40 Best Sights in USA

Gilbert Stanley Underwood, architect of the Grand Canyon Lodge, also designed The Ahwahnee hotel. Opened in 1927, it is generally considered his best work. You can stay here (for about $500 or more a night), or simply explore the first-floor shops and perhaps have breakfast or lunch in the bustling and beautiful Dining Room or more casual bar. The Great Lounge, 77 feet long with magnificent 24-foot-high ceilings and all manner of artwork on display, beckons with big, comfortable chairs and relative calm.

Built by Henry Flagler in 1896 and rebuilt by his descendants after a 1925 fire, this magnificent Italian Renaissance–style resort helped launch Florida tourism with its Gilded Age opulence, attracting influential wealthy Northerners to the state. The hotel, still owned by Flagler's heirs, is a must-see even if you aren't staying here. Walk through the 200-foot-long lobby, which has soaring arched ceilings painted by 72 Italian artisans and hung with crystal chandeliers. Meet for a drink and a round of eclectic small plates at the HMF, one of the most beautiful bars in the state.

Book a pampering spa treatment or dine at the popular oceanfront Seafood Bar. The $35 parking fee is waived if you spend at least $35 anywhere in the hotel (just have your ticket validated).

The grande dame of Denver hotels was built in 1892, and is still considered the city's most prestigious address. Famous guests have included President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, and Beyoncé. Even if you aren't staying here, the Brown Palace lobby is a great place to sit on comfortable old couches, drink tea, and listen to piano standards (or harp, during afternoon tea). Reputedly this was the first atrium hotel in the United States; its ornate lobby and nine stories are crowned by a Tiffany stained-glass window.

Built in 1915, this regal log-and-stone structure was designed in the classic style of western national park lodges, and the original lodgepole-pine pillars, beams, and stone fireplaces are still intact. The lobby, fondly referred to as the Great Hall, serves as a warm, welcoming gathering place where you can play games, socialize with a cocktail, or gaze out of the many windows to view spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Exhibits off the lobby contain historic photographs and memorabilia from throughout the park's history.

If you make time to visit one Austin hotel, even though you're not staying there, make it The Driskill. This delightful grande dame—which many say is haunted—is a Romanesque-style monument located right in the heart of Sixth Street. It features gorgeous two-story porches with Romanesque Revival columns surrounding both arched entrances and a Texas-sized lobby and mezzanine. A café, bakery, and bar, which offers free live music seven nights a week, are all open to the public. Over the years, countless legislators and powerful politicians have held court within the hotel's limestone walls, and some are believed to have never left. Hence, the popular guided ghost tours that stop daily at this historical property.

The Del's distinctive red-tile roofs and Victorian gingerbread architecture have served as a set for many movies, political meetings, and extravagant social happenings. It's speculated that the Duke of Windsor may have first met the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, here. Eleven presidents have been guests of the Del, and the film Some Like It Hot—starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis—used the hotel as a backdrop. 

The Hotel Del, as locals call it, was the brainchild of financiers Elisha Spurr Babcock Jr. and H. L. Story, who saw the potential of Coronado's virgin beaches and its view of San Diego's emerging harbor. It opened in 1888 and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1977. The History Gallery displays photos from the Del's early days, and books elaborating on its history are sold, along with logo apparel and gifts, in the hotel's 17 shops and boutiques.

Although the pool area is reserved for hotel guests, several surrounding dining patios make great places to sit back and imagine the scene during the 1920s, when the hotel rocked with good times. Behind the pool area, an attractive shopping arcade features a classic candy shop as well as several fine clothing and accessories stores. A lavish Sunday brunch is served in the Crown Room. During the holidays, the hotel hosts Skating by the Sea, an outdoor beachfront ice-skating rink open to the public.  Whether or not you're staying at the Del, enjoy a drink at the Sun Deck Bar and Grill or Beach & Taco Shack in order to gaze out over the ocean—they make for a great escape.

In 2025, the hotel completed its $550 million renovation of its historic Victorian building and welcomed Japanese restaurant Nobu to its lineup of eateries. History tours of the Del are $40 per person and take place daily at 10 am and Friday through Sunday at 2 pm. Tours are free for children ages five and under.

It's hard to imagine how any work could be accomplished with snow and ice blanketing the region, but this truly iconic hotel was constructed over the course of a single winter. Completed in 1904, what's believed to be the world's largest log structure is one of the most recognizable, and impressive, buildings in the national park system. Even if you don't spend the night, walk through or take the free 45-minute guided tour to admire its massive open-beam lobby and rock fireplace. There are antique writing desks on the second-floor balcony. You can watch Old Faithful geyser from two second-floor decks.

Evidence of the area's old-world ties can be found at the Sheridan Inn, just a few blocks from downtown near the old railroad depot. Modeled after a hunting lodge in Scotland, the 1893 building sports 69 gables in a show of architectural splendor not often seen around these parts. On the National Register of Historic Places, the inn once lured the likes of Herbert Hoover, Will Rogers, and Ernest Hemingway, and Buffalo Bill auditioned performers here for his Wild West Show. The Inn underwent a $4.8 million restoration from 2006 to 2009, employing "green" technologies, and an additional $2.8 million was spent in 2010 to refurbish the 22 guest rooms. The original Buffalo Bill Bar, an oak-and-mahogany monstrosity on the main floor, is purported to be a gift sent from England by Queen Victoria.

Architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, responsible for many noteworthy national park lodges, designed the original Zion Lodge, which opened in 1924 but was destroyed by fire four decades later (the neighboring guest cabins survived and are still in use today). It was hastily rebuilt in about 100 days, and then in 1990, it received a painstaking restoration that brought it back to its original rustic style, in some cases down to the very paint color. Natural beauty is on display inside and out, from the lobby's rock columns and exposed wood to the cottonwoods shading the sprawling lawn. The main building includes a gift shop, an upscale restaurant, and an outdoor café with a large patio and beer garden. One way to experience the lodge and its surroundings is through an open-air narrated tram ride (the fare is $17).

There are cabins available through the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association near Eagle, Vail, Leadville, and Breckenridge.

As the name suggests, the specialty is "oceanfront." With rental units in more than 25 condominium complexes on the South Shore from the northernmost reaches of Kihei all the way to Wailea, there's something for everyone at rates that run $90–$450 a night.

The hotel's collection of antiques, artifacts, and collectibles includes Louisa May Alcott's private railcar, stained glass from the Lillian Russell mansion, bronze doors and the facade from the Kuwait Royal Bank, and a variety of Victorian chandeliers. There's even a piece of the Berlin Wall—where else—in the men's room off the lobby. And if you prefer your wild outdoors very tame (and indoors), a bronze wild boar statue should stir your adventuresome spirit. Pick up a detailed brochure and map of the collection at the front desk or bell desk.

Built in the 1930s, this mountaintop lodge retains its rustic charm with comfortable, no-frills lodging and a restaurant in a stunning setting.

Though its name has been changed many times, this building will always be "the Bellevue" to Philadelphians. The hotel has had an important role in city life, much like the heroine of a long-running soap opera. The epitome of the opulent hotels characteristic of the early 1900s, the Bellevue Stratford was the city's leading hotel for decades. It closed in 1976 after the first outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, which spread through the building's air-conditioning system during an American Legion convention. In late 2024, the hotel reopened after a major renovation, which restored many of its historic elements. It's worthwhile to stop into the lobby to see why people call the Bellevue "the grand dame of Broad Street."

These real-estate experts have a full range of vacation rentals in 20 South Shore condominium complexes. They also have gorgeous houses for rent. Condos start at around $100 per night (most are $200 or less); houses will run you up to $1,700 a night.

Bouncing back stunningly from its dark days as an army hospital, this hotel has become the jewel of Coral Gables—a dazzling architectural gem with a colorful past. First opened in 1926, it was a hot spot for the rich and glamorous of the Jazz Age until it was converted to an army–air force regional hospital in 1942. Following World War II, the Veterans Administration continued to operate the hospital until 1968. The Biltmore then lay vacant for nearly 20 years before it underwent extensive renovations and reopened as a luxury hotel in 1987. Its 16-story tower, like the Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami, is a replica of Seville's Giralda tower. The magnificent pool is reportedly the largest hotel pool in the continental United States.  Because it functions as a full-service hotel, your ticket in—if you aren't staying here—is to patronize one of the hotel's several restaurants or bars. Try to get a courtyard table for the Sunday champagne brunch, a local legend.

Be sure to stop at the Dutch Colonial–style Boulder Dam Hotel, built in 1933. On the National Register of Historic Places, the 20-room bed-and-breakfast once was a favorite getaway for notables, including the man who became Pope Pius XII and actors Will Rogers, Bette Davis, and Shirley Temple. It's still a point of pride for Boulder City and the heart of downtown. The guest rooms have been remodeled to stay competitive but retain a historic feel. There's also a small art gallery featuring the works of local and regional artists, and you can soothe the skin from the dry desert air with a facial at Healing Hands Esthetics by Jeannie.

Family-owned and -operated, this is the largest property management company in West Maui, with the largest selection of rentals, from studios to three bedrooms. Rentals are everywhere from Lahaina town to Kapalua. Rates run about $100–$1,500 per night. The company has been in business since 1980, and is good at what it does.

The chief landmark along Atlantic Avenue since 1926 is this sunny Mediterranean-revival-style building, which is a member of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America. Stay a night here or simply walk through the lobby to the parking lot where original garages still stand—relics of the days when hotel guests would arrive via chauffeured cars and stay there the whole season. The bar is a locals' gathering spot.

Even if you're not staying here, make time to stroll through the expansive lobby of this Kailua-Kona fixture to view impressive displays of Hawaiian artifacts, including feathered helmets, capes, ancient hula instruments, and battle weapons. Portraits of Hawaiian royalty adorn the walls. You'll also see mounted marlin from Hawaii International Billfish tournaments (Kailua Pier used to be the weigh-in point, and these "grander" marlin weighed 1,000 pounds or more). One of the best collections of works by Hawaiian artist Herb Kane is on display in the breezeway. Activities in Hawaiian arts and crafts are conducted regularly by on-site cultural staff, and there are nice gift shops, shave ice, and cafés scattered throughout the small mall.

In the heart of Culver City is the Culver Hotel, built in 1924 and now preserved as a historic landmark. It will catch your eye with its old-world glory and lobby entrance, which has sweeping dark wood and a high ceiling. It's as seductive as the many classic film stars that took up residency here over the years, including Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, Ronald Reagan, and cast members from The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind as they filmed in the nearby studio.

A couple of schoolteachers from Indiana founded Camp Curry in 1899 as a low-cost option for staying in the valley, which it remains today. Curry Village's 400-plus lodging options, many of them tent cabins, are spread over a large chunk of the valley's southeastern side. This is a very family-friendly place, but it's more functional than attractive.

If it's the South Shore luxury of Wailea and Makena you seek, look no further. This company has hundreds of condominiums and villas ranging in size from studios to five bedrooms, and in price from $189 per night for a studio at Wailea Grand Champions Villas, to more than $4,000 (yes, per night) for the splashy Wailea Beach Villas. The company offers excellent personalized service (including a $155 restaurant/spa credit and a Tesla shuttle service—all included in the price) and is known for particularly fine housekeeping services. Check-in for all properties is at the company's well-appointed office in Wailea Gateway.

The hotel's dazzling opening was delayed a year by the 1906 quake, but since then, the marble palace has hosted presidents, royalty, movie stars, and local nabobs. Things have changed since its early days, however: on the eve of World War I, you could get a room for as low as $2 per night, meals included. Nowadays, prices go into the five digits, which buys a night in the eight-room, contemporary art–filled penthouse suite.

Swing through the opulent lobby on your way to tea (served weekend afternoons) at the Laurel Court restaurant; peek through the foyer's floor-to-ceiling windows for a glimpse of the hotel's garden and beehives, where the honey served with tea is produced. Don't miss an evening cocktail in the kitschy Tonga Room, complete with tiki huts and a floating bandstand. Snap a picture with the 8-foot-tall bronze Tony Bennett statue outside the lobby. This site was selected as the statue's home to commemorate the singer's 90th birthday because his first performance of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was in the hotel's Venetian Room. Bennett did leave his heart in San Francisco in a way---the heart sculpture he painted, which depicts the Golden Gate Bridge, is on permanent display in the Fairmont's lobby.

Technically the Gaylord Opryland Resort is a hotel and convention center, but it’s worth a visit even if you aren’t staying the night. For one thing, there are 9 acres of gardens inside, all laced with walking paths, fountains, and rivers. These gardens feature more than 50,000 tropical plants, contained within a soaring glass ceiling that lets the sun shine through during the day and reflects a thousand warm twinkle lights at night (particularly at Christmas). Even the locals can’t resist an occasional walk through the immaculately tended branches and waterfalls of the Cascade Atrium—especially when you consider that you can do it with a beer, cocktail, or cup of gelato in hand. There are almost 20 restaurants to choose from if you get hungry, and plenty of kitschy shops if you’re in the market for souvenirs. To avoid the hefty parking fee, it’s recommended that you park next door at the mall and walk over.

Free gold panning and in-season tours of a historic schoolhouse are among the activities offered through this RV park's gift shop. The shop also has gas and diesel, an ATM, and free Wi-Fi. Not equipped with a full-size motorhome? Guests can also stay the night in suites, camping sites, and cabins.

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.

Built on the ashes of railroad tycoon Mark Hopkins's grand estate, this 19-story hotel built in 1926 displays a combination of French château and Spanish Renaissance architecture, with noteworthy terra-cotta detailing. Over the decades it has hosted statesmen, royalty, and Hollywood celebrities. The 11-room penthouse was turned into a glass-wall cocktail lounge in 1939: the Top of the Mark is remembered fondly by thousands of World War II veterans who jammed the lounge before leaving for overseas duty. Wives and sweethearts watching the ships depart gave the room's northwest nook its name—Weepers' Corner.  With its 360-degree views, the lounge is a wonderful spot for a grand brunch or a nighttime drink.

A fonda (inn) has stood on this site southeast of the Plaza for centuries, and architect Isaac Hamilton Rapp built the area landmark that stands there today in 1922. The hotel was sold to the Santa Fe Railway in 1926 and remained a Harvey House hotel until 1968. The property completed its latest major renovation in 2013, its guest rooms receiving a smart but still classic makeover, but the historic public areas retain their original design elements. Because of its proximity to the Plaza and its history as a gathering place for everyone from cowboys to movie stars (Errol Flynn stayed here), it's referred to as "The Inn at the End of the Trail." Free docent tours, which touch on the hotel's rich history and detail key pieces in the astounding public art collection, are offered Wednesday through Saturday morning at 10:30. Step inside to browse the shops on the main floor or to eat at one of the restaurants, including the impressive greenhouse glass-topped La Plazuela. The lobby bar often has live music. In warm months, enjoy a drink at the fifth-floor Bell Tower Bar which offers tremendous sunset views.

Completed in 1891 and meticulously restored in recent years, the oldest lodging in Yellowstone National Park is a splendid wedding cake of a building with a gorgeous setting on the water. Casual daytime visitors can lounge in white wicker chairs in the sunroom and watch the waters of Yellowstone Lake through massive windows. Robert Reamer, the architect of the Old Faithful Inn, added a columned entrance in 1903 to enhance the original facade of the hotel.