10457 Best Sights in USA

You can access this 3.4-mile round-trip hike from near the campground in Fruita or from the Hickman Bridge parking lot on Highway 24; the Fruita approach is the more dramatic. From the campground, it's a steep climb to the mouth of the canyon and then a level hike through a wash with amazing color and texture. You'll find miniature arches, skinny side canyons, and honeycombed patterns on canyon walls where wrens make nests. When you get to Frying Pan, continue a little longer to where you can see Highway 24. Here you can hear the river and easily turn around, maybe taking the short (though steep) side treks to the South (0.6 miles round-trip) and North (0.2 miles round-trip) Fruita Overlooks on your way back. Allow two hours, including the side trails to the overlooks. Moderate.

You can watch apples pressed into possibly the world's best cider on a vintage rack-and-cloth press at this working mill and sample it right from the tank. Its store sells all the apple butter, jams and jellies, and Vermont-made handicrafts you could want, plus the legendary cider doughnuts. Kids love watching the "doughnut robots" in action, which can make up to 15,000 doughnuts per day. The tasting room is open daily with numerous hard ciders on tap, and an on-site café serves Vermont classics for breakfast and lunch.

Also known as Cold Beer, New Mexico (which is painted in huge white letters on the exterior), this little red roadhouse on the way to Cimarron from Raton continues a tradition from the Prohibition era. Among the joint's trademarks are an ongoing card game, Shiner Bock (a beloved beer from Shiner, Texas) on tap, Saturday-night dances, and a winter Jeopardy! tournament. The colorful staff and crowd make you feel right at home, especially if you're wearing cowboy boots.

The island's most popular public beach is a lot of fun, but during high season it can get very crowded. It has a splash pad fountain that delights little children, plus bench swings, sometimes a beach-toy borrowing bin, and umbrellas and chaise lounges for rent. If you have to go online, there's also Wi-Fi access. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; windsurfing.

Taking its own name from the many peaks named after famous universities, the 168,000-acre Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area includes eight mountains that tower more than 14,000 feet high. Forty miles of the Continental Divide snake through the area as well. The most compelling reason to visit Buena Vista is for the almost unequaled variety of hikes, climbs, biking trails, and fishing streams here. (Keep an eye out for hot springs, too.) Two ranger offices, one in Leadville and one in Salida, handle inquiries about this region.

It's worth the slight detour off Highway 99 to learn about and pay homage to the dream of Allen Allensworth and other Black pioneers who, in 1908, founded Allensworth, the only California town settled, governed, and financed by African Americans. At its height, the town prospered as a key railroad transfer point, but after cars and trucks reduced railroad traffic and water was diverted for Central Valley agriculture, the town declined and was eventually deserted. Today, the restored and rebuilt schoolhouse, library, and other structures commemorate Allensworth's heyday, as do festivities that take place each October.

Junction Creek to Gudy’s Rest Junction Creek is the southern terminus for the Colorado Trail and one of Durango’s best trails for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running. Located just 4 miles or so from downtown, this 8-mile out-and-back day hike rises and falls at a relatively gentle grade, so it’s achievable for most hikers. The trail eventually winds its way up to Gudy’s Rest, named after Gudy Gaskill, the “Mother of the Colorado Trail.” This high spot is a great place to sit and take in the views of Durango and the San Juan Mountains. Instead of hiking all the way up to Gudy’s Rest, you can make the hike a 5-mile round-trip by turning back at the wooden footbridge, which is a great goal for first-timers.

This big picnic area, spectacularly located right on the beach at Jackson Lake, gets crowded in July and August but is lovely nonetheless. It's close to flush toilets and stores.

This easy, wonderfully picturesque 1¾-mile round-trip excursion treats you to views of Jackson Lake and the Tetons. As you follow the level trail along the rocky shore and forest's edge, you may see moose and bald eagles. Allow two hours to complete the walk. Easy.

This attractive, expansive gallery contains art from the Kress Foundation collection of Renaissance and baroque treasures, sculpture, and decorative arts. There are prominent paintings by European and American masters, including a Monet and a Botticelli, as well as temporary exhibitions that have featured works by artists like Salvador Dalí and M. C. Escher.  CMA hosts several periodic music series, including the More Than Rhythm Black Music Series and Jazz at the CMA.

One of Oregon's best coastal attractions illuminates the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest and provides visitors with a sense of the perils of guiding ships into the mouth of the Columbia River. Vivid exhibits recount what it was like to pilot a tugboat and participate in a Coast Guard rescue on the Columbia River Bar. You can tour the actual bridge of a World War II–era U.S. Navy destroyer and the 1951 U.S. Coast Guard lightship Columbia. Also on display is a 44-foot Coast Guard motor lifeboat, artifacts from the region's illustrious riverboat heyday, and details about Astoria's seafood-canning history. One especially captivating exhibit displays the personal belongings of some of the ill-fated passengers of the 2,000 ships that have foundered here since the early 19th century. In addition, the theater shows an excellent documentary about the river's heritage as well as rotating 3-D films about sea life. At the east end of the property, the city's former railroad depot now houses the museum's Barbey Maritime Center, which offers classes and workshops on maritime culture and wooden boatbuilding.

Columbia, whose mines yielded $87 million in gold, is both a functioning community and a historically preserved town. Usually you can ride a stagecoach, pan for gold, and watch a blacksmith working at an anvil. Street musicians perform in summer. Restored or reconstructed buildings include a Wells Fargo Express office, a Masonic temple, an old-fashioned candy store, saloons, a firehouse, churches, a school, and a newspaper office. At times, all are staffed to simulate a working 1850s town. Also in the park is the Fallon House Theatre, a gorgeous Victorian structure that hosts plays and live music. The town's two reasonably priced historic lodgings, the Fallon Hotel and City Hotel, perch you in the past.

Four blocks east of the state capitol, this collection is particularly strong in early modernist paintings, modern American paintings, and impressionist and expressionist works. The museum holds the largest public collection of woodcarvings by Columbus folk artist Elijah Pierce and the world's largest repository of paintings and lithographs by Columbus native George Bellows. Outdoors is a sculpture garden, and a café and a gift shop are on the premises.

Zoo director emeritus "Jungle Jack" Hanna draws the late-night spotlight to the Columbus Zoo with his regular appearances, along with his cadre of animals, on the Late Show with David Letterman. The 588-acre zoo lies along the Scioto River, about 25 mi northwest of Downtown. Sights include a 100,000-gallon coral reef exhibit, one of the largest reptile collections in the United States and the largest manatee exhibit outside Florida. The newest exhibit is Asia Quest, which showcases fascinating Himalayan creatures like Siberian tigers, red pandas, and sun bears.

In 2006 the zoo bought the adjacent Wyandot Lake theme park from Six Flags and is renovating it in time to open for the 2008 season. The updated park will feature a theme park side and a water park side, as well as golf and, eventually, a hotel and indoor water park. The zoo and expanded theme park will share a common entrance, and visitors to both will receive discounted admissions.

Now Philadelphia's second-tallest building, the 975-foot Comcast Center is also one of its most eco-friendly: the 58-story design by Robert A. M. Stern Architects uses 40% less water than a traditional office building and also deploys its glass-curtain-wall facade to reduce energy costs significantly. Not to be missed is The Comcast Experience, a 2,000-square-foot high-definition video \"wall\" in the building's lobby, which also features Humanity in Motion, an installation of 12 life-size figures by Jonathan Borofsky that appear to be striding along girders 110 feet above. The building is also the site of an upscale food court and a seasonal outdoor café.

Take a casual stroll by the many architectural styles—Greek Revival, Victorian, Second Empire, and Gothic, to name a few—used in the design of the impressive houses for wealthy sea captains and merchants. The center of town is where you'll find the crowds and the best people-watching, especially if you try to find an empty spot on the benches in front of the exquisite Town Hall. The East End has a number of nationally renowned galleries; the West End has a number of small inns with neat lawns and elaborate gardens. There is one-way vehicle traffic on this street, though pedestrians dominate the pavement, particularly in July and August. Commercial Street runs parallel to the water, so there is always a patch of sand close at hand, should you need a break from the crowds.

The trailhead starts at the Bear Gulch Day Use area, and it's a short but somewhat strenuous 1-mile hike uphill to the Condor Gulch Overlook, where you can get a good view of the High Peaks above. You can turn back the same way you came, or continue another 0.7 mile up to the High Peaks Trail (a total elevation gain of 1,100 feet)—and extend your hike by following it in either direction. If you're feeling ambitious, continue into the park's west side, to the Balconies Cliffs Trail, returning back via the level Old Pinnacles Trail. Moderate–Difficult.

South Carolina's only national park is unlike any other—the park is the floodplain of the Congaree River, meaning that throughout the year, the majority of this bottomland forest is a true swamp. The wettest, hardest-to-reach areas survived centuries of logging, leaving towering cypress trees—some of the oldest and largest trees east of the Mississippi River—in the heart of the 27,000-acre park. Access varies by your ambition and tolerance for mud. A 2.6-mile loop via elevated boardwalk is handicap accessible and meanders through perennial swamp, higher pine uplands, and past Weston Lake. Longer trails total 25 miles, allowing for loops and overnight treks into the park, but bring extra socks and boots suitable for wading, especially on the fantastic but especially soggy Oakridge Trail. A potentially drier method of exploring the interior is by kayak or canoe. Local outfitters, including River Runner Outdoor Center and Carolina Outdoor Adventures, run three-hour kayak tours from the Cedar Creek Canoe Access. Or, coordinate a shuttle and canoe rental and paddle Cedar Creek one way, putting in at Bannister Bridge Canoe Access.

Bring binoculars and sharp ears—Congaree hosts a cacophony of birds and wildlife, including otters, wild boar, deer, and woodpeckers. The park also has two primitive campgrounds. Book in advance, especially during the two-week synchronized firefly season in May and June.

Apart from packaged snacks at the visitor center, there are no concessions in the park, and nearby restaurants are limited.

For more information see Chapter 11: Congaree National Park.

This 2-mile trail, arguably the best hike in the parks in terms of natural beauty, is a paved loop that begins near General Sherman Tree. You'll get close-up views of more big trees here than on any other Sequoia hike. Watch for the clusters known as the House and Senate. The President Tree, also on the trail, supplanted the General Grant Tree in 2012 as the world's second largest in volume (behind the General Sherman). An offshoot of the Congress Trail leads to Crescent Meadow, where, in summer, you can catch a free shuttle back to the Sherman parking lot. Easy.

Housed in an 1878 steamboat warehouse, this museum tells the story of the Connecticut River through maritime artifacts, interactive displays, and ship models. The riverfront museum even has a full-size working reproduction of the world's first submarine, the American Turtle (named for its appearance); the original was built by David Bushnell, from nearby Westbrook, in 1775 as a "secret weapon" to win the Revolutionary War.

This strikingly modern building, designed by world-renowned architect César Pelli, houses 40,000 square feet of exhibit space under a wavelike roof that appears to float over the structure. Among the more than 165 hands-on exhibits, youngsters, teens, and adults alike can dive into a black hole and examine the moon's craters in the Exploring Space exhibit, race mini-sailboats and magnetic trains at Forces in Motion, and discover hidden athletic talents in the Sports Lab. Kid Space is perfect for ages three to six, and everyone enjoys mingling with free-flying butterflies in the Butterfly Encounter. Complete your visit by taking in a movie in the 3D digital theater.

Whatever you do, be sure to at least drive by the Conservatory of Flowers—it's too darn pretty to miss. The gorgeous, white-framed 1878 glass structure is topped with a 14-ton glass dome. Stepping inside the giant greenhouse is like taking a quick trip to the rainforest, with its earthy smell and humid warmth. The undeniable highlight is the Aquatic Plants section, where lily pads float and carnivorous plants dine on bugs to the sounds of rushing water.

On the east side of the conservatory (to the right as you face the building), cypress, pine, and redwood trees surround the Dahlia Garden, which blooms in summer and fall. Adding to the allure are temporary special exhibits; a recurring holiday-season model-train display punctuated with mini buildings, found objects, and dwarf plants; night blooms; and a butterfly garden that returns periodically. To the west is the Rhododendron Dell, which contains 850 varieties, more than any other garden of its kind in the country. It's a favorite local Mother's Day picnic spot.

Take in cutting-edge exhibits, featuring both local artists and the work of national and international talent, at this cornerstone of the vibrant Warehouse District. Two theaters present jazz, film, dance, plays, lectures, and experimental and conventional concerts, including a New Orleans music series. Check the website for details. Mr. Wolf Espresso and Books is open for coffee and browsing on the first floor.

This museum presents the work of today's most cutting-edge artists—starting with the artistry of the building itself, the first freestanding American museum designed by a woman, Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid. When it was completed in 2003, New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp famously called it "the most important building completed since the end of the Cold War." Exhibits showcase photography, film, performance art, and even art that primarily uses sound. There are no permanent installations, save for the sixth-floor UnMuseum, a 7,400-square-foot wonderland for kids and adults; one of the more popular attractions is the robot-tree, which responds to your presence by raising or lowering its branches. The youngest children will love the Leaf Lounge, where they take off their shoes and roll about in more than 450 hand-made leaves. The stuffed leaves are five times the actual size of their sylvan cousins and are spread across a bed of bouncy foam.

Originally known as the Austin Museum of Art, the Contemporary Austin's Jones Center is a striking downtown presence featuring a diverse roster of contemporary artists and exhibits. It also hosts various special events open to the public, including "rooftop sessions" with outdoor film screenings and live musical and artistic performances. While advanced reservations are recommended, walk-ups are welcome, and admission is always free on Thursdays. Your ticket also includes free admission to the Contemporary's must-see sister site, Laguna Gloria, in nearby west Austin.

Set on a lush peninsula jutting into Lake Austin, these grounds are home to the 1916 Mediterranean-style villa that was once home to Clara Driscoll, the famed Texas philanthropist who led the fight to save the Alamo from demolition in the early 20th century. The stunning villa is surrounded by gorgeously landscaped gardens and lakeside walking trails that lead visitors throughout an impressive collection of outdoor sculptures and large-scale art installations by world-renowned artists. A popular art school operates on-site, and a lovely gift shop and café, Spread & Co., serving tasty cheese boards and other gourmet picnic fare, help elongate a leisurely afternoon visit at this scenic spot. Admission is free on Thursday.

The Cooper Hewitt has taken an ornate, century-old mansion—once the residence of industrialist Andrew Carnegie—and outfitted it with the latest technologies and amenities to create a slick, highly interactive, 21st-century experience, so you don’t just look at design; you engage with it. Download the free app to guide you through some of the wide-ranging collection's more than 215,000 objects from over 30 centuries, including 3-D printed objects, handcrafted furniture, vintage wallpaper, cultural and period textiles, art and design books, and examples of robotics and animation. Rotating exhibits may focus on a particular designer, design era or theme.

The focus on design and discovery extends to the SHOP, where limited-edition objects are for sale. There is a café, and an outdoor garden is free and open to the public. The museum offers guided tours aligned to exhibition topics at 1:30 daily. Admission tickets can be reserved online.

Horseback riding and wine tasting makes a great combination for a day in the mountains; it’s that duo that draws visitors to this longtime farm and winery above Saratoga. A former test pilot, George Cooper founded the winery in 1972 and all of the wine continues to be sourced exclusively from the 28 acres of vines on the estate. Don’t miss the unique Test Pilot red blends and the quiet specialty of the winery: Cabernet Franc.

Thousands of beer lovers make the pilgrimage to the venerable Coors Brewery each year. Founded in 1873 by Adolph Coors, a 21-year-old German stowaway, today it's the largest single-site brewery in the world and part of Molson Coors. Only guided tours with reservations are available; the tour explains the malting, brewing, and packaging processes. Informal tastings are held at the end of each tour and are included in the price of admission; for half the price of a tour, you can just sample beers. Reservations are required for tours and sampling, and you can buy souvenirs in the gift shop. A free shuttle runs from the parking lot to the brewery.