Dating back to 1980, the Burlington Farmers Market was doing farm-to-table way before it was cool. Held every Saturday from late spring to fall (and a winter market on certain weekends from November to April), it hosts 80-plus vendors selling fresh produce, crafts, baked goods, and Vermont specialties like maple syrup and cheese.
With its sweeping expanse of lawns, a permanent outdoor stage that hosts live music and performances, food trucks and open-air dining spaces, and a whimsical carousel for kids, Columbus Commons (formally John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons) is one of the top parks in downtown Columbus. Stop here to relax, catch a concert, and enjoy a snack alfresco to break up your day of sightseeing.
Through permanent, traveling, and virtual exhibits, the Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana, shares the stories of people living in the Yellowstone River Valley and Northern High Plains. The museum has a collection of 400-plus oral histories and more than 40,000 artifacts, including photographs, Native American beadwork, architectural drawings, textiles, and clothing.
The Lee-Fendall House in Old Town Alexandria has been home to the Lee family, generations of enslaved and free African-Americans, convalescing Union soldiers in the Civil War, a liquor purveyor, and labor leader John L. Lewis. Today, it’s a museum that looks at life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The garden features medicinal plants and roses.
Housed in a lovely brick building on the swankier north side of Todos Santos, this contemporary gallery is a holdover from the ‘90s, before the surf village hit the travel and quirky art-scene map. Visit to say hello to the local artists who run the gallery and to see an eclectic mix of fine art from Baja talents.
Enjoy a day of thrilling rides and fun at Carowinds, the only amusement park to straddle two states. Sitting across the border in both North and South Carolina, Carowinds features more than 60 rides and attractions, including the largest water park in the region, making it an ideal destination for families and thrill seekers alike.
Part of Julia Davis Park near downtown Boise, Boise Art Museum is the city’s premier art museum. Featuring multiple galleries and a sculpture garden, the museum showcases works in its permanent collection and more than a dozen special exhibitions annually. It also hosts educational and special programs for all ages.
Situated in Santa Fe’s scenic Museum Hill neighborhood, Santa Fe Botanical Garden offers 12 acres (5 hectares) of landscaped gardens and wooded areas that showcase the natural beauty of New Mexico’s flora and desert terrain. The garden opened in 2013 and continues to grow and expand.
You haven’t really seen Branson until you’ve taken a ride on the Branson Scenic Railway. The relaxed rail journey brings you deep into the Ozark foothills for an adventure the whole family can enjoy. Glide past winding streams, lush forests, and dramatic trestles, all with fascinating insights from informative guides. As captivating as the route may be, the charming vintage railcars also delight with nostalgic charm that harkens back to a bygone era
Originally intended for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the Montreal Tower (La Tour de Montréal) is world’s tallest inclined tower, standing at an unprecedented 45-degree angle. A funicular cable ride to the observatory offers panoramic views of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers), from beyond the St. Lawrence River to Mount Royal.
The highest sand dunes in North America sit within Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado. The dune field encompasses some 30 square miles (78 square kilometers)—a vast area for hiking, sand sledding, horseback riding, camping, stargazing, or swimming in Medano Creek.
In Billings, the Alberta Bair Theater is the place to watch a performing arts show. The massive space holds more than 1,000 people and has an orchestra pit for up to 40 musicians. With notable restaurants nearby and the bustling streets of downtown just outside its door, the theater is a popular Billings, Montana, destination.
Southern California’s Colorado Desert, part of the larger Sonoran Desert, stretches from Mexico north to the Mojave Desert, covering 7 million acres (28,000 square kilometers of terrain. Hikers, rock climbers, and campers are particularly drawn to the region for the numerous hiking trails and desert scenery to be explored.
Once home to large-scale manufacturing plants, the Factory at Franklin is now a popular destination for shopping, art, and dining just outside of Nashville. Stop by for a look at the renovated space, which pays homage to the building’s industrial roots, or make a day of it by grabbing a bite to eat and catching a show at the on-site theater.
Go beyond Duluth’s buzzing Canal Park, and you’ll soon find yourself at Park Point, a long spit of land jutting out into Lake Superior. While this green space is especially popular in the summer for nature walks, swimming, and simply lazing on the beach, other seasons offer a more serene (and equally beautiful) scene, plus you can admire the lighthouse ruins year-round.
Greenfield Village is the 80-acre (32-hectare) outdoor portion of the Henry Ford, the largest indoor and outdoor museum complex in the United States. The sound and smell of the village steam train signals that you’re stepping back through 300 years of Detroit and American history, with more than 80 historic structures.
Colorful Dauphin Street is one of Mobile’s oldest and best-known thoroughfares. Lined with historic buildings that house numerous bars and restaurants, it’s one of the city’s most popular spots for a night out.
One of the most attractive urban parks in Columbus, the Scioto Mile stretches from the city’s downtown to the banks of the Scioto River via a network of parks and boulevards connected by walking and cycling routes. Enjoy a scenic walk or bike ride through the city, stopping to take in art exhibits and sculpture gardens, cool off in the “sprayground” fountains, or dine with skyline views along the route.
Branson’s country music lovers find some of the best music in the region at the 210-seat Little Opry Theatre. The intimate performing arts space stages everything from original shows to classic tributes such as the Glen Campbell Songbook.
EverBank Stadium (previously TIAA Bank Field) is an outdoor stadium in downtown Jacksonville. It’s home to the NFL football team and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and has an entertainment complex called Daily’s Place connected to its south end. It was the host stadium for Super Bowl XXXIX and is the annual host of the Gator Bowl.
Established in 1854, Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery is a historic burial ground. Here, you can see the graves of notable figures, including Jennie Wade, the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, and the site’s original gatehouse, which still houses the cemetery’s caretaker. The cemetery is also adjacent to the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.
El Caracol, or "The Snail” in Spanish, is an ancient Maya observatory in Chichen Itza that’s known for its spiral staircase and celestial alignment. This unique structure showcases the Mayans' advanced astronomical knowledge, as it helped them to track events such as solstices. With its rounded design and elevated position, El Caracol offers insight into the civilization's sophisticated scientific and architectural achievements.
Spanning 364 acres (147 hectares), Kings Island is one of the largest amusement parks in the Midwest. With more than 100 rides and attractions, including upwards of 15 roller coasters, family-friendly attractions, and a water park, Kings Island offers a day of diversion for families and thrill seekers alike.
The Beaufort History Museum is relatively new, having opened to the public in 2011, but the building is as historic as the museum’s exhibits. Constructed as an arsenal in 1795, it now charts Beaufort’s history from its roots as a Native American settlement to its Spanish colonial establishment and through the city’s significance in the Civil War and 20th-century industries.
The defining feature of Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay is New England’s largest estuary, where more than 30 islands dot the chilly waters. Colonists met Indigenous tribes here way back in the 1500s, giving the area an interesting human history—in addition to the area’s Gilded Age glamor and scenic views. Today, nearly 12 million annual visitors flock here for sailing, fishing, and kayaking.
Located within the Mayaland resort, the Viator Hospitality Suite at Chichén Itzá is an exclusive space for Viator travelers embarking on selected tours to the ancient site. Depending on the type of tour, freshen up in the air-conditioned suite before and after your visit to the famous Mayan ruins, enjoy complimentary concierge service, and benefit from free use of the resort facilities.
Detroit’s Belle Isle Aquarium, which opened in 1904, is the oldest public aquarium in the continental US, and among the most beautiful. Along with viewing the freshwater stingrays, reef fish, air-breathing fish, electric eels, and other aquatic animals, you can admire the building itself, which has retained many of its early-20th-century features, including a vaulted ceiling covered in green glass tiles.
Fifteen minutes from downtown Flagstaff, Buffalo Park is one of the city’s favorite green spaces. The highlight of the park is a flat, 2.2-mile (3.5-kilometer) loop trail on a grassy mesa peppered with ponderosa pines and overlooking the magnificent San Francisco Peaks. On warm days especially, runners, bikers, picnickers, and all manner of locals and visitors flock to this scenic meadow at the foot of Mt. Elden.
Located in Waipahu, Hawaii’s Plantation Village provides a glimpse of life on a sugar plantation between 1850 and 1950. A living history museum, there are more than 25 restored and replica plantation structures and homes reflecting its Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Okinawan, Portuguese, and Puerto Rican workers.
Just steps from Times Square, the August Wilson Theater showcases major Broadway productions in an elegant, intimate space. Located in the heart of Midtown’s Theater District, this historic venue was designed in a pseudo-Italian style to resemble a 15th-century Tuscan villa. But, it’s the must-see performances that draw theatergoers. The theater offers a classic theatrical experience, along with an ongoing lineup of hit musical revivals.
