10451 Best Sights in USA

There are six trails in this area that allow visitors a look into the once-thriving coal mining town of Nuttallburg. A best bet is the moderate 1.4-mile round-trip hike on the Headhouse Trail, which is 3½ miles southeast of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Here you'll see the 1920's era coal mine and historic headhouse used for moving coal.

Both Chinatown's main mauka–makai drag and Bethel Street, which runs parallel, are lined with art galleries, restaurants, tattoo parlors, bars and pubs, an antiques auctioneer, dress shops, one small theater/exhibition space (The ARTS at Marks Garage), and one historic stage (the Hawaii Theatre). You can also take in the unique early 1900s architecture of the buildings.

The stunning 61-acre park, known as Hook Mountain to locals, includes a main trail that stretches alongside the Hudson River and attracts bicyclists, dog walkers, stroller-pushers, and runners. Bird-watchers look for hawks, and area residents come with their lawn chairs and Sunday papers. Bring lunch and enjoy it at a waterfront picnic table, or visit in the colder months and cross-country ski on the trails. Parking is free daily from November through March, and on weekdays from April to mid-June and Labor Day to October.

Short story writer William Sydney Porter, better known to the world as O. Henry, rented this modest frame house in Austin from 1893 to 1895. Moved a few blocks from its original location and now nestled among today's downtown high-rises, the quaint museum, filled with O. Henry memorabilia, artifacts, and original drawings, reopened in 2023 after significant but mostly invisible updates to preserve the historic structure and its surrounding Brushy Square Park. The park hosts free community events, including the museum's wildly popular O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships, held every May since 1977.

Vincent Price narrates the dramatic version of the town's fascinating past in the "Historama"—a 26-minute multimedia presentation that provides a solid overview. At the adjoining, authentic O.K. Corral, the actual spot where the 1881 shootout took place, a recorded voiceover details the gunfight, while life-size figures of the participants stand poised to shoot. A reenactment of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral is held daily at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. Photographer C. S. Fly, whose studio was next door to the corral, didn't record this bit of history, but Geronimo and his pursuers were among the historic figures he did capture with his camera. Many of his fascinating Old West images and his equipment may be viewed at the Fly Exhibition Gallery & Studio.

Whether you want to swim, hike, picnic, or enjoy beautiful scenery framed through a car window, head north through the wooded Oak Creek Canyon. It's the most scenic route to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, and worth a drive-through even if you're not heading north. The road winds through a steep-walled canyon, where you crane your neck for views of the dramatic rock formations above. Although the forest is primarily evergreen, the fall foliage is glorious. Oak Creek, which runs along the bottom, is lined with tent campgrounds, fishing camps, cabins, motels, and restaurants.

This winery offers Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, and dessert wines. You can also pick up fixings for a picnic here—salami, cheeses, and crackers.

This 2-mile loop is the most demanding of the South Rim hikes, as it brings you about 400 feet below the canyon rim. In places, the trail is narrow and crosses some steep slopes, but you won't have to navigate any steep drop-offs. Oak Flat is the shadiest of all the South Rim trails; small groves of aspen and thick stands of Douglas fir along the loop offer some respite from the sun. Difficult.

This 909-acre preserve encompasses the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden, the Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center, and the Los Rios Rancho Apple Farm. Three well-marked trails—ranging from 2 to 4.8 miles—wind past ponds, streams, wetlands, oak and pine forests, chaparral, and willow woodland.

The original wooden schoolhouse (circa 1889) was replaced by this two-story stone structure in 1927, and it continued operating as a school until 1965. Today, it's a museum with vintage desks, blackboards, textbooks, a 48-star American flag, and artifacts dating from the 1880s. Outside the museum is a playground and picnic area.

Dedicated to Martha Berry, founder of Berry College, the museum includes exhibits on the history of the college (located just down the street) and a tour of Berry's 1884 Greek Revival family home, Oak Hill. Berry founded the college in 1902 to help impoverished mountain children gain an education and life skills. Today, it is recognized as one of the top small liberal arts colleges in the country. Oak Hill is preserved as it was when Berry died in 1927. Be sure to stroll the picturesque gardens and outbuildings. If time permits, drive through Berry College for a look at the Gothic-style stone Ford Complex built between 1925 and 1931 and donated by Berry's friend, Henry Ford.

The graves of many of Nyack's artists and writers, including Edward Hopper, Carson McCullers, and Helen Hayes, are in this cemetery.

Considered a best-kept secret of Washington, D.C.'s attractions, Oak Hill Cemetery functions as a public outdoor museum. Tucked away on R Street, away from the hustle and bustle of lower Georgetown, the cemetery is an idyllic space for nature and history lovers alike. Fans of George Saunders's best-selling novel Lincoln in the Bardo trek to this hillside corner of Georgetown near Rock Creek. Notable sights include a Gothic Revival chapel designed by James Renwick and the Carroll Family mausoleum, which, during the Civil War, briefly interred Abraham Lincoln's son Willie, who died in childhood from typhoid fever. In addition to visiting the places where notable figures reside, visitors will discover cenotaphs, sculptures, monuments, and inscriptions. Stop by the office for a free self-guided map.

Established in 1850 in the Victorian style, Atlanta's oldest cemetery was designed to serve as a public park as well as a burial ground. Some of the 70,000 permanent residents include six governors, five Confederate generals, and 6,900 Confederate soldiers. Also here are novelist Margaret Mitchell and golfing great Bobby Jones. You can bring a picnic lunch or take a tour conducted by the Historic Oakland Foundation. The King Memorial MARTA station on the east–west line also serves the cemetery.

Since it was established in 1904, Oaklawn has grown into one of the country's top thoroughbred racetracks and the state's top tourist attraction. Live racing is held from late January through early May with the Arkansas Derby and the Racing Festival of the South as big draws. Year-round, Oaklawn offers simulcast racing and a sprawling casino, open 24/7, with live craps and blackjack tables and a dizzying array of slot machines. More than a track and casino, Oaklawn also has an eight-story hotel with some trackside rooms, a four-star spa, numerous dining establishments and a multipurpose event center.

This antebellum Greek Revival–style mansion, in the heart of historic Oakleigh Garden District, is Mobile's official period house. Costumed guides give tours of the home, built between 1833 and 1838. See fine period furniture, portraits, silver, jewelry, kitchen implements, toys, and more. Tickets include a tour of the garden, the cook's house, and the neighboring Cox–Deasy House, an 1850s cottage furnished with simple 19th-century pieces. All tours start on the hour.

This rugged 7-mile loop carries you deep into the Congaree's swampy wilds. The path requires creek crossings, and even at lower water levels, you may wade through 6-inch deep muddy low spots. The experience of solitude and adventure is worth the effort, but bring gaiters and waterproof boots. Difficult.

There's a small-town charm to this park that has bumper cars, thrill rides, miniature golf, and roller-skating. A 360-degree-loop roller coaster and other high-velocity, gravity-defying contraptions border the midway, along with a carousel and Ferris wheel. The wooden skating rink, built in 1905, is the oldest continuously operating one in the United States, and it features a working Wurlitzer organ. To help protect it from Willamette River flooding, the rink floats on airtight iron barrels. There are outdoor concerts in summer.

Bring your binoculars, because birds are plentiful at this 163-acre refuge situated in a flood-plain wetland near Sellwood. More than 175 species reside here seasonally, including hawks, quail, pintails, mallards, coots, woodpeckers, kestrels, widgeons, hummingbirds, and the sedately beautiful blue heron. The hiking is easy and relatively flat, but wear sturdy shoes, as it can get muddy; part of the park is on top of a landfill layered with soil. Southeast Portland's Springwater biking and pedestrian trail connects Oaks Bottom with Downtown.

Several architectural styles—including Victorian buildings—can be found in this tree-shaded 19th-century neighborhood that's a short walk from downtown. The flower gardens and seasonal decorations make it a lovely place for a stroll year-round. Children love the "Dinosaur House" at 504 Oakwood Avenue, especially around Halloween when the lawn and porch is crowded with scares. A map with a self-guided walking tour of the area, which encompasses 20 blocks bordered by Person, Edenton, Franklin, and Watauga–Linden Streets, is available online.

A stroll along this ½-mile wheelchair-accessible trail in Twentynine Palms reveals how early area residents took advantage of this verdant oasis, which was first settled by the Serrano tribe. (Mara means "place of little springs and much grass" in their language.) The Serrano, who farmed the oasis until the mid-1850s, planted one palm tree for each male baby born during the first year of the settlement. Easy.

Twenty-six murals painted on the sides of buildings depict the pioneer history, military service, wildlife, and landscape of Twentynine Palms and its past and current residents. The public art project began in 1994 and the group behind it, Action Council for 29 Palms, restores them as needed. You can't miss the art on a drive around town, but you can also pick up a free map from the visitor center.

The big attraction at the Oasis Visitor Center, on the east side of Big Cypress Preserve, is the observation deck for viewing fish, birds, and other wildlife, such as gators. The native plants in a small butterfly garden attract winged wonders. Inside the visitor center, you'll find an exhibition gallery, the Florida National Parks Association bookshop, and a theater showing an informative film on the swamp. (Leashed pets are allowed, but not on the boardwalk deck.) The off-road vehicle permit office is also located at the Oasis Visitor Center.

A few miles east of the Historic District, this wildlife preserve and educational center is one of the best family outings around. Home to a variety of animal habitats spread along a 2-mile path through pristine maritime forest, it feels more like a nature walk than a trip to the zoo as you're as likely to see wild otters and red-tailed hawks as you are the permanent residents. Several coastal habitats are represented, including the wetlands that are home to alligators, herons, and cranes. Bobcats, wolves, bison, armadillos, and assorted birds of prey live in large exhibits, and a butterfly garden flutters with colorful pollinators. Call or visit the website for reservations and/or additional information. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Five miles south of Leesburg on Route 15, Oatlands is a former 3,408-acre plantation built by a great-grandson of Robert "King" Carter, one of the wealthiest pre-Revolution planters in Virginia. The Greek Revival manor house was begun in 1804 in the Federal style; a stately portico and half-octagonal stair wings were added in the 1820s. The house, a National Trust Historic Site, has been meticulously restored, and the manicured fields remain host to equestrian events from spring to fall. Among these is the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point in April, a race that brings out the entire community for tailgates and picnics. The terraced gardens here house boxwoods, roses, a reflecting pool, and the Carter tomb. Guided tours of the home and grounds are available daily.

A worthwhile but touristy stop between Kingman and Bullhead City, the ghost town of Oatman lies along old Route 66. It's a straight shot across the Mojave Desert valley for a while, but then the road narrows and winds precipitously for about 15 miles through the Black Mountains. Oatman's main street is right out of the Old West; scenes from a number of films, including How the West Was Won, were shot here. It still has a remote, old-time feel: many of the natives carry sidearms, and they're not acting. You can wander into a saloon or visit the shabbily endearing Oatman Hotel, which now contains a restaurant but no longer rents overnight accommodations. Several times a day, resident actors entertain visitors with mock gunfights on the main drag.

More than 20 curio shops and eclectic boutiques line the length of Main Street. The burros that often come in from nearby hills and meander down the street, however, are the town's real draw. A couple of stores sell carrots to folks who want to feed these "wild" beasts, which at last count numbered about a dozen and which leave plenty of evidence of their visits in the form of "road apples"—so watch your step. For information about the town and its attractions, contact the Oatman Chamber of Commerce ( 927/768--6222; 928/577--9139  www.oatmangoldroad.org).

Grab a seat on the rooftop deck of this brewpub, where ocean views and a dozen craft beers are on tap. During happy hour, locals head to this dog-friendly pub for shuffleboard, foosball, Ping-Pong, firepits, and some of the best sunset views San Diego has to offer.

Generations of visitors have ridden the 120-passenger tramway up the 2.1-mile ascent to Ober Mountain, a ski resort in winter and amusement park in summer. Attractions include indoor ice skating, bumper cars, and a small zoo featuring black bears, bobcats, and otters. In warm weather there are waterslides, a roller coaster, and daily live bluegrass music. Even when the crowds are heaviest, there's plenty to do at the restaurants and shops "up top."   The attraction changed hands in 2022, rebranding to Ober Mountain, and upgrades to the attractions are underway.

One of a few Voyageurs trails that can be reached without a boat, this 1.6-mile round-trip loop provides access to forest and wetland environments. It also has two scenic overlooks. Easy.

A mid-block alley off 1st Street leads to this Japanese-influenced indoor-outdoor garden tasting room, whose charcoal-gray exterior draws inspiration from the volcanic glass–bestrewn estate Obsidian Vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon and other red grapes from that vineyard, north of Napa and Sonoma in the Red Hills Lake County AVA, grow at elevation 2,340–2,640 feet. Unusual for California Cabs, Obsidian's are aged in Hungarian—rather than French—oak, contributing to their potent flavors. The label's Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, also aged in Hungarian barrels, come from the Poseidon Vineyard in Los Carneros. Alternative wines like the Pezsgö "pét-nat" Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah sparklers are among this adventurous winery's other preoccupations.