10457 Best Sights in USA

The lookout was built in 1932 and was used to station watchmen and -women until 1968. It was restored in the mid-1990s and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. To access the lookout, start at the East Shore Trailhead (just outside the park, in the Arapahoe National Recreation Area), between Grand and Shadow Mountain lakes, and hike approximately 5 miles along the East Shore and Shadow Mountain trails. There's a small fee for parking in the recreation area.

One of the south's best-known plantation homes was built, using enslaved labor, on the bank of Bayou Teche in 1834 for the wealthy sugar planter David Weeks. In 1917 his descendant William Weeks Hall conducted one of the first historically conscious restorations of a plantation home, also preserving truckloads of documents that helped explain day-to-day life here for the Weeks family, as well as for many of the people they enslaved. The result is one of the most fascinating tours in Louisiana, taking place Thursday through Saturday at 10:30 am and 2 pm, and led by a public historian. Weeks Hall willed the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1958, and each year the trust selects a different historical topic to emphasize. Surrounded by 2½ acres of lush gardens and moss-draped oaks, the beautiful two-story rose-hue house has striking white columns, exterior staircases sheltered in cabinet-like enclosures, and a pitched roof pierced by dormer windows. The furnishings are 85% original to the house.

The museum is made up of several downtown buildings that nod to Winthrop's colorful mining and ranching past, including "the castle," a late-19th-century log house built by one of the town's pioneer founders. Other structures include a country store, print shop, schoolhouse, women's dress shop, and an open-air display of vintage mining equipment. Although you can go inside the buildings in summer only, the grounds alone are worth a stroll and are open year-round.

This rough trek that leads to the 100-mile White Rim Road was probably first established by ancient Native Americans. In the early 1900s the local Shafer family started using it to drive cattle into the canyon. John "Sog" Shafer is credited with improving the narrow and rugged trail, and it was further upgraded during the uranium boom, in order for miners to haul ore by truck from the canyon floor. But make no mistake: it's still a harrowing descent. Check out the road's winding, 5.2-mile route down canyon walls from the Shafer Canyon Overlook before you drive it to see why it's mostly used by daring four-wheelers and energetic mountain bikers. Off the main road, less than 1 mile from the park entrance, it descends 1,500 feet to the White Rim. Check with the visitor center about road conditions before driving the Shafer Trail. It's often impassable after rain or snow.

Through exhibits and tours, the preservation group details the history of the Shaker movement. The site was home to the first Shaker settlement in the United States; it started in 1776 with about a dozen members and grew to about 350 members at its peak, in the mid-1900s. The 1848 meetinghouse, a clapboard structure with a tin roof, was the third meetinghouse built here. Guided tours ($3; Saturday 11:30 and 1:30) are available June through October.

You can learn about the daily life of the Shakers from one of the largest collections focusing on their culture. The extensive array of clothing and household textiles on exhibit is a highlight. The series of red barns also displays furniture, tools, machinery, and decorative objects from all of the major Shaker communities.

If you're heading southwest from Silver City (or west toward Arizona from Las Cruces), this is a fun stop. Portions of this settlement in the heart of a working ranch just outside the sleepy town of Lordsburg have been preserved as they were in the town's heyday as a gold and silver mining town in the late 1800s. Founded in 1856, the ghost town has been designated a National Historic Site, and original structures such as homes, saloons, and stables still stand. You'll find no snack shops or other tourist amenities in Shakespeare, as owner Janaloo Hill (who grew up on the ranch, and died in May 2005) vowed not to compromise the authenticity of this genuine piece of the Old West. Shakespeare is about 50 miles from Silver City via NM 90 through Lordsburg.

The center, in a log building on the grounds of the Oneida Indian Nation, has exhibits highlighting baskets, beadwork, dolls, and wampum. You may also learn about the role of the Oneida Nation during the American Revolution, when it sided with the rebels rather than with the British.

At the halfway point of the Shark Valley loop or tram tour, you’ll see (and likely be persuaded to scale) the observation tower, which, at 50 feet, is the highest accessible point in Everglades National Park. From the summit you’ll be able to see roughly 20 miles in any direction; do the math and that's 1,600 square miles of Everglades goodness. As you take in the River of Grass in all its subtle glory, observe waterbirds as well as alligators and maybe even river otters crossing the road. The tower has a wheelchair-accessible ramp to the top. If you don't want to take the tram from the Shark Valley Visitor Center, you can either hike or bike in, but private cars are not allowed.

Local pioneer history is documented at this remarkable museum, the creative vision of historian and poet Sharlot Hall. Along with an original 1863 ponderosa pine log cabin and the mansion which housed the territorial governor in 1864, the parklike museum complex contains several additional restored period homes and a transportation exhibit housed in a former auto repair shop circa 1937. Territorial times are the focus, but natural history and artifacts of the area's prehistoric peoples are also on display.

With 11 miles of hiking trails, this 1,147-acre property—a mixture of forests, meadows, wetlands, ponds, and streams—provides myriad hiking opportunities. The visitor center shares its space with small hawks, an owl, and other animals in the live-animal display in the Natural History Exhibit Room.

Walt Disney animator Ben Sharpsteen, who retired to Calistoga, founded this old-school but compelling museum whose centerpiece is a diorama depicting the Calistoga Hot Springs Resort during its 19th-century heyday. A restored cottage from the resort, moved to this site, sits next door to the museum but is entered through it. Other exhibits survey life in Calistoga through the decades and author Robert Louis Stevenson's time here in 1880. 

Road-trippers traveling along I–5 often stop at the second-largest concrete dam in the United States—only Grand Coulee in Washington is bigger than Shasta Dam, completed in 1945. The visitor center's 20-minute film and exhibits explain the engineering and construction, but even if the facility isn't open, the photogenic view north to snowcapped Mt. Shasta makes the dam worth the detour. The landmark's history-laden guided tours were set to resume by 2024.

Six miles west of downtown and straddling Highway 299 lies the former town of Shasta City, which thrived in the mid- to late 1800s. This park's 19 acres of half-ruined brick buildings, accessed via trails, are a reminder of the glory days of the California gold rush. The former county courthouse building (whose exhibits include rare California landscape paintings), jail, and gallows have been restored to their 1860s appearance. The Litsch General Store (1850–1950), now a museum, displays items once sold here.  Next to the store in a wooden shack, family-run Shorty's Eatery (closed Monday and Tuesday) serves up good sandwiches and Filipino dishes.

Based here and in New York, this institute was founded in 1990 by environmental health scientist Dr. Susan Shaw to study how pollution affects humans, the oceans, and the planet. Programs for all ages are offered, including guided walks along the beach, as well as an environmental speakers series throughout the summer.

These open meadows and broken woods shelter kildeers, Northern harrier hawks, several types of flycatchers, a few warblers, woodpeckers, eastern kingbirds, and bluebirds. In spring, listen for the evening mating rituals of American woodcocks. In fall, watch for the occasional peregrine falcon—a few breeding pairs nest in the nearby cliffs. In spring through late summer, visitors can see bobolinks and Eastern meadowlarks nesting.

Sourcing his grapes from vineyards throughout the state, South Valley vintner Sean Sheehan welcomes serious local fans and visitors from afar to his Old Town tasting room—an inviting destination for those seeking the best in “old vine” wines in a convivial but intimate space. Lighter, brighter, and spicier components bring a special experience to tastings of the award-winning and notable favorites like a Cinsault Dry Rose and Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve or the Riesling-based Cielo Dulce. A popular presence at festivals throughout the year, Sheehan Winery tastings here in Old Town might feature cheese board and charcuterie pairings (or you may bring your own), or simply focus on a delicious seasonal rotation of the finest reds and whites.

A scenic 13-mile drive on paved and gravel roads crosses the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, which is full of upturned layers of rock, craggy pinnacles, and hoodoos. Watch for a herd of bighorn sheep, as well as a popular cave alongside the road. In the fall, salmon return to Sheep Creek to spawn; a kiosk and several bridges provide unobtrusive viewing. The area, 28 miles west of Greendale Junction off U.S. 191 and Highway 44, is open from May to October.

This 7-mile dirt road in the Stronghold Unit is ideal for mountain biking, but should be attempted only when dry, and riders must stay on the road. The terrain is level for the first 3 miles, then it climbs and levels out again. At the top you can take in great views of the area.

At this designated Wildlife Viewing Area you might glimpse elk, deer, moose, waterfowl, and birds of prey. The area is wheelchair-accessible, and offers paved walking trails, a fishing dock, picnic tables, a rentable pavilion, horseshoe pits, and drinking water.

Sheffield Island is a prime spot for a picnic and some bird-watching; the lighthouse, built in 1868, has 10 rooms on four levels that you can explore. A ferry departs from the Sheffield Island Dock on N. Water Street for the 3-hour excursion, including 1½ hours on the island. Clambakes are held Tuesday evenings June–August. 

Take a ride on an old-fashioned trolley from 1896 at this tribute to the old Colrain Street Railway Combine No. 10, which was the first car on the Shelburne line in the early 20th century. A car barn and rails host other trolleys being restored, including a PCC, the last trolley built in Massachusetts.

From U.S. 7, you'll see rows and rows of organically grown vines. Visit the attractive tasting room and learn how wine is made, relax on the lawn during a weekly Friday Bluegrass & BBQ event in the summer, or take in jazz or comedy in the winery during the colder months. Also available on-site are natural wines from IAPETUS, an experimental label from winemaker Ethan Joseph, and spectacular ciders from Vermont-based Eden Ciders, which merged with Shelburne Vineyard in 2023.

Shelby Park (as well as the connecting Shelby Bottoms and Cornelia Fort Airpark) is an East Nashville gem. With more than 336 acres of park land, hiking trails, public recreational facilities, and bike/pedestrian paths, Shelby offers a wide variety of free outdoor activities to locals and visitors alike. There's a public 18-hole golf course, too, so bring your clubs.

This octagonal museum that dates from 1895 contains priceless Alaska Native items collected by Dr. Sheldon Jackson (1834–1909), who traveled the remote regions of Alaska as an educator and missionary. The collection represents every Alaska Native culture. On display are carved masks, Chilkat blankets, dogsleds, kayaks, and even the impressive helmet worn by the famous Tlingit warrior Katlian during an 1804 battle against the Russians.

The small cove north of the Children's Pool remains remarkably under the radar and is typically less crowded than nearby beaches like La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores. The secluded beach is accessible by stairs at the south end of Ellen Browning Scripps Park and has clear water and tide pools. The reef comes all the way up to the shore, making it a less-than-ideal spot for swimming, but children love to wade in the shallow water. Step with caution, as rocks can be extremely slippery. As the name would imply, tiny shells make up the sand near the water's edge. It's beautiful but coarse and can be hard on people's feet. Your visit is better spent exploring than sunning. The exposed rocks off the coast have been designated a protected habitat for sea lions; you can watch them frolic in the water. Picnic tables, showers, and toilets are available near the cove. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude.

This entertainment complex, once just a quirky shopping destination and a survivor from Florida's roadside-attraction era, now offers eateries; an arcade; bumper boats; miniature golf; the Soaring Eagle zip line; and a mining sluice where kids can pan for shells, fossils, and gemstones. Strolling the grounds, which have abundant exhibits and displays, is free, but some activities cost extra. A separate admission is also required to enter the Nature Park, which has the feel of a small zoo and is home to llamas; a petting farm with sheep, pigs, and goats; a walk-through aviary; an EcoLab; a touch center; and a gator slough. The Shell Factory also hosts family-friendly events throughout the year, such as January's Gumbo Fest.

Shuttles to this pristine paradise run out of Pass-a-Grille and Dolphin Landings, and you can catch them in the morning and early afternoon most days. If you do, expect some amazing snorkeling, shelling, and bird-watching. (You can also kayak or canoe here from a launch near Ft. De Soto.) Rustic overnight camping is allowed here in the part of the island not designated as a bird sanctuary. Watch for rip currents when swimming, as they can be pretty strong. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

The 1875 Shelton House is home to the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts, featuring pottery, carvings, textiles and tinwork from 19th-century settlers and modern artisans. Exhibits include Cherokee items and a medical display from the post–Civil War era. The grounds include a barn used for events, an impressive community theater, and a two-bedroom rental apartment. Each June, the museum hosts the Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Fair, drawing 80+ artists to Waynesville.