10457 Best Sights in USA

"Darn fine barn wine" is the motto of this throwback operation whose oldest vines—Zinfandel in a block that fronts the winery—date to 1908. Owner Jim Rickards purchased 60 hillside acres 2 miles north of Geyserville in 1976 and restored the vines, later planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other grapes. Amiable hosts staff the barn's tasting room, but the tree-shaded south-facing patio invariably lures most patrons outside for the vineyard views. Estate and sourced grapes go into wines well worth the modest tasting fee, among them Gewürztraminer, Muscat Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier whites and reds that include Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and the spicy but elegant old-vine Zin. Make a reservation on Friday and Saturday in summer.

This quaint town is home to the Jack Daniel's Distillery, the oldest registered distillery in the country, where you can observe every step of the art of making sour-mash whiskey. Tours are lively and informative and involve a lot of walking throughout the beautiful grounds (including the spring that continues to source the whiskey) with stops at several buildings—among them Jack Daniel's office. Some tour options include sampling flights of different whiskeys. Note that even though Lynchburg is a dry town, you can buy a personalized bottle at the distillery's shop, and the whiskey inside it is considered \"free,\" a loophole in the law.

The pleasures are pastoral and intellectual at author Jack London's Beauty Ranch, where 30-plus miles of trails skirt vineyards and meander through firs, redwoods, oaks, and madrones. The House of Happy Walls Museum displays manuscripts and personal artifacts detailing London's travels, literary passions, humanitarian and conservation efforts, and promotion of organic farming. London and his second wife, Charmian, whose equally compelling story the museum also documents, spent two years constructing their dream home, Wolf House, but it burned down in 1913, days before they were scheduled to move in. The remaining stone walls and fireplaces provide a sense of the building's grand scale. Also worth a peek is the posh pigsty, based on the writer's agricultural research, that neighbors and a newspaper columnist derided as the Pig Palace.

The life and legacy of Jackie Robinson, the trailblazing Black baseball player who broke the color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, is the focus of this $42 million interactive museum on the western edge of SoHo. Besides memorabilia—Robinson’s Dodgers uniform, rookie contract, and Rookie of the Year award are among hundreds of archival major-league artifacts on display—Robinson’s Civil Rights legacy is given equal due. The intense racial discrimination the Hall of Famer endured both on and off the field is powerfully narrated through photos and videos, including one clip that vividly recounts the segregation he and his wife, Rachel, experienced en route to Florida spring training as the South was under Jim Crow laws.

At this excellent museum you can learn about historic homesteaders, dude ranches, and hunters, as well as Jackson's all-female town government of yore—a woman sheriff of that era claimed to have killed three men before hanging up her spurs. Native American, ranching, and cowboy artifacts are on display, some of them at the summer-only second location at 105 North Glenwood Street.

This was the heart of the Barbary Coast of the Gay '90s—the 1890s, that is. Although most of the red-light district was destroyed in the fire that followed the 1906 earthquake, the remaining old redbrick buildings, many of them now occupied by advertising agencies, law offices, and antiques firms, retain hints of the romance and rowdiness of San Francisco's early days.

With its gentrified Gold Rush–era buildings, the 700 block of Montgomery Street just barely evokes the Barbary Coast days, but this was a colorful block in the 19th century and on into the 20th. Writers Mark Twain and Bret Harte were among the contributors to the spunky The Golden Era newspaper, which occupied No. 732 (now part of the building at No. 744).

Restored 19th-century brick buildings line charming Hotaling Place, a quiet lane that connects Washington and Jackson streets; it's named for the A. P. Hotaling Company whiskey distillery, the largest liquor repository on the West Coast in its day. The view of the Transamerica Pyramid from Hotaling Place is one of the most photographed vantage points in the city and is a remarkable juxtaposition of this neighborhood's 19th- and 20th-century history.

Today, Jackson Square is best known for its excellent collection of restaurants, cafés, art galleries (Gallery Japonesque at 824 Montgomery Street is well worth a stop if it's open), and upscale-stylish boutiques.

Known as the quintessential spot to get that perfect skyline shot of downtown Atlanta, the Jackson Street Bridge is iconic not just because of the view, but because of its appearance in the show The Walking Dead. If you time it just right, you'll get a photo of the sun setting over Downtown as a bonus.

A trip up the winding road—or, better yet, a hike via the old cart track marked Catholic access—leads to the resting place of the clans (the Britts, the Beekmans, and the Orths) that built Jacksonville. You'll also get a fascinating, if sometimes unattractive, view of the social dynamics of the Old West: older graves (the cemetery is still in use) are strictly segregated, Irish Catholics from Jews from Protestants. A somber granite plinth marks the pauper's field, where those who found themselves on the losing end of gold-rush economics entered eternity anonymously. The cemetery closes at sundown, and guided daytime and sunset strolls are offered about once a month in summer.

The highly regarded zoo offers the chance to hop on a train and see animals from different regions of the world, from the Land of the Tiger, a 2½-acre Asian attraction featuring Sumatran and Malayan tigers, to the African Plains area, which houses elephants, white rhinos, and highly endangered leopards, in addition to other mammals and birds. The Range of the Jaguar takes you to a 4-acre Central and South American exhibit, with exotic big cats and 20 other native species.

The Reptile House showcases some of the world's most venomous snakes, and the 2½-acre Wild Florida has black bears, bald eagles, white-tailed deer, and other of the state's creatures. Play Park contains a seasonal Splash Ground, a forest play area, two mazes, and Stingray Bay with a 17,500-gallon pool where you can pet and feed the mysterious creatures. The zoo also has a Manatee Critical Care Center. What's more, parking is free.

For 10 weeks every summer, the tiny town of Becket becomes a hub of the dance world. This dance festival showcases world-renowned performers of ballet, modern, and international dance. Before the main events, works in progress and even some of the final productions are staged outdoors, often free of charge.

Different eras of Knoxville's history are celebrated at this walled fort of rough-hewn log cabins on the perimeter of downtown, where the city's first home was built in 1786. Their survival over the centuries is remarkable, and exhibits inside include pioneer artifacts, authentic furnishings, and information about James White's role in the American Revolution.

Adjacent to but distinct from Historic Jamestowne is a mainland living-history museum called Jamestown Settlement. The site marries 40,000 square feet of indoor facilities with outdoor replicas of the early James Fort, the three ships that brought the founding colonists from England, and a Powhatan Indian village. The introductory film 1607: A Nation Takes Root is shown in the theater. The handsome Tudor-style Great Hall is arranged by decades from 1607 to 1699, when the capital was moved to Williamsburg. Gallery exhibits examine the lives of the Powhatans and their English-born neighbors, their interaction, and world conditions that encouraged colonization. Outdoors within James Fort, interpreters in costume cook, forge metal, and describe what life was like living under thatch roofs and between walls of wattle and daub (stick framework covered with mud plaster). In the Powhatan Indian village you can enter a yehakin (house) and see buckskin-costumed interpreters cultivate crops and make tools. At the pier are full-scale reproductions of the ships in which the settlers arrived: Godspeed, Discovery, and Susan Constant. All the vessels are seaworthy; you may climb aboard the Susan Constant and find out more from the sailor-interpreters. A riverfront discovery area provides information about 17th-century water travel, commerce, and cultural exchange, reflecting Powhatan Indian, European, and African traditions. Dugout-canoe making takes place in this area. Spring and fall bring lots of school groups, so it's best to arrive after 2 pm.

Hull House was the birthplace of social work. Social welfare pioneers and peace advocates Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr started the American settlement house movement in this redbrick Victorian in 1889. They wrought near-miracles in the surrounding community, which was then a slum for new immigrants. Pictures and letters add context to the two museum buildings, which re-create the homey setting the residents experienced. The museum, located on the UIC campus, also hosts a range of events typically geared toward progressive social movements.

Equal parts architectural marvel and children's plaything, this beautifully restored 1922 carousel twirls within a glass-walled waterfront pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize--winning French architect Jean Nouvel. Situated between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, near the northern reaches of 85-acre Brooklyn Bridge Park and directly across from Manhattan's skyline, the carousel's 48 horses and two chariots are off to the races year-round.

A few blocks from the related historical plaza in Waterfront Park, this excellent museum opened in an attractive new space in 2021 and pays homage to the dynamic Nikkei (Japanese emigrant) community that has thrived in Portland for generations. It presents engaging rotating exhibits that use art, photography, personal histories, and artifacts to touch on all aspects of the Japanese American experience in Portland and the Northwest, including the dark period during World War II of forced relocation to concentration camps situated throughout the U.S. West.

A koi pond with a cascading waterfall, a cherry tree grove, and the serene Inamori tea pavilion are highlights of the park's authentic Japanese garden, designed to inspire contemplation and evoke tranquillity. You can wander the various peaceful paths spread over 12 acres and meditate in the traditional stone and Zen garden. The garden is generally open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, but check for early closures and note the final admission ends at 5 pm.

Sea-polished stones fascinate with glistening tones—many reddish but also heather, bluish, and creamy white—at this mesmerizing rock beach; removing stones from the beach is illegal. Banked in unusual geologic fashion, you must walk up and over a rock dune to get to the beach. When you do, you know you have arrived at a special place. Stones graduate from gravel at the shore to palm-size further back. Reddish volcanic rhyolite stones were mistaken for jasper, hence the name. Stretching a half mile across Howard Cove, bedrock at both ends deems this a pocket beach, but it's not your typical small one. A salt marsh and fresh and saltwater lagoons intrigue visitors, and there are sea caves in the bedrock (be careful if you tread that way—the rocks are slippery). Tucked between the hamlets of Bucks Harbor and Starboard, Jasper Beach has long been a place of respite for folks in these parts. There's parking (no fee).

A boutique operation with a loyal following, Black Kite makes cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs critics often score in the mid-90s. The grapes come from prestigious Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites and the estate Jasper Freestone Vineyard, planted across the Bohemian Highway from the winery’s wood-clad hospitality house. The Freestone vineyard and hospitality space are named for surveyor Jasper O'Farrell, who owned much of the town in the 19th century. Longtime winemaker Jeff Gaffner crafts the Black Kite wines to last, but they're drinkable upon release. All visits are by appointment.  The winery also conducts tastings at its Windsor production facility.

This 240-acre historic district encapsulates the village that once comprised the winter retreat and seasonal residences for America's wealthiest—Morgan, Pulitzer, Goodyear, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt among them. Today, the original cottages still stand amid the historic grounds, with the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, founded in 1886, as the crown jewel. Nearby is Faith Chapel, built in 1904, which is illuminated by stained-glass windows, including one Tiffany original. Free admission is included with the purchase of any Historic Landmark District Tour.

This 4-mile, one-way loop provides the park's best roadside close-ups of the Tetons and the eastern shore of Jenny Lake as it winds south through groves of lodgepole pine and open meadows. Roughly 1½ miles off Teton Park Road, the Cathedral Group Turnout faces 13,770-foot Grand Teton (the range's highest peak), flanked by 12,928-foot Mt. Owen and 12,325-foot Mt. Teewinot.

Located steps from one another inside historic 1920s cabins by the Jenny Lake parking area, trailhead, and shuttle boat dock, these two ranger-staffed information centers serve different functions. The visitor center is inside a building that was once used as a studio by the park's first official park photographer, Harrison Crandall. Today it's filled with exhibits on the history of art and artists in the park. It also contains a bookstore and information about daily ranger programs. The smaller ranger station occupies a 1925 cabin that once held the park's first museum and is now a one-stop for backcountry and mountaineering advice and permits as well as boat permits.

This contemporary building is one of a kind among the characteristic 18th- and 19th-century architecture of historic Savannah. The modern art extension of the adjacent Telfair Academy museum, the Jepson was designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie. Within the marble-and-glass edifice are rotating exhibits, on loan and from the permanent collection, ranging from European masters to contemporary locals. There's also an outdoor sculpture terrace and an interactive, kid-friendly area on the third level.

Housed in a circa-1908 French Gothic, chateau-style mansion that was once home to German-Jewish immigrant and businessman Felix Warburg, the Jewish Museum holds a collection of nearly 30,000 pieces of art and ceremonial objects that explore Jewish identity and culture for more than 4,000 years. The wide-ranging artifacts include almost 1,050 Hanukkah lamps, the world's largest collection; a 3rd-4th century Roman burial plaque, and a plaster model of George Segal's Holocaust sculpture, while works by artists such as Camille Pissarro, Deborah Kass, Lee Krasner, and Kehinde Wiley have appeared. It's suggested that visitors purchase timed admission tickets in advance. For hungry museumgoers, there's a new restaurant on-site: Lox at the Jewish Museum (closed weekends). Traditional Eastern European dishes are served; the Lox Five Ways entrée is a showstopper. The museum's gift shop carries Judaica, ceremonial objects, and suggested gifts, but it's closed on Saturday.

The Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum is the kind of small-town museum that's worth stopping for if you're interested in the frontier history of the region, including the Johnson County Cattle War. It contains Native American, military, outlaw, and ranching artifacts collected by a local pharmacist who was a close friend of area Native Americans. The museum completed a $300,000 renovation project in 2011. Visitors will discover new exhibits and interpretive opportunities.

Three different historic sites highlight the life and work of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. You can visit the late-1880s railroad depot that once housed his 1976 presidential campaign headquarters. Vintage phones play recordings of Carter discussing his grassroots run for the White House. A couple of miles outside town on the Old Plains Highway is the 360-acre Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, where the Carter family grew cotton, peanuts, and corn; it has been restored to its original appearance before electricity was introduced. Period furniture fills the house, and the battery-powered radio plays Carter's reminiscences of growing up on a Depression-era farm. Plains High School, where the Carters attended school, is now a museum and the headquarters of the historic site. Note that the Carter's current ranch style home is a part of the historic district, but not open to the public. Rosalynn Carter's grave site is there. Start your visit here with a short orientation film, and pick up a self-guided tour book that explains the sites.

This is one of the planet's magically beautiful places, and should not be missed—especially at dawn and dusk. The 427 acres of this park encompass the tallest sand dune system on the East Coast (about 80 to 100 feet). Walk along the 384-foot boardwalk from the visitor center to the edge of the dune. The climb to the top is a challenge; nevertheless, it's a popular spot for hang gliding (Kitty Hawk Kites has an outpost here for beginner lessons), kite flying, and sand boarding. You can also explore an estuary, a museum, and a self-guided trail through the park, which also has eight picnic shelters. In summer, join the free Sunset on the Ridge program: watch the sun disappear while you sit on the dunes and learn about their local legends and history. Covered footwear is a wise choice here, as the loose sand gets quite hot (25–30 degrees hotter than air temperature) in the summer months.

Administered by Florida State University, this 20-acre waterfront compound encompasses the entire estate of circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. This includes not only the museum built to house their enormous personal art collection, but also their Ca' d'Zan mansion and its expansive gardens; the Circus Museum; the Historic Asolo Theater, home to the Asolo Repertory Company; restaurants; an education center; and a research library.

The Museum of Art, completed in 1931, was a dream long in the making, with setbacks that included a land bust and Mable's death. Works here range from Indian doorways elaborately carved with Jain deities to paintings by Rubens and other Old Masters—all of it displayed in a seemingly endless number of gorgeously appointed rooms. Contemporary art has dedicated space here, too, as do selections from the museum's photography collection. A newer wing, with its facade of jade-tinged terracotta, houses ancient and contemporary Asian art.

Patterned after the Doge's Palace in Venice, Ringling's grand home, Ca' d'Zan, has 32 rooms, 15 bathrooms, and the 61-foot Belvedere Tower. Completed in 1925, the mansion sits along the bay, and its 8,000-square-foot terrace overlooks the dock where Mable moored her gondola. Thirty-minute mansion tours occur on the hour; if you prefer to explore on your own, show up on the half hour for a self-guided tour. Allow time to wander around in Mable's Rose Garden, a lush labyrinth surrounded by towering banyans and filled with rare blooms and haunting statues.

Although the Circus Museum offers a colorful glimpse at the history of the American circus, it's main attraction is arguably the world's largest miniature circus, a 40-year endeavor by master model builder Howard Tibbals. His impressive to-scale replica of the circa 1920s and '30s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is astonishingly detailed and accurate—from the number of pancakes the cooks are flipping to the likenesses and costumes of the performers to the names of the animals marked on the mess buckets. If you're looking for clown noses, ringmaster hats, and circus-themed T-shirts, check out the Ringling Museum of Art Store.

If getting far from rowdy crowds is your goal, this spot on the north end of Singer Island is a good choice. Encompassing 2 miles of beach and a lush subtropical coastal habitat, inside you'll find a great place for kayaking, snorkeling at natural reefs, bird-watching, fishing, and hiking. You might even get to see a few manatees. A 4,000-square-foot nature center has aquariums and displays on local flora and fauna, and there's a long roster of monthly activities, such as surfing clinics, art lessons, and live bluegrass music.  Guided sea turtle walks are available at night in season, and daily nature walks depart at 10 am.  Check the website for times and costs of activities. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

Sitting at the edge of Dorchester Bay, this stark, white building (a modernist monument designed by I. M. Pei) pays homage to the life and presidency of John F. Kennedy, as well as to members of his family, including his wife, Jacqueline, and brother Robert. The library-museum is both a center for serious scholarship and a focus for Boston's nostalgia for her native son. 

The library is the official repository of JFK's presidential papers and displays re-creations of his desk in the Oval Office and of the television studio in which he debated Richard Nixon in the 1960 election. Permanent exhibits focus on his life before politics, the 1960 presidential election, the Peace Corps, and the U.S. space program. There's also a permanent display on the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The facility also includes a store and a small café.

The former home of the statesman who served as private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Secretary of State to Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, built the 22-room Fells on Lake Sunapee as a summer home in 1890. House tours offer a glimpse of late Victorian life on a New Hampshire estate. The grounds, a gardener's delight, include a 100-foot-long perennial garden and a rock garden with a brook flowing through it. Miles of hiking trails can also be accessed from its 83½ acres.