10405 Best Sights in USA

On a clear day, you'll have unbeatable views of Scargo Lake, Dennis Village's scattered houses below, Cape Cod Bay, and distant Provincetown from the top of this tower. A wooden tower built on this site in 1874 was one of the Cape's first tourist attractions; visitors would pay a nickel to climb to the top for the views. That tower burned down, and the present all-stone 30-foot tower was built in 1901 to replace it. Winding stairs bring you to the top.

Unpreserved in the middle of the city for years, this amazing, 6-acre historic site, formerly called "Mesa Grande Cultural Park," features a group of Hohokam structures dating to 1400–1100 BC. Once protected only by locals and the occasional landowner, it's now operated by the Arizona Museum of Natural History and was recently rechristened with a new name in the O'odham language, which means "Blue Fly's place of dwelling."

A key part of downtown Everett's steady renaissance, this striking contemporary nonprofit art center has spacious, high-ceilinged galleries that mount diverse rotating exhibits throughout the year, and a gift shop carries works by nearly 200 regional artists. There's also a state-of-the-art hot shop where visitors can watch glass blowing. The center has a full program of classes in different mediums. 

A stenciled floor and a huge 1930s dollhouse are among the highlights of this museum, which fills the 1896 Georgian-style Dora Jackson House with its 18th-century furniture, paintings, costumes, toys, and household and military items. The Grems-Doolittle Library has Revolutionary War records, newspapers from the 1800s, and the papers of Charles Steinmetz, an inventor who developed alternate-current motors.

Early televisions and kitchen appliances are part of a vast General Electric archive that traces the city's scientific and cultural history. Interactive children's displays explore science and technology.

Believed to be the oldest house in Frederick, this unusual stone structure was built in 1756 by German immigrants. Spared from the wrecking ball two decades ago by preservation-minded citizens, the house-turned-museum is considered one of the finest examples of German architecture in Colonial America. The privately owned home is staffed by volunteers; open days and hours vary.

The entire family will have a fun time at this water park, located on the bay side of the island. Schlitterbahn features speed slides, lazy river rides, uphill water coasters, a wave pool (with surfing), and water playgrounds for the little ones. There's even a heated indoor water park for chilly winter months. During summer, less expensive afternoon-only rates are in effect, and ticket prices drop in the off-season. Closing times vary by the season, so outside of the busiest months of June through August, verify closing times on the park's website, or call for exact hours.

Thousands of sun-beaten travelers seek refuge from the Texas heat each year at this 65-acre water park with more than 40 rides and family activities spread over six areas, with a river running through it. If you plan to spend several days at the Park, look into booking a stay at the resort.

Forests, ponds, marshland, and trails attract nature lovers to this 185-acre wildlife area and environmental research center, which is along Lake Michigan north of Downtown.

Marvel at the lustrous 53 acres of rugged forest at Schmitz Preserve, about 15 blocks east of Alki Point. The Preserve was donated to the city in pieces between 1908 and 1912, and features one of the remaining stands of old-growth forest in Seattle.

Homestead's tropical bounty is transformed into wine at this flourishing enterprise that started producing wines with lychee, mango, guava, and other local fruits as a way to eliminate waste from family groves each year. Over the course of a few decades, the winery expanded to include a tasting room, a full-service restaurant, and a lush plaza picnic area landscaped in coral rock, tropical plants, and waterfalls. It's also home to popular beer brand Miami Brewing Company.

On the beautifully landscaped campus of Southern Oregon University, this museum includes a light-filled gallery devoted to special exhibits by Oregon, West Coast, and international artists. The permanent collection has grown considerably over the years, and includes pre-Columbian ceramics and works by such notables as Alexander Calder, George Inness, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Hallways and galleries throughout the rest of the 66,000-square-foot complex display many works by students and faculty.  Steps from the museum, the university's Hannon Library is a gorgeous building with a dramatic four-story atrium, plenty of comfy seating, and quite a few notable artworks as well.

Five miles west of Amsterdam is the only site with structures dating from all three stages of the Erie Canal's evolution, including the Schoharie Aqueduct. The earliest parts date from 1817. Exhibits in the visitor center show how the canal developed and include dress-up and coloring activities for children. The site has a small-boat launch and hiking, cross-country skiing, and bike trails.

Formerly apartments and offices for the U.S. Navy base that operated here for decades, this massive 1934 French Eclectic-style structure is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Today, the building is known as Rockefeller Hall, and its home to the Schoodic Institute, which is home base for many ranger-led programs and family-friendly activities at the park’s Schoodic District, including public programs of its own (some have fees and require overnight stays; check the institute's website for more information); it’s the largest facility of its kind at a national park. The Rockefeller Welcome Center is on the first floor.

Less than a mile from the entrance to Schoodic Woods Campground and Ranger Station and just beyond Frazer Point Picnic Area, the only road into the park becomes one-way and continues for about 6 miles to the park exit (no RVs are allowed on the road after the campground entrance). Edging the coast and sprinkled with pullouts, the first few miles yield views of Grindstone Neck, Winter Harbor, Winter Harbor Lighthouse, and, across the water, Cadillac Mountain. After a few miles, a two-way spur, Arey Cove Road, passes Schoodic Institute en route to Schoodic Point. Here, huge slabs of pink granite lie jumbled along the shore, thrashed unmercifully by the crashing surf, and jack pines cling to life amid the rocks. Continuing on the loop road, stop at Blueberry Hill parking area to look out on near-shore islands. The Anvil and Alder trailheads are near here. From the park exit, continue 2 miles to Route 186 in Birch Harbor. There's a biking path trailhead with parking at the exit and another one about midway to Route 186, both on your left.

Built with materials from the surrounding region, this striking 2015 post-and-beam structure serves double duty as campground host and information center. It's just off Schoodic Loop road near the park entrance, so stop to buy an entrance pass if you don't have one. Inside, a large Schoodic District relief map centers the room, which has a gift shop area and exhibits, some hands-on, about the park. Comfy chairs flank a fireplace, inviting visitors to relax, pamphlet in hand, after chatting with a ranger or park volunteer. Outside, the setting is village-like, with walkways and handsome signage for bike paths that converge here, a stop for the free Island Explorer buses, and restrooms in a cabin-like building. Trailheads for 3.2-mile Buck Cove Mountain and 1.5-mile Lower Harbor trails are nearby. A campground amphitheater hosts ranger programs for park visitors and campers.

Boynton Beach's history is highlighted through interactive exhibits that make the museum a kid- and parent-pleaser. The museum is housed in a school that was built in 1913, and is one of only a few original schoolhouses that are still educating children on a daily basis. Kids have the opportunity to touch, play, and interact with history through hands-on exhibits where they experience what life was like for early Florida pioneers long before the days of computers, cell phones, TVs, and even cars. A great castle playground is next door. Check the website for a calendar of science projects, arts and crafts, specialty workshops, and community events for families.

A replica of the tall ships that once traveled along Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay during the 1800s, Schooner Manitou is 114 feet tall and one of the largest tall ships currently operating on the Great Lakes. Activities on the 59-passenger ship include daily two-hour sails (at noon, and in the afternoon and evening) and a unique, floating, bed-and-breakfast concept with room for 24 guests (in 12 cabins) and including a full breakfast. The evening sail includes a picnic dinner. During September, multiday windjammer sails are offered.

For a long trip, consider a Boat & Breakfast on the Schooner Woodwind. Take a two-hour sail and then spend the night dockside in double-berth staterooms.

As a lad in Germany, the late Walter Schug made Pinot Noir, inspiring a lifelong preoccupation with the Burgundian grape. The founding winemaker at the Napa Valley’s Joseph Phelps Vineyards, in the 1980s he established his namesake winery in the far western reaches of Los Carneros AVA. His children continue his legacy, producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux-style wines. There's also a wine from the St. Laurent grape, an offspring of Pinot. Sample current releases in the courtyard with a vineyard view, or book a private cave tour with a brief property walk and tastes of single-vineyard wines.

Philip Schuyler, a Revolutionary War general, was the original owner of this 1763 Georgian mansion. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were among the notable figures who visited the house. Tours of the national historic landmark (the only way to see the interior) feature original family furnishings, artifacts, and paintings.

In what is technically Roxborough but feels very removed from the dense row houses, visitors can explore more than 355 acres of woods and trails in what is part nature center, part education center, and part art exhibition and performance location (usually in connection with nature). Trails are free and open dusk till dawn every day, while most events and workshops have a fee. There is also access via a trail that connects to the Schuylkill River Trail.

On any given day, runners, cyclists, walkers, dog walkers, and loungers can be found at the expansive Schuylkill River Park. The park runs along the river from Lombard Street to Manning Street, spanning more than three city blocks on the edge of Center City before University City. Even during the coldest months, the park is packed with people and their dogs in the on-site dog parks, children on the playground, athletes shooting hoops at the basketball courts, and people enjoying the skyline vantage points.

Located in Greenwood–Ashworth Park, the Science Center hosts laser shows, planetarium activities, and a space-shuttle simulator appropriate for all ages. Past films in the IMAX theater have documented the flight of butterflies and the bond between humans and animals. Also within the 11,000-square-foot space are plenty of hands-on exhibits, storytime for children, and activities demonstrating dry ice, life in space, stargazing, and weather forecasting.

Housed in a former grand bank building, this free museum in the heart of Old City features two floors of science-focused displays that tell the interesting "stories" behind the science of everyday items like dresses and batteries. A variety of fascinating exhibits feature science instruments, art, photos, videos, rare books, product packaging, and various displays such as their collection of microscopes and chemistry sets through the years. There's always a rotating temporary exhibit as well as educational programming and a gift shop. The museum produces a popular podcast called "Distillations" that does a deep dive on many scientific topics.  This small museum is a great place to visit in between the larger historical sites.

This nonprofit interactive museum, a really cool high-tech space housed in a refurbished 1880s mill, offers a wealth of fun—and education—for kids and grown-ups alike. Exhibitions run the gamut from Sharks to the Food Forest, deep sea robotics, a virtual body table, and so much more.

The Science Museum of Minnesota has exhibits on archaeology, technology, and biology and many hands-on exhibits for kids. In the McKnight Omnitheater 70mm films are projected overhead on a massive tilted screen.

Aerospace, crystals, and the Foucault pendulum are just a few of the things you can learn about here. Housed in a former train station, the museum features live demonstrations and "Giant Screen Movies" in the Dome, a planetarium, and an interactive lifestyle exhibit called Boost!, which tests your strength and memory. You can visit the café or gift shop without paying admission fees.