10451 Best Sights in USA

Moved 350 feet back from its perch at cliff's edge in 1996, this much-photographed red-and-white lighthouse tops the bluff where the Three Sisters Lighthouses once stood. (The Sisters themselves can be seen in a little landlocked park surrounded by trees; they're reached by paved walkways off Nauset Light Beach's parking lot.) How the lighthouses got there is a long story. In 1838 three brick lighthouses were built 150 feet apart on the bluffs in Eastham overlooking a particularly dangerous area of shoals (shifting underwater sandbars). In 1892, after the eroding cliff dropped the towers into the ocean, they were replaced with three wooden towers. In 1918, two were moved away, as was the third in 1923. Eventually the National Park Service acquired the Three Sisters and brought them together in the inland park, where they would be safe. Lectures on and guided tours of the lighthouses (free, donations accepted) are conducted Sunday mid-May–October, as well as Wednesday from June--September.

You can eat—and then eat some more—while cruising Lake Erie on this boat with two buffet dining decks and an open-air observation deck. The boat is docked at the west bank of the Flats. Tours are two hours at lunch, three hours during dinner.

Curated by Joe Frangiosa, this 800-square-foot exhibit is dedicated to depicting the history of the U.S. Navy, its ships, and their evolution from the Revolutionary War period to World War II. In addition to constructed model ships, the exhibit includes artifacts, photographs, uniforms, and toys detailing the Navy's history.

A popular attraction on Norfolk’s redeveloped downtown waterfront, Nauticus is a maritime discovery center featuring interactive exhibits that tell the story of Norfolk’s maritime environment, industry, and the military. Visitors can walk the historic decks of the Battleship Wisconsin, the largest and last battleship of the U.S. Navy, learn to sail through an award-winning sailing program, and charter a tall ship for an educational cruise along the Elizabeth River.

Nauticus is undergoing a major transformational redesign project, opening in stages. Phase I features a new children’s exhibit, Aquaticus, encouraging experiential play, as well as "Norfolk in Time," a look at the past, present, and future of Norfolk. Stage 2 opens in 2024 to include the addition of three state-of-the-art exhibit galleries.

Take a self-guided walking tour through the Navajo Cultural Center of Kayenta, which includes the small Shadehouse Museum and a 2-acre outdoor cultural park. The museum is designed to resemble an authentic shadehouse (these wood-frame, rather crude structures are used to shelter sheepherders in the region's often unforgiving high-desert sun). Inside, visitors will find an extensive collection of Navajo code talkers memorabilia and local artwork, as well as exhibits on the beliefs and traditions that have shaped North America's largest Native American tribe. As you walk through the grounds of the cultural park, note the different types of traditional hogans and sweat lodges.

Created in 1962 when the dam was built, the eponymous lake at Navajo Lake State Park is a popular boating and fishing spot; you can rent boats at two marinas. Short trails lead to the lakeshore, and the 3½-mi-long cottonwood-shaded San Juan River Trail parallels the river down below the dam. Driving the narrow road across the top of the dam, with no guardrails, is a slightly hair-raising, memorable experience. A fishing permit is required.

One of Bryce's most popular and dramatic attractions is this steep descent via a series of switchbacks leading to Wall Street, a slightly claustrophobic hallway of rock only 20 feet wide in places, with walls 100 feet high. After a walk through The Silent City, the northern end of the trail brings Thor's Hammer into view. A well-marked intersection offers a shorter way back via the Two Bridges Trail or continuing on the Queen's Garden Trail to Sunrise Point. For the short version, allow at least an hour on this 1.3-mile trail, with 515 feet of elevation change. Moderate.

The murals on the walls of this handsome structure, built to resemble a large ceremonial hogan, depict scenes from the history of the tribe, and the bell beside the entrance was a gift to the tribe by the Santa Fe Railroad to commemorate the thousands of Navajos who built the railroad. Visitors can observe sessions of the council, where 24 delegates representing 110 reservation chapters meet on the third Monday of January, April, July, and October.

Be aware that when the council is not in session, the building is locked, but the exterior still makes for a nice stop.

Turn east off Indian Highway 12, about ½ mile north of AZ 264, to reach the Council Chambers. Nearby Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park & Veteran's Memorial is a memorial park honoring Navajo veterans, including the famous World War II code talkers.

This fairground near the center of downtown hosts several rodeos and events throughout the year. The annual multiday July 4 celebration draws visitors from throughout the Four Corners region for its major rodeo, ceremonial dances, and a parade. The Navajo Nation Fair, much like a traditional state fair, is held in early September. It offers standard county-fair rides, midway booths, contests, powwow competitions, and a rodeo.

Here you'll find a complete authentic hogan, as well as small and changing exhibits that explore the culture and history of the tribe.

Devoted to the art, culture, and history of the Navajo people, this museum also has an excellent library on the Navajo Nation. Each season brings new exhibitions by native artists; call for a list of current shows. There are also permanent exhibits on the Long Walk—during which the Navajo were tragically and temporarily relocated to Fort Sumner, New Mexico—and on the culture and philosophies of the Navajo people. In the same building is the Navajo Nation Visitor Center, a great resource for all sorts of information on reservation activities.

Amid the sandstone monoliths on the border between Arizona and New Mexico, the Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park displays over 50 species of domestic and wild animals, birds, and amphibians that figure in Navajo legends, as well as examples of plants used by traditional people. Most of the animals here were brought in as orphans or after sustaining injuries—they include black bears, mountain lions, Mexican gray wolves, bobcats, cougars, golden eagles, Gila monsters, and prairie rattlesnakes. It's the nation's only Native American–owned zoo.

On the northern edge of the city, this naval station is an impressive sight, home to more than 200 navy aircraft, including the F/A-18 Tomcat (the type of plane flown by the Blue Angels) and other planes assigned to the aircraft carriers of the Atlantic Fleet. From an observation park on Oceana Boulevard at the POW/MIA Flame of Hope Memorial Park, near the runways, you can watch aircraft take off and land. Non–Defense Department visitors can access the base only on the Hampton Roads Transit summer-only tours (photo ID required) or during the annual air show in September. Tours depart at 9:30 am and 11:30 am from the 24th Street transit kiosk on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach and stop at an aviation historical park with 13 aircraft.

A visit to this family-run winery that opened in 1974 is a classic Anderson Valley experience, with tastings in fine weather on several perches overlooking sustainably farmed vineyards. Best known for Alsatian varietals such as Gewürztraminer and Riesling, Navarro also makes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other wines.

No matter the season, Navy Pier is a fun place to spend a few hours, especially with kids in tow. Opened in 1916 as a commercial-shipping pier and part of Daniel Burnham's Master Plan of Chicago, it stretches more than a half a mile into Lake Michigan. Redesigned and reopened in 1995, Navy Pier underwent another major transformation for its 100th anniversary in 2016, which included the opening of the Polk Bros Park, the Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion, and the Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. Other popular activities and venues on the pier include tour boats and cruises, the Centennial Wheel, the Chicago Children's Museum, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

You can join the gawking crowds watching news tapings outside the NBC studios (which are in the art deco GE Building on Rockefeller Plaza), or you can get even closer to the action (without having to elbow anyone) by taking a slick behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary studios. Tours depart every 20 minutes daily, delving into the history of television and the actual recording studios of some of the network's top shows, like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and NBC Nightly News. Tours start at the Shop at NBC Studios (49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues); visitors must reserve tickets, which are sold online, in advance, and children must be at least six years old.

This 1989 limestone-and-granite edifice by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill looks back to the art deco days without becoming a victim of fashion's past. Four floors of the 38-story tower are dedicated to a radio and television broadcasting facility.

The mansion, once a stop on the Underground Railroad, was the home of Civil War general Neal Dow, who became known as the "Father of Prohibition." He was responsible for Maine's adoption of the anti-alcohol bill in 1851, which spurred a nationwide temperance movement. Now a museum, this majestic 1829 Federal-style home is open for guided tours that start on the hour.

You'll feel like you've driven into a Hollywood Western as you roll along the park road in the Needles District. Red mesas and buttes rise against the horizon, blue mountain ranges interrupt the rangelands, and the colorful red-and-white needles stand like soldiers on the far side of grassy meadows. Definitely hop out of the car at a few of the marked roadside stops, including both overlooks at Pothole Point. Allow at least two hours in this less-traveled section of the park.

This gorgeous building is 34 miles from U.S. 191 via Highway 211, near the park entrance. Needles is remote, so it's worth stopping to inquire about road, weather, and park conditions. You can also use the restroom, refill water bottles, and get books, trail maps, and other information. Note that it is closed in the winter but restrooms and water are still accessible.

In the Museums at 18th & Vine complex, the cornerstone of the historic 18th and Vine district, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum documents the history of African-Americans in baseball through films and a multimedia gallery.

Just south of Kona International Airport, a big building with a large photovoltaic (solar) panel installation resembles a top-secret military station, but it's actually the site of the Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii Authority's (NELHA) Hawaii Ocean Science Technology (HOST) Park. Here, scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs make use of a cold, deep-sea pipeline to develop and market everything from desalinated, mineral-rich drinking water and super-nutritious algae products to energy-efficient air-conditioning systems to environmentally friendly aquaculture techniques. Seahorses, abalone, kampachi (a type of yellowtail), Dungeness crab, and Maine lobsters are raised here, too. Farm tours are available directly through tenants Big Island Abalone, Ocean Rider Sea Horse Farm, and Sea Salts of Hawaii.

Five miles south of Cloudcroft on Highway 6563, take Forest Road 64 (paved) to Nelson Canyon Vista Trail for a well-marked walking trail with absolutely breathtaking views of White Sands. This ¼-mile walk among the shade of tall trees is made all the more sweet if you've recently spent time down in the blazing summer heat of the Tularosa desert.

It wouldn't be a trip to Tennessee without some Tennessee whiskey, and Nelson's is home to Belle Meade Bourbon, a local favorite that has grown to national prominence. While on-site, you can tour the distillery, taste spirits, and shop the distillery's gift shop, which carries bottles, glassware, and other booze-centric gifts. Tours last about an hour and include four tastings; there's also an option for non-drinkers.

For a look at how the uber wealthy lived in the early 20th century, visit Nemours, an estate on 200 acres with impressive gardens and a 47,000-square-foot mansion built for Alfred I. du Pont in 1910 by noted architectural firm Carrère and Hastings, complete with the latest in technology. This modified Louis XVI château showcases more than 30 (of 77 in all) rooms of European and American furnishings, rare rugs, tapestries, and art from different eras. Despite its splendor, the mansion feels homey and personal, and it's fun to explore on your own and ask the pleasant interpretive staff questions. The formal French-style gardens, reminiscent of those at Versailles, are landscaped with fountains, pools, and statuary; garden tours are offered April through October. Vintage cars from Rolls-Royces to Cadillacs are on display in the Chauffeur's Garage. Tickets can be purchased by the parking lot.   No food is sold on-site, but picnicking on the lawn is permitted.

Between Atlantic and Jacksonville beaches, this is a great family spot—perfect for combining a day at the beach with other activities. Because Neptune and Atlantic beaches share Atlantic Avenue's Town Center, with its assortment of restaurants, galleries, stores, and boutiques, you can easily escape the sun when you're ready for great food, shopping, and live entertainment. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); showers. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

Named after Neptune Small, a former slave who owned property where the park is now located, this lovely waterfront park is located near Pier Village on the island's south end. The expansive park boasts a picturesque oak canopy and picnic tables amid a sprawling lawn, beach access, and a large recreation area perfect for families. The Neptune Park Fun Zone has a free playground, a swimming pool that opens in the warmer months, and a year-round miniature golf course (call ahead; hours vary seasonally). The adjacent pier is good for fishing or watching ships roll in. Public restrooms are outside the library.

Outside the Arlington National Cemetery is the lovely and unusual 50-bell musical carillon presented to the United States by the Dutch people in 1960 in gratitude for aid received during World War II. For a good view of Washington, look to the east across the Potomac. From this vantage point the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol appear side by side. The bells are programmed to play patriotic music including the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful" and even the Dutch national anthem. Every week in the summer there are live concerts of jazz, pop, and other music.

Although less than a mile long, this is the widest beach on the lake and especially good for swimming (many Tahoe beaches are rocky). You can boat and fish here, and there are picnic tables, barbecue grills, and a campground beneath the pines. The beach is the best place to watch the July 4th or Labor Day fireworks, but most of the summer the subdued atmosphere attracts families and those seeking a less-touristy spot. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.