77 Best Sights in USA

On the edge of the lagoon, directly opposite Disney's magnificent bit of colonial imagery, is this open-air, partially tree-shaded venue for concerts and shows. Most performances are hot tickets with themes tied to EPCOT events, such as Disney On Broadway during the International Festival of the Arts in the winter, Garden Rocks concerts with pop legends during the March through July EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, and Eat to the Beat concerts during the late July through mid-November EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. Check the festival schedules before your trip, and plan to visit EPCOT on an evening with a musical guest you'll enjoy.

This is also the setting for the annual yuletide Candlelight Processional—a not-to-be-missed event if you're visiting during the holidays. The Candlelight Dinner Package (available through Disney's dining reservations hotline) includes lunch or dinner in a select World Showcase restaurant and preferred seating for the moving performance. Roomy restrooms are behind the Kidcot Fun Stop. Arrive more than an hour ahead of time for holiday and celebrity performances, though the first show is always the least crowded.

The tricks (or, rather, "behaviors") that the arkful of live animal stars perform are mostly audience-participation segments, which makes this show entertaining for young and old alike. Birds, cats, pigs, parrots, otters, ducks, dogs, hawks, and a skunk have been trained to portray a range of thespian actions that are woven into a series of vignettes, from a clever parrot that has a knack for plucking cash from the outstretched hand of an audience member to a dog that is a convincing actor in a melodrama.

Although the line-up of animals and the scenes they perform might vary, the show's fast pacing and variety make it seem that you're watching several shows in one. Enjoy it! These are some of the cutest actors ever to hit the stage. For people with disabilities: The theater is equipped for assisted-listening devices and is wheelchair accessible. Some shows include a sign language interpreter. There's plenty of seating, but come early for a good spot.

The town may be three hours from the nearest commercial airport, but Ballroom Marfa is smack-dab in the middle of the world of contemporary art—visual arts, film, music, and performance. As the name implies, the gallery was converted from a 1927 former dance hall, and it has 4,500 square feet of indoor exhibition space and 6,000 square feet of courtyard. The intellectual impact generated from Ballroom events like Marfa Dialogues has garnered interest from institutions in major cities of the world. This is a heady place with a mission to provide a platform for expressions that may not find a home in more traditional gallery or museum settings.

As its name implies, little ones love singing along with beloved classics from Beauty and the Beast at this show, which plays in the same theater as Impressions de France. The traditional story has a twist, however. As Mrs. Potts narrates, you realize that LeFou, best known as Gaston's sidekick, was actually working behind the scenes to help Belle and the Beast fall in love. Although this 15-minute film is particularly good for younger kids, everyone will appreciate the chance to sit down and enjoy a cute storyline. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices.

This popular stage show takes place at the Theater of the Stars, a re-creation of the famed Hollywood Bowl. The actors playing a luminous Belle and delightfully vain Gaston sing passionately with a lively cast of characters and dancers. The enchanted prince (Beast) and household characters (Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumière, and Cogsworth) deftly navigate the stage despite their bulky costumes. Even some set pieces sway along during the charming "Be Our Guest" number. There's high drama during the mob scene and a sweet ending when ballroom dancers in frothy pink and purple waltz along with the fairy-tale couple.

As you arrive or depart, check out handprints and footprints set in concrete of the TV personalities who've visited Disney's Hollywood Studios. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair and ECV accessible and equipped for handheld-captioning, audio-description, and assisted-listening devices. Sign language twice a week. Arrive 30 minutes early on crowded days (which are rare) or if you want the "perfect" seat; otherwise show up 15 minutes before. Attend in the afternoon when you'll appreciate a chance to sit down.

While it may be a hard claim to qualify, this certainly appears to be the most exciting indoor stunt show in America. Following an eight-minute preshow that fills you in on the backstory (an assassin trained in a secret government program has gone off script and eluded his handlers), what ensues is an international chase that takes place with live actors and right before your eyes. Against a series of dazzling, always-in-motion film backdrops you follow Bourne around the world as he eludes his pursuers. From the Middle East to the middle of the desert to Washington, D.C., and other capitals, Bourne is running, racing cars, and riding motorcycles to stay alive. The wide-screen images, the rapid pace, and the constant adrenaline will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the solid 20-minute show.

This attraction uses 12 surrounding screens to give you a 360-degree view of Canada's majestic landscape. The narrators break the nation down province by province, sharing knowledge, along with the breathtaking views, about this distinguished country. There are a couple of downsides here: it's a standing-only theater, strollers aren't permitted, and toddlers and small children can't see unless they're held aloft. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair and ECV accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices.

When it opened in 1921, the grand and glitzy Chicago Theatre was tagged "the Wonder Theatre of the World." Its exterior features a shrunken version of the Arc de Triomphe, and its lobby is patterned after the Royal Chapel at Versailles with a staircase copied from the Paris Opera House. Murals decorate the auditorium walls and ceiling. The seven-story, 3,600-seat space has served as a venue for films and famed entertainers ranging from John Philip Sousa and Duke Ellington to Ellen DeGeneres and Beyoncé. Tours let you stand on the stage where they performed, go backstage, and peruse its autographed walls.

On Monroe, near State Street, the ornate CIBC Theatre (formerly the Bank of America Theatre and before that the LaSalle Bank Theatre and the Shubert Theatre) stages major Broadway plays and musicals. It was the tallest building in Chicago when it opened in 1906.

The handsome home of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet is grand indeed, with pink-and-gray Tennessee-marble floors, pillars with carved capitals, crystal chandeliers, and a sweeping staircase to the second floor. Designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, the second-largest opera house in North America combines lavish art deco details with art nouveau touches. Tours are given a few times a year.

The Grandview section of the park is home to an outdoor theater for seasonal productions put on by Theatre West Virginia. Founded in 1955, performances aim to share the culture of West Virginia, including such musical productions as Hatfields and McCoys and Honey in the Rock.

The cast of talented freaks and geeks who keep Coney Island's carnival tradition alive include sword swallowers, fire-eaters, knife throwers, and contortionists. Every postmodern show is an extravaganza of 10 different acts to fascinate and impress. Next door is The Coney Island Museum with a large collection of artifacts celebrating the history of this legendary amusement area. The vibe continues at the Freak Bar, offering beverages and pinball. Museum and bar open year-round.

Even timid youngsters love this stage show's wisecracking, cornpone, lovelorn Audio-Animatronics bears as they joke and sing. Check before visiting this attraction: although performances have featured country music and 1950s rock and roll, a new-in-2024 version will reportedly feature the bears belting out Disney showstoppers in a Nashville-style review. Regardless, the emcee, the massive but debonair Henry, will no doubt lead a stellar Grizzly Hall cast of characters like the robust Trixie; the harmonizing Bubbles, Bunny, and Beulah; and Big Al, the off-key cult figure who has inspired his own shopping kiosk.

For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; reflective captioning provided; equipped for assisted-listening devices. If you lip-read, ask to sit up front.  Visit during an afternoon parade or late in the day. Stand to the far left in the anteroom for the front rows and to the far right for the last row, where small kids can perch atop seats to see better.

This is one of Walt Disney World's best shows for tots and preschoolers. Throughout the show, kids are encouraged to sing and dance along with Doc McStuffins, Timon, and Vampirina as the characters cha-cha-cha their way through the fun. Special effects further inspire kids to participate. The entire event is capped off with Mickey appearing in his racing gear from Mickey and the Roadster Racers. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair and ECV accessible, equipped with preshow-area TV monitors with closed-captioning, and equipped for assisted-listening, audio-description, and video- and handheld-captioning devices. Come early, when your child is most alert and lines are shorter. Be prepared to sit on the carpet. Don't miss character meet and greets before or after the show.

More than just a prominent fixture on Hollywood Boulevard, the Dolby Theatre has a few accolades under its belt as well, most notably as home to the Academy Awards. The theater is a blend of the traditional and the modern, where an exquisite classical design inspired by the grand opera houses of Europe meets a state-of-the-art sound and technical system for an immersive, theatrical experience. Watch a concert or a show here to experience it fully, but before you do, take a tour for an informative, behind-the-scenes look and to step into the VIP lounge where celebrities rub elbows on the big night.

African American entrepreneur Charles H. Douglass built this theater in 1921. A host of great American musicians have performed here, among them Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and locals Little Richard and Otis Redding. It's currently a venue for movies, plays, and other performances. You can take a guided tour of the building for a small fee on Mondays or as available during the week. Call ahead for an appointment.

This flamboyant Tudor Gothic vaudeville house opened on May 28, 1926, with Edgar Bergen in attendance. Clark Gable (who lived in nearby Silverton) and Gregory Peck performed on stage. The theater was designed to look like a castle, with a false-stone front, chandeliers, ironwork, and stained-glass windows. It's now a lively performing arts center with a busy schedule of comedy and music bookings, and there are concerts on its Wurlitzer pipe organ.

Knowledgeable experts offer insight on some of the more exotic birds found around Animal Kingdom. Expect to see macaws, parrots, vultures, and, occasionally, an American bald eagle. This show is a great option for the afternoon, as it only fills up during the busiest of times. Those not wanting a bird flying over their heads should sit in the bleachers in the back. 

This playhouse in a converted barn—the official State Theatre of North Carolina—presents a nine-month calendar of Broadway musicals, plays, tribute concerts, and a holiday variety show.

Ever since the Disney film Frozen hit the jackpot, Disney's theme parks have been mining the blockbuster with character meet and greets, entertainment vignettes, a ride, and this show, which packs the house up to 10 times a day. The comical emcees are two costumed "Royal Historians" of Arendelle, who pepper their Frozen story narration with witticisms. Animated segments of the film accompany the narration on a giant screen, and live actors portray Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff convincingly as they interact with the historians and audience. Song lyrics are displayed on two additional video screens, and everyone sings along to the film's playlist, especially the Academy Award–winning "Let It Go" and the sweetly melodic "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?". For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible. A large theater makes this is a great option for the afternoon.

This 27,500-seat amphitheater has won accolades as best outdoor concert venue due to its fine acoustics and stunning vistas of the Columbia River—a setting comparable to the Grand Canyon's. Set in one of the sunniest parts of the state, the concert season runs from May to September. Concertgoers often overnight at the adjacent campground or at motels and hotels in Quincy, Soap Lake, Moses Lake, Ellensburg, and Wenatchee.

With the latest in Disney Audio-Animatronics (this attraction introduced the technology in 1971 and underwent a total high-tech transformation in 2017), this show, housed in a redbrick building inspired by Philadelphia's Independence Hall, tells a moving story of "The Idea of a President." Producers reshot the accompanying film in high-definition video and added more than 130 images culled from the National Archives, Library of Congress, and other collections. A digital soundtrack, LED lighting, and a dramatic narration further enhance the experience. The film covers more than two centuries of U.S. history and emphasizes what it means to lead the nation. Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln grab a bit of the spotlight, the latter by delivering his famous Gettysburg Address.

The best part of the show is a roll call of all 45 U.S. presidents. (Fun fact: Joe Biden is officially the 46th president because Grover Cleveland is counted twice due to his having served nonconsecutive terms.) The current president always recites the oath of office. Each chief executive responds with a nod or a wave, and both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln rise from their seats. The robots nod and whisper to each other as the roll call proceeds. Anyone interested in presidential artifacts will enjoy the wait in the lobby area, where First Ladies' dresses, presidential portraits, and even George Washington's dental instruments are on display. For people with disabilities: The attraction is wheelchair accessible; enter through a door on the right. Reflective captioning available; equipped for assisted-listening devices. Visit in the afternoon when a chance to rest will be welcomed.

Opened in 1922, this theater earned rave reviews for its neoclassical design, with Corinthian columns, marble statues, and plush carpeting and drapery. The so-called Pride of the Pacific was rescued from demolition in the early 1980s, underwent a massive renovation, and is now listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The 1,400-seat venue hosts concerts, theatrical productions, dance performances, and film screenings. Guided tours of the theater end with a miniconcert on the historical orchestral pipe organ and can be booked through the box office. If you're interested in the guided tours on Thursdays at 11 am, call a few days ahead to reserve.

This is the locus of Eugene's cultural life. Renowned for the quality of its acoustics, the center has two theaters that are home to Eugene's symphony and opera.

The intimate Palais du Cinema, inspired by the royal theater at Fontainebleau, screens this homage to the glories of the country. Shown on five screens spanning 200 degrees, in an air-conditioned, sit-down theater, the film takes you to vineyards at harvest time, Paris on Bastille Day, the Alps, Versailles, Normandy's Mont-Saint-Michel, and the stunning châteaux of the Loire Valley. The music sweeps you away with familiar segments from Offenbach, Debussy, and Saint-Saëns, all woven together by longtime Disney musician Buddy Baker. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices. The Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along has proved so popular, that Impressions de France is now only shown at select times. Check the My Disney Experience app.

An opulent "hasheesh-dream decor" of Buddhas and elephant-type chairs made the erstwhile Oriental Theatre a popular spot for viewing first-run movies starting in 1926. Though listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the building continued to crumble for some time after. In 1998 it was restored to its past splendor and since then has had a second life as a home to Broadway shows; it was rechristened for the late patriarch of the Nederlander family of theater producers in 2019.

The Victorian-style bandstand, built in the late 1890s, is Kapiolani Park's stage for community entertainment and concerts. Founded by King Kamehameha III in 1836, the Royal Hawaiian Band is the nation's only city-sponsored band and performs free concerts at the bandstand as well as at Iolani Palace and the center stage at Ala Moana Center. Visit the band's website for concert dates ( www.rhb-music.com), and check event-listing websites and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser—Oahu's local newspaper—for information on other coming bandstand attractions.

KEXP, Seattle’s beloved and fiercely eclectic indie radio station, broadcasts from a public gathering space at Seattle Center that doubles as one of the city’s coolest hangouts. The large, light-filled venue houses an outpost of local favorite Caffe Vita, a small record shop at one end, a stage at the other, and rotating music-themed art along the walls. Beyond the stage, visible through a glass panel, you can watch the on-air DJ spinning the tracks that fill the room.

Bands occasionally perform live on the main stage—usually around midday, always free—and more intimate shows take place in the interior studio, which fits about 70 people. Free tickets for those performances are handed out 90 minutes before airtime.

If your little ones have always wanted to race with Lightning McQueen, then speed on over to Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy. A very convincing Audio-Animatronic car teaches the audience some of his tricks using a simulated track. Of course, the no-good Chick Hicks tries to outrace you, so, with the help of a wraparound screen, you'll get to watch Lightning race his longtime nemesis. This is a show, so while the Lightning McQueen figure is amazing, you will be sitting on a bench the whole time. This is a great place to take little ones while older kids ride the Tower of Terror or the nearby Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

Pulitzer Prize–winner Paul Green's drama was written in 1937 to mark the 350th birthday of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World; in 2013 the show won a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. Except from 1942 to 1945 (when enemy German U-boats prowled the nearby Atlantic Ocean during World War II), it has played every summer since then in Fort Raleigh National Historic Site's Waterside Theatre, on the same grounds where the doomed English settlers tried to establish their new home. On a huge stage—larger than any on Broadway—and with a cast and crew of more than 130, the story of the first colonists, who settled here in 1587 and mysteriously vanished, is reenacted. Cast alumni include Andy Griffith and Lynn Redgrave.

Try to buy tickets at least a week in advance. Pre-show, hour-long backstage tours, dinner packages, and afternoon shows for children are available.