10457 Best Sights in USA

Gathered under one roof is a sort of Western-style mall, with restaurants, shops, and benches for resting your boots. If shopping's your game, look for souvenirs, Western wear, specialty foods, jewelry, art, and Western music. If you're hungry, you're bound to find something you'll like among the barbecue, burger, and Mexican food options.

This winery, 3 miles north of town (a mile of it up a steep, narrow dirt road), is in an idyllic setting, featuring old-world-style stone cottages the owner made himself. Specialties include Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer varietals. Stop by for a free vineyard tour and wine tasting; don't miss the delicious small plates as well. If you plan ahead, you can book a night in the two-bedroom guest cottage.

At this 3,200-acre state park you'll find the largest exposed granite outcropping on earth. The Confederate Memorial, on the north face of the 825-foot-high mountain, is the world's largest high-relief sculpture, measuring 90 feet by 190 feet. There are several ways to see the sculpture, including a cable car that lifts you to the mountaintop and a steam locomotive that chugs around the mountain's base. Summer nights are capped with the Lasershow Spectacular, an outdoor light display set to music and projected onto the side of Stone Mountain. There's also 15 miles of nature trails, historical buildings featuring household items from the 18th and 19th centuries, two golf courses, a campground with a pool, an inn, a resort, several restaurants, and a Civil War museum. The SkyHike is a family-friendly ropes course at 12, 24, or 40 feet high.

Amid skyscrapers, the two low-rise blocks of bars and restaurants along historic Stone Street feel more like a village than the center of the financial universe. In summer, benches and long tables blanket the cobblestone street for a more convivial mood, especially on Thursday and Friday night. This was Manhattan's first paved street, and today the cluster of buildings along here—with South William and Pearl Streets, and Coenties Alley—make up the Stone Street Historic District.

What this resort spa lacks in square footage, it amply makes up for in hospitality and expert TLC. Tucked away within the country setting, various golf courses and Galena Lake that comprise the 6,800-acre Galena Territory, the spa invites resort guests and non-guests alike to enjoy a little R&R with its 10 treatment rooms and decked-out locker rooms. Try a Drifting Stone massage or a facial with Priori anti-aging skin care products.

Built by Maryhill Museum founder Sam Hill, this remarkable full-scale replica of England's legendary Neolithic stone creation was constructed in 1918 as the nation's first memorial to servicemen who perished in World War I. The memorial is a five-minute drive east of the museum, on a promontory with dramatic vistas overlooking the Columbia River.

From the broad patio that fronts the Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate's stablelike building, you can see some of the steep rugged terrain where grapes for the winery's full-bodied Chardonnays and tannic, wild-as-a-stallion Cabernet Sauvignons are grown. At 5,100 acres (900-plus planted), this is among the world's largest mountain vineyards. Farming these steep hills is difficult and labor-intensive, but the hard-won output finds its way into top boutique wines in addition to Stonestreet's. One seated tasting focuses on current-release single-vineyard wines. A session showcasing older vintages demonstrates the Cabernets' ageability. All visits require a reservation. Book a mountain excursion for stunning views and to experience the vineyards close up.

At this picturesque nonprofit early-1800s farm and educational center, you can stop by to pick up produce and goods raised on-site (including delicious Frisky Cow Gelato) and procured from other artisanal producers in the area. Leave time to explore the grounds, dairy and small-animal barns, gardens, and chicken coops—a wide range of education tours is offered, plus seasonal hay and sleigh rides. There's also a maple sugaring house and small farm tool museum, and the property is traversed by hiking trails and accesses the 20-mile Cheshire Rail Trail, which stretches from Walpole through Keene and down to the Massachusetts border.

A working dairy farm with a dramatic setting amid fields and forests, Stonewall is open daily and presents an active schedule of events, including maple sugaring and seasonal horse-drawn hayrides. Walking and snowshoeing trails lace the property, and a farm shop sells organic produce, gourmet snacks, and the farm's own luscious Frisky Cow Gelato. Young children love the discovery room, and the interactive greenhouse is geared for all ages.

Confederate general Jackson's private life is on display at the Stonewall Jackson House, where he is revealed as a dedicated Presbyterian who was devoted to physical fitness, careful with money, musically inclined, and fond of gardening. The general lived here only two years, while teaching physics and military tactics to the cadets, before leaving for his command in the Civil War. This is the only house he ever owned; it's furnished now with period pieces and some of his belongings.

The 1854 home of this civil war general is now a museum filled with his personal memorabilia. Jackson used this house as his base of operations during the Valley Campaign in 1861–62. Among the artifacts on display are his prayer book and camp table. The reproduction wallpaper was a gift from the actress Mary Tyler Moore; it was her great-grandfather Lieutenant Colonel Lewis T. Moore who lent Jackson the use of the house. A $10 block ticket purchased at the museum also includes entry to two nearby historic attractions: George Washington's Office Museum, a preserved log cabin where Washington briefly lived during the French and Indian War, and Abram's Delight Museum, the oldest residence in Winchester. The stone house was owned by Isaac Hollingsworth, a prominent Quaker.

This historic site contains the remains of four structures once part of Braddock's Point Plantation. John “Saucy Jack" Stoney forced enslaved people to build the plantation in the 1790s; it was eventually bought by William Baynard in 1840. Union troops occupied the plantation home during the Civil War, and the home was burned in 1869. The 6-acre site, which includes the ruins of the main house, the plantation overseer's house, and a house used by enslaved people, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Now located within the Sea Pines Resort, Baynard Ruins Park has a small parking area as well as trails and interpretative signs that describe the historical and archaeological significance of the area. If you are staying in Sea Pines, you can ride your bike to the site and explore at your leisure. Guided tours are also available through Sea Pines.

You'll see plenty of cheesy tribal art knockoffs in tourist-trap shops, but this elegant gallery will give you a real look at the best contemporary work of Northwest Coast and Alaska tribal members (and artists from these regions working in the Native style). Three floors exhibit wood carvings, paintings, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces from the likes of Robert Davidson, Joe David, Preston Singeltary, Susan Point, and Rick Barto.

After touring this small coastal winery, you can browse the works of local artists in the gallery or enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds. Whichever you choose, the vineyard's Seaport White, a Vidal-Chardonnay blend, is a nice accompaniment.

During World War II, Fred and Eleanor McCrea purchased a 160-acre goat farm on Spring Mountain's eastern slope. Some of the couple’s first grapevines, planted in 1948, still bear fruit. For years, single-varietal whites—a Gewürztraminer, a Riesling, and a flinty Chardonnay sommeliers often ranked among California's best—were the focus, but owners who arrived in 2020 have added L’Escalier, a blend of all three, and in the future intend to emphasize Cabernet Sauvignon. In some years, there's Sémillon du Soleil, a dessert wine from grapes dried in the sun after harvesting to increase their sugars. Some tastings take place at the former McCrea residence; others, outdoors, take advantage of vineyard and across-the-valley views.

This is the only Revolutionary War battleground in Rockland County. A museum with exhibits and a slide show describes the battle, and reenactments in period costume are common. It is also the home of the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson River, built in 1826. Lighthouse tours are offered the first and third Saturday of the month, from April to October.

On this whirling ride, X-Men character Storm harnesses the weather to battle Magneto by having people like you board Power Orbs. Yes, the story line is that the containers convert human energy into electrical forces through the power of "cyclospin." Strip away the veneer, however, and what you've got seems like a faster version of Disney World's twirling teacups. Still, it's a high-adrenaline ride that's not for anyone who suffers from motion sickness. It's also not suitable for guests who are pregnant or who have heart, back, or neck problems. For people with disabilities: Guests using wheelchairs must transfer to a ride vehicle. Ride whenever—except right after eating.

Well marked and mostly flat, this 2.3-mile loop leaves the south side of the road for a perfect beginner's hike out to Yellowstone Lake, particularly with a setting sun. The trail rounds the western edge of Indian Pond, then passes moose habitat on its way to Yellowstone Lake's Storm Point, named for its frequent afternoon windstorms and crashing waves. Heading west along the shore, you're likely to hear the shrill chirping of yellow-bellied marmots. Also look for ducks, pelicans, trumpeter swans, and bison. You'll pass several small beaches that kids enjoy exploring. Easy.

This theme park with life-size storybook and nursery-rhyme characters is geared to kids (ages 2–12). The two-dozen rides include a flumer, a river raft, the Moo Lagoon play area, and the Roar-O-Saurus and Polar Coaster roller coasters. Play areas and magic shows provide additional entertainment. There's also the Living Shores Aquarium, which offers 32,000 square feet of mostly interactive, touch-friendly pools and exhibits.

On the west side of Rapid City is Storybook Island, a park on the banks of Rapid Creek that lets children romp through scenes from fairy tales and nursery rhymes. A children's theater troupe, sponsored by the Black Hills Community Theater, performs regular shows on a modest outdoor stage here and hosts workshops and acting programs.

The 20-acre theme park, about 10 miles west of Atlantic City, has 50 larger-than-life buildings and displays illustrating the tales of popular childhood stories—perfect for the under-8 set. There are also whimsical low-speed rides, gift shops, food stands, and a picnic area. The Easter Bunny visits in April, there's fall and Halloween fun in October and early November, and Santa arrives in mid-November.

The busy red-light district that lasted in New Orleans from 1897 to 1917 has since been destroyed, and in its place stand federal housing projects still partially under renovation. Known as Storyvillle, (named after the neighborhood's creator Sidney Story), the area's splendid Victorian homes served as brothels and provided a venue for the raw sounds of ragtime and early jazz—an extremely young Louis Armstrong cut his teeth in some of the clubs here. The world's first electrically lighted saloon, Tom Anderson's House of Diamonds, was at the corner of Basin and Bienville streets, and the whole area has been the subject of many novels, songs, and films. In 1917, after several incidents involving naval officers, the government ordered the district shut down. Some buildings were razed almost overnight, but it would be years before federal funding would be available for the housing project in the 1930s. Only three structures from the Storyville era remain, all former saloons: Lulu White's Saloon ( 237 Basin Street), Joe Victor's Saloon ( St. Louis and Villere streets), and "My Place" Saloon ( 1214 Bienville Street). Currently, a historical marker on the "neutral ground" (median) of Basin Street is the only visible connection to Alderman Sidney Story's experiment in legalized prostitution. The area is a popular stop on many ghost tours, though what there is to see unfolds in the imagination.

Like most amenities in the village of Stovepipe Wells, this station is basic but convenient, with a ranger on hand to answer questions and provide information and maps. You can also pay entrance fees here. Hours are variable; if it's closed, there's a pay station outside the building.

This tiny 1926 town, the first resort in Death Valley, takes its name from the stovepipe that an early prospector left to indicate where he found water. Although the area has a hotel (rooms from $180), restaurant, convenience store, gas station (fill the tank here if you're heading across the park to its western edge), swimming pool, and RV hookups, you're better off staying in Furnace Creek, which is more central to the park's natural attractions. Off Highway 190, on a 3-mile gravel road immediately southwest, are the multicolor walls of Mosaic Canyon.

Russian seniors feed the pigeons, kids watch turtles sunning themselves, and joggers circle this placid body of water, Golden Gate Park's largest lake. Early park superintendent John McLaren may have snarked that man-made Stow Lake was "a shoestring around a watermelon," but for more than a century visitors have come to walk its paths and bridges, enjoy a boat ride, and climb Strawberry Hill (the "watermelon"). Cross one of the bridges—the 19th-century stone bridge on the southwest side is lovely—and ascend the hill; keep your eyes open for the waterfall and an elaborate Chinese pavilion. Or head out on the lake in a pedal boat or rowboat.

miles south of Middletown in the quirky and historic downtown of Strasburg (which was settled by Germans), this emporium covers 1.4 acres. Inside, more than 100 dealers and artisans sell everything from furniture to jewelry to vintage clothing.

Passengers can step back in time more than 175 years to ride the rails of the Strasburg Rail Road. Called America's oldest short line, the steam locomotive and vintage coaches travel a scenic 45-minute round trip through Amish farm country between Strasburg and Paradise. Eat lunch in the dining car or take an evening dinner ride that might be themed as a murder mystery or wine and cheese tasting. Tours of the mechanical shop are available for a fee, but kids are crazy for the Thomas the Tank Engine excursions. Trains usually depart hourly. 

Robert E. Lee, who became the commander of the Confederate Army, was born in the Great House of Stratford Hall Plantation, one of the country's finest examples of Colonial architecture. Eight chimneys in two squares top the H-shape brick home, built in the 1730s by one of Lee's grandfathers, Colonial governor Thomas Lee. The house contains Robert E. Lee's crib, original family pieces, and period furnishings. The working Colonial plantation covers 1,600 acres and has gardens, a kitchen, smokehouse, laundry, orangery, springhouses, coach house, stables, slave quarters, and a gristmill that grinds from 11 am to 2 pm on the first whole weekend of each month from April through September. The Plantation Dining Room, a log cabin restaurant, serves meals and sandwiches daily from 11 to 3. Its outdoor screened deck overlooks the woodlands.

This memorial to John Lennon, who penned the classic 1967 song \"Strawberry Fields Forever,\" is sometimes called the \"international garden of peace.\" The curving paths, shrubs, trees, and flower beds create a deliberately informal landscape reminiscent of English parks. Every year on December 8, Beatles fans mark the anniversary of Lennon's death by gathering around the star-shape black-and-white \"Imagine\" mosaic set into the pavement. Lennon's 1980 murder took place across the street at The Dakota, which was home to Lennon and Yoko Ono and has been the residence of other celebrities from Boris Karloff to Leonard Bernstein. The building's elaborate exterior is best admired from Central Park West, as visitors are not welcome in the lobby, and there are no tours.

The 3½-mile loop around String Lake lies in the shadows of 11,144-foot Rockchuck Peak and 11,430-foot Mt. Saint John. This is also a good place to see moose and elk, hear songbirds, and view wildflowers. The hike, which takes about three hours, is a bit less crowded than others in the vicinity. Easy–Moderate.