3966 Best Sights in USA

Home to the city's largest and most important collections of art, the Blanton underwent major renovations in 2023 that expanded the 200,000-square-foot institution into a more fully developed museum campus. Visitors arrive through a new check-in building and cross to the main gallery via a stunning outdoor pavilion, shaded by three-story, flower petal-like structures, with an adjacent “sound gallery” park space and chapel installation by Ellsworth Kelly. Monthly Second Saturdays ($20) are a great time to enjoy live music and themed pop-up entertainment, in addition to after-hours tours of the collections. The museum café is closed temporarily, but the local Justine's Brasserie team is set to reopen a casual French concept on-site in spring 2025. Museum admission is free every Tuesday. There is garage parking, but the museum doesn't validate, so regular rates apply.

Managed by the Nature Conservancy, this protected area on Jupiter Island is headlined by an almost otherworldly looking limestone shelf that fringes South Florida's most turquoise waters. Also protected within its 73 acres are plants native to beachfront dunes, coastal strands (the landward side of the dunes), mangrove swamps, and tropical hardwood forests. There are two short walking trails on the Intracoastal side of the preserve, as well as an education center and a butterfly garden. The best time to come and see the "blowing rocks" is when a storm is brewing: if high tides and strong offshore winds coincide, the sea blows spectacularly through the holes in the eroded outcropping. During a calm summer day, you can swim in crystal clear waters on the mile-long beach and climb around the rock formations at low tide. Park in one of the two lots, because police ticket cars on the road.

About 8,000 diving permits are issued per year for folks who strap on tanks and plunge into the 80-foot-deep artesian spring–fed pool at the Blue Hole, which is also open for public swimming during daylight hours (no fee). Cliff diving is great fun here, as is snorkeling and coming face to face with the many koi and goldfish that have been deposited here over the years. The onsite dive shop has tanks, air, weight belts, and a few other basics available to rent. Weekly dive permits are $20; annual permits are $50.

Its lead artisan's star turn on the cable-TV series The Craftsman has brought welcome attention to this woodshop specializing in Victorian-era architecture. The craftspeople here use antique tools—printing presses and lathes among them—to create gingerbread trim, fence pickets, and other Victorian embellishments. Visitors on guided and self-guided tours can watch the workers in action.

Ride the rails on a four-hour, 26-mile round-trip excursion along the Toccoa River. The trip includes a stop in McCaysville, smack on the Georgia–Tennessee state line. Several restaurants, shops, and galleries are open during the two-hour layover. The diesel engine train offers offers both open and climate-controlled Pullman cars. Premier class is available to those over 18 and includes snacks and a little extra TLC. The ticket office, on the National Register of Historic Places, dates from 1905 and was originally the depot of the L&N Railroad. If you want to do a little of the legwork, you may want to rent a rail-bike. A new offering for the railway, these four-person motor-assisted rail-bikes take you on a leisurely 5.7-mile round-trip adventure.

In summer you may want to consider the air-conditioned coaches.

January and February are the top months for sighting sea cows at this designated manatee refuge, but they begin to head here in November, as soon as the water gets cold enough (below 68°F). Your best bet for spotting a manatee is to walk along the boardwalk. The park, which is 30 miles southwest of Daytona Beach on I–4, was once a river port where paddle wheelers stopped to take on cargoes of oranges. Home to the largest spring on the St. Johns River, the park offers hiking, camping, picnicking facilities, and two-bedroom cabins (two-night minimum weekends and holidays). It also contains a historic homestead that's open to the public.

With grounds almost a full city block in size, this very kid-friendly restored fort is a must-see, transporting you back to the 1880s and into the lives of the Mormon pioneers who settled in Bluff. Wander in and out of tiny re-created cabins (plus one original), each representing the experience of a founding family. Their descendants even helped build and decorate the cabins with family artifacts and photos, displayed alongside written histories. Children can try their hand at roping toy steers or buy some of the house-made candy at the little kitchen, which also sells soft-serve ice cream and other snacks.

A reconstructed co-op store anchors the fort and doubles as a visitor center, displaying photos and a video that tell more of the area's past. There you can also buy crafts handmade by the fort's many friendly volunteers. Dressed in historical garb, they're happy to go into even more detail with you about the history of this place and the stunning area that surrounds it. Though the grounds are open daily, the store closes on Sunday.

The boardwalk is the social and sentimental heart of Long Beach, so when the beloved historic structure was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, hearts broke. Today a brand new fortified boardwalk stands in its place, a symbol of the city's resilience, and throughout the summer weekend vendors and entertainers attract crowds. Walkers and cyclists hit the planks year-round, and food trucks and a trapeze school are welcome additions to its lively scene.

Most visitors to Congaree come to walk this easy 2.6-mile loop. The elevated boardwalk lets you experience perennially flooded areas of the forest that are otherwise difficult to access. Bring binoculars to spy on woodpeckers, and look out for otters at the Weston Lake overlook. Benches built into the handrails offer idyllic spots to stop for a picnic along your walk. Easy.

The mining village of Rattlesnake Gulch, abandoned mine shafts, and the remains of a small Chinatown are among the sights at this fascinating ghost town. The town boomed from about 1878 to 1881; by the late 1940s, though, all its residents had departed. A state park was established here in 1962, with a mandate to preserve everything in a state of "arrested decay." Evidence of Bodie's wild past survives at an excellent museum, and you can tour an old stamp mill where ore was crushed into fine powder to extract gold and silver.   Bodie has no food, drink, or lodging, and snow might cause closure of the road to it from late spring through early fall, so check ahead.

The original Bodie (pronounced "body") lighthouse was constructed in 1847 but had to be abandoned in 1859 because of structural issues; the replacement lighthouse was destroyed by Confederate troops in 1861. The current black-and-white-banded, 168-foot-tall lighthouse was completed in 1872 and was last restored in 2013. The original lightkeepers' home, last remodeled in 1992, now serves as a ranger station and information center. From mid-April to mid-October, you can climb the 219 steps to the top. (Children must be at least 42 inches tall, and climbers must weigh less than 260 pounds.) There's also a short raised boardwalk to an observation tower over the marsh, offering an excellent bird-watching vantage.

This appealing sanctuary of plants, flowers, trees, and wildlife has been something of a local secret for years. Shady paths meander through pine forests with silvery moats, mockingbirds and swans, blooming thickets, and hidden sundials. The majestic, 200-foot Bok Tower is constructed of coquina—from seashells—and pink, white, and gray marble. The tower houses a carillon with 60 bronze bells that ring out each day at 1 and 3 pm during 30-minute recitals that might include early American folk songs, Appalachian tunes, Irish ballads, or Latin hymns. The bells are also featured in recordings every half hour after 10 am; sometimes there are even moonlight recitals. The Blue Palmetto Cafe offers salads, soups, and sandwiches, as well as beer and wine.

The landscape was designed in 1928 by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., son of the planner of New York's Central Park. The grounds include the 20-room, Mediterranean-style El Retiro Estate, built in 1930 and open for self-guided touring. From January through April, guides lead 60-minute tours of the gardens (included in the admission price); tours of the inside of the tower are a benefit of membership.

George C. Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, began building this 120-room Rhineland-style castle on Heart Island for his wife, Louise, in 1900. Four years later, when she died suddenly, he ceased work on the castle. The building remained deserted for 73 years, abused by vandals and weather. Since 1977, millions of dollars have been poured into restoration work. It's worth a trip to the 5-acre island to see the castle. Its fleet of wooden boats is in the Boldt Yacht House, on Wellesley Island. Uncle Sam Boat Tours runs shuttle boats between Alexandria Bay, Heart Island, and Wellesley Island.

This 35-acre subtropical estate endures as a tribute to Old South Florida. Prior to its "modern" history, the grounds had already seen 4,000 years of activity when settler Hugh Taylor Birch purchased the site in 1895. Birch gave it to his daughter Helen as a wedding gift when she married Frederic Bartlett, and the newlyweds built a charming home for a winter residence in 1920. Years after Helen died, Frederic married his second wife, Evelyn, and the artistically gifted couple embarked on a mission to embellish the property with personal touches and surprises that are still evident today. This historic place is a must-see for its architecture, artwork, and horticulture. While admiring the fabulous gardens, look out for playful monkeys swinging from the trees.

Hundreds of different types of birds, including snow geese, cranes, herons, and eagles, can be spotted from viewing platforms and directly through your car window at the popular Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Besides serving as a rest stop for migrating birds, the Bosque del Apache also shelters mule deer, turkeys, quail, and other wildlife. Photo opportunities abound on the 12-mile auto loop tour; you can also hike through arid shrub land or bike through the refuge or take a van tour. October and November are the months the cottonwoods show their colors. In winter months, the refuge echoes with the haunting cries of whooping cranes flocking for the evening. Snow geese are so thick on lakes at times that shores are white with feathers washed ashore. Whether you're a bird-watcher or not, it is well worth bringing binoculars or a spotting scope to get some idea of how many varieties of birds land here (nearly 400 species have been spotted since 1940). The Festival of the Cranes () in mid-November draws thousands of people.

You know you'll have found the country's second-oldest children's museum when you find the giant Hood milk bottle structure. This museum has always been ahead of the curve with creative hands-on exhibits, cultural diversity, and problem-solving. Some of the most popular stops are also the simplest, like the bubble-making machinery and the two-story climbing maze. At the Japanese House, you're invited to take off your shoes and step inside a Kyoto silk merchant's home. Children can dig, climb, and build at the Construction Zone. In the toddler PlaySpace, children under three can run free in a safe environment. There's also a full schedule of special exhibits, festivals, and performances, and Children's Wharf out front is a beautiful place to walk or rest.

Nothing is more central to the city than Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States and undoubtedly the largest and most famous of the town commons around which New England settlements were traditionally arranged. Dating from 1634, the Common started as 50 acres for grazing cattle until 1830 when cows were banned. Don't confuse the Common with its sister park, the Public Garden, where the Swan Boats glide and flowers bloom three seasons of the year.

Take a break and enjoy lunch at one of the food trucks parked at the Brewer Fountain Plaza from spring through fall. A few steps away, the Freedom Trail starts in front of the Boston Visitor Information Center. The new MLK memorial sculpture, The Embrace, is close by and worth a visit.

The Common's highest point, near the Parkman Bandstand, was once called Flagstaff Hill and is now surmounted by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, honoring Civil War troops. The Common's only body of water is the Frog Pond, a tame and frog-free concrete depression used as a wading pool and spray fountain during summer and for ice-skating in winter.

Central Burying Ground lends the park an eerie vibe at its site on Boylston Street; in fact, the Common boasts a fair amount of haunted history. Across from the State House, on the Beacon Street side, sits the splendidly restored Robert Gould Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial, executed in deep-relief bronze by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1897.  This is Freedom Trail stop 1.

Comprising 34 tiny islands and peninsulas, this is one of the city's best hidden gems—and it's literally out of sight. Stretching from South Boston (Castle Island) to the coastlines of South Shore towns Hingham and Hull, each island is different, but most feature abundant nature with miles of lightly traveled trails, shoreline, sea life, and wild plants. The focal point is 39-acre Georges Island and its partially restored pre–Civil War Fort Warren that once held Confederate prisoners. Pets and alcohol are not allowed on the Harbor Islands.  Ferries shuttle visitors from Boston's Long Wharf to Georges, Thompson, and Spectacle islands daily during summer months. Plan to spend a whole day exploring!

Stretching for 43 continuous miles, Boston Harborwalk is a walking trail that skirts the twists and turns of the coast from Charlestown down to the city of Quincy. In the Seaport District specifically, the Harborwalk journeys along Fort Point Channel, around Fan Pier, up Seaport Boulevard, and out and around the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. Along the way, pedestrians can see art exhibits, stationary viewfinders, open green spaces, and incredible Boston Harbor views. Marked signs point the way, and maps can be found online.

This venerable institution is a handsome temple to reading and a valuable research library, as well as an art gallery of sorts, and you don't need a library card to enjoy it. At the main entrance hall of the 1895 Renaissance Revival building, take in the immense stone lions by Louis St. Gaudens, the vaulted ceiling, and the marble staircase. The corridor at the top of the stairs leads to Bates Hall, one of Boston's most sumptuous interior spaces. This is the main reading room, 218 feet long with a barrel vault ceiling 50 feet high. The murals at the head of the staircase, depicting the nine muses, are the work of the French artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes; those in the room to the right are Edwin Austin Abbey's interpretations of the Holy Grail legend. Upstairs, in the public areas, is John Singer Sargent's mural series Triumph of Religion. The library offers free art and architecture tours. The McKim building contains a Renaissance-style courtyard inspired by Rome's Palazzo della Cancelleria. A covered arcade furnished with chairs rings a fountain; you can bring books or lunch into the peaceful courtyard.

Situated at the Congress Street Bridge near the site of Griffin's Wharf, this lively museum offers an interactive look at the past in a place as close as possible to the actual spot where the Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773. Actors in period costumes greet patrons, assign them real-life Colonial personas, and then ask a few people to heave boxes of tea into the water from aboard historical reproductions of the ships forcibly boarded and unloaded the night Boston Harbor became a teapot. There are 3D holograms, talking portraits, and even the Robinson Half Tea Chest, one of two original tea chests known to exist.  Abigail's Tea Room (you don't need a museum ticket for entry) features a tea tasting of five tea blends that would have been aboard the ships.

This small museum housed in a stately building on Bowdoin's main quad features one of the oldest permanent collections of art in the United States. The more than 20,000 objects include paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and works on paper. They range from ancient, European, Asian, and Indigenous works to modern and contemporary art. The museum often mounts well-curated, rotating exhibitions and has programs for getting children excited about art.

Beloved Brackenridge Park has been a big part of San Antonians' lives since 1899. The 343-acre riverside park makes an excellent setting for a picnic or a stroll, with about 3 miles of walking trails, public art, softball fields, a municipal golf course, concessions, and sights like the Japanese Tea Garden and the San Antonio Zoo. Take a 2-mile ride around the park on a miniature train that runs daily; buy tickets at the Train Depot. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Free parking. 

The mission of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy is to work as a steward of and an advocate for the park, enhancing and protecting its natural, historic, recreational, and educational resources. One of its numerous projects is the renovation of the Sunken Garden Theater, including the preservation of the historic amphitheater and its backstage facilities, redesigned landscaping, and more. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas State Antiquities Landmark.

The 65-foot Brandywine Falls, one of the park's most popular attractions, are named after the once booming mill town of Brandywine, which no longer exists. Visitors will see restrooms and a picnic table when they enter the parking lot. To view the falls, head toward the forest and begin walking on a wooden boardwalk that borders a slate and sandstone cliff. You can either walk along a flat upper walkway to a lookout near the top of the falls, or you can take a stairway to a point about midway down the gorge where you’ll come upon a wooden overlook with a perfect view of the falls.

There is a picnic table and restrooms not far from the 65-foot Brandywine Falls.

In the Chattahoochee National Forest, Brasstown Bald reaches 4,784 feet, the highest point in Georgia. Below the bald is Georgia's only cloud forest, an area of lichen-covered trees often kept wet by clouds and fog. From the observation platform at the top of the bald on a clear day you can see Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A paved but steep foot trail leads from the parking lot (where there are restrooms and a picnic area) to the visitor center, which has exhibits and interpretative programs. You also can ride a bus to the visitor center.

At this Association of Zoo and Aquariums–accredited zoo you can stroll along the shaded boardwalks for close-up looks at rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, alligators, crocodiles, lemurs, jaguars, eagles, river otters, kangaroos, sloths, and exotic birds. During zookeeper chats held throughout the day, staffers feed and highlight various animals. Stop by Paws-On, an interactive learning playground with a petting zone, wildlife detective training academy, and the Indian River Play Lagoon. Hand-feed a giraffe in Expedition Africa or a lorikeet in the aviary. Step up to the Wetlands Outpost, an elevated pavilion that's a gateway to 22 acres of wetlands through which you can paddle kayaks and keep an eye open for the 4,000 species of wildlife that live in these waters and woods. Adventurers seeking a chimp's-eye view can zip line through the zoo on Treetop Trek.

Though the park has several bristlecone pine groves, the easiest way to see the gnarled, ancient trees up close is to hike this trail. From the parking area to the grove, it's a moderate 2.8-mile hike that takes about an hour each way. Rangers offer informative talks in season; inquire at the visitor center. The Bristlecone Pine Trail also leads to the Glacier Trail, which skirts the southernmost permanent ice field on the continent and ends with a view of a small rock glacier, the only one in Nevada. It’s less than 3 miles back to the parking lot. Allow three hours and remember the trailhead is at 9,800 feet above sea level. Moderate.

There are more than 3,000 animals at this gigantic zoo and highlights include the 7½-acre Great Bear Wilderness exhibit, a sprawling replica of North American woodlands for the zoo's population of grizzlies, polar bears, bison, Mexican gray wolves, and bald eagles. Watch the polar bears from the popular underwater viewing area. Elsewhere, monkeys, otters, birds, and other rainforest fauna cavort in a carefully constructed setting of trees, shrubs, pools, and waterfalls at Tropic World, while at the Living Coast you can venture through passageways to see sharks, rays, and Humboldt penguins.

One of the best educational exhibits is Habitat Africa, where you can explore the dense forest section with animals like the okapi (an animal that looks like a cross between a zebra, giraffe, and horse). In the savanna section, which has a water hole, termite mounds, and characteristic rock formations, you can spy such tiny animals as the 22-inch-tall klipspringer antelope.

The Swamp is about as realistic as you would want an exhibit on swamps to be. It has a springy floor and open habitats with low-flying birds that vividly demonstrate the complex ecosystems. For hands-on family activities, visit the Hamill Family Play Zoo, where kids can play zookeeper, gardener, or veterinarian. Special events—most notably Holiday Magic, which lights up the zoo on select December evenings—are also worth checking out. If you don't want to trek around the 216-acre property, don't worry. You can hop aboard a motorized safari tram ($6) on weekends in warm weather months.

One of the Grand Strand's most magnificent hidden treasures, the 9,100-acre Brookgreen Gardens is the oldest and largest sculpture garden in the United States, with more than 550 examples of figurative American sculpture by such artists as Frederic Remington and Daniel Chester French. Each sculpture is carefully set within garden rooms and outdoor galleries graced by sprawling live oak trees, colorful flowers, and peaceful ponds. The gardens are lush and full in spring and summer, and in winter splashes of color from winter-blooming shrubs are set off against the stark surroundings.

The property was purchased as a winter home for industrialist Archer Huntington and his wife, Anna Hyatt Huntington, in 1929, but they quickly decided to open it to the public as a sculpture garden and wildlife sanctuary. You'll find a Lowcountry zoo (including native red wolves), an aviary, a cypress swamp, nature trails, an education center, and a butterfly house. Summer concerts under the stars and the garden's breathtaking Night of a Thousand Candles during the Christmas season are Brookgreen traditions. The gardens are just beyond The Fighting Stallions, the Anna Hyatt Huntington sculpture alongside U.S. 17.