3966 Best Sights in USA

This half-mile beach is actually made up of two beaches, Little Corona and Big Corona, separated by a cliff and rocky jetty. Both have soft, golden-hue sand to set up chairs and towels for the day. You can find a parking spot on the street on weekdays. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This wide beach is one of San Diego's most picturesque, thanks to its soft white sand and sparkly blue water. The historic Hotel del Coronado serves as a backdrop, and it's perfect for sunbathing, people-watching, and Frisbee tossing. The beach has limited surf, but it's great for bodyboarding and swimming. Exercisers might include Navy SEAL teams or other military units that conduct training runs on beaches in and around Coronado. There are picnic tables, grills, and popular fire rings, but don't bring lacquered wood or pallets; only natural wood is allowed for burning. There's also a dog beach on the north end. Free parking is available along Ocean Boulevard, though it's often hard to snag a space during summer. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

Visitors are greeted by a resident taxidermy moose, Bruce, at this two-story museum, which showcases art, artifacts, and ephemera from Benton County and beyond in four different galleries. Highlights include a whimsical semipermanent exhibit that pairs hats with chairs from the same era, a display of inkwells from around the world, and all sorts of old-timey gadgets, from a vintage telephone switchboard to a massive Pontiac engine from 1929.  

Crane Beach, one of New England's most stunning beaches, is a sandy, 4-mile-long stretch backed by dunes and a nature trail about an hour from Boston. Public parking is available, but on a nice summer weekend it's usually full before lunch. There are lifeguards, a snack bar, and changing rooms. Check ahead before visiting mid-July to early August, when greenhead flies terrorize sunbathers. The Ipswich Essex Explorer bus runs between the Ipswich train station and Crane Beach weekends and holidays from June to September; the $5 pass includes round-trip bus fare and beach admission. Contact the Ipswich Visitor Information Center for information. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets; showers. Best for: swimming; walking.

Scenic U.S. 302 winds southeast of Bretton Woods through the steep, wooded mountains on either side of spectacular Crawford Notch. At this 5,775-acre state park, you can picnic and hike to Arethusa Falls, the longest drop in New England, or to the Silver and Flume cascades—they're among more than a dozen outstanding trails. Roadside photo ops abound, and amenities include an Adirondack-style visitor center, gift shop, snack bar, and fishing pond.

Midway between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach is Crystal Cove State Park, a favorite of local beachgoers and wilderness trekkers. It encompasses a 3.2-mile stretch of unspoiled beach and has some of the best tide-pooling in Southern California. Here you can see starfish, crabs, and sea anemones near the rocks. The park's 2,400 acres of backcountry are ideal for hiking and mountain biking, but stay on the trails to preserve the beauty. The Moro Campground offers campsites with picnic tables, including spots designated for RVs and trailers.

This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sanctuary for the manatee. Kings Bay, around which manatees congregate in winter (generally from November to March), feeds crystal clear water into the river at 72°F year-round. This is one of the sure-bet places to see manatees in winter since hundreds congregate near this 90-acre refuge. The small visitor center has displays about the manatee and other refuge inhabitants.

If you want to get an even closer look at these gentle giants, several dive companies provide opportunities for you to swim among them—if you don't mind shelling out some extra cash, donning a wet suit, and adhering to some strict interaction guidelines. In warmer months, when most manatees scatter, the main spring is fun for a swim or scuba diving.

In the lush and densely wooded town of Chama, nestled at the base of 10,000-foot Cumbre Pass, the railroad has played a vital role since the 1880s, when workers piled into town to construct the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. You can get a sense of this history strolling along the town's main drag, Terrace Avenue, which has a handful of cute shops, cafés, and B&Bs, and by taking a ride on the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the nation's longest (and highest) narrow-gauge train excursion. Passengers are transported by handsomely restored, 1920s coal-driven steam engines and 19th-century parlor cars, passing over 10,200-foot Cumbres Pass and through the rugged San Juan Mountains. You chug over ancient trestles, around breathtaking bends, and high above the Los Pinos River—if the terrain looks at all familiar, you may have seen this railroad's "performance" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Midway through the trip you break for lunch and can switch to a waiting Colorado-based train to complete the 64 miles to Antonito, Colorado (from which you'll be shuttled back by bus), or return from this point on the same train. Themed dinner and sunset rides as well as kids'-oriented "Cinder Bear Express" excursions are offered throughout the season.

On the ocean and bay sides of the Overseas Highway are 260 acres of upland hammock, wetlands, and mangroves. On the bay side, there's a trail through thick hardwoods to a rocky shoreline. The ocean side is more developed, with a sandy beach, a clean bathhouse, picnic tables, a playground, grills, and a 28-site campground with electric and water hookups. Locals consider the paddling trails under canopies of arching mangroves among the best kayaking spots in the Keys. Manatees frequent the area, and it's a great place for watching herons, egrets, ibises, plovers, and sanderlings. Raptors are often seen in the park, too, especially during migration periods.

You can fish, boat, hike, and picnic at this park named for Wyoming's most famous sportscaster, who got his start at local radio stations in the 1940s. The park, which is 24 miles west of the city, is especially popular with mountain bikers. There are more than 43 miles of hiking and biking trails, including an International Mountain Bicycling Association EPIC trail—a designation given to some of the most challenging and beautiful single-track trails in the country.

With 4½ miles of undeveloped Bold Coast between Cutler and Lubec, views from this state preserve above Cutler Harbor are likely to take your breath away. Here a wall of steep cliffs—some 150 feet tall—juts from headlands partially forested with spruce and fir. Look for whales, seals, and porpoises while taking in views of cliff-ringed Grand Manan Island and the Bay of Fundy. One of the East Coast's premier hiking destinations, the preserve's interconnected trails offer hikes of 3–10 miles, including loops. There are challenging sections, and a log ladder descends to one of the cobble beaches, but the 1.4-mile portion of the Coastal Trail from the parking area through woods to an ocean promontory is relatively easy. From here the trail follows the glorious Bold Coast for 3.4 miles. Revealing the area’s unusual terrain inland from the coast, the 4½-mile Inland Trail passes by raised peat bogs, salt marshes, swamps, and a beaver pond and wends through meadows and forest. While the coastal portion of the preserve, which has several primitive campsites, is the star attraction, most of its 12,234 acres are on the opposite (northern) side of Route 191. Forest and grassland here is laced with 19.5 miles of multiuse roads and ATV trails.

Gaze out your window at deer, beavers, and all manner of birdlife as well as the gurgling Cuyahoga River from the comfortable seat of a restored car on a Class III railroad. The Cuyahoga Valley Line, which dates back to 1880, went into steep decline with the advent of automobiles and trucks in the 20th century. In 1972, community leaders create a non-profit that restored the railway and eventually began offering rides through the park. The route allows passengers to hop on or off at any of eight stations to explore the park; it also runs alongside several miles of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. For just $5, you can put your bike on the train, ride a few stops, then bike back to your car (called “Bike Aboard.”) Or, for a more leisurely experience, book a nonstop trip themed around wine and beer-tasting, a chef-prepared four-course meal, fall foliage viewing, or murder mysteries. There's even a train-theme car for children, with a miniature train set, maps, toys, and other train-related items for kids to play with.

Explore the inky swamp waters of this natural area in a flat-bottom boat, or walk along paths lined with moss-draped cypress trees, azaleas, camellias, daffodils, wisteria, and dogwoods. You can marvel at the clouds of butterflies in the butterfly house, and see snakes and fish up close in the Swamparium. The swamp garden was created from what was once the freshwater reserve of the vast Dean Hall rice plantation. The site is about 24 miles north of Charleston via U.S. 52, between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner. Bonus: It has an enormous playground for children.

From the wide veranda of Biscayne National Park's mainland visitor center, you can soak up views of the mangroves and the bay before signing up for tours, snorkeling excursions, and ranger programs. The compact but very informative collection in the small museum offers insights into the park's natural, geological, and human history. Restrooms with showers, a gift shop, picnic tables, grills, and children’s activities are also found here.

This lookout is 5,450 feet above sea level in the Black Mountains. The view is astounding: in the dry desert air, you can see across most of 160-mile-long Death Valley. Take a 10-minute, mildly strenuous walk from the parking lot toward a series of rocky overlooks, where, with binoculars, you can spot some signature sites. A few interpretive signs point out the highlights below in the valley and across to the Panamint Range. Getting here from Furnace Creek takes about an hour—time well invested.

Although some scrambling is involved, this 2-mile round-trip hike rewards you with a refreshing year-round waterfall surrounded by thick vegetation and a rocky gorge. No swimming or bathing is allowed, but it's a beautiful place for a picnic. Adventurous hikers can climb higher toward more rewarding views of the falls. The trail is unmarked so follow the water's edge.  Some sections of the trail are not passable for those with mobility issues. Moderate.

Semicircular stairs with wrought-iron railings lead to the recessed doorway of the redbrick Federal home constructed by master builder Isaiah Davenport for his family between 1815 and 1820. Three dormered windows poke through the sloping roof of the stately house, and the interior has polished hardwood floors and fine woodwork and plasterwork, showcasing Davenport's talents to potential clients. The proposed demolition of this historic Savannah structure galvanized the city's residents into action to save their treasured buildings. The home endured a history of dilapidation that had lingered since the 1920s, when it was divided into tenements. When someone proposed razing it to build a parking lot in 1955, a small group of neighbors raised $22,000 in 24 hours to buy and restore the property. This action was the inception of the Historic Savannah Foundation and the first of many successful efforts to preserve the architectural treasure that is the city today.

One of the gems of Utah's state park system, right at the edge of the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands, this park overlooks a sweeping oxbow of the Colorado River some 2,000 feet below. Dead Horse Point itself is a small peninsula connected to the main mesa by a narrow neck of land. As the story goes, cowboys used to drive wild mustangs onto the point and pen them there with a brush fence. There's a nice visitor center with a coffee shop and museum. The park's Intrepid trail system is popular with mountain bikers and hikers alike. If it's a nice day, be sure to walk the 4-mile rim trail loop and drive to the park's eponymous point.

With nearly 3.5 million visitors annually, this is the most visited park in Washington and one of the largest, with 4,400 acres. A big draw of the park is the historic two-lane Deception Pass Bridge connecting Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island, about 9 miles north of Oak Harbor. Park the car and walk across to get the best views of the dramatic saltwater gorges and churning whirlpools below. Then spend at least a few hours walking the 19 miles of rocky shore and beaches, exploring three freshwater lakes, or walking along the many forest and meadow trails. Camping is popular here too, with 234 campsites spread over three campgrounds and evening ranger programs at the amphitheater.

Deep Creek offers more than picnicking. You can go tubing (rent a tube for the day for around $5 or $6 at nearby commercial tubing centers), hike about 2 miles to three pretty waterfalls, or go trout fishing. You can even go mountain biking here, as this is one of the few park trails where bikes are allowed. The picnic area, open year-round (but no running water in winter), has 58 picnic tables, plus a pavilion that seats up to 70 (reserve in advance, $32 fee). There's also a campground here.

Completed in 1832 during America's great era of canal building, the 60-mile-long Delaware Canal runs from Bristol north to Easton, and today its towpath draws bicyclists and walkers who appreciate the scenic path with its canal and Delaware River views. It's easy to access the towpath in New Hope. In addition, the restored Locktender's House and Lock 11 ( 145 S. Main St.  fodc.org   Closed weekends Nov.–Apr.) explore how locks work and what daily life was like on the canal. 

More than 15,000 plant species from Australia, South Africa, the Himalayas, and especially the western United States compose the horticultural displays in the thoughtfully laid-out theme gardens here. They are at their peak in July and August, when garden enthusiasts could spend half a day here; the tropical conservatory alone is worth an hour's visit in the off-season. Spring brings a brilliant display of wildflowers to the world-renowned rock alpine garden, primarily in late May and early June. The OmniGlobe simulates the climate and atmospheric changes on Earth; other environmental attractions include a "green roof" atop the café and an extensive interactive children's garden that covers part of the parking structure. Tea ceremonies take place some summer weekends in the tranquil Japanese garden, and artists such as singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, jazz musician Herbie Hancock, and blues legend Buddy Guy have performed as part of the summer concert series. Tickets are sold by date and time only.

Founded in 1900, the museum has amassed more than 775,000 objects, making it the largest natural history museum in the western United States. It houses a rich combination of traditional collections—dinosaur remains, animal dioramas, a mineralogy display, an Egyptology wing—and intriguing hands-on exhibits. In Expedition Health you can test your health and fitness on a variety of contraptions and receive a personalized health profile. The Prehistoric Journey exhibit covers the seven stages of Earth's development. The massive complex also includes an IMAX movie theater and a planetarium, where the Space Odyssey exhibit simulates a trip to Mars. An impressive eating-and-relaxation area has a full-window panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains. Tickets to the museum, the planetarium, and IMAX are sold by date and time only.

A life-size horse on a 20-foot-tall chair and other sculptures decorate the expansive lawn of this sprawling complex with round towers and tall, oblong windows. The map and manuscript rooms, Gates Western History Reading Room (with amazing views of the mountains), and Schlessman Hall (with its three-story atrium) merit a visit. Built in the mid-1950s, the library houses a world-renowned collection of books, photographs, and newspapers that chronicle the American West, as well as original paintings by Remington, Russell, Audubon, and Bierstadt. The children's library is notable for its captivating design and its unique, child-friendly multimedia computer catalog.

Opened in 1939 to conserve and showcase the ecology of the desert, these 150 acres contain more than 4,000 different species of cacti, succulents, trees, and flowers. A stroll along the ½-mile "Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert" trail is a fascinating lesson in environmental adaptations. Kid-centric activity areas encourage tactile play and exploration. Specialized tours are available at an extra cost; check online for times and prices. The Desert Botanical Garden stays open late, to 8 pm year-round, and it's particularly lovely when lighted by the setting sun or by moonlight. You can plan for a cool, late visit after a full day of activities.

Wind through a Chihuahuan Desert habitat thick with spiked agave plants, prickly pear cacti, ponderosa pines, and a dry riverbed strewn with giant boulders to Devil's Hall, a narrow 10-foot-wide canyon with walls that soar to more than 100 feet. At a leisurely pace, this 4.2-mile round-trip jaunt will take three or four hours. Note that there's some scrambling over rocks and boulders at the end, which can make this more of a strenuous hike for some—wear sturdy hiking boots and consider using trekking poles. Moderate.

Volcanic and glacial forces sculpted this formation of smooth, vertical basalt columns. For a bird's-eye view, take the short, steep trail to the top of a 60-foot cliff. To see the monument's second scenic wonder, Rainbow Falls, hike 2 miles past Devils Postpile. A branch of the San Joaquin River plunges more than 100 feet over a lava ledge here. When the water hits the pool below, sunlight turns the resulting mist into a spray of color. From mid-June to early September, day-use visitors must ride the shuttle bus from the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to the monument.

This is a must-stop photo op: indeed, countless photos of the gorgeous lake with its turquoise water have been taken from here over the decades.

This attraction is perfect for individuals and groups who like to play in a life-size sandbox—and use big toys to do it. In this case, the toys are heavy construction machinery: bulldozers, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoes, mini-excavators, and skid-steer track loaders. Guests don hard hats and spend 90 minutes or more driving the equipment on a big dirt lot, moving around giant tires, digging holes, and more. You can even crush a car, in an Aggression Session, and you can request specific equipment. There are experiences for kids starting as young as age 2 (15 minutes), up to 2 1/2 hours for teen-agers. Or book a  group session, to give team-building a whole new meaning.

Visit imaginative lands, from Bayou Country to a galaxy far, far away in the Star Wars land. Try to spot Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Ride the Storybook Land Canal Boats, passing miniature replicas of animated Disney scenes from classics from Alice in Wonderland to Frozen. Beloved Disney characters appear for hugs, autographs, and photos throughout the day; times and places are posted on the Disneyland mobile app. Live shows, parades, strolling musicians, fireworks (on weekends and during the summer and holidays), and endless creative snack choices add to the magical atmosphere. You can also meet some of Disney's beloved characters during meals at the three Disney hotels (open to the public, but reservations are needed). Strollers, wheelchairs, and Electric Conveyance Vehicles are available to rent at the entrance gate. The park's popularity means there are crowds, especially during the holidays and summer months, so take advantage of the Disney's Lightning Lane and Single Ride line to spend less time waiting. Also be sure to make dining reservations at least three weeks before your visit to secure a table without a long wait. The park is expertly run, with perfectly maintained grounds and a helpful staff ("cast members").