242 Best Sights in USA

Career diplomat Robert Woods Bliss and his wife, Mildred, bought the property in 1920 and tamed the sprawling grounds into 10 acres of splendid gardens designed by Beatrix Farrand. In 1940, the Blisses gave the estate to Harvard University as a study center, library, museum, and garden. The museum holds a small but world-renowned collection of Byzantine and pre-Columbian art, reflecting the enormous skill and creativity developed at roughly the same time in two very different parts of the world. The Byzantine collection includes beautiful examples of both religious and secular items executed in mosaic, metal, enamel, stone, textile, and ivory. Pre-Columbian works—artifacts and textiles from Mexico and Central and South America by peoples such as the Aztec, Maya, Inca, and Olmec—are arranged in an enclosed glass pavilion. Especially beautiful in the spring but worth visiting in any season, the gardens feature an orangery and a green terrace filled with iron furniture emblazoned with astrological motifs.

The largest bulb-production farm in Southern California has hillsides abloom here each spring, when thousands of Giant Tecolote ranunculus produce a stunning 55-acre display of color against the backdrop of the blue Pacific Ocean. Other knockouts include the rose gardens—with examples of every All-American Rose Selection award-winner since 1940—and a historical display of Paul Ecke poinsettias. Peak bloom season generally runs from early March through early May. Open to the public during this time, the farm offers family activities that include wagon rides, panning for gold, and a kids' playground.

Sicilian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere spent four decades (1906–46) carving out an odd, subterranean realm of rooms, tunnels, grottoes, alcoves, and arched passageways that once extended for more than 10 acres between Highway 99 and busy, mall-pocked Shaw Avenue. Though not an engineer, Forestiere called on his memories of the ancient Roman structures he saw as a youth and on techniques he learned digging subways in New York and Boston. Only a fraction of his prodigious output is on view, but you can tour his underground living quarters, including bedrooms (one with a fireplace), the kitchen, living room, and bath, as well as a fishpond and auto tunnel. Skylights allow exotic full-grown fruit trees to flourish more than 20 feet belowground.

Arthur Shurtleff, a noted landscape architect from Boston, designed this late-1920s estate garden in the Colonial Revival style. In a gracious seaside residential neighborhood a couple of miles south of Jenness Beach, this peaceful little botanical gem encompasses 1,700 rosebushes, hosta and Japanese gardens, and a tropical conservatory.

Just beyond mile marker 10, the Garden of Eden Arboretum offers interpretive trails through 26 manicured acres. Anyone with a green thumb will appreciate the care and attention given to the more than 500 varieties of tropical plants—many of them native. Trails also lead to views of the lovely Puohokamoa Falls and provide a glimpse into the botanical wonders that thrive in this lush region. Be sure to stop by the gift shop on the way out to shop for items made by local artisans and to hang out with the ducks and peacocks. Avoid lines and crowds by visiting when the garden first opens (around 8 am) or after 2 pm (closing time isn't until 4).

Escape winter's cold or revel in summer sunshine inside this huge "landscape art under glass" structure, which houses tropical palms, spiny cacti, and showy blooms. A children's garden has climbable leaf sculptures and a tube slide that winds through trees. The Sugar from the Sun exhibit focuses on the elements of photosynthesis—sunlight, air, water, and sugar—in a full-sensory environment filled with spewing steam, trickling water, and chirping sounds. Don't miss the historic Jens Jensen–designed Fern Room with its lagoon, waterfalls, and profusion of ferns. On-site events include botanical-themed fashion shows, seasonal flower shows, and great educational programing.

Just blocks from Downtown—on the former lakefront estate of a citrus entrepreneur—is this 50-acre garden. Among the highlights are a collection of historical blooms (many varieties of which were established before 1900), ancient oaks, a 50-foot floral clock, and one of the largest camellia collections in eastern North America (in bloom November–March). Mary Jane's Rose Garden, named after Leu's wife, is filled with more than 1,000 bushes; it's the largest formal rose garden south of Atlanta. The simple, 19th-century Leu House Museum, once the Leu home, preserves the furnishings and appointments of a well-to-do, turn-of-the-20th-century Florida family. A sound-and-light program is often presented in the evenings. Admission is free on the first Monday of the month.

Stunning coastline views appear around each curve of the 4-mile scenic jungle drive that accesses this privately owned nature preserve next to Onomea Bay. Paved pathways in the 17-acre botanical garden lead past ponds, waterfalls, and more than 2,000 species of plants and flowers, including palms, bromeliads, torch ginger, heliconia, orchids, and ornamentals. With its stunning boardwalk entry, the garden is well worth a stop, and your entry fee helps the nonprofit preserve plants, seeds, and rain forests. Trails can get slippery when it's raining.

These 100 beautifully landscaped acres overlooking the upper end of Shawme Pond are one of the region's top draws. Paths crisscross the grounds, which include gardens planted with hostas, heather, herbs, and fruit trees. Rhododendrons are in full glory mid-May–mid-June, and daylilies reach their peak mid-July–early August. In 1967, pharmaceuticals magnate Josiah K. Lilly III purchased the estate and turned it into a nonprofit museum. One highlight is the reproduction Shaker Round Barn, which showcases classic and historic cars—including a 1919 Pierce-Arrow, a 1915 Stutz Bearcat, a 1911 Stanley Steamer, and a 1930 yellow-and-green Duesenberg owned by movie star Gary Cooper. The art museum has an extraordinary collection of New England folk art, including paintings, weather vanes, Nantucket baskets, and scrimshaw. Both adults and children can enjoy riding on a Coney Island–style carousel dating to the early 20th century. Other features include Hidden Hollow, an outdoor activity center for families with children. An aerial adventure park offers 60 treetop platforms connected by bridges, ladders, and 7 ziplines, designed for children age 7 and up and adults.

A shuttle bus, equipped with a wheelchair lift and space to stow baby strollers, transports visitors on certain days.  The center of the complex is about ¾ mile on foot from the in-town end of Shawme Pond.

The name, which means "a peaceful refuge," describes the serenity and feeling of endless space you find in this verdant garden framed by the stunning Koolau Range. Its 400 acres contain specimens from such tropical areas as the Americas, Africa, Melanesia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Not just for the botanist, Hoomaluhia has a 32-acre lake, easy walking trails, and open lawns ideal for picnicking and camping by permit. Families can also take advantage of the park's catch-and-release tilapia fishing program; free bamboo fishing poles are sometimes available for borrowing at the visitor center. If you see unusually dressed-up visitors, they are likely selfie seekers doing it for the 'gram. Hoomaluhia is very photogenic; just make sure you're not blocking the roadways in search of the perfect shot.

Chattanooga is draped in a rich tapestry of arts and culture, perhaps most visible at this museum, housed in an architectural triptych comprising a 1905 Classical Revival mansion, a low-slung 1970s building, and a 2005 contemporary structure of steel and glass. From here, you can walk over a stunning lighted glass bridge to explore Bluff View Arts District, named for the 80-foot-high cliffs that plunge into the Tennessee River below. The area is popular for its collection of upscale galleries, boutiques, and creative restaurants with casual courtyards that are tucked among historic homes with luxurious landscaping. There's also the award-winning River Gallery Sculpture Garden, noted by the Smithsonian in its Archive of American Gardens.

If you have time for just one stop in the Pasadena area, be sure to see this sprawling estate built for railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington in the early 1900s. Henry and his wife, Arabella (who was also his aunt by marriage), voraciously collected rare books and manuscripts, botanical specimens, and 18th-century British art. The institution they established became one of the most extraordinary cultural complexes in the world.

The library, beloved of researchers worldwide, contains hundreds of thousands of books and 9 million manuscripts, including one of the world's biggest history of science collections and a vellum Gutenberg Bible that's on show to the public in an exhibition of the library's biggest draws.

Don't resist being lured outside into the 130-acre Botanical Gardens, which extend out from the main building. The 10-acre Desert Garden has one of the world's largest groups of mature cacti and other succulents (visit on a cool morning or late afternoon). The Shakespeare Garden, meanwhile, blooms with plants mentioned in Shakespeare's works. The Japanese Garden features an authentic ceremonial teahouse built in Kyoto in the 1960s, along with historic buildings to explore (including a residential compound from 1700, brought from Japan and reassembled on-site). A waterfall flows from the teahouse to the ponds below. The Chinese Garden, which is among the largest outside China, winds around waveless pools. The Bing Children's Garden lets tiny tots explore the ancient elements of water, fire, air, and earth. Several on-site dining options are available, including the Rose Garden Tea Room, where afternoon tea is served (reserve in advance), and the new Asian-inspired Jade Court Cafe. 

A 1¼-hour guided tour of the Botanical Gardens is led by docents at posted times, and a free brochure with a map and property highlights is available in the entrance pavilion. Tickets for a monthly free-admission day are snapped up within minutes online, so plan carefully.

These neighboring gardens sit just across the Park Boulevard pedestrian bridge and offer gorgeous views over Florida Canyon. The award-winning formal rose garden contains 1,600 roses representing nearly 130 varieties; peak bloom is usually in April and May but the garden remains beautiful and worthy of a visit year-round. The adjacent Desert Garden provides a striking contrast, with 2½ acres of succulents and desert plants seeming to blend into the landscape of the canyon below.

This glorious patch of greenery within Washington Park comprises three terraced gardens, set on 4½ acres, where more than 10,000 bushes and some 610 varieties of roses grow. The flowers, many of them new varieties, are at their peak in June, July, September, and October. From the gardens you can take in views of the Downtown skyline and, on clear days, the slopes of Mt. Hood. Summer concerts take place in the garden's amphitheater. It's a pretty but hilly 30- to 40-minute walk from Downtown, but it's also pretty easy to get here by bus.

A koi pond with a cascading waterfall, a cherry tree grove, and the serene Inamori tea pavilion are highlights of the park's authentic Japanese garden, designed to inspire contemplation and evoke tranquillity. You can wander the various peaceful paths spread over 12 acres and meditate in the traditional stone and Zen garden. The garden is generally open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, but check for early closures and note the final admission ends at 5 pm.

The former home of the statesman who served as private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Secretary of State to Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, built the 22-room Fells on Lake Sunapee as a summer home in 1890. House tours offer a glimpse of late Victorian life on a New Hampshire estate. The grounds, a gardener's delight, include a 100-foot-long perennial garden and a rock garden with a brook flowing through it. Miles of hiking trails can also be accessed from its 83½ acres.

Part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden network, Kahanu Garden features a variety of plants as well as cultural and archaeological sites. Standout features include a native plant garden, thatched-roof canoe hale, beautiful ocean views, and Piilanihale Heiau, the largest heiau (temple) in Polynesia. Two-hour guided tours are offered Wednesday through Friday mornings, but 1½-hour self-guided tours are an option, too.

In a twist on the Joni Mitchell song, the city of Portland and private donors took down a parking lot and unpaved paradise when they created this wonderland near the Pearl District and Old Town/Chinatown. It's the largest Suzhou-style garden outside China, with a large lake, bridged and covered walkways, koi- and water lily–filled ponds, rocks, bamboo, statues, waterfalls, and courtyards. A team of 60 artisans and designers from China literally left no stone unturned—500 tons of stone were brought here from Suzhou—in their efforts to give the windows, roof tiles, gateways (including a "moongate"), and other architectural aspects of the garden some specific meaning or purpose. Also on the premises are a gift shop and an enchanting two-story teahouse, operated by local Tao of Tea company, overlooking the lake and garden.

Narrow Limahuli Valley, with its fluted mountain peaks and ancient stone taro terraces, creates an unparalleled setting for this botanical garden and nature preserve, one of the most gorgeous spots on Kauai and the crown jewel of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Dedicated to protecting native plants and unusual varieties of taro, it represents the principles of conservation and stewardship held by its founder, Juliet Rice Wichman. Limahuli's primordial beauty and strong mana (spiritual power) eclipse the extensive botanical collection. Call ahead to check if guided tours are being offered, or tour on your own. A reservation is required to park here, though North Shore Shuttle riders are exempt. Check out the quality gift shop and revolutionary compost toilet, and be prepared to walk a somewhat steep hillside.

More preserve than traditional zoo, this park contains an impressive collection of plants and animals native to the Chihuahuan Desert. The Desert Arboretum has hundreds of exotic cacti and succulents, and the Living Desert Zoo is home to mountain lions, javelinas, deer, elk, bobcats, bison, and a black bear. Nocturnal exhibits let you view the area's nighttime wildlife, a walk-through aviary houses birds of prey, and there's a reptile exhibit. The park also sponsors some great educational events. Though there are shaded rest areas, restrooms, and water fountains, in summer it's more comfortable to visit in the morning before the desert oven heats up. The expansive view from here is the best in town.

Today it's a public garden with an international reputation for its immaculate, colorful gardens and conservatories full of plants from around the world, but the Longwood Gardens story began in 1906, when Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1945) bought part of a Quaker farm and turned it into his home and the ultimate early-20th-century estate garden, complete with magnificent fountains. Seasonal attractions on the nearly 400 acres of the 1,100-acre property open to the public include tulips and azaleas in spring; floral borders in summer; chrysanthemums in fall; and extremely popular decorated spaces and light displays in the winter holiday season. Late spring through fall, illuminated evening fountain shows (some with fireworks, requiring a separate ticket) in the 1,719-jet main fountain garden are a highlight. Bad weather is no problem, as cacti, orchids, and floral displays fill acres of heated conservatories. The outdoor Waterlily Court has undergone a major expansion (completed in 2025), and a new West Conservatory dedicated to Mediterranean-type landscapes, a Cascade Garden in a new glasshouse, and an outdoor Bonsai Courtyard opened in 2024. Besides children's gardens outside and in the conservatories, kids can explore three tree houses on the grounds. Concerts and other performances (some requiring separate tickets) take place year-round. There's a cafeteria, and the seasonal Beer Garden is a fun dining option. The elegant 1906 restaurant (reservations recommended) serves sophisticated modern American fare in a room that overlooks the main fountain garden.  A new Gardens by Day & Night Ticket (allowing one readmission certain summer days for an extra $6 per ticket) and a Two-Day Pass (10% discount off price of two tickets) are special ticket options with limited quantities available. 

The 37-acre estate—with gardens that are often ranked among the world's 10 best—once belonged to the Polish opera singer Ganna Walska, who purchased it in 1941 and lived here until her death in 1984. Many of the exotic trees and other subtropical flora were planted in 1882 by horticulturist R. Kinton Stevens. On the docent-led or self-guided tour—the only options for visiting unless you're a member (reserve well ahead as spots fill fast)—you'll see an outdoor theater, a topiary garden, a lotus pond, and a huge collection of rare cycads, an unusual plant genus that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the 18-acre plot is a tropical jungle garden—one of the most lush and serene around. This is the place to see spectacular water lilies, and the property's original 1932 Hall of Giants, a rustic wooden structure that has stained-glass and bronze bells, contains what is claimed to be the world's largest single-plank mahogany table at 35 feet long. There's a bamboo pavilion, a gift shop, and a café (open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday in season), which serves especially tasty snacks and sandwiches.

Something beautiful is always abloom in these marvelous gardens. Along 4 miles of trails, including pathways with ocean views and observation points for whale-watching, lie a profusion of flowers. The rhododendrons are at their peak from April through June; the dahlias begin their spectacular show in July and last through September. In winter, the heather and camellias add more than a splash of color. The main trails are wheelchair accessible.

The boonies west of Delray Beach seem an odd place to encounter one of the region's most important cultural centers, but this is exactly where you can find a 200-acre cultural and recreational facility heralding the Yamato Colony of Japanese farmers that settled here in the early 20th century. A permanent exhibit details their history, and all together the museum's collection has more than 7,000 artifacts and works of art on rotating display. Traditional tea ceremonies are conducted monthly from October to June, along with educational classes on topics like calligraphy and sushi making (these require advance registration and come with a fee). The six main gardens are inspired by famous historic periods in Japanese garden design and have South Florida accents (think tropical bonsai), and the on-site Cornell Café serves light Asian fare at affordable prices.

The Trustees of Reservations' 14-acre preserve is a serene, beautifully tended, Japanese-inspired garden with a creek-fed pool spanned by a bridge and rimmed with Japanese maples, azaleas, bamboo, and irises. A boardwalk runs through part of the grounds, where you might spot box turtles and hear the sounds of songbirds. There are few more enchanting spots on the island. Restrooms and fresh water are available. Note that admission paid at Mytoi, Cape Pogue, or Wasque provides visitor access to all three Chappaquiddick Island properties for the day.

Tucked away in Lawai Valley, this collection of gardens includes lands and a cottage once used by Hawaii's Queen Emma (1836–85) for a summer retreat. Trams depart frequently to transport people from the visitor center to the gardens. The rambling 252-acre McBryde Garden has exhibits and easy trails to help visitors learn about biodiversity and plants collected throughout the tropics, including a Canoe Garden that features plants introduced to Hawaii by early Polynesian voyagers.  The biodiversity path in McBryde is accessible for people with mobility issues. The 100-acre Allerton Garden, which can be visited only on a guided tour, artfully displays statues and water features originally developed as part of a private estate. A famous scene in Jurassic Park was filmed here.

Reservations and closed-toe shoes are required for all tours. The visitor center has a high-quality gift shop and grab-and-go refreshments. Besides propagating rare and endangered plants from Hawaii and elsewhere, NTBG functions as a scientific research and education center. The organization also operates gardens in Limahuli, on Kauai's North Shore; in Hana, on Maui's East Shore; and in Florida.

Part of the original Biltmore Estate, these 434 acres completed Frederick Law Olmsted's dream of creating a world-class arboretum in the western part of North Carolina. The arboretum is affiliated with the University of North Carolina and is part of Pisgah National Forest. Highlights include southern flora in stunning settings, such as the Blue Ridge Quilt Garden, with plants arranged in patterns reminiscent of Appalachian quilts. A 10-mile network of trails is great for hiking or mountain biking. The 16,000-square-foot Baker Exhibit Center hosts traveling shows on art, science, and history. Dogs are welcome on the grounds but must be leashed.

Part of the University of North Carolina, this tribute to native plants includes wildflowers, shrubs, trees, ferns, and grasses of the Southeast. Other highlights include nature trails that wind through a 300-acre Piedmont forest, a green education center, and an impressive collection of herbs and carnivorous plants.