10457 Best Sights in USA

Mathew and Tony Bruno, Italian-American brothers whose grandfather introduced them to wine making via his homemade efforts, renovated a roadside mid-1890s Queen Anne–style residence into a designer showcase for their highly regarded wines. They source grapes for a Blanc de Blancs sparkler, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, rosé of Grenache, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon from several Napa and Sonoma appellations, but there's a strong Rutherford connection: 2 miles from the Queen Anne, Mrs. Thomas Rutherford, the wife of the town's namesake, planted the vineyard where the flagship Cab’s fruit grows. As eye-catching as the tasting room's interiors are, the back porch's vineyard views southeast to Atlas Peak steal the show. Tasting options include all whites, all reds, and pairings with chocolate or cheese and charcuterie. The hospitality is first-rate.

You'll get a full introduction to the sea life that makes Hawaii special at this aquarium, which focuses on creatures of the Pacific. One highlight is the acrylic tunnel that runs through the 750,000-gallon Open Ocean tank, providing an up-close, underwater look at more than 50 marine species, including sharks and stingrays. Shallow Reef and Living Reef exhibits enlighten you on the coral ecosystem, and a whale exhibit has interactive learning stations and a dome theater that uses 3D technology to give you a mesmerizing humpback-whale's-eye-view. Cultural exhibits focus on the First Hawaiians and their relationships with the sea and on the history of Kahoolawe, a neighboring island that can be seen just across the Alalakeiki Channel. 

Although it's not an enormous facility, you should allow two hours or so to explore it all. The center is part of a complex of retail shops and restaurants overlooking the harbor. Enter from Honoapiilani Highway as it curves past Maalaea Harbor.  The aquarium's gift shop is one of the best on Maui for artsy souvenirs and toys.

Naturally, the top seller at this winery, located on what was once Rose Ranch and is now Ulupalakua Ranch, is the pineapple wine Maui Blanc. Reservations are encouraged for the regular tastings that take place Tuesday through Sunday in the King's Cottage, which was built in the late 1800s for frequent appearances by King Kalakaua. Reservations are required for the more intimate Under the Camphor Tree experience, which is held at select times on Thursday and Friday and which pairs wine with insight on area history—from visits by monarchs to sugar plantations to cattle ranching.

The Mauna Ulu lava flow presents an incredible variety of geological attractions within a moderate, 2½-mile round-trip hike. The diverse lava landscape was created during the 1969–74 Mauna Ulu flow, which produced enormous "lava falls" the size of Niagara Falls. Visitors can see everything from lava tree molds and fissure vents to cinder cones and portions of the old highway still exposed under the flow. Hawaiian nene geese roam the area, feeding on ripe ohelo berries. Hike to the top of a small hill that survived the flow for incredible views of the distant geological landmarks. On clear days, you can see Mauna Loa, Maunakea, and the Pacific Ocean from atop this hill, known as Puu Huluhulu.  Purchase the Mauna Ulu trail booklet at the Kilauea Visitor Center for under $3. This excellent resource includes trailside attractions, trail maps, history, and photographs. Moderate.

Winemaker Clay Mauritson's Swedish ancestors planted grapes in what is now the Rockpile appellation in the 1880s. Much of the original homestead lies submerged under human-made Lake Sonoma, but the remaining acres produce the distinctive Zinfandels for which Mauritson is best known. Cabernet Sauvignon, other red Bordeaux grapes, Syrah, and Petite Sirah grow here as well, but the Zinfandels in particular illustrate how Rockpile's varied climate and hillside soils produce vastly different wines, some soft and almost Pinotlike, others more tannic. The Mauritsons also grow grapes in Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, and Dry Creek Valley, where the winery and tasting room are located.

Cabernets from Mayacamas Vineyards, founded atop Mt. Veeder in 1889, often place on lists of the world's best wines. The equally distinguished Chardonnay, a Napa Valley marvel, is aged in mostly neutral (previously used) French oak barrels to accentuate mountain minerality. The Cabernet Sauvignon ages up to three years, spending part of the time in oak barrels more than a century old. Erin Martin, a Napa Valley resident with a hip international reputation, designed the light-filled downtown Napa storefront tasting space. Experiencing these magnificent wines downtown—the lineup includes an age-worthy Merlot—may entice you to visit the estate.

Set on 497 acres, this sprawling winery specializes in biodynamic farming and wine production, a sustainable alternative to commercial agriculture based on the works of Rudolf Steiner (best known as the force behind Waldorf education). Instead of commercial fertilizers and chemical pesticides, the focus here is on a holistic approach to farming—turkeys roam the fields, fending off insects, and manure and compost are used to enrich the soil. The result is some fantastic Pinots and other wines without any worry of chemical residues. Owner Moe Momtazi's belief in sustainability carries into the tasting room, a cavernous space built of stone from the farm and upcycled wood; even the bar stools are made from old wine barrels.

Just inside this park's southern boundary, Burney Creek wells up from the ground and divides into two falls that cascade over a 129-foot cliff into a pool below. Countless ribbon-like streams pour from hidden moss-covered crevices; resident bald eagles are frequently seen soaring overhead. You can walk a self-guided nature trail that descends to the foot of the falls, which Theodore Roosevelt—according to legend—called "the eighth wonder of the world." On warm days, swim at Lake Britton; lounge on the beach; rent motorboats, paddleboats, and canoes; or relax at one of the campsites or picnic areas.

Check out exhibits, examine sunspots and flares safely via film, or peer into the workings of giant research telescopes. Guided tours of the domed observatories are given several days a week following programs at 11 and 2. After nightfall, the observatory offers star parties (usually Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday). Online reservations are required for all public programs. It's a beautiful 15-mile drive from Fort Davis to the visitor center, at 6,235 elevation.

The ranch, which began making extra-virgin olive oil before expanding into wine, hosts flights of both products on a flagstone patio with views of hillside trees and a pond attracting egrets and herons. A Pinot Noir and the Red Piano Syrah stand out among the several reds, but with the Wildflower blend of three Italian white grapes, a Viognier, and still and sparkling rosés, guests can choose a flight of all lighter wines. A retail store with a window onto the olive-oil milling facility sells a body product that made the Oprah’s Favorite Things 2024 list. Visits require an appointment.  You can preorder lunch to accompany any tasting. Walkabout Ranch Tours take in vineyards, gardens, and a high-ceilinged Chinese pavilion.

Ten miles west of Grand Junction, stretching from Fruita to just across the Utah border, the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (formerly Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area) is rife with natural arches, along with numerous rock canyons, caves, coves, and spires. Rattlesnake Canyon has nine arches, making it the second-largest concentration of natural arches in the country. The canyon can be reached in summer from the upper end of Rim Rock Drive with four-wheel-drive vehicles or via a 7-mile hike by the intrepid.

Though much of the territory complements the red-dirt canyons of Colorado National Monument, McInnis Canyons is more accessible to horseback riding, mountain biking, all-terrain vehicle and motorcycle trails, and for trips with dogs (most of these activities aren't allowed at the monument). Designated in 2000 by Congress, the conservation area was created from a desire of nearby communities to preserve the area's unique scenery while allowing multiple-use recreation. Be prepared for biting gnats from late May to late July. Contact the Bureau of Land Management for a map before venturing out.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the 18-acre plot is a tropical jungle garden—one of the most lush and serene around. This is the place to see spectacular water lilies, and the property's original 1932 Hall of Giants, a rustic wooden structure that has stained-glass and bronze bells, contains what is claimed to be the world's largest single-plank mahogany table at 35 feet long. There's a bamboo pavilion, a gift shop, and a café (open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday in season), which serves especially tasty snacks and sandwiches.

Most people don't realize there is a sprawling state park just 10 miles south of downtown Austin, but McKinney Falls showcases two free-flowing waterfalls and natural limestone pools in a wildly beautiful setting. It's an ideal day trip for visitors who want to quickly escape the downtown's noise. Hike or bike a network of nature and riverside trails, swim in Onion Creek, picnic under the bald cypress trees surrounding the park's signature waterfalls, or stay overnight at a scenic campsite. Check their online calendar for scheduled events like park ranger coffee chats, stargazing parties, and guided wildlife walks.

Poster-size illustrations on a shaded, outdoor patio of this intermittently staffed ranger station tell the geological story of the Guadalupe Mountains, believed to have been carved from an ancient sea. You can also hear the recorded memoirs of oilman Wallace Pratt, who donated his ranch and surrounding area to the federal government for preservation. Nearby trailheads access a 1-mile nature loop and lengthier hikes.

View stream and canyon woodlands along a 4.8-mile round-trip excursion that leads to the vacant Pratt Cabin, which was built of stone during the Great Depression in the "most beautiful spot in Texas," according to its original owner, Wallace Pratt. Perhaps he was enthralled by an oasis of running water carving through the canyon floor or the colorful riot of autumn foliage. Continue another mile each way to reach the Grotto, where you'll discover a picnic area overlooking a flowing stream and surface rock that resembles formations in an underground cave with jagged overhangs. Just beyond the Grotto is the historic Hunter Line Cabin. Allow two to three hours to visit Pratt Cabin and another hour or two if you go to the Grotto. Moderate.

Directly across the Ashley River from downtown Charleston, this 37-acre former cotton plantation on James Island focuses on the experiences of those who have lived here: enslaved people, free people, white people, and black people. Guided and self-led tours encourage visitors to compare the row of well-preserved slave quarters with the site's large plantation house. Its Transition to Freedom program imagines what life was like for the enslaved people who labored here, and the ramifications that the injustices they endured have on society today. The site, with its stunning oak allée, has had many lives: it was once home to Confederate troops, then to those of the Union, and was also the location of the island's Freedman's Bureau. Until 1990, when it became a Gullah-Geechee historic site, descendants of the McLeods, Gathers, and other families long associated with the plantation still resided there.

The first modern art museum in Texas, the McNay was once the magnificent home of artist, collector, and oil heiress Marion Koogler McNay, who bequeathed her 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival–style mansion and its 25 landscaped acres to the city of San Antonio. It currently houses an art collection of works by Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and more, for a total of about 22,000 works. The museum also houses the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts. Robert Tobin was a San Antonio philanthropist who assembled a world-renowned 12,000-item collection chronicling theater history. Custom tours are available for a variety of group sizes, ages, and interests.

At the northern end of the Alaska Peninsula, this sanctuary protects the world's largest gathering of brown bears. During the July to mid-August chum season, when salmon return to spawn, 50, 60, or even 70 brown bears congregate daily at the McNeil River falls to fish, eat, play, nap, and nurse cubs. The action happens within 15 to 20 feet of a viewing pad, so close that you can hear these magnificent creatures breathe and catch a whiff of their wet fur. Only 10 people a day can visit the viewing sites, and staffers (armed) are on hand to ensure that everyone behaves in nonthreatening, nonintrusive ways.

Because demand is so high, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issues permits via a mid-March lottery. Applications and a nonrefundable $30 fee must be received by March 1, and Alaska residents get preferential treatment. Those who win pay an additional fee of just over $112 to $525, depending on the type of permit and the holder's residency. Air taxis to the sanctuary fly out of Homer on the Kenai Peninsula. Once in the sanctuary, all travel is by foot and guided by state biologists. Permit holders camp on gravel pads, in a protected area near a communal cook house, and must bring all their food.

A ring of rocks 75 feet in diameter, this ancient site is the best preserved of nearly 150 Native American stone wheels found in Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Evidence such as the 28 spokes (one for each day of the lunar cycle) leading from the edge of the wheel to a central cairn has persuaded some that the wheel was an ancient spiritual observatory much like England's Stonehenge may have been. To protect the area, access to the wheel is restricted to foot travel; it's a 1½-mile hike on a well-maintained unpaved road to the site from the parking lot (people with disabilities may drive to the site). Up in the Big Horn Mountains, at an elevation of 9,642 feet, the site affords views of the entire Big Horn Basin. Dress warmly, as it's cool up here, even in summer.

A participant in a worldwide movement promoting earth-friendly regenerative farming techniques, this winery established in 1998 produces small-lot wines from organic grapes grown at 338-acre Bell Mountain Ranch. The estate Cabernet Sauvignons garner the most acclaim, but the other wines—among them a brut-style sparkler, a Chardonnay, two Sauvignon Blancs, and Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, and Syrah reds—are also well made. In addition to a standard tasting, you can book an evocative self-guided audio tour or experience the ranch on an excursion led by a wine educator. Ames Morison, the winery's eloquent co-founder and winemaker for the first two decades, leads vineyard walks on Fridays. Visits require an appointment. Closer to Healdsburg, Medlock Ames operates a tasting room in a converted century-old country store.

In 1622, a flotilla of Spanish galleons laden with riches left Havana en route to Spain, but it foundered in a hurricane 40 miles west of the Keys. In 1985, diver Mel Fisher recovered items from two of the lost ships, including the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, said to carry the mother lode of the treasure, and the Santa Margarita. Fisher's adventures tracking these fabled hoards and battling the state of Florida for rights are as amazing as the loot you'll see, touch, and learn about in this museum. Artifacts include a 77.76-carat natural emerald worth almost $250,000. Changing second-floor exhibits cover other aspects of Florida maritime history.

Glaciers are abundant in Southeast Alaska, but only a very few are as accessible as Mendenhall Glacier. Alaska's most-visited drive-up glacier spans 12 miles and is fed by the massive Juneau Icefield. Like many other Alaska glaciers, it is retreating, losing more than 100 feet a year as huge chunks of ice calve into the small lake separating the glacier from the Mendenhall Visitor Center. The center has interactive and traditional exhibits, a theater and bookstore, and panoramic views. Nature trails lead along Mendenhall Lake, to Nugget Falls, and into the mountains overlooking Mendenhall Glacier; the trails are marked by posts and paint stripes delineating the historic location of the glacier, providing a sharp reminder of Mendenhall's hasty retreat. An elevated viewing platform allows visitors to look for spawning sockeye and coho salmon—and the bears that eat them—at Steep Creek, a half mile south of the visitor center along the Moraine Ecology Trail.

Several companies lead bus tours to the glacier; ask at the visitor information center. You can also get within a mile and a half of the glacier on the city bus, which is $2 one-way. For a different perspective, you can travel by helicopter to the surface of the glacier, or hire a guide to take you right up to the edge. Note that because the ice is inherently unstable, the Forest Service doesn't recommend self-guided tours.

Something beautiful is always abloom in these marvelous gardens. Along 4 miles of trails, including pathways with ocean views and observation points for whale-watching, lie a profusion of flowers. The rhododendrons are at their peak from April through June; the dahlias begin their spectacular show in July and last through September. In winter, the heather and camellias add more than a splash of color. The main trails are wheelchair accessible.

A 3-mile, easy-to-walk trail leads across the spectacular seaside cliffs bordering Mendocino. The restored Ford House, built in 1854, serves as the visitor center for the park and the town. The house has a scale model of Mendocino as it looked in 1890, when it had 34 water towers and a 12-seat public outhouse.

This is one of the city's premier cultural treasures. Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the spacious building, with its airy galleries. John and Dominique de Menil collected the eclectic art, which ranges from tribal African sculptures to Andy Warhol's paintings of Campbell's soup cans. A separate gallery across the street houses the paintings of American artist Cy Twombly; Richmond Hall, a few blocks away, houses one of only two permanent Dan Flavin installations in America.

One of the few museums in the United States devoted to folk art has intimate galleries, some with lovely lakefront views. Look for the nation's most extensive permanent collection of Earl Cunningham paintings, as well as works by many other self-taught artists. There's a wonderful video about Cunningham and his "curio shop" in St. Augustine, Florida. Temporary exhibitions have included the works of Wyeth, Cassatt, and Michael Eastman. 

At the museum shop you can purchase folk-art books, toys, and unusual gifts. The Marilyn L. Mennello Sculpture Garden is always open to the public. Oversized outdoor sculptures include works by Alice Aycock and Barbara Sorensen, shown alongside the 350-year-old live oak tree called “The Mayor.” The Mennello is also the site of the free annual Orlando Indie-Folkfest held the last weekend of October.

Once an ambitious visual and musical arts collective, Meow Wolf is now a dazzling multimillion-dollar arts complex located inside the shell of a former bowling alley (with much of the funding coming from Santa Fe–based Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin). Visitors flock to the arts complex's first permanent exhibition: a self-billed "immersive art installation"House of Eternal Return, an interactive phenomenon that has become one of the city's leading attractions. Give yourself at least a couple of hours to tour this sci-fi-inspired, 20,000-square-foot interactive exhibit in which you'll encounter hidden doorways, mysterious corridors, ambient music, and clever, surrealistic, and often slyly humorous artistic renderings. It's a strange and enchanting experience, wildly imaginative, occasionally eerie, and absolutely family-friendly. Tickets are good throughout the day—you can leave and reenter the installation, and perhaps break up the experience by enjoying a light bite and craft beer at the lobby bar/café. Be aware that the experience is highly sensory and can be a little overstimulating for those who are sensitive to noise, changing lighting, and crowds. Meow Wolf is open until 8 most evenings and 10 on Friday and Saturday. It's also a frequent venue for sold-out music concerts.

More than 300 artists contributed to this Denver variation on Santa Fe's psychedelic, immersive art experience in an even bigger space, here called Convergence Station. Four floors are packed with funky art installations, tunnels, platforms, and interactive pieces, with music and other sound accompaniments. The overall effect is a bit of a fever dream, with clever and humorous takes on everyday objects interspersed with video and storytelling through dioramas. Entry is by timed ticket only, but once you enter, you can stay as long as you'd like. All ages will want to spend a few hours here, but kids especially become transfixed by the sensory overload. It's open Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 10 pm and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Adults-only nights and live music events are peppered throughout each month.

A staple on the tourist circuit, this house museum has been the stuff of legend since the release of the longtime best-selling novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was based on the murder trial of local architectural restorer and antiques dealer Jim Williams. Williams, who purportedly killed his lover in the front den while sitting at the desk where he later died, purchased the house in 1969. Scandal aside, Williams was an aficionado of historic preservation, and the Mercer House was one of some 50 Savannah properties that he purchased and restored. Designed by New York architect John S. Norris for General Hugh Mercer, great-grandfather of Johnny Mercer, the home was constructed in 1860 and completed after the end of the Civil War in 1868. Inside are fine examples of 18th- and 19th-century furniture and art from Jim Williams's private collection. Don't miss a look around the charming gift shop.