133 Best Sights in USA

This speed slide drops through a snow-banked mountain gully on a fast, hilly, green-slopes descent to the base of Mt. Gushmore. It isn't quite as intimidating as neighboring Summit Plummet, but it's a real thriller nonetheless. For guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems, this ride is not recommended. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to the slide. The earlier you ride, the better: on crowded days waits can last up to 90 minutes.

The crowning jewel of Galaxy's Edge is more of an experience than a ride. You, along with other residents of Batuu, are led to a briefing room to join Rey and the rest of the Resistance off-planet. A holographic transmission, just like in the movies, appears before your group to explain that you'll be led by Lieutenant Bek to a rendezvous point with General Leia Organa. You'll then board a transport, walking outside past Poe Dameron's X-wing, all the while being rushed along by Resistance fighters. Aboard the transport, similar to a subway car, Lieutenant Bek flies you to outer space while Poe provides cover. But—surprise—the First Order is waiting for you! General Hux catches you in the tractor beam and pulls you into the hanger bay of his Star Destroyer.

Upon exiting, you'll be inside the hangar bay, with First Order officers barking commands while you file past impressive rows of stormtroopers. You're broken into groups and placed in containment cells, where first General Hux and then Kylo Ren show up to convince you to turn over the location of the rebel base you were heading to. When he's called away, you're rescued by the Resistance, led by Finn, and placed onto First Order Fleet Transports, each piloted by a reprogrammed droid. Kylo Ren isn't going to give up easily, though, and you're chased throughout the Star Destroyer, passing under AT-AT walkers, past turbo-laser cannons, and coming face-to-face with Kylo. Don't worry, you'll end up safely back on Batuu, but be prepared for a truly thrilling adventure.

This multipart experience is so popular that, within 30 minutes of the park opening, the lines swell enough so that there's a two-hour wait. If you are going to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane Pass for only one attraction, make it this one; to do so, be on the My Disney Experience app at exactly 7 am. Also note that though the ride itself is 18 minutes, the entire experience can be longer. In addition, many of the effects can be jarring, and cast members acting as the First Order can be intense, so reassure younger riders that you're on a make-believe mission. For people with disabilities: Guests in an ECV or wheelchair must be able to transfer. Purchase the individual Lightning Lane Pass, or be prepared to wait in galactically long lines.

First debuted in Shanghai Disneyland, the very popular TRON Lightcycle / Run is one of the newest attractions at the Magic Kingdom. Based on the hit movie franchise, the coaster places riders on individual lightcycles (the motorcycles associated so strongly with TRON) that are situated two by two. Despite the lack of flips, this coaster gets high marks for being the fastest in Disney and for its accelerated launch. Your cycles will speed against an opposing team, shooting inside and out, as lights flash to make it feel as if you are in the TRON video game. Head here first or purchase a Lightning Lane pass if available. Note that this ride is not appropriate for pregnant women or guests wearing back, neck, or leg braces. For people with disabilities: You must be able to step into the ride vehicle and walk short distances. Non-motorcycle-ride vehicles are available. Guests in wheelchairs should see a cast member for boarding options. Service animals aren't permitted.

As Magic Kingdom's newest coaster, only purchases of individual Lightning Lane and a virtual queue are currently available. Use the My Disney Experience app exactly at 7 am to join the virtual queue—a one-hour window for your party to make its way to the attraction. Try again at 1 pm if you miss out on the first round, or purchase an individual Lightning Lane. No standby queue is available.

This attraction, just north of Encore Las Vegas, provides the thrill of skydiving without a plane. After 20 minutes of training you enter a vertical wind tunnel that produces a powerful stream of air. You'll float, hover, and fly, simulating up to five minutes of free fall, with more time for large parties. Airspeeds reach 120 mph. Plan to reserve at least two hours in advance, making payment in full. The place closes for private parties from time to time, so it's wise to call ahead.

The star ICON Park attraction is the 400-foot-tall observation wheel known simply as The Orlando Eye at ICON Park, which offers an almost unobstructed view of all the distant theme parks, lush green landscape, and the soaring buildings of the City Beautiful. Visibility on clear days can be more than 50 miles, reaching all the way east to Cape Canaveral. The Eye's 30 high-tech capsules complete a rotation every 30 minutes, and riders can use onboard Apple iPad Air tablets to locate points of interest. Rent a private capsule for up to 15 people, with champagne, for a sky-high experience. Ticket packages for ICON Park attractions are available.

This historic wooden roller coaster first thrilled riders in 1927, and it'll still make you scream. Anticipation builds as the cars slowly clack up to the first unforgettable 85-foot plunge—and the look on your face is captured in photos that you can purchase at the end of the ride. The Cyclone might not have the speed or the twists and turns of more modern rides, but that's all part of its rickety charm. It's one of two New York City landmarks in Coney Island, and deservingly in the National Register of Historic Places.

The famous honey lover and his exploits in the Hundred Acre Wood are the theme for this ride. You can read posted passages from A. A. Milne's stories as you wait in line. Once you board your "Hunny Pot," Pooh and his friends wish you a "happy windsday." Pooh flies through the air, held aloft by his balloon, in his perennial search for "hunny," and you bounce along with Tigger, ride with the Heffalumps and Woozles, and experience a cloudburst. This ride replaced Mr. Toad's Wild Ride; look for the painting of Mr. Toad handing the deed to Owl. For people with disabilities: If using a scooter, see a cast member about transferring to a standard wheelchair for the ride. Equipped for handheld-captioning and audio-description devices.

It took five years for Disney Imagineers, with the help of 25 experts from NASA, to design Mission: SPACE, the first ride ever to take people "straight up" in a simulated rocket launch. The story transports you and co-riders to the year 2036 and the International Space Training Center, where you are about to embark on your first launch. Before you board the four-person rocket capsule, you're assigned to a position: commander, navigator, pilot, or engineer. And at this point, you're warned several times about the intensity of the ride and the risks for people with health concerns. After many guests became sick after riding, Disney created an "orange" and a "green" mission. The Orange mission heads to Mars and has a height requirement of 44 inches. A spinning motion creates the feeling of a rocket launch and weightlessness (the effect is also cumulative, so stick with one go-round unless you have a particularly hardy constitution). The Green mission on Earth, with a height requirement of 40 inches, is still plenty bumpy, but doesn't use spinning to create special effects. Pregnant women and anyone with heart, back, neck, balance, blood-pressure, or motion-sickness problems shouldn't ride either version.

For those who can handle the intense spinning, the sensation of liftoff is a turbulent, heart-pounding experience that flattens you against your seat. Once you break into outer space, you'll even feel weightless. After landing, you exit your capsule into the Advanced Training Lab, where you can play some very entertaining space-related games. For people with disabilities: This ride requires a transfer from wheelchair to seat. Service animals aren't permitted to board. Video-captioning devices can be used on the ride; assisted-listening devices can be used in the postshow Training Lab. Both lines move swiftly, and people rarely ride this more than once, so if you see long wait times, give it an hour and try again. Don't ride on a full stomach.

Although this is an indoor roller coaster like Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain, the similarity ends there. With its high-speed launch (0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds), multiple inversions, and loud rock music, it generates delighted screams from coaster junkies, though it's smooth enough and short enough that even the coaster-phobic have been known to enjoy it. The vehicles look like limos, and the track resembles the neck of an electric guitar that's been twisted. Hard-driving rock tunes by Aerosmith blast from vehicle speakers to accentuate the flips and turns.

Pregnant women and guests with heart, back, or neck problems or motion sickness should skip this one. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. Service animals aren't allowed. If you aren't heading to Star Wars first thing, take a right and do Rock 'n' Roller or Tower of Terror first. Lines are long in the afternoon but shorter in the morning, when everyone is at the newer rides.

The needlelike spires and gleaming, white, concrete cone of this 180-foot-high attraction are almost as much a Magic Kingdom landmark as Cinderella Castle. Inside is one of the world's most imaginative roller coasters, one that had a real astronaut, Gordon Cooper, for a creative consultant. Although there are no loop-the-loops or high-speed curves, the thrills are many as you take a trip into the depths of outer space—in the dark.

You can pass the wait time playing one of the many games on the Disney Play app. As you walk to the loading area, you'll pass whirling planets and hear the screams and shrieks of the riders, pumping you up for your own launch. Once you blast off, the ride lasts only two minutes and 38 seconds, with a top speed of 28 mph, but the devious twists and invisible drops in the dark make it seem twice as long. You can hear the screams from other cars, but you don't know where they are, adding an additional fright factor.

Stow personal belongings securely, and note that this ride isn't appropriate for pregnant women or guests wearing back, neck, or leg braces. For people with disabilities: You must be able to step into the ride vehicle and walk short distances. Guests in wheelchairs should see a cast member for boarding options. Service animals aren't permitted. The wait can be long. Come early, late, or during a parade.

Star Wars fans, wield your lightsabers! This fan favorite multiplies the thrills with more than 50 ride scenarios powered up by Dolby 3-D video and motion-simulator technology. Here's the basic storyline: C-3PO and R2-D2, at the helm of a misappropriated spaceship, must navigate the galaxy with a rebel spy on board (it could be you!) while Imperial forces try to thwart the journey.

You'll encounter multiple thrills from the Star Wars universe including the lush Wookiee planet Kashyyyk and the underwater world of Naboo. Kef Bir, the water moon with a destroyed Death Star, has also been added to the lineup. One flight takes you to the climatic battle from The Rise of Skywalker. You might come face-to-menacing-mask with Kylo Ren or be recruited by Lando Calrissian. Other characters sprinkled throughout the different films include Admiral Ackbar, Chewbacca, and Boba Fett. Your 40-passenger Starspeeder 1000 rockets through space with enough high-speed twists, turns, and nosedives to guarantee that the Force is, indeed, with you.

Those who are pregnant or have heart, back, neck, or motion-sickness issues shouldn't ride. Children less than 40 inches tall may not ride. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride seat. Equipped for handheld-captioning and video-captioning devices. Service animals aren't allowed. Lines swell when the Indiana Jones show lets out. If they're long, check back in an hour, they may have shrunk. For the wildest ride, sit in the back.

High above the Strip at the tip of the Strat are some major thrill rides that will scare the bejeezus out of you, especially if you have even the slightest fear of heights. The Big Shot starts from the 112th floor and shoots 160 feet into the air at 45 mph. The X Scream tips passengers 27 feet over the edge of the tower like a giant seesaw, dangles them there, and then repeats the process. From the very front, you get an unobstructed view of the Strip, straight down. On the world record–holding SkyJump, riders take a free-fall leap from more than 800 feet in the air (and all-you-can-jump packages are available). If you are of the less adventurous sort, you can visit the Observation Decks on Levels 108 and 109, 108 Eats and 108 Drinks on Level 108, or the Top of the World restaurant on Level 106.

The white-knuckle finale of this fan favorite is as thrilling as ever. Create a custom concept vehicle at an interactive design station, and then buckle up in a six-person SimCar to put the design through its paces in a neon-splashed, futuristic setting that surrounds the attraction's original hills and mountain switchbacks. Everyone can create their own designs and see how they compare to everyone else's—first in their car and then at the end of the ride.

The High-Speed Test is last: your vehicle bursts through an opening in the Test Track building to negotiate a steeply banked loop at a speed of nearly 60 mph. At the special effects–laden postshow, you can see how your custom car performed and create your own car commercial.

Disney has recently announced updates to this attraction, but no firm dates on when this will happen. Check the Disney website before you travel if this is a "must-do" for your party. The speeds and some jarring effects can be unsettling, so this ride isn't suitable for pregnant women or guests wearing back, neck, or leg braces. For people with disabilities: Visitors in wheelchairs are provided a special area in which to practice transferring into the ride vehicle before actually boarding. One TV monitor in the preshow area is closed-captioned. Service animals aren't permitted onboard. This ride won't function on wet tracks, so don't head here after a downpour. Also note that the Single Rider queue has been eliminated here.

Kids love the bumper boats, nautical-theme miniature golf course, batting cages, carousel, go-kart track, and other carnival-like attractions, which all add up to great fun.

Based on the toys Andy got from the Pizza Planet claw machine in the first Toy Story movie, this ride puts you on a rocket being driven by aliens in flying saucers, who are trying to have their rocket chosen by The Claw. Rather than just spinning, the cars swirl about in figure-eight formations, sending passengers back and forth within the car. Kids love the unexpected twist, making this a must-do for kids as young as 4. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride.

In summer, beat the heat by slipping down the dual waterslide or breezing down the twisting Olympic-style bobsled course. The facility also has an 18-hole miniature golf course, a mountain coaster, and go-karts. The arcade and snack shack make this the type of place families can spend an entire day.  Winter highlights include inner tubing down the hill, which is lit up at night, and taking the Magic Carpet lift back up.

This gleaming superstructure of revolving planets has come to symbolize Tomorrowland as much as Dumbo represents Fantasyland. Passenger vehicles, on arms projecting from a central column, sail past whirling planets, and you control your car's altitude but not its velocity. The line is directly across from the entrance to the TTA PeopleMover. For people with disabilities: You must be able to walk several steps and transfer to the vehicle. The line moves slowly; skip this attraction on your first visit if time is limited.

Adjacent to the zoo parking lot and across from the carousel, a pint-size 48-passenger train runs a ½-mile loop for a four-minute ride through four tree-filled acres of the park. The engine of this rare 1948 model train is one of only 50 left in the world. Tickets are $4.50.

This coaster stars the Great Goofini, stunt master—a perfect fit for Fantasyland's Storybook Circus area. The twisting, turning roller coaster "flight" takes you high above the circus fun. It's perfect for young children's first thrill ride if they are 35 inches or taller. Circus props and theme posters tell Goofini's tale with references to some of the short films of Goofy's heyday. For people with disabilities: You must be able to walk a few steps from your wheelchair to board the ride. Service animals are not permitted.

Kids scramble up several steps tucked between faux-rock formations, where a lifeguard sits to supervise their slide into Blustery Bay. The incline is small, but the thrill is great for young kids, who whoosh into the bay (sometimes into the arms of waiting parents). These two scaled-down versions of the Storm Slides are geared to kids shorter than 60 inches.

Kids really burn up energy going up the steps and down the slides repeatedly. Parents should be prepared for their wanting to ride over and over again.

This go-kart race park features seven different tracks, including one indoor slick track. The 26-acre facility also has bumper cars, kids' rides, an arcade, and miniature golf.

Ordinary horse-centric merry-go-rounds seem so passé compared with the menagerie on this one: the cowfish from McElligot's Pool, the elephant birds from Horton Hatches the Egg, and the Birthday Katroo from Happy Birthday to You! It's an entire ark of imaginary and interactive animals—indeed, the animals' eyes blink, and their tails wag. It might be a cliché, but there's a good chance you'll feel like a kid again when you hop aboard one of these fantastic creatures. You'll love it. For people with disabilities: Modified mounts let guests using wheelchairs ride without having to transfer to a ride vehicle. Make this a special end to your day. Lines move pretty well, but if they're long enough to intimidate you, use Express Pass.

In 1995, after four years and more than 100,000 hours of volunteer work, this restored 1918 carousel took its first spin in downtown Caras Park. Kids hop in the saddles of hand-carved steeds and try to grab their very own brass ring. The carousel's horses and chariots are accompanied by tunes from the largest band organ in continuous use in the United States. The Dragon Hollow play area next to the carousel, refurbished and expanded in 2019, features a dragon, a castle, and many play structures accessible to children of all abilities.

No visit to Nederland is complete without a spin on the nonprofit Carousel of Happiness, a restored 1910 carousel featuring 57 hand-carved, hand-painted animals running around to the sounds of a 1913 Wurlitzer band organ. The complex includes a gift shop and a puppet theater.

This circular, 15-foot-wide, 3-foot-deep, 2,000-foot-long waterway is satisfyingly soothing. Just snag an inner tube and float placidly along a clear creek that winds through the park and around the Surf Pool and beaches. You'll pass through a rain forest that showers you with spray, slide through caves and grottoes, float beneath overhanging trees, and get drenched from the "broken pipes" at the Water Works. The current flows a gentle 2½ feet per second. Along the way are five landing areas. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to an inner tube.

A full circuit takes about 20 minutes, longer if you stop at one of the five lifeguard-manned launches.

Here, you encounter a crazy cat ready to wreak havoc while your mom is out. As you sit on a couch that spins, whirls, and rocks its way through the house, you'll roll past 18 scenes, 30 characters, and 130 effects that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You're never alone. The mischievous cat appears balanced on a ball; hoists china on his umbrella; introduces Thing 1 and his wild sibling, Thing 2; and flies kites in the house while the voice of reason, the fish in the teapot, sounds the warning about the impending return of the family matriarch. As the tension builds, so does the fun—and kids love pointing out scenes from the classic book. This isn't the right ride for anyone who's pregnant; prone to motion sickness; or suffers from heart, neck, or back problems. For people with disabilities: The ride accommodates guests using wheelchairs and is equipped for assisted-listening devices. Come early or late.

No subtropical skiing paradise would be complete without a chairlift, and this one is an attractive alternative to trekking to the top of Mt. Gushmore over and over again. The two-minute ascent is a great opportunity to scout out other slides and enjoy the "ski beach" scenery. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride seat and subsequent attractions. A companion will have to meet you with the wheelchair at the base of Mt. Gushmore. If the wait is too long or you have children under 32 inches tall, hiking up is good exercise.

Even if you've never seen the hit animated films, it doesn't take long to fall for Gru, the Scourge of Humanity, in this wild virtual-reality chase through the movie. Two extremely funny (and cute) preshow rooms—Gru's living room and laboratory—set the stage for the 3-D ride. With help from his adopted daughters Margo, Edith, and Agnes (and ever-so-anxious minions), Gru reviews everyone to make sure they're ready to become minions. Next, sporting your "minion goggles" (aka 3-D glasses) you are transformed into minions for the rollicking ride, which is filled with close calls and colorful characters as you pursue the ever-elusive prize: the girls' gift for their dad on the one-year anniversary of their adoption. To celebrate, the ride exits into a minion disco (of course).

This attraction is not recommended for expectant mothers or anyone with motion sickness or back, neck, or heart problems. For people with disabilities: Closed-captioned devices are available; those in wheelchairs may remain in them. Go for the stationary seats if you think you'll suffer from motion sickness.

Although the 200-foot towers look really scary, the ride itself is just kind of scary (but still pretty cool). Several sets of four chairs wrap around the tower, and you and three fellow guests are seated and strapped in just out of the sight of other riders before the disembodied voice of Dr. Doom tells you the contraption is designed to extract fear he'll collect to use and rule the world. Without warning, all the chairs are rocketed to the peak, which jump-starts a surge of adrenaline as it rises, falls, rises, and falls again in a very brief, but quite thrilling, experience.

Often it's easy enough to have a second go, as you can actually step off and get right back into line again. Guests who are pregnant or have heart, back, neck, or motion-sickness problems should sit this one out. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. The line moves fairly fast, though it's crowded early in the day; come late or use Express Pass.

In the 1960s, Dudley Do-Right was recognized as the well-intentioned (but considerably dim) Canadian Mountie who somehow managed to always save the damsel and always "get his man" (that is, foil the villain). But you don't need to be familiar with this character to enjoy this "waterlogged" attraction. The twisting, up-and-down flume ride through the Canadian Rockies begins with your mission to help Dudley rescue Nell, his belle, from the evil, conniving Snidely Whiplash. Tucked inside a hollow log, you'll drift gently down the stream before dropping through the rooftop of a ramshackle dynamite shack. After an explosive dive into a 400,000-gallon lagoon, you're not just damp—you're soaked.

If the weather is cold or you absolutely must stay dry, pick up a poncho at Gasoline Alley, opposite the ride entrance, and store other items in a locker. This isn't suitable for guests who are pregnant, experience motion sickness, or have heart, back, or neck problems. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. Come in late afternoon, when you're hot as can be, or at day's end, when you're ready to head back to your car or hotel.