10450 Best Sights in USA

The whimsical sculptures of local junk artist Patrick Amiot and his wife, Brigitte Laurent (he creates them, she paints them), are installed all over Sonoma County, but you can see many works on Florence Avenue three blocks west of Main Street. Amiot reclaims old car parts, abandoned appliances, and the like, refashioning them into everything from pigs, dogs, and people to mermaids and Godzilla.

This 65-foot steel-hull yacht departs four times daily, from March through September, for one-hour cruises on the Miles River. The tour covers the ecology and history of the area as it passes along the tranquil riverfront landscape.

Two reproduction 1800s logging camps are among the 10 buildings filled with exhibits depicting the history of logging in Maine. They include sawmill and towboat models, dioramas of logging scenes, horse-drawn sleds, and a steam-powered log hauler. Exhibits highlight local artists and history as well as logging-related topics. The fundraising annual Bean Hole Bean Dinner on the second Saturday of August is a traditional Maine feast. Beans are baked in the ground overnight, just like they were in lumbering camps—you can stop by the day before to watch the cooks in action. The event also has activities like wagon rides, music, and crafters.

On the northwest corner of Astor and Burton places in the swanky Gold Coast, you'll find this Georgian building. It was commissioned in 1891 by Chicago Tribune chief Joseph Medill and built by Stanford White. You can't go inside, though, because it's been converted into condos.

One of the Department of the Interior's largest science and environmental education centers, the Patuxent National Wildlife Visitor Center, between Laurel and Bowie, showcases interactive exhibits on global environmental issues, migratory bird routes, wildlife habitats, and endangered species. A viewing station overlooks a lake area that beavers, bald eagles, and Canada geese use as a habitat. Weather permitting, you can take a 30-minute tram tour through meadows, forests, and wetlands and then explore the trails on your own. The paved Loop Trail runs ⅓-mi; another 3½ mi of trails crisscross the property.

The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum houses items from the research, development, testing, and evaluation of naval aircraft. Nineteen vintage aircraft are displayed outside—which, while the museum is undergoing renovation, is all you can see.

Inside a gleaming glass box, this museum on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette features world-class works, including 150 paintings and collages by Henry Botkin and a Louisiana collection including artists Elemore Morgan Jr., George Rodrigue, and Hunt Slonem.

The park's western visitor center is open daily (9 to 5 in summer and 9 to 4 in winter) and has educational exhibits and ranger-guided hikes, lectures, and other programs, including those geared to kids. You'll also find a Nature Play Zone and the trailhead for the center's namesake route through Miller Woods.

Wine critics routinely bestow scores in the high-90s on the Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Cabernet Sauvignons produced at this appointment-only winery set amid gently rolling vineyards in northwestern Sebastopol. Owner-winemaker Paul Hobbs's university thesis investigated the flavors that result from various oak-barrel toasting levels. He continued his education at Robert Mondavi Winery, Opus One, and other storied establishments before striking out on his own in 1991. Guests on a Signature Tasting visit the winery and sip four wines with dips, bread, and vegetables; the Vineyard Designate Experience includes the tour plus seasonal plates paired with limited-edition single-vineyard wines.

Winemaker Mat Gustafson and his wife, Barbara, specialize in low-alcohol, food-friendly Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs; other reds include a Cabernet Franc, a Dolcetto, and a Grenache. On a hot summer day, their Muscat Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier whites make for delightful sipping in the picnic area behind the tasting room, which occupies a century-old Edwardian storefront.

2025 marks the 250th anniversaries surrounding Paul Revere's Midnight Ride and the start of the American Revolution. Special programming related to the anniversaries is offered all year long throughout the city, including at the Paul Revere House. Originally on the site was the parsonage of the Second Church of Boston, home to the Rev. Increase Mather, the Second Church's minister. Mather's house burned in the great fire of 1676, and the house that Revere was to occupy was built on its location about four years later, nearly 100 years before Revere's 1775 midnight ride through Middlesex County. Revere owned the house from 1770 until 1800, although he lived there for only 10 years and rented it out for the next two decades. Pre-1900 photographs show it as a shabby warren of storefronts and apartments. The clapboard sheathing is a replacement, but 90% of the framework is original; note the Elizabethan-style overhang and leaded windowpanes. A few Revere furnishings are on display here, and just gazing at his silverwork—much more of which is displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts—brings the man alive. Special events are scheduled throughout the year, many designed with children in mind, such as role-play by characters dressed in period costume serving apple-cider cake and other Colonial-era goodies, a silversmith practicing his trade, a dulcimer player entertaining a crowd, or a military-reenactment group in full period regalia.

The immediate neighborhood also has Revere associations. The little cobblestone park in North Square is named after Rachel Revere, his second wife, and the adjacent brick Pierce-Hichborn House once belonged to relatives of Revere. The garden connecting the Revere House and the Pierce-Hichborn House is planted with flowers and medicinal herbs favored in Revere's day. This is Freedom Trail stop 12.

Known to many locals as The Prado, this makes a perfect time-out spot from the Freedom Trail. Bookended by two landmark churches—Old North and St. Stephen's—the mall is flanked by brick walls lined with bronze plaques bearing the stories of famous North Enders. An appropriate centerpiece for this enchanting cityscape is Cyrus Dallin's equestrian statue of Paul Revere. Despite his depictions in such statues as this, the gentle Revere was stocky and of medium height—whatever manly dash he possessed must have been in his eyes rather than his physique. That physique served him well enough, however, for he lived to be 83 and saw nearly all his Revolutionary comrades buried. Take a seat at one of the benches and enjoy your to-go treat from any of the North End Italian trattorias and bakeries.

The campus of Mass General Hospital is a fitting site for this small museum dedicated to the hallowed medical institution's past, present, and future discoveries. Shiny copper and glass walls enfold interesting exhibits on topics like patient care, fMRI development, depression and dementia, and targeted cancer therapy. Interactive displays ask visitors to try out mirror therapy and train for laproscopic surgery like a doctor would. Historical artifacts—some quite terrifying—are peppered around the space for an eye-opening lesson in our forefathers' medical techniques. A few temporary exhibits and films rotate in and out.

The center has natural-history exhibits and hosts lectures and classes on wildlife and other nature-related and outdoorsy subjects. Nature trails here double as cross-country-skiing and snowshoeing trails in winter. From June through Labor Day you may observe butterflies in the Butterfly House, a greenhouse-like structure. The center is in Paul Smiths, 12 mi north of Saranac Lake.

SoHo pioneer Paula Cooper moved to Chelsea in 1996 and, after moving her masterpieces around the neighborhood, has finally settled into a stark-white, high-ceilinged space that's perfect for viewing art. There are now two galleries (the other is at  521 West 21st Street) that showcase the works of artists such as Carl Andre, Sam Durant, Hans Haacke, Donald Judd, and Dan Flavin.

The ruins of this stone fort, built in 1816 by an agent of the imperial Russian government named Georg Anton Schäffer, are a reminder of the days when he tried to conquer Kauai for his homeland, or so one story goes. Another claims that Schäffer's allegiance lay with King Kaumualii, who was attempting to keep leadership of his island from the grasp of Kamehameha the Great. The crumbling walls of this National Historic Landmark are not particularly interesting, but the signs loaded with historical information are. A bronze statue of King Kaumualii was installed in 2021, marking 200 years since the king was kidnapped to Oahu aboard the ship Haaheo o Hawaii in July 1821, during a reception aboard. Follow the statue's gaze for a splendid view of Niihau.

The Massoud family tends the vines, makes the wine, and greets visitors in a tasting room that has a great view of the whole wine-making operation; ask, and you might be shown the extensive catwalk system. Paumanok wines, traditionally crafted, consistently receive top marks, and the Chenin Blanc and Rieslings are the most popular.

The historic oceanfront Pavilion (razed in 2006) lives on through its amusement rides that are now split between three sections at Broadway at the Beach. East Park features original Pavilion rides like the famous Herschell-Spillman Carousel, dating back to 1912. West Park is home to kiddie rides and the Myrtle Turtle coaster, while Central Park includes an array of modern thrill rides. In between, hit the snack stands vending funnel cakes and snow cones.

Heading south from Nags Head, Pea Island's miles of undeveloped coastline kick off one of the East Coast's most scenic drives. The refuge consists of 5,834 acres of marsh on the Atlantic Flyway, plus 25,700 acres of refuge waters. To the delight of birders, more than 370 species have been sighted from its observation platforms and spotting scopes and by visitors who venture into the refuge. Pea Island is home to threatened peregrine falcons, piping plovers, and tundra swans, which winter here, and to 25 species of mammals, 24 species of reptiles, and 5 species of amphibians. A visitor center has maps of trails that lead through the salt marsh and around ponds. On the west side of the highway are 13 miles of pristine beach.

Remember to bring bug spray if you go for a hike, especially in spring. Also, there's no tree coverage on trails, so plan peak-summer walks early and late in the day.

With one of the world's outstanding anthropological collections, the Peabody Museum is among the oldest anthropology museums in the world. Its collections focus on Native American and Central and South American cultures and are comprised of more than 1.2 million objects. The Hall of the North American Indian is particularly outstanding, with art, textiles, and models of traditional dwellings from across the continent. Check out the Wiyohpiyata exhibit's drawn images from a Lakota Sioux ledger book from the battlefield, and Encounters in America's exploration of the pre-1492 civilizations through Classic Maya and Postclassic Aztec. Of special note is the museum's only surviving collection of objects acquired from Native American people during the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Nearest to Portland (only a 15-minute ferry ride away), this is the most developed of the Calendar Islands, but it still allows you to experience the relaxed pace of island life. Explore an art gallery or an old fort, and meander along the alternately rocky and sandy shore on foot, or rent a kayak, bike, or golf cart once off the ferry. A number of spots are open for both lunch and dinner.

The Fifth Maine Museum, a small museum with Civil War artifacts, open only in summer, is maintained in the building of the 5th Maine Regiment. ( 207/766–3330  www.fifthmainemuseum.org  $8). When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Maine was asked to raise a single regiment to fight, but the state came up with several (the number eventually totaled 40), and sent the 5th Maine Regiment into the war’s first battle, at Bull Run. The museum also offers guidebooks for a two-hour self-guided tour of the World War II Peaks Island Reservation.

Peaks of Otter Recreation Area, 25 miles northeast of Roanoke, offers a close-up view of cone-shaped Sharp Top Mountain, which Thomas Jefferson once called America's tallest peak. At 3,875 feet it's not even the tallest in the park—nearby Flat Top is 4,004 feet. You can hike to both peaks and to little brother Harkening Hill, as well as to Fallingwater Cascades, a thrilling multi-tier waterfall. For those not up to the climb, a bus heads most of the way up Sharp Top hourly throughout the day during the on-season. The peaks rise about the shores of Abbott Lake, a bucolic picnic spot. A pleasant lakeside lodge and campground along the placid lake below are an ideal base for local trekking.

Partiers, families, and overnight campers all have a place to go on the 79 acres here. The island, in a wide section of the Intracoastal between Palm Beach Island and Singer Island, with an open channel to the sea, is accessible only by private boat or water taxi, two of which set sail regularly from the Riviera Beach Municipal Marina and the Sailfish Marina. Fun-loving seafarers looking for an afternoon of Jimmy Buffett with picnics aboard pull up to the day docks or the huge sandbar to the north—float around in an inner tube, and it's spring break déjà vu. Walk along the 20-foot-wide paver-lined path encircling the island, and you'll hit a 170-foot fishing pier, a campground, and the lifeguarded section to the south that is particularly popular with families because of its artificial reef. There are picnic tables and grills, but no concessions. A new ordinance means alcohol possession and consumption is restricted to permit areas. Amenities: lifeguards (summer only); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.

This tribute to aviation in the Pacific battlefield of World War II is on Ford Island in Hangars 37 and 79, actual seaplane hangars that survived the Pearl Harbor attack. The museum consists of a theater where a short film on Pearl Harbor is shown, an education center, a restoration shop, a gift store, and a restaurant. Exhibits—many of which are interactive and feature sound effects—include an authentic Japanese Zero and various other vintage aircraft that help narrate such great battles as the Doolittle Raid on Japan, Midway, and Guadalcanal. The actual Stearman N2S-3 that President George H. W. Bush flew is housed in Hangar 79.

Ride in Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators, take a docent-led tour, and visit the Ford Island Control Tower for additional fees. Purchase tickets online, at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, or at the museum itself after you get off the shuttle bus that departs for the museum and the USS Missouri from the visitor center.

Writer Pearl S. Buck, best known for her novel The Good Earth, lived at Green Hills Farm, a country house not too far from Doylestown. Here she wrote nearly 1,000 novels, children's books, and works of nonfiction while raising seven adopted children and caring for many others. The house, now a National Historic Landmark, still bears the imprint of the girl who grew up in China and became the first American woman to win both the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes. The house also contains the writer's collection of Asian and American antiques and personal belongings.

The working farm on 13 riverfront acres west of Riverhead grows more than 700 varieties of plants, including herbs, heirloom vegetables, beautiful shrubs, and roses. Wander through the trail gardens, visit the eight greenhouses, and (in season) stop by their farmers' market. Garden-related workshops and other events are offered off-season. Artists and photographers are welcome to utilize the gardens for inspiration.

The centerpiece of this national park is the ruins of Pecos, once a major Pueblo village with more than 1,100 rooms. About 2,500 people are thought to have lived in this structure, as high as five stories in places. Pecos, in a fertile valley between the Great Plains and the Rio Grande Valley, was a trading center centuries before the Spanish conquistadors visited in about 1540. The Spanish later returned to build two missions. The pueblo was abandoned in 1838, and its 17 surviving occupants moved to the Jémez Pueblo. Anglo travelers on the Santa Fe Trail observed the mission ruins with a great sense of fascination. You can view the mission ruins and the excavated pueblo on a 1¼-mile self-guided tour, a Civil War battlefield on a 2½-mile trail, and the small but outstanding visitor center museum containing photos, pottery, and artifacts from the pueblo. A half-mile south of the visitor center, the recently restored Kozlowski Trading Post is part of the park and contains exhibits on the Santa Fe Trail and other aspects of the park's rich history.