10457 Best Sights in USA

Hike, surf, ride horses, swim, fish in a lagoon or off the pier, and dig for Pismo clams at this busy state beach. One of the day-use parking areas is off Highway 1 near the Monarch Butterfly Grove, where from November through February monarch butterflies nest in eucalyptus and Monterey pines. The other parking area is about 1½ miles south at Pier Avenue. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Three dwellings, built on top of each other from 700 to 950, at first look like a mass of jumbled walls, but an informational panel helps identify the dwellings—and the stories behind them are fascinating. The 325-foot trail from the walking area is paved, wheelchair accessible, and near a restroom.

One of the few surviving houses that lined the bayou in the late 1700s, and the only Creole colonial–style country house in the city open to the public, Pitot House is named for James Pitot, who bought the property in 1810 as a country home for his family. In addition to being one of the city's most prosperous merchants, Pitot served as New Orleans mayor from 1804 to 1805, the city's first after the Louisiana Purchase, and later as parish court judge. The Pitot House was restored and moved 200 feet to its current location in the 1960s, and is noteworthy for its stuccoed brick-and-post construction, an example of which is exposed on the second floor. The house is typical of the West Indies style brought to Louisiana by early colonists, with galleries around the house that protect the interior from both rain and sunshine. The house is furnished with period antiques from the United States, including special pieces from Louisiana.

Visible from the highway, Auburn's standout structure is the Placer County Courthouse. The classic bronze-domed building houses the Placer County Museum, which documents the area's history—Native American, railroad, agricultural, and mining—from the early 1700s to 1900. Look for the gold nuggets valued at more than $338,000 today, and don't miss the women's cell under the Maple Street staircase.  Ask about other nearby county-run history museums.

Everything at Planet Hollywood is designed to make ordinary people feel like stars. The main attraction in recent years has been Criss Angel MINDFREAK. Because the property is obsessed with celebrities, it often hosts residencies like the recent ones by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, as well as world-premiere events that attract stars from all over the world. There's something for everybody in the on-site Miracle Mile Shops, including clothing stores, restaurants, and more. Just be sure you bring a map, as the corridors of the mall wind around in circles and it's easy to get lost.

The home of insurance magnate William Robertson Coe from 1910 to 1955, Planting Fields is now a public arboretum with 160 acres of gardens and plant collections and 250 acres of lawns and woodlands. Two greenhouse complexes nurture native plants. Coe Hall, the estate's magnificent Tudor-style manor, is filled with period furnishings and antiques, including windows from the home of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Guided tours of the house are available.

Just behind the REI flagship store, this serene park is at the center of the South Platte River valley path. Its rocks and rapids are especially attractive in summer to kayakers, bicyclists, and hikers. Sidewalks extend down the South Platte to the east toward the suburbs and west toward the Broncos' home, Empower Field at Mile High. A pathway in yet another direction leads to LoDo. From the park, it's about a 20-minute walk to the 16th Street Mall and Coors Field, which makes it a healthy way to sightsee when the weather is good.

This short and level ½-mile round-trip ramble is the first one you'll come to along Dunes Drive after passing through the entrance station. It's a nice introduction to the local vegetation and its strategies for survival. In addition, it is interesting in summer when the otherwise dry lake bed it leads to usually fills with rain water. Easy.

The southern access for the Canaveral National Seashore, this remote beach has pristine sands and is the longest stretch of undeveloped coast on Florida's Atlantic seaboard. You can, however, see the launch pads at Cape Kennedy from it. Hundreds of giant sea turtles come ashore here from May through August to lay their eggs. Fourteen parking lots anchor the beach at 1-mile intervals. From I–95, take Exit 249 and head east. Bring bug repellent in case of horseflies, and take note: you may see unauthorized clothing-optional activity. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

The second-largest theater district in the United States (after New York), Playhouse Square houses seven landmark theaters: the Palace Theatre,State Theatre,Ohio Theatre,Allen Theatre, and Kennedy's Cabaret form the main complex on the north side of Euclid, while the 14th Street Theatre and Hanna Theatre stand across the street on East 14th Street. Beautifully restored and one of Cleveland's brightest success stories in urban renewal, the center hosts Opera Cleveland, dance companies, pop performers, first-run and touring Broadway shows, and the Great Lakes Theater Festival.

Free tours of the theaters are available the first Saturday and Sunday of every month, departing every 15 minutes 10–11:30. Tours cover backstage as well as lobbies and auditoriums.

Beaver ponds, hardwood forests, and sun-dappled meadows abound at this preserve run by the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Recent wildlife sightings are noted on whiteboards at the entrance and the visitor center, so you'll know what to watch for on the 7 miles of trails. These include loops that range in difficulty from a half-hour stroll around a pond to a three-hour mountain hike. Trails are also open in winter for snowshoeing. At the visitor center there's a nature play area for children.

The inciting incident leading to the landmark 1896 “separate but equal” Supreme Court case took place at the train tracks between the Bywater and the Marigny, when a man named Homer Plessy boarded an all-whites train as an act of planned civil disobedience. A historical marker at the spot commemorates Plessy’s bravery in paving the way for later civil rights action. Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson, modern day descendants of Homer Plessy and Judge Ferguson (who voted against Plessy in the case), unveiled the plaque in 2009 and today run the Plessy & Ferguson Foundation, dedicated to civil rights education and history.

The well-groomed beaches of Plum Island, located in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, are worth the effort of the trek from Boston. The water is clear and blue, but quite cold. You can easily find a secluded spot to sunbathe or bird-watch, a popular activity, but make sure to call in advance in late summer to ask about greenhead flies; they can be vicious here. From I–95 follow Route 113 East (becomes Route 1A South) 3½ miles to Newbury. Then, take a left on Rolfe's Lane and a right onto the Plum Island Turnpike. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking; solitude.

This landmark rock, just a few dozen yards from the Mayflower II, is popularly believed to have been the Pilgrims' stepping-stone when they left the ship. Given the stone's unimpressive appearance—it's little more than a boulder—and dubious authenticity (as explained on a nearby plaque), the grand canopy overhead seems a trifle ostentatious. Still, more than a million people a year come to visit this world-famous symbol of courage and faith. The views of Plymouth Harbor alone are worth the visit.

Focusing on the history of Lenape (aka Delaware) Indians, this museum and shop chronicles the story of the first inhabitants of what is now northeastern Pennsylvania up until their civilization was virtually wiped out by white settlers. Artifacts such as peace pipes, traditional weaponry, and day-to-day items are on display. An audio guide allows visitors to explore the small museum at their own pace. The shop sells T-shirts, moccasins, sage smudge sticks, CDs of native music, dream catchers, and books on Native American history and cultures.

Though the "Master of the Macabre" lived in this tiny row house only three years, he wrote "MS Found in a Bottle" and his first horror story, "Berenice," in the tiny garret chamber that's now furnished in an early-19th-century style. Besides visiting this room, you can view changing exhibits and a video presentation about Poe's short, tempestuous life. Because of the possibility of crime, it's best to visit this neighborhood during daylight hours as part of a group.

Situated just off U.S. 285/84 at Pojoaque Pueblo, this impressive complex of traditional adobe buildings, including the three-story Sun Tower, makes an engaging first stop as you begin a drive north of Santa Fe toward Taos. The facility comprises a museum, a cultural center, and artists' studios, all with the mission of preserving the arts and culture of Pueblo communities. The museum holds some 10,000 photographs, including many by esteemed early-20th-century photographer Edward S. Curtis, as well as more than 600 works of both traditional and contemporary pottery, jewelry, textiles, and sculpture. There's also a lovely gift shop of locally made Native American arts and crafts.

Located next to Isaac Hale Beach is Madame Pele's newest creation, Pohoiki Black Sand Beach, formed when molten lava from the eruption of 2018 became pulverized as it flowed into the ocean. This added newly created—albeit rough—sand that washed up on the shore and cut off access to the boat ramp. The beach is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm. There is a portable restroom but no running water in the area. This is not a good swimming beach since the water can be rough and dangerous. To get there, take Highway 137 from Kalapana and turn left on Highway 137. Amenities: toilets. Best for: walking.

Rangers conduct 15-mile hikes across San Miguel to Point Bennett, where more than 30,000 pinnipeds (three different species) can be seen. An access permit is required. Difficult.

Completed in 1909 and noteworthy for its original, third-order Fresnel lens that glows like a jewel day or night, the still-active station inhabits a breezy plateau 3 miles north of Mendocino village. Dirt and paved paths lead ½-mile downhill from the parking lot to the station. The lighthouse museum and other historic buildings are worth a peek if open, but the park merits a visit for its views alone.

At 8,803 feet, Point Imperial has the highest vista point at either rim. It offers magnificent views of both the canyon and the distant country: the Vermilion Cliffs to the north, the 10,000-foot Navajo Mountain to the northeast in Utah, the Painted Desert to the east, and the Little Colorado River canyon to the southeast. Other prominent points of interest include views of Mt. Hayden, Saddle Mountain, and Marble Canyon.

From the Port of Galilee, it's a short drive to this 1857 lighthouse and a beautiful ocean view. Because the lighthouse is an active Coast Guard Station, only the grounds are open to the public. At times when the grounds are closed, head back out Ocean Road and watch for a tiny white sign on the left for the Fisherman's Memorial. A dirt road drive leads to this elevated park, from which you'll have a spectacular view of the 65-foot lighthouse, as well as to Camp Cronin, a quiet beach and fishing area.

When Father Andrew White came to Point Lookout and saw the Potomac at its side, he mused that the Thames was a mere rivulet in comparison. But instead of being overwhelmed by the wildness of the New World, he observed that "fine groves of trees appear, growing in intervals as if planted by the hand of man."

On the approach to Point Lookout State Park, two memorial obelisks remind travelers of the dark later history of this starkly alluring point of land. Beginning in 1863 a Union prison stood at the farthest tip of the peninsula, just across the Potomac from Confederate Virginia. During those last two years of the conflict, nearly 4,000 Confederate soldiers died here because of disease and poor conditions. Point Lookout is a reminder that many men from southern Maryland fought on the side of the Confederates during the Civil War. After the Battle of Gettysburg, 20,000 prisoners crowded the Point Lookout facilities—a space built for only half that. All that remains of the prison are some earthen fortifications, partially rebuilt and known as Fort Lincoln, with markers noting the sites of hospitals and other buildings. A small museum supplies some of the details.

The 1,046-acre state park has boating facilities, nature trails, and a beach for swimming. The RV campground, with hookups, is open year-round; tent camping facilities are open from April through October. Be sure to visit the lighthouse at the southern end of the park. Built in 1830 and used until 1965, the lighthouse also served as a depot. Bring plenty of bug spray. Mosquitoes can be a problem.

Built in 1815, this mansion on Daniel's Hill was named to commemorate the many duels fought on the site. Once part of a 900-acre estate, this redbrick house surrounded by lawns retains a commanding view of the James River. It was the home of Dr. George Cabell, a friend of Thomas Jefferson and the physician of Patrick Henry. The facade is elegantly symmetrical, with two octagonal bays joined by a balustrade on each of the building's two stories. Interiors have been restored and furnished with pieces authentic to the early 19th century Federal period.

At this 1855 structure, the West Coast's oldest continuously operating lighthouse, you can learn about the lighting and foghorn operations and wander through a small museum containing U.S. Coast Guard memorabilia.

Birders adore Point Blue Conservation Science, which maintains the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, located in the southernmost part of Point Reyes National Seashore. The surrounding woods harbor nearly 500 bird species—a truly remarkable figure. As you hike the quiet nature trail from the Palomarin Field Station, you're likely to walk by biologists observing the birds in this special habitat, and then later see them at the lab banding birds to aid in the study of their life cycles.

You can stroll along the beach, which is very picturesque thanks to Point Robinson Lighthouse. The lighthouse is typically open to the public from noon to four on Sunday during the summer; call to arrange a tour or rent out one of the historic beachfront Keepers' Quarters (two multibedroom houses) by the week. If you're lucky, you might even see an orca swim surprisingly close to the shore.

Developed on the site of a copper-smelting plant that in the 1990s was demolished and turned into a huge Superfund cleanup site, this thriving mixed-use development on the Commencement Bay waterfront began opening in phases in the late 2010s and now consists of condos, restaurants, shops, a culinary-oriented marketplace, an upscale hotel, and a multiplex cinema. Linear and paved Ruston Way path runs for 2 miles alongside the waterfront, connecting the neighborhood with the city's North End and, by way of a pedestrian bridge, nearly adjacent Point Defiance Park (and the ferry terminal to Vashon Island). The development includes Dune Peninsula, a new waterfront park with beautiful views of the harbor.