10457 Best Sights in USA

At this small and carefully arranged museum, displays of plantation-era clothing and tools, ranch memorabilia, old maps, precious feather lei, poi pounders, photographs, family portraits, and other artifacts and memorabilia give you insight on the history of the island and its people. Postcards, maps, books, and pamphlets are for sale. The friendly staff can provide information on and directions to the island's historical sites, making this the best place to start your explorations. The Heritage Center's Lanai Guide app is a trove of information—both practical and historical—on the island's sites.

Built in 1889, this indoor farmers' market gave a new home to the city's original open-air market, in operation since 1742. The grand Romanesque building is a city fixture as a place to shop for fresh produce, meat, flowers and baked goods, most of it from the county's farms. In addition to Amish and Mennonite staples like Lebanon bologna and chowchow, there are stalls selling globally inspired prepared foods, from pierogis to Puerto Rican empanadas. It's open 6 am--3 pm on market days (Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday).

This open-air museum showcases Pennsylvania German rural life and local folk culture between 1750 and 1940. Founded by brothers Henry and George Landis on their homestead in the 1920s, the farm and village are now operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. You can visit the more than 15 historical buildings that have been moved here from other Lancaster County locations, with costumed guides providing interesting bits of history. There are demonstrations of skills such as spinning and weaving, pottery making, and tinsmithing. Many of the crafts are for sale in the delightful museum shop.

Playful labels by artist Jeanne Greco, whose past clients include Aerosmith, Mattel (for Barbie), and the post office, are the first indication that something offbeat is afoot at Lang & Reed. The second: the wines themselves. In the land of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, husband-wife owners John and Tracey Skupny focus on Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. In making the former, John strives to create wines that are "delicious and fruity but not simple." He succeeds. Son Reed Skupny's worldwide quest for wine knowledge found him in the Loire Valley, eventually becoming obsessed with crafting noteworthy Chenin Blanc. His Chenins, clean on the palate with pleasing acidity, achieve his objective. Lang & Reed pours its wines in a restored Victorian, sometimes on its front porch. Tastings are by appointment.

Founded in 1895 but planted with grapes even before that by San Francisco's free-spirited Lillie Hitchcock Coit, Larkmead was named by her for the meadowlarks that once flitted upvalley. The 115-acre vineyard's diverse soils represent a microcosm of the entire Napa Valley, contributing to the luxuriant complexity of the Merlot-based Firebelle Bordeaux blend and the collector-worthy Solari Cabernet Sauvignon. The intuitive artistry underlying the wines also plays out in the hospitality building’s barn-chic design, the chalk pastels and other works by Kate Solari Baker, whose parents purchased Larkmead in 1948, and the colorful gardens her daughter, Ann, created. Most tastings begin with a brief tour passing by the 3-acre Research Block devoted to alternative grape types and viticultural techniques to cope with climate change, a long-standing concern.

South of Fairhaven and accessed from Chuckanut Drive, this rugged 2,683-acre park offers an 8,100-foot stretch of rocky shore with quiet, sandy coves and also has trails that climb up along the slopes of Chuckanut Mountain. Even though the mountain has been logged repeatedly, there's still plenty of lush forest. Trails lead through ferny fir and maple forests to hidden lakes, caves, and cliff-top lookouts from which you can see to the San Juan Islands—the 4½-mile round-trip Fragrance Lake loop is a particularly rewarding hike. At the shore there's a sheltered boat launch; you can go crabbing here or watch the birds—and the occasional harbor seal—that perch on the offshore rocks. The area west of Chuckanut Drive has picnic tables as well as tent and RV sites with hookups, which are open all year.

Almost every year from 1899 to 1948 wealthy socialites Larz and Isabel Anderson bought a car, which they kept at their Brookline estate in a castlelike carriage house built in 1888 (originally to stable horses). After Isabel’s death in 1948, the building was turned into a museum. Today, visitors can see 14 of their cars in this special collection. Weekend lawn events, May through October, feature unique cars.

What Lincoln Road is to South Beach, Las Olas Boulevard is to Fort Lauderdale. Regarded as the heart and soul of Broward County, Las Olas has historically been the premier street for restaurants, art galleries, museums, shopping, dining, and strolling. Lined with high-rises in the downtown area and original boutiques and ethnic eateries along 10 blocks of the main stretch, it's also home to beautiful mansions and traditional Florida homes along the Intracoastal Waterway to the east, which typify the modern-day aesthetic of Fort Lauderdale. The ocean appears beyond the residential swath, and that's where you see that the name "Las Olas" (Spanish for "The Waves") begins to make more sense. It's a pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare, but it's not closed to vehicular traffic at any point.

This 30-mile scenic route, the main thoroughfare through the park, passes by such prominent sites as Lassen Peak, Bumpass Hell, Sulphur Works, Kings Creek, Devastated Area, and Chaos Crags, connecting the southwest entrance with Manzanita Lake and the northwest entrance. It's often referred to simply as Lassen Park Highway.

When this plug dome volcano erupted in 1915, it spewed a huge mushroom cloud of debris almost 6 miles into the air. You can admire the peak from several points along the park road, and a fabulous panoramic view rewards those who make the strenuous 2½-mile hike to the 10,457-foot summit.

This trail winds 2.5 miles to the mountaintop. It's an arduous climb—2,000 feet uphill on a steady, steep grade—but the reward is the gaspworthy view into the rim and across the entire park (and much of California's Far North). Give yourself about five hours to complete this climb, and bring sunscreen, water, snacks, a first-aid kit, and a jacket—it can be windy and cold at the summit. Difficult.

Immaculately groomed grapevines dazzle the eye at John and Nancy Lasseter's winery, and it's no accident: Phil Coturri, Sonoma Valley's premier organic vineyard manager, tends them. Even the landscaping, which includes an insectary to attract beneficial bugs, is meticulously maintained. Come harvest time, the wine-making team oversees gentle processes that transform the fruit into wines of purity and grace, among them a Sémillon–Sauvignon Blanc blend, the Enjoué rosé, and Bordeaux and Rhône reds. Evocative labels illustrate the tale behind each wine. In good weather, guests hear these well-told stories at tastings on the winery's outdoor patio, whose views include the vineyard and the Mayacamas Mountains, where the Lasseters purchased a second vineyard. All visits to the Glen Ellen property are by appointment.

California's largest used and new book and record shop is a favorite for both book lovers and fans of a good photo op, thanks to elements like an archway created from curving towers of books, a peephole carved into the stacks, and an in-store vault devoted to horror texts. Aside from the awesome aesthetics, shoppers will love to get lost in the store's collection of affordable books, art, and music.

Preferred by divers and snorkelers, this laid-back beach is a gateway to magnificent coral reefs. When you're not underwater, look up and you'll likely see a pelican flying by. It's a super-relaxing retreat from the buzz of Fort Lauderdale's busier beaches. That said, the southern part of the beach is crowded near the restaurants at the intersection of A1A and Commercial Boulevard. The no-frills hotels and small inns for families and vacationers visiting for a longer stay are typically filled with Europeans. Look for metered parking around Commercial Boulevard and A1A. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee). Best for: family outings; snorkeling; swimming.

Just past the Grave of Charles Lindbergh is your last stop for drinks and snacks. This small open-air (and open-daily) stand fronts a 13-acre regenerative family farm and sells coffee, teas, fresh-squeezed juices, baked goods, and a nice selection of souvenir food products. This is a great place to try a variety of tropical fruits for the first time—staffers will even cut open and show you how to eat things like fresh cacao pods and lilikoi (passion fruit).

This is the beach park of all beach parks: both a surf break and a beach, it offers a little something for everyone with its inviting stretch of lawn, soft white sand, and gentle waves. The shoreline reef creates a protected wading pool, perfect for small children. Outside the reef, beginner surfers will find good longboard rides. From the long sliver of beach, you can enjoy superb views of neighboring islands, and, landside, of deep valleys cutting through West Maui's mountain. Because of its endless sunshine and serenity—not to mention such amenities as picnic tables and grills—Launiupoko draws a crowd on the weekends, but there's space for everyone (and overflow parking across the street). Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; surfing; swimming.

This contemporary structure feels more like an art gallery than an interpretive facility. The elegant, eco-friendly building is more than just eye candy—you can experience the sounds of the park in a cylindrical audio chamber, and laminated maps in the reading room are great for trip planning. Rangers here promote "contemplative hiking" and are well informed about the many birds around the center's trailheads. It's best to get here in the early morning or late evening because the small parking area fills quickly. A ranger leads a hike to the lake every morning.

As a longtime wine-industry marketing director, Bettina Sichel knew the potential pitfalls of winery ownership, but when she discovered a uniquely situated volcanic-soiled Sonoma Mountain vineyard for sale, she plunged in enthusiastically. Because her 14 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines face east, the mountain shelters the grapes from the hot late-afternoon sun and excessively cool Pacific influences. Sichel's wine-making team includes organic-farming legend Phil Coturri and winemaker Randall Watkins. The estate Cabernet and another called Counterpoint are the stars at the downtown Glen Ellen tasting room, along with a rosé from the vineyard's oldest vines. The grapes for three whites come from sourced grapes.

Thousands of years of volcanic activity created this rugged landscape, distinguished by cinder cones, lava flows, spatter cones, pit craters, and more than 400 underground lava tube caves. During the Modoc War (1872–73), the indigenous Modoc people, under the leadership of their chief "Captain Jack" Kintpuash, took refuge in a natural lava fortress now known as Captain Jack's Stronghold. They managed to hold off U.S. Army forces, which outnumbered them 20 to 1, for five months.

When exploring this area, wear hard-soled boots and a bump hat. Bring a flashlight with you, although some are available for borrowing at the visitor center, which is in the park's south-central reaches. This is also the departure point for summer activities such as guided walks, cave tours, and campfire programs.  Lava Beds is extremely remote; visit the website for detailed driving instructions and information about winter road closures.

Nineteenth-century miners knew that gold was nearby if they found the type of volcanic rocks visible everywhere on this winery's property. The rocky soils and vineyard elevations as high as 2,800 feet play pivotal roles in creating Lava Cap's fruit-forward yet elegant wines. Zinfandel, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah star among the reds, Chardonnay and Viognier among the whites. After a tasting you can picnic on the patio and enjoy Sierra foothills vistas.

Stop, rest awhile, and have some fun. That's the purpose of The Lawn on D, a free-to-all open green space that features a plethora of games like bocce, corn hole, Ping-Pong, and pickleball, and chairs for lounging. In warmer weather, you can often catch a live concert or film screening here, or a public art installation. A concession stand makes sure visitors are well fed. The only catch? You can't bring Fido.

Laid-back and wholly nostalgic, this 11-acre celebrates the Carson and Colorado Railroad Company, which set up a narrow-gauge railyard here in 1883. Among the village's 50 rescued buildings—many containing the "modern amenities" of days gone by—are a post office, the original 1883 train depot, and a restored 1900 ranch house. On summer weekends and other select dates, you can also take a ride aboard Brill Car No. 5 from the Death Valley Railroad.

The artifacts on display inside this stunning travertine building provide sharp insight into the 36th president's mind and motivations, and though his foibles are downplayed, a clear sense of the Texas native—earthy, conniving, sensitive, and wry—emerges. Pick up any of the clunky rotary-phone receivers throughout the museum to hear real recordings of conversations Johnson had with famous politicians and figureheads during his time in office. The 30-plus hours of tape include ruminations on Vietnam and civil rights, plus strategic arguments about vote wrangling (LBJ's specialty). There are rotating temporary exhibits on the ground floor and free on-site visitor parking in lot 38.  Be sure to check out the second floor, where a life-sized audio-animatronic figure of LBJ spins humorous anecdotes; it's a hoot.

Self-guided tours reveal how chinook salmon are released into the Wenatchee River in the hope they will return someday to spawn and keep the species thriving. Even if nothing's spawning, the view of millions of eggs in the nursery or thousands of small, 4-inch "fries" wriggling in the aquarium is something to see. Be sure to set aside time to walk the pretty, 1-mile Icicle Creek Nature Trail loop, an easy and enjoyable stroll with wildlife viewing platforms, interpretive signs, and great bird-watching. A butterfly garden is in front of the hatchery building.

Petersburg's biggest draw lies at the foot of the Stikine Ice Cap. Accessible only by air or water, LeConte Glacier is the continent's southernmost tidewater glacier and one of its most active, often calving off so many icebergs that the tidewater bay at its face is carpeted shore to shore with them.

Designed for families with children ages 2–12, LEGOLAND California features more than 60 rides, shows, and attractions, along with SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND Water Park, and two on-site hotels, the LEGOLAND Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel. The park’s newest land, Dino Valley, features three rides, an interactive build-and-play area, and new costumed characters. There's also the LEGO Ferrari Build & Race where you can build and race your own LEGO vehicle; the LEGO MOVIE WORLD, based on the blockbuster films, where fans can ride on Emmet’s triple-decker flying couch and explore the streets of Bricksburg; and LEGO NINJAGO WORLD. MINILAND U.S.A. features a miniature, interactive collection of iconic U.S. cities including MINILAND San Diego, and LEGOLAND California's beloved Driving School attractions got a facelift in 2025 and now feature new courses with exciting, interactive elements for young drivers to explore. If you have time, the LEGOLAND Water Park and LEGO Chima Water Park (additional fee) has slides, rides, a pirate shipwreck–themed area, and more.

Be sure to try Granny's Apple Fries, Knights’ Smokehouse BBQ, and Pizza & Pasta Buffet for pizzas and salads. The Market near the entrance has excellent coffee, fresh fruit, and yogurt. The LEGOLAND Hotel is worth a visit even if you're not staying overnight. There are activities and a LEGO pit in the lobby that will entertain kids while parents recover with a cocktail.

Purchase tickets online for discounted pricing and check out the Resort Hopper Ticket, which includes admission to the LEGOLAND Theme Park, SEA LIFE Aquarium, and the LEGOLAND Water Park. If you can, go midweek to avoid the crowds and add a second day for just $35 more. All tickets are date-specific.

In addition to its 1:20-scale LEGO reproductions of U.S. cities and sights, this theme park has more than 50 rides, shows, and attractions throughout 10 zones. The Danish toy company's philosophy is to help children "play well." And play they do, as attractions here are very hands-on. Kids can hoist themselves to the top of a tower, power a fire truck, or navigate a LEGO robot. Sights include huge LEGO dragons, wizards, knights, pirates, castles, roller coasters, racetracks, villages, and cities. In the heart of the park, you'll also find a marvelous botanical garden, which preserves one of the world's largest banyan trees and is a remnant of the original Cypress Gardens theme park.

The cityscapes in Miniland USA fascinate children and adults, who delight in discovering what's possible when you have enough bricks. Miniland opens with Kennedy Space Center, where a 6-foot shuttle waits on the launchpad. Miami Beach features bikini-clad bathers and Art Deco hotels; St. Augustine and its historic fort play into LEGO's pirate theme; Key West's Mallory Square is accurate right down to the trained cats leaping through rings of fire. The rest of the country is not ignored: New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., all have intricate, often-amusing details (like New York's purse snatcher) hidden in each.

Among other highlights are Ninjago, where kids battle computer-generated bad guys; LEGO Kingdoms, whose castle towers over a jousting area and a roller coaster and where knights, damsels, dragons, and ogres are found; Land of Adventure, where you can explore hidden tombs and hunt for treasure; and the Imagination Zone, showcasing LEGO Mindstorms robots and where a giant head of Albert Einstein invites kids to explore and invent. Things get wild in LEGO Technic, the most active of the park's zones, where Test Track, Aquazone Wave Racers, and Technicycle let the family expend some energy.

During the live Brickbeard's Watersport Stuntshow, seafaring sailors wearing LEGO suits defend a huge ship from attacking pirates on water skis. LEGO Movie World features rides and attractions from the blockbuster, including Splash Battle, Masters of Flight, where guests soar above The LEGO Movie universe aboard a triple-decker flying couch, and Unikitty's Disco Drop, taking riders to the top of Cloud Cuckoo Land.

LEGOLAND Water Park features a wave pool; Build-a-Raft, where families construct a LEGO vessel and float down a lazy river; a 375-foot pair of intertwined waterslides that plunge riders into a pool; and a DUPLO toddler water play area. Three on-site hotels offer LEGO-theme accommodations and park packages. While you're here, you might want to also check out the neighboring, stand-alone Peppa Pig Theme Park, which delights preschoolers with its six rides, play spaces, splash pads, and characters.

SEA LIFE Florida Aquarium, with 10 underwater galleries bustling with marine life, 25 interactive exhibits that include rock pools where you can touch critters, and a stingray bay, opened here in June 2025. You can buy tickets just to SEA LIFE or opt for packages that wrap in the other LEGOLAND attractions, too.

This flat trail follows String Lake's northeastern shore to Leigh Lake's southern shore, covering 2 miles in a round-trip of about an hour. You can extend your hike into a moderate 7½-mile, four-hour round-trip by following the forested east shore of Leigh Lake to tiny but pretty Bearpaw Lake. Along the way you'll have views of Mt. Moran across the lake, and you may be lucky enough to spot a moose or a bear. Another option from Leigh Lake's southern shore is the 13-mile round-trip hike into Paintbrush Canyon to Holly Lake. Moderate.

Leland Stanford, a railroad baron, California governor, and U.S. senator, expanded the original 1856 two-story row house on this site into a 19,186-square-foot mansion. The opulent space is open for touring except on days when California's governor hosts official events. After the death of Stanford's wife, Jane, Roman Catholic nuns transformed the mansion into an orphanage and later a home for teenage girls. Luckily for the restoration efforts, which began in 1986 following the state acquiring the property, the sisters had stashed many original furnishings and fixtures on the fourth floor, and the renowned photographer Eadweard Muybridge had shot images in 1872 that made clear what rooms looked like and where things belonged. Guided tours (first come, first served) depart hourly from 10 to 4.

About 350 meticulously restored automobiles, from some of the world's earliest models to brassy muscle cars from the late '60s, are displayed in this sleek, striking museum on the south side of downtown. It's one of the most impressive car museums in the country, with engaging exhibits on Route 66, alternative-fuel cars, NASCAR, and other aspects of automobile culture and history. The cars here were collected by the late Harold LeMay, whose entire inventory of some 3,000 autos is recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest privately owned collection in the world. Highlights include a 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, a 1930 Lincoln L Brougham, a 1953 Citroen 2CV, a 1963 Studebaker Avanti, and—a favorite with kids—the Flintmobile used in the 1994 Flintstones movie. The café serves diner classics, including banana splits. If you're an ardent car enthusiast, it's worth making the 20-minute drive south to the related LeMay Collections at Marymount ( www.lemaymarymount.org) in the Spanaway neighborhood of south Tacoma—an even bigger collection of cars is on display there.