10457 Best Sights in USA

One of southern Oregon's earliest wine-making stars, this picturesque estate sits alongside the Umpqua River about 15 miles northwest of Roseburg and turns out exceptional Pinot Noir and Alsace-style Pinot Gris, along with some European wines less often seen in the United States, such as Müller-Thurgau and Veraison. The winery hosts a number of events, including a Cajun blues festival each June.

Dearborn's is America's largest indoor-outdoor museum. It charts the country's evolution from rural to industrial society through exhibits covering communication, transportation, domestic life, agriculture, and industry. Greenfield Village preserves 80 famous historic structures, including the bicycle shop where the Wright brothers built their first airplane; Thomas Edison's laboratory; an Illinois courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law; and the Dearborn farm where Ford himself was born. The Automobile in American Life, inside the museum, is a lavish collection of chrome and neon that traces the country's love affair with cars. W. Buckminster Fuller's futuristic Dymaxion House and the IMAX theater are also worth checking out.

Within the visitor center is the which presents various shows and lectures. The star-sighting program, an interactive show, is held the second Saturday of each month at 1 pm.

Brattle Street's seven houses known as "Tory Row" were once occupied by wealthy families linked by friendship, if not blood. Portions of this house may have been built as early as 1636. In 1737 it was purchased by John Vassall Sr.; four years later he sold it to his younger brother Henry and his wife Penelope. It was used as a hospital during the Revolution, and the traitor Dr. Benjamin Church was held here as a prisoner. The house was remodeled during the 19th century. It's now a private residence, but from the street you can view the Colonial home with its black-shuttered windows and multiple dormers.

Tucked into the residential Lake Wingra and Vilas Park neighborhoods, the zoo is supported by a local zoological society and completely free to enter. It's a favorite spot for Madisonians, particularly families with young kids. Although it's a small zoo at 28 acres, it has a nice representation of animal life as well as a children's zoo, penguin exhibit, tropical-rain-forest aviary, primate complex, and large-cat center. Bison, prairie dogs, and badgers reside among prairie grass in the George Fait North American Prairie exhibit, which visitors enter via a boardwalk. Within the zoo's Discovery Center are hands-on learning stations especially suited to children.

Cornell University's I.M. Pei–designed Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art houses more than 30,000 works of art: American and European impressionist paintings, some contemporary pieces, and an extensive collection of Asian art and artifacts. But the most stunning sight here may well be the unforgettable views of Cayuga Lake. The museum is open 10–5 Tuesday through Sunday; entry is free.

You'll learn that more grapefruit is shipped from the Indian River area than anywhere else in the world at this museum in downtown Vero Beach. The memorabilia harks back to when families washed and wrapped the luscious fruit to sell at roadside stands and cattle hauled citrus-filled crates with distinctive Indian River labels to the rail station.

Madison is the historic heart of Georgia, and although many of the lovely homes are privately owned, this Greek Revival mansion, circa 1811, is open to the public. Rooms are furnished in the 19th-century style and offer insight into the elegant lifestyle of an average well-to-do family. Combo tickets are available to tour Heritage Hall along with two other historic homes, Rogers House and Rose Cottage, within walking distance.

This museum paints a vivid portrait of life in Leadville at the turn of the last century, with dioramas depicting life in the mines. There's also furniture, clothing, and toys from the Victorian era.

A number of San Diego's important Victorian buildings are the focus of this 7.8-acre park on the Juan Street hill near Harney Street. Save Our Heritage Organization moved many historical buildings to this park from their original locations and also restored them. Among the buildings is Southern California's first synagogue, a one-room classical-revival structure built in 1889 for Congregation Beth Israel. The most interesting of the park's six former residences might be the Sherman-Gilbert House, which has a widow's walk and intricate carving on its decorative trim. It was built for real estate dealer John Sherman in 1887 at the then-exorbitant cost of $20,000—indicating just how profitable the booming housing market could be. All the houses, some of which may seem surprisingly colorful, accurately represent the bright hues of the era. The synagogue and the Senlis Cottage are open to visitors daily from 8 am to 6 pm; the latter contains a small exhibit with information on the history and original locations of the houses. The McConaughy House is now home to the Coral Tree Tea House, offering traditional tea service on Fridays from 11 am to 12:30 pm and weekends from 11 am to 3 pm (reservations are required).

Local Indigenous peoples built a large mound here that is one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on saltwater. The site, which was a center of religious, political, and social activity, is still considered a sacred burial ground. A small museum explains the mound and the people who built it; displays of artifacts and weaponry and hands-on exhibits shed more light on the area's inhabitants between AD 700 and 1500. Admission includes entry to the museum, as well as a restored post office and schoolhouse on the site.

This 7-acre park offers an easy escape into nature, via a series of raised wooden walkways through the marsh that runs a few streets behind the beach cottages and high-rise hotels lining the ocean. A small parking lot allows visitors to park and explore the preserve on foot. Common sights include ibis, herons, and kingfishers. The park is free to the public and open daily 7 am to 8:30 pm.

Houston's first and oldest municipal park contains nine historic structures and a museum gallery. The Kellum-Noble House is Houston's oldest standing brick structure still on its original foundation. If you're visiting around the holidays, try to catch the annual Candlelight Tour in the Park, when costumed actors give tours of the park's homes.

In a parklike setting from 5th to 7th streets between Monroe and Adams streets, this city-owned block contains the only remaining houses from the original Phoenix townsite. On the south side of the square, along Adams Street, stand several houses built between 1899 and 1901. The Bouvier Teeter House has a Victorian-style tea room, and the Thomas House and Baird Machine Shop are now Pizzeria Bianco, one of the area's most popular eateries.

Looking like a prop street set up by a film studio, Heritage Square resembles a row of bright dollhouses in the modest Highland Park neighborhood. Five 19th-century residences, a train station, a church, a carriage barn, and a 1909 boxcar that was originally part of the Southern Pacific Railroad, all built between the Civil War and World War I, were moved to this small park from various locations in Southern California to save them from the wrecking ball. The latest addition, a re-creation of a World War I–era drugstore, has a vintage soda fountain and traditional products. Docents dressed in period costume lead visitors through the lavish homes, giving an informative picture of Los Angeles in the early 1900s. Don't miss the unique 1893 Octagon House, one of just a handful of its kind built in California.

Designed as an accessible trail, this level walk consists of boardwalk and paved pathways that circle a forested area at the edge of Mammoth Cave Ridge. Platforms overlook the Historic Entrance to the cave. The Old Guide's Cemetery, where lies famed Mammoth Cave Guide Stephen Bishop, is in the center. At the far end of the loop, Sunset Point Overlook offers a view across the Green River Valley. 0.5 mile. Easy.

Upstairs at the 1834 is a large dollhouse assemblage.

Try your luck at prospecting: hammer open the right rocks and you'll find double-terminated quartz crystals, aka Herkimer diamonds. Two open pits are easy to reach. The first is adjacent to the gift shop. Upstairs you can watch an explanatory video or stroll through multiple scientific displays, including exhibits about dinosaurs and fluorescent minerals. The mines are just south of Middleville.

You can stroll the gardens, attend a multimedia show, and tour the restored Georgian-style mansion that was home to Revolutionary War general Nicholas Herkimer. Costumed historical interpreters inform you about the history, crafts, and lifestyle of the 18th century. Picnicking is encouraged.

Literary fans (and those particularly fond of Moby-Dick) will want to visit this historical 18th-century house where Herman Melville lived and wrote his most famous works. After viewing all the exhibits, take a walk around the meadow that boasts over 100 species of wildflowers, hike a trail, or just enjoy the majestic view of Mt. Greylock, the inspiration for Melville's white whale.   Mid-May through October, guided tours are offered on the hour beginning at 10 am with the last tour at 3 pm. November through mid-May, guided tours are available Saturday at 11 am. 

There's plenty to see and do on this 545-acre oak-shaded urban oasis. Kids love riding the miniature train (just $2.25 a pop) that winds through the trees and taking a pedal boat out on eight-acre McGovern Lake. Duffers can tackle a challenging 18-hole course, and horticulturalists may swoon over the Japanese Garden and the Houston Garden Center, surrounded by 2,500 rose bushes. The park also contains the Houston Zoo, The Museum of Natural Science, and the Miller Outdoor Theater (with a hill that's fun to run—or roll—down).

Noted architect William Brand built this Georgian-style house in 1831, and it's one of the largest and best-preserved examples of American architecture in the Vieux Carré. The house offers the Urban Enslavement Tour, which gives a comprehensive look at life for those enslaved in urban settings, and the contributions enslaved Africans and their descendants made to the city of New Orleans. The popular tour runs on the hour, and advance reservations are recommended. Cooking demonstrations on the open hearth of the Creole kitchen are held twice monthly on Saturday from November through April. You'll want to check out the gift shop, which has many local crafts and books.

The Santa Fe Company built Hermit Road, formerly known as West Rim Drive, in 1912 as a scenic tour route. Nine overlooks dot this 7-mile stretch, each worth a visit. The road is filled with hairpin turns, so make sure you adhere to posted speed limits. A 1½-mile Greenway trail offers easy access to cyclists looking to enjoy the original 1912 Hermit Rim Road. From March through November, Hermit Road is closed to private auto traffic because of congestion; during this period, a free shuttle bus carries visitors to all the overlooks. Riding the bus round-trip without getting off at any of the viewpoints takes 80 minutes; the return trip stops only at Hermits Rest, Pima, Mohave, and Powell Points.

Beginning on the South Rim just west of Hermits Rest (and 7 miles west of Grand Canyon Village), this steep, unmaintained, 9.7-mile (one-way) trail drops more than 5,000 feet to Hermit Creek, which usually flows year-round. It's a strenuous hike back up and is recommended for experienced long-distance hikers only; plan for six to nine hours. There's an abundance of lush growth and wildlife, including desert bighorn sheep, along this trail. The trail descends from the trailhead at 6,640 feet to the Colorado River at 2,300 feet. Day hikers should not go past Santa Maria Spring at 5,000 feet (a 5-mile round-trip).

For much of the year, no water is available along the way; ask a park ranger about the availability of water at Santa Maria Spring and Hermit Creek before you set out. All water from these sources should be treated before drinking. The route leads down to the Colorado River and has inspiring views of Hermit Gorge and the Redwall and Supai formations. Six miles from the trailhead are the ruins of Hermit Camp, which the Santa Fe Railroad ran as a tourist camp from 1911 until 1930. Difficult.

Stop by this contemporary downtown winery to sample the light and fruity wines and hard ciders, made with local blueberries, apples, cranberries, and honeys as well as imported grapes. Tours, which include a barrel tasting, are available, and you can order cheese, charcuterie, and other treats from the deli to enjoy while sipping outside on the deck. Many evenings, there's live piano in the Loft Listening Room.

The life and times of Andrew Jackson, known as Old Hickory, are reflected with great care at this house and museum. Jackson built the mansion on 600 acres for his wife, Rachel, for whose honor he fought and won a duel; both are buried here in the family graveyard. By the 1840s, more than 140 enslaved people lived and worked on the Hermitage Plantation, and archaeological digs uncovered the remains of many slave dwellings. The Andrew Jackson Center, a 28,000-square-foot museum, visitor center, and education center, contains many Jackson artifacts never before exhibited. Mansion tours are led by costumed guides, while audio tours of the grounds are self-guided. Optional activities include wagon tours (April through October) and tours of Tulip Grove, home of the niece who served as Jackson's White House hostess and her husband, Jackson's presidential secretary.

Built in 1910, this Beaux Arts building has classic Italian and French Renaissance features that help create such a storied space, and you'll no doubt feel that greatness as you ascend the grand staircase into the magnificent lobby. From hosting guests like Babe Ruth and John F. Kennedy to playing a role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, this building has seen it all. In 1920, all eyes were on Tennessee, as it was the last state with the power to ratify—or nullify—the 19th Amendment. Both supporters and those who opposed women's suffrage made their headquarters in the hotel while waiting to vote on the amendment's ratification in the nearby state capital. Fortunately, the pros won out by a single vote. You can learn about the War of the Roses at a small exhibit in the lobby. The Draper James–inspired Afternoon Tea on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is worth your time, as is grabbing a drink or a bite to eat at the hotel's restaurant Drusie & Darr (check out those ceilings). We'd be remiss if we didn't suggest you check out the bathrooms.

An early-20th-century estate of the Sloane family, the Hermitage Museum offers an outstanding presentation of architecture, art, and nature. The Sloanes, educated collectors with broad artistic interests, were among the founders of what is now the Chrysler Museum. Mr. Sloane was a wealthy New York businessman who moved to Virginia to operate textile mills. Docent-led tours are available on the hour. Visitors may also stroll the waterfront and 12-acre gardens and view contemporary art exhibitions.

This westernmost viewpoint and Hermit Trail, which descends from it, were named for "hermit" Louis Boucher, a 19th-century French-Canadian prospector who had a number of mining claims and a roughly built home down in the canyon. The trail served as the original mule ride down to Hermit Camp beginning in 1914. Views from here include Hermit Rapids and the towering cliffs of the Supai and Redwall formations. You can buy curios and snacks in the stone building at Hermits Rest.

South of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach has all the amenities of its neighbor but attracts a rowdier crowd. Swimming takes a back seat to the volleyball games and parties on the pier and bustling boardwalk, but the water here is consistently clean and inviting. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing; swimming.