10457 Best Sights in USA

The biggest event of the year for more than 80 years, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in April lasts for 10 days, and features more than 30 events including a huge parade led by a celebrity grand marshall. The apple industry, once the largest employer in the valley, is celebrated with foods like apple candy and apple butter.

Dating from 1720, at 300 feet, this plantation is said to be the longest wood-frame house in the United States. It was the retirement home of John Tyler (1790–1862), 10th president of the United States. Tyler, who came into office in 1842 when William Henry Harrison died a month after inauguration, was a Whig who dissented from his party's abolitionist line in favor of the pro-slavery position of the Democrats. He died in 1862, having served briefly in the congress of the Confederate States of America. His house remains in the Tyler family and is furnished with heirloom antiques; it's surrounded by a dozen acres of grounds and the five outbuildings, including a tobacco barn. The house is only open to individuals who have made a reservation at least a week in advance, but the grounds are open to the public. It's also open to the public during the annual Garden Week.

A popular spring destination for Baltimore families, this 6-acre park contains more than 80,000 tulips that bloom in late April. Azaleas peak in late April and the first half of May. The gardens are usually at their best around Mother's Day.

Sample, select, and take home some of Shields's locally grown dates. Ten varieties are available, including the giant supersweet royal medjools, along with specialty date products such as date crystals, stuffed dates, confections, and local honey. At the Shields Date Garden Café you can try an iconic date shake, dig into date pancakes, or go exotic with a date burger. Breakfast and lunch are served daily.

For almost a century, Shields Family dates have been grown, sold, and enjoyed on this site, which now includes a 105-seat theater showing “The Romance & Sex Life of the Date” on a loop, a store where you can sample the 10 varieties, gulp down a date shake at the original 1960s counter, and purchase all kinds of snacks and sweets featuring the star fruit, a café serving breakfast and lunch, and a walk through a 17-acre date grove and botanical garden that features 23 biblical statues.

Site of one of the Civil War's grimmest and most pivotal battles, Shiloh National Military Park is the resting place of almost 4,000 soldiers, many unidentified, in the national cemetery. A self-guided auto tour (about 2½ hours) leads you past markers explaining monuments and battle sites. The visitor center runs a 25-minute film explaining the battle's strategy and has a display of Civil War artifacts. To get to Shiloh from Memphis, head east from Memphis on U.S. 64, then 10 mi south on TN 22.

Local anglers line both banks of this quiet creek, where salmon run upstream from June through August in the reflection of Downtown's towers. Successful fishermen clean their catch on the footbridge, which provides prime people-watching over the water. Visitors can stop at the Bait Shack ( 212 W. Whitney Rd.) to rent reels and waders and purchase fishing permits. Farther upstream (follow Whitney Road and turn left on Post Road) is the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, birthplace of more than six million sport fish each year. The public building has video screens and windows overlooking the hatchery floor. Outside, salmon congregate in the clear shallow water as they try to leap up the waterfalls cascading over an artificial dam.

Popular with families and birders, Ship Harbor's 1.3-mile figure-8 trail loops through woods and edges a sheltered cove where you may spot great blue herons feeding in the mudflats during low tide. Also great for families, Wonderland Trail is nearby on Route 102A. A portion of Route 102A (Seawall Road) was temporarily closed after 2024's winter storms. While repairs should be complete, if the loop road is closed, access it from its southern terminus with Route 102 in Bass Harbor, not its northern terminus in Manset. Watch for signs. Easy.

West of Farmington, at U.S. 491 (though the odd map will still refer to this road by its old number, 666) and U.S. 64, just southwest of the town of Shiprock, 1,700-foot Shiprock Peak rises from the desert floor like a massive schooner. It's sacred to the Navajo, who call it Tse'Bit'Ai, or "Rock with Wings." No climbing or hiking is permitted. The formation—sometimes referred to as a pinnacle—is composed of igneous rock flanked by upright walls of solidified lava.

Open each summer, this 15-acre water park has 3 million gallons' worth of splashing-good fun for all ages—from speedy slides and tubes to a giant wave pool to the slow-moving Lazy River. Oddly enough, admission is based on height (whether you are over or under 50 inches), with those under 35 inches entering for free. Wear water shoes or flip-flops to protect your feet on the hot pavement.

Chartered in 1613 and the oldest plantation in Virginia, Shirley has been occupied by a single family, the Carters, for 11 generations. Their claim to the land goes back to 1638, when it was settled by a relative, Edward Hill. Robert E. Lee's mother was born here, and the Carters seem to be related to every notable Virginia family from the Colonial and antebellum periods. The approach to the elegant 1723 Georgian manor is dramatic: the house stands at the end of a drive lined by towering Lombardy poplars. Inside, the "Flying Staircase" rises for three stories with no visible support. Family silver is on display, ancestral portraits are hung throughout, and rare books line the shelves. The family lives on the upper floors, but the main floor, eight original Colonial outbuildings, and gardens of the working farm can be toured. A tour of the Shirley Plantation details stories from the 11 generations of the same family who to this day continue to own and operate it. The guided tour of the first floor of the Great House highlights family stories as well as original furnishings, portraits, silver, and woodwork. Today Shirley continues to be a working plantation, a private family home, and a National Historic Landmark, which includes an on-site gift shop, Lady Cessalye's.

Just 10 miles east of Richmond, Shirley Plantation, on the James River, is the oldest plantation in Virginia, and the oldest family-owned business in North America. Founded in 1613 by a grant from the Crown, Shirley is still a working farm today. The current mansion was built in 1723 and is known as one of the most architecturally intact examples of 18th-century homes in the country, with one of the only surviving "flying staircases." But what brings this plantation to life, the main reason for its physical preservation, is the story of the women of Shirley, who tended the wounded Union soldiers encamped on their shores after the Battle of Malvern Hill. They took such good care of the enemy that General McClellan ordered Shirley to be left untouched, and thus it still thrives today under the management of the 11th generation of the family.

This collection is housed in the former home of baseball great Joe Jackson, who along with seven other White Sox players, was accused of throwing the 1919 World Series. Though he was found not guilty, Jackson was banned from playing baseball. The museum, which is open only on Saturday from 10 to 2, has records, artifacts, photographs, and a film, along with a library of baseball books donated from fans around the country. At the end of each summer, staffers challenge their peers at Georgia's Ty Cobb Museum to a vintage baseball game.

A mixture of hard- and softwood trees makes an excellent habitat for songbirds at Shore Acres Preserve on the eastern edge of Deer Isle. Walk the perimeter trail to see light sparkling off Greenlaw Cove, native plants like juniper, blueberry, and cranberry, as well as mushrooms, mosses, and ferns. You might even spot a fox, a red squirrel, or a hawk.

Immerse yourself in art and history with a 2-mile walk along Shelter Island through Shoreline Park. This self-guided tour highlights seven public works of art starting at the tip of the island with the Yokohoma Friendship Bell. Dating back to 1958, the bell was gifted to San Diego by sister city, Yokohama, as a symbol of the post-World War II friendship. Weighing over two tons, the bronze bell designed by artist Masahiko Katori is suspended from a small pagoda. At the foot of the bell stands The Girl in Red Shoes, a sculpture by Japanese artist Munehiro Komeno. Representing the compassion between the two nations, it tells the story of Kimi, a Japanese orphan adopted by an American couple in the 1920s. Nearby is Pearl of the Pacific, created in 1998 by architectural students from four cities—Yantai, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Vladivostok, Russia; and San Diego. It’s comprised of a fountain, walls, and tile work representing the four quadrants of the Pacific Rim. Built over the course of a month, this symbol of unity depicts the beauty that can be created when countries are united in friendship. Along the water’s edge is Pacific Spirit, a bronze sculpture by James Hubbell. Standing 6 feet tall, the plaque below the female statue reads, “The waves echo behind me. Patience-Faith-Openness, is what the sea has to teach." Near the west end of Shelter Island stands the impressive Tunaman's Memorial created by Franco Vianello in 1988. At an impressive 15 feet tall, the work pays tribute to San Diego’s fishermen lost at sea. Located at the Children’s Playground, the bronze sculpture Bubble Bath by Dan Hill was erected as a memorial to a little girl. In striking contrast, the massive arched Pacific Portal is a concrete and mosaic structure created by James Hubbell. Commonly referred to as the Shelter Island Gazebo, this gathering place is reflective of ocean waves and billowing sails.

The Short North arts district on High Street, north of Downtown and south of the expansive Ohio State University campus, is a hip, happening area many liken to New York's SoHo. This lively, trendy neighborhood, full of excellent restaurants, bars, boutiques, and unique shops, has one of the largest collections of art galleries between New York and Chicago. Try to catch the Gallery Hop, held on the first Saturday afternoon and evening of each month; crowds congregate to stroll from gallery to gallery.

Rocky cliffs bookend this ¼-mile sandy beach. It's amid Ellis Park, which has a playground, basketball courts, a paved walkway, and free concerts in summer. Leashed pets are allowed, though dog-walking hours are limited between late May and late September. Shops, restaurants, and other attractions are all nearby. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

Established in 1891 as the country's first designated national forest, this 2.4-million-acre tract of alpine woodland, sagebrush flats, and verdant meadows extends west from Cody to Yellowstone National Park (which is roughly the same size). At both the headquarters south of downtown and the Clarks Fork, Greybull, and Wapiti Ranger Districts office on the west side of Cody (E203A Yellowstone Ave., Cody), you can pick up maps, buy permits, and obtain advice on the many activities you can pursue in the forest—hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, horseback, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing—and the best places to enjoy them. Some highlights include the well-preserved ghost town of Kirwin, about 65 miles south of Cody, and the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, a designated Wild and Scenic River during its 20½-mile course through the forest about 30 miles northwest of Cody.

Built in 1923, among the last of the old showboats, the Majestic has floated on the Cincinnati riverfront since 1967. Operation of the showboat was assumed by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and it's now a riverboat theater, showing a mix of musicals and comedies. It's closed in winter.

Completed in 1923 and built to accommodate the area's growing number of Italian immigrants, this church is the oldest continuously operating Italian American church in Chicago. Its Romanesque Revival style was popular with the famous church architects Worthman and Steinbach, and its interior is filled with statues and striking stained-glass windows. 

If the crowds become overwhelming, and you have access to a vehicle, consider a visit to the Shrine of St. Thérèse, "out the road"—it's a peaceful site that's perfect for quiet contemplation. Built in the 1930s, this beautiful stone church and its 15 stations of the cross are the only structures on a serene tiny island accessible via a 400-foot-long pedestrian causeway. Visitors enjoy the Merciful Love Labyrinth, the black-granite Columbarium, and the floral gardens along the Good Shepherd Rosary Trail. Sunday services are held at 1:30 pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For those wishing to explore the area for more than a few hours, the shrine offers a lodge and four rental cabins that run the gamut from rustic to resplendent. A round-trip taxi ride may cost $60 or more.

Costumed guides share fascinating tales at Shriver House, the home of George and Henrietta Shriver and their two children, revealing what civilian life was like during the Civil War. After George joined the Union troops and his family fled to safety, the home was taken over by Confederate sharpshooters during the Battle of Gettysburg. You can visit their attic nest, where two of them were killed during the battle, and get a look at Shriver's Saloon in the cellar. 

The park's shuttle and transit buses are a more informal, cheaper, and independent way to experience Denali. These buses are green-painted, converted school buses while the formally narrated tour buses are tan. While these trips are not formally narrated, the majority of bus drivers enjoy sharing information with riders, and the buses are equipped with speakers. Transit buses offer the freedom to disembark virtually anywhere along the road system and explore the park for yourself. Catching a ride back is as simple as returning to the road and waiting for the next transit bus to come by. Note that full buses will not stop, so it's possible to wait for an hour or more for your ride back. Like the narrated tours, transit buses are operated by Doyon/Aramark and bookings are made through the concessionaire. Reservations are not required, and about a quarter of the seats are saved for walk-ons. But if you're visiting during peak season, it's best to make reservations ahead of time to ensure availability. Schedules can be found on the National Park Service's Denali website; departure times are relatively reliable although they can fluctuate during the summer.

Fort Worth is an appropriate setting for this private collection of art celebrating the American West, with pieces that capture the emotion, movement, and landscape of the frontier. The gallery affords space and appropriate lighting for up to 39 pieces at a time. (The late Sid Richardson's collection includes more than 100 paintings.)

The River District has become a haven for independent galleries, including this space for edgy, up-and-coming visual artists, musical acts, films, and theater. Once an abandoned post office circa 1933, it was transformed by Florida Arts, Inc., a nonprofit organization, in the early 2000s. Even if your taste runs more to classical works than contemporary, a visit is worthwhile for the neoclassical revival facade: eight towering coral-rock Ionic columns give way to swaths of intricately detailed window screens. The friendly staff is happy to answer questions about the building's history.

Sierra Nevada, one of the country's largest national craft breweries, situated its East Coast brewery and distribution center on a 190-acre site on the French Broad River. The beautifully landscaped complex includes a good restaurant, tasting room, gift shop, and hiking and biking trails. Sierra Nevada offers the best brewery tours in the region, ranging from a 45-minute brewhouse tour to a three-hour Beer Geek tour.

Tours book up quickly, so reserve as far in advance as possible.

Stop by this tasting room inside a high-ceilinged former theater in Snoqualmie's Old Town to sample a selection of exceptional wines, most of them made with Bordeaux and Rhône varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from top vineyards around throughout the Columbia Valley. Appetizers, including cheese and meat boards, are available, and there's live music most Friday and Saturday evenings. Sigillo has a second tasting room in Chelan.

Because of the nearby petroglyphs, this is the park's most popular picnic site. Its many picnic tables, sprinkled around paloverde and mesquite trees, can accommodate large groups.