2155 Best Sights in USA

A short uphill grade takes you to a forested path that weaves among impressive sinkole features. Don't be fooled by the serenity—something significant is going on underneath your feet. The cause becomes clear when you arrive at the Turnhole Bend Overlook, a platform that provides a view of the site below, where a large underground waterway wells up as a bluehole spring to join the Green River at Turnhole Bend. The result is the "turnhole," a body of water large enough that steamboats once used it to turn around in the 19th century. This trail should not be confused with the Turnhole Bend Trail, a backcountry trail that approaches the area from the north side of the river. 0.5 mile. Moderate.

Hikers pass open forests and sun-spattered canopies on your way southward to Turnhole Bend, a wide bend in Green River. The end of the Turnhole Bend Trail provides a singular view of the Green River Valley at a high point in the center of a large bend in the river, where the river surrounds you on three sides. Directly south across the river is the location of Turnhole Spring, an outlet of an underground waterway. This trail intersects Sal Hollow Trail at 0.6 miles. Turnhole Bend Campsite lies at the trail terminus. The trail does not continue down to the river. 1.8 mi. Moderate. Note: This trail should not be confused with the Turnhole Bend Nature Trail on the park's south side.

Now known more for its namesake resort than its magnificent beach at Kuilima Cove, Turtle Bay is mostly passed over on the way to the better-known beaches of Sunset and Waimea. But for those with average swimming capabilities, this is a good place to be. The crescent-shaped stretch is protected by a huge sea wall, so you can see and hear the fury of the northern swell while blissfully floating in cool, calm waters. The convenience of this spot is also hard to pass up—a concession sells sandwiches and sunblock right on the beach. The resort has free parking for beach guests. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

The national park's Twentymile entrance on the northern side of Cheoah Lake is its most difficult to reach, and thus the least crowded. This is an incredible area of the park, especially during spring when the flowers and wild azaleas bloom. An easily manageable 7.2-mile loop follows old logging roads along Twentymile Creek and Moore Springs Branch, connecting via the Twentymile Loop Trail. The elevation gain is minimal, but the solitude and serenity found along the creeks (there are multiple swimming holes) is a local secret. Moderate.

It's a scenic drive and then an easy hike to these picturesque double falls on Reedy Cove Creek, where the left and larger of the falls pitches from a height of 75 feet and white water swooshes over wide gray boulders on the right. Don't give in to the temptation to climb the rocks leading to the top of the falls; not only is the view not much better, but also the stones are very slippery. The trail is on public property, a ¼-mile hike one way.

This 374-acre park along the Cumberland River has more recreational activities than any other park in Nashville. To name just a few, there’s a skate park, golf course, and small water park called Wave Country, featuring a wave pool and several slides. The Two Rivers Dog Park is one of the largest in the city, and there’s a walking track around the perimeter so you can jog or walk while your dog frolics. The Stones River Greenway is a 10.2-mile paved trail that runs straight through Two Rivers Park, ending in the Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge that leads east across the river to Shelby Bottoms Park. In addition to the natural sights provided by leafy green Tennessee, you may pass a beautiful Italianate mansion on your walk. That’s Two Rivers Mansion, an 1859 plantation home that’s now used as a private venue for weddings and events.

Two Springs Trail follows the river bottom from Echo River Spring Trail to River Styx Spring Trail along a fairly level path. The grade can get mushy in places. River Valley Trail and Sunset Point Trail branch off uphill along the route. 0.6 mile. Easy.

This is Tybee's "grand strand," the center of the summer beach action. Anchored by a 700-foot pier that is sometimes host to summer concerts, this stretch of shoreline is your best bet for people-watching and beach activities. Just off the sand at the bustling intersection of Tybrisa Street and Butler Avenue, a cluster of watering holes, souvenir shops, bike shacks, and oyster bars makes up Tybee's main business district. There are public restrooms at the Pier and at 15th and Tybrisa Streets. The pier is popular for fishing and is also the gathering place for fireworks displays. There's metered street parking as well as two good-sized lots. Both fill up fast during the high season, so arrive early.

The 100-acre cluster of redbrick buildings you see overlooking the Thames River makes up one of the four U.S. military academies. Visitors are welcome, and security is obviously tight, but being there when the Coast Guard training ship, the barque Eagle, is in port is a special treat. A small museum, located in Waesche Hall on the grounds, explores the Coast Guard's 230+ years of maritime service and includes some 200 ship models, as well as figureheads, paintings, uniforms, life-saving equipment, and cannon.

The outside of the building is plain, but inside, a wealth of art, contained in two separate collections, reflects the department's work. The Office of the Secretary Art Collection, featuring heroic oil paintings of dam construction, gold panning, and cattle drives, is found throughout the building's hallways, offices, and meeting rooms. The Department of the Interior Museum Collection outlines the work of the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, and other department branches. On Tuesday and Thursday at 2 pm, you can view 26 photographic murals by Ansel Adams and more than 40 dramatic murals painted by Maynard Dixon, John Steuart Curry, and other artists. Reservations are required for the Murals Tour; call at least two weeks in advance. The Indian Craft Shop across the hall from the museum sells Native American pottery, dolls, carvings, jewelry, baskets, and books.

Once used to store currency, this is one of the most impressive Greek Revival buildings in the United States. Robert Mills, the architect responsible for the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, designed the colonnade on 15th Street. After the death of President Lincoln, the Andrew Johnson Suite was used as the executive office while Mrs. Lincoln moved out of the White House. One of the highlights is the Cash Room. Initially opened in 1869, it served as a bank, providing essential services to the public and supplying local banks with coins and currency. Renovated in 1985, visitors can tour the historic room. Tours of the Treasury Building are available only to U.S. citizens or legal residents, and you must make the reservation in advance through your congressional office.

Displays of model ships and memorabilia from naval heroes and fighting vessels tell the story of the U.S. Navy. The Rogers Ship Model Collection has nearly 80 models of sailing ships built for the British Admiralty, the largest display of 17th- and 18th-century ship models in North America. Kids of all ages will enjoy watching the restoration and building of model ships on the ground level and might even learn a few tricks of the trade should they wish to purchase a model ship kit to build when they get home.

A 15-minute drive north of Bremerton (not far from Poulsbo), this museum is fronted by a can't-miss sight: the 88-ton Trieste II submarine, which dove to the deepest spot in the ocean (the Marianas Trench) in 1960. The main building presents rotating shows and contains excellent permanent exhibits on oceanography, torpedo technology, submarine rescues, mine warfare, and the navy's strategic war deterrence initiative. 

With a collection that includes thousands of Kodak Brownie and Zeiss Ikon cameras, this museum—the centerpiece of UCR ARTS—surveys the history of photography and the devices that produced it. Exhibitions, some of contemporary images, others historically oriented, are always top-notch and often incorporate photographs from the permanent collection of works by Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, and other greats. The museum also hosts films, performances, and other cultural events. 

Inside the Uintah County Heritage Museum are collections of Fremont and Ute Indian artifacts, including baskets, water jugs, and beadwork, as well as pioneer items like carriages, guns, saddles, and old-fashioned toys. Be sure to check out the wooden cataract boats built by local river-running legend A. K. Reynolds. They're still in great shape considering they date back to the late 1940s. The most off-beat installation is a collection of kitschy handmade porcelain dolls modeled after the nation's First Ladies, from Martha Washington to Nancy Reagan.

For a glimpse of how the working class lived at the turn of the 20th century, head south of Wicker Park to the Ukrainian Village. In its center, on Haddon Avenue and on Thomas and Cortez streets between Damen Avenue and Leavitt Street, you'll find a well-preserved group of workers' cottages and apartments. At the corner of Leavitt and Haddon Streets, gilded cupolas mark Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral (tours offered occasionally; schedule at  holytrinitycathedral.net), an early-20th-century church designed by renowned Chicago architect Louis Sullivan.

A refuge within a refuge, the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge consists of more than 20,000 acres of wilderness entirely within the boundaries of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Its primary mission at the moment is to rescue one of the nation's most endangered animals: the black-footed ferret. The ferrets depend on the high concentration of prairie dog towns for food. There are also plenty of grouse and burrowing owls, who use abandoned prairie dog tunnels for homes.

Find this spot—where signs near a heiau (shrine) also explain Kailua's early history—tucked next to the Windward YMCA. Although they may look like piles of rocks to the uninitiated, heiau are sacred stone platforms for the worship of the gods and date from ancient times; this one is 140 feet by 80 feet. Ulupo means "night inspiration," referring to the legendary Menehune, a mythical race of diminutive people who are said to have built the heiau under the cloak of darkness.

Cast-iron fences, Victorian-era town houses, a bubbling fountain, and a grassy area all add up to one of Boston's most charming slices of a neighborhood.

On a beautiful hillside in Arlington, the Air Force Memorial honors the service and sacrifice of America's airmen. Three stainless-steel, asymmetrical spires slice through the skyline up to 270 feet, representing flight, the precision of the "high bomb burst" maneuver performed by the Air Force Thunderbirds, and the three core values of the Air Force: Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do. The spires are adjacent to the southern portion of Arlington National Cemetery and visible from the Tidal Basin and Interstate 395 near Washington. At the base of the spires are four 8-foot statues standing guard, a glass wall engraved with the missing man formation, and granite walls inscribed with Air Force values and accomplishments.

Better known simply as "the Iwo Jima," this memorial, despite its familiarity, has lost none of its power to stir the emotions. Honoring Marines who gave their lives since the Corps was formed in 1775, the statue, sculpted by Felix W. de Weldon, is based on Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph of six Marines raising a flag atop Mt. Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. By executive order the U.S. flag flies day and night from the 78-foot-high memorial. On Tuesday evenings from early June to mid-August there's a Marine Corps sunset parade on the grounds of the memorial. On parade nights a free shuttle bus runs from the Arlington Cemetery visitors parking lot.

Also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, it is inspired by the iconic photograph taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The memorial depicts six marines raising the current U.S. flag and honors all U.S. Marine Corps personnel whose lives were lost since 1775. It's a 15-minute walk from the Metro station at Arlington National Cemetery, some of it uphill.

The first U.S. mint was built in Philadelphia at 16th and Spring Garden streets in 1792, when the Bank of North America adopted dollars and cents instead of shillings and pence as standard currency; the current mint was built in 1971. During a self-guided tour you can see blank disks being melted, cast, and pressed into coins, which are then inspected, counted, and bagged. Historic artifacts such as the Key to the First Mint and the gold medal awarded to General Anthony Wayne for his capture of Stony Point during the Revolutionary War are displayed. Seven Tiffany glass tile mosaics depict coin making in ancient Rome. A shop in the lobby sells special coins and medals—in mint condition.

Although Pierre L'Enfant included a Navy Memorial in his plans for Washington, D.C., the memorial did not come to life until 1987. The main attraction here is a 100-foot-diameter granite map of the world, known as the Granite Sea. Fountains, benches, and six ship masts surround the map. The Lone Sailor, a 7-foot-tall statue, stands on the map in the Pacific Ocean between the United States and Japan. The Naval Heritage Center, next to the memorial in the Market Square East Building, displays videos and exhibits of uniforms, medals, and other aspects of navy life. If you've served in the navy, you can enter your service record into the log. Bronze relief panels on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the memorial depict 26 scenes commemorating events in the nation's naval history and honoring naval communities.

The campus of one of the country's most prestigious research universities spreads over 1,200 acres of coastal canyons and eucalyptus groves, where students and faculty jog, bike, and skateboard to class. If you're interested in contemporary art, check out the Stuart Collection of Sculpture—20 thought-provoking, site-specific works by artists such as Nam June Paik, William Wegman, Niki de St. Phalle, Jenny Holzer, and others arrayed around the campus. UCSD's Price Center has a well-stocked, two-level bookstore—the largest in San Diego. Look for the postmodern Geisel Library, named for longtime La Jolla residents Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel and his wife, Audrey. Bring a credit card for the pay stations and park in lot P704.

There are free outdoor walking tours offered at various times for the public. For scheduled tours, visit www.admissions.ucsd.edu.

The campus of the University of Colorado Boulder began in 1876 with the construction of Old Main, which borders the Norlin Quadrangle, now on the National Register of Historic Places, a broad lawn where students hang out or play Frisbee between classes. The university’s red sandstone buildings with tile roofs, built in the “Rural Italian” architectural style that Charles Z. Klauder created in the early 1920s, complement the campus’s green lawns and small ponds. You can take a walking tour (reservations required) of the campus year-round.

UConn's large, sprawling main campus offers lots for visitors to see and do. The William Benton Museum of Art's permanent collection includes centuries-old European and American paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures, and the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts presents a series of 25--30 music, dance, and theater programs during the academic year. The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry has more than 2,500 puppets on display (UConn is one of two colleges in the country that offer a puppetry degree); and, depending on the season, you might catch a Connecticut Huskies football game at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, or watch the amazing national championship-winning men's and women's basketball teams play at home in Storrs.

On campus are two art galleries: the Ridderhof Martin Gallery, which hosts art exhibitions from various cultures and historical periods, and the duPont Gallery in Melchers Hall, which houses paintings, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, and textiles, by art faculty, students, and contemporary artists. Free parking is available for visitors in the lot at the corner of College Avenue at Thornton Street.

A highlight of this sprawling university is its original campus, founded in 1801. Stroll the historic buildings and gardens of the Horseshoe, or dive into the special collections at the South Caroliniana Library, built in 1840 as the first stand-alone college library in the nation. The McKissick Museum on campus features exhibits on geology, gemstones, and local folklife.

The University of Virginia is simply called "The University" by many associated with it, annoying its rivals. Unquestionably, though, it is one of the nation's most notable public universities, founded and designed by 76-year-old Thomas Jefferson, who called himself the university's father in his own epitaph. Even if you're not an architecture or history buff, the green terraced expanse called The Lawn, surrounded by redbrick columned buildings, is astounding. The Rotunda is a half-scale replica of Rome's Pantheon, suggesting Jefferson's Monticello and the U.S. Capitol. Behind the Pavilions, where senior faculty live, serpentine walls surround small, flowering gardens. Edgar Allan Poe's room—where he spent one year as a student until debt forced him to leave—is preserved on the West Range at No. 13. Campus tours (daily at 10, 11, 2, 3, and 4 pm) begin indoors in the Rotunda, whose entrance is on the Lawn side, lower level.