10405 Best Sights in USA

Shops, minor historic sites, restaurants, recreation, and the venerable Yoshi's (510 Embarcadero W) jazz club line Jack London Square, named for the author of The Call of the Wild, The Sea Wolf, and other works. London, who was born in San Francisco, also lived in Oakland, where he spent many a day boozing and brawling in the waterfront area, most notably at Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (48 Webster St., at Embarcadero W). The wonderful little saloon has been serving since 1883. Next door is the Klondike cabin in which London spent a summer in the late 1890s. The cabin was moved from Alaska and reassembled here in 1970.

Weekends at the square are lively, with diners and drinkers filling the many outdoor patios and bars, and shoppers perusing Sunday's farmers' market, from 9 am to 2 pm. Catch a movie at Regal Jack London (100 Washington St.), sample local wines at Rosenblum Cellars (10 Clay St.), play some bocce in Plank's beer garden (98 Broadway), or plan an adventure with California Canoe & Kayak (409 Water St.).

Shaded by ancient oak trees, an 1870s farm building houses the tasting room of this winery whose vineyards and horse ranch have been in the same family since 1863. In addition to producing old-vine Zinfandels, it presents blues, country, and rock concerts on some summer Saturdays. A second tasting room, open on weekends, is downtown at 27 East Locust Street.

Contact the Jicarilla Apache Department of Game & Fish for information.

Housed in a century-old former church, this gallery is one of 120 shops and studio spaces along the 8-mile Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community Trail. In the truest sense of Appalachian spirit, Jim Gray tells stories through creative expressions—watercolors, oil, pencil drawings, pen-and-ink sketches, and sculpture. Viewing his work is like meeting a new friend: you'll learn what Jim did and where he did it. Behind the gallery, Ogle's Broom Shop is home to third-generation broom makers whose functional and decorative brooms and hiking sticks are treasured by craft aficionados. Next door, meet six gallery artists who show and sell works at Cliff Dwellers. Pick up a map to the entire arts-and-crafts trail from the Gatlinburg visitor center.

With the most spectacular views of the crater and lava dome of Mt. St. Helens, this observatory also has exhibits that interpret the geology of the mountain and explain how scientists monitor an active volcano.

SeaWorld's coaster offering is a hybrid, combining the elements of a high-speed water ride and a roller coaster with lavish special effects and a story line. The lost continent of Atlantis has risen in the harbor of a quaint Greek fishing village, and you board a Greek fishing boat to explore it. An ominous current tugs at your vessel, and an old fisherman (actually Hermes, the messenger of the gods, in disguise) offers a golden sea horse to protect you from the evil Sirens. The LCD technology, lasers, and holographic illusions are really cranked up during a watery battle between Hermes and Allura, queen of the Sirens. Amid this story, you experience frequent twists, turns, and short, shallow dives, as well as one hair-raising plunge that sends you nearly 60 feet into the main harbor (plan on getting soaked). This is followed by a final nosedive into S-shaped, bobsledlike curves. Although the ride is a little dated, it's still not for the faint of heart, anyone with back, neck, or heart problems; anyone who's pregnant; or anyone who dislikes the dark or enclosed spaces. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from your wheelchair to the ride vehicle. Come first thing in the morning or about an hour before closing. Going at night is awesome, and if there's a wait at all, it will be short. Last resort: spring for a Quick Queue Pass.

If the sight of cool slides and water features finds you wondering who Kata's is meant for, look at the height restrictions. To visit this area, between the beach and Walkabout Waters, you must be under 4 feet tall (or accompanied by someone who is). Yes, the entire area of special pint-size slides, pools, and waterspouts is modified for the toddler set (the "deep end" is a modest two feet), but for them it's a big, fun world. Clear, inflatable floats give them a chance to drift about, looking cool. Plus it gives adults a chance to take a break. Be aware the smallest participants will need to wear swim diapers, available at the gift shop, and the Baby Care center is conveniently close.

The drive along palm-lined Kearney Boulevard is one of the best reasons to visit the museum, which stands in shaded 225-acre Kearney Park. The century-old home of M. Theo Kearney, Fresno's onetime "raisin king," is accessible only on guided 45-minute tours.

Straight out of a Looney Tunes cartoon, this activity-focused playground with oversize replicas of familiar objects offers lessons along with some fun. The whole family can gain tidbits of knowledge on earthquakes, animals, and insects. Explore gravity in the Physics Forest, which features 12 interactive experiences. In the sunny atrium, kids assume the role of ants on their daring ascent. Outside they can run and climb along a running river or take on a tricycle race. The museum is practically designed to wear out the little ones and give parents a much-needed break.

The featured attraction here is the 355-foot-long Knights Ferry covered bridge. The beautiful and haunting structure, built in 1863, crosses the Stanislaus River near the ruins of an old gristmill. The park has camping, picnic, and barbecue areas along the riverbanks, as well as campgrounds accessible only by boat. You can hike, fish, canoe, and raft on miles of rapids.

The 3.4 million acres on the Alaska Peninsula that comprise Lake Clark National Park and Preserve stretch from the coast to the heights of two grand volcanoes: Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Redoubt. The latter made headlines in 2009 when it erupted, sending ash floating over the region. Both volcanoes top out above 10,000 feet. The country in between holds glaciers, waterfalls, and turquoise-tinted lakes. The 50-mile-long Lake Clark, filled by runoff waters from the mountains that surround it, is an important spawning ground for thousands of red (sockeye) salmon.

The river-running is superb here. You can make your way through dark forests of spruce and balsam poplars or hike over the high, easy-to-travel tundra. The animal life is profuse: look for bears, moose, Dall sheep, wolves, wolverines, foxes, beavers, and mink on land; seals, sea otters, and white (aka beluga) whales offshore. Wildflowers embroider the meadows and tundra in spring, and wild roses bloom in the shadows of the forests. Plan your trip to Lake Clark for the end of June or early July, when the insects may be less plentiful. Or consider late August or early September, when the tundra glows with fall colors.

Runners, joggers, and power walkers charge along the 3.4-mile path that encircles this 155-acre heart-shaped natural saltwater lake. Crew teams glide across the water and boatmen guide snuggling couples in authentic Venetian gondolas (fares start at $60 per couple for 30 mins; 510/663–6603, gondolaservizio.com), while yogis, jugglers, and picnickers look on from the shore. Lakeside Park, which surrounds the north side of Lake Merritt, has several outdoor attractions, including the small children's park, Children's Fairyland (699 Bellevue Ave.), and the Lake Merritt Wildlife Sanctuary, a water and air fowl haven that was also North America's first wildlife refuge. Don't miss the nearby Grand Lake neighborhood, centering on the parallel strips of Lakeshore Avenue and Grand Avenue, for good browsing and even better eating.

Two- and three-story gray-stone houses and other residential buildings line the quiet, leafy side streets heading east and west of Boystown. Wandering along them, you might even feel transported back in time to 1920s or '30s Chicago. In 2008 a stretch of Newport Avenue between Clark and Halsted was temporarily transformed into a cobblestone thoroughfare for the John Dillinger flick Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp.

For a wonderful way to relax, you simply go with the current of this gently flowing stream, bobbing along on a double or single tube that drifts down and around the bend. Along the way, there's a spot where you can exit the river and enter the line for Tassie's Twisters. A little farther, the calm stream flows into a 10,000-gallon grotto filled with thousands of colorful fish and a view of the Commerson's dolphins. This is indeed a lazy river: there's next to no pull so you might have to paddle a bit, especially if you choose the turn that leads into the fish grotto. Guests under 48 inches must wear a life vest. Although there's plenty of river for everyone, try it when most people are at lunch.

Built in 1914 to compete with the Kolbs' photographic studio, the building was designed by architect Mary Jane Colter. The combination lookout point, museum, and gift shop has a collection of fossils and geologic samples from around the world. An upstairs loft provides another excellent overlook into the gorge below.

Named after the Lakota word for "bad land," Makoshika State Park encompasses more than 11,000 acres of Montana's badlands, distinct rock formations also found in Wyoming and the Dakotas. The bare rock walls and mesas of the park create an eerie moonscape that is only occasionally broken by a crooked pine or juniper tree warped by the hard rock and lack of water. Practically a desert, the badlands are excellent fossil grounds, and the remains of tyrannosaurs and triceratops have been found here.

This 12-mile drive enters Glacier on the northeast side of the park, west of Babb, and travels along Sherburne Lake for almost 5 miles, penetrating a glacially carved valley surrounded by mountains. It passes through meadows and a scrubby forest of lodgepole pines, aspen, and cottonwood. The farther you travel up the valley, the more clearly you'll be able to see Grinnell and Salamander glaciers. The road, which passes Many Glacier Hotel and ends at the Swiftcurrent Campground, is usually closed from October to May. The road has many potholes and can be extremely rough in places.

While you won't get served coffee or wine here, you will find a tribe of Mabookco (Marfa Book Company) groupies who like to hang inside this publishing house–art gallery and film, music, and performance space that effectively masquerades as a bookshop. As you might expect, this literary collection focuses on art, architecture, design, and poetry, but you can also find a little something for the grandchildren and a few magazines to read on the flight back home.

Soak up the atmosphere inside this fun-loving eatery at the very end of Santa Monica Pier. The menu's newly updated, but the fajitas still reign as the most popular menu item. Sip oversize margaritas and devour platters of nachos before rejoining the crowds outside.

This site merits a stop not only for the arresting scenery, which includes the Colorado River below, but also for its view of a defunct mine operation. On your left, as you face the canyon, are the Orphan Mine, a mine shaft, and cable lines leading up to the rim. The mine, which started operations in 1893, was worked first for copper and then for uranium until the venture came to a halt in 1969. Little remains of the mine infrastructure today, but some displays along the Rim Trail discuss its history. The Battleship, the red butte directly ahead of you in the canyon, was named during the Spanish-American War, when warships were in the news.

If you're curious about the rehabilitation of marine mammals from the Pacific—and the human practices that endanger them—stop by this research hospital and rehabilitation center for rescued aquatic creatures. An observation area overlooks pools where sea lions and seals convalesce, and informational exhibits explain the center's history and work. You'll learn even more—and get closer to the animals—on a 45-minute docent-led tour.

The daylong keeper experience (from $399) is perhaps the ultimate SeaWorld offering. Your full day includes lunch, a T-shirt, seven consecutive days of park admission, and, perhaps, a lasting desire to become a SeaWorld trainer. After arriving at 6:30 am, you don a wet suit and then go to work with trainers to care for, feed, and train dolphins, manatees, sea lions, and Beluga whales. An unforgettable experience that includes plenty of photo ops and lasting memories.

The world's first oceanarium was constructed in 1938, 18 miles south of St. Augustine. This National Register of Historic Places designee, now part of the Georgia Aquarium, has come a long way from marine film studio to theme park to its current iteration as dolphin research, education, and entertainment center. The formal dolphin shows are history, but you can have a far more memorable experience with interactive programs that allow you to swim with and feed the animals or become a dolphin trainer for a day. Programs start from a simple "touch-and-feed" option and are as elaborate as a super-expensive "trainer for a day." General admission allows you to observe the dolphins through 6-foot-by-10-foot acrylic windows. The 1.3-million-gallon facility is home to 13 dolphins, and until 2014 the park housed Nellie, the longest-lived dolphin in human care until her death at the age of 61. A new calf, Coquina, was born shortly after Nellie's death. Other exhibits feature native Florida marine life such as tarpon, sharks, spotted eagle rays, and giant sea turtles, as well as historical artifacts dating back to the park's inception as a nautical movie studio.

A 1,000-acre wildlife sanctuary along the Bolinas Lagoon, this Audubon Canyon Ranch preserve gets the most traffic during late spring. Quiet trails through the rest of the preserve offer tremendous vistas of the Bolinas Lagoon and Stinson Beach. On Saturdays, ranch guides are posted throughout to point out animals—including waterbirds, shorebirds, bobcats, and coyotes—and answer questions. During the week, check in at the small bookstore and take a self-guided tour.

Just off the coast at Half Moon Bay is Mavericks, one of the biggest surfing breaks in the world when there's a big swell. Waves here have reportedly reached 60 feet in height, and some surfers get towed out to them by Jet Skis. The break is roughly a mile offshore, so seeing it from the coast can be tough and requires a challenging hike. Every year, if the conditions are just right, the word goes out that the Mavericks surf competition will take place, and the world's best surfers rush to town for the famous invitational. The Mavericks competition is best viewed on closed-circuit TV at local bars.

In summer, a campground, cabin-style motel, amphitheater, gas station, and small store are open here. No gasoline is available in the park from mid-October to mid-May. Snowfall determines when the village and its facilities open and close for the season. Hours vary; call ahead.

One of the largest outfitters in the Las Vegas Valley, McGhie's rents equipment for skiing, bicycling, and sandboarding. This location, in downtown Blue Diamond, which is just west of the city in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (there are others in Henderson and on South Fort Apache in Las Vegas), specializes in bikes—convenient, since it's right on the doorstep of 125 miles of hard-core mountain biking. The company rents bikes individually, and also offers a host of guided tours around Red Rock and beyond. Unlike other outfitters in the area, McGhie's also rents bikes specifically for kids.

A rancher and banker built the 1883 McHenry Mansion, the city's sole surviving original Victorian home. The Italianate mansion has been decorated to reflect Modesto life in the late 19th century. Its period-appropriate wallpaper is especially impressive.

The best exhibits at this repository of early Modesto and Stanislaus County memorabilia include the re-creations of an old-time dentist's office, a blacksmith's shop, and a schoolroom. Also worth a peek are the extensive doll collection and a general store stocked with period goods such as hair crimpers and corsets.

Along the Blossom Trail, roughly halfway between Fresno and Visalia, the colorful handiwork of local quilters is on display at the Mennonite Quilt Center. Try to visit on Monday (except holidays) between 8 and noon, when two dozen quilters stitch, patch, and chat over coffee. Prime viewing time—with the largest number of quilts—is in February and March, before the center's early-April auction. Ask a docent to take you to the locked upstairs room, where most of the quilts hang; you'll learn about the fine points of patterns such as the Log Cabin Romance, the Dahlia, and the Snowball-Star.