311 Best Sights in USA

For some of Boulder's prettiest views, follow Baseline Road west from Broadway to Chautauqua Park, nestled at the base of the Flatirons. Grab a picnic or ice cream cone at the General Store and relax on the lawn, or use the park as a launching point to 40 miles of hiking trails. Historic Chautauqua is also home to a tasty restaurant, the historic Chautauqua Dining Hall, open year-round for brunch and dinner. Or attend a lecture, silent film, or concert at the auditorium, which hosts the Colorado Music Festival and internationally renowned concerts every year. For a bird's-eye view of Boulder, keep going west on Baseline (which turns into Flagstaff Road) 1 mile to Panorama Point, and then 3½ miles to Realization Point.

The best way to explore the mountains of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is by horseback, and Cowboy Trail Rides has it covered. The outfitter runs scenic  trips including the Sunset Trail Ride and Western BBQ (1 hour 45 minutes; dinner included) and the Canyon Rim Ride (2 hours). Beautiful views of the Strip give way to desert wilderness. Keep your eyes peeled for jackrabbits, Joshua trees, and other notable desert life. The view of the Strip isn't too shabby either.

Watch a slice of Old Havana come to life in Miami's Little Havana. At Domino Park, officially known as Máximo Gómez Park, guayabera-clad seniors bask in the sun and play dominoes while onlookers share neighborhood gossip and political opinions.  There is a little office at the park with a window where you can get information on Little Havana; the office also stores the dominoes for the older gents who play regularly, but it's BYOD (bring your own dominoes) for everyone else.

Anchoring 25-acre Railroad Bridge Park, a beautifully serene Audubon Society preserve bisected by the Dungeness River, this stunning nature center reopened in 2022 following a dramatic expansion and redesign that features informative natural history exhibits as well as a bookstore, a coffee bar, and a pavilion and rain garden. The center is adjacent to a lacy, 730-foot-long ironwork bridge that was once part of the coastal rail line between Port Angeles and Port Townsend and is now a popular multiuse path for hiking and biking. On warm days, the grounds are lovely for picnicking, and you can watch live performances in the amphitheater. There are free guided bird walks and other nature programs year-round.

The six large public parks known as Boston's Emerald Necklace stretch 7 miles from the Back Bay Fens to Franklin Park in Dorchester, and include Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond, Olmsted Park, and the Riverway. The linear parks, designed by master landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted more than 100 years ago, remain a well-groomed urban masterpiece.

Officially opened in 1876, one of the country's largest urban parks (1,293 acres) outsizes even Central Park in New York City and is more than just a haven for paddleboaters, bikers, runners, and other sports enthusiasts. Many of its more than 15 million annual visitors come to experience the myriad attractions within its boundaries, including the St. Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, and Saint Louis Science Center; the Missouri History Museum; and The Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor theater. The neighborhoods bordering this park include Clayton, the Central West End, Hi-Pointe, and Forest Park South East.

One of the nation's largest urban wildernesses (5,200 acres), this city-owned, car-free park supports more than 50 species of birds and mammals and more than 80 miles of trails through forests of Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar. Running the length of the park is the 30-mile Wildwood Trail, which extends into adjoining Washington Park (and is a handy point for accessing Forest Park), starting at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Hoyt Arboretum. You can access a number of spur trails from the Wildwood Trail, including the 11-mile Leif Erikson Drive, which picks up from the end of N.W. Thurman Street and is a popular route for jogging and mountain biking.

Come to Fort Tryon Park to visit the Met Museum's medieval branch, the Cloisters, and stay for the glorious Hudson River views, the gorgeous landscaped gardens, the 8 miles of winding pathways, and the Revolutionary War history. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan (hence "the Heights,") the 67-acre oasis was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and gifted to New York City in 1935 by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and today its more than 650 varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs are the gifts that keep on giving with every season. During the Revolutionary War, the area was part of the Battle of Fort Washington, a seminal Continental army defeat in the American Revolution. While the Continental Army ultimately prevailed, the site originally named for the last British governor of colonial New York, William Tryon, continued to be referred to as Fort Tryon. Look for the monument to Margaret Corbin, a woman who took up her husband's canon when he was shot and killed during battle: “On this hilltop stood Fort Tryon, the northern outwork of Fort Washington, its gallant defense against the Hessian troops by the Maryland and Virginia regiment 16-November-1776 was shared by Margaret Corbin, the first American woman to take a soldier’s part in the war for liberty.” Other highlights include the Billings Arcade, the remains of a stunning arched entrance to a grand mansion (you've likely seen this on Instagram), and the Heather Garden, where locals welcome spring with parading bagpipes and heather shearings. Don't miss the gatehouse on your way into the park with the apt sign "NYC's coolest office."

Amenities at this gem of a public park include a palm-shaded beach, pool, marina, skate park, tennis, and places to rent a boat or learn to sail. If you're staying in Islamorada, admission is free; otherwise, it costs $8 (cash only) to enter.

This 5-acre park near the mouth of Ogden Canyon is the stomping ground for about 100 life-size dinosaur models and the delighted children who come to see them. A playground with dinosaurs to crawl on appeals to younger kids, and adults can brush up on their geology and paleontology inside two natural history museums. You can watch technicians working with excavated dinosaur bones in the paleontology lab. A particularly good gift shop brims with dinosaur toys and souvenirs.

One of the country’s largest municipal parks, the 4,210-acre Griffith Park is a must for nature lovers, the perfect spot for respite from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. Plants and animals native to Southern California can be found within the park’s borders, including deer and coyotes. Bronson Canyon (where the Batcave from the 1960s Batman TV series is located) and Crystal Springs are favorite picnic spots.

The park is named after Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, a mining tycoon who donated 3,000 acres to the city in 1896. As you might expect, the park has been used as a film and television location for at least a century. Here you’ll find the Griffith Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Greek Theater, two golf courses, hiking and bridle trails, a swimming pool, a merry-go-round, and an outdoor train museum.

The jewel of Charleston’s park system, Hampton Park is equally beloved by recreational runners, picnickers, bird-watchers, history buffs, and flower lovers. The 60-acre park, centered on a fetching lagoon, is encircled by a tree-lined road that follows the path of the Washington Race Course, a horse-racing capital in the 1800s.

Located within the Sea Pines Resort, Harbour Town is a charming area centered on a lighthouse and marina that's filled with interesting shops and restaurants. White gravel paths and rows of red rocking chairs add to its small-town feel, and families are attracted to the large playground and live entertainment underneath the centuries-old Liberty Oak during the summer. Stroll down the pier for excellent views of Daufuskie Island or catch one of the many vessels docked there and set sail for adventure. Rising above it all is the landmark candy-cane-stripe Harbour Town Lighthouse, which visitors can climb to enjoy a view of Calibogue Sound. (It was built in 1970 as an attraction and beacon for mariners heading to the harbor.) Summer nights are particularly lovely here, with a breeze coming off the water and music in the air; soak in the atmosphere with a drink at one of the welcoming outdoor bars and seating areas.

Located off Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, Waterfront Park represents the heart of this charming coastal town. It's a great place to stroll along the river walk and enjoy the hanging bench swings. Parents enjoy the spacious park where kids can run in the grass or play on the enclosed playground with views of the Richard V. Woods swing bridge that crosses the Beaufort River. Trendy restaurants and bars overlook these seven beautifully landscaped acres that also feature a pavilion, stage, and historical markers and lead into the marina.

The quiet green spaces of New York City are treasured by locals, and one of the best is Hudson River Park, a 5-mile path from Battery Place to 59th Street. This riverside stretch, incorporating the piers that jut out into the Hudson, has been renovated into a landscaped park with walking and cycling paths, a seasonal minigolf course, dog runs, and skate parks. The TriBeCa portion consists of Piers 25 and 26, and has picnic spaces, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and an educational river-ecology area. The areas adjacent to the West Village (Piers 45 and 46) and near Chelsea (Piers 63 and 64) are equally attractive, with lots of spots for leisure and recreation. To the north, beginning at 72nd Street, is Riverside Park.

This 450-acre, oceanfront city park and campground just north of Atlantic Beach is beloved by surfers, swimmers, campers, hikers, and especially cyclists, who regularly hit the many off-road trails that range from novice level right up to those named Grunt and Misery. You can rent canoes, kayaks, or paddleboats to go out on the 60-acre freshwater lake. The Kids Splash Park is open April through October, and younger kids delight in the lakefront playground. There are restrooms, picnic areas, and grills throughout, and, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, lifeguards supervise all water activities. Camping is available for tents and RVs, and there are cabins to rent. The popular Dolphin Plaza offers a unique venue for weddings and other special events.

Tour the International Museum of the Horse, run in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to viewing the many exhibits on the ancient relationship between people and horses, you'll also be able to get close to real horses. There's a Parade of Breeds, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a 45-minute trail ride around the park—suitable even for those who've never ridden before. The park also houses the American Saddlebred Museum (that's the breed used for dressage). Tours of nearby horse farms are available for an extra fee.

Ringed by modern high-rises, this peaceful, beautifully landscaped, 43-acre park is the verdant heart of Downtown. Its mile-long walking path attracts families, health enthusiasts out for a run, and culture mavens exploring area offerings; its well-lighted playground is alive with children; and ducks, geese, swans, and native Florida birds like cormorants call its lake home. A popular farmers' market takes up residence on Sunday; the lakeside Walt Disney Amphitheater is a dramatic site for concerts, festivals, and July 4 fireworks; and a landmark fountain sometimes features LED-and-music shows.

Don't resist the park's biggest draw: a ride in a swan-shape paddleboat that can comfortably accommodate up to five people (children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult). The Relax Grill, by the swan-boat launch, is a great place for lunch, and the park is surrounded by a variety of restaurants and lounges in both Downtown and Thornton Park.

Stop, rest awhile, and have some fun. That's the purpose of The Lawn on D, a free-to-all open green space that features a plethora of games like bocce, corn hole, Ping-Pong, and pickleball, and chairs for lounging. In warmer weather, you can often catch a live concert or film screening here, or a public art installation. A concession stand makes sure visitors are well fed. The only catch? You can't bring Fido.

Salt Lake's oldest (and second-largest) park contains a wealth of intriguing amenities, including the Tracy Aviary, the Chase Home Museum, several playgrounds, a large pond, a swimming pool, and volleyball and tennis courts, on its eight square city blocks, which total about 80 acres. Weekly farmers' markets on Friday nights and the city's biggest Pioneer Day celebration (July 24) mark a busy summer schedule annually. Within walking distance of a number of inviting neighborhood restaurants, it's also a nice place for a stroll before or after brunch or dinner.

The Allen Elizabethan Theatre overlooks this park, a wooded nearly 100-acre jewel founded in 1916 that serves as Ashland's physical and spiritual anchor. The park is named for the town's mineral springs, which supply water fountains by the band shell and on the town plaza—be warned that the slightly bubbly water has a strong and rather disagreeable taste. From morning through evening, picnickers, joggers, dog walkers, and visitors congregate in the park's most popular areas, which include dozens of paved and unpaved trails, two duck ponds, a rose garden, a Japanese garden, and ice-skating rink, and a reservoir with a beach and swimming. A great way to get a sense of Lithia Park's vastness, and just how much wilderness there is in the northern section, is to make the 3-mile loop drive around its border. On weekends from mid-March through October, the park hosts a lively artisans' market, and free concerts take place Thursday evenings in summer.

Much like the High Line when it opened, Little Island was an instant hit with locals and visitors when the gates to this man-made isle in the middle of the Hudson River first swung open in May 2021. The 2.4-acre park is elevated on 132 tulip-looking concrete stilts and connected to Manhattan by two footbridges. Funded mostly by Barry Diller and Diane von Fürstenberg, the island park and its rolling stair-clad hills make for a fun wander. It also provides stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. There's a small outdoor food court and an ambient amphitheater for free concerts.

A pleasant place to stroll in summer, this 90-acre park has a formal Renaissance-style garden, Japanese garden, duck pond, rose and perennial gardens, and a conservatory. In December the park hosts a festive and free holiday lights event over 10 nights, with a drive-thru option the first four nights. The half-mile trail is lit up with more than five million lights in animated and whimsical displays. The park's café is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Snowy winters find the park's hills full of sledders and its frozen pond packed with skaters.

It's not just famous for the Marymoor Velodrome, the Pacific Northwest's sole cycling arena. This 640-acre park also has a 35-foot-high climbing rock, game fields, tennis courts, a model airplane launching area, a huge off-leash dog park, and the Pea Patch community garden. You can row on Lake Sammamish or head straight to the picnic grounds or to the Willowmoor Farm, an estate inside the park. Evenings bring concerts by top bands ( www.marymoorlive.com), outdoor movies in the summer ( www.moviesatmarymoor.com), and Cirque du Soleil shows every two years.

Marymoor has some of the best bird-watching in this largely urban area. It's possible to spot some 30 resident species, including great blue herons, belted kingfishers, buffleheads, short-eared and barn owls, and red-tailed hawks. Occasionally, bald eagles soar past the lakefront. The Sammamish River, which flows through the western section of the park, is an important salmon spawning stream.

Ambitious bikers can follow the Burke-Gilman Sammamish River Trail to access the park; Marymoor is just over 20 miles from Seattle, and it's a flat ride most of the way.

San Diego's monument to sports and fitness, this 4,235-acre aquatic park has 27 miles of shoreline including 19 miles of sandy beaches. Playgrounds and picnic areas abound on the beaches and low, grassy hills. On weekday evenings, joggers, bikers, and skaters take over. In the daytime, swimmers, water-skiers, paddleboarders, anglers, and boaters—some in single-person kayaks, others in crowded powerboats—vie for space in the water.

Sprawling beneath the Ravenel Bridge, this beautifully landscaped green space invites lounging on the grass with views of Charleston Harbor. You can also take a path up to the bridge for a stroll. Find helpful info in the visitor center, chat with Gullah artists selling traditional baskets in the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion, and spend a quiet moment listening to the waterfall fountain in the Mount Pleasant War Memorial. Kids love the playground modeled after the Ravenel Bridge, and parents appreciate that it's fenced, with benches galore. A 1,250-foot-long pier stretches into the water—grab a milkshake from the River Watch Cafe and a seat on one of the double-sided swings to watch folks fishing for their supper. Better yet, rent a rod and bait from the pier's tackle shop and cast for your own.

A playground on top of a volcano cinder cone? Yup, that's here. The cinders, or glassy rock fragments, unearthed in this 190-acre park's construction were used to surface the respite's roads; the ones leading to the very top are closed to cars, but popular with cyclists. They're also popular with cruisers—each August there's an old-fashioned soapbox derby. Picnic tables and tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts make Mt. Tabor Park a popular spot for outdoor recreation, but plenty of quiet, shaded trails and wide-open grassy lawns with panoramic views of the Downtown skyline appeal to sunbathers, hikers, and nature lovers. The whole park is closed to cars on Wednesday.

The acres taken up by the mega-resorts mean that open space is a premium on the Strip, which makes The Park a refreshing departure. Roughly situated between New York–New York and Park MGM, it reaches from the Strip itself west to T-Mobile Arena, home to the city's first professional sports franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. Along the way, The Park offers natural touches such as desert vegetation and rock from local quarries. It also has features such as a water wall, shade structures made to look like trees, and a 40-foot-tall statue of a dancing naked woman named "Bliss Dance." Restaurants offer outdoor seating and games for patrons to play while they relax.