10457 Best Sights in USA

The Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village, a 15-building complex adjacent to the Mayborn, gives visitors a view of Texas life from the early 20th century.

This 12,244-acre natural area about 26 miles from downtown is home to numerous varieties of trees and several species of rare birds, such as the golden-cheeked warbler. It also offers views of surrounding Bexar County and glimpses of San Antonio. Trails may close due to poor conditions or weather. There is a picnic area, a playground, camping, mountain-biking trails, nature/interpretive trails, and a visitor center/museum. The area is very popular, and reservations are recommended for both camping and day use. Reservations can be made online or by phone at the Texas State Parks Customer Service Center.

Built by silver-mining tycoon Thomas Kearns in 1902, this limestone structure—reminiscent of a French château with all its turrets and balconies—is now the official residence of Utah's governor. In its early days the mansion was visited by then-president Theodore Roosevelt and other dignitaries from around the world. The mansion was faithfully restored after Christmas lights caused a fire in 1993 that destroyed much of the interior. Free hour-long tours are given by Preservation Utah the first Wednesday of each month from April through November, by appointment only (call or book online at least 24 hours in advance).

This stately Colonial-style home completed in 1912 overlooks downtown Juneau. With 14,400 square feet, 6 bedrooms, and 10 bathrooms, it's no miner's cabin. Out front is a totem pole that tells three tales: the history of man, the cause of ocean tides, and the origin of Alaska's ubiquitous mosquitoes. Unfortunately, tours of the residence are not permitted.

Abner Cook, a leading architect of his day, designed this mansion, one of Austin's most elegant dwellings. Since 1865, this building has been the home of every Texas governor since the state's fifth, Elisha Marshall Pease. Constructed of bricks made in Austin and wood from nearby forests, the two-story National Historic Landmark bears the marks of those who have lived here, including James Hogg, the governor who, to keep his children from sliding down the banister on their rears, hammered tacks into the railing (the tack holes are still visible). Many fine furnishings, paintings, and antiques are on display, including Sam Houston's bed and Stephen F. Austin's desk. Free 20-minute tours are available if you reserve in advance.

His Majesty's Governor Alexander Spotswood built the original Governor's Palace in 1720, and seven British viceroys, the last of them Lord Dunmore in 1775, lived in this appropriately showy mansion. The 540 weapons, including 230 muskets and pistols, arrayed on the walls of several rooms herald the power of the Crown. Some of the furnishings are original, and the rest are matched to an extraordinary inventory of 16,000 items. Lavishly appointed as it is, the palace is furnished to the time just before the Revolution. During the Revolution, it housed the commonwealth's first two governors, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. The original residence burned down in 1781, and today's reconstruction stands on the original foundation.

A costumed guide greets you at the door for a tour through the building, offering commentary and answering questions. Notable among the furnishings are several pieces made in Williamsburg and owned by Lord Dunmore. Social events are described on the walk through the great formal ballroom, where you might even hear the sounds of an 18th-century harp, clavichord, or piano. The supper room leads to the formal garden and the planted terraces beyond.

Built as a country retreat by Scottish-born shipping magnate Archibald Gracie in 1799, when New York City ended much farther downtown, Gracie Mansion was made the official residence of the city's mayors in 1942. The first mayoral resident, Fiorello LaGuardia, dubbed it the \"Little White House.\" More recently, former mayor Michael Bloomberg stayed in his own town house nearby while pouring millions into renovating the house and turning the first floor into a museum reflecting the city's history and diversity. Some mayors were hesitant about moving into Gracie Mansion; Eric Adams, the current mayor, has publicly said that the mansion is haunted, but he has been focusing on making \"the People's House\" more experiential to visitors. Public tours of the building are offered on Monday at 10:30 am, noon, and 1:30 pm and to private and school groups on Wednesday. Reservations must be made online; plan at least a month in advance, if possible.

A stone school, a dusty cemetery, and a few wooden structures are all that remain of the nearby town of Grafton, which is between Springdale and Hurricane, a few miles west of the turnoff onto Bridge Road in Rockville. This ghost town, which has a dramatic setting with striking views of Zion's peaks, has been featured in several films, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The Durham Reservoir, 20 mi of trails, and a series of ponds make this park a favorite place for such warm-weather activities as picnicking, swimming, fishing, hiking, and biking. In winter, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers hit the trails, and ice-skaters take to the frozen water. The park is off Route 2 east of Troy.

You can't enter this private park, but a look through the bars of its surrounding wrought-iron fence and a stroll around its perimeter are worth your time. The beautifully planted, 2-acre park—designed by developer Samuel B. Ruggles and flanked by grand examples of early-19th-century architecture—dates from 1831 and is permeated with the character of its many celebrated occupants.

When Ruggles bought the property, it went by the Dutch name Krom Moerasje (little crooked swamp). He drained the swamp and set aside 42 lots for a park to be accessible exclusively to those who bought the surrounding lots in his planned, London-style residential square. In 1966, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Gramercy Park a historic district. The park is still owned by residents of the buildings surrounding it (who have keys), although neighbors can now buy visiting privileges.

The GRAMMY Museum brings the music industry to life. Throughout four floors and 30,000 square feet of space, the museum showcases rare footage of GRAMMY performances, plus rotating and interactive exhibits on award-winning musicians and the history of music. A 200-seat theater is great for live events that include screenings, lectures, interviews, and intimate music performances.

In this attraction—which shines with the polish of enhanced facades, sound system, and boat-ride props—Donald teams with old pals José Carioca (the parrot) and Panchito (the Mexican charro rooster) from the 1944 Disney film The Three Caballeros. The Gran Fiesta Tour film sweeps you along for an animated jaunt as the caballeros are reunited for a grand performance in Mexico City. Donald manages to disappear for his own tour of the country, leaving José and Panchito to search for their missing comrade. For people with disabilities: The boat is accessible to guests using wheelchairs, but those using ECVs or oversize chairs must transfer to a Disney model. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices. It's worth a visit if lines aren't long, especially if you have small children, who usually enjoy the novelty of a boat ride.

This small visitor center is named for the Verkamp family, who operated a curios shop on the South Rim for more than a hundred years. The building serves as an official visitor center, ranger station (get your Junior Ranger badges here), bookstore, and museum, with compelling exhibits on the Verkamps and other pioneers in this region.

The park's main orientation center provides pamphlets and resources to help plan your visit. It also holds engaging interpretive exhibits on the park. Rangers are on hand to answer questions and aid in planning canyon excursions. A daily schedule of ranger-led hikes and evening lectures is available, and a 20-minute film about the history, geology, and wildlife of the canyon plays every 30 minutes in the theater. The bicycle rental office, a small café, and a huge gift store are also in this complex. It's a five-minute walk from here to Mather Point, or a short ride on the shuttle bus, which can take you into Grand Canyon Village. The visitor center is also accessible from the village via a leisurely 2-mile walk on the Greenway Trail, a paved pathway that meanders through the forest.

Here you can get information about activities and tours and buy a national park pass, which enables you to skip past some of the crowds and access the park by special entry lanes. Nevertheless, the biggest draw is the six-story IMAX screen that features the short movie Grand Canyon: Rivers of Time. You can learn about the geologic and natural history of the canyon, soar above stunning rock formations, and ride the rapids through the rocky gorge. The film is shown every hour on the half hour; the adjoining gift store is huge and well stocked.

Grand Canyon West, run by the Hualapai tribe, offers a basic admission ticket, which includes a Hualapai visitation permit and hop-on, hop-off shuttle transportation to three sites. The shuttle will take you to Eagle Point, where you can tour authentic dwellings at the Indian Village and view educational displays on the culture of five different Native American tribes (Havasupai, Plains, Hopi, Hualapai, and Navajo). Intertribal dance performances entertain visitors at the nearby amphitheater. The shuttle also goes to Hualapai Point, site of zip-lining, horseback rides, and the only lodging on the West Rim, and Guano Point, where the "High Point Hike" offers panoramic views of the Colorado River. At all three areas, local Hualapai guides add a Native American perspective.

For extra fees, you can add meals (there are cafés at each of the three stops), overnight lodging at Hualapai Point, a helicopter trip into the canyon, zip-lining, a rafting trip on the Colorado, a horseback ride along the canyon rim, or a walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Sprawling at the base of Spirit Mountain, this historic 106,000-acre working cattle ranch about a 75-minute drive from Kingman takes guests on an adventure to the Old West. Corriente cattle still roam the hills and their cowboy caretakers guide horseback tours and horse-drawn wagon rides through the rugged countryside. Tap Duncan (a member of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang) lived here, and Andy Devine supposedly spent some time working here. The ranch now offers rustic cabins, home-cooked meals, horseback riding, wagon rides, and a helicopter tour of Grand Canyon West. Located just 10 miles southwest of Grand Canyon West, the ranch is a popular stopping-off point for day-trippers seeking spectacular canyon views in this remote region. Several activities packages are available, with or without meal plans.

Colorful displays about the dam, a 13-minute film on the site's geology and the dam's construction, and information about the 30-minute laser-light show (held nightly from Memorial Day weekend through September) are here. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees operation and maintenance of the dam, conducts tours daily from late May through early September, weather and maintenance schedules permitting. You can also pick up a self-guided historical walking tour that will take you from the visitor center through the old part of town, across the bridge, and into the old engineers' town. Geocachers are encouraged to bring some swag and take the geocache challenge on the visitor center's grounds.

Wineries without their own production equipment often make wine at communal "custom-crush" facilities. Many such places don't have tasting rooms open to the public, but at Grand Cru you can book a Vintners' Selection of several wineries' offerings or a private tasting of one label's wines. If you go the latter route, Maritana Vineyards, Bucher Wines, Bruliam Wines, and Saxon Brown Wines for Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays (also Cabernets for the first one and Zinfandels for the last three) are worth seeking out. Vintners and winemakers often host their winery’s tastings.

Part of the 335-room AAA Four-Diamond Grand Geneva Resort, this sanctuary for body and soul offers a full menu of services. Enter the lovely low-lit lounge before heading in for your 5 Diamond Pedicure, Aroma-Glow skin-renewal exfoliation, anti-aging facial, or quick neck, shoulder and upper back massage. While you're in the lap of luxury, your kids get treated to a complimentary session at the climbing wall for ages 8 years old and up. Or book them a junior spa services appointment. Spa visitors who aren't guests of the hotel can join a fitness center class for $5 or purchase a day pass for $20, which includes use of the center and locker room

You'll find hiking trails, boat rentals, and shore fishing at this 226-acre park, the most-visited of Vermont's state park campgrounds.

Grand Lady Cruises offers two- and three-hour cruises on the upper Niagara River above the falls. Lunch, dinner, and themed cruises also are available, beginning in May, as are charters.

The world's largest flat-topped mountain towers nearly 11,000 feet above the surrounding terrain and sprawls an astounding 53 square miles. Grand Mesa National Forest attracts the outdoor enthusiast who craves the simple life: fresh air, biting fish, spectacular sunsets, a roaring campfire under the stars, and a little elbow room to take it all in. The landscape is filled with more than 300 sparkling lakes—a fisherman's paradise in summer. The mesa, as it's referred to by locals, offers excellent hiking and camping (try Island Lake Campground) opportunities. There is also a handful of lodges that rent modern cabins. You can downhill ski at Powderhorn Resort, cross-country ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, or ice fish.

This byway is 63 miles long and winds its way along Route 65 through meadows sprinkled with wildflowers, shimmering aspen groves, aromatic pine forests, and endless lakes. Scenic overlooks (Land-O-Lakes is a standout), rest areas, and picnic areas are clearly marked. There are two visitor centers on the byway, which has endpoints at I–70 near Palisade and in Cedaredge.

There's not a bad seat in the house at this working theater that also hosts jazz, classical, and pop performances. Built by the Masonic Order in 1871 and restored a hundred years later, the four-story Grand's facade is cast iron painted white in French Second Empire style to mimic the old Paris Opera. The adjoining Giacco Building houses a smaller theater and art galleries.