10457 Best Sights in USA

Located at the Wildhorse Resort and Casino, this impressive 45,000-square-foot interpretive center depicts history from the perspective of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes (Tamástslikt means "interpret" in the Walla Walla native language). An art gallery showcases the work of local and regional tribal artists, and on Saturday in summer you can visit the adjacent Living Culture Village, Naami Nishaycht, and watch a variety of talks and demonstrations on everything from tepee building to traditional community games. There's also a museum gift shop, a theater showing a short film about the tribe's heritage, and a café.

Tampa’s revitalized Downtown waterfront offers numerous restaurants, breweries, shops, museums, and outdoors activities along a pedestrian-friendly, 2.6-mile stretch of the eastern bank of the Hillsborough River. Whether you’re walking, biking, or in-line skating, you'll find something here to pique your interest amid open spaces and stunning water views. Be sure to check out the Historic Monument Trail, which offers insight into Tampa's storied past.

Using a 250-gallon copper still constructed in Kentucky, this artisanal distillery set in a stately barn just a short stroll from famed Barnstormers Theatre produces exceptional craft spirits, including Chocorua Straight Rye, Von Humboldt's Turmeric Cordial, Tamworth Garden Spruce Gin, and several flavorful cordials. If you're lucky, your stop will include a chance to sample Eau de Musc, a limited-release whiskey infused with an oil extracted from the castor glands of beavers.

These two public gardens offer a relaxing retreat along a stream that runs between two busy roads. The Bicentennial Garden houses sculptures (including large-scale interactive wind chimes), a Sensory Garden, a pétanque court, and a reconstructed mill and waterwheel. The Bog Garden includes wooden walkways that meander over water and wetlands.

The interiors of this extraordinary adobe house and studio, built between 1927 and 1933 by Russian émigré and artist Nicolai Fechin, are a marvel of carved Russian-style woodwork and furniture as well as Southwest architecture. Fechin constructed them to showcase his daringly colorful paintings, intricate wood carvings and cabinetry, and coppersmith work on fixtures. The house now contains the Taos Art Museum, which exhibits a rotating collection of some 600 paintings by more than 50 Taos artists, including founders of the original Taos Society of Artists, among them Joseph Sharp, Ernest Blumenschein, Bert Phillips, E. I. Couse, and Oscar Berninghaus. Be sure to take a stroll through the lovely gardens, and a peek in the gift shop which houses exquisite pieces by contemporary jewelers among many attractive items.

Casper College's Tate Geological Museum in the Tate Earth Science Center displays fossils, rocks, jade, and the fossilized remains of a brontosaurus, plus other dinosaur bones. The centerpiece for the Tate is Dee, an 11,600-year-old Columbian Mammoth. Dee is one of the largest complete Columbian Mammoths ever discovered.

Astride rose-granite steps and a period herb garden overlooking the Stroudwater River on the outskirts of Portland, this magnificent 1755 house was built by Captain George Tate. Tate had been commissioned by the English Crown to organize "the King's Broad Arrow"—marking and cutting down gigantic trees, which were shipped to England to be fashioned as masts for the British Royal Navy. The house has several period rooms, including a sitting room with some fine English Restoration chairs. With its clapboard siding still gloriously unpainted, its impressive Palladian doorway, dogleg stairway, unusual clerestory, and gambrel roof, this house will delight all lovers of Early American decorative arts.

This trail in the Kolob Canyons area descends parallel to Taylor Creek, sometimes crossing it, sometimes running along the sandstone benches that flank it. The historic Larson Cabin precedes the entrance to the canyon of the Middle Fork, where the trail becomes rougher. After the old Fife Cabin, the canyon bends to the right into Double Arch Alcove, a large, colorful grotto with a high blind arch (or arch "embryo") towering above. To Double Arch, it's 5 miles round-trip and takes about four hours. The elevation change is 450 feet. Moderate.

The oldest public art museum in the South was designed by William Jay in 1819 as a residence for Alexander Telfair. Within its marble rooms are a variety of paintings from American and European masters, plaster casts of the Elgin Marbles and other classical sculptures, and some of the Telfair family furnishings, including a Duncan Phyfe sideboard and Savannah-made silver.

Housed in the 1896 Miner's Hospital, the Telluride Historical Museum hosts exhibits on the town's past, including work in the nearby mines, techniques used by local doctors, and an 860-year-old Native American blanket. It is one of only six Smithsonian-affiliated museums in Colorado.

When Mormon pioneer and leader Brigham Young first entered the Salt Lake Valley, he chose this spot at the mouth of City Creek Canyon for the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a role it maintains to this day. The buildings in Temple Square vary in age, from the Tabernacle constructed in the 1860s to the Conference Center constructed in 2000. The centerpiece of the square, the striking Salt Lake Temple isn't open to the general public but is a sacred pilgrimage destination for members of the faith. Built of blocks of granite hauled by oxen and train from Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Temple opened in 1893, 40 years to the day after the start of its construction.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Square is the attention to landscaping, which turns the heart of downtown Salt Lake City into a year-round oasis. The Church takes particular pride in its Christmas decorations, which make a nighttime downtown stroll, or horse-and-buggy ride, a must on December calendars. Some of the square's notable buildings include the Beehive House, Brigham Young's restored 1854 home; the Family History Library, which houses the world's largest collection of genealogical data, and where Mormons and non-Mormons alike can research their family histories; and the stately 1911 Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The Salt Lake Temple and parts of Temple Square are currently undergoing a four-year renovation and restoration, which is expected to be completed sometime in 2025. 

Chattanooga's renaissance started on the riverfront and is still anchored by the Tennessee Aquarium, voted top attraction in the city by locals and one of the best aquariums in the country by tourists. You'll want to budget several hours to absorb the thrills of 10,000 animals, including toothy sharks, playful penguins, and graceful butterflies, a six-story IMAX 3-D movie theater, and a riverboat cruise on the River Gorge Explorer. Want to get up close and personal with the animals? Upgrade your ticket with a VIP backstage pass to touch and feed the animals, just like a real zookeeper. Younger children who want to get friendly with a groundhog or one of the largest owls in the world will enjoy Ranger Rick's Backyard Safari—short sessions held outside, up to eight times a day, depending on the weather.

Some hotels offer discount tickets to the Aquarium as part of special lodging packages.

This winery achieves success with two separate labels. Terre Rouge, which focuses on Rhône-style wines, makes some of California's most highly praised Syrahs. The Easton label specializes in high-scoring Zinfandels from old and new vines and does well with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. You can picnic on the lawn here.

Built in 1888 from Texas pink granite, this impressive structure, capped by a 60-foot-wide cast-iron dome, stands taller than the U.S. Capitol (yes, everything is bigger in Texas), and it is certainly a crown jewel of the Lone Star State. The Renaissance Revival building dominates downtown Austin, visible from various points through protected Capitol view corridors, and it looks grandiose from every angle. The surrounding grounds, occupying 22 acres on a well-appointed hilltop, are just as impressive.

You can catch one of the free 30-minute historical tours, offered from 9:30 am to 4 pm on weekdays and from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm on weekends, or take a self-guided tour anytime during operating hours. No matter how you choose to experience the Capitol, be sure to stand in the center of the star on the ground floor under the main floor's rotunda and look up, up, up into the dome and lose perspective for a moment—it's a Texas rite of passage.

Located on 18 acres just a mile east of the Capitol, this beautiful state cemetery (established 1851) is the final resting place for some of the state's most important figures, from former presidents to pop stars: Stephen F. Austin, Buddy Holly, Ann Richards, and James A. Michener are among those lying here in eternal peace. Once inside the gated grounds, you'll also find monuments dedicated to September 11, the Vietnam War, and the War of 1812; you'll also find special headstones for the mothers who have lost sons and daughters in wars and a Purple Heart monument.

Designed as a living memorial to the environmentally minded 26th U.S. president, this wildlife sanctuary is off the George Washington Parkway near the Virginia side of the Potomac—close to Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, East Potomac Park, and the Kennedy Center. Hikers and bicyclists can reach the island by crossing the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge or walking for 15 minutes from the Rosslyn Metro. Bikes are not allowed on the island and must be docked near the footbridge.

The sought-after consultant Thomas Rivers Brown oversees the collector-quality Cabernets of this winery on Diamond Mountain's northern slope. The Voir Dire Cabernet Sauvignon (one owner practices law), the luxury brand's layered and silky flagship, comes from the property's oldest vines. Younger plantings produce fruit for the friskier Hawk's Prey Cab and mellifluous Merlot, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah wines coming from a high-elevation estate in Sonoma County's Moon Mountain District. Tastings, some involving food, are held in a red replica barn with Mt. St. Helena views; Brown and on-site winemaker Andy Jones ply their craft inside a contemporary high-tech facility nearby. Two restored structures, one a schoolhouse, date to the 19th century. Appointments, always required, are best booked a week or more ahead.

Serious Jack White fans won't want to miss his lauded label's Nashville outpost. Drop by to record your own two-minute song on a 1945 Voice-o-Graph machine, pop into the photo booth, dig through the stacks, or grab some exclusive merch. Check their social media and special events pages if you're looking to catch a live performance in the now-legendary Blue Room. Tours of the full operation are available on Fridays at 2 and 3 pm, but book online to snag a spot.

Rangers at RNSP's largest and best visitor center dispense brochures, advice, and free permits to drive up the access road to Tall Trees Grove. Whale-watchers find the center's deck an excellent observation point, and bird-watchers enjoy the nearby Freshwater Lagoon, a popular layover for migrating waterfowl. Many of the exhibits are hands-on and kid-friendly.

Asheville's most famous son, novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938), grew up in a 29-room Queen Anne–style home that his mother ran as a boardinghouse. In his prime in the 1930s, Wolfe was widely viewed as one of the best writers America had ever produced. The house—memorialized as "Dixieland" in Wolfe's novel Look Homeward, Angel—has been restored to its original 1916 condition, including the canary-color (Wolfe called it "dirty yellow") exterior. Guided tours of the house and heirloom gardens begin at half past each hour.

Most visitors stumble on this stunning performance venue thanks to its national and international musical acts—and indeed, it's an ideal size and structure for that with a 3,000- to 8,000-person capacity; it's spacious but not too big to enjoy the show. But that's just the beginning of what the peninsular, waterfront spot offers, from ice-skating in the winter to local craft fairs throughout the year. And on select Thursdays and Fridays from 4 pm till sunset in the summer, entry is free, dogs are welcome, and live music and lawn games are on offer with some of the city's best food trucks lining up to feed the happy crowd.

Twenty-eight miles south of Carrizozo, take CR B-30 east off U.S. 54 and in 5 mi you come to Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, one of the Southwest's most comprehensive and fascinating examples of prehistoric rock art. The 21,000 sunbursts, lizards, birds, handprints, plants, masks, and other symbols are thought to represent the nature-worshipping religion of the Jornada Mogollon people, who lived in this region between AD 900 and AD 1400. Symbols were pinpointed and identified through the extensive work of two members of the Archaeological Society of New Mexico's Rock Art Recording Field School. Fragrant desert creosote and mesquite can be found here, along with cacti that blossom brilliantly in early summer. A rugged trail snakes for 1 mi, and from its top you can see the Tularosa Basin to the west and the Sacramento Mountains to the east. A short trail leads to a partially excavated prehistoric village. You can camp at the site, and there are 10 covered shelters with picnic tables, barbecue grills, restrooms, and water. Two RV sites with electricity and water are available for $10 per night.

The grapes for the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of Three Sticks come from six estate vineyards, including Durell and Gap's Crown, of winery founder Bill Price. Winemaker Ryan Prichard also crafts Rhône-style wines that bear the Casteñeda label in honor of the restored 1842 Vallejo-Casteñeda Adobe, where the entire lineup is poured. A noted designer transformed the structure, Sonoma's longest-occupied residence, into a lavish refined showcase. Seated private tastings might unfold at a long elm table inside the adobe or a cast-stone one under a willow-covered arbor. The winery's food pairings, which rank among Sonoma County's best, demonstrate the wines' versatility. Two Chardonnay-only sessions, one involving caviar, the other oysters, are offered seasonally; a superb year-round pairing includes Pinot Noir.

For the effort of a 2.4-mile hike at the Deep Creek entrance to the park near Bryson City, this trail will reward you with three pretty waterfalls: Tom Branch, Indian Creek, and Juney Whank, which you can see close-up from a 90-foot-long wooden bridge that crosses directly over the falls. Moderate.

George Whittell, a San Francisco socialite who once owned 40,000 acres of property along the lake, began building this lodge in 1936, completing it in 1941. Arriving via bus or boat (reservations essential), you can tour the mansion and grounds, and though it's pricey to do so, you'll be rewarded with a rare glimpse into a time when only the very wealthy had spectacular lakeside homes.

Occupying an 1887 landmark brick former bank where Water and Sea Streets angle together, the museum’s focus is art depicting or connected to the Passamaquoddy Bay region—extending into Canada—from the 1800s through the present. Changing exhibits in a modern gallery range from classic maritime paintings to abstract art created by artists-in-residence, whom you may spot in storefront studios on Water Street. On the main floor, tall windows let in lots of light for viewing works from the large permanent collection. Catty-corner across Water Street, downtown's historic Masonic Hall is under renovation to become the museum's main building. Among the institute's other local preservation efforts: two early 1800s federal churches, Seaman’s Church ( 26 Middle St.) and Free Will North Church ( 82 High St.), and Grand Army Hall ( 6 Green St.), with patriotic wall art and veteran artifacts. Check out the exteriors on a walk after picking up a map card, also available online, as is information about the buildings and special events like artists talks and church concerts. Handy and a great souvenir, Tides' large foldout "Artsipelago" map, with place names in Passamaquoddy and English, highlights galleries, festivals, sights, etc. in the international region (grab one here or at area businesses and organizations). On Duck Cove Road about a mile from downtown, the institute's small public park overlooks Cobscook Bay.

Run by charming winemakers Gabino and Adolfo, this cheerful tasting room with a covered patio and a light-filled tasting room overlooking the Columbia and the Dalles Dam has vineyards and a winery just across the river in Dallesport, Washington. Take in the friendly vibe—kids and pets are welcome—while sipping Tierra de Lobos' crisp Sauvignon Blanc and bold Bordeaux-style red blend. Light appetizers are available, and Latin American specialties, such as quesabirrias and pupusas, are served sometimes on weekends. 

Bordering the Rio Chama, U.S. 84 works its way north through monumental red rocks and golden sandstone spires that inspired Georgia O'Keeffe's vivid paintings of creased mountains, stark crosses, bleached animal skulls, and adobe architecture. Just beyond the rugged town of Tierra Amarilla sits Los Ojos, a tiny village that's become a model of successful rural economic development by having tapped into its ancient roots—the raising of Churro sheep (the original breed brought over by the Spanish, prized for its wool) and weaving. Tierra Wools cooperative produces some of the finest original weavings in the Southwest. Designs are based on the old Rio Grande styles, and weavers make rugs and capes of superb craftsmanship entirely by hand, using old-style looms (they're happy to provide visitors with demonstrations). Weaving workshops are offered. You'll also find a smattering of artists' studios nearby, most of them in rustic buildings with corrugated metal roofs.

Disney never leaves the little ones out of the fun, and this junior-size version of Blizzard Beach, set slightly apart from the rest of the park, has scaled-down elements of Mt. Gushmore, with sand, slides (including one with tubes), faux snow drifts, and igloolike tunnels. Recently added is Elsa's castle from Frozen, along with a few other nods to the icy franchise. Parents can find sun or shade beneath lean-tos. Lifeguards are on hand. For people with disabilities: Guests using water-appropriate wheelchairs can enjoy the wading areas. Stake out lounge chairs early, especially for a shady spot. If your tykes don't swim well, get them fitted with a free life vest, and pull your chair up to the water's edge.