10451 Best Sights in USA

Delaware's rich agrarian past is brought to life at this imaginative museum, which includes a re-created 1890s village and farmstead where you can step inside a range of buildings, including fully furnished homes, a store, schoolhouse, a corn house, and even a privy. There is also an exhibition hall detailing the development of farming in the state and related technology. Antique exhibits include a horse-drawn wagon, a crop duster, and threshers. The museum also hosts occasional special events.

Walkers and cyclists in Lambertville have easy access from downtown to part of the park's 70-mile-long, multiuse trail (the former canal towpath), which travels through 22 towns and five New Jersey counties. Built in the 1830s to connect the Delaware and Raritan rivers, the D&R canal, as it's known, includes a feeder canal along the Delaware that runs past towns such as Frenchtown, Stockton, and Lambertville down to New Jersey's Washington Crossing State Park.

In an 85,000-square-foot building, the museum presents several notable American and international collections in galleries that reflect diverse, engaging stories about artists and the periods in which they worked. Its strong holdings of American illustration include paintings by Howard Pyle (1853–1911), a Wilmington native known as the \"father of American illustration,\" and works by his students N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, and Maxfield Parrish. Some other American artists represented are Benjamin West, John Sloan, Winslow Homer, Faith Ringgold, and Grace Hartigan. The museum is renowned for the largest American collection of 19th-century English pre-Raphaelite paintings and decorative arts, with works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, among others. Dale Chihuly's colorful Persian Window glass installation, the interactive Kids' Corner, and the open-air Copeland Sculpture Garden are other highlights.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities organizes monthly sightseeing cruises that visit all the viewable lighthouses in the Delaware Bay. Each trip takes seven hours and includes complimentary breakfast and buffet lunch, as well as a cash bar. Boats run by Cape May Whale Watcher leave from Miss Chris Fishing Center at the marina near the entrance to Cape May.

Guided tours of this mine, 12 miles south of Copper Harbor along Highway 41, take visitors (wearing hard hats) 110 feet belowground for a 45-minute exploration (warm clothing is recommended). It's an authentic mine dating back to 1847 and veins of copper are still visible in what was once a highly active mining operation. Self-guided tours are also available. Aboveground, railroad enthusiasts will enjoy indoor and outdoor antique train displays, while animal lovers can visit a pen housing goats and deer.

The centerpiece of this museum property is the 1797 Federal-style farm of Gideon Frisbee, an original settler of Delhi. The complex includes six other historic buildings as well as an extensive genealogical library. One exhibit gallery holds a permanent collection of 19th-century farm implements; the other rotates displays of local historical interest. Special events re-create the daily life of the period. A nature trail leads to a covered bridge; when in bloom, more than 80 lilac bushes perfume the grounds.

Nearly 3,000 acres are bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Rehoboth Bay, and Indian River Bay, resulting in 6 miles of shoreline with lots of activities. Lifeguards patrol beaches, and two modern bathhouses are equipped with showers and changing rooms. There's a marina for boaters, and trails and camping for landlubbers. Rental cottages are available, too. Take an evening Lantern Tour of the circa-1876 Indian River Lifesaving Station to learn about shipwrecks and the men who saved the lives of unfortunate sailors. It's one of many tours, hikes, and programs offered at the park.

The spring water at this lovely park 15 minutes north of the city, constantly at 72°F, might make swimming here a bit chilly, but there are plenty of other attractions if you're not up for it. The 4-mile Wild Persimmon Hiking Trail cuts through areas inhabited by deer, turkey, wild boar, and Florida black bears. You can take a 50-minute eco-history boat tour, walk through a butterfly garden, and rent canoes and kayaks. Need some fuel for all these activities? Start the day at the on-site Sugar Mill Restaurant, where you make your own pancakes on a table-top griddle.

In Seligman, you can stop here for a "small soda" and to view the old Coca-Cola and Burma Shave signs. In fact, the whole town is rife with old signs and cars.

Though most people think Austin’s sports teams only wear burnt orange, a little ways north, the colors are all red, white, and blue. Dell Diamond is home to the Round Rock Express, a minor league baseball team that feeds into the Texas Rangers. And while it’s fun to catch a game under the wide-open sky and bright lights, the stadium itself is worth the trip alone. The state-of-the-art facilities have everything you’d expect—huge jumbotrons and a pool-party area sit behind the outfield—and some things that you might not, like a rock-climbing wall and bungee trampoline. Tours are held year round every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30, 10, and 10:30, and also while the team is on the road during the summer.

Best known for Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, DeLoach also produces Chardonnays, old-vine Zinfandels, and a few other wines. Grapes for some reds are fermented in open-top wooden vats similar to those used in France for centuries to intensify a wine's flavor. On a self-guided tour of the winery's ½-acre Theater of Nature culinary garden, you can learn the role biodynamic farming plays in creating DeLoach wines.  The Kathleen Thompson Hill Kitchen Memories Collection, worth a look, contains cooking utensils of nostalgic and historical value.

Instrumental in the revitalization of Delray Beach circa 1995, this cluster of galleries and event spaces was established in restored school buildings dating from 1913 and 1925. The Cornell Museum of Art & American Culture offers ever-changing exhibits on fine arts, crafts, and pop culture, plus a hands-on children's gallery. From November to April, the 323-seat Crest Theatre showcases national-touring Broadway musicals, cabaret concerts, dance performances, and lectures.

In addition to finding out what's up in Delta Junction, you can purchase an "I Drove the Alaska Highway" certificate ($3) here—technically, the highway ends in Delta because there was already a road this far from Fairbanks. Across the street is the Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum (ask about hours at the visitor center, but it's generally open June through August). If you're in town on a Wednesday or Saturday between mid-May and early September, check out the wonderfully named Highway's End Farmers Market, open both days from 10 to 5.

Take a 1½-hour sightseeing cruise around the Great South Bay on this 149-passenger paddlewheeler. The boat features an air calliope with player piano, so you can cruise with a tune. Reservations are recommended.

This museum includes the restored 18th-century home, studio, and garden of Charles Demuth (1883–1935), one of America's first modernist artists, who lived in the city of Lancaster for most of his life. A watercolorist, Demuth found inspiration in the geometric shapes of machines and modern technology, as well as the flowers in his mother's garden. Items from the 42-piece collection of Demuth's works are displayed on a rotating basis; one gallery is dedicated to changing exhibits of regional and national artists. Next door is the now-shuttered Demuth Tobacco Shop, which dates to 1770.

A nonprofit located on 10 acres of forest across from Denali National Park, the center offers intensive learning experiences that range from a variety of all-inclusive weeklong Road Scholar programs to youth programs, including hands-on research in conjunction with the National Park Service and backpacking trips for high schoolers. Public events, as well as day and evening dinner programs, are offered at intervals throughout summer.

No matter whether you visit on foot, bike, or bus, you'll want to utilize the Denali road system as much as possible. Personal vehicles are only allowed the first 15 miles of the 92-mile long road, and most of the best potential views and wildlife are beyond this 15-mile marker. The view from the Eielson Visitor Center and Wonder Lake are the park's most iconic and these are located at miles 66 and 85, respectively.

But amazing views of the rolling tundra, foothills, and grizzly bears can be had almost anywhere. Take your time and if possible, spend multiple days either taking bus tours, hiking, or biking through the park to give yourself the best chance of an unforgettable view or wildlife encounter.

While the park is never technically closed, much of the road is snowed in during the winter months. Depending on the snowfall, travel along the park road can be hampered in spring and fall as well. The road is generally open up to Mountain Vista (mile 13) by mid-February. Check the park's website before visiting to stay up-to-date on any road closures. 

Overshadowed by the larger and more charismatic Denali National Park and Preserve, the 325,240-acre "Little Denali," or Denali State Park, offers excellent road access, beautiful views of Denali (the big one), scenic campgrounds, and prime wilderness hiking and backpacking opportunities within a few miles of the road system. The terrain here varies from the verdant, low-lying banks of the Tokositna River to alpine tundra. Moose, wolves, and grizzly and black bears inhabit the park, along with lynx, red foxes, land otters, beavers, porcupines, and myriad other species.

Open from mid-May through late September, the center lies 1.5 miles beyond the park's entrance and includes two floors of interpretive exhibits detailing the park's natural and cultural history along with several life-size representations of the park's largest animals. A theater on the main floor plays the 20-minute film The Heartbeats of Denali twice an hour. The center is the starting point for most ranger-led hikes and several other trails you can explore independently. This is also the place to get backcountry camping permits (permits aren't necessary for day hikes). Nearby facilities include the railroad and bus depots, the Morino Grill, and the Alaska Geographic bookstore. There are no real attractions here in the park's historic district, but several footpaths allow you to admire the architecture of structures built as early as 1926. The sled dog kennels are the biggest draw, and multiple presentations are held there throughout the day.

The sloping roof of this winery's tasting room and production facility mimics the gently rolling, limestone-laden landscape it occupies. The respect for the terrain that the architecture exhibits repeats itself in the farming and cellar techniques used to create Denner's mostly Rhône-style wines, which—along with Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons, and a few other reds—routinely receive mid-90s scores from major critics. Appointment-only tastings indoors or out take advantage of hilltop views of Willow Creek District trees, vines, and pastures.

Dr. Frederick Shepard Dennis, the former owner of these 240 acres and a noted New York surgeon, lavishly entertained his guests—among them President William Howard Taft and several Connecticut governors—in the stone pavilion at the summit of the estate. From its 1,627-foot height, you have a panoramic view of Haystack Mountain and parts of New Hampshire to the north and, on a clear day, New Haven Harbor about 60 miles south. Picnic on the park's grounds or hike one of its many trails. Autumn foliage here is spectacular!

Visual and performing-arts exhibits here range from historical art to contemporary works by artists of statewide, national, and international stature. The museum's Power Family Inuit Gallery, a permanent display of sculptures, prints (including stonecut and chine-collé), tapestries, and drawings by the Inuit artists of the Canadian Arctic, is among the largest and most historically complete collection anywhere. An outdoor sculpture garden features works by Michigan artists. Also at the museum are a hands-on children's gallery—the Thomas A. Rutkowski Discovery Gallery—a movie theater showing Thursday-night films, periodic performances in the Milliken Auditorium, and an impressive gift shop.

The star attraction at Deno's is the towering 150-foot-tall Wonder Wheel, a New York City landmark. The Ferris wheel first opened in 1920, making it the oldest ride in Coney Island, and the spectacular views from the top take in a long stretch of the shoreline. Higher speed thrills come from the Phoenix, the harrowing, inverted steel-track roller coaster. For the tots, there's the Pony Carts and a brightly painted carousel. Older kids will appreciate Stop the Zombies, a virtual-reality arcade game.

Denver's first firehouse was built in 1909 and now serves as a museum where original items of the trade are on view, including uniforms, nets, fire carts and trucks, bells, and switchboards. Artifacts and photos document the progression of firefighting machinery from horses and carriages in the early 1900s to the flashy red-and-white trucks of today.

The state's most popular cultural attraction, this easily navigated property's best-known exhibit showcases man-eating Komodo dragons in a lush re-creation of a cavernous riverbank. Another popular exhibit is The Edge, a series of overhead yards and bridges that allow the Amur (Siberian) tigers to roam 12 feet above visitors. The 10-acre Toyota Elephant Passage houses elephants, gibbons, rhinos, clouded leopards, and tapirs, along with other animals from the Asian continent. The Conservation Carousel ($2) rotates in the center of the 80-acre zoo, with handcrafted endangered species as mounts. A 7-acre Primate Panorama houses 31 species of primates in state-of-the-art environments that simulate the animals' natural habitats, while the Pinnacol African Penguin Point habitat showcases the endangered African penguin. Other highlights include a nursery for baby animals; seal shows; the electric Safari Shuttle, which snakes through the property as you are treated to a lesson on the zoo's inhabitants; and the usual lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, and monkeys. The exhibits are spaced far apart along sprawling concrete paths, so build in plenty of time to visit.

Housing an impressive permanent collection of art spanning both the 19th and 20th centuries, the Des Moines Art Center has a keen focus on contemporary artists in many media, including photography, printmaking, film, painting, and glass. Edward Hopper, Francis Bacon, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Jasper Johns are among the artists represented. A gift shop and restaurant (Baru 66 at the Art Center, which debuted in 2013) are open during museum hours. The packed calendar of gallery talks and films has turned the art center into a hot spot for art-minded locals.

Getting its name from the Spanish word for "rest," this 160-acre oasis is a respite from city life, shaded by massive oak trees. A smaller, mellower version of the nearby Huntington, Descanso Gardens features denser foliage, quaint dirt paths, and some hilly climbs that make for good exercise. It's the perfect place to come in search of wonderful scents—between the lilacs, the acres of roses, and the forest of California redwoods, pines, and junipers, you can enjoy all sorts of fragrances. A forest of California live oak trees makes a dramatic backdrop for thousands of camellias and azaleas and the breathtaking 5-acre International Rosarium holding 1,700 varieties of antique and modern roses. Families love the model ride-on train that winds through the gardens daily ($5 per person).

The Deschutes County Historical Society operates this museum, which was originally built as a schoolhouse in 1914. Exhibits depict historical life in the area, including a pioneer schoolroom, Native American artifacts, and relics from the logging, ranching, homesteading, and railroading eras.