10457 Best Sights in USA

Many consider Dr. Frank's the best wine in the Finger Lakes. The winery, overlooking Keuka Lake, was started in the early 1960s and is run by the grandson of the founder. A Ukrainian immigrant, Dr. Frank was a pioneer in growing classic European grapes in the region. Cabernet francs, Rieslings, pinot noirs, and chardonnays (all European, or vinifera, varietals) are among Dr. Frank's offerings. The Rieslings are excellent, and the pinot noirs are really coming into their own. Also look for rkatsiteli (ar-kat-si-tel-lee), a spicy wine made from an Eastern European grape.

The Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House is where John Wilkes Booth ended up at 4 am on Holy Saturday, 1865, his leg broken after having leaped from the presidential box at Ford's Theater. Most likely, the 32-year-old Dr. Mudd had no idea his patient was wanted for the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Nonetheless, Mudd was convicted of aiding a fugitive and sentenced to life in prison. (His time behind bars was cut short when President Andrew Jackson pardoned him in 1869.) Today the two-story house, set on 197 rolling acres, looks as if the doctor is still in. The dark purple couch where Mudd examined Booth remains in the downstairs parlor, 18th-century family pieces fill the rooms, and the doctor's crude instruments are on display. There's a 30-minute guided tour of the house, an exhibit building, and Mudd's original tombstone. They also have a farm museum and tobacco museum.

This unusual museum, which has a set of George Washington's dentures, is on the Baltimore campus of the University of Maryland, the world's first dental school. Housed in a Renaissance Revival–style building, the museum has exhibits on the anatomy and physiology of human and animal teeth and the history of dentistry; you can also play a tune on the "Tooth Jukebox." One popular exhibit displays the dental instruments used in treating Queen Victoria in the mid-19th century. Tours available by appointment.

At its western edge, downtown Bend slopes down to these 13 acres of manicured greensward and trees lining the edge of the Deschutes, attracting flocks of Canada geese as well as strollers from downtown. Concerts and other live events are staged in the park during the summer months. Note the 11-foot-high wheel log skidder, harkening back to Bend's logging industry in the early 20th century, when four draft horses pulled the wheel to move heavy logs.

Smaller and quieter than the other two beaches in Wells, Drakes Island Beach is also a little more natural, with rolling sand dunes and access to salt-marsh walking trails at an adjacent estuary. The ice-cream truck swings by regularly in summer. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: walking.

At this nonprofit organization, the focus is on drawings—contemporary and historical. The frequently changing exhibits often push the envelope on what's considered drawing so there's usually some thought-provoking material. Many projects are commissioned by the center.

The only plantation house on the Ashley River to have survived the Civil War intact, Drayton Hall is considered the nation's finest example of Palladian-inspired architecture. A National Trust Historic Site built between 1738 and 1742, it's an invaluable lesson in history as well as in architecture. Visitors can pay their respects at the African American cemetery—one of the oldest in the nation still in use—and experience the 30-minute "Port to Plantation" program that uses maps and historic documents to examine the lives of the enslaved Africans who built Charleston and were behind the city's prosperity. Inside the main home, rooms are unfurnished to highlight the original plaster moldings, opulent hand-carved woodwork, and other ornamental details. Tours, with guides known for their in-depth knowledge, run an hour.

Drew Barrymore’s upbeat talk show launched in 2020 and covers everything from lifestyle segments to celebrity interviews. There are often tickets available last minute, making it one of the easiest TV shows to attend without advance planning. Reserve online for one of two tapings—10 am or 2 pm—Tuesday to Thursday. Audience members must be 18 or older; 16 years or older if attending with a parent or legal guardian.

For a firsthand look at the stunning effects of erosion on barrier islands, head at low tide to this oceanfront boneyard on North Beach, where live oaks and pines are being consumed by the sea at an alarming rate. The snarl of trunks and limbs and the dramatic, massive root systems of upturned trees are an eerie and intriguing tableau of nature's slow and steady power. It's been estimated that nearly 1,000 feet of Jekyll's beach have been lost since the early 1900s. Restrooms and other facilities are at the Clam Creek Picnic Area. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise.

Bring your camera; the photo opportunities are terrific, and this is the best place to shoot the St. Simons Lighthouse. The snarling branches of submerged trees can make this a dangerous place to swim, however, so use caution in the water.

It’s always a good time at the distillery, where brothers Gary and Kevin Kelleher, inspired by their grandfather, decided to distill vodka and gin in 50-gallon copper pots and hand-craft everything in small batches. Come for happy hour and sample great cocktails in a beautiful tasting area (with outdoor seating), or drop by for weekend brunch. Along with other Texas tried-and-true favorites, they do an outstanding shrimp ceviche, pulled pork nachos and frozen cocktails. Or book a distillery tour and tasting, and see how it's done.

From Cleveland Roller Mill you can either return via NM 518 to Las Vegas (about 30 mi) or continue north on NM 518 over the gorgeous eastern face of the Sangre de Cristo range. You'll eventually come to Peñasco, on the High Road to Taos, from which you can either go south to Santa Fe or north to Taos. The drive from Mora to Peñasco offers spectacular mountain views, and passes by old farmsteads and adobe hamlets slowly being worn down by the wind and weather.

Loire-style Sauvignon Blanc marketed as Fumé Blanc brought instant success to the Dry Creek Valley's first new winery since Prohibition, but this stalwart established in 1972 also does well with wines from Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Founder David Stare's other contributions include leading the drive to develop the Dry Creek Valley appellation and coining the term "old-vine Zinfandel." The winery's history and wine-making evolution are among the topics addressed at tastings—outdoors under the shade of a magnolia and several redwoods or in the nautical-themed tasting room.

This trail follows parts of the lower drainage of the Dry Prong of Buffalo Creek. There are gradual ascents and descents, with some rocky treads and downed trees. At 0.8 miles, Homestead Campsite can be accessed by spur trail. Horses and hiking only. 2.4 mi. Moderate.

If you can't make it out to see Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park, this is the next best thing. Opened in 2013 by the national park's official ferry commissioner, this free attraction in Key West's Historic Seaport has an impressive (1:87) scale model of the fort; life-size figures, including one of the fort's most famous prisoners, Dr. Samuel Mudd (who was involved in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln); and a Junior Ranger station for the little ones, with hands-on educational fun. The exhibits are housed in a historic site as well: the old Thompson Fish House, where local fishermen once brought their daily catch for processing.

This little beach has calm, protected waters, a gazebo, and a lot of history. It has made the Boston Globe list of the 20 best beaches to visit in New England, and was the site where a small band of villagers successfully repelled an attack and landing by a squadron of the English navy on August 10, 1814, during the War of 1812. The two 18-lb. cannon used in the village's defense are now displayed in nearby Cannon Square. These days the beach is patrolled by lifeguards from Memorial through Labor Days. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (free). Best for: swimming; walking.

Take a look at how life once was at this modest pioneer outpost dating from 1898. Renovated to repair hurricane damage to its structure, it's a picture of life before South Florida became a resort area. Sitting atop an ancient Jeaga mound 20 feet high and looking onto the Jupiter Inlet, it has Cape Cod as well as Old Florida design. It's in Dubois Park, worth a visit for its lovely beaches and swimming lagoons. Docents lead tours Tuesday and Thursday, 10–1. The park is open dawn to dusk.

Founded by doctors Stan and Lisa Duchman, this bucolic vineyard features Italian-inspired gardens, a central villa, and grapes like the deep-purple Sangiovese and tart Dolcetto sourced mainly from the Texas High Plains AVA. Sample the award-winning Vermentino white while you stroll the gorgeous grounds. Homemade pizzas and seasonal bites are available at the restaurant, Thursday through Sunday.

This half of Isle au Haut is part of Acadia National Park and has more than 18 miles of trails winding through quiet spruce woods, along beaches and seaside cliffs, and over the spin of the central mountain's ridge. The park's small campground, with several lean-tos, is open from mid-May to mid-October and fills up quickly. Reservations (as far in advance as possible) are essential. 

Acadia National Park’s most secluded campground (read: primitive) is here, as is a dock for the passenger-only ferry that serves Isle au Haut from Stonington. Duck Harbor (there's a composting toilet) is the best jumping-off point for the 18 miles of trails in the park, which lead through woods and to rocky shoreline, marshes, bogs, and a freshwater lake. Note that the ferry (no reservations) only stops at Duck Harbor from late May through mid-October. Off-season or if you miss the boat, you'll be hoofing it about 4 miles to the Isle au Haut Town Landing.

A Normandy-style château sits on 56 acres of grapevines here. Special events include live music, either on the patio overlooking the vineyard or in the tasting room, on weekends in summer and fall, as well as complimentary hot mulled wine on December weekends. If you like sweet wine, try the Aphrodite late-harvest for a real treat.

Merlot's moment in the sun may have passed, but you wouldn't know it at Duckhorn, whose wines from this grape routinely score well. The Portfolio Tasting, a solid introduction to the label, might begin with a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay before moving on to Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon or two. The elevated Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting explores the differences between vineyard sites. Sometime in 2026, this location will close for renovations, with hospitality moving to an affiliated space in Yountville. When the St. Helena facility reopens in 2027, both tasting rooms will host experiences.

In the 1960s, Dudley Do-Right was recognized as the well-intentioned (but considerably dim) Canadian Mountie who somehow managed to always save the damsel and always "get his man" (that is, foil the villain). But you don't need to be familiar with this character to enjoy this "waterlogged" attraction. The twisting, up-and-down flume ride through the Canadian Rockies begins with your mission to help Dudley rescue Nell, his belle, from the evil, conniving Snidely Whiplash. Tucked inside a hollow log, you'll drift gently down the stream before dropping through the rooftop of a ramshackle dynamite shack. After an explosive dive into a 400,000-gallon lagoon, you're not just damp—you're soaked.

If the weather is cold or you absolutely must stay dry, pick up a poncho at Gasoline Alley, opposite the ride entrance, and store other items in a locker. This isn't suitable for guests who are pregnant, experience motion sickness, or have heart, back, or neck problems. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. Come in late afternoon, when you're hot as can be, or at day's end, when you're ready to head back to your car or hotel.

There is a picnic table under the shady cottonwoods off the Dugout Wells Trail loop, plus a vault toilet.

Washington Duke, patriarch of the now famous Duke family, moved into this house in 1852. It wasn't until he heard how the Union soldiers were enjoying smoking his tobacco that he decided to market his "golden weed." Explore the family's humble beginnings at this State Historic Site, which includes the first ramshackle "factory" as well as the world's largest spittoon collection. Guided tours demonstrate early manufacturing processes; the visitor center exhibits early tobacco advertising.

The spine of Colonial Williamsburg's restored area is the broad 1-mile-long Duke of Gloucester Street. Some Saturdays at noon–2:30 pm, the Fifes and Drums Corps marches the length of the street and performs a stirring drill (check the website for dates). Along this artery, or just off it, are two dozen attractions. Walking west on Duke of Gloucester Street from the Capitol, during the tours, you can actually buy from a dozen 18th-century shops—including those of the apothecary, the wig maker, the silversmith, and the milliner.

A stroll along the tree-lined streets of this campus, founded in 1924, is a lovely way to spend a few hours. Tours of the campus, known for its Georgian and Gothic revival architecture, are available during the academic year and can be arranged in advance.

Named for Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii's famous Olympic swimming champion and waterman, this hard-packed beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is great for families. It's the only stretch of Waikiki with shade trees on the sand, and its waters are very calm thanks to a rock wall that creates a semiprotected cove. The ocean clarity here is not as good as elsewhere, but this is a small price to pay for peace of mind about youngsters. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Not to be confused with the Dumbarton Oaks museum, a beautiful garden and research center a few blocks away, this circa-1799 brick mansion was once the home of the first U.S. Register of the Treasury, Joseph Nourse. Today it's the headquarters for The Colonial Dames of America. Visitors can tour the antiques-filled Federalist home, which often hosts concerts, theatrical performances, and other community events. Docent-led tours are available on the weekend, and the house is open for self-guided tours from Friday to Sunday. Timed tickets are required.