899 as a low-cost option for staying in the valley, which it remains today. Curry Village's 400-plus lodging options, many of them tent cabins, are spread over a large chunk of the valley's southeastern side. This is a very family-friendly place, but it's more functional than attractive.

The lobby of the Curtis Publishing Company building has a great treasure: a 16-by-50-foot glass mosaic mural, The Dream Garden, based on a Maxfield Parrish painting. It was executed by the Louis C. Tiffany Studios in 1916. The work's 260 colors and 100,000 pieces of opalescent hand-fired glass laced with gold leaf make it perhaps the finest Tiffany mural in the world. The beautiful mural was also designated a \"historic object\" by the Philadelphia Historical Commission after its owner, the estate of a local art patron, put it up for sale for $9 million in 1998; the designation, the first in the city's history, stopped the sale and the mural remains in public view, under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.