10457 Best Sights in USA

Based on the movie about the gigantic-eared baby elephant who learns he can fly, the ride consists of flying pachyderms, each packing a couple of kids and a parent. A joystick controls your Dumbo's up-and-down movement. A popular feature for parents and children: the Big Top "play while you wait" indoor area chock-full of climbing equipment for kids of most ages. As you enter the colorful circus tent, a Disney "ringmaster" hands you a pager that buzzes when it's your turn to join the ride queue. Parents can supervise tots in a small circus ring of play equipment while older kids burn up energy on multilevel climbers like the Thrilling Tower of Flames. Adults enjoy the bench seating. For people with disabilities: If using a wheelchair, prepare to transfer to a ride vehicle. This is a great place to visit in the afternoon when kids may need to run around and parents may need to sit down. Let the kids enjoy the play area before riding.

Look under and around the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (near the staircase to the Brooklyn Bridge walkway) for colorful murals by the likes of Apolo Torres, Craig Anthony Miller, and Sophia Dawson—all sponsored by the DUMBO Improvement District and the NYC Department of Transportation Urban Art Program.

Jacob Fussell began a wholesale ice-cream business in Baltimore in 1851, the first in the United States. Today privately owned and operated ice-cream parlors abound along Maryland's Eastern Shore, but Dumser's Dairyland, established in 1939, is the choice for longtime beachgoers; its vast "factory" and parlor are open from noon to midnight in the summertime. In addition to its main South Atlantic Avenue outfit, it also operates branch locations at 49th Street and Coastal and 124th Street and Coastal, as well as three smaller outlets on the boardwalk.

Near the town of Beverly Shores, Dunbar Beach is just west of the 1933 Century of Progress homes and is a smelt fishing (no permit required) hot spot in spring. Amenities: parking (entrance pass required); toilets (seasonal). Best for: swimming; walking.

Halfway between Guerneville and the Pacific Ocean, this small town named for a sawmill that thrived here in the late 1800s is a popular pit stop for cyclists jonesing for coffee and aficionados of quirky retail. Antiques and gift shops can be found on the highway's north side, along with a general store, a petite bookstore, and a longtime local's casual wine-tasting venue. Guerneville and Jenner have better food options, though Cape Fear Café (north side) and the Gold Coast Bakery and Blue Heron Restaurant (south) have their adherents.

This forested picnic area is situated adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, which rubs up against the east side of the picnic area. There are picnic tables, restrooms, and water spigots. From here, it's an easy hike to Blackrock Summit.

From the Dungeness ferry dock to the southern tip of the island, Dungeness Beach covers nearly 2 miles of pristine, remote coast. This wild stretch of sand attracts beachcombers (shark teeth are a sought-after find) and fishermen, who cast for redfish and flounder at the southernmost point, called Pelican Flats. Trails lead to Thomas Carnegie's historic estate, Dungeness, and this is also a good area to spot Cumberland's famed wild horses that roam the beach and inland areas here. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise.

Now a curious structure among the modern buildings and warehouses in Cleveland's Midtown District, the museum is filled with artifacts from the Dunham family, the original residents. Walk the Cleveland Botanical Garden–manicured grounds for vignettes of early-19th-century life.

A beacon in the dark since 1826, this lighthouse still operates every night, using a Fresnel lens dating from an 1875 update, when the brick surround was built. (The 1826 structure is still intact inside.) On the first floor of the keeper's house are nautical history exhibits and rooms showing how the keeper and his family would have lived; the second floor is the veterans museum. Coast Guard boats on display include a 45-foot buoy tender. You can take a guided tour up to the tower.

Between Hendersonville and Brevard you'll find this 10,400-acre state forest with four major waterfalls, five lakes, and 80 miles of dirt roads to explore. It's ideal for biking, hiking, or horseback riding. Fishing and hunting are permitted in season.

A short walk or drive away is the Both 19th-century funiculars edge up ever-so-steep hillsides. The view at the top is well worth the $3.50 round-trip. Several restaurants at the top have great views.

Come to this newly renovated, luxurious hot springs resort to soak your aching bones after a day of hiking or skiing. The complex includes an Olympic-size, saltwater swimming pool infused with aquagen, and 27 total natural mineral pools ranging from 98°F to 110°F; all are open year-round. The pools are outdoors, perched at the base of the mountain and thoughtfully designed to blend in with nature. The grounds also feature a spa, sauna, reflexology path, food carts and fire pit, stage for live music, stream, separate adults-only area, and hydrotherapy "yin-yang" pool.

This small craft distillery is racking up national and international awards for its Conniption American dry and navy-strength gins, as well as its cold-distilled cucumber vodka and Damn Fine Liqueurs made in collaboration with Raleigh’s Videri Chocolate and Slingshot Coffee Company. The intimate tasting room is open on the weekends for quick tastes and for more involved behind-the-scenes tours that give you a look at the unique two-step distillation process. Downstairs, the Corpse Reviver bar, with its velvety blue lounge seating, shows off the best iterations of the products made upstairs with craft cocktails.

Formerly Omaha's Union Station, this museum highlights the history of the Omaha and Union Pacific railroads through interactive exhibits, including some beautifully restored train cars from as far back as 1890. Lifelike sculptures of soldiers, salesmen, and other rail travelers of the 1930s and '40s sit in restored train cars and "talk" about the politics, music, and the society of the time. Permanent exhibits include a re-creation of a Nebraskan home of the late 19th century and an impressive coin collection that includes pieces from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt.

Chicago is a city of bridges—and this one, completed in 1920, is among the most graceful. The structure's four pylons are decorated with impressive sculptures representing major Chicago events: its exploration by Marquette and Joliet, its settlement by trader Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the Fort Dearborn Massacre of 1812, and the rebuilding of the city after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The site of the fort, at the south end of the bridge, is marked by a commemorative plaque. As you stroll Michigan Avenue, be prepared for a possible delay; the bridge rises about 50 times a year between April and November to allow boat traffic to pass underneath.

It may not pump water anymore, but this carefully restored windmill, built in 1903 to irrigate Golden Gate Park, continues to enchant visitors. The Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden here is a welcoming respite, particularly lovely during its February and March bloom. On the south side of the park at Lincoln Way and the Great Highway is the Murphy Windmill, the largest in the world when it was completed in 1908; swing by for an interesting comparison.

A self-proclaimed \"Kingdom for Kids,\" this 44-acre amusement park features rides and activities suited for families with younger children. Most rides, such as the roller coaster, merry-go-round, and giant slide, are quite tame. The adjacent water park (no separate admission), Duke's Lagoon, is open weekends, Memorial Day through Labor Day. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, the park is open for its \"Dutch Winter Wonderland,\" with holiday-themed rides and a light show. The Cartoon Network Hotel is next door; hotel guests get special park admission discounts and early access to the park and rides.

Midwesterner Debra Mathy's farmhouse-style hospitality space is magazine pretty, but the overall feel is welcoming, with walk-in bar tastings usually possible and picnicking encouraged at tables facing the 35-acre property's Chardonnay vines. Mathy and winemaker Nick Briggs pride themselves on the winery's high-quality grape sources—four estate vineyards plus stars like Chenoweth for Chardonnay, Bacigalupi for Chardonnay and Zinfandel, and Bucher for Pinot Noir. Among other wines, Briggs makes Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs, and seven other Zinfandels from equally fine fruit.

Built in 1828 at the mouth of the Penobscot River in Castine Harbor to guide mariners upriver to the lumber port of Bangor, the light was discontinued in 1935. The tower was damaged in a storm but rebuilt in 2008. The original keeper’s house, barn, and oil house still remain, but are privately owned. You can see them all from an adjacent public footpath, which is is short, steep (made less so by wooden stairs), and leads to a quiet view of the islands in the harbor. There's limited street parking available. 

Capping one of Nashville’s highest points, the Dyer Observatory rises above Radnor Lake State Park with its imposing steel dome. Inside the dome is the Seyfert Telescope, used for viewing the rings of Saturn and other astral wonders. On the second Friday of each month (March through November), the observatory hosts telescope nights for guests to stargaze and mingle with astronomers. Or, for a daytime visit, you can attend an open house between 9 am and noon on the first Tuesday of each month (March through November) to view the sun through a solar telescope and receive a tour from an astronomer. These are both ticketed events, but the cost is minimal (sometimes even free). Simply preregister online.

For an introduction to the history of the Taos Society of Artists, visit the residence of Ernest L. Blumenschein, one of the founding members. One of the rooms in the adobe-style structure dates from 1797. On display are the art, antiques, and other personal possessions of Blumenschein and his wife, Mary Greene Blumenschein, who also painted, as did their daughter Helen. Several of Ernest Blumenschein's vivid oil paintings hang in his former studio, and works by other early Taos artists are also on display.

This well-meaning, circa 1990, ride is looking (and even smelling) a little tired, although you might still get a kick out of the take on Steven Spielberg's E.T. Once Spielberg himself advises you that it's your mission to help E.T. return to his planet, you board a bicycle mounted on a movable platform and fly 3 million light-years from Earth, past a squadron of policemen and FBI agents, to reach E.T.'s home. Here colorful characters climb on vines, play xylophones, and swing on branches in what looks like an alien Burning Man festival. Listen very closely for the payoff: having given your name to a host at the start of the ride, E.T. is supposed to bid you a personalized good-bye.

This ride isn't suitable for guests with heart, back, neck, or motion-sickness problems. For people with disabilities: Guests with mobility issues must be in a standard-size wheelchair or transfer to a ride vehicle. Service animals aren't permitted. There's some sudden tilting and accelerating, but those for whom these movements are a concern can ride in E.T.'s orbs (spaceships) instead of on the flying bicycles.

If the kids need some indoor fun, try stopping by the E3 Children's Museum & Science Center. The interactive exhibits here include a shadow room, a magnet table, giant floor puzzles, and a role-play area. It's a low-key spot for the younger set to rest and regroup.

The historical society offers two-to three-hour walking tours that take in historic buildings, among them Ft. Egbert, and includes tales of the famous people—among them Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen and aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell—who have passed through this historic Yukon River border town. These depart from the courthouse at 9 am daily in summer. The society also maintains an extensive archive, photo collection, and museum store stocked with regional history books and locally made items. Eagle is a sleepy town, so call ahead to schedule an appointment.

Located just east of Acadia National Park headquarters (the building is not open to the public), 436-acre Eagle Lake is the largest freshwater lake on Mountain Desert Island. Swimming is not allowed, but kayaking, canoeing, boating, and fishing are, and the encircling 6.1-mile carriage road invites walkers and cyclists. From the parking area across from the lake on the north side of Eagle Lake Road (Route 233), you enter the carriage road through an arched passageway below one of the famed stone bridges John D. Rockefeller Jr. gifted to Acadia.

West of Cimarron Canyon State Park, U.S. 64 passes over a high bald ridge, from which you'll be awarded a magnificent view over Eagle Nest Lake, the Moreno Valley, and the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the distance. Continue down through Eagle Nest Lake village toward Angel Fire. Then make a left turn (south) onto NM 434, which passes little Black Lake and offers one final view of the valley before narrowing sharply and plummeting into dark, deep, ponderosa pine–shrouded Guadalupita Canyon. Drive slowly: the road twists and turns and crosses several one-lane bridges over Coyote Creek.

The heart of Grand Canyon West, this scenic overlook is where you'll find the Skywalk, the Sky View Restaurant, a café, replicas of Native American structures, and a shop where you can purchase authentic Native American crafts. Hualapai musicians and dancers perform Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm at the outdoor amphitheater here.