10457 Best Sights in USA

Bird-watchers, take note: in this 5-acre marshy area near Malibu Beach Inn you can spot egrets, blue herons, avocets, and gulls. (You need to stay on the boardwalks so as not to disturb their habitats.) The path leads out to a rocky stretch of Surfrider Beach and makes for a pleasant stroll. The sand is soft, clean, and white, and you're also likely to spot a variety of marine life. The lagoon is particularly enjoyable in the early morning and at sunset—and even more so now, thanks to a restoration effort that improved the lagoon's scent. The parking lot has limited hours, but street-side parking is usually available at off-peak times. The on-site Malibu Lagoon Museum reveals local history. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

This rustically chic, 780-foot fishing dock is a great place to drink in the sunset, take in some coastal views, or watch local fishermen reel up a catch. A pier has jutted out on this spot since the early 1900s; storms destroyed the last one in 1995, and it was rebuilt in 2001. Today, it's officially a state park. Over the years, private developers have worked with the state to refurbish the pier, which now yields offerings like a gift shop, water-sport and beach rentals, and a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant with stunning views and locations at both ends of the pier. Seasonal sightseeing and whale-watching excursions are offered from a 50-foot tour boat, the Malibu Waverider.

Steady 3- to 5-foot waves make this beach, just west of Malibu Pier, a surfing paradise. (So much so that it's been declared the world's first surfing reserve.) Water runoff from Malibu Canyon forms a natural lagoon that's a sanctuary for 250 species of birds. Bird-watch, play volleyball, or take a walk on one of the nature trails, which are perfect for romantic sunset strolls. Guided tours of the surrounding wetlands are available seasonally. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; windsurfing.

For cruise-ship passengers, this is the disembarkation point for an attack on Key West. For practically every visitor, it's the requisite venue for a nightly sunset celebration that includes street performers—human statues, sword swallowers, tightrope walkers, musicians, and more—plus craft vendors, conch-fritter fryers, and other regulars who defy classification. With all the activity, don't forget to watch the main show: a dazzling tropical sunset.

About 7 miles from its original site in the river bottom sits the cabin Theodore Roosevelt commissioned to be built on his Dakota Territory property. Inside is Roosevelt's travel trunk. Self-guided tours are offered year-round from the South Unit Visitor Center.

This is the most isolated picnic area in Saguaro West. It's on King Canyon Trail, a good area for birding and wildflower viewing. It's about a mile walk to reach the site, and the undeveloped trail isn't wheelchair accessible.

Two miles from the visitor center along Flint Ridge Road stands one of three churches that remain from the time before the park was formed. In its adjacent cemetery lies the resting place of the ill-fated cave explorer Floyd Collins, as well as people from the communities that called the area home before it became a national park. Note: The cemeteries in the park are places of repose for the dead. Please respect their sanctity when you visit.

Before the age of the automobile, travelers often reached Mammoth Cave on the Mammoth Cave Railroad, a spur line of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. (The L&N became the modern CSX line, which offers no passenger service through the region today.) The rails may be gone, but the entire route is now the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail, which begins at the southern park boundary at Park City, and ends at the visitor center, where you can see one of the original engines and its passenger car. Historic stops along the way with parking are at Diamond Caverns, Locust Grove, Sloan's Crossing Pond, and Doyel Valley Overlook. Other historic points of interest accessible on foot or by mountain bike include the sites of Union City and Doyel Valley Trestle, Ferguson Cemetery, and Engine No. 4.

The Mammoth Cave Railroad had its origin station at the site of Bell's Tavern in Park City, the stone remains of which are available to public view in the city park. Diamond Caverns, a show cave unconnected to Mammoth Cave that was a stop along the line, continues to operate today as a private business, and is not part of the national park.

The Mammoth Cave Railroad once brought travelers along a special spur line just to see the cave. Now, its route is a path for hikers and mountain bikers to do the same. This north leg of the bike and hike trail extends from the visitor center area where old Engine No. 4 stands on display, to the Doyel Valley Overlook along the Mammoth Cave Parkway, then joins the south leg at Sloan's Crossing Pond. A spur near the overlook leads to Ferguson Cemetery. Outdoor exhibits share history along the way. The trail surface is rough gravel suitable only for mountain bikes and hikers; use caution on steeper grades and at the road crossings. A 0.2-mile spur connects the beginning of the trail with the front of the visitor center. 4 miles. Moderate.

Designed for hikers and bicyclists, this leg of the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail follows the path of the original Mammoth Cave Railroad, a spur line of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, that brought travelers to visit Mammoth Cave before the turn of the 20th century. This leg visits historic points at Diamond Caverns, Union City, and Locust Grove, ending at Sloan's Crossing Pond. Outdoor exhibit panels share history along the route. The trail surface is rough gravel, suitable for mountain bikes and hikers only. Road crossing is required; be alert for oncoming traffic. 

An extension of the trail continues south of the park into Park City, to the ruins of Bell's Tavern in the city park, the site of the railroad station where the Mammoth Cave Railroad originated.

Diamond Caverns, a location on the trail, is a privately owned show cave and is not part of the national park. Diamond Caverns is not known to be connected to the Mammoth Cave system. 5 miles. Moderate.

The visitor center, perched on the ridgetop just above the cave's renowned Historic Entrance, is the hub of all park activity. All cave tours begin and end here, as well as all other ranger-led activities. This is where you purchase and pick up tickets and backcountry camping permits, shop for books and souvenirs at the bookstore and gift areas, and find the restrooms. The visitor center is connected by a short footbridge to the food service areas at the Lodge at Mammoth Cave. The information desk is centrally located, with tour schedules prominently posted, and maps available. This is also the place where young people start and complete the Junior Ranger Program. The visitor center includes a large museum space with exhibits that enrich visitors with an understanding of the park's complex nature, culture, and communities—a visit here is recommended before you tour the cave. The visitor center is also the embarkation point for many of the 14 miles of trails in the area.

A sprawling complex with sweeping views of the Sherwin Mountains, Mammoth Rock 'n' Bowl supplies one-stop recreation, entertainment, and dining. Downstairs are 12 bowling lanes; lounge areas; Ping-Pong and foosball tables; dartboards; and a casual bar-restaurant serving burgers, pizzas, and small plates. The upstairs floor has three golf simulators, a pro shop, and Mammoth Rock Brasserie, an upscale dining room and lounge. If the weather's nice, sit out on the patio or the upstairs deck and enjoy the unobstructed vistas.

Consisting of both Gulf and Intracoastal Waterway frontage, this beach is best reached on foot from Caspersen Beach. By road, it's a lot less direct. Features include a boardwalk, boat launch, and picnic shelters. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

To get a real feel for this area, take an easy driving loop from Alamosa through much of the San Luis Valley (the whole trip is about 95 miles). Head east on U.S. 160 to Fort Garland, south on Route 159 to San Luis, west on Routes 159 and 142 to Manassa, then north on U.S. 285 back to Alamosa. More than half of the route is part of the Los Caminos Antiguos Drive, one of Colorado's Scenic Byways.

In the middle of Anna Maria Island, Manatee County Beach is popular with beachgoers of all ages. Paid parking is in the gravel lot next to the beach. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Here you might glimpse Florida's most famous, yet often hard to spot, marine mammal. When Gulf waters drop to 68°F or below—usually from November to March—the sea cows congregate in these waters, which are warmed by the outflow of a towering nearby power plant. Pause at any of the three observation decks (the first nearest the outflow and last at the lagoon usually yield the most sightings, as does the fishing pier) and watch for bubbles. Hydrophones on the last deck allow you to eavesdrop on their songs. Periodically, one of these gentle giants—mature adults weigh an average of 1,000 pounds—will surface. Calusa Blueway Outfitters runs the visitor center/gift shop and offers kayak and canoe rentals, as well as clinics and tours to paddle the canals and get a closer look.

An old train trestle was revamped into a pedestrian- and bike-only bridge, now with lighting for night walkers, with pleasant views of Manayunk and the Schuylkill River Valley. It connects to the Cynwyd Heritage trail, an easy 2-mile “rail trail\" for biking, jogging, and walking that leads past Laurel Hill Cemetery West and ends at Cynwyd Station. You can also connect to a trail that takes you to the Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing, where there are two restaurants, a beer garden of sorts, a Residence Inn by Marriott, and a different crossing back to Manayunk.

Just off Main Street, the welcome center is a recent addition, run and staffed by the Manayunk Development Corporation. It's a good spot to get oriented, ask questions, look at some historical photos, and buy MNYK (Manayunk) T-shirts.

Mandalay Bay is famous for a few things: the House of Blues, which brings in some epic concerts throughout the year; the Shark Reef Aquarium, which boasts a 1.6-million-gallon saltwater tank and more than 2,000 animals; and an A-list series of restaurants. A pastiche of flavors is the attraction there, including StripSteak and the Mediterranean Orla from internationally acclaimed chef Michael Mina and the more casual Border Grill from Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of TV's Two Hot Tamales fame. Technically the complex hosts three separate hotel brands: Mandalay, W Las Vegas, and the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. If you're into views, W's rooftop Rivea, from French culinary lion Alain Ducasse, Skyfall Panoramic Bar & Lounge, and House of Blues Foundation Room on the 64th floor can make you the equal of any bird.

Also worth noting: minus5° Ice Bar, which is located in the Mandalay Place shopping corridor that connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor; for the price of admission you get to borrow a parka, waltz into a sub-zero drinking establishment, and throw back vodka from a glass made of ice.

The on the Nott Memorial's second floor, shows history-, science-, and art-related exhibits.

The site of a Hawaiian village dating from 900 AD, Manele Bay is flanked by lava cliffs hundreds of feet high. Ferries from Maui dock five times a day, and visiting yachts pull in here, as it's the island's only small boat harbor. Public restrooms, grassy lawns, and picnic tables make it a busy pit stop—you can watch the boating activity as you rest. Just offshore to the west is Puu Pehe, an isolated 80-foot-high islet steeped in romantic Hawaiian lore; it's often called Sweetheart Rock.

Ferries from Maui dock multiple times a day, snorkeling and diving excursions take off, and visiting yachts pull in here, as it's the island's only small boat harbor. Public restrooms, grassy lawns, and picnic tables make it a busy pit stop—you can watch the boating activity as you rest. 

A wide, sandy strip with good swimming and rows of volleyball courts, Manhattan Beach is the preferred destination of fit, tanned young professionals. There are also such amenities as a bike path, a playground, a bait shop, fishing equipment for rent, and a sizable fishing pier with a free aquarium at the end. It's the perfect place to unwind during a long layover at LAX. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

In the heart of this community that's a must for anyone interested in the history of the atomic age, this small visitor center can help you learn what to see and do around town. Start with an orientation film on the people and events that led to the creation of the atomic bomb, then pick up a self-guided tour of the town's notable historic sites. It's beside the Los Alamos Visitor Center, which also has free and excellent brochures on local hiking trails as well as both the town's and the surrounding area's attractions.

Across the highway from Haena Beach Park is Maniniholo Dry Cave, a place steeped in legends. You can walk for a few minutes through a 30-yard-long cave, which darkens and becomes more claustrophobic as you glide across its sandy floor, hearing the drips down the walls and wondering at its past. Legend has it that Maniniholo was the head fisherman of the Menehune—Kauai's quasi-mythical first inhabitants. After gathering too much food to carry, Maniniholo's men stored the excess under a cliff overnight. When he returned in the morning, the food had vanished, and he blamed the imps living in the cliff's cracks. He and his men dug into the cliff to find and destroy the imps, leaving behind the dry cave.

Some Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings that date back nearly 1,000 years have been moved from other sites in southern Colorado and faithfully reassembled beneath a red rock cliff at this museum. While the reconstructions resemble the original dwellings, the workers used cement instead of the original adobe mud method. For that reason, the museum is much less precious and visitors can roam and climb and touch, which makes it much more kid friendly than most archaeological sites. Two rooms of artifacts in the museum offer information on the history of the dwellings. Smartphone codes provide a free audio tour through the space.

This respected gallery near the Plaza carries mostly contemporary representational paintings and sculptures by world-renowned artists as well as impressive works by local and Native artists including Nocona Burgess and B. C. Nowlin. The gallery also features bronze statues and interesting photographs. In 2021, Manitou was sold to gallery owners from Arizona who now run this location and its sister gallery at 225 Canyon Road. Both Manitou showrooms are hard to miss thanks to the beautiful bronze sculptures outside.

The town of Manitou grew around its springs, and there are eight mineral springs around town that you can drink from. Competitions to design the fountains that bring the mineral water to the public ensured that each fountain design is unique, so you may want to visit all of them on an easy self-guided walking tour of the town. It's a bring-your-own-cup affair; the water (frequently tested) is potable and free. The chamber of commerce publishes a free guide to the springs and the Mineral Springs Foundation offers tours.

This cottage and outdoor museum was the home of Celia Mann, one of only 200 free African Americans in Columbia in the mid-1800s. Tours are available as part of Historic Columbia's self-guided Journey to Freedom tour, which includes access to the nearby Modjeska Monteith Simkins House. Buy tickets at the Robert Mills House.