10457 Best Sights in USA

Several permanent exhibits are dedicated to exploring the heritage, culture, and landscape of Wyoming, covering everything from natural resources to wildlife to historical events. There's a hands-on exhibit geared to children, and the museum hosts several additional temporary exhibits each year. Be sure to check out the semipermanent exhibit of hundreds of whimsical wooden miniatures crafted by Earl Newell. His folk-art pieces from the 1930s show a micro version of Wyoming life, including farm animals, people, and itty-bitty tools.

Perhaps because of the bedlam of the early days, Laramie became the site of the Wyoming Territorial Prison in 1872. Until 1903 it was the region's federal and state penal facility, locking down Butch Cassidy and other infamous frontier outlaws. Today the restored prison is a state historic site that brings to life the legends of frontier law and justice. Open year-round, with curtailed hours in the winter.

Situated in South Philly's Sports Complex, Xfinity Live! serves as overflow for games and a gathering place for fans who want to drink and hang out rather than sit in seats. The huge complex has more than a dozen dining areas, plus a beer hall, artificial turf field, and outdoor seating. Tailgating is common here, as are special events themed around major concerts. Check their website for upcoming experiences, and note that some events require tickets in advance.

This 2,500-square-foot, re-created cedar post-and-plank clan house, dedicated in 2016, is a space for the Huna Tlingit clans—whose ancestral homeland is Glacier Bay—to gather for meetings and ceremonies. Visitors can also come to learn about traditional food, art, crafts, dance, and other aspects of Tlingit culture. In summer tribal interpreters are here from 1 to 3:45. Xunaa Shuká Hít (roughly translated as "Huna Ancestor's House") was a collaborative project between the National Park Service and the Hoonah Indian Association.

The public beach in downtown Yachats is more like the surface of the moon than your typical beach. A wooden platform overlooks the coastline, where the waves roll in sideways and splash over the rocks at high tide. The beach is paralleled by an upland walking trail and dotted with picnic tables, benches, and interpretive signs. Visit to spot the sea lions that frequent this stretch of coast. Or join the intrepid beachcombers who climb the rocks for a closer look at tide pools populated by sea urchins, hermit crabs, barnacles, snails, and sea stars. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: walking; sunset.

Artists, writers, and musicians from all over the United States come to this highly regarded artists' colony to work. The estate was built in 1899 by philanthropist Spencer Trask as a gift to his wife, Katrina. Although you can't visit the house, you can tour the grounds, which include a formal rose garden with fountains and an informal rock garden.

This six-building complex just outside Toppenish has a fascinating museum of history and culture related to the Yakama Nation, which occupies a 2,200-square-mile reservation. (It's a little bigger than the state of Delaware.) Holdings include costumes, basketry, beadwork, and reconstructions of traditional lodges. Tribal dances and other cultural events are often staged in the Heritage Theater. The complex also includes a gift shop, restaurant, and library.

Take the Kaibab Rim shuttle here (no private vehicles are allowed) for an exceptional view of Wotans Throne, a flat-top butte named by François Matthes, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist who developed the first topographical map of the Grand Canyon. The overlook juts out over the canyon, providing unobstructed views of inner-canyon rock formations, South Rim cliffs, and Clear Creek Canyon. It's one of the best places on the South Rim to watch the sunrise or sunset. About a mile south is the trailhead for the South Kaibab Trail.

Just off Interstate 82 on the east side of the city, this 46-acre parklike property features hundreds of different plants, flowers, and trees. A Japanese garden and a wetland trail are highlights. The arboretum sits alongside the Yakima River and the 10-mile-long Yakima Greenway, a paved path that links a series of riverfront parks.

One of central Washington's most dramatic drives, this 27-mile journey alongside the region's defining river twists and turns beneath towering 2,000-foot sagebrush-carpeted cliffs and volcanic basalt outcroppings. There are four well-marked BLM recreation areas—each with picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets, campgrounds, nature trails, and boat ramps—along the drive, which provides a stunningly scenic alternative to Interstate 82 between Ellensburg and Yakima. A few local companies, including Yakima River Tubing ( www.yakimarivertubing.com) offer family-friendly float trips along this generally gentle stretch of river, which is also popular among trout fly-fishing enthusiasts. Keep your eye out for eagles and other raptors circling overhead. At the north end of the canyon in 64-acre Helen McCabe State Park, construction is underway on a sleek, contemporary interpretive center that will educate visitors about the canyon and the region's thriving indigenous culture, and feature trails and a fishing pond; visit  www.ycic.org for news about the anticipated opening date. 

Exhibits at this history museum on the west side of town focus on Yakama native, pioneer, and 20th-century history, ranging from horse-drawn vehicles to a "neon garden" of street signs. Highlights include a beekeeping exhibit, a wealth of Yakama Tribe art and artifacts, and a model of Yakima native and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas's Washington, D.C., office.

Light-rail trains glide by many examples of 19th-century cast-iron architecture on the MAX line between the Skidmore and Yamhill stations, where the streets are closed to cars. Take a moment at the Yamhill station to glance around at these old buildings, which have intricate rooflines and facades. Nearby, on Southwest Naito Parkway at Taylor Street, is Mill Ends Park, which sits in the middle of a traffic island. This patch of whimsy, at 24 inches in diameter, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's smallest official city park.

Part of the Yampah Spa and Salon, the hot springs vapor caves are a series of three underground, geothermal steam baths. Mineral-filled water from a natural hot spring runs about 125°F under the floors of one of the few known natural vapor caves in North America, creating steam temperatures of 110°F–112°F within the rock chambers, where there are marble benches for you to sit on while you inhale the steam. You can take a break in an adjacent cooling room or the upstairs solarium when you need it. Spa treatments are also available, including massages, body wraps, and private mineral baths. Reservations are required and visitors are limited to two hours.

The state's oldest wooden lighthouse was only in commission for three years (1871–74), because it was determined that it was built in the wrong location. Today the well-restored lighthouse with a candy-apple-red top shines a steady white light from dusk to dawn. Open to the public, it's the only Oregon lighthouse with living quarters attached.

After nearly 25 years on South Congress Avenue, this contemporary folk art, fine art, and pop art gallery moved its wares to the Canopy artist studios. Founded in 1995, the local gallery features works by artists from the great American South, in addition to Canada and Europe. The modest space is open afternoons (Thursday–Saturday) as well as by appointment.

Yards is the oldest continuously operating craft brewer in the city, and runs a sprawling brewery and taproom. Guided tours ($10, 40 minutes) are offered daily for those 21 and over and include a beer sample, a full “walk-about” beer, and a souvenir. The bar features 20 taps of their signature beers—Loyal Lager, Philadelphia Pale Ale, Love Stout, to name a few—as well as limited releases only available in the taproom. The kitchen includes classic pub fare as well as Philly favorites like the Yards IPA Pretzel and cheesesteak egg rolls.

Learn about the geology of the canyon at this museum and bookstore that doubles as a visitor center. You can also catch the park shuttle bus or pick up information for the Rim Trail here. The views of the canyon and Phantom Ranch from inside this historic building are stupendous.

Tampa's Latin quarter is one of only a few National Historic Landmark districts in Florida. Bordered by I–4 to the north, 22nd Street to the east, Adamo Drive to the south, and Nebraska Avenue to the west, it has brick-paved streets and wrought-iron balconies. Cubans brought their cigar-making industry to Ybor (pronounced EE-bore) City in 1886, and the smell of cigars—hand-rolled by Cuban immigrants—still wafts through the heart of this east Tampa area, along with the strong aroma of roasting coffee. Former cigar factories and social clubs have been transformed into boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and nightclubs. Nevertheless, it can also be seedy and rowdy at times.

This park provides a look at the history of the cigar industry. Admission includes a tour of La Casita, one of the shotgun houses occupied by cigar workers and their families in the late 1890s. Tours are held every hour between 10 am and 3 pm.

A boardwalk 2 miles from town leads up the 540-foot Yellow Hill. Distinctive yellow sandstone rocks and panoramic vistas make this a worthwhile detour on clear days.

Contrasting sharply with the whites, grays, and browns of the Badlands' pinnacles, the mounds viewed from here greet you with soft yet vivid yellows, reds, and purples.

One of the premier art museums in a four-state region, "YAM" displays Western and contemporary art by nationally and internationally known artists. The growing collection numbers more than 8,500 works, including pieces by Charles M. Russell and cowboy author and illustrator Will James. (It has the largest collection of art by James in the country.) There is also a diverse range of traveling exhibitions that come through and a “Young Artist’s Gallery” featuring the artwork of local K--12 students. The hip museum café, Raven’s Café d’Art, serves lunch from Tuesday through Friday.

Once frequented by the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill Cody, today this log cabin, standing near the exit of Logan Airport, houses a Montana frontier history museum filled with more than 25,000 objects. Check out the chuck wagon, Native American artifacts, wildlife taxidermy, and a Lewis and Clark fur-trading post. A veranda affords unparalleled views of the Bighorn, Pryor, and Beartooth mountains.

Learn about the park's ecology, geology, history, and wildlife from park experts, including well-known geologists, biologists, and photographers. Classes generally take place on the north side of the park, around Mammoth Hot Springs, and last from a few hours to a few days, and rates are reasonable. Some programs are designed specifically for young people and families.

The Yellowstone Gateway Museum, on the north side of town in a turn-of-the-20th-century schoolhouse, holds an eclectic collection, including finds from a 10,000-year-old Native American dig site, a flag fragment associated with the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and a Native cultures interpretive exhibit. Outdoor displays include an old caboose, a sheep wagon, a stagecoach, and other pioneer memorabilia.

Just south of Livingston and north of Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone River comes roaring down the Yellowstone Plateau and flows through Paradise Valley. A dozen fishing access sites are found in this area, some with primitive public campsites (available on a first-come, first-served basis). In addition to trout fishing, rafting and canoeing are popular here. With snowcapped peaks, soaring eagles, and an abundance of wildlife, a float on this section of the Yellowstone is a lifetime experience. U.S. 89 follows the west bank of the river, and East River Road runs along the east side.

Drop by the Yellowstone River Trout Hatchery, a five-minute drive from the town center, to view and learn about cutthroat trout. The best time to visit the hatchery is in spring, when you can see the fingerlings.

See eye-to-eye with mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and bison at this nonprofit center sheltering injured animals that cannot be released in the wild. Year-round educational programs are offered, and there is a summer camp for children.

The Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center in the northern unit features exhibits focusing on the life of Crow Chief Robert Yellowtail, the Crow people, the history of the Bighorn River, the dam's construction, and the wildlife in the area, including the wild mustangs that roam the high grasslands of the Pryor Mountains above the canyon. In addition to the exhibits, five different films are available upon request.

Perhaps most famous for its 40-inch refracting telescope—the largest of its kind in the world—Yerkes was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes. On a tour of the observatory, visitors get a chance to enjoy the nightscape and then gaze up at the celestial bodies through one of the other two modern telescopes on the campus. The surrounding 77 acres of parkland, which narrowly escaped residential development in 2007, were designed by John Olmsted, brother of Central Park landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted. Wear sensible shoes: The climb to the telescope is up a 39-step spiral staircase.