USA attractions

Encounter maritime history at the Charlestown Navy Yard, one of the most prolific naval facilities in US history. This Boston yard served ships for more than 175 years, and now hosts the USS Constitution—and its museum—and the USS Cassin Young. Commercial business stopped in 1974; it's now a National Park Service site and free to visit.

The evergreen forest at the top of the Snoqualmie Falls provides a perfect contrast to the white water that plunges 270 feet (82 meters) into the pool below. This popular sightseeing and picnic spot outside of Seattle offers a tranquil spot to escape the city's hum. If you’re looking for luxury after spending some time in nature, the Salish Lodge & Spa is situated directly next to the falls, with several restaurants on-site.

Looking for Charleston’s personal backyard? Check out Waterfront Park, with grassy areas for picnics, a giant pineapple fountain, and porch swings overlooking the river. Visitors and locals alike come here to watch the boats float by and enjoy the park’s family-friendly amenities. It’s an especially popular destination at sunset.

A drive on at least one portion of this iconic road should be a part of any first-time visit to Los Angeles. Built largely in 1924 as the scenic highway it remains today, Mulholland (as it’s locally known) offers unparalleled views of the L.A. Basin, San Fernando Valley, the Hollywood Sign and more.

Resurrection Bay on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula—dotted with glaciers, fjords, and secluded coves against a backdrop of snowy mountains and dramatic fog—is a haven for those who enjoy striking landscapes. Not only is this pristine wilderness beautiful, but it’s also filled with opportunities for outdoor recreation, from wildlife-watching to fjord-cruising, hiking, and paddling. And with Seward at its base, it’s accessible to boot.

Downtown Las Vegas thrived as the city’s gambling district until the middle of the 20th century, when new resort-casino complexes, such as the Flamingo, began to pull crowds away from the area toward The Strip. After a period of neglect, Downtown has seen revitalization over the past few years, transforming it into a Las Vegas cultural and entertainment hub in its own right.

No trip to Nashville is complete without a visit to Music Row. This is the home of the country music industry, with a slew of record labels, radio stations, and recording studios working side-by-side. This landmark area also boasts historic sites like RCA Studio B, where scores of artists recorded hits. There are also live venues on and near Music Row, to check out established artists as well as up-and-comers looking to break through.

Simple but profoundly moving, the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Dallas lies just one block from Dealey Plaza, where the president was famously assassinated on November 22, 1963. Designed by architect Philip Johnson, the towering, white-concrete cenotaph features a granite slab with the president’s name etched in gold. It provides a peaceful space to contemplate one of the most pivotal moments in American political history.

Columbia University blends Ivy League tradition with the energy of New York City. Its Morningside Heights campus is an academic enclave filled with tree-lined walkways, grand neoclassical buildings, and inviting green spaces. Visitors come to admire the historic architecture, take in views from College Walk, or simply soak up the atmosphere of one of the world’s top universities. It’s a picturesque stop in Upper Manhattan—and a window into the city’s intellectual heart.

Stretching into the calm waters of Kailua Bay, this expansive pier is a launch point for ocean tours and a scenic place to take in the coast. It also offers some of the best views of Kamakahonu, the former seaside residence of King Kamehameha I, located just a short distance away. Whether you’re heading out on the water or enjoying a sunset stroll, Kailua Pier is a natural gateway to Kona’s history and beauty.

Formerly known as the World Financial Center, this mixed-use waterfront complex pairs office space with upscale retail and restaurant options. Renovations after the September 11 attacks upgraded Brookfield Place to a new level of splendor, making it one of Lower Manhattan’s most popular dining and entertainment destinations.

Sitting just below the Golden Gate Bridge on the very northern tip of San Francisco, Fort Point National Historic Site was built in the mid-1800s to guard the entrance to San Francisco Bay during the Gold Rush. Today, the small site can be explored on foot and provides a fantastic vantage point of the bridge and bay.

Downtown Container Park is an open-air shopping and entertainment destination made from stacked shipping containers. Here, visitors can explore a variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options—including boutiques, bars, a kids’ playground, a stage for live music, and even a dance studio. However, one of its most memorable and photoworthy attractions is a giant flame-throwing praying mantis sculpture that speaks 20 different languages.

Vine-covered stucco walls, winding walkways, and traditional Mexican village architecture lend Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village a historic feel—and its dozens of galleries and shops are favorites for travelers seeking unique souvenirs. Locals and travelers alike stop by to catch gallery exhibitions, as well as regular performances by musicians that fill cobblestoned courtyards with the sound of flamenco music and more.

An anomaly amidst the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan, this sprawling defensive fort was built in the early 1800s following Britain’s declaration of war on the United States. It was positioned strategically to overlook the Hudson River. Castle Clinton went on to predate Ellis Island as the nation’s first immigrant processing center, as well as an opera house and aquarium. Today, the fort is a protected monument and an important piece of New York City history.

Founded almost a century ago and located right on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art is one of Washington DC’s preeminent museums. The museum is today home to a collection of more than 141,000 artworks, which spans the medieval period to the modern day and includes paintings, sculptures, and photographs. Its companion Sculpture Garden is also a highlight.

The 195,819-acre (79,245-hectare) Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada comprises a network of narrow canyons, seasonal waterfalls, rock art sites, and surreal rock formations. It offers ample opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing, and desert wildlife watching. And the fact that it’s a short drive from Las Vegas makes it an ideal nature escape from the city.

Fort Mason’s use as a military site dates to 1864, but it’s now part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The 13-acre (5-hectare) site houses art spaces, a bar, restaurant, and coffee shop and is also known as the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Its Great Meadow is a favorite for a warm-weather picnic.

The site of the 1858 pioneer camp that became Denver, Larimer Square is the oldest part of the city. Passionate preservationists saved its Victorian-era buildings from demolition in the mid-20th century, turning it into a historic district that’s now home to many of the city’s best restaurants, bars, and boutiques. It’s popular among both locals and tourists, who stroll beneath its signature strings of lights and flags.

The hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone's 11 geyser basins, Norris Geyser Basin may not contain an icon like Old Faithful, but it still serves as a wild portal to the Earth’s underworld. Home to Steamboat Geyser—which erupts upwards of 300 feet (91 meters)—and dozens more, visitors here float along boardwalks just inches above this active supervolcano.

Olympic National Park covers a huge swath of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. It encompasses rugged coastline, towering mountain ranges, temperate rainforests, and wildflower-filled lowland meadows. Home to some of the largest stretches of old-growth forest in the US, along with black bears, cougars, and dozens of bird species, this misty Pacific Northwest park is the ultimate outdoor escape.

Traveling the length of California's 17-Mile Drive, said to be one of the world's most scenic routes, is an essential Central Coast experience. Looping around the Monterey Peninsula, the private toll road offers stellar views of Monterey Bay and passes popular attractions such as the Lone Cypress, Bird Rock, the Del Monte Forest, and the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Located in the historic French Quarter, St. Philip’s Church is home to Charleston’s oldest congregation and was the first Anglican church established south of Virginia. A National Historic Landmark, the beautiful stuccoed brick building features an impressive steeple, three Tuscan porticoes, and Corinthian columns.

Austin’s 6th Street is the city’s legendary nightlife district, packed with live music venues, neon-lit bars, late-night food spots, and all-around good times in the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World.” One of the best places to experience Austin’s energetic party scene, visitors flock to Old 6th Street—known locally as “Dirty 6th”—for its rowdy dive bars, while West 6th offers a more polished mix of rooftop bars, cocktail lounges, and trendy restaurants.

The Kennedy Space Center has been hurtling humans and shuttles into space since 1968, and it’s still a primary site for NASA launches. Parts of the sprawling campus are open to the public. On daily tours, you can interact with astronauts, try simulated space flights and an astronaut training experience, and see artifacts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

One of New Orleans' most notable historic buildings—right on Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter—the Cabildo served as the seat of the New Orleans government during the Spanish colonial period, and was the signing site of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Today, it's home to a museum showcasing Louisiana's early history through original artifacts, photos, and exhibits.

The swooping view of the Colorado River from Dead Horse Point is iconic, but there’s much more to this desert park than a single overlook. A network of trails here ranges from intermediate mountain biking to wheelchair-accessible pavement, with scenic overlooks, shade shelters, and interpretive signs throughout.

The Garden of the Gods encompasses 1,341 acres (542 hectares) of Colorado’s unique high-desert wilderness, Great Plains grassland, and juniper woodlands—it's also a designated National Natural Landmark. Highlights include the red rock formations of Balanced Rock, Gateway Rock, and the Three Graces, as well as petroglyphs left by the original American Indian inhabitants of the area, the Ute people.

Known as “America’s most historic square mile,” Independence National Historical Park comprises the most significant landmarks linked to the Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States. Highlights of the park, located in Philadelphia’s Old City and Society Hill neighborhoods, include Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is headquartered in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington DC. The famous Hollywood-ready bureau is tasked with protecting the United States from threats both foreign and domestic, drawing on both intelligence and law enforcement in its daily work. Tours definitely require navigating some red tape to arrange, but many visitors find the effort worth it.