10457 Best Sights in USA

This overlook marks the spot at which prospectors first spied the lake in 1853. Wizard Island is just northeast, close to shore.

A full-size model of a triceratops skull welcomes you to the Discovery Station and Hagerstown Aviation Museum, the first hands-on science museum in Western Maryland. Set in a former bank building, the museum allows kids to work the controls in the cockpit of a Cessna plane, squeeze through a model of an artery, and dig in sand for dinosaur fossils. Other popular attractions include a National Institutes of Health–sponsored exhibit on the eye and a model of the solar-powered NEAR spacecraft which traveled more than 200 million miles from the sun to explore asteroids.

You could easily spend an entire day exploring this museum's aquariums and innovative exhibits that show how engineers apply science to real-life situations. The Reiman Family Aquariums follow the voyage of the S/V Denis Sullivan, a three-masted schooner that summers next to Discovery World. Don't miss the Great Lakes Future exhibit, an exact-scale model of the watershed that holds 20 percent of the world's freshwater. The technology building features interactive exhibits such as a bed of nails, a 3-D facial scanner, and the "Rockwell Automation Dream Machine," which shows how Milwaukee landmarks use automation.

The 8,000-square-foot facility includes a tasting room and patio with a menu that features ciders (all gluten-free and hand-pressed), cocktails, and food provided by Cabin Attic. Regular events include pregame parties on Nashville SC game days, outdoor movie screenings, and a monthly drag brunch (18+). The large patio has multiple firepits, and dogs are welcome.

This is one of Walt Disney World's best shows for tots and preschoolers. Throughout the show, kids are encouraged to sing and dance along with Doc McStuffins, Timon, and Vampirina as the characters cha-cha-cha their way through the fun. Special effects further inspire kids to participate. The entire event is capped off with Mickey appearing in his racing gear from Mickey and the Roadster Racers. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair and ECV accessible, equipped with preshow-area TV monitors with closed-captioning, and equipped for assisted-listening, audio-description, and video- and handheld-captioning devices. Come early, when your child is most alert and lines are shorter. Be prepared to sit on the carpet. Don't miss character meet and greets before or after the show.

Despite its location and age, visitors often overlook this memorial on the National Mall, though it's a favorite with locals for wedding and engagement photos. President Herbert Hoover dedicated this monument in 1931, and unlike the neighboring memorials on the Mall, this relatively small structure isn't a national memorial. The 47-foot-high, circular, domed, columned temple is dedicated to the 26,000 residents from Washington, D.C. who served in the Great War and the 499 men and women (military and civilian) who died in service. Unofficially referred to as the "World War I Memorial" in the District, its marble structure was restored through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and maintained by the National Park Service.

Spring Lake, as the name suggests, is a spring-fed, ½-mi-long lake running northwest to southeast inside Divine Park. You can paddle along the calm water in a rented boat or kayak. By sidewalk, Divine Park's perimeter is approximately 1⅓ mi, but two picturesque wood bridges cut across the lake. The park is nicely landscaped all around, with a large, white gazebo at the far northwest end.

Serving as the border that separates Wicker Park from Ukrainian Village to its south, Division Street has become a shopping and dining destination in its own right. Bars, boutiques, and trendy restaurants line the once-gritty thoroughfare, which lent its name to journalist Studs Terkel's 1967 book about urban life. To start your exploration, head west on the stretch of Division between Ashland and Leavitt avenues.

A relic of Mammoth Cave's geologic younger years, Dixon Cave Entrance lies at the end of an underground passage once connected to the rest of the cave. Now choked with stone, this dry hillside pit was at one time a mighty spring that fed Green River. Now, standing on the overlook just off Dixon Cave Trail, you peer down into darkness as though backward into time itself.

This forested trail ventures from the Historic Entrance to its possible predecessor, Dixon Cave, further along the ridge. Now enclosed and not open to the public—you can peer into the entrance from the nearby overlook platform—Dixon Cave is thought to have once been an opening to the Mammoth Cave system. The trail continues on toward its junction with Green River Bluffs Trail. 0.4 mile. Moderate.

About a 10-minute drive east of Chestertown is a Maryland Eastern Shore institution—with much more than just furniture (although there are literally a couple of acres of that). Hundreds of pieces, "other people's junk" and real treasures, are sold out in the open, regardless of the weather. A huge shed houses smaller items defying easy description, from atlases to zithers. The auction is held every Wednesday of the year (Christmas week excepted) beginning at 8 am.

The original Dock Street, built in 1736, was the first theater building in America. The current structure, reopened in 1935, incorporates the remains of the old Planter's Hotel (circa 1809). Green velvet curtains and wonderful woodwork give it a New Orleans French Quarter feel. The Charleston Stage company performs full seasons of family-friendly fare, and Spoleto Festival USA uses the stage for productions in May and June.

Is there a dreamier way to top off your day at the beach than a bonfire at twilight? Beach bonfires are largely illegal in L.A., but you can still live the dream along Dockweiler’s 3.7-mile stretch. Here, lighting up isn’t just permitted; it’s practically encouraged, thanks to firepits peppered throughout. That's probably why this beach is almost always a scene where young twenty- and thirtysomethings roast jumbo marshmallows on long, makeshift skewers, as they guzzle beer in red cups. (Just arrive early to have a shot at one.) Amenities: food and drink; parking; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Although the 200-foot towers look really scary, the ride itself is just kind of scary (but still pretty cool). Several sets of four chairs wrap around the tower, and you and three fellow guests are seated and strapped in just out of the sight of other riders before the disembodied voice of Dr. Doom tells you the contraption is designed to extract fear he'll collect to use and rule the world. Without warning, all the chairs are rocketed to the peak, which jump-starts a surge of adrenaline as it rises, falls, rises, and falls again in a very brief, but quite thrilling, experience.

Often it's easy enough to have a second go, as you can actually step off and get right back into line again. Guests who are pregnant or have heart, back, neck, or motion-sickness problems should sit this one out. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. The line moves fairly fast, though it's crowded early in the day; come late or use Express Pass.

This Italian-Argentine wine-making family with a 30-acre property at the Temecula Valley's northeastern edge takes a passionate and quirky approach. Winemaker Damian Doffo and his father, Marcelo, play music for their vines, whose grapes go into small-lot wines, among them a rich Syrah and the signature Malbec, from estate grapes. Tastings of these and other wines take place inside a refurbished garage. The family's racing and vintage motorcycles, which guests can view on free self-guided walking tours, are displayed in an open-air showroom nearby.

Next to Louie's Backyard restaurant, this tiny beach—the only one in Key West where dogs are allowed unleashed—has a shore that's a mix of sand and rocks. Amenities: none. Best for: walking.

The city has a 1-mile stretch of beach dedicated to dogs. It's free and dogs can run, fetch a ball, and play with other dogs off leash. Twice a year the city hosts Corgi Beach Day, one of the largest corgi celebrations, in which up to 1,000 dogs of all different breeds and owners join in the fun.

With a helpful staff who can advise you on making the most of your time in Dog Canyon, this small ranger station acts as a gateway to the vast, dramatic high country in the remote northern section of the park.

This beach is one of Southern California's top surfing destinations, especially for beginners. There's a lot to do within the 5-acre grass area with volleyball courts, tide pools, picnic areas, and an interpretive center devoted to the wildlife of the Doheny Marine Refuge. Campgrounds are located at the southern end of the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

More than just a prominent fixture on Hollywood Boulevard, the Dolby Theatre has a few accolades under its belt as well, most notably as home to the Academy Awards. The theater is a blend of the traditional and the modern, where an exquisite classical design inspired by the grand opera houses of Europe meets a state-of-the-art sound and technical system for an immersive, theatrical experience. Watch a concert or a show here to experience it fully, but before you do, take a tour for an informative, behind-the-scenes look and to step into the VIP lounge where celebrities rub elbows on the big night.

Pineapple plantation days are nearly defunct in Hawaii, but you can still celebrate the state's famous golden fruit at this promotional center with exhibits, a huge gift shop, a snack concession, educational displays, and one of the world's largest mazes. Take the self-guided Garden Tour, or hop aboard the Pineapple Express for a 20-minute train tour to learn a bit about life on a pineapple plantation. Kids love the more than 3-acre Pineapple Garden Maze, made up of 14,000 tropical plants and trees. If you do nothing else, stop by the cafeteria in the back for a delicious pineapple soft-serve Dole Whip. This is about a 40-minute drive from Waikiki, a suitable stop on the way to or from the North Shore.

Exhibits, which span from antique dolls to modern collectibles such as GI Joe, bring out the educational, historical, and cultural significance of these toys. The collection, which numbers in the thousands, includes Disney memorabilia, toy trains, and circus items. The museum is about 15 mi southeast of Downtown.

Built in 1775 by John Dilworth, Todd House has been restored to its 1790s appearance, when its best-known resident, Dolley Payne Todd (1768–1849), lived here. She lost her husband, the Quaker lawyer John Todd, to yellow fever in 1793. The widow later married James Madison, our fourth president. Her time as a hostess in the White House was quite a contrast to her years in this simple home. There's an 18th-century garden next to Todd House.  Open by tour only; free tickets available at the Independence Visitor Center in advance.

Attending a live musical performance is the highlight of many a visitor’s trip to Branson, and while there are dozens to choose from, a few stand apart as being among the city’s most innovative. One of these is Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, a lively dinner show that features live horseback stunts, pyrotechnic feats, and a four-course meal of Southern finger food (vegetarian options are also available). If you get here early, you can catch free preshow performances in the lobby.

More than a dozen waterslides and thrill rides make up this expansion of Dollywood, including the corkscrew tunnels of the Mountain Scream slide and the 1,500-foot Downbound Float Trip lazy river. There's also the Mountain Waves pool and Little Creek Falls kids' area.

Hawks Cay Resort's Dolphin Connection offers three programs, including Dockside Dolphins, a 30-minute encounter from the dry training docks; Dolphin Discovery, an in-water program that lasts about 45 minutes and lets you kiss, touch, and feed the dolphins; and Trainer for a Day, a three-hour session with the animal training team.

The 1963 movie Flipper popularized the notion of humans interacting with dolphins, and Milton Santini, the film's creator, opened this center, which is home to a colony of dolphins and sea lions. The nonprofit center has educational sessions and programs that allow you to greet the dolphins from dry land or play with them in their watery habitat. You can even paint a T-shirt with a dolphin—you pick the paint, the dolphin "designs" your shirt.

Programs begin with a get-acquainted session beneath a tiki hut. After that, you slip into the water for some frolicking with your new dolphin pals. Options range from a shallow-water swim to a hands-on structured swim with a dolphin. You can also shadow a trainer—it's $350 for a half day or a hefty $630 for a full day.

Launched in 2021 as a partnership between Jean-Nicolas Méo—whose family has been involved in Burgundy's wine industry for centuries—and music-executive-turned-winemaker Jay Boberg, this Dundee Hills venture brings traditional Burgundian wine-making techniques to Oregon soil. The tasting room is casual and homey, with a few nods to Boberg’s musical background (including a record player and curated playlists), and guests are invited to step out onto a viewing platform inspired by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium to watch the wine-making process in action. There’s also a massive deck that’s great for sunny-day tastings. Tastings are kept intimate and limited to two parties at a time, and cheese plates are provided at no extra cost. 

Once the grounds of the Domino Sugar Factory, this riverside park tastefully incorporates clunky metal remnants of its refinery past, including its Artifact Walk, an elevated walkway with Manhattan skyline views. There's also a playground, a garden, dancing fountains, and Tacocina, a walk-up eatery from Danny Meyer of Shake Shack fame. You’ll see locals at the bocce court or playing with their pooches at the dog run, but most of all, you’ll marvel at a truly spectacular view of the Williamsburg Bridge, seemingly right above your head.