79 Best Sights in USA

Bridging two vibrant neighborhoods—the Warehouse Arts District to the south and the Grand Central District to the north—Calusa Commons is home to three favorite local outfits. Pick up everything from the latest bestsellers to titles by Florida authors at the charming Tombolo Books. Or grab a cup of coffee from Black Crow Coffee Co. or a cold-pressed juice from Squeeze Juice Works next door. Special events are held throughout the year in the shared brick courtyard.

Located at Massachusetts Avenue (known by locals as "Mass Ave."), Prospect Street, and Western Avenue, Central Square has burger and beer joints, ethnic eats, music clubs, vintage record stores, and consignment shops. Cambridge's city government is here, and Ben Affleck and Matt Damon used to live here. The Central Square T stop is on the Red Line.

An affectionate play on the name of the nearby Murray Hill neighborhood to the north, Curry Hill is a roughly three-block area with a large concentration of Indian restaurants. There are dozens of eateries peppered (or is it spiced?) around Lexington Avenue between 26th and 28th Streets, with many regional cuisines represented, including a number of South Indian dosa spots. Check out Kalustyan's ( 123 Lexington Ave.), the long-standing Indian spice-and-grocery market, too.

Located just over the border from northwest Cambridge and easily accessible on the Red Line, this funky neighborhood near Tufts University is packed with great eateries, lively bars, and candlepin bowling. Harvard Square can sometimes feel a little tired after midnight, but there's still a lot of energy here late at night. At the Somerville Theatre ( 55 Davis Sq.), you can enjoy cheap first-run matinee movies ($10), excellent popcorn, and even beer and wine with your feature. The Davis Square T stop is on the Red Line.

Chicagoans flock to Devon Avenue to satisfy cravings for Indian, Pakistani, and other Middle Eastern flavors, from restaurants to grocery stores to clothing boutiques (if you need a nine-yard sari, this is the place). Though the many orthodox Jews and Russian immigrants who used to settle on Devon west of Talman have relocated to the northern suburbs, kosher grocers and bakeries are still dotted around the area. 

This open-air shopping mall with more than 125 stores and restaurants sits at the center of the Summerlin planned community, and, since it opened in 2014, has become the very heart of town. Locals are delighted to have name-brand stores such as lululemon and Sur la Table around the corner, and on-site restaurants are always packed. On Saturday, the mall hosts a farmers' market from 9 am to 2 pm; other events are scheduled throughout the year. The mall has its own movie theater with luxury seats and a full bar, and is a short walk from Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa. In spring 2019, Downtown Summerlin welcomed another tenant: the Las Vegas Ballpark, home to the Las Vegas Aviators, the AAA affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

This earthy outpost of edgy-cool shops, restaurants, bars, and concert venues started growing, beginning in 1996, thanks to a group of proprietors with dreams much bigger than their bank accounts. Spurning the high rents of fancier parts of town, they set up businesses in this then-blighted but beautiful ruin of a neighborhood 4 miles southeast of Downtown. Soon artists and others came to soak up the creative atmosphere. East Atlanta, which is centered at Flat Shoals and Glenwood Avenues, just southeast of Moreland Avenue at Interstate 20, has had its ups and downs but has experienced a resurgence. Many of the majestic homes have been renovated, and what remains untouched romanticizes the area's gritty appeal.

A roughly T-shaped dining and retail district that's less defined but no less popular and impressive than some of the East Side's other culinary and shopping hot spots (like the Alberta Arts District and Southeast Division Street), this diverse neighborhood comprises a slew of mostly food-related ventures along East Burnside Street from about 22nd to 28th Avenues. Then, where Burnside meets 28th Avenue, you'll find several blocks of first-rate eateries as well as a handful of boutiques in either direction, heading north up to about Glisan Street and south down to about Stark Street. The historic Laurelhurst Theater anchors the intersection of 28th and Burnside.

Once an industrial area, this walkable stretch of Fourth Street north of University Avenue has transformed into the busiest few blocks of refined shopping and eating in Berkeley. A perfect stop for lovers of design, curated taste experiences, artful living, and fashion, the vibrant district boasts more than 70 shops, specialty stores, cafés, and restaurants. Find inspiration at Builders Booksource and Stained Glass Garden or sip a perfect drip coffee at Artís, where you can watch small-batch coffee roasting in progress—one pound at a time.

Charlotte's popular old neighborhood began as a political subsection created for electoral purposes in the mid-1800s. The architecture and sensibility of this quiet, homespun neighborhood provide a glimpse of life in a less hectic time.

A formerly run-down industrial neighborhood near Santa Barbara's waterfront and train station, the Funk Zone has evolved into a hip hangout filled with wine-tasting rooms, arts-and-crafts studios, murals, breweries, the Cutler's Artisan Spirits distillery, restaurants, and small shops. It's fun to poke around the 3-square-block district.  Street parking is limited, so leave your car in a nearby city lot and cruise up and down the alleys on foot.

This small strip may as well be half a world away from the rest of the West Loop. Greek restaurants are the main draw here. Continue west on Madison, past the slew of new condo developments and vintage conversions in progress, and you'll come to one of Chicago's popular dining and nightlife destinations. On a stretch of Madison roughly between Sangamon and Elizabeth streets, you'll find boutiques, trendy bars and lounges, and popular restaurants. The National Hellenic Museum, at 333 South Halsted, explores the Greek immigrant experience and the influence of Greek culture.

To envision this neighborhood's Harlem Renaissance days, walk down tree-lined Convent Avenue and cross over to Hamilton Terrace to see a time capsule of elegant stone row houses in mint condition. One of the neighborhood's most beautiful blocks, it's popular with film and TV crews. The Hamilton Grange National Memorial, founding father Alexander Hamilton's Federal-style mansion, is located at the southern end of the block, on 141st Street. Turn west and continue down Convent Avenue to see the looming Gothic spires (1905) of City College. Next, head east to visit Strivers' Row.

Across Broadway from the University of Colorado campus is the Hill, a favorite student hangout. The neighborhood is home to restaurants, music venues, bars, coffeehouses, head shops, and boutiques.

This small settlement near the southern end of Sapelo Island is one of the few remaining Gullah/Geechee communities on the south Atlantic Coast. The Saltwater Geechee people, Georgia's sea-island equivalent to the Gullah of South Carolina, are descendants of slaves who worked the island's plantations during the 19th century. Hog Hammock's roughly 50 residents still maintain their distinct language and customs, which share many characteristics with their West African origins.

A half-mile west of U.S. 101, head south from Highway 246 on Industrial Way to explore a hip and happening collection of food and drink destinations. Top stops include Industrial Eats (a craft butcher shop and restaurant), Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, and the Buscador Winery tasting room.

At the intersection of Cambridge and Hampshire streets, Inman Square has a great cluster of restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops. This place is just plain cool. Sadly, there's no T service to Inman, but you can get here from Harvard Square or Central Square on foot.

The emergence of the offbeat Las Vegas Arts District (which comprises 18 blocks bounded by South 7th, Main, Bonneville, and Charleston Streets on Downtown's southeastern corner) continues to generate excitement in the city's arts community and, increasingly, among visitors. With a number of funky, independent art galleries in its confines, the area is a growing, thriving cultural hub—think of it as the Anti-Strip. In addition to the galleries—some of which contain impressive collections of locally known and world-famous artists—you'll find interesting eateries, craft cocktails galore, and dive bars to serve the alternative artists, musicians, and writers who have gravitated to the neighborhood. Each month the district hosts a First Friday gallery walk from 5 to 11 pm, with gallery openings, street performers, and entertainment. It's an excellent time to come check out the steadily improving scene for yourself.

Long known for its Teutonic heritage, Lincoln Square is home to two annual German gatherings—Maifest in late May and German-American Fest in September—both featuring plenty of beer, brats, pretzels, and folks clad in dirndl and lederhosen. Thursday evenings in summer bring free concerts and a farmers' market. Bars and restaurants line Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Lawrence; shopping is a draw, too. Many credit Lincoln Square's renaissance to the relocation of the Old Town School of Folk Music, which moved to a long-vacant art deco building at  4544 North Lincoln Avenue in 1998. Each July, it sponsors the Square Roots festival. But those longing for a taste of Lincoln Square's ethnic roots shouldn't entirely despair—spots like Himmel's and the Hansa Clipper are still heralding their heritage through lager and schnitzel. Also still here is the 1922 Krause Music Store building ( 4611 North Lincoln Avenue), with its ornate green terra-cotta facade; it was the last work commissioned by architect Louis Sullivan.

There's no doubt you can find Japanese restaurants and shops all over Manhattan, but the area roughly bounded by East 10th and St. Marks Place (aka East 8th Street), between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, is home to what might be the highest concentration of Japan-style goods and dining spots. You can shop for Japanese groceries, snacks, and prepared food at specialty store H Mart ( 39 3rd Ave.); stop in at tiny storefronts like Cha-An BONBON ( 238A E. 9th St.) for fancy Japanese desserts and teas; and dine at a variety of Japanese curry, ramen, soba, and sushi spots. There's even karaoke at Sing Sing ( 9 St. Marks Pl.).

Three blocks north of Pearl Street and west of Broadway, this neighborhood of turn-of-the-20th-century homes is shaded by old maple and cottonwood trees. It makes for a scenic walk near downtown but away from the busy mall.

The lumber yard, once a vital center of the region's logging industry, is now a vibrant micro-village of craftsfolk, food artisans, textile makers, and lifestyle designers, and their boutiques and restaurants. You'll even find a chocolate art studio where custom-designed chocolates and truffles may look almost too good to eat. The preserved brick-red historic structures are hard to miss along Miller Avenue, and with plenty of parking in the area, plus picnic tables and outdoor space, it's well worth a visit.

A newly built micro neighborhood within the greater Mission Bay neighborhood, this 28-acre waterfront development across McCovey Cove from Oracle Park is a public-private development between the Giants, the Port of San Francisco, and Tishman Speyer (a real-estate corporation). Its crowning glory, China Basin Park, was unveiled in 2024 and features a beach-like area with Adirondack chairs and a Willie McCovey statue, plus plenty of green space for dogs and humans to enjoy. The ballpark and skyline views throughout the park are sensational.

Further inland within the small set of high-rise buildings, the credit card company Visa now has its global headquarters. Several popular San Francisco restaurants, including Trick Dog, Flour + Water Pizzeria, and Che Fico, are expected to open-dining concepts in the "neighborhood" in 2025.

Anchoring downtown Eastport, the district extends from the former Customs House, a striking Italianate granite structure that's now the post office, down Water Street to Bank Square and the Romanesque Peavey Memorial Library, with a cannon on the lawn. The area was largely rebuilt in the late 19th century after a fire. A bench is beside an 1889 cast-iron water fountain in front of a former bank, now Tides Institute & Museum of Art.

Several architectural styles—including Victorian buildings—can be found in this tree-shaded 19th-century neighborhood that's a short walk from downtown. The flower gardens and seasonal decorations make it a lovely place for a stroll year-round. Children love the "Dinosaur House" at 504 Oakwood Avenue, especially around Halloween when the lawn and porch is crowded with scares. A map with a self-guided walking tour of the area, which encompasses 20 blocks bordered by Person, Edenton, Franklin, and Watauga–Linden Streets, is available online.

This residential area was developed by Addison Mizner starting in 1925 and is beautifully landscaped with palms and cycads. Its houses are mainly Mediterranean in style, many with balconies supported by exposed wooden columns. Explore by driving northward on Paloma Avenue (Northwest 8th Avenue) from Palmetto Park Road, then weave in and out of the side streets.

Old Town was known in the mid-1800s as the Cabbage Patch (for its German immigrant inhabitants’ proclivity for planting, well, you guessed it) and took turns in the 20th century as a stronghold for LGBTQ+ rights and an incubator for artists and comedians. Today the neighborhood feels more polished and less bohemian, but hints of the old world can still be found in the narrow cobbled alleys, the tolling bells of historic St. Michael’s church, and the barroom banter at mainstay Old Town Ale House. Head to Wells Street, the main drag, for independent shops and good bars and clubs (including the famed Second City).

This 22-block historic district contains a vibrant mix of restored 19th-century brick buildings interspersed with contemporary architecture. Chain stores have muscled in, but there are still some homegrown shops, plenty of tempting cafés and restaurants, and a bustling beer scene. In recent years, a vibrant Asian food scene has popped up in the vicinity as well. In the evening and on weekends, the streets are packed with people. Old Town's main action takes place on Colorado Boulevard between Pasadena Avenue and Arroyo Parkway.

Known as "the West's Most Western Town," this area has rustic storefronts and wooden sidewalks alongside some of the best dining and window-shopping in town. It can be exceptionally touristy in some areas, but it's also the closest you'll come to the "Old West" as it was 80 years ago. High-quality jewelry and Mexican imports are sold alongside kitschy souvenirs.

Palafox Street is the main stem of historic Downtown Pensacola and the center of the Palafox Historic District. The commercial and government hub of Old Pensacola is now an active cultural and entertainment district, where locally owned and operated bars and restaurants attract both locals and visitors. While in the area, stop by Veterans Memorial Park, just off Bayfront Parkway near 9th Avenue. The ¾-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the more than 58,000 Americans who lost their lives in the conflict.