10405 Best Sights in USA

This spot marks the site where French soldiers and Jesuits put ashore and built a fort, creating Vermont's first European settlement in 1666. Vermont's first Roman Catholic Mass was celebrated here on July 26 of that year.

Founded in 1893, the Alligator Farm is one of Florida's oldest (and, at times, smelliest) zoological attractions and is credited with popularizing the alligator in the national consciousness and helping to fashion an image for the state. In addition to oddities like Maximo, a 15-foot, 1,250-pound saltwater crocodile, and a collection of rare albino alligators, the park is also home to Land of Crocodiles, the only place in the world to see 24 species of living crocodilians.

Traversing the treetops in Crocodile Crossing is an inventive, ambitious, and expensive course with more than 50 rope and other challenges and 17 zip lines. In many places, a thin cable is all that keeps you from becoming croc cuisine. The shorter Sepik River course (nine zip lines) is cheaper. Reptiles are the main attraction, but there's also a wading-bird rookery, an exotic-birds and mammals exhibit, a python cave, and nature trails. Educational presentations are held throughout the day, and kids love the wild-animal shows.

Just south of Anastasia State Park, this beach has a livelier setting, thanks to the restaurants, bars, and shops along Beachfront Avenue and the 4-acre St. Johns County Ocean Pier Park. The park offers a playground, small splash park, sand volleyball courts, a covered pavilion, and a Wednesday-morning farmers' market. From May to September, Music by the Sea concerts are offered for free. Speaking of free, the beach doesn't charge a fee, but the popular fishing pier does ($6 fishing pass, $2 pier pass for spectators). In addition, there are some areas designated for driving on the beach. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Although the imposing white-and-beige, late-19th-century, Spanish-style building was modeled after the Cathedral of Queretaro in Mexico, a number of its details reflect the desert setting. For instance, above the entryway, next to a bronze statue of St. Augustine, are carvings of local desert scenes with saguaro cacti, yucca, and prickly pears—look closely and you'll find the horned toad. Compared with the magnificent facade, the modernized interior is a bit disappointing. For a distinctly Southwestern experience, attend the mariachi mass celebrated Sunday at 8 am.

Ursuline nuns donated the land for this church in 1841 and upon its completion in 1842, St. Augustine's became an integrated place of worship; the enslaved people were relegated to the side pews, but free blacks claimed just as much right to enter pews as whites did. The architect, J.N.B. de Pouilly, attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was known for his idiosyncratic style, which borrowed freely from a variety of traditions and resisted classification. Some of the ornamentation in his original drawings was eliminated when money ran out, but effusive pink-and-gold paint inside brightens the austere structure. The church grounds now also house the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, a monument dedicated in 2004 to the slaves buried in unmarked graves in the church grounds and surrounding areas. Following Hurricane Katrina, the Archdiocese of New Orleans planned to close seven churches in the city, including St. Augustine. Public outcry, the church's historical significance, and parishioners' dedication saved the parish, and its 10 am Sunday gospel-jazz services continue although fundraising efforts are still needed to mend the serious wear on the building. Tours are available by appointment. The cross made of chains outside the church is the The Tomb of the Unknown Slave, dedicated to the "nameless, faceless, turfless Africans who met an untimely death in Faubourg Tremé.

The first commercial block ice in Florida was made in this building over 100 years ago. Today, the structure has been transformed into a craft distillery that makes small batches of bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka using locally sourced ingredients. A self-guided tour takes you through the distilling process and provides insight on the operation's partnerships with small area farms. Samples during the tour include cocktails such as the Florida Mule and New World Gin and Tonic. A gift shop sells bottles of spirits, as well as bar gadgets and accessories.

It's unusual to find a lighthouse tucked into a residential neighborhood. This 1874 version replaced an earlier one built when the city was founded in 1565. Although its beacon no longer guides ships, it does draw thousands of visitors each year, in part because it has a reputation for being haunted.

The visitor center has a museum featuring an exhibit called Wrecked, which displays artifacts from an 1872 British loyalist shipwreck discovered off the shores of St. Augustine. You can also see exhibits on the U.S. Coast Guard, historic boatbuilding, maritime archaeology, and the life of a lighthouse keeper—whose work involved far more than light housekeeping.

You have to climb 219 steps to reach the top, 140 feet up, but the wonderful view and fresh ocean breeze are well worth it. Children must be at least 44 inches tall to make the ascent. The museum also conducts evening Dark of the Moon Paranormal tours ($25) and one-hour Lighthouse Keeper's tours ($19.95) for a history lesson and behind-the-scenes look at the keeper's role.

Inside this small museum established by entrepreneur and motivational speaker Pat Croce is a collection of more than 800 pirate artifacts, including one of only two Jolly Rogers (skull-and-crossbone flags) known to have actually flown above a ship. Exhibits include a mock-up of a tavern, a captain's quarters, and a ship's deck.

You'll learn about the lives of everyday and famous pirates, their navigation techniques, their weaponry, and the concoctions they drank (including something called Kill Devil, which is rum mixed with gunpowder). You'll get to touch an actual treasure chest; see piles of gold, jade, emeralds, and pearls; and leave knowing full well that there were pirates before Captain Jack Sparrow.

This gorgeous Greek Revival building, erected in 1910, has an equally lavish interior. It was originally the Anshe Sholom Synagogue.

Between 1899 and 1902, Belgian-born priest and self-taught artist Father John Velge painted the walls, columns, and ceiling of this Roman Catholic church with religious scenes in the colorful style of Christian folk art found throughout the South Pacific. The tiny chapel evokes the European Gothic cathedral tradition and is listed on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. It's closed to tours Saturday through Monday, but masses held these days welcome all; call to check times.

This domed neoclassical church dominates the southwest side of Spring Lake. Inside look for the gilded vaults and the intricately painted rotunda depicting religious figures.

Winemaker Elaine St. Clair and wine-business executive Laina Brown founded this "urban winery" and nanobrewery a few blocks north of downtown. Most tastings unfold across the street from the dual production facility in a colorful culinary garden. St. Clair produces crisp yet complex whites and balanced layered reds, among them Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Making beer wasn't an afterthought for St. Clair, the first woman in the United States to earn a degree in both wine making and brewing. A few of her award-winning beers are always on tap. You can sample them, the wines, or zero-proof cocktails solo or with addictive appetizers.

The Bywater neighborhood is home to dozens of alternative art spaces, many of which have banded together under the loose umbrella of the St. Claude Arts District (SCAD). From old candle factories to people's living rooms, this burgeoning scene—centered around St. Claude Avenue and nearby streets—produces some of the most intriguing and innovative work in the city, with several major artists and arts organizations. In addition to galleries, several independent theater spaces have sprung up as well, offering venues for live performances, magic and burlesque shows, fringe theater, and more. There is also a monthly art market and occasional gallery crawls. Check the website for an updated events calendar.

If you want to see an authentic ghost town, head 15 miles west on County Road 162. Once the supply center for the Mary Murphy Mine and dozens of smaller mines, St. Elmo is the best-preserved ghost town in Colorado. It doesn't take long to walk along the main street and peer into some of the rickety old buildings. There is a B&B, as well as a general store that's open in the summer. Be aware that this area is very busy with ATVs in summer.

Nestled at the foot of Mt. Hood, St. Francis has earned national acclaim for its pairings of wines and small bites. With its bell tower, red-tile roof, and views of the Mayacamas Mountains to the east, the winery's California Mission–style visitor center occupies one of Sonoma County's most scenic locations. The charm of the surroundings is matched by the wines, among them Cabernet Sauvignons and rich earthy Zinfandels. The five-course pairings might include Chardonnay with lobster bisque or Cabernet Sauvignon with wine-braised beef ribs.

The downtown centerpiece of St. George's growing art scene occupies an attractively reimagined former sugar-beet warehouse. The permanent collection celebrates the works of mostly regionally based potters, photographers, and painters, many of them depicting the region's spectacular landscapes. Rotating exhibits highlight local history and lore and showcase emerging contemporary talents. There's also a Family Discovery Center, with materials for kids to create their own works.

Next to Town Square Park and the downtown library and set inside a former school building with a striking red-stone exterior, this well-designed museum contains two floors of touch-friendly exhibits, including an earthquake-simulation table, a science discovery lab, a transportation center with planes and an auto shop, and a miniature version of St. George's red-rock–framed Tuacahn Amphitheatre.

Unearthed in 2000 by property developers, this site preserves and exhibits ancient footprints left by dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period millions of years ago. A modern museum displays dinosaur fossils and replicas and presents several short informative videos about the Jurassic era. There's an interactive area for children and a Dino Park outside the museum with shaded picnic tables and a "Walk Through Time" exhibit.

St. George Island is home to more than 100 people and sustains an array of bird and animal life, including fur seals and millions of seabirds. The volcanic landscape features steep cliffs that rise over 1,000 feet above the shoreline. Rarely visited, the island offers bird and animal watchers a remarkable experience. The weather and limited transportation mean flexibility and planning are essential. Saint George the Great Martyr Russian Orthodox Church was built in 1935 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

This is one of the best-preserved pioneer buildings in the entire state, and it's still used for public meetings and community events. Mormon settlers began work on the tabernacle just a few months after the city of St. George was established in 1863. Upon completion of the sandstone building's 140-foot clock tower 13 years later, Brigham Young formally dedicated the site. Visits are by guided tour.

The red-sandstone temple, plastered over with white stucco, was completed in 1877 and was the first Mormon temple in southwest Utah. It has served as a meeting place for both Mormons and other congregations over the decades. Today, only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can enter the temple, but a visitor center next door offers guided tours of the visitor center and grounds. The temple reopened in late 2023 after being closed for several years of renovations that have made it more accessible and energy-efficient and restored the exterior and interior to better replicate the original temple.

Built in 1758, this beautiful church—one of the most beautiful in Maryland—is all that survives of a prerevolutionary plantation. In addition to stunning stained-glass windows, parishioners have adorned each kneeler with scenes from Maryland culture. The adjacent graveyard, one of the oldest in the United States, is a history in stone of the families of the church and the region. Several veterans of the Revolution are buried here, alongside Jesuit priests who served here. A stop here is well worth a detour. To see inside the church, ask for the key at the sentry box of the naval installation next door.

The St. Ignatius Mission—a church, a museum, and collection of other buildings—was built in the 1890s with bricks made of local clay by missionaries and Native Americans. The 61 murals on the walls and ceilings of the church were used to teach Bible stories to the Indians. In the St. Ignatius Mission Museum (an old log cabin) there's an exhibit of early artifacts and arts and crafts. The mission is still a functioning church; mass is offered every Sunday morning in the rectory. To reach the mission from St. Ignatius, take Main Street south to Mission Drive.

This small, stone 15th-century chapel with tiny stained-glass windows was moved from its original site near Lyon, France, to Long Island in 1927. In 1964, the chapel was dismantled stone by stone and reconstructed here in a courtyard at Marquette University. One of the stones was reputedly kissed by Joan before she was sent to her death and is discernibly colder than the others.

Verdigris copper onion domes perch atop cedar-shingled structures at the Ukrainian cultural complex built without using a single nail in the 1960s by Ukrainian expatriates who settled in the surrounding mountains. You can see the interior during services on Sunday mornings at 10.

Little of early Hampton survived the shellings and conflicts of the past, but the brick walls of St. John's Church (1728) have. Today a stained-glass window honors Pocahontas, the Native American princess who is said to have saved the life of Captain John Smith in 1608. The communion silver on display, made in London in 1618, is the oldest such service still used in this country. The parish, founded in the same year as the city (1610), also claims to be the oldest Protestant church in continuous service in America. You may listen to a taped interpretation or take a guided tour (by arrangement) and visit a small museum in the parish house.

St. John's is the third-oldest college in the country (after Harvard and William and Mary) and adheres to a Great Books program: all students follow the same four-year, liberal-arts curriculum, which includes philosophy, mathematics, music, science, Greek, and French. Students are immersed in the classics through small classes conducted as discussions rather than lectures. Start a visit here by climbing the slope of the long, brick-paved path to the cupola of McDowell Hall.

Down King George Street toward the water is the Carroll-Barrister House, now the college admissions office. Once home to Charles Carroll (not the signer of the Declaration, but his cousin), the house was built in 1722 at Main and Conduit streets and moved onto campus in 1955. The Elizabeth Myers Mitchell Art Gallery, on the east side of Mellon Hall, presents world-class exhibits and special programs that relate to the fine arts.

For security reasons, the rebellious Second Virginia Convention met in Richmond instead of Williamsburg; it was in this 1741 church on March 23, 1775, that Patrick Henry delivered the speech in which he declared, "Give me liberty or give me death!" His argument persuaded the Second Virginia Convention to arm a Virginia militia. The speech is reenacted Memorial Day to Labor Day on Sundays at 2 pm. The cemetery includes the graves of Edgar Allan Poe's mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, and many famous early Virginians, notably George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The visitor center, in a restored redbrick schoolhouse, has Colonial crafts and other items for sale. Guided tours are led on the half-hour.

Built in 1852, this church is famous for its whimsical chimes and stained-glass windows. The extraordinary parish house is the revered Green-Meldrim House, the only remaining Gothic-style private home in the Historic District. An interesting bit of trivia: on Christmas 1864, after General Sherman moved into the Green-Meldrim House, his army chaplain conducted the church's Christmas service. Though the house is still an active parish house, tours are available on a limited basis. Contact the church to learn whether a house tour is available for your selected date.

Completed in 1904 and Ketchikan's oldest house of worship, St. John's has an interior constructed of red cedar cut in the Native-operated sawmill in nearby Saxman. When cruise ships are in town, a docent is on hand to answer questions.