77 Best Sights in USA

Performances incorporate marionettes, hand puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, and ventriloquism, while the stories range from traditional fairy tales to folk legends and contemporary puppet plays. Kids stare wide-eyed at the short, energy-filled productions. Check the schedule online for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday show times.

The joke's on everyone at this interactive attraction starring Mike Wazowski, the one-eyed hero from Disney-Pixar's hit Monsters, Inc. In the 400-seat theater, you can interact with an animated Mike and his sidekicks in the real-time, unscripted way that the character Crush from Finding Nemo performs at EPCOT in Turtle Talk with Crush at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Here, the premise is that Mike realizes laughter can be harnessed as a power source, and Mike's new comedy club is expected to generate power for the future. The more the audience yuks it up, the greater the power produced. You can text-message jokes from cell phones to the show's producer; they might even be used in the show. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible. Sign language is available some days. Equipped for assisted-listening and video-captioning devices.

From vaudeville to film to opera to concerts the Orpheum has seen it all in its storied 172 years. Built in 1852, it is one of the oldest theaters in the United States. Unfortunately, the city has grown up around it, and passersby might just miss finding it, as it sits back from Tremont Street. To get inside the Orpheum today, you must purchase a ticket to one of its special events.

In late June and early July, enjoy musicals, melodramas, or comedies under the stars. Shows typically run Monday through Saturday.

No other Disney character meet-and-greet location is quite as much fun as Pete's Silly Sideshow, named after the Mickey Mouse archenemy created in 1925. But you won't meet Strongman Pete under this big top, although he does make a poster appearance. Instead, you'll grip and grin with Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and his sweetheart, Daisy. Each character poses for photos and signs autographs against a sideshow backdrop: the Great Goofini, "Broken Bone Record Holder," in his stunt garb; the Astounding Donaldo dressed as a snake charmer; Minnie Magnifique, pretty in pink feathers, and her "pirouetting Parisian poodles," and Madame Daisy Fortuna with crystal ball as "seer of all fate and destinies." Two queues move guests along fairly quickly, and elaborate themed backdrops offer extra-fun photo ops.

The Temple of Heaven houses another of EPCOT's sweeping and immersive movies. Presented on a seamless 360-degree screen in digital format, this film highlights China's iconic images, both old and new. However, be prepared to stand and possibly hold children: strollers aren't permitted, and there are no seats. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair- and ECV-accessible; reflective captioning and equipped for assisted-listening and audio-description devices. Come anytime, and, before the show, visit the Tomb Warriors gallery, where you can see replicas of the terra-cotta soldiers unearthed in 1974 by farmers in Xi'an, China.

While Boston's Symphony Hall—the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops—is considered among the best in the world for its sublime acoustics, it's also worth visiting to enjoy its other merits. The stage is framed by an enormous organ facade and an intricate golden proscenium. Above the second balcony are 16 replicas of Greek and Roman statues, which, like the rest of the hall, marry the acoustic and aesthetic by creating niches and uneven surfaces to enhance the acoustics of the space. Although acoustical science was a brand-new field of research when Professor Wallace Sabine planned the interior, not one of the 2,500 seats is a bad one—the secret is the box-within-a-box design.

The Salt Lake City Tabernacle, also known simply as the Tabernacle, is home to the famous Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and an impressive organ with 11,623 pipes. Visitors can hear organ recitals Monday through Saturday at noon (and also at 2 pm across the street in the Conference Center) and Sunday at 2 pm. You're also welcome Thursday from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm to listen to the choir rehearse Sunday hymns, as well as from 9:30 am to 10 am as the choir performs for the world's longest-running continuous network broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word. During the summer months, choir rehearsals and Music and the Spoken Word take place at the Conference Center.

A few blocks east of 18th Street's hustle and bustle, this neighborhood landmark was built in 1892 but shuttered for decades, and reopened as a stunning multipurpose space in 2013. The focal point is a concert hall, elegantly fashioned after a Prague opera house, which hosts a broad range of musical performances and artsy events. Punch House, a hip and moodily lit lounge for the cocktail crowd, and Tack Room, a cocktail bar featuring live music in the former carriage house, are also on the premises.

Grab one of the 6,000 "grass seats" (that is, spots on the lawn, though there are actual seats as well) for music under the stars. An eclectic array of musical acts put on concerts at this landmark venue throughout the summer and occasionally during the winter, weather permitting. This venue does not allow backpacks or large purses. Check the website for other restrictions.

First Hill's renovated cultural center hosts scores of events in its spacious yet intimate Great Hall. Chief among them are talks and panel discussions with leading politicians, authors, scientists, and academics. Book launches, drag and musical performances, and documentary screenings are among the other events on previous line-ups. 

A monument to all of Earth's creatures, the park's centerpiece is an imposing 14 stories high and 50 feet wide at its base. Its 100,000-plus leaves are several shades of green fabric, each carefully placed for a realistic effect. Carved into its thick trunk, gnarled roots, and soaring branches—some of which are supported by joints that allow them to sway in a strong wind—are nearly 350 intricate animal forms that include a baboon, a whale, a horse, the mighty lion, and even an ankylosaurus. At night, the tree is lit up by projections onto the vast trunk and leaves. Outside, paths tunnel underneath the roots as the fauna-encrusted trunk towers overhead.

To give you a bug's-eye view of the world, the path leads you inside the tree trunk, where you'll view the witty 3-D film adventure It's Tough to Be a Bug! Special effects spray you with "poison," zap you with a swatter, and even poke you with a stinger—all in good fun. Although the show has something for all ages, it's very loud, and some effects frighten young children (during the hornet attack, have children lean forward to avoid a "sting"). Note, too, that Disney has announced plans for this film to be replaced with a Zootopia inspired 3-D film, so check to see if this attraction is open before you go. Even if it's closed, you can spend a bit of time enjoying the carvings of the tree. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible, but, to fully experience all the special effects, guests using wheelchairs should transfer to a seat. Equipped with reflective captioning and for audio-description and assisted-listening devices. If you have a service animal, check with a host before entering the theater. Short lines make this a good choice for the afternoon.

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.

Originally seen at New York's 1964–65 World's Fair, this revolving theater traces the impact of technological progress on the daily lives of Americans from the turn of the 20th century into the near future. Representing each generation, an Audio-Animatronics family sings the praises of modern-day gadgets that technology has wrought. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; equipped for assisted-listening, handheld-captioning, audio-description, and video-captioning devices. Skip this on a first-time visit unless you adore nostalgia. Also, it might close early or entirely in low season.

The latest version of Disney's first Audio-Animatronics attraction brings back the original show, Tropical Serenade. Winged hosts Jose, Fritz, Pierre, Michael, and the boys take you on a tour of the attraction while cracking lots of jokes. The original ditty "In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" is second only to "it's a small world" as the Disney song you most love to hate. Many people do hate this attraction, finding the talking birds obnoxious and the music too loud and peppy. But you can also hear old-timers singing along to "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing," tweet, tweet tweet, tweet, tweet. Plus, it's a haven of cool in the summer heat. For people with disabilities: Accessible for those in standard wheelchairs; equipped for handheld-captioning, audio-description, and assisted-listening devices. Go when you need to sit down with air-conditioning.

After San Francisco's original opera houses were destroyed in the 1906 quake, architect Arthur Brown Jr. was commissioned to design this stunning Renaissance-style building. Named in tribute to the city's soldiers lost in World War I, it was inaugurated in 1932 with a performance of Tosca. It has since played host to two major historic events: the drafting of the United Nations charter in 1945 and the ceremony six years later in which the United States restored sovereignty to Japan. Modeled after its European counterparts, the building has a vaulted and coffered ceiling, marble foyer, two balconies, and a huge silver art-deco chandelier that resembles a sunburst. The San Francisco Opera performs here from September into December and in summer; the opera house hosts the San Francisco Ballet from December through May.