THE BEST OF THE BEST IN U.S. TRAVEL
Welcome to the Bigroads.com guide to the best of the best in U.S. travel!
With thousands of natural wonders and tourist attractions to choose from in the United States, it can be daunting to plan a road trip or adventure. The travel lists below aim to highlight many of the very best things to do and see in America. These opinionated lists were created based on a combination of my own extensive travel (which entails more than 25 major road trips) and reading thousands of articles and online reviews over the years. I also have a U.S. travel guidebook library that borders on obsession.
I hope you enjoy these opinionated travel lists. You are encouraged to email me if you find any glaring errors or omissions on any of these lists. These types of 'best of' lists are NEVER perfect, but you can help me continue to improve them.
AERIAL TRAMWAYS / GONDOLAS
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Rise up and savor some scenic views on these popular aerial tramways and gondolas:
✮ Alyeska Aerial Tram (Girdwood, AK)
✮ Heavenly Mountain Gondola (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
✮ Lone Peak Tram (Big Sky, MT)
✮ Mt. Rainier Gondola (Pierce, WA)
✮ Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (Palm Springs, CA)
✮ Sandia Peak Tramway (Albuquerque, NM)
To discover more great aerial tramways and gondolas, read my Top 15 Aerial Tramways and Gondolas of the U.S. guide.
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The U.S. offers more than 500 amusement parks. These amusement parks are generally considered to be the best in the country:
Western U.S.
✮ Disneyland Park (Anaheim, CA)
✮ Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park, CA)
✮ SeaWorld San Diego (San Diego, CA)
✮ Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, CA)
✮ Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City, CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Holiday World & Splashin' Safari (Santa Claus, IN)
✮ SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
✮ Silver Dollar City (Branson, MO)
✮ Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio, TX)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay, FL)
✮ Busch Gardens (Williamsburg, VA)
✮ Carowinds (Charlotte, NC)
✮ Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH)
✮ Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)
✮ Hersheypark (Hershey, PA)
✮ Kings Island (Mason, OH)
✮ Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA)
✮ SeaWorld Orlando (Orlando, FL)
✮ Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson Township, NJ)
✮ Universal Islands of Adventure (Orlando, FL) - includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade
✮ Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, FL) - includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley
✮ Walt Disney World parks (Lake Buena Vista, FL) - includes four major theme parks plus other parks and attractions
The LEGOLAND parks (CA, FL, and NY) are also notable, but I just don't think they are quite at the level of the amusement parks listed above.
To discover more of the finest amusement parks in the country, read my Top 100 Amusement and Water Parks in the U.S. guide.
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There are more than 150 aquariums in the United States. The premier aquariums in the country include the following:
Western U.S.
✮ Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach, CA)
✮ Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey Bay, CA)
✮ SeaWorld San Diego (San Diego, CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Dallas World Aquarium (Dallas, TX)
✮ SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, GA)
✮ Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (Sarasota, FL)
✮ National Aquarium (Baltimore, MD)
✮ North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (Kure Beach, NC)
✮ North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (Pine Knoll Shores, NC)
✮ North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (Manteo, NC)
✮ Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg, TN)
✮ SeaWorld Orlando (Orlando, FL)
✮ Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga, TN)
While the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL is very large and heavily visited, online reviews of that aquarium are mixed.
To discover more of the best aquariums in the country, read my Top 25 Aquariums in the U.S. guide. |
These natural wonders will impress you with their dramatic openings. Most of these require a short to moderate day hike.
Arizona
✮ Devil's Bridge (Coconino National Forest, Sedona) - 45-foot span
✮ Tonto Natural Bridge (Tonto Natural Bridge State Park) - 150-foot span
Utah
✮ Angel Arch (Canyonlands National Park) - 120-foot span
✮ Corona Arch (BLM land, Moab) - 110-foot span
✮ Delicate Arch (Arches National Park) - 46-foot span
✮ Double Arch (Arches National Park) - 148-foot span
✮ Double O Arch (Arches National Park) - 66-foot span
✮ Druid Arch (Canyonlands National Park-Needles District) - 20-foot span
✮ Hickman Bridge (Capital Reef National Park) - 133-foot span
✮ Jacob Hamblin Arch (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument) - 100-foot span
✮ Landscape Arch (Arches National Park) - 290-foot span
✮ Mesa Arch (Canyonlands National Park) - 90-foot span
✮ Natural Bridge (Bryce Canyon National Park) - 54-foot span
✮ Rainbow Bridge (Rainbow Bridge National Monument) - 234-foot span
✮ Sipapu Natural Bridge (Natural Bridges National Monument) - 225-foot span
All Other U.S. States
✮ Arch Rock (Mackinac Island State Park, MI) - 50-foot span
✮ Ayres Natural Bridge (Douglas, WY) - 90-foot span
✮ Gray's Arch (Red River Gorge Geological Area, KY) - 79-foot span
✮ Mobius Arch (Alabama Hills National Scenic Area, CA) - 17-foot span
✮ Natural Bridge (Natural Bridge State Park, VA) - 90-foot span
✮ Natural Bridge (Natural Bridge State Resort Park, KY) - 76-foot span
✮ Natural Bridge of Alabama (Natural Bridge Park, AL) - 148-foot span
✮ Twin Arches (Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, TN) - 93-foot span and 76-foot span
To find more of the best arches and natural bridges in the country, read my Top Arches and Natural Bridges in the U.S. guide.
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Here is a list of many of the finest art museums in the country:
Western U.S.
✮ Chihuly Garden and Glass (Seattle, WA)
✮ J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, CA)
✮ Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, CA)
✮ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco, CA)
✮ Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA)
Central U.S.
✮ Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
✮ Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR)
✮ Detroit Institute of the Arts (Detroit, MI)
✮ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, MO)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, OH)
✮ Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, NY)
✮ Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA)
✮ Museum of Modern Art (New York City, NY)
✮ National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC)
✮ Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA)
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Explore automotive history at these revered auto museums:
✮ America's Car Museum (Tacoma, WA)
✮ Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum (Birmingham, AL)
✮ Gilmore Car Museum (Hickory Corners, MI)
✮ Henry Ford Museum (Dearborn, MI)
✮ National Automobile Museum (Reno, NV)
✮ Nethercutt Collection (Sylmar, CA)
✮ Petersen Automotive Museum (Los Angeles, CA)
✮ Volo Museum (Volo, IL)
To find more of the best car and auto museums in the country, read my Top 25 Auto & Motorcycle Museums in the U.S. guide.
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AVIATION / AIRCRAFT MUSEUMS
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See historic aircraft at these excellent museums:
✮ EAA AirVenture Museum (Oshkosh, WI)
✮ Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (McMinnville, OR)
✮ Mid-America Air Museum (Liberal, KS)
✮ Museum of Flight (Seattle, WA)
✮ National Air & Space Museum (Washington, D.C.)
✮ National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (Dayton, OH)
✮ National Naval Aviation Museum (Pensacola, FL)
✮ Pima Air & Space Museum (Tucson, AZ)
✮ Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, VA)
To find more of the best aviation museums in the country, read my Top 25 Aircraft/Aviation Museums in the U.S. guide.
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BACKPACKING AREAS / TRAILS
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Some of the best backpacking areas and trails in the United States include:
California
✮ Desolation Wilderness
✮ John Muir Trail
✮ Kings Canyon National Park - e.g. Humphreys Basin / Evolution Basin, Rae Lakes Loop, etc.
✮ Lost Coast Trail
✮ Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA)
✮ Sequoia National Park - e.g. High Sierra Trail
✮ Sierra Mountains, The - e.g. Inyo National Forest (including Mount Whitney), Ansel Adams Wilderness, John Muir Wilderness, etc.
✮ Tahoe Rim Trail
✮ Trinity Alps Wilderness
✮ Yosemite National Park - e.g. John Muir Trail, High Sierra Camps
Utah
✮ Canyonlands National Park-Needles District (UT) - e.g. Chesler Park
✮ Coyote Gulch (UT)
✮ Death Hollow (UT)
✮ Uinta Highline Trail (UT)
✮ Zion National Park (UT) - e.g. Virgin River Narrows, West Rim Trail
Washington
✮ Enchantment Lakes / Alpine Lakes Wilderness (WA)
✮ Mount Rainier National Park (WA) - e.g. Wonderland Trail
✮ North Cascades National Park (WA) - e.g. Desolation Peak, Gothic Basin, Hannegan Peak/Copper Rid
✮ Olympic National Park (WA) - e.g. Enchanted Valley, Hoh River Trail, North Wilderness Beach, Royal Basin, Seven Lakes Basin Loop, etc.
✮ Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA)
Rest of the Western U.S.
✮ Bob Marshall Wilderness (MT)
✮ Buckskin Gulch / Paria Canyon (UT/AZ)
✮ Continental Divide Trail (NM, CO, WY, ID, MT)
✮ Denali National Park (AK)
✮ Gates of the Arctic National Park (AK)
✮ Glacier National Park (MT) - e.g. Granite Park Chalet, Sperry Chalet, Highline Trail, Many Glacier Loop, St. Mary to Lake McDonald
✮ Grand Canyon National Park (AZ) - e.g. South Kaibab Trail/Bright Angel Trail loop, Rim-to-Rim, Escalante Route
✮ Grand Teton National Park (WY) - e.g. Teton Crest Trail
✮ Havasupai (AZ)
✮ Kalalau Trail (Kauai, HI)
✮ Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA)
✮ Rogue River National Recreation Trail (OR)
✮ Sawtooth Recreation Area (ID)
✮ Three Sisters Wilderness (OR)
✮ Timberline Trail (Mt. Hood National Forest, OR)
✮ Wind River Range (WY) - e.g. Cirque of the Towers
✮ Yellowstone National Park (WY) - e.g. Bechler River Trail, Dunanda Falls, Heart Lake, Shoshone Lake, Specimen Ridge, High Lake Loop
Central U.S.
✮ Big Bend National Park (TX) - e.g. Outer Mountain Loop
✮ Colorado Trail (CO)
✮ Continental Divide Trail (NM, CO, WY, ID, MT)
✮ Ice Age Trail (WI)
✮ Isle Royale National Park-Greenstone Ridge Trail (MI)
✮ Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness (CO) - e.g. Four Pass Loop
✮ Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI)
✮ San Juan Mountains (CO)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Adirondack Park (NY)
✮ Appalachian Trail (GA, NC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH, ME) - e.g. 100-Mile Wilderness (ME)
✮ Art Loeb Trail (NC)
✮ Baxter State Park (ME)
✮ Cohos Trail (NH)
✮ Dolly Sods Wilderness (WV)
✮ Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC/TN) - e.g. Mount LeConte
✮ Long Trail (VT)
✮ Northville-Placid Trail (NY)
✮ White Mountain National Forest (NH, ME) - e.g. Pemi Loop, Great Gulf, AMC Cabins
To find more of the best aviation museums in the country, read my Top 25 Aircraft/Aviation Museums in the U.S. guide.
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Here is a list of many of the finest beach towns in America:
West Coast
✮ Cannon Beach, OR - don't miss nearby Ecola State Park
✮ Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
✮ Haleiwa, Oahu, HI
✮ La Jolla, CA
✮ Laguna Beach, CA
✮ Malibu, CA
✮ Santa Barbara, CA
✮ Santa Cruz, CA
✮ Seaside, OR - this is the most family-friendly town on the Oregon coast
Great Lakes Region
✮ Charlevoix, MI
✮ Saugatuck, MI
East Coast
✮ Anna Maria, FL
✮ Bethany Beach, DE - this is the most family-friendly town on the Delaware coast
✮ Block Island, RI
✮ Destin, FL
✮ Gulf Shores, AL
✮ Hilton Head, SC
✮ Martha's Vineyard, MA
✮ Montauk, NY
✮ Nags Head, NC
✮ Ocean City, MD
✮ Ocean City, NJ - this is the most family-friendly town on the New Jersey coast
✮ Ogunquit, ME
✮ Old Orchard Beach, ME
✮ Rehoboth Beach, DE
✮ Sanibel Island, FL
✮ Siesta Key/Sarasota, FL
✮ Wildwood, NJ
I know they are insanely popular, but I personally don't like Myrtle Beach (SC) or Virginia Beach (VA) all that much.
Some might consider Cape May (NJ), Chatham (MA), Kennebunkport (ME), Nantucket (MA), and Newport (RI) as 'beach towns', but I don't consider them to be. They are all still great places to visit though.
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Some of the finest BBQ in the U.S. can be found at these top-rated barbecue restaurants:
♥♥♥ = generally regarded as one of the absolute best BBQ restaurants in the U.S.
Western U.S.
✮ Caldwell Country BBQ (Gilbert, AZ) ♥♥♥
✮ Copper Top BBQ (Big Pine, CA) ♥♥♥
✮ Joe's Real BBQ (Gilbert, AZ)
✮ Little Miss BBQ (Phoenix, AZ) ♥♥♥
✮ Phil's BBQ (San Diego, CA)
✮ Rollin Smoke Barbeque (Las Vegas, NV)
Central U.S.
✮ Bogart's Smokehouse (St. Louis, MO) ♥♥♥
✮ Cattleack Barbeque (Farmers Branch, TX)
✮ Central BBQ (Memphis, TN)
✮ CorkScrew BBQ (Spring. TX) ♥♥♥
✮ Cozy Corner BBQ (Memphis, TN)
✮ Franklin BBQ (Austin, TX) ♥♥♥
✮ Hard Eight BBQ (several locations in TX, but Coppell is the most famous)
✮ Hutchins BBQ (Frisco, TX and McKinney, TX) ♥♥♥
✮ Jack Stack Barbecue (Kansas City, MO)
✮ Joe's Kansas City BBQ (Kansas City, KS) ♥♥♥
✮ Killen's BBQ (Pearland, TX)
✮ Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue (Cloudcroft) ♥♥♥
✮ Meat U Anywhere (Grapevine, TX)
✮ la Barbecue (Austin, TX)
✮ Pappy's Smokehouse (St. Louis, MO) ♥♥♥
✮ Pecan Lodge (Dallas, TX)
✮ Q39 (Kansas City, MO) ♥♥♥
✮ Salt Lick BBQ (Driftwood, TX)
✮ Slap's BBQ (Kansas City, KS) ♥♥♥
✮ Smoque BBQ (Chicago, IL)
✮ Snow's BBQ (Lexington, TX)
✮ Terry Black's BBQ (Austin, TX and Dallas, TX) ♥♥♥
✮ Truth BBQ (several locations in TX)
✮ Tyler's Barbeque (Amarillo) ♥♥♥
✮ Wright's Barbecue Johnson (several locations in AR)
Eastern U.S.
✮ 4 Rivers Smokehouse (several locations in FL, but Winter Park is the most famous)
✮ Beast Craft BBQ Co. (Belleville, IL)
✮ Dinosaur BBQ (several locations in NY, but Syracuse is the original)
✮ Eli's BBQ (Cincinnati, OH)
✮ Firefly's BBQ (Marlborough, MA)
✮ Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q (Atlanta, GA)
✮ Haywood Smokehouse (Waynesville, NC) ♥♥♥
✮ Heirloom Market BBQ (Atlanta, GA)
✮ KC's Rib Shack (Manchester, NH)
✮ Lewis Barbecue (Charleston, SC and Greenville, SC) ♥♥♥
✮ Peg Leg Porker (Nashville, TN)
✮ Prime Barbecue (Knightdale, NC) ♥♥♥
✮ Rendezvous (Memphis, TN)
✮ Rodney Scott's BBQ (Charleston, SC)
✮ Shiver's BBQ (Homestead, FL)
✮ Skylight Inn BBQ (Ayden, NC) ♥♥♥
✮ Southern Soul BBQ (St. Simons Island, GA)
✮ Woodpeckers Backyard BBQ (St. Augustine, FL)
The best area in the country for BBQ is undoubtedly Kansas City, Missouri. If you are a big BBQ fan, you should spend a few days there.
Many of the restaurants listed above also offer a mail order delivery service. Visit their websites for more details on that.
To find more of the best BBQ restaurants in the country, read my Best BBQ Restaurants in each U.S. State guide.
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There are now thousands of breweries across the country. Here are some of more iconic or 'destination' breweries to visit. These are the types of places you'd be willing to drive many miles out of the way for (or perhaps even plan a vacation around).
Western U.S.
✮ Deschutes Brewery (Portland, OR)
✮ Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA)
✮ Rogue Ales (Newport, OR)
✮ Russian River Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, CA) - e.g. Pliny The Elder
✮ Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, CA) - e.g. Pale Ale, Torpedo Extra IPA, Celebration IPA
✮ Stone Brewing (Escondido, CA) - e.g. Stone IPA, Enjoy by IPA, Arrogant Bastard Ale, Ruination IPA
Central U.S.
✮ 3 Floyds Brewing (Munster, IN) - e.g. Zombie Dust
✮ Abita Brewing Company (Covington, LA)
✮ Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)
✮ Bell's Eccentric Cafe / Bell's Brewery (Kalamazoo, MI) - e.g. Two Hearted IPA, Hopslam Ale, Oberon Ale
✮ Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, MO)
✮ Drekker Brewing Company (Fargo, ND)
✮ Forager Brewery (Rochester, MN)
✮ Founders Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, MI) - e.g. Breakfast Stout, KBS
✮ K. Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner, TX)
✮ Jester King Brewery (Austin, TX)
✮ Lakefront Brewery (Milwaukee, WI)
✮ New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO)
✮ New Glarus Brewing Company (New Glarus, WI) - e.g. Spotted Cow
✮ Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO)
✮ Saint Arnold Brewing Company (Houston, TX)
✮ Surly Brewing Company (Minneapolis, MN)
✮ Toppling Goliath Brewing Company (Decorah, IA)
✮ WeldWerks Brewing Company (Greeley, CO)
There are likely more great ones in Colorado. Email me if you can think of any top tier breweries in Colorado (e.g. is Outer Range Brewing top-tier?)
New England
✮ Alchemist Brewery, The (Stowe, VT) - e.g. Heady Topper
✮ Allagash Brewing Company (Portland, ME) - e.g. Allagash White
✮ Fox Farm Brewery (Salem, CT)
✮ Hill Farmstead Brewery (Greensboro Bend, VT)
✮ Long Trail Brewing Company (Bridgewater Corners, VT)
✮ Maine Beer Company (Freeport, ME) - e.g. Lunch, Dinner
✮ Norbrook Farm Brewery (Colebrook, CT)
✮ Samuel Adams Boston Brewery (Boston, MA) - e.g. Boston Lager, Octoberfest, Summer Ale, Winter Lager
✮ Tree House Brewing Company (Charlton, MA) - e.g. Julius Hazy
✮ Trillium (Canton, MA) - e.g. Melcher Street IPA, Congress Street IPA
Atlantic Brewing Company (ME), Bissell Brothers (ME), Cisco Brewers (MA), Harpoon Brewery (MA and VT), Shipyard (ME), and Tuckerman Brewing (NH) are also insanely popular and good, but I don't think they are quite on par with the breweries listed above.
Rest of the Eastern U.S.
✮ Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
✮ Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE) - e.g. 90 Minute IPA
✮ Good People Brewing Company (Birmingham, AL)
✮ Guinness Open Gate Brewery (Halethorpe, MD)
✮ Rhinegeist Brewery (Cincinnati, OH)
✮ Troegs Brewing Company (Hershey, PA)
✮ Yuengling (Pottsville, PA)
I also really enjoyed the beer at Pelican Brewery in Oregon (several locations), but their food wasn't all that great and I think that's why you'll see mixed online reviews for them. I am also a huge fan of the Moab Brewery in Utah, but that's probably more because I love Moab and less because of their beer.
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Go underground on a guided tour of these fantastic caves:
Western U.S.
✮ Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM) - this is one of few caves in the U.S. that offers both guided and unguided tours
✮ Kartchner Caverns State Park (Benson, AZ)
✮ Lehman Caves (Great Basin National Park, NV)
✮ Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park (Whitehall, MT)
✮ Oregon Caves National Monument (OR)
✮ Timpanogos Cave National Monument (UT)
Central U.S.
✮ Blanchard Springs Caverns (Fifty Six, AR)
✮ Inner Space Cavern (Georgetown, TX)
✮ Jewel Cave National Monument (Black Hills region, SD)
✮ Marengo Cave (Marengo, IL)
✮ Marvel Cave (Branson, MO)
✮ Natural Bridge Caverns (San Antonio, TX)
✮ Wind Cave National Park (Black Hills region, SD)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Florida Caverns State Park (Marianna, FL)
✮ Forbidden Caverns (Sevierville, TN)
✮ Lost World Caverns (Lewisburg, WV)
✮ Luray Caverns (Luray, VA)
✮ Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
✮ Ohio Caverns (West Liberty, OH)
✮ Tuckaleechee Caverns (Townsend, TN)
Before visiting any cave, make sure you check to see if reservations are required. You also also check to see what the temperature of the cave is.
To find more of the best cave tours in the country, read my Top 25 Caves/Cave Tours in the U.S. guide.
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Take the kids to some of these top-rated children's museums:
✮ Boston Children's Museum (Boston, MA)
✮ Chicago Children's Museum (Chicago, IL)
✮ Children's Museum of Houston (Houston, TX)
✮ Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN)
✮ Children's Museum, The (Cincinnati, OH)
✮ City Museum (St. Louis, MO) - this is my favorite children's museum in the U.S., although it's more of a playground than a museum
✮ Explora Science Center and Children's Museum (Albuquerque, NM)
✮ Marbles Kids Museum (Raleigh, NC)
✮ Misssippi Children's Museum (Jackson, MS)
✮ Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, PA)
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I consider these to be the best cities to visit in the U.S.
Large/Major Cities
✮ Austin, TX
✮ Boston, MA
✮ Chicago, IL - my favorite large/major U.S. city
✮ Las Vegas, NV
✮ New Orleans, LA
✮ New York City, NY - my 2nd favorite large/major U.S. city
✮ Philadelphia, PA
✮ San Diego, CA
✮ San Francisco, CA
✮ Washington D.C.
Nashville and Seattle almost made the list. I personally find Denver, Los Angeles, and Miami to be overrated, and so I have excluded them. In the past I would have considered Portland (OR) for this list, but the city has taken a huge decline in the last 10-15 years. I last visited in 2023 and found several sections of the city to be intolerably bad.
Small/Medium Cities
✮ Ann Arbor, MI
✮ Annapolis, MD
✮ Asheville, NC
✮ Boulder, CO
✮ Bozeman, MT
✮ Burlington, VT
✮ Charleston, SC
✮ Charlottesville, VA
✮ Fort Myers, FL
✮ Frederick, MD
✮ Key West, FL
✮ Madison, WI
✮ Naples, FL
✮ Orlando, FL
✮ Palm Springs, CA
✮ Portland, ME
✮ Portsmouth, NH
✮ Reno, NV
✮ Santa Barbara, CA
✮ Santa Cruz, CA
✮ Santa Fe, NM
✮ Sarasota/Siesta Key, FL
✮ Savannah, GA
For a list of all the best towns and cities in the country, read my Favorite Towns and Cities in the U.S. guide.
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Catch your favorite performer at these great indoor and outdoor concert venues. Take note that concert venue names constantly change due to corporate sponsorship rights and so the descriptions you see below could easily be out-of-date. Please email me (gparsons66@hotmail.com) if any of these names have changed.
Indoor Concert Venues
✮ Grand Ole Opry (Nashville, TN)
✮ Madison Square Garden (New York City, NY)
✮ Radio City Music Hall (New York City, NY) - home of the Radio City Rockettes during the holiday season
✮ Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN)
✮ Sphere (Las Vegas, NV)
Outdoor Concert Venues
✮ Gorge Amphitheater (Quincy, WA)
✮ Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)
✮ Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles, CA)
✮ Jones Beach Theater (Wantagh, NY)
✮ Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater (Tuscaloosa, AL)
✮ Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, MD)
✮ Red Rocks Amphitheater (Morrison, CO)
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COUNTRY FAIRS / STATE FAIRS
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These country/state fairs are generally considered the biggest and/or best in the country. More than one million guests visit each of these fairs annually.
✮ Big E, The (Springfield, MA) - a 17-day fair held in September; take note that Saturday afternoons/evenings are insanely crowded
✮ Iowa State Fair (Des Moines, IA) - an 11-day fair held in August
✮ Minnesota State Fair (Falcon Heights, MN) - a 12-day fair held in August/September
✮ Texas State Fair (Dallas, TX) - a 24-day fair held in September/October
To find more of the best festivals and fairs in the country, read my Best Annual Festivals and Events in the U.S. guide.
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As an avid hiker, I appreciate the beauty of a world-class hiking trail. Here are many of the finest day hikes in America. Most of these are very challenging, but a few of them are considered moderate.
Western U.S.
✮ Angel's Landing (Zion National Park, UT) - obtain a permit to hike across a thrilling desert ridge
✮ Buckskin Gulch / Wire Pass (Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, UT) - go deep into an amazing and narrow slot canyon
✮ Cascade Canyon / Paintbrush Canyon (Grand Teton National Park, WY) - enjoy world-class mountain scenery
✮ Congress Trail (Sequoia National Park, CA) - look at giant sequoia trees on a relatively easy walk
✮ Coyotte Buttes North / The Wave (Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, AZ) - experience one of the world's most amazing natural wonders
✮ Devil's Garden Loop (Arches National Park, UT) - hike past multiple natural arches on a wonderful loop hike
✮ Enchantment Lakes (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest/Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA) - walk past some of the most beautiful lakes in the U.S.
✮ Harding Icefield Trail (Kenai Fjords National Park, AK) - experience a classic Alaskan glacier
✮ Highline Trail and Grinnell Glacier Overlook (Glacier National Park, MT) - enjoy spectacular mountain scenery on Montana's best hike
✮ Maple Pass Loop (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, WA) - look down on a gorgeous alpine lake
✮ Mount Whitney (Inyo National Forest, CA) - hike to the highest point in the lower 48 states; permits are required and tough to get
✮ Nevada Fall / Vernal Fall / Mist Trail loop with optional (permit required) climb up Half Dome (Yosemite National Park, CA)
✮ Queens Garden / Navajo Loop Trail (Bryce Canyon National Park, UT) - walk amongst the park's famous hoodoos
✮ South Kaibab Trail (Grand Canyon National Park, AZ) - dip down into the Grand Canyon; I prefer this trail over the Bright Angel Trail
✮ Skyline Loop / High Skyline Trail (Mount Rainier National Park, WA) - get up close and personal with the biggest mountain in Washington
✮ Upper Geyser Basin / Old Faithful (Yellowstone National Park, WY) - see amazing geothermal features
✮ Zion Narrows (Zion National Park, UT) - take a river-walk up a beautiful canyon
Central U.S.
✮ Black Elk Peak (Custer State Park, SD) - hike to the highpoint of South Dakota, where you will find a great stone tower
✮ Ice Lakes Basin (San Juan National Forest, CO) - experience some of CO's best scenery and alpine lake
✮ Longs Peak via Keyhole Route (Rocky Mountain National Park, CO) - rock-scramble up to the highest point in the national park
✮ Sky Pond (Rocky Mountain National Park, CO) - hike past several dramatic mountain lakes
Eastern U.S.
✮ Baldface Loop (White Mountain National Forest, NH) - enjoy some of NH's best views and don't miss swimming in Emerald Pool
✮ Bonds Traverse (White Mountain National Forest, NH) - take a challenging day hike or overnight trip across a remote mountain range
✮ Camel's Hump (Camel's Hump State Park, VT) - hike up to the best mountain summit in Vermont
✮ Franconia Ridge Loop (Franconia Notch State Park, NH) - this is New England's 2nd best loop hike (Katahdin in Maine is #1)
✮ Katahdin via Knife Edge (Baxter State Park, ME) - hike the dramatic Knife Edge; permits are required and they are very tough to get
✮ McAfee Knob (Appalachian Trail, VA) - hike to one of the Appalachian Trail's most famous viewpoints
✮ Mount Mansfield (Underhill State Park, VT) - take a loop hike up the highpoint of Vermont
✮ Mount Marcy (Adirondack Park, NY) - ascend to the tallest point in New York state
✮ Mount Monadnock (Mount Monadnock State Park, NH) - hike and scramble one of the most climbed mountains in the world
✮ Mount Washington (White Mountain National Forest, NH) - hike one of the most deadly mountains in the world; many trail options exist
✮ Old Rag Mountain (Shenandoah National Park, VA) - this is arguably the best hike in all of Virginia
✮ Precipice Trail (Acadia National Park, ME) - climb rungs and ladders for great coastal views; generally open mid-Aug to mid/late-Oct
My family and I also really enjoyed hiking up the 2,768 steps of the Manitou Incline in Manitou Springs, Colorado. That sort of stair-climbing isn't for everyone, and so I purposely excluded it from the above list.
To find more of the best day hikes in the country, read my Top 100 Day Hikes in the U.S. guide.
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FAST FOOD RESTAURANT CHAINS
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Here is a list of my favorite fast food restaurant chains in the United States. Opinions will obviously vary here, but these are my personal favorites:
✮ Bojangles
✮ Chick-fil-A
✮ Dave's Hot Chicken
✮ Five Guys
✮ Freddy's Steakburgers
✮ Hardee's / Carl Jr's
✮ In-N-Out Burger
✮ Mission BBQ
✮ Panda Express
✮ Popeye's
✮ Raising Cane's
✮ Rudy's BBQ
✮ Whataburger
Many other people are super-fans of Arby's and Culver's, but I am not. I also do not like White Castle (at all). I haven't tried Jollibee yet, but probably will at some point.
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Over-consume at these large and impressive annual food festivals:
✮ EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (Orlando, FL)
✮ Food & Wine Classic (Aspen, CO)
✮ Maine Lobster Festival (Rockland, ME)
✮ National Cherry Festival (Traverse City, MI)
✮ San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival (San Diego, CA)
✮ South Beach Food & Wine Festival (Miami, FL)
✮ Taste of Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
✮ Taste of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
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Discover the beauty of these wonderful botanic gardens:
Western U.S.
✮ Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson, AZ)
✮ Desert Botanical Gardens (Phoenix, AZ)
✮ Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden (Papaikou, HI)
✮ Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (Fort Bragg, CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (Dallas, TX)
✮ Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis, MO)
✮ Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Atlanta Botanical Garden (Atlanta, GA)
✮ Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, SC)
✮ Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay Harbor, ME)
✮ Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA)
✮ Naples Botanical Garden (Naples, FL)
✮ New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, NY)
✮ Norfolk Botanical Garden (Norfolk, VA)
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Here are some of the best historic ghost towns to visit in the country:
✮ Bannack State Park (Dillon, MT)
✮ Bodie State Historic Park (Bodie, CA)
✮ Calico Ghost Town (Calico, CA)
✮ Chloride (Winston, NM)
✮ Garnet Ghost Town State Park (Garnet, MT)
✮ Gold Point Ghost Town (Goldfield, NV)
✮ Goldfield Ghost Town (Apache Junction, AZ)
✮ Independence Ghost Town (Aspen, CO)
✮ Nelson Ghost Town (Searchlight, NV)
✮ Nevada City Ghost Town (Nevada City, MT)
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HISTORICAL SITES / HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS |
Here are some of the best historic sites and attractions to visit in America:
Western U.S.
✮ Alcatraz Island (San Francisco, CA)
✮ Bandelier National Monument (NM)
✮ Bears Ears National Monument (UT)
✮ Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (MT)
✮ Montezuma Castle National Monument (Camp Verde, AZ)
✮ Pearl Harbor National Memorial (Honolulu, HI)
✮ Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum (Simi Valley, CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL)
✮ Alamo, The (San Antonio, TX)
✮ Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (Collinsville, IL)
✮ Henry Ford, The (Dearborn, MI)
✮ Mesa Verde National Park (southwestern CO)
✮ Mount Rushmore National Memorial (Black Hills region, SD)
✮ San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (San Antonio, TX)
✮ Shiloh National Military Park (Shiloh, TN)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Antietam National Battlefield (Sharpsburg, MD)
✮ Arlington National Cemetery (Arlington, VA)
✮ Biltmore Estate (Asheville, NC)
✮ Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA)
✮ Ellis Island (NJ/NY)
✮ Ford's Theatre (Washington D.C.)
✮ Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Baltimore, MD)
✮ Freedom Trail / Paul Revere's House / Old North Church (Boston, MA)
✮ George Washington's Mount Vernon (Vernon, VA)
✮ Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, PA)
✮ Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (Harpers Ferry, WV)
✮ Historic Jamestowne (Jamestown, VA)
✮ Independence National Historical Park / Liberty Bell (Philadelphia, PA)
✮ Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (Kennesaw, GA)
✮ Lincoln Memorial (Washington D.C.)
✮ Minute Man National Historic Park (Lincoln, MA)
✮ Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (Washington D.C.)
✮ Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (Atlanta, GA)
✮ Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)
✮ Smithsonian Museums (Washington D.C.)
✮ Valley Forge National Historical Park (King of Prussia, PA)
✮ Washington Monument (Washington D.C.)
✮ Yorktown Battlefield (Yorktown, VA)
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There are plenty of places in the U.S. that offer an amazing honeymoon experience. Here are some of the best honeymoon destinations in the country:
Western U.S.
✮ Alaskan cruise
✮ Amangiri (Canyon Point, UT)
✮ California coastline/ Big Sur (CA)
✮ Carmel-by-the-Sea (CA)
✮ Cannon Beach (OR) - e.g. The Ocean Lodge
✮ Hawaii (pretty much anywhere)
✮ Napa Valley wine region (CA) - e.g. Bardessono Hotel & Spa
✮ Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur, CA)
✮ Sedona (AZ)
✮ Sonoma Valley wine region (CA)
✮ Southern Utah national parks and Moab (UT)
✮ Triple Creek Ranch (Darby, MT)
✮ Willamette Valley wine region (OR)
✮ Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Jackson (WY)
Central U.S.
✮ Chicago (IL)
✮ Fredericksburg (TX)
✮ Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (MI)
✮ New Orleans (LA)
✮ West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick (IN)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Anna Maria Island (FL) - e.g. Cedar Cove Resort & Cottages
✮ Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park (ME)
✮ Block Island (RI)
✮ Charleston and Hilton Head Island (SC)
✮ Finger Lakes wine region (NY)
✮ Key West and the Florida Keys (FL) - e.g. Little Palm Island Resort and Spa (Little Torch Key)
✮ Manhattan, New York City (NY)
✮ Martha's Vineyard (MA)
✮ Miami / South Beach (FL) - e.g. 1 Hotel South Beach
✮ Mount Washington Resort (Bretton Woods, NH)
✮ Nantucket (MA) - e.g. Nantucket Hotel & Resort
✮ Naples and the southern Gulf Coast (FL)
✮ Niagara Falls (NY/Canada)
✮ North Carolina mountains / Blue Ridge (NC)
✮ Orlando area theme parks / Walt Disney World Resort (FL)
✮ Palm Beach (FL) - e.g. The Breakers
✮ Poconos Mountains (PA) - e.g. The Lodge at Woodloch
✮ Savannah (GA)
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Here is a list of some great U.S. islands to visit:
Western U.S.
✮ Hawaiian Islands (all of them)
✮ San Juan Islands (WA)
✮ Santa Catalina Island (CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Isle Royale (MI)
✮ Mackinac Island (MI)
✮ South Padre Island (TX)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Amelia Island (FL)
✮ Block Island (RI)
✮ Cumberland Island (GA)
✮ Fire Island (NY)
✮ Florida Keys / Key West (FL)
✮ Hilton Head Island (SC)
✮ Jekyll Island (GA)
✮ Kiawah Island (SC)
✮ Martha's Vineyard (MA)
✮ Monhegan Island (ME)
✮ Mount Desert Island (ME) - e.g. home of Acadia National Park
✮ Nantucket (MA)
✮ Sanibel Island / Captiva Island (FL)
✮ St. Simons Island (GA)
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Many of the finest lighthouses to visit in the U.S. include:
Western U.S.
✮ Diamond Head Lighthouse (Honolulu, HI)
✮ Eldred Rock Lighthouse (Haines Borough, AK)
✮ Haceta Head Lighthouse (Florence, OR)
✮ Pigeon Point Light Station (Pescadero, CA)
✮ Point Cabrillo Light Station (Mendocino, CA)
✮ Point Reyes Lighthouse (Point Reyes National Seashore, CA)
✮ Yaquina Bay Lighthouse (Newport, OR)
Great Lakes Region
✮ Big Sable Point Lighthouse (Ludington State Park, MI)
✮ Cana Island Lighthouse (Baileys Harbor, WI)
✮ Marblehead Lighthouse (Marblehead, OH)
✮ Split Rock Lighthouse (Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, MN)
New England
✮ Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (Acadia National Park, ME)
✮ Cape Neddick Lighthouse (York, ME)
✮ Gay Head Light (Aquinnah, MA)
✮ Nobska Point Light (Falmouth, MA)
✮ Portland Head Lighthouse (Cape Elizabeth, ME)
✮ West Quoddy Head Light (Lubec, ME)
Rest of the Eastern U.S.
✮ Assateague Lighthouse (Assateague Island National Seashore, VA)
✮ Bodie Island Lighthouse (Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head, NC)
✮ Cape Hatteras Light Station (Buxton, NC)
✮ Dry Tortugas Lighthouse (Loggerhead Key, FL)
✮ Montauk Point Lighthouse (Montauk, NY)
✮ Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse (Ponce Inlet, FL)
✮ St. Augustine Lighthouse (St. Augustine, FL)
✮ Thomas Point Shoal Light Station (Annapolis, MD)
✮ Tybee Island Light Station (Tybee Island, GA)
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Here is a list of the biggest and/or best malls in the country:
✮ American Dream (East Rutherford, NJ) - awesome for kids, but 40% of stores were vacant when I visited in 2023
✮ Aventura Mall (Aventura, FL)
✮ Galleria, The (Houston, TX)
✮ King of Prussia (King of Prussia, PA)
✮ Mall of America (Bloomington, MN) - the best mall in the U.S.
✮ Sawgrass Mills (Sunrise, FL)
✮ Woodbury Common (Woodbury, NY)
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Some of the best mountain biking in the country can be found in these areas/parks:
Western U.S.
✮ Lake Tahoe/Truckee (CA)
✮ Mammoth Mountain Bike Park (CA)
✮ Moab (UT)
✮ Park City (UT)
✮ Sedona (AZ)
Central U.S.
✮ Angel Fire Bike Park (Angel Fire, NM)
✮ Aspen (CO)
✮ Bentonville (AR)
✮ Copper Harbor Bike Trail System (MI)
✮ Crested Butte (CO)
✮ Trestle Bike Park (Winter Park, CO)
✮ Valmont Bike Park (Boulder, CO)
✮ Wilson State Park (KS)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Highland Mountain Bike Park (Northfield, NH)
✮ Killington Bike Park (Killington, VT)
✮ Pisgah National Forest (NC)
✮ Kingdom Trails (East Burke, VT)
✮ Windrock Bike Park (Oliver Springs, TN)
For more outstanding mountain biking, visit the IMBA website. For an outside mountain biking experience in Quebec (Canada), check out Empire 47.
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There are more than 130 national monuments in the United States. These national monuments are generally considered the best (at least from a natural wonder and scenery perspective):
✮ Bandelier National Monument (NM)
✮ Bears Ears National Monument (UT)
✮ Chiricahua National Monument (AZ)
✮ Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID)
✮ Devil's Postpile National Monument (CA)
✮ Devils Tower National Monument (WY)
✮ Dinosaur National Monument (CO/UT)
✮ Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (UT)
✮ John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (OR)
✮ Natural Bridges National Monument (UT)
✮ Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (AZ/UT)
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As of 2024, there are 63 national parks in America. I consider these to be the premier national parks, some of which are often labeled as 'superparks'.
Alaska
✮ Denali National Park
✮ Gates of the Arctic National Park
✮ Glacier Bay National Park
✮ Kenai Fjords National Park
✮ Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
All Other States
✮ Arches National Park (UT)
✮ Badlands National Park (UT)
✮ Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
✮ Canyonlands National Park (UT)
✮ Crater Lake National Park (OR)
✮ Glacier National Park (MT)
✮ Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
✮ Grand Teton National Park (WY)
✮ Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
✮ Yellowstone National Park (WY)
✮ Yosemite National Park (CA)
✮ Zion National Park (UT)
To learn more about our national parks, read my National Parks of the U.S. guide.
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Be amazed by these natural wonders:
Arizona
✮ Antelope Canyon (Navajo-owned land near Page)
✮ Coal Mine Canyon (Tribal lands)
✮ Grand Canyon (Grand Canyon National Park)
✮ Havasupai / Havasu Falls
✮ Horseshoe Bend (Glen Canyon National Recreation Area)
✮ Meteor Crater (Winslow)
✮ Monument Valley / The Mittens (Navajo-owned land)
✮ Tonto Natural Bridge (Tonto Natural Bridge State Park)
✮ Wave, The (Vermillion Cliffs National Monument)
✮ White Pocket (Vermillion Cliffs National Monument)
California
✮ Badwater (Death Valley National Park)
✮ Bumpass Hell (Lassen Volcanic National Park)
✮ Devils Postpile (Devils Postpile National Monument)
✮ Fern Canyon (Redwoods National Park)
✮ General Sherman tree (Sequoia National Park)
✮ McArthur-Burney Falls (McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park)
✮ McWay Falls (Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park)
✮ Mobius Arch (Alabama Hills)
✮ Mono Lake (Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve)
✮ Yosemite Valley / Half Dome / El Capitan (Yosemite National Park)
Utah
✮ Balanced Rock (Arches National Park)
✮ Bonneville Salt Flats (Wendover near NV border)
✮ Bryce Canyon Amphitheater (Bryce Canyon National Park)
✮ Corona Arch (BLM land in Moab, UT)
✮ Delicate Arch (Arches National Park)
✮ Goblin Valley State Park (near Hanksville)
✮ Rainbow Bridge (Rainbow Bridge National Monument)
✮ Subway, The (Zion National Park)
✮ Volcano, The / Cosmic Ashtray (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument)
✮ Zebra Canyon (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument)
✮ Zion Canyon / Zion Narrows / Virgin River Narrows (Zion National Park)
Wyoming
✮ Devil's Tower (Devil's Tower National Monument)
✮ Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Yellowstone National Park)
✮ Grand Prismatic Spring (Yellowstone National Park)
✮ Grand Teton (Grand Teton National Park)
✮ Morning Glory Pool (Yellowstone National Park)
✮ Old Faithful (Yellowstone National Park)
All Other States
✮ Bisti Badlands (Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area, NM)
✮ Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)
✮ Columbia River Gorge / Multnomah Falls (OR)
✮ Crater Lake (Crater Lake National Park, OR)
✮ Denali (Denali National Park, AK)
✮ Fire Wave (Valley of Fire State Park, NV)
✮ Haystack Rock (Cannon Beach, OR)
✮ Hoh Rainforest (Olympic National Park, WA)
✮ Mammoth Cave (Mammoth Cave National Park, KY)
✮ Maroon Bells (Aspen, CO)
✮ Mendenhall Glacier (Tongass National Forest, AK)
✮ Mobius Arch (Alabama Hills, CA)
✮ Mount Rainier (Mount Rainier National Park, WA)
✮ Natural Bridge (Natural Bridge State Park, VA)
✮ Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls State Park, NY)
✮ Palouse Falls (Palouse Falls State Park, WA)
✮ Star Dune (Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO)
✮ Waimea Canyon (Waimea Canyon State Park, HI)
✮ White Sands National Park (NM)
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Some of the best offroad driving in the country can be found in these areas:
✮ Big Bend Ranch State Park (TX)
✮ Blackwater Draw OHV Area, (TX)
✮ Canyonlands National Park (UT) - e.g. White Rim Road (100 miles long), Devils Lane, Elephant Hill Road, driving in the Maze District
✮ Capital Reef National Park (UT)
✮ Death Valley National Park (CA)
✮ Grand Canyon National Park (AZ) - e.g. Toroweap
✮ Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (UT)
✮ Lake Tahoe (CA) - e.g. Rubicon Trail
✮ Moab (UT) - e.g. Hell's Revenge, White Rim Trail, etc.
✮ Ouray (CO) - e.g. Imogene Pass
✮ Sedona (AZ) - e.g. Soldier Pass, Broken Arrow, etc.
✮ Telluride (CO) - e.g. Black Bear Pass
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Take a tour of some of these fascinating historic prisons:
Western U.S.
✮ Alcatraz (San Francisco, CA)
✮ Old Idaho Penitentiary Site (Boise, ID)
✮ Wyoming Frontier Prison (Rawlins, WY)
✮ Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site (Laramie, WY)
✮ Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park (Yuma, AZ)
Central U.S.
✮ Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, MO)
✮ Ohio State Reformatory (Mansfield, OH)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, PA)
✮ West Virginia Penitentiary (Moundsville, WV)
To discover more great prison museums, read my Top 15 Prison & Jail Museums of the U.S. guide.
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Take a ride one some of the best medium and long-distance rail trails in the country. Take note that some of these trails are paved nd some are dirt.
Most of these are 100% continuous, and the quality of these trails is generally rated as excellent.
Western U.S.
✮ American River Parkway / Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (CA)
✮ Banks-Veronia State Trail (OR)
✮ Jackson / Grand Teton National Park bike path system (WY)
✮ Palouse to Cascasdes State Park Trail (OR)
✮ Route of the Hiawatha (ID)
✮ Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes (ID)
Central U.S.
✮ Elroy-Sparta State Trail (WI)
✮ Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park (MI)
✮ George S. Mickelson Trail (SD)
✮ High Trestle Trail (IA)
✮ Kal-Haven Trail State Park (MI)
✮ Katy Trail (MO)
✮ Little Traverse Wheelway (MI)
✮ North Central State Trail (MI)
✮ Paul Bunyan State Trail (MN)
✮ Prairie Spirit Trail State Park (KS)
✮ Pumpkinvine Nature Trail (IN)
✮ Raccoon River Valley Trail (IA)
✮ Root River State Trail (MN)
✮ Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail (MI)
New England
✮ Cape Cod Rail Trail (MA)
✮ East Bay Bike Path (RI) - this is my favorite rail trail in New England
✮ Farmington Canal Heritage Trail (CT)
✮ Island Line Rail Trail (VT)
✮ Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (VT)
✮ Northern Rail Trail (NH)
The Air Line State Park Trail (CT) almost made the list, but some sections are a bit rough and there is a major gap in the trail.
Rest of the Eastern U.S.
✮ Allegheny River Trail (PA)
✮ C&O Canal Towpath (MD/DC)
✮ Columbia Trail (NJ)
✮ Delaware & Raritan Canal (NJ)
✮ Erie Canalway Trail (NY)
✮ Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail (FL)
✮ General James A. Van Fleet State Trail (FL)
✮ Ghost Town Trail (PA)
✮ Great Allegheny Passage (MD/PA)
✮ Greenbrier River Trail (WV)
✮ Hilton Head Island bike paths (SC)
✮ Little Miami Scenic Trail (OH)
✮ Longleaf Trace (MS)
✮ New River Trail State Park (VA)
✮ Ohio to Erie Trail (OH)
✮ Pine Creek Rail Trail (PA)
✮ Redbank Valley Rail Trail (PA)
✮ Silver Comet & Chief Ladiga Trails (AL/GA)
✮ Swamp Rabbit Trail (SC)
✮ Virginia Capital Trail (VA)
✮ Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail (VA)
✮ Washington and Old Dominion Trail / W&OD (VA)
✮ West Orange Trail (FL)
✮ Withlacoochee State Trail (FL)
The North Bend Trail in West Virginia almost made the list, but I hear the quality of the trail isn't as great as those listed above.
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There are thousands of roadside attractions in the U.S., and every state has at least a few great ones. Here are some of the classic roadside attractions across the United States:
Western U.S.
✮ Cabazon Dinosaurs (Cabazon, CA)
✮ Freemont Troll (Seattle, WA)
✮ Hole N' The Rock (Moab, UT)
✮ Hollywood Sign (Hollywood, CA)
✮ Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (Trees of Mystery in Klamath, CA)
✮ Radio Flyer Wagon (Spokane, WA)
✮ Salvation Mountain (Niland, CA)
✮ Seven Magic Mountains (Las Vegas, NV)
Central U.S.
✮ Albert the Bull (Audubon, IA)
✮ Blue Whale, The (Catoosa, OK)
✮ Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, TX)
✮ Carhenge (Alliance, NE)
✮ Enchanted Highway (Regent, ND)
✮ Golden Driller (Tulsa, OK)
✮ Jolly Green Giant (Blue Earth, MN)
✮ Leaning Tower of Niles (Niles, IL)
✮ Longaberger Building (Newark, OH)
✮ Mitchell Corn Palace (Mitchell, SD)
✮ Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (Bemidji, MN)
✮ Prada Marfa (Valentine, TX)
✮ Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption (West Bend, IA)
✮ Superman (Metropolis, IL)
✮ Tommy the Turtle (Bottineau, ND)
✮ W'eel Turtle (Dunseith, ND)
✮ Wall Drug (Wall, SD)
✮ World's Largest Ball of Twine (Cawker City, KS)
✮ World's Largest Baseball Bat (Louisville, KY)
✮ World's Largest Buffalo (Jamestown, ND)
✮ World's Largest Mailbox (Casey, IL)
✮ World's Largest Pistachio (Alamogordo, NM)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Big Duck (Flanders, NY)
✮ Haines Shoe House (York, PA)
✮ Lucy the Elephant (Margate, NJ)
✮ Peachoid (Gaffney, GA)
✮ South of the Border (Dillon, SC)
✮ World's Largest Chest of Drawers (High Point, NC)
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All of these areas are world-renowned for great rock climbing:
Western U.S.
✮ City of Rocks National Reserve (ID)
✮ Devil's Tower National Monument (WY)
✮ Eastern Sierra area (CA)
✮ Indian Creek (UT)
✮ Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
✮ Moab area (UT)
✮ Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area (NV)
✮ Smith Rock State Park (OR)
✮ Yosemite National Park (CA)
✮ Zion National Park (UT)
Central U.S.
✮ Hueco Tanks (TX)
Eastern U.S.
✮ New River Gorge (WV)
✮ Red River Gorge (KY)
✮ Rumney (NH)
✮ Shawangunks, The (NY)
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The U.S. has dozens of world-class scenic drives. Here are the absolute best scenic drives in America:
✮ Badlands Loop Road (Badlands National Park, SD)
✮ Beartooth Highway/US-212 near Yellowstone National Park (MT/WY)
✮ Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA)
✮ Going-to-the-Sun-Road (Glacier National Park, MT)
✮ Hana Highway (HI)
✮ Monument Valley/US-163 from Kayenta, AZ to Mexican Hat, UT (AZ/UT)
✮ Pacific Coast Highway / Big Sur Hwy (CA)
✮ Tioga Road/CA-120 (Yosemite National Park, CA)
✮ Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain National Park, CO)
✮ UT-12 from Panguitch to Torrey (UT)
To discover great scenic drives in each U.S. state, read my Best Scenic Drives in the U.S. guide.
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Take a journey on these excellent scenic railroads:
✮ Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (Chama, NM)
✮ Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (Durango, CO)
✮ East Broad Top Railroad (Rockhill Furnace, PA)
✮ Georgetown Loop Railroad (Georgetown, CO)
✮ Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (Bryson City, NC)
✮ Mount Washington Cog Railway (Mount Washington, NH)
✮ Pikes Peak Cog Railway (Manitou Springs, CO)
✮ Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (Cumberland, MD)
To discover great scenic railroads, read my Top 25 Scenic Railroads in the U.S. guide.
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Outdoor sculpture parks are emerging all over the country. Here are some of the best outdoor sculpture parks in the United States:
✮ Art Omi (Ghent, NY)
✮ Benson Sculpture Garden (Loveland, CO)
✮ Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, SC)
✮ deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum (Lincoln, MA)
✮ Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (Grand Rapids, MI)
✮ Griffis Sculpture Park (East Otto, NY)
✮ Grounds for Sculpture (Hamilton, NJ)
✮ Laumeier Sculpture Park (St. Louis, MO)
✮ Storm King Art Center (New Windsor, NY)
✮ Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden (New Orleans, LA)
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (MN) and Pappajohn Sculpture Park ( Des Moines, IA) are also quite nice, but they only have a few dozen sculptures each. I'd say they are both still worth a visit though.
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The winter sports vibe is strong in these great ski towns:
Western U.S.
✮ Jackson, WY
✮ Ketchum, ID
✮ Mammoth Lakes, CA
✮ Park City, UT
✮ South Lake Tahoe, CA
✮ Truckee, CA
Colorado
✮ Aspen, CO
✮ Breckenridge, CO
✮ Crested Butte, CO
✮ Steamboat Springs, CO
✮ Telluride, CO
✮ Vail, CO
Eastern U.S.
✮ Conway/North Conway, NH
✮ Lake Placid, NY
✮ Lincoln/Woodstock, NH
✮ Stowe, VT
To discover the best ski resorts across the country, read my Top 50 Ski & Snowboard Resorts in the U.S. guide.
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Here is a list of many of the best sports stadiums in the country. Some are on this list because they are historic, and some are here because they were recently built and have an enormous wow-factor.
Western U.S.
✮ Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV) - NFL (football) and college football opened in 2020
✮ Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA) - NBA (basketball) and NHL (hockey) opened in 1999
✮ Oracle Park (San Francisco, CA) - MLB (baseball) opened in 2000
Central U.S.
✮ AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) - NFL (football) opened in 2009
✮ Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI) - NFL (football) opened in 1957
✮ Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN) - NFL (football) opened in 2008
✮ Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, MI) - college football opened in 1927
✮ Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, LA) - college football opened in 1924
✮ Wrigley Field (Chicago, IL) - MLB (baseball) opened in 1914
Eastern U.S.
✮ Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, TN) - auto racing opened in 1961
✮ Camden Yards (Baltimore, MD) - MLB (baseball) opened in 1992
✮ Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC) - auto racing opened in 1960
✮ Daytona International Speedway (Daytona, FL) - auto racing opened in 1959
✮ Fenway Park (Boston, MA) - MLB (baseball) opened in 1912
✮ Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, IN) - auto racing opened in 1909
✮ Madison Square Garden (Manhattan/New York City, NY) - NHL (hockey) and NBA (basketball) opened in 1968
✮ Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) - NFL (football) opened in 2017
✮ PNC Park (Pittsburg, PA) - MLB (baseball) opened in 2001
✮ Talladega Superspeedway (Lincoln, AL) - auto racing opened in 1969
✮ Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY) - MLB (baseball) opened in 2009
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There are more than 5,000 state parks in the U.S. for all of us to enjoy. Here is a list highlighting many of our finest state parks:
Western U.S.
✮ Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (CA)
✮ Cathedral Gorge State Park (NV)
✮ Chugach State Park (AK)
✮ Dead Horse Point State Park (UT)
✮ Ecola State Park (OR)
✮ Goblin Valley State Park (UT)
✮ Humboldt Redwoods State Park (CA)
✮ Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (CA)
✮ Kartschner Caverns State Park (AZ)
✮ Makoshika State Park (MT)
✮ Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park (HI)
✮ Silver Falls State Park (OR)
✮ Smith Rock State Park (OR)
✮ Valley of Fire State Park (NV)
✮ Waimea Canyon State Park (HI)
Central U.S.
✮ Big Bend Ranch State Park (TX)
✮ Caddo Lake State Park (TX)
✮ Custer State Park (SD)
✮ Palo Duro Canyon State Park (TX)
✮ Petit Jean State Park (AR)
✮ Starved Rock State Park (IL)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Adirondack Park (NY)
✮ Baxter State Park (ME)
✮ Blue Spring State Park (FL)
✮ Chimney Rock State Park (NC)
✮ Franconia Notch State Park (NH)
✮ Grandfather Mountain State Park (NC)
✮ Grayson Highlands State Park (VA)
✮ Hocking Hills State Park (OH)
✮ Letchworth State Park (NY)
✮ Mount Washington State Park (NH)
✮ Niagara Falls State Park (NY)
✮ Ricketts Glen State Park (PA)
✮ Watkins Glen State Park (NY)
To discover the best state parks in the U.S., read my Top 100 State Parks in the U.S. guide.
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Who doesn't love a great swimming hole? Here are some of the finest swimming holes in the country. Before you visit any of these swimming holes, please take note that swimming holes can be EXTREMELY dangerous. In fact, several people in the country die each year in swimming holes. I strongly encourage you to perform a Google search to understand how many people have been killed at a particular swimming hole before visiting it.
Western U.S.
✮ Firehole River Swimming Area (Yellowstone National Park, WY)
✮ Havasupai Reservation (Havasupai, AZ)
✮ McCloud Falls (Shasta-Trinity National Forest, CA)
✮ Slide Rock State Park (Sedona, AZ)
✮ Water Wheel Falls (Tonto National Forest, AZ)
✮ West Clear Creek / Bull Pen (Coconino National Forest, AZ)
Central U.S.
✮ Barton Springs Pool (Austin, TX)
✮ Cummins Falls (Cummins Falls State Park, TN)
✮ Hamilton Pool Preserve (Dripping Springs, TX)
✮ Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park (Middle Brook, MO)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Bartlett Falls (Bristol, VT)
✮ Blue Springs State Park (near Orange City, FL)
✮ Dorset Quarry (Dorset, VT)
✮ Gulf Hagas (Bowdoin College Grant East, ME)
✮ Lawson's Quarry (Vinalhaven, ME)
✮ Lower Falls (Kancamagus Highway, NH)
✮ Lower Falls (Robert H. Treman State Park, NY)
✮ Sliding Rock (Brevard, NC)
✮ Smalls Falls (Township E, ME)
Take note that I have only included well-known swimming holes in the list above. There are many other amazing swimming holes that you can find if you put in some research effort.
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Via ferrata (a form of climbing where you utilize fixed cables, rungs, and ladders) is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Here are some great places to try it:
✮ Ausable Chasm (Ausable Chasm, NY)
✮ Ava Granite Via Ferrata (Buena Vista, CO)
✮ Ava Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata (Idaho Springs, CO)
✮ Cave Lakes Canyon Ranch (Kanab, UT)
✮ KMAC Guides (Estes Park, CO)
✮ NROCKS (Circleville, WV)
✮ Ouray Via Ferrata (Ouray, CO)
✮ Royal Gorge Bridge Via Ferrata (Royal Gorge, CO)
✮ Southeast Mountain Guides (Campton, KY)
✮ Telluride Via Ferrata (Telluride, CO)
✮ Utah Adventure Center Via Ferrata (Zion National Park, UT)
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There are an estimated 17,000-20,000 noteworthy waterfalls in the United States. That's obviously a lot, and so here is a list of the premier waterfalls. I've personally visited all of these except for about 5-6 of them.
Arizona
✮ Havasu Falls (Havasupai)
✮ Mooney Falls (Havasupai)
California
✮ Bridalveil Falls (Yosemite National Park)
✮ Burney Falls (McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial Park)
✮ Feather Falls (Plumas National Forest)
✮ McWay Falls (Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park)
✮ Nevada Fall (Yosemite National Park)
✮ Vernal Fall (Yosemite National Park)
✮ Yosemite Falls (Yosemite National Park)
Oregon
✮ Latourell Falls (Columbia Gorge Natural Scenic Area)
✮ Multnomah Falls (Columbia Gorge Natural Scenic Area)
✮ Salt Creek Falls (Willamette National Forest)
✮ Toketee Falls (Umpqua National Forest)
✮ Tumalo Falls (Deschutes National Forest)
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
✮ Lower Falls
✮ Union Falls
✮ Upper Falls
All Other States
✮ Burgess Falls (Burgess Falls State Natural Area, TN)
✮ Lower Calf Creek Falls (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT)
✮ Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls State Park, NY)
✮ Palouse Falls (Palouse Falls State Park, WA)
✮ Panther Creek Falls (Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA)
✮ Shoshone Falls (Shoshone Falls Park, ID)
✮ Snoqualmie Falls (Snoqualmie, WA)
✮ Taughannock Falls (Taughannock Falls State Park, NY)
✮ Upper Mesa Falls (Caribou-Targhee National Forest, ID)
✮ Waimoku Falls (Haleakala National Park, HI)
To discover the best waterfalls in each U.S. state, read my Best Waterfalls in the U.S. guide. |
Catch some thrill rides at some of the finest water parks in the country:
✮ Aquatica (Orlando, FL)
✮ Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park (Bay Lake, FL)
✮ Noah's Ark Waterpark (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
✮ Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort (New Braunfels, TX)
✮ Splashway Waterpark (Sheridan, TX)
✮ Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA)
✮ Water World (Federal Heights, CO)
To discover more of the finest amusement parks in the country, read my Top 100 Amusement and Water Parks in the U.S. guide.
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Here are some of the best places to see wildlife in America:
✮ Anywhere in Alaska (e.g. Katmai National Park) - brown bear (aka grizzly), moose
✮ Badlands National Park (SD) - bison, prairie dog, bighorn sheep, pronghorn (aka antelope)
✮ Custer State Park: Wildlife Loop Road (SD) - bison, burros, prairie dog, pronghorn (aka antelope)
✮ Everglades National Park (FL) - alligators, manatees (note: crocodiles and Florida panthers are rarely seen)
✮ Grand Teton National Park (WY) - elk, mule deer, moose; (bison, brown bear (aka grizzly), and black bear are less commonly seen)
✮ Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN/NC) - black bear, elk, white-tailed deer
✮ Rocky Mountain National Park (CO) - elk, moose, bighorn sheep, yellow-bellied marmot
✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park (ND) - bison, prairie dog, feral/wild horses
✮ Wind Cave National Park (SD) - bison, prairie dogs, pronghorn (aka antelope)
✮ Yellowstone National Park (WY) - bison, black bear, brown bear (aka grizzly), elk, mule deer, wolves, bighorn sheep, mountain goats
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Many of the finest wineries in the country can be found in these famous wine regions.
✮ Finger Lakes region (NY) - more than 130 wineries
✮ Napa Valley (CA) - more than 450 wineries
✮ Paso Robles region (CA) - more than 200 wineries
✮ Snake River Valley (ID)- more than 50 wineries
✮ Sonoma Valley (CA) - more than 400 wineries
✮ Walla Walla Valley (WA) - more than 120 wineries
✮ Willamette Valley (OR) - more than 700 wineries
I am also very impressed by the wineries of Virginia. There are more than 300 wineries scattered across the state.
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There are hundreds of zoos and wildlife parks in the country, but these are generally considered the finest ones:
Western U.S.
✮ Bearizona Wildlife Park (Williams, AZ)
✮ San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA) - this is far and away the finest zoo in the U.S.
✮ San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Escondido, CA)
Central U.S.
✮ Bear Country U.S.A. (Rapid City, SD)
✮ Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (Jacksonville, TX)
✮ Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, CO)
✮ Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Columbus, OH)
✮ Denver Zoo (Denver, CO)
✮ Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (Fort Wayne, IN)
✮ Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, NE)
✮ Houston Zoo (Houston, TX)
✮ Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL)
✮ Memphis Zoo (Memphis, TN)
✮ Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita, KS)
✮ St. Louis Zoo (St. Louis, MO)
✮ Toledo Zoo (Toledo, OH)
✮ Topsey Exotic Ranch & Park (Copperas Cove, TX)
✮ Wilds, The (Cumberland, OH)
Eastern U.S.
✮ Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, FL)
✮ Bronx Zoo (Bronx, NY)
✮ Cape May County Park & Zoo (Cape May Court House, NJ)
✮ Lion Country Safari (Loxahatchee, FL)
✮ North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, NC)
✮ Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, PA)
✮ Smithsonian National Zoological Park (Washington, D.C.)
✮ Virginia Safari Park (Natural Bridge, VA)
✮ Zoo Miami (Miami, FL)
To discover more of the finest zoos the country, read my Top 25 Zoos in the U.S. guide.
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