17 Best Sights in USA

In the lush and densely wooded town of Chama, nestled at the base of 10,000-foot Cumbre Pass, the railroad has played a vital role since the 1880s, when workers piled into town to construct the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. You can get a sense of this history strolling along the town's main drag, Terrace Avenue, which has a handful of cute shops, cafés, and B&Bs, and by taking a ride on the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the nation's longest (and highest) narrow-gauge train excursion. Passengers are transported by handsomely restored, 1920s coal-driven steam engines and 19th-century parlor cars, passing over 10,200-foot Cumbres Pass and through the rugged San Juan Mountains. You chug over ancient trestles, around breathtaking bends, and high above the Los Pinos River—if the terrain looks at all familiar, you may have seen this railroad's "performance" in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Midway through the trip you break for lunch and can switch to a waiting Colorado-based train to complete the 64 miles to Antonito, Colorado (from which you'll be shuttled back by bus), or return from this point on the same train. Themed dinner and sunset rides as well as kids'-oriented "Cinder Bear Express" excursions are offered throughout the season.

Even if you don't ski, ride the gondola to see Mammoth Mountain, the aptly named dormant volcano that gives Mammoth Lakes its name. The high-speed, eight-passenger gondolas—which serve skiers in winter and mountain bikers and sightseers in summer—whisk you from the chalet to the summit, where you can learn about the area's volcanic history in the interpretive center, have lunch in the café, and take in top-of-the-world views.

Standing high above the tree line, you can look west 150 miles across the state to the Coastal Range; to the east are the highest peaks of Nevada and the Great Basin beyond. You won't find a better view of the Sierra High Country without climbing.  The air is thin at the 11,053-foot summit; carry water, and don't overexert yourself.

On a clear day, the short ride on the aerial tram is worth the ticket for a view that includes Downtown and the riverfront, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. Operated by the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), the tram was designed to ferry commuters between the South Waterfront neighborhood and OHSU's main campus on Marquam Hill. Don't rush to get back on the tram; walk to the university's balcony area, where you can admire the cityscape below. Tram cabs typically depart every five minutes and get more crowded during the morning and evening commute hours. The recently developed neighborhood at the base, South Waterfront, offers a park and a few restaurants.

Also known as "Old 300," this is a beautifully restored 1913 streetcar that travels for 4 miles along Astoria's historic riverfront, stopping at several points between the Astoria River Inn and the foot of 39th Street (although you can easily flag it down at any point along the route by offering a friendly wave). The hourlong ride gives you a close-up look at the waterfront from the Port of Astoria to the East Mooring Basin; the Columbia River; and points of interest in between.

This quaint ferry route has operated on the Connecticut River since 1769—originally a barge pushed by long poles, later using steam power, and now an open, self-propelled vessel. The crossing aboard Selden III, which accommodates 8 or 9 cars and 49 passengers, takes just five minutes but saves 12 miles of driving compared to taking the bridge. The bonus on the ferry ride: a beautiful view of Gillette's Castle, which overlooks the river.

Fifteen-minute ferries connect two locations along the Downtown San Diego waterfront with the Coronado Ferry Landing. Boats depart on the hour from the Broadway Pier on the Embarcadero and on the half hour from Coronado Ferry Landing to the Embarcadero during operating hours. Between the San Diego Convention Center and the Coronado Ferry Landing, service departs every 30 minutes during operating hours. Buy tickets at the Broadway Pier, 5th Avenue Landing, or Coronado Ferry Landing. To reach the heart of downtown Coronado from the Ferry Landing, you can rent a bike at the landing (or bring one with you), or catch the 904 shuttle bus that runs along Orange Avenue. Ferry service is operated by Flagship Cruises.

The city's system of vintage electric trolleys, the F-line, gives the cable cars a run for their money as a beloved mode of transportation. The beautifully restored streetcars—some dating from the 19th century—run from the Castro District down Market Street to the Embarcadero, then north to Fisherman's Wharf. Each car is unique, restored to the colors of its city of origin, from Cincinnati and Philadelphia to Mexico City and Minneapolis. Pay with a Clipper card or purchase tickets on board; exact change is required.

Established in 1759, the Fort Ti cable ferry crosses Lake Champlain between Shoreham and Fort Ticonderoga, New York, at one of the oldest ferry crossings in North America. The trip takes seven minutes.

The Green River Ferry is one of the country's longest-running river ferries, in operation since 1941, the last of a group of such ferries that once shuttled traffic across the river before the area became a national park. An outdoor exhibit relates the history of the ferries at the south ferry parking lot. This free ferry runs daily, water levels permitting.

Considered the nation’s largest air show,  this annual event features aerial acts, military demonstrations, immersive experiences, and static displays. You can even tour vintage aircraft and get the experience of soaring high in one of the on-site simulators. The event is usually held in September or October.

If you're fascinated by machines that move on wheels or wings, don't miss this impressive museum. You'll find more than 150 restored vintage automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, and planes, as well as many related artifacts. The best part about this collection is that most of the vehicles are in operating condition, which means you may see them rolling along or flying overhead.

Each year, millions of visitors to Pigeon Forge happily "park their cares and ride with the bears," taking advantage of the hop-on, hop-off privileges on the city's fleet of more than 40 trolley buses that travel designated routes about every 15 to 30 minutes. Day passes are $3, while individual trips are $1.

The Mission-style Santa Fe Depot, which replaced the original 1887 station on this site when it opened in 1915 for the Panama–California International Exposition, serves Amtrak and Coaster passengers. A booth here has bus schedules, maps, and tourist brochures. Formerly an easily spotted area landmark, the graceful, tile-dome depot is now overshadowed by 1 America Plaza, the 34-story office tower across the street. At the base of this skyscraper, designed by architect Helmut Jahn, is a center linking the city's train and bus systems, as well as MTS's red trolleys, which run from the station all the way to the Mexico border. The building's signature crescent-shape, glass-and-steel canopy arches out over the trolley tracks.

Take a ride on an old-fashioned trolley from 1896 at this tribute to the old Colrain Street Railway Combine No. 10, which was the first car on the Shelburne line in the early 20th century. A car barn and rails host other trolleys being restored, including a PCC, the last trolley built in Massachusetts.

A nondescript hangar five minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport is home to what's been dubbed the most impressive racing car collection on the planet. Dr. Fred Simeone spent half a century amassing a fleet of more than 75 vehicles that tell the sweeping story of racing history. You can see them in action during regular “demo days,” which happen once a month on Saturdays when staffers fire up a selection of the antique roadsters and take them out for some air.

If you're approaching the town from Kure Beach and Fort Fisher via U.S. 421, the state-operated year-round car ferry provides a 35-minute Cape Fear River ride between Old Federal Point at the tip of the spit and the mainland. Bald Head Lighthouse on Bald Head Island is seen en route, as well as the Oak Island Lighthouse and the ruins of Price's Creek Lighthouse—in fact, this is the only point in the United States where you can see three lighthouses at the same time. It's best to arrive early (30 minutes before ferry departure), as it's first come, first served. During peak season, there are 16 scheduled ferries each day.

It may be hard to imagine as you gaze into the infinite blue of New Mexico's southern sky, but someday soon those wispy contrails you see lingering from rocket engines may be the residue of vehicles carrying tourists into Earth's orbit—and beyond.

In October 2005 the White Sands Missile Range hosted the first of a series of X Prize Cup competitions, aimed at enabling private industry to become involved in (relatively) economical space travel. Some of the launch technologies that resulted have been pivotal to the development, barely five years later, of the facility that will house Virgin Galactic and make space tourism a reality (though cash flow is more likely to come from suborbital satellite launches and payload cargo). Visitor centers in both Hatch and Truth or Consequences are planned to launch as soon as Spaceport flights are operational; bus tours that will originate from those centers are part of the program. But to get on board SpaceShipTwo, it will cost you around $200,000.