10405 Best Sights in USA

This once-dated attraction continues to undergo a major rejuvenation. There are still fun elements from the original "Old Florida" (admittedly somewhat kitschy), but there's much that's new and exciting, too. The timing is appropriate—in 2013, the park celebrated the 500th anniversary of Ponce de León's arrival. The 15-acre waterfront site is also the location where Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, in 1565, established the first and oldest continuous European settlement in what's now the United States. Excavations have also shown it was the site of a Franciscan mission to the Timucuan Indians. The park includes a replica of the mission, a Timucuan village and burial grounds, a boatyard in which a 16th-century-style boat is being constructed, and a three-story watchtower with broad, panoramic vistas of the bay, inlet, and Mendez Settlement field. Other highlights include cannon firings; a working blacksmith shop; Navigators Planetarium; a gift shop; a small, elegant café; and the springhouse where you can still quench your thirst from "the fountain of youth."

Lion and tiger habitats, the Giraffe Savannah, and a 4-acre mixed-species area called the Serengeti Crossing that showcases zebras, ostriches, warthogs, and wildebeests keep this zoo roaring. The Tropical Forest, with its Western Lowland Gorilla environment, is a big draw, and kookaburras, emus, and kangaroos populate the Outback Trail. From May to September butterflies flit and flutter at Butterfly Landing, where docents are on hand to answer questions and give advice on attracting the colorful insects to your own garden. Franklin Farm entices children with sheep, goats, and other farm animals. In winter, call in advance to find out which animals are braving the cold. The park, 4 miles from downtown, is reached by Bus 16 from the Forest Hills (Orange Line) or Andrew (Red Line) T stops; there's plenty of parking.

The oasis has a tropical theme and its lush landscaping is akin to a rain forest. Part of the experience is wading through a crystal-clear spring to reach an island populated by some outrageously cute marmosets (which are contained on the island thanks to a convenient moat). Swim a little farther and come nose-to-nose with otters, which frolic behind a nearly invisible wall of acrylic. Beyond the menagerie and beneath a canopy of cooling vegetation, there are watery trails to explore. It truly is a seductive setting and effortlessly evokes that soothing Discovery Cove experience.

The zoo's most striking exhibit is its tropical rain forest, where you'll encounter exotic birds along paths and bridges. Elsewhere at the zoo live tigers, sloth bears, sea lions, tule elk, camels, elephants, and siamang apes. The facility has a high-tech reptile house and there's a petting zoo.

Locals say this place has the best whoopie pies in the Bangor area, and its yeasty breads are equally prized. The bakery and restaurant are run by three Franciscan friars, one of whom spent time in various highly regarded culinary programs.

At this site are the remnants of a Revolutionary War fort whose American defenders were massacred in 1781 by British troops under the command of the American traitor Benedict Arnold. The 134-foot-tall Groton Monument is a memorial to the fallen; you can climb it for a sweeping view of the shoreline. The adjacent Monument House Museum has historic displays.

For information on the western half of the wilderness, contact Gallatin National Forest.

At an adjacent dock, the offers riverboat cruises and shuttles to PNC Park and Heinz Field (home of major league baseball's Pirates and the NFL's Steelers, respectively).

This historical building has been a hospital, a courthouse, a customs house, a post office, and, during the American Revolution, the home of the British governors. And it was from here, in 1821, that the Spanish governor ceded control of East Florida to the United States to conclude 256 years of colonial control. After a major renovation, the building reopened in 2013 and features revolving exhibits. A shop on-site sells history-related souvenirs and a wide selection of books.

This old family-friendly standby, with six locations including Bangor, is famed for its peanut-butter whoopie pies as well as the classic black-and-white, and can grant any special flavor combinations by request with 24-hour notice.

You can follow thousands of butterfly fish, angelfish, parrot fish, and a few dozen other species as you snorkel through this authentic-looking coral reef. Stingrays sail slowly and gracefully past and curious fish often come within touching distance—though when you reach out they scatter in nanoseconds. There's even an artificial shipwreck that, through a hole in its hull, reveals a separate pool filled with barracudas and sharks (they're out of reach, thanks to panels of Plexiglas). Even though you're hundreds of miles from the Caribbean, this is a wonderful, accessible substitute. If the sun is shining bright, good for you. The brighter the day, the more brilliant the underwater colors. For people with disabilities: Guests with mobility issues who can readily maneuver themselves with limited assistance can experience the reef. It's easy to monitor crowds; come when they're light. It's suitable for all ages, but teens and adults enjoy it most.

In September 1996, President Bill Clinton designated 1.7 million acres in south-central Utah as Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The three distinct sections—the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante—offer remote backcountry experiences hard to find elsewhere in the Lower 48. Waterfalls, shoulder-width slot canyons, and improbable colors all characterize this wilderness. One of the best access points from Bryce is along Scenic Byway 12, which straddles the northern border of the monument—the Hogback section, between the small towns of Escalante and Boulder (which offer outfitters, lodging, and dining), is particularly spectacular.

This outfit offers bus tours from Rapid City to Mount Rushmore, Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park, and the Crazy Horse Memorial, as well as other tours tied to special events such as the Mount Rushmore Independence Day festivities and the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup.

The enormous, sandstone courthouse seems exceptionally grand for such a small town, but it was entirely appropriate at the time it was built, between 1909 and 1912, when Montesano was a prosperous railroad boomtown. Its clock tower soars above the classical, pillared entrance. The lobby has a marble staircase flanked by murals depicting Robert Gray in 1792, discovering the harbor that bears his name, and Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens negotiating with Native Americans at Cosmopolis in 1855. The murals inaccurately depict native people wearing feather headdresses and standing in front of tepees (neither was used by the local Chehalis). Information packets for self-guided tours around town are available in the room to the right of the Commissioner's Office.

Designed by New York architect John Norris and built in 1850 for cotton merchant Charles Green, this Gothic-revival mansion cost $93,000 to build—a princely sum in those days. The house was purchased in 1892 by Judge Peter Meldrim, whose heirs sold it to St. John's Episcopal Church in the 1940s to use as a parish house. General Sherman lived here after taking the city in 1864. Sitting on Madison Square, the house has Gothic features such as oriels, a crenellated roof, and an external gallery with filigree ironwork. Inside are mantels of Carrara marble, carved black-walnut woodwork, and doorknobs and hinges of either silver plate or porcelain.

In pretty Victory Park, the Haggin has one of the Central Valley's finest art collections. Highlights include landscapes by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran, a still life by Paul Gauguin, a Native American gallery, and an Egyptian mummy.

The town comes to life—and traffic to a standstill—on the third weekend in October, when some 250,000 people gather for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. Highlights include a parade, pie-eating contests, live music, plenty of pumpkin-themed food and drink, and a "weigh-off" of giant pumpkins, some more than 1,900 pounds.

This 4-mile stretch of sand is perfect for long walks, kite flying, and picnic lunches, though the frigid water and strong rip currents make swimming inadvisable. There are three access points (Francis, Venice, Dunes) and four beaches (Francis, Venice, Dunes, Roosevelt). One access point (Francis) is in Half Moon Bay; the others are north of town off the highway. To find them, look for road signs that have a picture of footsteps. There's a visitor center and BBQ pits at Francis and picnic areas at Francis and Roosevelt. Dogs are prohibited. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: camping; solitude; sunset; surfing; walking.

Fashions, furnishings, toys, and military artifacts at this living-history museum tell the region's story. The facility is inside the former Carnegie Library, a Romanesque-style building dating from 1905.

Stop for a spell at Harley Farms, a restored 1910 farm and fully operational dairy that stretches over 28 acres and houses 165 goats on 9 acres of pasture. Two-hour weekend tours follow the milk trail as it moves from goat to dairy, then from curd to cheese (Harley's is renowned for its chèvre, fromage blanc, ricotta, and feta). You can walk around the yard, spy on goats and llamas, and read detailed signage describing the buildings and operations. The Harley Farms Shop sells cheese, lotions, soaps, and gift items. Monthly dinners, conducted in the old hayloft showcase local, in-season produce and book up fast.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because a Beacon Hill home bears the same name. This is the first of three houses built for Harrison Gray Otis, Boston's third mayor and a prominent citizen and developer. It's owned and operated by Historic New England, an organization that owns and maintains dozens of properties throughout the region. The furnishings, textiles, wall coverings, and even the interior paint, specially mixed to match old samples, are faithful to the Federal period, circa 1790–1810. You may be surprised to see the bright and vivid colors favored in those days. Otis lived here only four years before moving to more sumptuous digs, also designed by Charles Bulfinch, on Beacon Hill. A second-floor room brings to life the home's days as a late-19th-century boardinghouse, and a display describes the "champoo baths" of former resident Mrs. Mott. From May through October, Historic New England runs a Beacon Hill walking tour from the house. It highlights the two sides of Beacon Hill, taking visitors past grandiose mansions and more modest townhomes. Along the way, you'll pass the African Meeting House, Louisburg Square, and the Boston Common. The $15 price includes admission to the Otis house.

At 923 feet tall, craggy Hawk Hill is the best place on the West Coast to watch the migration of eagles, hawks, and falcons as they fly south for winter. The main migration period is from September through October, and the modest Hawk Hill viewing deck is about 2 miles up Conzelman Road from U.S. 101; look for a Hawk Hill sign and parking right before the road becomes one way. In September and October, on rain- and fog-free weekends, docents from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory give free lectures on Hawk Hill; call ahead of time for details.

The campus, which is comprised of rehabilitated military buildings, features contemporary art in a rustic natural setting. An artist-renovated space called the Key Room contains objects found and created by residents, including interesting glass bottles filled with collected items, and other unusual ephemera. Stop by the Project Space studios and galleries, two flights up, to see what select artists in residence are up to—most of the work is quite contemporary.

A downtown walking tour follows the iconic 1950s-era cruise route portrayed in Modesto native George Lucas's 1973 film American Graffiti. The path's 25 historic kiosk markers provide details about the filmmaker, the people and places that inspired him, and Modesto's history. The tour loops around 10th and 11th streets between K and G streets—start at 10th and K.

One tower leads to these two attractions, each of which banks on the fact that, after climbing about 10 stories, you'd rather face your fears and slide back down than have to climb back down. At the top is a string of yellow rafts that can hold two adults and a child, though some passengers go solo. Walhalla is on your right, HooRoo on your left. After selecting a side, you and your fellow passengers slip into a raft and are pushed into the current by an attendant. Walhalla sends you circling around corners and banking to the edges of tight curves before sliding you into an enclosed tunnel. HooRoo keeps you out in the open, bouncing you down, down, down over a series of mogul-like slides. Either way you go, you'll want to go again and again and again.... Come early or late—or be patient.

Forged by an ancient volcanic eruption, the Hot Creek Geologic Site is a landscape of boiling hot springs, fumaroles, and geysers about 10 miles southeast of the town of Mammoth Lakes. You can stroll along boardwalks through the canyon to view the steaming volcanic features. Fly-fishing for trout is popular upstream from the springs.

The Hynes Convention Center hosts conferences, trade shows, and conventions. It's connected to the Prudential Center, where visitors can find a branch of the Greater Boston Visitors Bureau in the center court of the mall.

New in 2014, this is billed as Orlando’s “tallest, steepest, and only multi-drop tower.” What’s a multi-drop? Well, once you reach the top (80 feet up) there are four capsules to choose from, but no matter which one you select, you’ll step inside and, as at Wet ’n Wild’s Bomb Bay, you’ll cross your arms and legs before a countdown of “3, 2, 1…” signals it’s time for the floor to "break away"—and for you to plunge straight down and into a nearly vertical 40-foot drop reaching speeds of 24 feet per second before you’re pitched into a series of snaking, watery turns. Tips: At 420 feet, the orange tube is the longest.

An outcropping of nature in a sea of North Berkeley homes, this is an unbeatable spot for a sunset picnic. Look for amateur rock climbers, after-work walkers, and cuddling couples, all watching the sun sinking beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Come early to grab a spot.

The prosperity that water brought to Modesto has attracted people from all over the world. The city holds a well-attended International Heritage Festival in early October that celebrates the cultures, crafts, and cuisines of many nationalities.