North America attractions

Extending a quarter mile (1,300 feet) over the Atlantic Ocean, the Edward B. Knight Pier is perhaps the best place in Key West to see the sunrise. The concrete, Brutalist-style pier is also an excellent place to soak up ocean views at any time.

Completed in 1910, this Hyde Park landmark (known as the “Robie House” for short) is one of the best examples of the Prairie School, the craftsman-influenced architectural movement that spread throughout the Midwest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Along with Falling Water and the Guggenheim Museum, it’s one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most celebrated creations, earning this unique, innovatively imagined home a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the two major mountain ranges on Oahu, the Ko’olau Range dominates the eastern, windward half of the island, stretching for 37 miles (60 kilometers from Makapu’u to Kahuku. Known for its lush vegetation, plus plenty of streams and waterfalls, Ko’olau is also home to some of the best hiking trails on the island.

At the base of Emigration Canyon, Utah's Hogle Zoo is one of Salt Lake City's most popular family-friendly attractions. Its 42 acres (17 hectares) are home to more than 800 species of animal. Exhibit highlights include the Elephant Encounter, with African elephants and white rhinos, and the Asian Highlands, featuring five endangered species of Asian cat.

Located in Boston’s Emerald Necklace park system, Franklin Park Zoo is one of the city’s top family-friendly attractions. Animals live in themed zones that echo their natural habitats—such as African lions and zebras at Kalahari Kingdom and Serengeti Crossing, kangaroos at the Outback Trail, and dwarf goats and donkeys at the interactive farm. For budding zoologists, keeper chats take place daily.

Walk down the red carpet for an afternoon at Madame Tussauds in Orlando. Here, guests are able to find out how they measure up against sports icons, strike a pose with a pop princess, shake hands with a smiling Barack Obama, and take a selfie with Einstein. The museum poses TV and film stars next to music legends, along with well-known pop culture personalities.

A quieter alternative to nearby Coyoacán, San Ángel is also the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city center. Beloved for weekly arts and crafts markets and its charming small-town feel, San Ángel is characterized by colorful colonial buildings, cozy cafés, and cobblestone streets. Spend an afternoon here people watching in the plazas and shopping for handicrafts.

As the oldest continuously-occupied military post in the US, West Point dates back to the American Revolutionary War, when its strategic position at a curve in the Hudson River provided an important defense against British troops. Today, West Point is best known as an elite military academy with rigorous standards for its graduating cadets.

A San Diego family favorite since 1925, Belmont Park is a beachfront amusement park that offers a wide mix of rides and attractions, from rollercoasters and rockwalls to mini golf and laser mazes. There’s even a 7D theater! There’s truly something for every age group, including the thrilling Giant Dipper rollercoaster, old school Liberty Carousel, and classic arcade games for younger visitors, promising a fun family day out for all.

In the García Caves (Grutas de García), a 50-million-year-old cave complex hidden with the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, multicolored lighting enhances the drama of several striking rock formations. Explore 16 distinct chambers—including one bathed in natural light—admire the stalagmite shaped like a human hand, and more.

Enjoy a day at the San Francisco Zoo, home to hundreds of animals from around the world. Highlights include the African Savanna exhibit, dual-level Primate Discovery Center, and boundary-free South American Tropical Rainforest. Kids can pet animals in the Children’s Zoo, and kids of all ages like the daily Keeper Talks and animal feedings.

Since it opened in 1835, virtually every great theater star has performed at the National Theatre. Today, the stage at this elegant, 1,676-seat theater hosts some of the biggest Broadway productions, as well as DC premieres.

Situated on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Montreal Science Centre (Centre des Sciences de Montréal) is a museum committed to educating the public about science and technology through hands-on learning. Its IMAX theater, daily programs, and interactive exhibits help make the Science Centre a popular attraction for both visiting and local families.

The LBJ Presidential Library chronicles the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson from 1963 to 1969. Exhibits include multimedia presentations, photographs, and artifacts from the tumultuous social climate of those years, including the Vietnam War, civil rights movement, and LBJ’s Great Society programs.

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) boasts one of the biggest art collections in the Southern US, with an impressive collection of almost 50,000 items spanning French, Japanese, American, and African art, as well as the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Here you can spot pieces by Picasso and Degas in the permanent collection, see a temporary exhibit, and wander among 90 artworks in the sculpture gardens.

As you’re strolling the Milwaukee Riverwalk, you’ll likely spot a statue with a leather jacket and two thumbs up. “Aayyyy!” That’s Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” from the 1970s TV show Happy Days. Set in Milwaukee, The Fonz is still the city’s coolest character—even his statue is genuinely beloved, as showcased by the passersby waiting for their “Bronze Fonz” selfie.

Home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, Heinz Field can pack in more than 65,000 fans on game day. Seats in this stadium on the banks of the Allegheny River offer views of the city skyline and riverfront. The venue also hosts large concerts and University of Pittsburgh football games.

Located on the former site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is a powerful living memorial and experiential museum that honors the victims, survivors, and rescuers of the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995.

The Gershwin Theatre has pride of place in the heart of New York City’s Theater District, and seeing a show at the storied venue means experiencing a staple of the Broadway scene. The art nouveau theater has a rich history of staging celebrated musical theater performances—from Sweeney Todd to present-day smash-hit Wicked—and has even hosted Broadway’s famous Tony Awards.

Home to Huatulco’s harbor, Santa Cruz Bay (Bahía Santa Cruz) is located just minutes from La Crucecita and offers shops, restaurants, hotels, and easily accessible beaches. It’s the jumping-off point for boat tours of Huatulco’s bays, or for hiring small fishing boats to visit some of the Oaxacan coast's more remote spots. Sheltered water teeming with marine life makes it a great place to swim, too.

Set in the legendary Napa Valley, Sutter Home Family Vineyards has grown from a small business established in 1948 to the second-largest independent, family-run winery in the US. Now producing more than 20 varietals, they were the first winery ever to make white zinfandel. Sutter Home wines are known for quality at an affordable price point.

A branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Renwick Gallery is dedicated to crafts and decorative artworks created in America from the 19th to 21st centuries. Given its proximity to the White House in Foggy Bottom, the intimate museum makes for an easy, and often serene, stop on any itinerary.

The National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your exploration of historic Gettysburg. After watching a short orientation film, check out the Civil War artifacts on display, and marvel at the iconic 360-degree cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Natural History Museum of Utah is an interactive museum exploring a billion years of Utah’s natural history, including its dinosaur fossil deposits. Visitors watch paleontology technicians prepare real dinosaur bones for display and research in the dinosaur lab, and the museum’s exhibit of life-size dinosaur skeletons is a must-see.

Few places on the California coast carry as much history as the Carmel Mission, a 250-year-old National Historic Landmark that’s part church, part museum. Centrally located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Mission is worth visiting whether you’re interested in California history, Spanish colonial architecture, or simply soaking in the region’s rich heritage. Swing by to snap a photo, or grab tickets to step inside the basilica church, gallery, and museum spaces.

Set on a hill overlooking Alexandria, the towering George Washington Masonic National Memorial honors the nation’s first president as well as the history and heritage of the Freemasons. The 9-story neoclassical structure and the museum within it tell the story of Washington and the contributions his Freemason fraternity made to the United States.

Named after the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine from Old West lore, Lost Dutchman State Park is a scenic public park in the Sonoran Desert about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Phoenix. Situated on the Apache Trail—a former stagecoach route officially known as Arizona State Route 99—the park is popular for hiking, mountain biking, camping, and periodic ranger-led moonlight hikes.

The fourth-oldest continually operating theatre in the country, tickets aren’t required to appreciate Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater. A national historic landmark and the largest theater in Milwaukee’s Theatre District, this 1895 spot is Gilded Age opulence inside and out. Commissioned by beer magnate Frederick Pabst as a German-style opera house, this venue still brings in household names worthy of its stage.

Every winter, thousands of bald eagles descend on the Squamish River to feast on salmon. Set on the west river bank, the 1,865-acre (755-hectare Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park serves as a winter sanctuary for the feathered migrators, with the majestic birds of prey roosting in the lofty branches of its towering trees.

The Audubon Aquarium showcases the diverse marine life of North and South America. You can wander through a Caribbean reef tunnel, spot piranhas in the Amazon exhibit, and see penguins, sea turtles, and seals up close. With touch pools and hands-on displays, it’s an educational and fun attraction that’s perfect for all ages, conveniently located on the banks of the Mississippi River near the French Quarter.