10457 Best Sights in USA

Stroll around South Street and it won’t be long before you come across the work of mosaic muralist Isaiah Zagar, recognizable by its intricate, irreverent mix of found materials and folk motifs. The Magic Gardens is home base for Zagar’s eye-catching art, which he’s been creating around here since he and wife, Julia, a fellow artist, moved there in the 1960s. Consisting of two indoor galleries and an outdoor sculpture garden, it’s an impressive and immersive visual feat. It’s a popular spot with tourists and groups, so it’s best to purchase tickets in advance; tickets go on sale online for visits one month in advance.

The kids will have a blast at this hyper-interactive children's museum. Highlights include a hair-raising static ball, a photo-sensitive wall that captures visitors' silhouettes, and other hands-on exhibits. The museum is in a restored Victorian house in Kirkwood, which is just as interesting as the museum.

This glass conservatory glitters with more than 4,000 butterflies. Kids love the butterfly nursery, where newborns first take flight. Outside is a three-season garden filled with plants that attract local species. There's also a snack bar and gift shop.

Ancient oak trees drip Spanish moss over funerary sculptures and magnificent mausoleums in this cemetery on the Cooper River. It opened in 1850, beautifully landscaped (thanks to the rural cemetery movement of the era) with paths, ponds, and lush lawns. The people of Charleston came not only to pay respects to the deceased, but also for picnicking and family outings. Similarly, visitors still find joy in the natural surroundings—and intrigue in the elaborate structures marking the graves of many prominent South Carolinians. All three crews of mariners who died aboard the Civil War sub H. L. Hunley are buried here, and more than 850 Confederate servicemen rest in the Soldiers' Ground. Walking maps are available in the front office.

Beautiful Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is home to the oldest public garden in the country, a sprawling estate created by the labor of enslaved people. In 1679, the property along the Ashley River was gifted to Thomas Drayton and his bride, Ann Fox, by her father. In the 1840s, a descendant of the couple began planting an extensive garden on the grounds, a little because his doctor prescribed fresh air to combat his tuberculosis and a little for his bride. Since then, that garden has evolved into a romantic green space overflowing with azaleas, camellias, cypresses, oaks, and more. It's just as rich in history. Prominent African American historian Joseph McGill of the Slave Dwelling Project curated the site's tour—From Slavery to Freedom—of the five remaining cabins on the property. To explore further afield, take the tram-train tour or traverse the more than 500 acres of trails by foot or bike (bring your own). Don't miss the Audubon Swamp Garden and its network of boardwalks and bridges, the petting zoo, or the boxwood maze.

Along this trail, you get an up-close view of unusual animals, including giant fruit bats that hang to munch fruit from wires and fly very close to the open and glass-protected viewing areas and Bengal tigers in front of a maharajah's palace ruins. The tigers have their own view (with no accessibility, of course) of Asian deer and black buck, an antelope species. At the end of the trek, you walk through an aviary with a lotus pool. Disney animal experts are on hand to answer questions. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; equipped for audio-description devices. Guests with service animals should check with a host before entering the aviary. Come anytime. Crowds stay fairly light, as people are constantly on the move.

Gilded lions guard the entrance of this bright, beautiful Buddhist temple, on a busy corner at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge Arch on the Bowery. Inside are a 16-foot-tall Buddha seated on a lotus flower (allegedly the largest Buddha in the city), incense-burning urns, hand-painted prints, and a second-floor gift shop full of interesting items.

This half-mile boardwalk trail, accessible for those with disabilities, takes you through a hardwood hammock where the lush vegetation includes gumbo-limbo trees and air plants. This thick canopy forest is typical of South Florida and also happens to be home to America's largest mahogany tree. Along the way, listen for the calls of birds that are hidden within the thick forest. Easy.

Snorkelers and divers often make exciting discoveries in the clear waters of this park, now a swimming hole and an underwater museum of sorts. Amazingly, it's also home to a dormant, submerged shield volcano of the same name with a summit of 9,500 feet, showcasing just how deep it gets right offshore. Long ago, when sugar was the economic staple of Kohala, this harbor was busy with boats waiting to make overseas shipments. Now remnants of shipping machinery, train wheels and parts, and what looks like an old boat are easily visible in the clear water. There's no actual beach here, but a ladder off the old dock makes getting in the water easy. Venture out only on tranquil days, though, when the water is calm; conditions can get windy and the ocean choppy.

A popular place with locals, Mahukona is busy on weekends. A camping area on the south side of the park has picnic tables and an old covered pavilion. A trail also leads to nearby Lapakahi State Park, about a ½-mile hike. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The Mai Wah Museum contains exhibits on the history of the Chinese and other Asian settlers of Butte. The two historic buildings it occupies were constructed to house Chinese-owned businesses: the Wah Chong Tai Company and the Mai Wah Noodle Parlor.

Known as Morton Street in the raffish Barbary Coast era, this former red-light district reported at least one murder a week during the late 19th century, though things cooled down after the 1906 fire. These days Maiden Lane is a chic, designer-boutique-lined pedestrian mall. Wrought-iron gates close the street to traffic most days between 11 and 5, when the lane becomes an alfresco hot spot dotted with umbrella-shaded tables. It's also popular with photographers and Instagrammers for its quaint-chic aesthetic. At  140 Maiden Lane is the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in San Francisco, fronted by a large brick archway. The curving ramp and skylights of the interior, which houses exclusive Italian menswear boutique Isaia, are said to have been his model for the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

The intersection of 13th Street and Main Avenue marks the northern edge of Durango's Main Avenue National Historic District. Old-fashioned streetlamps line the streets, casting a warm glow on the elegant buildings filled with upscale galleries, restaurants, and shops. Dating from 1887, the Strater Hotel is a reminder of the time when this town was a stop for many people headed west.

Of all Fernandina Beach beach access points, this is likely to be the most crowded—but it's also the most fun for kids and teens. Not only are there shaded playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, a beachfront playground, picnic tables, and a multipurpose court at the park itself, but there's old-school fun to be had at the adjacent skate park and vintage miniature-golf course, whose concession stand sells cold drinks, ice cream, and snow cones. A casual restaurant and bar are right on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Downtown's Main Plaza welcomes all from far and near, whether they're looking to gather with others, attend a performance, or enjoy the space in solitude. Also known as Plaza de Las Islas Canarias, a nod to the Canary Island settlers in San Antonio, the area in front of San Fernando Cathedral has been around since the early 18th century. After ups and downs due to growth and other factors, the plaza is now alive with performers and visitors thanks to the efforts of the Main Plaza Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to creating and developing a family-friendly plaza for all ages, promoting arts and culture in an open-air setting they have dubbed The Heart of the City. Enjoy free musical concerts, dance performances, yoga, movies, seasonal and holiday events, and more. Check the online calendar to see upcoming and recurring events.

This thoroughfare is a great spot for star sightings or for strolling among the laid-back California crowd. Streets are lined with old-fashioned, colorful, and cozy boutiques that stock everything from high-end garments to bohemian favorites. There's also a standard crop of shopping mall outposts plus a good selection of casual restaurants and cafés. If you're in town on the last Saturday of the month, check out the sidewalk sale.

More than two dozen hand-painted murals in downtown Barstow depict the town's history, from prehistoric times and early explorers to pioneer caravans, mining eras, and Route 66. Self-guided walking tour maps are available at the Barstow Chamber of Commerce or on the Main Street Mural website. 

This attractive, outdoor plaza in downtown Rapid City is a focal point for a wide array of special events throughout the year, including movies under the stars, food festivals, a farmers' market, musical performances, and, in the winter, ice skating and fire pits. In the summer, the square features interactive fountains, gardens, and a large oval lawn. Giant, sculpted stone slabs called Passage of Wind and Water surround the site, and there are shops and restaurants all around.

Fun, funky, and filled indoors and out with picnic tables, this is a place to kick back pretty much any afternoon or evening for a live show and some top-tier drinks. The distillery here makes nine very good spirits—the Whipple Tree Apple Brandy, Queequeg Spiced Rum, and Fifty Stone Single-Malt Whiskey are favorites. And at the bar, they also go into concoctions like the Blueshine Lemonade—a wild Maine blueberry liquor with homemade lemonade and local maple syrup. Hour-long tours are available; book ahead online.

Three floors with more than 40 interactive exhibits let kids explore the state's ecosystem in Nature Trails, learn about other cultures in TradeWinds, step into classic children's books—all written by Maine authors—in Booktown, and unearth dinosaur "bones" in DINO DIG. There's also drop-in art and STEM classes and daily programs on a range of topics.

The lighthouse museum has more than 25 Fresnel lighthouse lenses, as well as what's said to be the nation's largest collection of lighthouse and lifesaving artifacts, and Coast Guard memorabilia. Permanent exhibits spotlight topics like lighthouse heroines—women who manned the lights when the keepers couldn't—and lightships.

You can find out more about Maine lobster from the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative.

Whether you're crazy about old trains or just want to see the sights from a different perspective, the railroad museum has an extensive collection of locomotives and rail coaches, and offers scenic tours on narrow-gauge railcars. The 3-mile jaunts run on the hour, at 10, 11, noon, 1, 2, and 3 every day in the operating season. Rides take you along Casco Bay, at the foot of the Eastern Promenade. The operating season caps off with a fall harvest ride (complete with cider), and during the Christmas season there are special Polar Express rides, based on the popular children's book.

At this facility with a picturesque setting on the Tsoo-Yess River, near Shi Shi Beach, visitors can view chinook salmon as they make their way over fish ladders to the hatchery's spawning area. Spawning months are October through November, and the salmon are released in late April. Smaller numbers of coho and chum salmon as well as steelhead trout also populate the hatchery.

This beach provides a slice of local life that most visitors don't see. Families string up tarps for the day, fire up hibachis, set up lawn chairs, get out the fishing gear, and strum ukulele while they "talk story" (chat). Legendary waterman Buffalo Keaulana can be found in the shade of the palms playing with his grandkids and spinning yarns of yesteryear. In these waters, Buffalo not only invented some of the most outrageous methods of surfing, but also raised his world-champion son, Rusty. He also made Makaha the home of the world's first international surf meet in 1954, and it still hosts his Big Board Surfing Classic. With its long, slow-building waves, the beach is a great spot to try out longboarding. The swimming is generally decent in summer, but avoid the big winter waves. The only parking is along the highway, but it's free. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming.

The largest state park in Montana is filled with badlands and prehistoric dinosaur fossils. At the entrance to the park is a recently expanded visitor information center, which supplies information on the park's history and geology and has an impressive museum full of dinosaur bones and skulls. During the summer, take a paleo hike with an interpreter to look for and learn about the fossils that litter the badlands landscape. You'll also get to visit the paleolab and handle fossils that have been found here over the years. Special events, including Montana Shakespeare in the Park and the famous Buzzard Day Festival (second Saturday in June) only add to its value as a destination. There's a nice campground, too, and an archery range and disc golf course. For those who want to spend the night without having to camp on your way to Medicine Lake, there are a few chain hotels across the highway in Glendive, including a Holiday Inn Express and La Quinta Inn that get good reviews from travelers.

It will take several flights of stairs to reach the starting point of this ride, one that pairs you up with as many as five others on a rafting adventure. After settling in, a little push is all it takes for gravity to take over and water to wash you into a humongous enclosed tube for a short stretch before you are spat out into the daylight and into a massive basin where your forward motion sends you up toward the rim (but not over it). From here, you wash back down again and slide into another tube before the cycle repeats, taking you through another tube followed by a circular tour of another basin before finally flowing into a calm pool. For people with disabilities: There's a lift to the right of the main queue area; wheelchair users must be able to transfer to the raft unassisted or with help from a member of their party.

The big attraction here is tiny Goat Island, a bird sanctuary just offshore. At low tide the water is shallow enough—never more than waist-high—for you to wade out to it. Wear sneakers or aqua socks so you don't cut yourself on the coral. The beach itself is fairly narrow but long enough for a 20-minute stroll, one-way. The waves are never too big, and sometimes they're just right for novice bodysurfers. The entrance gates, which close at 7:45 pm in summer and 6:45 pm the rest of the year, are easy to miss, and you can't see the beach from the road. It's a great rural getaway: families love to camp in the groves of ironwood trees at Malaekahana State Park, and there are also cabins here, though they are undergoing renovation as of fall 2023, which may last a year. Unfortunately, theft is an increasingly serious issue here, so be aware of your surroundings and do not leave any personal property unattended. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking. 

Wrangell–St. Elias's coastal mountains are frequently wreathed in snow-filled clouds, their massive height making a giant wall that contains the great storms brewed in the Gulf of Alaska. As a consequence, they bear some of the continent's largest ice fields, with more than 100 glaciers radiating from them. One of these, Malaspina Glacier, includes 1,500 square miles—larger than the state of Rhode Island. This tidewater glacier has an incredible pattern of black-and-white stripes made by the other glaciers that coalesced to form it. If you fly between Juneau and Anchorage, look for Malaspina Glacier on the coast north of Yakutat.