10457 Best Sights in USA

Collections include Ice Age relics, mammoth remains, and a strong Native American collection, including three rare cedar dugout canoes. The square-timber Alexander Blockhouse outside dates from 1855. Note the squared logs and dovetail joints of the corners—no overlapping log ends. This construction technique was favored by many western Washington pioneers.

This demonstration farm lets visitors experience 19th-century life on the island. Reenactors in period dress spin wool, blacksmith, and cook over an open hearth. A wooden windmill and farmhouse set the scene, as do horses, cows, sheep, and chickens that guests can pet and feed.

A 200-foot Ferris wheel, a giant state-of-the-art arcade, and a flying-horse carousel anchor this 22-acre complex. There's also a high-ropes course, bumper cars, and Alcatraz East, a museum devoted to crime and criminals. The complex is home to two Margaritaville hotels, an Ole Smoky Moonshine tasting barn, and more than two dozen shops. Don't miss the multimillion-dollar "mini-Bellagio" dancing water fountain that comes to life for 20 minutes at the top of every hour.

This 12-mile-long main road inside the park is bisected by a 5-mile side road to the Upheaval Dome area. To enjoy dramatic views, including the Green and Colorado River basins, stop at the overlooks and take the short walks. Once you get to the park, allow at least two hours—and ideally four—to explore.

The gateway to the world-famous White Rim Trail, this visitor center 22 miles from U.S. 191 draws a mix of mountain bikers, hikers, and tourists happy to see the area by car. Enjoy the orientation film, then browse the bookstore for information about the region. Exhibits explain animal adaptations as well as some of the history of the park. This is a great stop to use the restroom, stock up on water, and buy maps and books for the journey ahead. Check the website or with the center for a daily schedule of ranger-led programs.

A scenic drive on the unpaved Island Park Road, along the northern edge of the park, passes not only some impressive Fremont petroglyph panels but also the Rainbow Park Campground, a beautiful place to spend a night or two on the banks of the Green River. Be sure to check with the visitor center about road conditions as it can be impassable when wet and there is no winter maintenance.

Featuring a boardwalk, a playground, a picnic pavilion, parking, and outdoor showers and restrooms, Islander Beach Park is a great spot for families looking to spend the day at the beach. When you think of a classic family beach experience, this is the place for it. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

The Isle au Haut Lighthouse is best seen from the water, where the Isle au Haut mailboat passes within a hundred feet of the tower. Built in 1907 as the Robinson Point Fog Station, its purpose was to guide the New England ground fishing fleet into safe harbor during northeast storms. As the most modern of the 60 lighthouses along the Maine Coast, it introduced architectural advancements unseen in other stations and featured a behemoth 42-inch fog bell hanging over the water. In 1934, as a cost-saving measure during the Great Depression, the keeper’s house was sold off. The lighthouse tower ownership was transferred from the federal government to the town in 1998. Lighthouse restoration was completed in 2025, and it continues to serve as a registered aid to navigation.

In 1736, General James Oglethorpe, who founded the colony of Georgia, parceled out 1,500 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway on the condition that the owners would help defend the city. The northernmost tract, today known as the Isle of Hope, was bequeathed to Henry Parker, who became the first acting governor in 1752. In the 1840s, the island had become a popular community for summer homes and, by 1875, the terminus for the Savannah, Skidaway, and Seaboard railroads, three major transit routes that transported travelers from far up the east coast and across the South. Today, the horseshoe-shaped island provides sweeping views and cool breezes from almost any point along the bluff, as well as an array of beautiful, historic homes.

Play beach volleyball or soak up the sun in a lounge chair on this wide stretch of sand. This beach is as good as the island's idyllic name. The sands are golden, the waves are gentle, and there's a playground, so it's great for families with small children. Those seeking to avoid the crowds should venture a few blocks northward down the beach. The county park is the only lifeguard-protected area on the Isle of Palms. Amenities: beach rentals; food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

Four of the nine small, rocky Isles of Shoals belong to New Hampshire (the other five belong to Maine), many of them still known by the earthy names—Hog and Smuttynose, to cite but two—17th-century fishermen bestowed on them. A history of piracy, murder, and ghosts suffuses the archipelago, long populated by an independent lot who, according to one writer, hadn't the sense to winter on the mainland. Celia Thaxter, a native islander, romanticized these islands with her poetry in Among the Isles of Shoals (1873). In the late 19th century, Appledore Island became an offshore retreat for Thaxter's coterie of writers, musicians, and artists. Star Island contains a small museum, the Rutledge Marine Lab, with interactive family exhibits. From May to early October you can take a narrated history cruise of the Isles of Shoals and walking tours of Star Island with Isles of Shoals Steamship Company.

Visiting Walt Disney World and not stopping for this tribute to terminal cuteness—why, the idea is practically un-American. The attraction is essentially a boat ride through different bright-color lands, each representing a continent, complete with landmarks. First created for the 1964–65 New York World's Fair, the original ride opened in Disneyland with the same peppy theme song of international brotherhood and friendship written by the Sherman Brothers (of Mary Poppins fame). You'll float by 450 dolls created by Disney legend Mary Blair—Dutch babies in clogs, Spanish flamenco dancers, sari-wrapped Indians waving temple bells, Swiss yodelers, Japanese kite fliers, Middle East snake charmers, and young French cancan dancers, to name just a few—all singing the earworm song together. Take enchanted tots through again if the line is short. For people with disabilities: You can board with your standard wheelchair through the designated entrance; if you use a scooter, transfer to one of the attraction's standard chairs available at the ride entrance. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices.

This 7,000-square-foot museum in the heart of Little Italy focuses—as you'd guess from the name—on the Italian American experience and history. There are exhibitions on Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European to sail into New York Harbor (in 1524), and on Italian immigration to New York in the late-19th and early-20th centuries—with some nods to famous Italian Americans along the way. 

This landmark, constructed in 1908, is noteworthy because its south wall bears an infamous mural. Famed Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros shocked his patrons in the 1930s by depicting an oppressed worker of Latin America being crucified on a cross topped by a menacing American eagle. The anti-imperialist mural was promptly whitewashed but was later restored by the Getty Museum. It can be seen on the Italian Hall building today. Today the site functions as a museum and has seven color-coded exhibits on the history of Italian Americans. The site is also home to Taste of Italy, an annual event that celebrates the Italian culinary history of Los Angeles.

If you want local color, nothing compares with the South 9th Street Italian Market. On both sides of 9th Street from Fitzwater Street to Wharton Street and spilling out onto the surrounding blocks, outdoor stalls and indoor stores sell spices, cheeses, pastas, fruits, vegetables, and freshly slaughtered poultry and beef, not to mention household items, clothing, shoes, and other goods. It's crowded and filled with the aromas of everything from fresh garlic to imported salami. Food shops include Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese, Claudio's, and Talluto's Authentic Italian Food. Fante's is well known for cookware. The market's general hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9–5:30; some vendors open earlier and others close around 3:30. Some shops are open Sunday and even Monday; it's wise to call ahead to specific shops and check.

From Chinatown Cultural Plaza, cross a stone bridge to the Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii to visit the shrine established in 1906. It honors Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, a kami (god) who is believed in Shinto tradition to bring good fortune if properly courted (and thanked afterward).

A top sparkling-wine producer, J also makes Russian River Valley Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other still wines. One tasting highlights wines whose grapes come from multiple vineyards; another emphasizes single-vineyard and reserve wines. For a more indulgent experience, book yourself into the Bubble Room's five-course wine and food pairing (reservation required).

Next door to Barnard Griffin Winery, Bookwalter produces red wines aged in French oak barrels and whites that are 100% stainless-steel fermented. The classic Merlot is celebrated. Blends are prevalent in both reds and whites. The on-site restaurant, Fiction, has made the top 10 on several "best winery restaurant" lists.

Wine writers turned vintners Roger Beery and his late wife Donna parlayed their passion for Pinot Noir into a boutique winery that benefits from connections they made while reporting on the industry. They met their consulting winemaker, Adam Lee, even before he cofounded Siduri Wines, and their vineyard lineup includes stellar sites like El Coro, La Cruz, van der Kamp, and the Martinelli family's The Wedding Block. J. Cage also produces a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, a rosé of Pinot Noir, and the Craftsman's blend of Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah. Considering the caliber of the vineyards involved, the wines, poured at a shared storefront space, are reasonably priced.

There is not a lot to do in town, but to learn about its history, stop by this center operated by the Crisfield Heritage Foundation. Guided tours of Crisfield are run from here; from May through October the tours include a visit to a crab processing plant.

An homage to Columbus's hometown golf hero, the museum documents Nicklaus's career as a golfer, golf course designer, businessman, and family man. In the heart of the Ohio State University sports complex, its vast collection of artifacts and memorabilia include the Golden Bear's six Masters trophies.

After being established in 1984 in Washington, D.C., the Jack Shainman Gallery moved to New York's East Village and then SoHo, landing in Chelsea in 1997. The original 20th Street space has recently been augmented by a massive TriBeCa gallery on Lafayette Street as well as a vast former schoolhouse in New York's Hudson Valley. The galleries all show emerging and established artists such as Nick Cave, El Anatsui, Carrie Mae Weems, Tallur L. N., and Kerry James Marshall.

More than 15,000 people signed the guest register in 2013 to see this nostalgic collection of 25 recreational vehicles, lovingly restored over the past quarter century by father-and-son team Jack and Trent Sizemore. Parked inside 10,000 square feet (so far) of climate-controlled display space, these rolling gems include RVs from every decade from the 1920s to 1970s. The RVs themselves are packed with period memories—old-timey cracker boxes to vintage cameras and dominos—to create a snapshot of the travel culture at the time. Look for the bus used in the movie RV starring Robin Williams. Need a place to park your own RV? Ask the Sizemores about their Amarillo Best Wonderland RV Resort.

This popular small-batch brewery outgrew its first location, so \"The Ranch\" is now its sole outpost. Housing a taproom, event space, and brewing facility in 15,000 square feet, it doesn't disappoint. Available beers include a year-round standard selection, along with seasonal brews and special selections. The taproom serves a limited menu, but you can bring your own food and food trucks are typically on-site. Tours of the brewing facility, which typically last 45 minutes, are available and are open to children at a discount and with reservations. The patio is considered one of the best in town and dogs are welcome. Weekly events include trivia nights and group jogs.

This 710-acre floodplain and woods is home to thousands of ducks and geese, deer, otters, beavers, herons, and eagles. Nearly  five miles of walking trails allow birders and other animal watchers to explore the wetlands for a chance to catch a glimpse of indigenous and migrating creatures in their own habitats. The Education Center has several hands-on exhibits, as well as a real bald eagle's nest that has been completely preserved (and sanitized) for public display. No dogs, scooters, motorized vehicles, or bicycles are allowed.

On the eastern side of the Continental Divide, you come into view of Jackson Glacier looming in a rocky pass across the upper St. Mary River valley. If it isn't covered with snow, you'll see sharp peaks of ice. The glacier is shrinking and may disappear in another 100 years.

High on the mountain's southern flank, this center houses exhibits on geology, mountaineering, glaciology, and alpine ecology. Multimedia programs are staged in the theater; there's also a snack bar and gift shop. This is the park's most popular visitor destination, and it can be quite crowded in summer.

This Hyde Park gem was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (co-designer of New York City's Central Park) for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. It has lagoons, a Japanese garden (named Osaka Garden, for Chicago's sister city) with authentic Japanese statuary, and the Wooded Island, a nature retreat with wildlife and 300 species of birds. There's also a sculpture by Yoko Ono, as well as nearly 200 cherry blossoms trees that explode into bloom in spring. Its 63rd Street Beach is a popular summer destination.

You can spend an entire day wandering around Jackson's always-bustling Town Square, crisscrossed with walking paths and bedecked with arches woven from thousands of naturally shed elk antlers. Shops and restaurants surround the square, and there's often entertainment going on in the square itself, including a melodramatic "shoot-out" six nights per week in summer on the northeastern corner. At the southwestern corner you can board a stagecoach for a ride around the area.