10457 Best Sights in USA

Third-generation farmer Chris Turkovich and his wife, Luciana, whose parents in her native Argentina are both involved in the wine business, founded this winery known for bold, balanced reds. Luciana crafts many of the wines from Spanish varietals, though Petite Sirah dominates the robust blend The Boss. Albariño and rosé of Grenache are among the lighter wines. The storefront tasting space's sidewalk seating is good for people-watching. The rear patio is quieter.

Several hiking trails are accessible from the Seward Highway, including the steep paths up Falls Creek and Bird Ridge. Both offer spectacular views of Turnagain Arm, where explorer Captain Cook searched for the Northwest Passage. The Dena'ina, some of the first inhabitants of the region, call this body of water Tutl'uh. The waterway has impressive tides, and notably, the second-largest bore tide in North America. These bore tides can reach up to 40 feet, and move at an impressive 30 miles per hour (an average tide flows at 10 to 15 miles per hour). An increasingly popular, yet somewhat dangerous, sport is windsurfing the tidal bore. To view the bore tide, station yourself at one of the turnoffs along the arm about 2½ hours after low tide in Anchorage. Be very careful about walking along the mud flats at low tide, as it's possible to become stuck in the quicksand-like silt; there have been a few drownings here over the years as a result.

During the summer, beluga whales are frequent visitors to the arm as they patrol the muddy waters in search of salmon and hooligan, a variety of smelt. During high tide from July to August, when the surface of the water is calm, belugas are often spotted from the highway, frequently causing traffic jams as tourists and residents pull off the road for a chance to take in this increasingly rare sight. For reasons that are still unclear to scientists, Southcentral's beluga population has declined from 1,300 in 1980 to fewer than 290 today; they are currently listed as critically endangered, making a sighting of them even more exciting.

Spanning Big Cypress National Preserve to the north and Everglades National Park to the south, this moderately difficult paddling trail winds through almost 10 miles of Turner River marked by cypress, sawgrass prairie, and mangrove trees. Save at least five to seven hours for a full trip. If you're in Big Cypress, you can access the trail on U.S. 41 west of Turner River Road. If you're accessing from Everglades City, enter at the NPS Gulf District Ranger Station or Chokoloskee Island. Moderate.  There are four additional paddling trails within Big Cypress.

At Green River mile marker 193, you arrive at the middle of Turnhole Bend, a large bend in the river. The bend is so nearly complete that someday in the geologic future, the river will erode the neck of the bend away entirely, cutting Turnhole Bend off from the backcountry. Downstream 0.2 miles on the south side you will find Turnhole Spring, an outlet of an underground waterway. This spring creates a bluehole, or deep spring, so large that before the turn of the 19th century, steamboats plying the Green River with passengers and cargo would use this natural "turn hole" to turn around.

A short uphill grade takes you to a forested path that weaves among impressive sinkole features. Don't be fooled by the serenity—something significant is going on underneath your feet. The cause becomes clear when you arrive at the Turnhole Bend Overlook, a platform that provides a view of the site below, where a large underground waterway wells up as a bluehole spring to join the Green River at Turnhole Bend. The result is the "turnhole," a body of water large enough that steamboats once used it to turn around in the 19th century. This trail should not be confused with the Turnhole Bend Trail, a backcountry trail that approaches the area from the north side of the river. 0.5 mile. Moderate.

Hikers pass open forests and sun-spattered canopies on your way southward to Turnhole Bend, a wide bend in Green River. The end of the Turnhole Bend Trail provides a singular view of the Green River Valley at a high point in the center of a large bend in the river, where the river surrounds you on three sides. Directly south across the river is the location of Turnhole Spring, an outlet of an underground waterway. This trail intersects Sal Hollow Trail at 0.6 miles. Turnhole Bend Campsite lies at the trail terminus. The trail does not continue down to the river. 1.8 mi. Moderate. Note: This trail should not be confused with the Turnhole Bend Nature Trail on the park's south side.

The Oneida Indian Nation has transformed what began as a tiny bingo hall into a sprawling resort. The casino, one of the largest in the region, has more than 100 table games, including baccarat, blackjack, craps, and roulette; a poker room; and more than 2,400 slot machines. The spa and fitness facility has saunas, steam rooms, and an indoor pool. Available treatments include massages (hot-stone, couples, foot, full-body, etc.), facials, manicures and pedicures, exfoliation, body wraps, and waxing.

Located 7 miles south of Eureka Springs, Turpentine Creek is one of the few USDA-licensed refuges for large carnivores, providing lifetime protection for abandoned, neglected, and abused big cats, with special emphasis on lions, tigers, leopards, and cougars. Visitors are welcomed by staff with a brief orientation, then have the opportunity to get up close to animals in near-natural habitats with either a self-guided or guided tour. Feeding times, usually at 4 in winter and 5 in summer (call ahead to confirm), are especially exciting. Overnight lodging is available in upscale safari lodges (two-night minimum) or RV campsites. Check the website for Keeper Talks, scheduled only on weekends. Personalized, guided photography shoots are also available, but must be booked in advance.

Located in a formerly residential "castle" replete with Victorian chandeliers, the Turquoise Museum casts fresh light on the beauty, mythology, and physical properties of turquoise, a semiprecious but adored gemstone that many people associate with the color of New Mexico's skies. Displays show how turquoise forms, the importance of individual mines, and uses of the stone by Native Americans in prehistoric times. The museum's proprietors, the Lowry family, are longtime traders with deep knowledge of the gem; if you retain nothing else, remember that only turquoise specified as "natural" is the desirable, unadulterated stuff. A small gift shop sells historic and contemporary pieces. Tickets for entry and tours are only available online.

Now known more for its namesake resort than its magnificent beach at Kuilima Cove, Turtle Bay is mostly passed over on the way to the better-known beaches of Sunset and Waimea. But for those with average swimming capabilities, this is a good place to be. The crescent-shaped stretch is protected by a huge sea wall, so you can see and hear the fury of the northern swell while blissfully floating in cool, calm waters. The convenience of this spot is also hard to pass up—a concession sells sandwiches and sunblock right on the beach. The resort has free parking for beach guests. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

A 14-acre beach-park that's popular with families, Turtle has 2,600 linear feet of beach frontage and is more secluded than most Gulf beaches. Though narrower than most of the region's sandy stretches, it's also much less crowded, so it doesn't feel so narrow. It's also known for abundant sea turtles and has covered picnic shelters, grills, and a volleyball court. Locals like the 40-site campground that is also open to visitors with advance reservations. Fittingly enough, this beach is near the ubermellow Turtle Beach Resort. Amenities: toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

Each year, more than 100 injured creatures are admitted to the world's first state-certified veterinary hospital for sea turtles. Guided 90-minute tours take you into recovery and surgical areas. In the "hospital bed" tanks, you can see recovering patients and others that are permanent residents due to their injuries. After the tour, you can feed some of the residents. Call ahead—space is limited and tours are sometimes canceled due to medical emergencies. The turtle ambulance out front makes for a memorable souvenir photo.

Head for the Sea Base area to line up for this real-time animated show starring Crush, the ancient sea turtle from Finding Nemo. Crush chats and jokes with kids so convincingly that young children, eyes wide as sand dollars, have walked up and touched the screen where Crush "swims." It's in a small theater, and there's often a wait, but it's a hit with young children as well as their parents. For people with disabilities: The theater is wheelchair accessible, and assisted-listening devices can be used. Check the My Disney Experience app for showtimes; arrive about 20 minutes early during busy times to guarantee a seat.

This museum offers a quick orientation to the prehistoric and modern indigenous populations of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau, including an excavation of an 800-year-old Pueblo site. Of special interest are split-twig figurines dating back 2,000 to 4,000 years and other artifacts left behind by ancient cultures. A ranger leads daily interpretive tours of the Ancestral Pueblo village.  The museum is closed for renovation. Although it was scheduled to reopen in Spring 2025, that date is uncertain due to unexpected budget cuts in 2025.

Most of the park's glaciers are found in the Chigmit Mountains. The longest is 19-mile Tuxedni Glacier, which is one of 10 that radiates from the Mt. Iliamna volcano.

Impressive in scope, Tuzigoot National Monument is a complex of the Sinagua people, who lived on this land overlooking the Verde Valley from about AD 1000 to 1400. The pueblo, constructed of limestone and sandstone blocks, once rose three stories and incorporated 110 rooms. Inhabitants were skilled dry farmers and traded with peoples hundreds of miles away. Implements used for food preparation, as well as jewelry, weapons, and farming tools excavated from the site, are displayed in the visitor center. Within the site, you can step into a reconstructed room.

On the University of Minnesota Duluth campus, this museum has 8,000 works of art in its collection. Established in the middle of last century by Alice Tweed, and born out of the collection she'd amassed with her husband, the museum's extensive holdings of 19th and early-20th century European and North American art include a unique collection of paintings and illustrations of Canadian Mounted Police. Examples of the French Barbizon School and American landscapes influenced by the impressionists are also on display.

A 3-mile open-air ride aboard a 1917 coal-fired locomotive is the centerpiece of this Wild West theme park that also features a large petting zoo and over a dozen rides, including a classic—and surprisingly fast—Ferris wheel. Shows include cancan dancing and kid-oriented sing-alongs. Areas with names like Miner's Mountain and Country Fair are connected by a chairlift, walking paths, and a shuttle bus. Themed evening train rides are popular at Halloween and Christmas.

Tall windows, high ceilings, and plenty of copper and wood create a high-toned ambience for sipping pepper vodka (made with Carolina Reaper peppers), rum made with local molasses, and smooth rye whiskey aged in American oak barrels.

This canyon was named in honor of the 20-mule teams that, between 1883 and 1889, carried 10-ton loads of borax through the burning desert (though they didn't actually pass through this canyon). Along the 2.5-mile, one-way loop road off Highway 190, the soft rock walls reach high on both sides, making it seem like you're on an amusement-park ride. Remains of prospectors' tunnels are visible here, along with some brilliant rock formations.

About 10 miles north of Lake Chelan State Park, this 232-acre park also abuts the lake's southern shore but attracts even fewer crowds. It's truly a place to get away from it all, and there are plenty of tent and RV sites as well as day-use amenities including picnic tables and a marina.

The national park's Twentymile entrance on the northern side of Cheoah Lake is its most difficult to reach, and thus the least crowded. This is an incredible area of the park, especially during spring when the flowers and wild azaleas bloom. An easily manageable 7.2-mile loop follows old logging roads along Twentymile Creek and Moore Springs Branch, connecting via the Twentymile Loop Trail. The elevation gain is minimal, but the solitude and serenity found along the creeks (there are multiple swimming holes) is a local secret. Moderate.

It's a scenic drive and then an easy hike to these picturesque double falls on Reedy Cove Creek, where the left and larger of the falls pitches from a height of 75 feet and white water swooshes over wide gray boulders on the right. Don't give in to the temptation to climb the rocks leading to the top of the falls; not only is the view not much better, but also the stones are very slippery. The trail is on public property, a ¼-mile hike one way.

Keep an eye out for the Twin Falls Farm Stand just after mile marker 2 on the Hana Highway. Stop here and treat yourself to some fresh sugarcane juice. If you're feeling adventurous, follow the path (colorful arrows point the way) beyond the stand to the paradisiacal waterfalls known as Twin Falls. Several deep, emerald pools sparkle beneath the falls and offer excellent (and a little cold) swimming and photo opportunities.

This site is on private property, and the family that owns it has implemented a paid ($10 per vehicle), first-come-first-served parking system to help prevent overcrowding. Indeed, this natural attraction has become a tourist hot spot, and although the attention is well deserved, if you want to avoid crowds you might want to keep driving. Note that the Twin Falls site is closed to out-of-state visitors on the first Saturday of the month.

Stretching ½ mile along the coast on both sides of the small-craft jetties, Twin Lakes is one of Monterey Bay's sunniest beaches. It encompasses Seabright State Beach (with access in a residential neighborhood on the upcoast side) and Black's Beach on the down-coast side. Families often come here to sunbathe, picnic, and hike the nature trail around adjacent Schwann Lake. Parking is tricky from May through September—you need to pay for a $10 day-use permit at a kiosk and the lot fills quickly—but you can park all day in the harbor pay lot and walk here. Leashed dogs are allowed. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking; showers; toilets; water sports (seasonal). Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Those who want to take a picture of the @Twitter sign at Twitter's headquarters—or, yes, tweet from Twitter—can see the sign prominently displayed outside the gorgeous art-deco building that houses the company's main offices at Market and 10th Streets (though there are far fewer employees working in office now thanks to a certain new company owner). You can tweet inside while shopping in the building's ground-floor market or picking up lunch from the vendors around the market's small café/bar area. To truly appreciate this micro-neighborhood, enjoy a local beer across Market Street at The Beer Hall or catch some music with craft cocktails at Mr. Tipple's—both are prime happy-hour spots for the Mid-Market crowd.

Two Italianate Victorians stand out on the 1800 block of California Street. The beauty at 1834, the Wormser-Coleman House, was built in the 1870s. Coleman bought the lot next door, giving this private property an unusually spacious yard for the city, even for this luxurious neighborhood.

Rugged, often windy, and always beautiful, the valley is a remote 9-mile drive from Route 49 and is surrounded by some of the park's most stark, rocky peaks. Near the valley's lake you can rent a canoe, take a narrated boat tour, camp, and hike. Bears frequent the area. The road is closed from late October through late May.

This 374-acre park along the Cumberland River has more recreational activities than any other park in Nashville. To name just a few, there’s a skate park, golf course, and small water park called Wave Country, featuring a wave pool and several slides. The Two Rivers Dog Park is one of the largest in the city, and there’s a walking track around the perimeter so you can jog or walk while your dog frolics. The Stones River Greenway is a 10.2-mile paved trail that runs straight through Two Rivers Park, ending in the Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge that leads east across the river to Shelby Bottoms Park. In addition to the natural sights provided by leafy green Tennessee, you may pass a beautiful Italianate mansion on your walk. That’s Two Rivers Mansion, an 1859 plantation home that’s now used as a private venue for weddings and events.

Two Springs Trail follows the river bottom from Echo River Spring Trail to River Styx Spring Trail along a fairly level path. The grade can get mushy in places. River Valley Trail and Sunset Point Trail branch off uphill along the route. 0.6 mile. Easy.