Sights in the Finger Lakes Region

The Finger Lakes region has a number of wineries, interesting museums, beautiful parks, memorials and monuments, farms, and other attractions worth checking out.

Finger Lakes Region

Syracuse

• Rosamond Gifford Zoo—a zoo and aquarium founded in 1914 that is home to over 700 animals representing 275 species; 1 Conservation Place
• Erie Canal Museum—a museum that is home to the historic 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building that once weighed canal cargo and provides an overview of 200 years of Erie Canal history through interactive displays, hands-on exhibits, a full-size replica canal boat, and original artifacts; 318 Erie Boulevard East
• Destiny USA—a 2.4-million square foot destination that has luxury outlet tenants, restaurants, and entertaining attractions with a three-story glass atrium and is the largest LEED Gold certified retail commercial building in the world; 9090 Destiny USA Drive
• Syracuse Antiques Exchange—Central New York’s largest and oldest antique mall with 20,000-square-feet of display space across four floors representing 60 of the area’s best antique and vintage dealers; 1629 North Salina Street
• Onondaga Historical Association—an historical museum that celebrates the region’s history and culture through rotating permanent exhibits and a research center with two million archival photos, maps, cemetery records, and other documents relating to Onondaga County’s history; 321 Montgomery Street
• Everson Museum of Art—an art museum with a permanent collection focusing primarily on American modern and contemporary art encompassing some 11,000 works including paintings, ceramics, sculpture, videos, photos, paper works, and decorative arts with core collections including ceramics and video art; 401 Harrison Street
• Thornden Park—a beautiful park adjacent to Syracuse University that has a free pool, playgrounds, a historic rose garden, outdoor amphitheater, and football field; Thornden Park Drive
• Lakeland Winery—a winemaking facility that offers wine tastings, winemaking parties and classes, wines by the bottle, wine labels, and wedding wines; 877 State Fair Boulevard
• Museum of Science and Technology—a renowned science and technology museum that has hands-on activities and entertainment, 35,000-square-feet of exhibition space, the only domed IMAX theater in New York State, and the Silverman Planetarium; 500 South Franklin Street, Armory Square
• Museum of Intrigue—an immersive adventure that allows visitors to choose an experience from its bookshelf and start their adventure with different characters, discoveries, and mysteries to solve; 306 Hiawatha Boulevard, Space M302
• WonderWorks—an entertainment center with over 100 hands-on exhibits including a hurricane simulator; a NASA shuttle flight simulator; a 4D extreme motion ride; laser tag; and the world’s largest indoor ropes challenge course; 9090 Destiny USA Drive
• Webster Pond—a pond surrounded by a 95-acre park that is home to many waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans; Rand Tract Park

Ithaca

• Robert Treman State Park—a state park known for its waterfalls with steps alongside the falls and walking trails; 105 Enfield Falls Road
• Buttermilk Falls State Park—a state park that has waterfalls, a small pool where swimming is prohibited, and hiking trails; 112 Buttermilk Falls Road East
• Ithaca Falls Natural Area—a 150-foot waterfall with a small trail that leads up to the base of the waterfall; 399 Lake Street
• Cornell Botanic Gardens—botanic gardens open year-round with 3,400 acres of natural areas and 150 acres of specialty gardens that allow visitors to understand, appreciate, and nurture plants; 124 Comstock Knoll Drive
• Sciencenter—a science museum that has interactive exhibits and programs with over 250 hands-on exhibits, educational programs, an outdoor science park, and a seasonal miniature golf course; 601 1^st Street
• Johnson Museum of Art—an historic building designed by iconic architect I.M Pei that has a permanent collection of over 40,000 works of art and rotating regular temporary exhibitions; 114 Central Avenue, Cornell University
• Museum of the Earth—a natural history museum that allows visitors to explore the world through natural history displays, interactive science features, outreach programs, and art exhibitions; 1259 Trumansburg Road
• Ithaca Children’s Garden—an award-winning three-acre public children’s garden designed by children that has a kitchen garden, bulb labyrinth, a turtle sculpture, and a hands-on nature play area; 121 Turtle Lane
• Cayuga Nature Center—a nature center that allows visitors to learn about the environment and the outdoors through engaging exhibits and a six-story treehouse into the forest canopy, live animal ambassadors, and miles of trails; 1420 Taughannock Boulevard
• South Hill Cider—a cider tasting room that also has a cidery and barrel room; 550 Sandbank Road
• Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary—a 220-acre sanctuary that is home to birds and has a computer touchscreen that provides information on interpretive displays; 159 Sapsucker Woods Road

Rochester

• Strong National Museum of Play—one of the country’s leading family-oriented museums and one of the country’s largest history museums that is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games; the National Toy Hall of Fame; the World Video Game Hall of Fame; the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play; the Woodbury School; and the American Journal Play and offers families interpretive and educational activities; 1 Manhattan Square Drive, Rochester
• George Eastman Museum—a museum located on the estate of George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film, that is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the oldest film archives with several million objects in its collection related to photography, film, photographic technology, and photo illustrated books; 900 East Avenue, Rochester
• Seabreeze Amusement Park—the fourth oldest amusement park in the country that has four roller coasters, a classic wooden carousel, thrill rides, family and kiddie rides, a midway with food and games, and daily live shows as well as a full-scale water park with a wave pool, tube slides, body flumes, lazy river, and kiddie slides; 4600 Culver Road
• Seneca Park Zoo—a zoo that is home to snow leopards, red pandas, Masai giraffes, plains zebras, a white rhino, and smaller species of animals; 2222 Saint Paul Street
• National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House—the former home of the prominent advocate for women’s suffrage that has artifacts and research materials related to her life and work with tours, publications, and interpretive programs; 17 Madison Street
• Rochester Museum and Science Center—a science center and museum that has a collection of 1.2 million objects, engaging exhibits, live science demonstrations, and planetarium star shows; 657 East Avenue
• Memorial Art Gallery—an art museum that has a 14-acre campus with a large permanent collection that spans from ancient times to the present and a sculpture park; 500 University Avenue
• Casa Larga Vineyards—an established vineyard that produces award-winning Finger Lakes wines such as Estate White (Pallido) and Estate Red (Tramonto) and hosts the New York State Ice Wine Festival every February and the Purple Foot Grape Stomping Festival every September; 2287 Turk Hill Road
• Highland Park—a sprawling park that is set over 150 acres of land that is known for its beautiful landscaping, arboretum designed by Frederick Law Olmstead that is home to over 1,200 lilac shrubs, exotic trees, and native wildflowers; 180 Reservoir Avenue
• Artisan Works—a nonprofit art center that displays the works of local artists with artists creating their pieces during their time there showing their finished products to visitors; 565 Blossom Road #L
• Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse—a historic lighthouse on Lake Ontario that is 40-feet-high with tours that allow visitors into the lighthouse and the keeper’s home with an interior museum; 70 Lighthouse Street
• House of Guitars—the world’s largest guitar shop that is known for its modern and affordable selections of guitars and also has a studio, school, repair shop, and stage; 645 Titus Avenue
• Rochester Contemporary Art Center—a nonprofit art gallery that displays thought-provoking contemporary art pieces by local artists; 137 East Avenue
• The Clubhouse Fun Center—an indoor entertainment center that has a go-kart track, bumper cars, 36 holes of miniature golf, gemstone panning, an arcade, and a café; 70 Jay Scutti Boulevard
• Black Button Distilling—the city’s first craft distillery that makes fine vodka, gin, and whiskey from New York State grains; 85 Railroad Street
• Genesee Riverway Trail—a scenic 13-mile riverside trail that is a popular pedestrian trail for jogging, walking, and biking; 200 Elmwood Avenue
• Pont de Rennes Bridge—a bridge that spans the Genesee River from Frontier Field to Genesee Brewery with great views of High Falls; Platt Street
• Stone Tolan House Historic Site—the county’s oldest building that was first built in 1792 and has served many purposes throughout its history including being a home, a farm, and a tavern that now offers visitors the opportunity to visit the tavern room, privy, kitchen, parlor-bedroom, summer kitchen, orchard herb and kitchen gardens, and smokehouse; 2370 East Avenue
• Seed and Stone Cidery—an urban cidery known for its dry ciders in many styles including barrel aged, heritage, wine-like, fruited sour ciders, and more; 1115 East Main Street

Other Finger Lakes Sights

• Watkins Glen State Park—a state park that is known for its cascades of 18 waterfalls; 1099 North Franklin Street, Watkins Glen
• Finger Lakes National Forest—a 15,374-acre forest located between Seneca and Cayuga lakes that has walking trails, wildlife, hiking trails, meadows, and ponds; Potomac Road
• Corning Museum of Glass—the world’s largest glass museum that has collection galleries featuring 3,500 years of glassmaking history; contemporary glass works; live glass demos; design sessions; and a make your own glass experience; 1 Museum Way, Corning
• Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park—a historic estate that has nine formal gardens, an antique greenhouse complex, the Victorian mansion, a wine center, and a gift shop; 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua
• Three Brothers Wineries and Estates—a 35-acre winery that has three unique wineries, a brewery, and a tasting room where visitors can sample Estate Rieslings and blended sweet wines; 623 Lerch Road, Geneva
• Fox Run Vineyards—a vineyard with a mission of making wine accessible and approachable with in-depth tours of its 50-acre vineyard and winemaking facility; 670 State Route 14, Penn Yan
• Women’s Rights National Historical Park—a historical park that tells the story of the first Women’s Rights convention in Seneca Falls in July 1848; 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls
• Seward House Museum—the historic home of William Henry Seward, a long-time politician and Secretary of State during the Lincoln and Johnson administrations, that now has American artistic masterpieces and special exhibitions in the historic home and the museum’s gardens; 33 South Street, Auburn
• Glen H. Curtiss Museum—a museum dedicated to Glenn Curtiss, an aviation pioneer, that has a collection related to local history and early aviation; a 75-seat theater; motorcycles; aircraft; antique tools; toys; boats; furnishings; and fire equipment; 8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport
• Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge—a wildlife refuge established in 1938 that has 7,068 acres for the refuge, feeding, and nesting habitats for waterfowl and other migratory birds; 3395 Route 5/20 East, Seneca Falls
• Bristol Mountain Ski Resort—a ski resort known for its Comet Express chairlift that provides great views of Bristol Hills and the valley below, 138 acres of skiable terrain, 3 kilometers of Nordic trails, and 38 slopes and trails; 5662 State Route 64, Canandaigua
• Ontario Orchards—a farm market with fresh local produce, baked goods, cheeses, hard cider, craft brews, local honey, NY maple syrup, greenhouses, a living nursery, gifts, and treats; 7735 State Route 104, Oswego
• American Civil War Memorial—a memorial dedicated to citizens of Waterloo who died during the Civil War and northerners and southerners who also perished; 46 Washington Street, Waterloo
• Farm Sanctuary—a farm that serves as a sanctuary for abused farm animals; 3150 Aikens Road, Watkins Glen
• The 1890 House Museum—a four-floor grand limestone mansion built for industrialist and local philanthropist Chester F. Wickwire that has parquet floors, jewel-like stained-glass windows, oak and cherry woodwork, decorative stenciling, restored period rooms, changing exhibitions, and special programs and events; 37 Tompkins Street, Cortland
• Lakewood Vineyards—a working grape farm since 1951 with a winery established in 1988 that produces fine wines and mead serving the wines in its tasting room; 4020 State Route 14, Watkins Glen
• Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery—a prestigious family-owned winery that is named after the patriarch of the family who introduced classic European grape varieties to the US with the result being that the Finger Lakes region wine region was transformed into a wine destination; 9749 Middle Road, Hammondsport
• Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum—a house-museum that was home to Gideon Granger, the country’s longest-serving Postmaster General, and four generations of his family, and has western New York’s largest collection of 19^th and 20^th century carriages and farm implements; 295 North Main Street, Canandaigua
• Ravines Wine Cellars—a boutique winery that is known for its European-style wines; 400 Barracks Road, Geneva
• Green Lakes State Park—a beautiful state park that is known for its two glacial lakes surrounded by upland forest with the lakes having a strong potential for evidence of ancient plant and animal life, its 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, and 15 miles of ski trails; 7900 Green Lakes Road, Fayetteville
• CNY Living History Center—a museum complex consisting of three museums that focus on military and local history, the history of Brockway trucks, and agricultural history; 4386 US Route 11, Cortland
• Greek Peak Mountain Resort—the largest ski resort in central New York that has 34 trails, six aerial lifts, two surface lifts, beginners’ slope, and terrain parks; 2000 State Route 392, Virgil
• Wings of Eagles Discovery Center—an aviation discovery center that has aircraft on display both inside and outside its 25,000-square-foot hangar, displays, flight simulators, and special exhibits; 339 Daniel Zenker Drive, Horseheads
• Silver Springs Winery—a family-owned small winery that produces a variety of wines from its own grapes such as dry red wines and sweet wines; 4408 State Route 414, Burdett
• Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail—a small but scenic wine trail that consists of both small and large wineries, wine tasting centers, and unique shops; 25 Gorham Street, Canandaigua
• The Wadsworth Homestead—a manor house built in 1790 by two brothers that is still owned by the Wadsworth family and has original furnishings and other items; 4 South Street, Geneseo
• The Rockwell Museum—the only Smithsonian affiliate in upstate New York that is dedicated to telling the American story through its collection of fine art, 19^th century American paintings, historic bronzes, Native American objects, 20^th century modernists, illustrated art, and modern photography; 111 Cedar Street, Corning
• Wagner Vineyards—a popular winery that offers wine tastings, fine dining, and micro-brewed beers; 9322 State Route 414, Lodi
• National Warplane Museum—a military aviation museum that has artifacts and aircraft from World War II and the Korean War with opportunities to explore aircraft; 3489 Big Tree Lane, Geneseo
• Ganondagan State Historic Site—an interpretive interactive site that tells the story of the Seneca and Iroquois tribes’ contributions to art, culture, and society for more than 2,000 years to the present day with a 17^th century bark longhouse replica that depicts the lives of the Seneca tribe that once lived there, three marked ethno-botanical and historical trails, heirlooms gardens and fields of native grasses, festivals, and special events; 7000 County Road 41, Boughton Hill Road, Victor
• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards—an award-winning winery known for its lakeside location, selection of wines, and its top-rated tasting room; 5712 State Route 414, Hector
• Red Hawk Brewing—a farmhouse brewery that produces Belgian-style ales; 4504 Bussey Road, Syracuse
• International Motor Racing Research Center—an archival and research library focused on preserving and sharing the history of motorsports; 610 South Decatur Street, Watkins Glen
• Beak and Skiff—a fifth-generation family-owned apple farm that has a large apple orchard, tasting room, and café; 2708 State Route 80, Lafayette
• Billsboro Winery—a winery dedicated to crafting dry classic European varietal wines with grapes grown from the best vineyards in Seneca Lake; 4706 State Route 14, Geneva
• Rooster Fish Brewing Tasting Room and Beer Garden—the state’s first farm brewery that offers craft ales made from locally sourced ingredients with food from local food trucks; 223 North Franklin Street, Watkins Glen
• Fillmore Glen State Park—a region with dense woods, hiking trails with great views, geological formations, and five waterfalls; 1686 State Route 38, Moravia
• Boundary Breaks Winery—a winery that specializes in Riesling wine and also produces Cabernet Franc with an award-winning dry Riesling; 1568 Porter Covert Road, Lodi
• National Soaring Museum—a museum with a collection of sailplanes and gliders with an active glider port where visitors can witness takeoffs and landings; 51 Soaring Hill Drive, Elmira
• Harris Hill Amusement Park—an amusement park that has miniature golf, go-karts, batting cages, a driving range, an arcade, a snack bar, a pool, picnic grounds, and a scenic overlook; 557 County Road 55, Elmira
• Red Tail Ridge Winery—a boutique winery that specializes in limited edition cool-climate wines; 846 State Route 14, Penn Yan
• Heron Hill Winery—a top-rated winery with a great tasting room that overlooks Keuka Lake and is known for its distinctive elegant wines; 9301 County Road 76, Hammondsport
• Smith Family Farm—the family farm where Joseph Smith, Jr., the first prophet and president of the Mormon church, lived as a boy that is close to the Sacred Grove where Joseph received a vision of God and Jesus; 843 Stafford Road, Palmyra
• Bully Hill Vineyards Winery—a family-owned winery that is known for its entertaining tours, scenery, and artsy wine labels; 8843 Greyton H. Taylor Memorial Drive, Hammondsport
• Monello Winery—a family-style farm winery that focuses on dry and semi-sweet Finger Lakes wine; 701 State Route 14, Penn Yan
• Weis Vineyards—a winery that offers handcrafted German-style wines with indoor and outdoor tastings; 10014 Day Road, Hammondsport
• Finger Lakes Distilling—a farm distillery that uses locally grown fruits to produce high-quality handmade spirits such as vodka, gin, whiskey, grappa, liqueurs, and brandies with a tasting room that overlooks the production area; 4676 State Route 414, Burdett
• Genesee Country Village and Museum—the state’s largest living history museum that first opened to the public in 1976 with costumed historians that illuminate the 68 relocated and restored historic homes, farms, shops, and other public buildings; the museum complex also has an art gallery, nature center, baseball park, heirloom gardens, and a pioneer farm; 1410 Flint Hill Road, Wheatland
• Pleasant Valley Wine Company—a well-known winery owned by a local family that makes champagnes, table wines, and dessert wines under five different labels; 8260 Pleasant Valley Road, Hammondsport
• Heart and Hands Wine Company—a winery that is committed to producing cool-climate wines that are made in limited quantities with several wines made from Pinot Noir and Riesling grapes; 4162 State Route 90, Union Springs
• Cayuga Museum of History and Art and Case Research Lab Historic Site—a museum campus that is comprised of a mansion with rotating exhibitions and a permanent exhibit about Auburn Correctional Facility; a research library where Theodore Case invented the first commercially successful system of sound on film; and a multi-purpose theater used for museum and community events; 203 Genesee Street, Auburn
• Arnot Art Museum—a landmark art museum that is housed in an 1833 neo-classical Arnot family mansion that has one of the last remaining private art collections formed in the 19^th century still displayed in its original showcase and temporary exhibitions that highlight different aspects of the collections and include works from museums around the world; 235 Lake Street, Elmira
• Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes—a historic village that includes an inn, a 1796 frontier tavern, 1850s log cabin, 1878 one-room schoolhouse, 1870s blacksmith shop, and an interactive barn exhibit furnished with period items; 73 West Pulteney Street, Corning
• The Johnston House and Mike Weaver Drain Tile Museum—an 1820s home built by John and Margaret Johnston that sat on a noteworthy farm where John became an advocate for improved farming techniques and was the first American farmer to use soil drainage tiles to increase productivity on his farm; the site now has period rooms filled with original and reproduced objects, three rooms with exhibits on diverse topics, interactive elements, books, and artifacts; 3523 East Lake Road, Geneva
• Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum—a nature center and museum that offers year-round hiking, snowshoeing, and a museum with 43 species of live animals; 443 Coleman Avenue, Elmira
• Brick Tavern Museum and Wickham Rural Life Center—a museum built in 1828 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places that has exhibits related to Schuyler County’s history featuring exhibits on Native Americans, textiles, fashion, medical artifacts, transportation, and area industries and a rural life center that has exhibits on late 19^th and early 20^th century country living; 108 North Catherine Street, Route 14, Montour Falls
• Cobblestone Society Museum—an open-air museum that promotes the study and exploration of cobblestone construction methods from 1825 to 1860 with three period Victorian cobblestone structures and four wooden structures depicting 19^th century agricultural implements and skilled trades; 14389 Ridge Road West, Albion
• Miles Wine Cellars—a waterside mansion and winery that serves estate wines, craft beers, and vintage cafes and has an elegant inn; 168 Randall Road, Himrod
• Goose Watch Winery—a winery that specializes in unique and exclusive wines that have won many gold medals at international competitions, has a boat dock, and offers picnic facilities; 5480 State Route 89, Romulus
• Domaine Leseurre Winery—a winery with French roots that is owned by a family that has hand crafted wine for six generations and blends its French and American backgrounds to develop wines that pair well with fine cuisine and casual meals; 13920 State Route 54, Hammondsport
• Inspire Moore Winery and Vineyard—a sustainable boutique winery that produces varietal white wines, vintage varietal reds, ice wine, and blends defined by small lot production; 197 North Main Street, Naples
• Ward W. O’ Hara Agricultural Museum—an agricultural museum with tractors on display, a variety of exhibits, hands-on activities, and a large circus room with miniature circus figures; 6880 East Lake Road, Auburn
• Corning Airport and National Wartime Museum—a museum with 27 aircraft models dating back to World War II
• Finger Lakes Boating Museum—a small museum dedicated to preserving the history of boating and boat building in the Finger Lakes region; 8231 Pleasant Valley Road, Hammondsport
• Antique Wireless Museum—a museum dedicated to the history of communication technologies from the first telegram to text messaging with a control room, a transmitter, the first cell phone, a Western Union exhibit, a Titanic radio room exhibit, the first transistor radio ever produced, a 1925 radio store, and the first TV in Rochester; 6925 State Route 5, Bloomfield

Sights in New York City

New York City is one of the world’s top tourist destinations and has a wealth of interesting museums, beautiful parks, zoos, entertainment, and fun activities to do and explore.

• 9/11 Memorial and Plaza—this tribute opened to mark the 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center is a 16-acre complex with two recessed 30-foot-tall waterfalls that occupy the footprints where the World Trade Center once stood with memorial pools and bronze panels inscribed with the names of the almost 3,000 people killed in the 1993 and 2001 attacks; 180 Greenwich Street
• American Museum of Natural History—the world’s largest and most important museum of natural history that has 45 exhibition halls, dioramas, dinosaur fossils and exhibits, and a hall of ocean life; Central Park West
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art—the city’s most visited museum with over 5,000 years of art from around the world including sculptures, paintings, installations, and artwork in other mediums; 1000 5^th Avenue
• Central Park—an iconic park that spans 843 acres and has regularly scheduled events and activities; 59^th to 110^th Street
• Empire State Building—an iconic skyscraper that features the only 360-degree open-air vantage point of midtown Manhattan and views of up to six states with a 2^nd floor museum that has interactive exhibits about the construction of the building and its role in pop culture; 20 West 34^th Street
• Statue of Liberty—the world-renowned statue that was a gift from France to the US in 1886, designated as a national monument in 1924, and restored for its centennial in 1986 that is recognized as a beacon that welcomes immigrants to the US; Liberty Island
• Brooklyn Bridge—a pedestrian-friendly bridge that opened in 1883 and is known for its design and for providing impressive views of the city’s skyline
• The High Line—a public park on the West Side of Manhattan that has lush plants, artwork, seasonal food vendors, community programs, and views of the Hudson River and city skyline; between Gansevoort Street to West 34^th Street, between 10^th and 12^th Avenues
• Bronx Zoo—the country’s largest metropolitan zoos that opened in 1899 and spans 265 acres and is home to over 700 species of animals with creatures such as western lowland gorillas; mandrills; okapis; red river hogs; Siberian tigers; lemurs; Asian elephants; rhinos; and other animals; 2300 Southern Boulevard, The Bronx
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden—a 52-acre botanic garden with a variety of gardens within the larger garden including a Japanese hill and pond garden, a rose garden, and a Shakespeare Garden; 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn
• Brooklyn Bridge Park—an urban park with playgrounds, sports fields, concessions, a beautifully restored carousel, and grassy areas
• Brooklyn Historical Society—a historical society that has four centuries’ worth of art and artifacts that illustrate Brooklyn’s story with interactive exhibitions, landscape paintings, photographs, portraits of Brooklynites, and memorabilia; 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn
• Brooklyn Museum—the state’s second-largest museum after the Metropolitan Museum of Art that has 560,000-square-feet of exhibition space including one of the best collections of Egyptian art in the world and collections of African, pre-Columbian, and Native American art among others as well as very modern special exhibits; 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
• Bryant Park—one of the most popular parks in the city that has a sprawling central lawn, garden tables throughout, free summer events and programs, a grill, a rooftop garden on top of the grill, an open-air café open seasonally, an old-fashioned carousel, and an ice-skating rink open from October to March; 6^th Avenue
• Chelsea Market—a former Nabisco plant where the first Oreos were baked in 1912 that now has over 50 shops, food vendors, and restaurants including a wine bar, upscale groceries, and one of the city’s last independent bookstores, Posman Books; 75 9^th Avenue
• The Met Cloisters—a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that was built out of sections of French medieval monasteries and has a large collection of statues, paintings, stained-glass windows, and tapestries; 90 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park
• Rockefeller Center—a national historic landmark that has an observation deck, NBC studios, Radio City Music Hall, shops, and restaurants; 45 Rockefeller Plaza
• Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum—a nonprofit museum that is known for housing the Intrepid aircraft carrier, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets, and a guided missile submarine with exhibitions, educational programs, and a prominent collection of technologically groundbreaking aircraft and vessels; 12^th Avenue and 46^th Street, Pier 86
• The Oculus—an architecturally innovative building that is home to a transportation hub, shops, and restaurants; 33-69 Vessey Street, World Trade Center
• Ellis Island—an immigration center that welcomed millions of immigrants to the US during the period it was open; New York Harbor
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral—the mother church of the Archdiocese of New York and the seat of its Archbishop that is known for its vibrant windows, beautiful music, and its charitable outreach ministries; 50^th Street and 5^th Avenue
• Gulliver’s Gate—an attraction that interprets the real world in miniature and places we work, play, and imagine with professional engineers and model-makers that construct and expand the exhibit; 216 West 44^th Street
• Museum of Modern Art—an iconic art museum that is home to the world’s best collection of modern and contemporary art in mediums such as photography, film, architecture, design, performance art, paintings, sculptures, and installations with shops and dining as well; 11 West 53^rd Street
• Frick Collection—an art museum that has artwork from the Renaissance to the early 20^th century and European fine and decorative arts; 1 East 70^th Street
• The Morgan Library and Museum—an exhibition space for fine art, literature, and music performances that is a great historic site; 225 Madison Avenue at 36^th Street
• Guggenheim Museum—a world-renowned art museum that is one of the most significant architectural icons of the 20^th century and features modern and contemporary art, photographs, surrealist works, special exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, lectures, performances and film screenings, and classes for teens and adults; 1071 5^th Avenue
• National September 11^th Memorial Museum—a somber museum that illustrates the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and is surrounded by reflecting pools of the National September 11^th Memorial with artifacts, videos, photographs, audio recordings, the Survivors’ Staircase that was used by hundreds to flee the World Trade Center before the towers collapsed; 180 Greenwich Street
• New York Botanical Garden—a 50-acre green space in the Bronx that has art installations; exhibitions inside the buildings dotted around the gardens; a conservatory with a domed palm house, a lily pond, greenhouses with cacti, rainforest plants, and other plants from around the world; and the country’s largest botanical library that has 775,000 reference books and over six million botanical specimens; 2900 Southern Boulevard
• New York Public Library—an iconic library that has a recently restored Rose Main Reading Room with a coffered ceiling, a periodical room with manuscripts by every major author in the English language, and a map collection with 431,000 maps, 16,000 atlases, and books on cartography; 476 5^th Avenue
• Prospect Park—a 585-acre park in Brooklyn that has tree-lined walkways, ornamental bridges, a long meadow, woodlands, a boathouse by its expansive lake, a zoo, an ice-skating rink, free concerts at the park’s bandshell, and a year-round farmers market; Grand Army Plaza
• Museum of Jewish Heritage—a waterfront museum that explores modern Jewish identity and culture with a core exhibition on three floors that covers 20^th century Jewish life, Jewish renewal, and an exploration of the Holocaust with personal artifacts, photos, documentary films, and survivor testimony; 36 Battery Place
• Whitney Museum of American Art—an American art museum that has works by major American artists with an emphasis on living artists, rotating exhibitions on Warhol and other artistic icons, and the Whitney Biennial in even-numbered years that surveys contemporary art; 99 Gansevoort Street
• Governors Island—a former military outpost that has cycling and walking trails; playgrounds; picnic areas; historic sites such as Fort Jay which was built in 1794 and rebuilt in 1809 in an attempt to prevent the British from invading Manhattan, Colonels Row which is a collection of eight 19^th century brick officers’ quarters, and Castle Williams which is a 19^th century fort with 8-foot-thick walls that became a military penitentiary; hammocks; children’s play areas; and food trucks
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum—a museum that allows visitors to envision living in two Lower East Side preserved tenements that include a small home and garment shop owned by a Polish immigrant family and two immigrant dwellings from the Great Depressions in 1873 and 1929 with visits to the tenement building only available by scheduled guided tours offered multiple times during the day; 103 Orchard Street
• MOMA PS1—a trendy contemporary outpost of the Museum of Modern Art that has everything from video installations to sculptures with regular site-specific installations and lectures, film screenings, experimental comedy, and music performances; 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City
• National Museum of the American Indian—a Smithsonian Institution affiliate that celebrates Native American culture through its collection of decorative arts, textiles, ceremonial objects, and an activity center that explores Native American technologies; 1 Bowling Green
• New Museum of Contemporary Art—a seven-story contemporary art museum that is Manhattan’s only dedicated contemporary art museum and helped artistic icons such as Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, and Andres Serrano establish themselves by providing gallery space; 235 Bowery
• Japan Society—a Japanese cultural center that has exhibitions of traditional and contemporary Japanese art, textiles, and design with a theater that shows Japanese films and dance and theatrical performances and a 14,000-volume research library; 333 East 47^th Street
• New York Historical Society Museum and Library—a museum and library that explores the history of the city and the country through permanent and rotating exhibitions, its large collection of objects and art including one of the world’s largest collections of Tiffany glasswork, a recreation of the Oval Office, and a center for women’s history that tells the stories of women who have shaped the country into what it is today; 170 Central Park West
• Spyscape—a museum and attraction with immersive and interactive experiences that has stories and gadgets from the world of spies; 928 8^th Avenue
• Neue Galerie—a museum that displays the works of German and Austrian artists and designers; 1048 5^th Avenue
• Museum of Ice Cream—an entertaining attraction that has interactive spaces, rotating installations, a café, and an eclectic shop; 558 Broadway
• Rubin Museum of Art—an art museum and cultural center that provides visitors with the opportunity to make connections between modern life and the art and ideas of the Himalayas, India, and other Asian regions through exhibitions and educational programs; 150 West 17^th Street
• Merchant’s House Museum—the city’s only 19^th century home preserved intact with original family furnishings and personal belongings that once belonged to a wealthy merchant family; 29 East 4^th Street
• Central Park Zoo—a zoo in Central Park that has over 1,400 animals in a variety of habitats including a tropical rain forest and Antarctica area; 830 5^th Avenue
• The Museum at FIT—a small museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology that has rotating exhibitions that change every six months of its collection of 50,000 articles of clothing covering 250 years of fashion; 7^th Avenue at 27^th Street
• Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum—a modern museum that is located within the landmark Carnegie mansion that has four floors of galleries dedicated to design, a permanent collection of over 210,000 design objects, and a design library; 2 East 91^st Street
• New York City Fire Museum—the FDNY’s official museum that occupies a renovated 1904 firehouse and has fire-related art and artifacts from the 18^th century to the present such as hand-pumped fire engines, horse-drawn vehicles, early motorized apparatus, and firefighting tools and equipment; 278 Spring Street
• Museum of Sex—a museum dedicated to the history, evolution, and significance of human sexuality that is presented through rotating exhibitions, lectures, events, and publications; 233 5^th Avenue
• The Met Breuer—the modern art affiliate of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that displays modern and contemporary art from a historical perspective; 945 Madison Avenue at 75^th Street
• Hamilton Grange National Memorial—a national memorial that was the home of statesman and Founding Father Alexander Hamilton that has exhibits on Hamilton’s achievements and challenges, an introductory film on his rise from an orphan to a Founding Father, and a furnished floor with period furnishings that can be visited through a scheduled tour; 414 West 141^st Street
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site—the childhood home of President Theodore Roosevelt who was the only president born in the city that has galleries and 19^th century period rooms with original objects that tell the story of young Roosevelt, his ranch days, presidency, and exploration period; 28 East 20^th Street
• Museum of Illusions—a museum with puzzles and illusions to entertain visitors; 77 8^th Avenue, corner of 14^th Street and 8^th Avenue
• FDNY Fire Zone—a contemporary safety learning center run by the FDNY Foundation that has a fire truck that can be explored, bunker coats to try on, and activities that teach visitors what to do in case of a fire
• Museum of Chinese in America—a museum that presents the history, heritage, culture, and experiences of Chinese-Americans through interactive exhibits; 215 Centre Street
• Museum of Arts and Design—a museum that focuses on multidisciplinary artists, designers, and movements with exhibitions and programs that change perspectives on art, design, and craft; 2 Columbus Circle
• Rose Mansion—an attraction that provides visitors with an experience into the world of rose from around the world with entertaining backdrops for photo ops, a wine tour, and a wine-themed playground with games, chandelier swings, tacos, photo ops, and the country’s largest rose wine list; 111 West 32^nd Street
• Museum of the Moving Image—a museum that showcases movie and TV memorabilia but has a core exhibition that demonstrates how movies and TV shows are produced and shown with the chance for visitors to create their own short animation, experiment with sound effects, or view the editing of a live NY Mets game, film screenings on weekend evenings and afternoons, lectures, and workshops; 36-01 5^th Avenue, Queens
• New York Aquarium—the country’s oldest continually operating aquarium that is home to hundreds of aquatic species including penguins, sea lions, sea otters, seals, angelfish, eels, and rays among many others; 602 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn
• Pioneer Works—a three-level space that occupies the former 19^th century Pioneer machine manufacturer’s headquarters and is dedicated to the arts with arts and science residency studios that display changing exhibitions and performance art with a backyard known for its landscaping and artwork; 159 Pioneer Street, Brooklyn
• Pratt Institute Sculpture Park—one of the city’s largest sculpture gardens that has installations by the school’s students, alumni, and faculty on the school’s 25-acre campus; 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden—an 83-acre cultural center that has the Staten Island Children’s Museum; lush gardens; 26 landmark buildings; nine botanic gardens; 10 acres of wetlands; a two-acre farm; an outpost of the Staten Island Museum that has exhibits on art, history, and science; the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden; dance and music studios; and art galleries; 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
• Studio Museum in Harlem—a small art museum that has contemporary art by African-American, Caribbean, and African artists and a bright sculpture garden; 144 West 125^th Street
• American Folk-Art Museum—a museum that has a focus on artwork created by modern self-taught artists from the 20^th and 21^st centuries including the largest collection of works by Chicago artist Henry Darger; 2 Lincoln Square
• Asia Society and Museum—an Asian art museum that has the bulk of its collection from Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller III and includes Hindu stone sculptures, Tibetan Buddhist paintings, Vietnamese ceramics, Han Dynasty bronzes, and Japanese woodblock prints and a society that has regularly scheduled lectures, films, and performances; 725 Park Avenue
• Japan Society—a Japanese arts and cultural center that has exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary Japanese art, textiles, and design; indoor gardens and water features; a theater that hosts film, dance, and theatrical performances; and lectures and workshops; 333 East 47^th Street
• Nicholas Roerich Museum—a small art museum housed within a three-story townhouse that displays 150 paintings by the namesake prolific Russian-born artist, philosopher, and poet known for his paintings of the Himalayas; 319 West 107^th Street
• Skyscraper Museum—a gallery that examines skyscrapers through temporary exhibitions and educational programs and lectures; 39 Battery Place
• Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art—the world’s first museum dedicated to LGBTQI+ artwork that stages six to eight annual exhibitions of homegrown and international art and has a collection of over 24,000 works with regularly scheduled programs dedicated to the LGBTQI+ community; 26 Wooster Street
• Museum of the City of New York—a local museum that focuses on the city’s past, present, and future through a 12-room mansion dollhouse exhibit that has miniatures by famous artists and other items from the turn of the 20^th century and temporary pop culture exhibitions; 1220 Fifth Avenue
• Jewish Museum—a museum within a French Gothic mansion dating back to 1908 that has a collection of 30,000 Jewish-related items such as Torah shields and Hanukkah lamps, sculptures, paintings, and decorative arts, temporary exhibitions, a popular deli in the basement, and frequent events for children and adults; 1109 Fifth Avenue
• Tibet House—a nonprofit cultural center that is dedicated to Tibet with art exhibits, a research library, publications, events, and programs; 22 West 15^th Street
• Lefferts Historic House—an 18^th century Dutch farmhouse that has period rooms with farm implements, bouquets of herbs and antique ceramics, an outdoor working garden, and kid-friendly events; Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• Museum of American Finance—an interactive money museum that focuses on pivotal moments in American financial history with permanent collections including rare historic currency, stock and bond certificates from the Gilded Age, the oldest known photograph of Wall Street, and a stock ticker dating back to 1875; 48 Wall Street
• South Street Seaport Museum—a museum that is spread out throughout the streets of the seaport district that has exhibitions related to the city’s maritime history, an 18^th century printing press and shop, and sailing ships to explore on Pier 16; 12 Fulton Street
• El Museo del Barrio—a Latino cultural institution that has rotating multimedia exhibitions from painting and photography to video and site-specific installations and pieces by well-known historical figures and established contemporary artists; 1230 Fifth Avenue
• New York Hall of Science—a science museum with an outdoor miniature golf course, the country’s largest science playground, an operational Mars Rover, a mathematics exhibit, and an animated interactive showcase where children can manage water and plant growth in six environments; 47-01 111^th Street, Queens
• Arthur Avenue Retail Market—an Italian indoor market that has vendors selling a variety of food items such as pizza, olives, and cheeses and a bar; 2344 Arthur Avenue, The Bronx
• Bronx Museum—an art museum that has exhibitions of 20^th century and contemporary art and regularly scheduled events and programs; 1040 Grand Concourse
• Pier 17—a pier that has upscale restaurants, a rooftop bar, and an outdoor concert venue and the Riverdeck which has built-in wooden loungers with views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, Governors Island, and Brooklyn; 89 South Street
• Artechouse—a technology-focused creative space with large-scale installations, digital projections, and immersive interactive elements; 439 West 15^th Street, Chelsea Market
• Conservatory Garden—a six-acre formal garden that is an official city quiet zone with French, English, and Italian gardens each with their own fountains; Central Park, 5^th Avenue at East 105^th Street
• Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum—the oldest house in the city that was built in 1765 as a country retreat for Roger and Mary Morris and was briefly George Washington’s headquarters for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War; many of its rooms have original furnishings; 65 Jumel Terrace
• National Jazz Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate museum that is dedicated to the golden age of jazz music in Harlem during the 1930s to the 1960s with memorabilia such as Duke Ellington’s baby grand piano and Eddie Davis’s saxophone; 58 West 129^th Street
• Children’s Museum of the Arts—a small children’s art museum that has activities for children to view, make, and share art, rotating exhibitions, and special classes and programs; 103 Charlton Street
• Color Factory—a collaborative art experience that has 16 immersive installations featuring floating balloons, a palette of colorful treats, a dance floor, an activity on color and human connection, and a ball room; 251 Spring Street
• Museum of the American Gangster—a small museum within a former speakeasy that illustrates the role that crime has played in shaping the city’s history, culture, and politics; 80 Saint Marks Place
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture—a national research library that documents the experiences of peoples of African descent around the world; 515 Malcolm X Boulevard
• Hispanic Society of America—a museum with paintings by El Greco and Velasquez and other Hispanic cultural artifacts; 613 West 115^th Street at Broadway
• The National Arts Club—a cultural institution that offers more than 150 free programs annually including exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, lectures, and readings; 15 Gramercy Park South
• Institute for the Study of the Ancient World—a scholarly research center that offers free exhibitions and public programs about its investigations about the ancient world from the Mediterranean to China; 15 East 84^th Street
• Ukrainian Museum—a small museum dedicated to the rich cultural history of Ukrainian Americans with collections featuring items such as folk art, fine art, and archival materials and a wide range of public and educational programs; 222 East 6^th Street
• Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park—an amusement park known for its 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel that opened in 1920 and is the oldest ride in Coney Island and other rides such as pony carts, spinning dragons, a carousel, and a virtual reality arcade game; 1025 Riegelmann Boardwalk, Brooklyn
• Gagosian Gallery—an internationally renowned modern art gallery that has works by prominent artists such as Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Roy Lichtenstein and lesser-known artists as well; 555 West 24^th Street
• McCarren Park—a 35-acre park that is perfect for picnics, sunbathing, swimming in the free-swimming pool, and enjoy free movies and live music performances on Wednesdays in July and August; North 12^th Street at Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn
• East River Park—a park that has ballparks, running and biking paths, a 5000-seat amphitheater, and large green spaces; FDR Drive and East Houston Street

Sights in Albany, New York

Albany is the capital of New York and has a wealth of historic sites and homes, interesting museums, beautiful parks, and nature preserves worth checking out.

• New York State Museum—a museum and research center that preserves the state’s artistic, social, historical, and environmental legacies through rotating exhibitions; Empire State Plaza
• USS Slater DE-766—a destroyer escort ship from World War II that is the last one remaining afloat in the country and provides visitors the opportunity to see how sailors worked, hear the sounds of a living ship, and walk where other sailors have walked before; Broadway and Quay Street
• Schuyler Mansion—the Georgian-style home of Revolutionary War Major General Philip Schuyler and his family with a rich history that involves Alexander Hamilton, the Schuyler sisters, Aaron Burr, and presidents such as Millard Fillmore; 32 Catherine Street
• Albany Institute of History and Art—one of the country’s oldest museums that shares insights into what life was like in old Albany and the Upper Hudson Valley through a collection of furniture, clothing, paintings, silver, and photos that celebrates importance of this area to American history; 125 Washington Avenue
• Erastus Corning II Tower—a 42-story building that was dedicated in 1983 to the memory of the long-time namesake mayor of Albany who played a role in the creation of Empire State Plaza as the center of state government and has a 42^nd-floor observation deck that provides great panoramic views of Albany, the plaza, and surrounding areas; 100 South Mall Arterial
• Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza—a plaza with 10 state government buildings set on a six-story platform connected by a quarter-mile long underground concourse; historical attractions; walking tours; paintings and sculptures; a performing arts center; memorials; an ice-skating rink; and events in the summer and fall; 100 South Mall Arterial
• Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence—a home where noted abolitionists lived and provided shelter to those seeking freedom from slavery through the Underground Railroad; 194 Livingston Avenue
• Shaker Heritage Society—the site of the first Shaker community that has nine Shaker buildings, an herb garden, apple orchard, a small museum, and a gift shop; 25 Meeting House Road
• American Italian Heritage Museum—the largest Italian-American museum on the East Coast that has ten rooms of exhibits and a gift shop that honor Italian immigrants, their stories, and their contributions to society; 1227 Central Avenue
• Ten Broeck Mansion—an historic mansion that was built in 1798 for Brigadier General Abraham Ten Broeck and his wife, Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, and is now a museum with workshops, family programs, concerts, performances, tours of the house, and cultural events throughout the year; Ten Broeck Place
• Opalka Gallery—an art gallery with a focus on modern and contemporary art and design from nationally recognized artists that hosts 4 to 5 exhibitions a year, a film series, artist lecture series, and other events; 140 New Scotland Avenue
• Corning Preserve—a popular park that has an amphitheater that has musical performances, a boat launch, watersports, and a paved walking trail; 1 Quay Street
• Crailo State Historic Site—a museum that tells the story of early New York state and its Dutch inhabitants through exhibits, special events, and school programs; 9 ½ Riverside Avenue
• FASNY Museum of Firefighting—a museum with an impressive collection of American firefighting objects and activities for children such as a discovery room, educational activities, and creative play on fire engines; 117 Harry Howard Avenue, Hudson
• Irish American Heritage Museum—a museum with a mission that tells the stories of Irish people and their culture in America through activities, programs, and exhibits; 21 Quackenbush Square
• Albany Pine Bush Preserve—a freshwater pine barren that spans almost 6000 acres with trails for hiking and nature walks and informative exhibits; New Karner Road
• Historic Cherry Hill—a historic house built in 1787 that has a collection of over 70,000 items and provides guided tours of the property with objects such as diaries, documents, furniture, photos, and clothing; 523 ½ South Pearl Street
• Rudy A. Ciccotti Family Recreation Center—a recreation center that includes a fitness center with two gyms, an indoor track, group exercise classes, and an aquatic center with a splash pool, lazy river, water slides, and other swimming pools; 30 Aviation Road

Sights in Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is a major city in Maryland and has a variety of cultural, historic, and natural attractions worth checking out and exploring. The city has a long history as a major maritime harbor and was the site of historic events such as the Battle at Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the War of 1812.

• Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine—this national monument is part of the National Park Service and was the site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812 where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner”; 2400 East Fort Avenue
• Fell’s Point—a national historic district that dates back to the 18^th century and has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, craft and antique stores, coffee houses, street fairs, and an art gallery that displays works by local artists; Fell Street
• National Aquarium—one of the world’s best aquariums that is home to over 20,000 animals from more than 800 species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, marine mammals, and sharks; 501 East Pratt Street
• The Walters Art Museum—a renowned art museum that has a collection of over 36,000 objects from around the world dating from 5000 BC to the present and artwork that spans thousands of years; 600 North Charles Street
• American Visionary Art Museum—a museum dedicated to self-taught artistry with pieces such as embroidered rags, carved roots, and tattoos; 800 Key Highway
• Baltimore Museum of Art—an art museum that is internationally recognized for its collection of 19^th century, modern, and contemporary art including the world’s largest collection of works by Henri Matisse and also has a learning and creativity center and beautifully landscaped gardens with 20^th century sculptures; 10 Art Museum Drive
• Inner Harbor—one of the country’s oldest seaports that dates back to the 1600s and has eateries, stores, museums, entertainment centers, and children’s attractions
• B&O Railroad Museum—a Smithsonian Museum that is considered the birthplace of American railroading with the oldest and most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere and 19^th and 20^th century railroad equipment, exhibitions, interactive displays, and rolling stock such as locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, and maintenance vehicles; 901 West Pratt Street
• The Maryland Zoo—a zoo that is home to over 1,500 animals such as chimpanzees, elephants, leopards, and warthogs, farm animals, polar bears, and a Penguin Coast exhibit with the most successful breeding colony of endangered African penguins in North America; 1 Safari Place
• Baltimore Museum of Industry—a museum that celebrates the workers who shaped the evolution of Baltimore from the industrial age to the present and is located in an 1860s oyster cannery with live demonstrations, interactive exhibitions, and hands-on activities; 1415 Key Highway
• Top of the World Observation Level—an observation tower at the top of the World Trade Center that has audiovisual presentations about Baltimore’s history; 401 East Pratt Street
• Maryland Science Center—a 200-year-old institution that is one of the oldest in the country with three floors of exhibits on the Chesapeake Bay, earth science, physics, the body, dinosaurs, and outer space, a planetarium, a simulated dinosaur dig, an IMAX movie theater, and a playroom for young children; 601 Light Street
• National Cryptologic Museum—a museum that has thousands of artifacts that tell the story of cryptology or code-breaking as a career with exhibits that capture significant moments in the history of American code-making and breaking including machines and techniques cryptologists used, places where they worked, and cryptologists themselves; 8290 Colony Seven Road
• Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum—the home that baseball legend Babe Ruth was born in that is now a museum with memorabilia such as the catcher’s mitt he used while learning how to play baseball, the bat from his 1927 season, and exhibits on the Baltimore Orioles; 216 Emory Street
• Port Discovery Children’s Museum—an interactive children’s museum with a three-story futuristic jungle gym with stairs, slides, ropes, zip lines, tunnels, and a narrow footbridge; a water activity where visitors can learn about the Earth’s atmosphere; an interactive restaurant; a mystery house; and a virtual soccer field; 35 Market Place
• Baltimore Streetcar Museum—a museum that takes visitors to the era of streetcars with a film that traces the evolution of streetcars, restored streetcars to explore, and streetcar rides; 1901 Falls Road
• Carroll Mansion—the former winter home of Charles Carroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, that is now a museum dedicated to the history of Baltimore and the neighborhood, Historic Jonestown; 800 East Lombard Street
• Evergreen House—a 48-room Italianate mansion that was built in the 1850s and was the home of 19^th century diplomat and collector John Work Garrett and the Garrett family until the 1950s; the house has a great collection of books, paintings, and porcelain and 26 acres of grounds; 4545 North Charles Street
• Great Blacks in Wax Museum—a wax museum that focuses on African-American culture and history; 1601 East North Avenue #03
• Reginald F. Lewis Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate museum that is Maryland’s largest African American museum and has rotating exhibitions, live musical performances, films, art workshops, and living history; 830 East Pratt Street
• Maryland Center for History and Culture—a museum dedicated to Maryland’s history and culture with a collection of more than 200,000 objects, Maryland cultural artifacts, dolls, and toys that provide a glimpse into everyday life in Maryland; 610 Park Avenue
• Jewish Museum of Maryland—a museum and library dedicated to educating visitors about the Jewish experience with two permanent exhibits, a rotating exhibit gallery, and tours of two historic synagogues; 15 Lloyd Street
• Natural History Society of Maryland Museum—a museum that explores Maryland’s history by studying its indigenous plant and animal life; 6908 Belair Road
• Baltimore Society of Model Engineers—a model railroad club that has model displays, railroad heralds, railroad artifacts such as a steam locomotive bell and whistle, manufacturer publicity photos, and historic club photos; 3500 Parkdale Avenue, 3^rd floor, Suite 17
• Historic Ships in Baltimore—a maritime museum that has a variety of artifacts and historic sea vessels including a World War II submarine, a warship, and a screw pile locomotive; Pier 1, 301 East Pratt Street
• Geppi’s Entertainment Museum—an entertainment museum that has memorabilia from comics, music, games, and TV shows with vintage movie posters and comic books decorating the walls; 301 West Camden Street
• Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and 1812 Museum—a historic home built in 1793 where Mary Pickersgill sewed the flag that inspired the creation of the national anthem with costumed interpreters, 19^th century artifacts, and a hands-on discovery gallery for children; 844 East Pratt Street

Sights in Washington DC

Washington DC has always been one of my favorite cities to visit and has a wealth of fascinating museums, historic sites, beautiful parks, and iconic national landmarks worth checking out.

• Hillwood Museum and Gardens—a museum that has a collection of Russian imperial art and an 18^th century French decorative art collection with gardens featuring 13 outdoor rooms including a putting green
• Capitol—the seat of the American government that is known for its majestic dome, 19^th century landscaped grounds, and beautiful paintings that illustrate moments in American history, the birth of the nation, and statues; east end of The Mall
• National Museum of African American History and Culture—a museum devoted to the contributions of African-Americans throughout history expressed through exhibitions, collections, special events, and programs; 1400 Constitution Avenue NW
• Lincoln Memorial—a memorial dedicated to Abraham Lincoln and his contributions to American history during his presidency; 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW
• National Gallery of Art—a renowned art museum that preserves, collects, exhibits, and fosters understanding of works of art with several galleries such as an Italian collection, Dutch and British rooms, and Impressionists; Constitution Avenue NW, 6^th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum—a living memorial to the Holocaust that confronts genocide and hatred of other peoples through exhibitions designed to highlight the stories of individuals with special exhibitions for children to have a better understanding of the Holocaust; 100 Raoul Wallenberg Plaza SW
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial—a memorial dedicated to the 58,000 American soldiers who died in service during the Vietnam War
• FDR Memorial—a memorial dedicated to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt with a life-sized sculpture of him with his dog, other bronze sculptures, and a waterfall; off West Basin Drive
• National World War II Memorial—a beautiful memorial dedicated to the servicemembers who served during World War II with water features, statues, displays, and pillars honoring those who served; 17^th Street NW
• Jefferson Memorial—a memorial to the iconic president who wrote the Declaration of Independence with a shallow dome, portico, and bronze statue
• The Phillips Collection—a modern art museum with American and European artwork from the 19^th and 20^th centuries
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial—a carved stone monument to Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr, the great civil rights activist
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum—a premier aviation museum that has exhibits on the history of flight, several planes on display, events, and temporary exhibitions
• United States Botanic Garden—a beautiful indoor garden with a rose garden, First Ladies’ water garden, jungle habitat, and other gardens
• Ford’s Theatre—the site where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated that hosts Civil War musicals, historical interpretations, and group tours so visitors can learn about Lincoln’s assassination; 511 10^th Street NW
• Washington Monument—a historic landmark that is known for its design and views from the top that provide panoramic views of the city; directly south of the White House at 15^th Street and Constitution Avenue
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History—a world-renowned natural history museum that has a variety of exhibits on topics such as dinosaurs and gems, displays, and special events; 10^th Street and Constitution Avenue
• National Museum of American History—a museum that has displays on highlights of American history from the Revolutionary War to the present and the original American flag among other artifacts in its collection; Constitution Avenue between 12^th and 14^th Street
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden—an art museum with several permanent and temporary exhibits, educational programs, and a sculpture garden with over 20 unique sculptures; Independence Avenue SW
• National Zoo—a prominent zoo that has 4,000 animals from 500 different species; 3000 Block of Connecticut Avenue
• National Museum of Crime and Punishment—a museum that explores the country’s prison system with interactive learning experiences on topics such as the judicial system and the consequences of crime
• Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture—an art museum with portraits and folk-art works
• International Spy Museum—a museum dedicated to real and fictitious espionage with interactive exhibits and exhibits related to real life spies and fictional spies such as James Bond; 800 F. Street NW
• National Japanese American Memorial—a memorial dedicated to Japanese-Americans who fought in World War II and those who were sent to internment camps that has two Japanese cranes standing on a tall pedestal
• National Archives—archives and a museum that preserves and archives the most historically significant US government records with documents such as the “Declaration of Independence”, the “Constitution”, and the Bill of Rights and interactive displays on civil rights for African-Americans, women, and immigrants; Constitution Avenue
• National Portrait Gallery—a gallery with prints, paintings, photos, and sculptures of a variety of subjects from presidents to Madonna with the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House and exhibits on topics such as the founding of America, and portraits of cultural icons; 8^th and F Streets NW
• American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial—a 2.4-acre memorial that opened in 2014 and depicts the journey of the disabled veteran from injury and recovery to rediscovering purpose in life with a star-shaped fountain, a low triangular reflecting pool, bronze sculptures, glass panels, and engraved granite walls with quotes from 18 veterans describing their experiences; 150 Washington Avenue SW
• Library of Congress—the world’s largest library with 164 million books, manuscripts, maps, photos, films, and other items with a Great Hall that has stained glass, marble, and mosaics of mythical characters, the circa 1455 Gutenberg Bible, Thomas Jefferson’s round library, and the reading room viewing area; 10 1^st Street SE
• Kreeger Museum—a museum that is known for its stunning design that dates back to 1963 and is clad in travertine with a distinctive roofline, bright interior salons, and a sculpture terrace that has works by artists such as Jean Arp and Henry Moore with artwork inside from the personal collection of David and Carem Kreeger; 2401 Foxhall Road NW
• Freer and Sackler Museums—two art museums that are connected by an underground tunnel and have quiet galleries containing items such as Japanese silk scrolls, Buddhas, rare Islamic manuscripts, and Chinese jades; 1050 Independence Avenue SW
• Dumbarton Oaks—a 27-acre mansion that has formal gardens with springtime flowers such as cherry blossoms and an interior featuring Byzantine and pre-Columbian art and a library of rare books that date back to 1491; 1703 32^nd Street NW
• United States National Arboretum—a 450-acre green space with gardens such as a bonsai and penjing garden, National Herb Garden, Capitol Columns Garden, and the National Grove of State Trees; R Street NE
• Frederick Douglass National Historic Site—a national historic site that was the home of former slave, abolitionist, author, and statesman Frederick Douglass from 1878-1895 and contains original furnishings, books, photos, and other personal artifacts with visits only available by guided tour; 1411 W Street SE
• National Postal Museum—a postal museum that has exhibits on postal history from the Pony Express to the present, antique mail planes, old letters, the world’s largest stamp collection, and children’s activities such as story times and card-making workshops; 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE
• National Museum of African Art—an African art museum that has a beautiful garden and galleries dedicated to ancient and modern sub-Saharan African art with wooden masks, beaded textiles, ceramics, fetish dolls, and other visual artifacts; 950 Independence Avenue SW
• National Museum of Women in the Arts—the country’s only museum dedicated to women’s artwork that has a collection of 4,500 works by 1,000 female artists from around the world from the Renaissance period to the 20^th century; 1250 New York Avenue NW
• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens—the country’s only national park devoted to water plants with beaver dams, birds, and manicured grounds surrounded by water lilies and lotus plants; 1550 Anacostia Avenue NE
• Mexican Cultural Institute—a gilded Beaux-Arts mansion that has art and cultural exhibitions related to Mexico with regular cultural events and cooking classes; 2829 16^th Street NW
• African American Civil War Memorial—a bronze memorial that depicts rifle-bearing troops and is surrounded on three sides by the Wall of Honor which lists the names of 209,145 African American troops who fought in the Union Army and the 7,000 white soldiers who served alongside them; corner of U Street NW and Vermont Avenue NW
• African American Civil War Museum—a museum in an old schoolhouse that discusses issues related to the Civil War regarding secession and union through permanent exhibits that use photos, videos, and artifacts such as slave shackles and a slave bill of sale to follow African American history from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement; 1925 Vermont Avenue NW
• Renwick Gallery—a Smithsonian Museum that is in a stately 1859 mansion close to the White House that focuses on the works of modern and contemporary artists and the innovative techniques and materials they use to create their works of art; 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• Enid A. Haupt Garden—a rooftop garden with three sections: a Moon Gate Garden inspired by a Chinese temple, a Victorian-style parterre garden, and a Moorish-style Garden modeled after those in the Alhambra in Spain; 12 Independence Avenue SW
• Art Museum of the Americas—a small art museum on the property of the Organization of American States which has rotating exhibits of modern and contemporary paintings and photography from Latin America and the Caribbean; 201 18^th Street NW
• Korean War Veterans Memorial—a memorial to veterans of the Korean War that has a remembrance pool and a triangular field of service depicting 19 soldiers in combat; 10 Daniel French Drive SW
• National Law Enforcement Museum—a museum that allows visitors to learn about the history and realities of being a law enforcement officer through engaging exhibits, displays of artifacts, and programs; 444 E Street NW
• National Museum of the American Indian—a museum that has artifacts, art, and historical and cultural objects from Native American communities in the Western Hemisphere; 4^th Street SW and Independence Avenue SW
• Tudor Place—a mansion that was home to six generations of Martha Washington’s descendants from 1805 to 1983 and the family’s enslaved workers and servants with a collection of over 18,000 decorative objects including the largest Washington collection outside of Mount Vernon; 1644 31^st Street NW
• National Museum of the United States Navy—a museum that serves as the flagship museum of 10 naval museums and has over 5,000 artifacts and works of art spanning more than 240 years; Washington Navy Yard, 805 Kidder Breese SE
• United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center—a memorial with a statue of the Lone Soldier and a plaza with a granite world map surrounded by waterfalls and fountains that has a heritage center with exhibits on naval history; 701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• Vietnam Women’s Memorial—a memorial to the women who served during the Vietnam War; 5 Henry Bacon Drive NW
• National Building Museum—a museum that tells the stories of the world people design and build that is situated within a historic home featuring 75-foot Corinthian columns that are the country’s tallest; 401 F Street NW
• Artechhouse DC—the country’s first innovative art destination dedicated to the intersection of art, science, and technology with technology-driven artwork on display; 1238 Maryland Avenue SW
• Folger Shakespeare Library—a library with the world’s largest Shakespearean collection that is only open to researchers but has gardens, Renaissance art, and an Elizabethan theater; 201 East Capitol Street SE
• Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument House and Museum—the city’s only museum that tells the story of women’s ongoing quest for equality with museum exhibits that highlight the tactics and strategies used during the 20^th century women’s rights movement with artifacts illustrating the story; 144 Constitution Avenue NE
• The George Washington University Museum-The Textile Museum—a textile museum focused on art, history, and culture that has textile collections from around the world and a collection of artifacts that trace the founding and evolution of the national capital; 701 21^st Street NW
• National Geographic Society’s Explorer Hall—an educational center that has an interactive simulation of orbital flight and geography questions
• National Museum of American Jewish Military History—a small museum focused on American Jewish people who served for the country; 1811 R Street NW
• American University Museum—an art museum with three floors of rotating exhibitions and sculptures outside with an emphasis on local and regional artists; 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
• Corcoran Gallery of Art—the city’s largest art museum that has an expansive collection of American and European art; 500 17^th Street NW
• German-American Heritage Museum—a museum that tells the stories of German-Americans and their contributions to the country; 719 6^th Street NW
• Bob Hope Gallery of American Entertainment—a gallery that focuses on vaudeville’s influence on 20^th century entertainment; 101 Independence Avenue SE
• Gallaudet University Museum—a museum run by Gallaudet University, a school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, that interprets the deaf experience in the country and abroad; 800 Florida Avenue NE
• Laogai Museum—a museum with a vital mission of exposing China’s forced-labor prison camps with Communist Party documents, prison artifacts, and video interviews that educate visitors on the continued abuse by the Chinese government against its citizens; 1734 20^th Street NW
• Marian Koshland Science Museum—a science museum part of the National Academy of Sciences that is geared towards visitors ages 12 and up that explores issues such as global warming and climate change, brain development and how decisions you make affect the brain, safe driving, and healthy eating; 525 E Street NW

Sights in Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach is a major tourist destination and is home to beautiful beaches, a world-class aquarium, state parks and wildlife reserves, interesting museums, and fun attractions worth exploring.

• Virginia Beach Boardwalk—a three-mile promenade that has restaurants, shops, and three oceanfront stages with nightly entertainment in the summer
• Virginia Beach—a popular beach that has restaurants, people-watching opportunities, and a soft sandy beach; Atlantic Avenue
• Military Aviation Museum—a museum that is home to one of the largest flying collections of World War I and World War II-era military aircraft in the world; 1341 Princess Anne Road
• Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center—a 300,000-gallon tank with sharks, rays, and other aquatic species and a walk-through tunnel with other sea creatures; 717 General Booth Boulevard
• First Landing State Park—a 2,700-acre park with hiking trails, cypress swamps, and bird nesting grounds; 2500 Shore Drive
• Tarnished Truth Distilling Company—the country’s first and only craft distillery operating within a luxury hotel that produces hand-crafted spirits such as bourbon, whiskey, and vodka; 4200 Atlantic Avenue
• Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge—a wildlife refuge with hiking and biking trails, watersports, and a scenic natural environment; 4005 Sandpiper Road
• Neptune’s Park—a park that is home to the free summer concert series and has special events throughout the year; 3001 Atlantic Avenue
• False Cape State Park—a state park that offers opportunities for hiking, boating, and biking; 4001 Sandpiper Road
• Hunt Club Farm—a family-owned and operated sprawling farm with a petting farm, an aviary that is home to parakeets and doves, a tree climbing experience, and special events throughout the year; 2388 London Bridge Road
• Ocean Breeze Waterpark—a waterpark with over 30 slides and attractions such as a million-gallon wave pool, a four-slide complex, a water playground, and a lazy river; 849 General Booth Boulevard
• Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art—a modern art museum that displays works by emerging and established artists with rotating exhibitions and unique perspectives in the pieces displayed; 2200 Parks Avenue
• Ferry Plantation House—an 1830 brick structure with a ten-room central passage plan that has been lived in since the mid-1650s; 4136 Cheswick Lane
• Thoroughgood House—a historic home that once belonged to one of Virginia’s first colonists with period furnishings and pictures that depict the home over the years; 1636 Parish Road
• Miyazaki Japanese Garden—a Japanese garden set within a 97-acre park that has many other gardens including a fragrance garden; 1398 General Booth Boulevard
• Sandbridge Beach—a quiet family-friendly beach with calm waves and shallow water
• Old Cape Henry Lighthouse—a lighthouse near the first landing site of the Jamestown settlers that provides panoramic views from the top of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean; 583 Atlantic Avenue
• Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum—a history museum that has antique decoys of waterfowl and other animals, a carving room with a resident carver, paintings, and metal sculptures; 1113 Atlantic Avenue
• Francis Land House Historic Site—a historic home that was once surrounded by hundreds of acres of farmland and was owned by Francis Land VI, a wealthy plantation owner, and now features period antiques and reproductions and a glimpse into plantation life and the lives of household members both free and enslaved; 3131 Virginia Beach Boulevard
• Lake Lawson and Lake Smith Natural Area—a 42-acre nature preserve with more than 12,000 feet of shoreline known as a popular fishing destination; 5381 Shell Road
• Atlantic Fun Park—a family amusement park with 12 midway games, 16 fun rides, and good dining options; 233 15^th Street
• Lynnhaven House—an early Virginian historic home that was built by a plantation owner for his family with details such as brick jack arches, a closed-spindle staircase, and ship’s lap floor and is now a house museum that interprets the period when the family lived there between 1725 to 1727; 4405 Wishart Road
• Adventureworks Wetland Zipline Park—a 60-acre wooded forest area that provides for a unique way to explore the wetlands ecosystem
• Naval Air Station, Oceana—a naval station that is home to over 200 Navy aircraft and other planes assigned to the aircraft carriers of the Atlantic fleet; Tomcat Boulevard
• Old Coast Guard Station—a 1903 lifesaving station that has photo exhibits, examples of lifesaving equipment, and a gallery that depicts German U-boat activity off the coast during World War II; 24^th Street at Atlantic Avenue

Sights in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is a city home to interesting attractions, historic sites and markers, a zoo, several beautiful parks, and unique museums worth checking out.

• Tennessee Aquarium—an aquarium dedicated to teaching visitors about freshwater ecosystems that is home to over 9,000 creatures; 1 Broad Street
• Lookout Mountain—a mountainous lookout that has an incline railway to the top to admire views of the valley below
• Raccoon Mountain Caverns—a natural cave that has thousands of diverse rock formations, natural bridges, rimstone pools, draperies, columns, and an unassisted flowing waterfall; 319 West Hills Road
• Walnut Street Bridge—a wrought-iron truss pedestrian-friendly bridge
• Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum—an interactive train museum that has the only regularly scheduled full-size train ride in the state; 4119 Cromwell Road
• Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery—a distillery that makes the first legal whiskey in the city in over 100 years with visitors able to learn about its history, the production process, and taste its whiskey; 1439 Marker Street
• Ruby Falls—the tallest and deepest underground publicly accessible waterfall in the country that has ancient geological formations and scenic overlooks with views of the Tennessee Valley, Cumberland Plateau, and the Tennessee River; 1720 Scenic Highway
• Creative Discovery Museum—a hands-on children’s museum that has entertaining and educational exhibits including art, music, digging for dinosaur fossils, water exploration, and science; 321 Chestnut Street
• Chattanooga Zoo—a small zoo that is home to a variety of animals and is very interactive and accessible; 301 North Holtzclaw Avenue
• Coolidge Park—a 7-acre park named after a WWII Medal of Honor recipient that has a restored hand-carved carousel, pavilion, and interactive play fountain; 1 River Street
• Songbirds—a daytime vintage guitar museum that has the largest collection in the world and by night is a live music complex with two stages and a variety of events; 35 Station Street
• Coker Museum—a museum with a large collection of classic cars and motorcycles; 1309 Chestnut Street
• Hunter Museum of American Art—an American art museum that focuses on American art from the colonial period to the present including paintings, sculptures, photos, mixed media, video, furniture, and contemporary studio glass; 10 Bluff View Street
• International Towing and Recovery Museum—a museum that illustrates the history of the tow truck including two that visitors can sit inside; 3315 Broad Street
• Bluff View Art District—a district known for its quality dining options, beautiful works of art, gardens, and architectural design; 412 East 2^nd Street
• Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center—a 300-acre natural area that offers outdoor recreation and botanical and wildlife exhibits; 400 Garden Road
• Cravens House—an historic home that was the site of an intense Civil War battle
• Enterprise South Nature Park—a large park that has mountain biking trails that vary in difficulty, walking and hiking trails, and picnic areas with tables and shelters; 190 Still Hollow Loop
• Sculpture Fields at Montague Park—a 33-acre public park that has sculptures from around the world and is the Southeast’s largest sculpture park; 1800 Polk Street
• The Houston Museum of Decorative Arts—a museum situated within a century-old Victorian house that has a fine collection of antique glass and ceramics; 201 High Street
• Tennessee Riverpark—a 10-mile park along the Tennessee River that has wildlife viewing opportunities, bike paths, and six fishing piers; 4301 Amnicola Highway
• Rock City—an area with a large series of mineral formations, a steep waterfall, and sheer cliffs; 1400 Patten Road
• Chattanooga Market—a market that has different vendors each season and sells fresh produce, meats, baked goods, and crafts from local artisans
• Chattanooga Nature Center—an outdoor nature preserve and environmental education facility that has a blue heron boardwalk, a wildlife trail, and a children’s discovery forest treehouse; 400 Garden Road
• Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park—a family-friendly amusement park that has roller coasters, children’s rides, a full water park, and many special events
• Battles for Chattanooga Electric Map and Museum—a historic museum that has a 3D electronic map that has 5,000 miniature soldiers, 650 lights, and sound effects; 1110 East Brow Road
• Dragon Dreams Museum—an art museum that has a variety of dragon-related artwork and artifacts including antiques, porcelain, hand-crafted figurines, and furniture; 6724 East Brainerd Road
• Sir Goony’s Family Fun Center—an entertainment center with two 18-hole miniature golf courses, batting cages, a laser ride, go karts, and bumper rides; 5918 Brainerd Road

Sights in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Gatlinburg is a popular tourist destination and has plenty of fun things to do and interesting attractions to check out such as museums, wineries, and art galleries.

• Ole Smoky—the first federally licensed moonshine distillery in the state that makes moonshine at the distillery with authentic working moonshine stills and offers tastings of its award-winning moonshine flavors; 903 Parkway Unit 128, Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park—one of the most visited national parks that offers a variety of hikes and trails, stunning views, and waterfalls; 107 Park Headquarters Road
• Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies—an aquarium home to over 10,000 exotic sea creatures in 350 individual species; 88 River Road
• Gatlinburg SkyLift Park—the country’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge where visitors can experience great views of the Smoky Mountains and the town below; 765 Parkway
• Rowdy Bear Mountain—a small amusement park that has a gravity propelled roller coaster where visitors can zip through the Great Smoky Mountains while controlling their own coaster cart and a suspended dual racing coaster that combines free falling and hang gliding; 386 Parkway
• Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and Ski Area—a ski area with a 600-foot vertical drop, nine trails, and an amusement park with indoor ice skating, wildlife encounter, Alpine slide, water rides, and more; 1001 Parkway Suite 2
• Sugarland Cellars—a fully operational winery that offers tours and free tastings of its wines and has a gift shop with wine-related gifts and Smoky Mountain memorabilia; 1133 Parkway
• Tennessee Cider Company—the city’s first hard cider tasting room that also serves authentic Appalachian food; 611 Parkway
• Hollywood Star Cars Museum—a car museum with cars featured in different movies and TV shows; 914 Parkway
• Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum—a unique museum that has a collection of over 20,000 salt and pepper shakers from around the world with a variety of animals, vegetables, people, and other shapes; 461 Brookside Village Way
• Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster—a family-friendly thrill ride that lets riders race through the Smoky Mountains on its wide track; 306 Parkway
• Gatlinburg Space Needle—a steel observation tower with two elevators to the top-level observation deck where there are great views of the Smoky Mountains and Gatlinburg; 115 Historic Nature Trail
• Wild Bear Falls Waterpark—a mountain-themed indoor water park with a lazy river, slides, a treehouse play feature, and other attractions; 915 Westgate Resorts Road
• Amazing Mirror Maze—the city’s largest mirror maze that has a light and music show inside; 919 Parkway
• Ely’s Mill—an antique shop that sells local crafts, pottery, homemade goods, authentic items, and souvenirs; 393 Roaring Fork Road
• Smoky Mountain Art—a collaborative art shop that has chainsaw carvings, driftwood art, hand-crafted jewelry, gourd art, paintings, hand-crafted bags, and hand forged knives; 968 Parkway, Shop 3
• Jim Gray Gallery—an art gallery that features the paintings, prints, and sculptures of prominent American artist, Jim Gray and has both original works and reproductions for sale as well as works from other local artists including Jim’s grandson who is a painter, sculptor, and furniture maker; 670 Glades Road
• CLIMB Works Smoky Mountains—an adventure destination with two zipline tours including a mountain zipline and a treetop zipline tour
• Anakeesta—a mountain park that has a chair lift to its Firefly Village with shopping, dining, and a scenic atmosphere, a nature-themed Black Bear Village that has a newer retail outlet and restaurant, a Skywalk that has over 800-feet of connected bridges hanging 50-60 feet in the air, and botanical gardens with over 3,000 plants, flowers, and sculptures; 576 Parkway
• Gatlinburg Pinball Museum—a museum with the largest collection of pinball machines and retro arcade games in the Smoky Mountains; 205 Historic Nature Trail
• Arcadia—the region’s largest family entertainment center with over 100 popular arcade games, video games, and immersive simulations and an incredible prize center with premium prizes such as game consoles, designer bags, tools, and plush characters; 115 Historic Nature Trail
• Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens—a museum with 3D dioramas of scenes depicting the life of Jesus that also has a garden and gift shop; 510 River Road
• Guinness World Records Museum—a museum with interactive displays and exhibits that feature artifacts depicting world records with one section of the museum dedicated to celebrity memorabilia; 631 Parkway
• Smoky Mountain Winery—a winery that specializes in sweet wines and offers complimentary samples of wines from its catalog; Winery Square
• Bootleggers Homemade Wine—a winery that specializes in Appalachian wine varieties with a range of wines to sample from fruit wines to white wines; 903 Parkway, Suite 108
• Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community—a community of artists and artisans selling their works including woven baskets, paintings, and metalwork; 1360 East Parkway
• Gatlin’s—an entertainment center with five unique escape rooms, two outdoor miniature golf courses, an indoor blacklight course, a large laser tag arena, a ropes course, and bumper cars among other attractions; 716 Parkway, Suite 210

Sights in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is a major destination for travelers who enjoy country music and other types of music, love exploring parks and historic sites, and enjoy learning at interesting museums. Nashville has an abundance of interesting places to visit and it seems to be a place worth traveling to.

• Adventure Science Center—a science center for all ages to enjoy that has kid-friendly exhibits, virtual reality stations, a planetarium, laser shows, and the Blue Max flight simulator; 800 Fort Negley Boulevard
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum—a city-block long tribute to country music’s best artists is filled with plaques and exhibits highlighting performers from throughout the history of country music, a two-story wall with gold and platinum country records, a theater, Elvis’s gold 1960 Cadillac limo, and a large collection of memorabilia and rotating exhibits; 222 5^th Avenue South
• Fisk University Galleries—a fine art destination that has a gallery of works by Picasso, Cezanne, Renoir, and others and murals by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas; 1000 17^th Avenue North
• Frist Center for the Visual Arts—the city’s main art museum that opened in 2001 and has rotating exhibitions that aim to expose visitors to different artists, mediums, and movements; 919 Broadway
• Nashville Farmers Market—a farmers’ market that on weekdays has extensive dining options and on weekends has goods from local farmers and artisans; 900 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard
• Patsy Cline Museum—a museum that celebrates the iconic country singer with artifacts like stage costumes, home furnishings, and records; 119 3^rd Avenue South
• Grand Ole Opry—Nashville’s top tourist attraction that has unique entertainment experiences for all ages and performances by new artists and country icons; 2804 Opryland Drive
• Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery—a 19^th century historic home that was a large and wealthy private estate that raised fine thoroughbred race horses and now offers food and wine pairings, bourbon tastings, Segway tours, the city’s first winery, an outdoor game court, and beautiful grounds; 110 Leake Avenue
• Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage—the former home of President Andrew Jackson that is one of the largest and most visited presidential homes in the country and has over 30 historic buildings and a 30-minute visitor experience that enlightens visitors on dueling; 4580 Rachels Lane
• Johnny Cash Museum—a museum with the world’s largest collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world and has interactive exhibits and films about his storied life; 119 3^rd Avenue South
• Gaylord Opryland Resort Gardens—a resort that has nine acres of sprawling indoor gardens with 50,000 tropical plants, rare international blooms, and Southern native species with each garden inside the hotel’s imposing atriums; 2800 Opryland Drive
• Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum—a museum that honors musicians from all genres of music with historic artifacts such as instruments played on original recordings by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hank Williams, Sr., Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and more and the original stage where Jimi Hendrix played; 401 Gay Street
• Nashville Parthenon—the centerpiece of Centennial Park that is a full-scale replica of Greece’s Parthenon and has a 42-foot gilded sculpture of Athena, American paintings, the history of the Nashville Parthenon dating back to the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, and temporary shows and exhibitions; 2600 West End Avenue
• Cheekwood—a 55-acre estate built by the Maxwell House coffee company owners that has a botanical garden home to eleven specialty display gardens and beautiful natural landscapes, an art museum with collections of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts, and year-round activities for all ages; 1200 Forrest Park Drive
• Nashville Zoo—a zoo with a soaring zip line, an historic home that tells the story of the zoo, and animals from around the world such as spider monkeys, white rhinoceros, Masai giraffes, and clouded leopards; 3777 Nolensville Pike
• Centennial Park—a downtown park with jogging paths, grassy spots for picnics, and a lake for water sports; 2500 West End Avenue
• Tennessee State Museum—a museum with a mission of bringing history to life with a time tunnel that chronicles the state’s history, a hands-on children’s gallery, six rotating exhibition galleries, a permanent collection, a digital learning center, a two-story Grand Hall, and one of the best collections of Civil War artifacts such as uniforms, battle flags, and weapons in the country; 1000 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard
• Lane Motor Museum—a car museum that has the largest collection of European cars and motorcycles in the country; 702 Murfreesboro Pike
• Radnor Lake State Park—a spacious park that spans over 1,300 acres and has a large variety of wildlife, over six miles of trails, an aviary, a visitor’s center, and ranger-led programs; 1160 Otter Creek Road
• The District—a downtown nightlife hub with many bars and clubs
• Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park—a 19-acre park that has opportunities to learn about Tennessee’s bicentennial and the history of the state; 600 James Robertson Parkway
• Warner Parks—two parks that have trailheads, bike paths, and a nature center to learn about the natural history of the parks; 7311 Highway 100
• Fontanel Mansion—the former home of country music icon Barbara Mandrell that is the largest log cabin in the world that has an amphitheater, a distillery, a small inn, hiking trails, a greenway, and a zip line; 4125 Whites Creek Pike
• Music Row—the headquarters of the country music industry in the US
• Marathon Village—a neighborhood that emerged from the buildings that once housed the Marathon Motor Works from 1910-1914 that now has a factory with a museum and unique retail experiences; 1305 Clinton Street
• Historic Travelers’ Rest—the oldest historic house museum open to the public in Nashville that hosts programs and events on Mississippian settlement through the 19^th century and provides tours of the home from Tuesday-Saturday; 636 Farrell Parkway
• Gallery of Iconic Guitars—a gallery with a collection of guitars and mandolins from the 1890s to the 1950s; 1907 Belmont Boulevard in the Lila D. Bunch Library at Belmont University
• Military Branch of Tennessee State Museum—a branch of the Tennessee State Museum that has exhibitions that explore America’s overseas conflicts from the Spanish American War to the Vietnam War; 301 6^th Avenue North
• Arrington Vineyards—a 75-acre property co-owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn that provides great views of the hills of Middle Tennessee and offers free tastings, live music on weekends from April to November, bonfires in chilly weather, and reservation-only hot-air balloon rides; 6211 Patton Road, Arrington
• Belmont Mansion—an 1850s Italian-style villa that was the home of socialite Adelicia Acklen that is on the campus of Belmont University and has a sweeping staircase, cast-iron gazebos, and original furnishings; 1900 Belmont Boulevard
• Carl Van Vechten Gallery—an art gallery established in 1949 when renowned artist Georgia O’Keefe donated her collection of modern American and European art that is open to the public every two years; the gallery displays rotating exhibitions and temporary installations from Fisk University’s permanent art collections; 1000 17^th Avenue North, Fisk University campus
• Tennessee Agricultural Museum—a museum with a large collection of home and farm artifacts from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries and log cabins, a kitchen and herb garden, perennial garden, and a nature trail; 404 Hogan Road, Ellington Agricultural Center
• Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame—a museum with interactive games, college football and basketball exhibits, and two 30-seat theaters with sports videos; 501 Broadway
• Glen Campbell Museum—a museum dedicated to famous musician Glen Campbell that has artifacts from Glen’s childhood years, guitars, instruments, stage clothes, a large collection of his golf paraphernalia, and intimate family photos; 111 Broadway, Suite 200
• Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library—an interactive display that explores the ways black Nashville residents protested segregation, challenged racist laws, and contributed to the Civil Rights movement; 615 Church Street
• Corsair Distillery—the headquarters for this distillery that crafts small-batch whiskeys and other spirits with three different types of tours and tastings; 601 Merritt Avenue
• David Lusk Gallery—the Nashville branch of David Lusk’s Memphis-based gallery that displays paintings, photos, and sculptures by regional and national artists; 516 Hagan Street
• Elephant Gallery—an art gallery and studio space that has solo and group exhibitions in unique styles; 1411 Buchanan Street
• Fort Negley Park—the site of a historic Civil War-era fort that has its story told through videos in the visitor center and panels along outdoor pathways; 1100 Fort Negley Boulevard
• Julia Martin Gallery—a prominent art gallery that shows contemporary work by local and national artists working in painting, sculpture, and other mediums; 444 Humphreys Street
• Lotz House—a grand home in the downtown area of nearby Franklin that was home to a family of German immigrants during the Civil War and has one of the state’s best antique collections and displays the artwork of Matilda Lotz who was a world-renowned post-Civil War artist who painted animals; 1111 Columbia Avenue
• Nashville Craft Distillery—a distillery known for its small-batch spirits with Nashville-inspired names; 514 Hagan Street
• Nashville Shores—a water park and marina on Percy Priest Lake that has a 25,000-square-foot wave pool, a 1,000-foot-long lazy river float experience, and an adventure park with zip lines, cargo nets, suspended bridges, and other challenges; 4001 Bell Road
• The Arts Gallery—an established art gallery that displays fine-art photography, sculptures, contemporary paintings, and other works with new exhibits monthly; 215 5^th Avenue North
• Big Machine Store and Distillery—a downtown distillery and store that has hand-crafted fine spirits such as premium vodka and Tennessee whiskey, live music, and free samples; 122 3^rd Avenue South
• Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery—a distillery originally established in 1860 that is now a revival of the original Tennessee whiskey company and also crafts award-winning spirits, offers tastings, and has a shop; 1414 Clinton Street
• Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee Haw Brewery—a distillery and brewery that has bars, tasting areas, beer and bottle shops, merchandise, and live entertainment with drinks such as moonshine, cocktails, and beers; 423 6^th Avenue South
• Diskin Cider—Nashville’s first commercial craft cidery that is known for its small-batch ciders but also offers beers, homemade cocktails, and an elevated food menu; 1235 Martin Street
• The Adventure Park at Nashville—an aerial adventure park with 12 treetop trails, axe throwing, and an adventure playground for young children
• Smith Creek Moonshine—a moonshine tasting destination at the Opry Mills shopping mall that has a tasting bar and a store with bottled moonshines, apparel, and sauces; 433 Opry Mills Drive
• Willie Nelson and Friends Museum and Nashville Souvenirs—a museum and shop dedicated to country music icons and Willie Nelson with hundreds of personal items and a shop that has officially licensed Jack Daniel’s merchandise, Nashville gifts, and country music artist T-shirts and gift items; 2613A McGavock Pike
• National Museum of African-American Music—the only museum dedicated to preserving the legacy and accomplishments made in the music genres created, influenced by, and inspired by African Americans with integrated history and interactive technology; 510 Broadway

Sights in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque is the capital city of New Mexico and is home to interesting natural attractions, museums, cultural centers, historic sites, and entertainment for all ages.

• Sandia Park Tramway—the country’s longest aerial tram ride that takes riders 10,378 feet up the Sandia Mountains to see great views of the surrounding area; 30 Tramway Road NE
• Indian Pueblo Cultural Center—a museum and cultural center that is dedicated to telling the story of the Pueblo people through traditional Native American dances every weekend, cultural and community activities, rotating museum exhibits, events with Native American artists, hands-on children’s programs, and art festivals; 2401 12^th Street NW
• National Museum of Nuclear Science and History—a Smithsonian affiliate museum that explores the influence of nuclear science on society through permanent and rotating exhibits and displays and stories about the field’s pioneers; 601 Eubank Boulevard SE
• Petroglyph National Monument—a national monument where up to 15,000 petroglyphs or prehistoric rock art images have been found; 601 Unser Boulevard NW
• Albuquerque Old Town—a historic district founded in 1706 centered around the Plaza and San Felipe de Neri Church built in 1793 that now has shops, galleries, and restaurants; North Plaza Street NW
• 516 Arts—a multi-level nonprofit arts center that has compelling collaborations with international museums and artists across a variety of media with intriguing installations and displays; 516 Central Avenue SW
• ABQ BioPark—an outdoor attraction and nature center with Tingley Beach that has trout ponds, an aquarium, a botanic garden, and a zoo; 903 10^th Street SW
• Albuquerque Museum of Art and History—a modern structure that has a curated selection of contemporary art from the museum’s Southwestern artists and touring shows, the country’s largest collection of Spanish colonial artifacts, 20^th century paintings by artists connected to New Mexico, and a sculpture garden with more than 50 contemporary works by Southwestern artists; 2000 Mountain Road NW
• National Hispanic Cultural Center—a cultural hub that showcases Hispanic culture with an art museum that has dynamic displays of works in a variety of mediums by local and internationally recognized artists, many performance venues, a restaurant, a fresco-lined tower depicting the span of Hispanic and pre-Hispanic history, a genealogy research center and library, and an education center; 1701 4^th Street SW
• New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science—a large modern museum that has an emphasis on New Mexico’s geological origins and the impact of climate changes, displays on different creatures including dinosaurs, a planetarium, and a large-format 3D movie theater; 1801 Mountain Road NW
• Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum of Albuquerque—a hands-on children’s museum that has educational exhibits and science and educational camps throughout the year; 1701 Mountain Road NW
• Rio Grande Botanical Garden—a 36-acre botanical garden that showcases plants of the Southwest and other dry climates and has a 10,000-square-foot conservatory, formal themed gardens, and a demonstration garden; 2601 Central Avenue NW
• Holocaust and Intolerance Museum of New Mexico—a small museum that provides information on the Holocaust and hate groups with unique artifacts and an overview of slavery in the US and Armenian and Rwandan genocide; 616 Central Avenue SW
• Maxwell Museum of Anthropology—a museum with exhibits and programs related to world cultures with a special focus on the cultural heritage of the Southwest; 1111 University Boulevard at University of New Mexico
• Gutierrez Hubbell House—a cultural and agricultural learning center developed to document, research, and preserve history, maintain open spaces, protect wildlife, and teach agricultural heritage; 6029 Isleta Boulevard SW
• ABQ Surf and Slide—a water park that has lazy river rides, water slides, wading pools, interactive features, and surfing; 2500 Carlisle Boulevard NE
• Rattlesnake Museum—a small museum that is home to dozens of rattlesnakes and desert reptiles and interesting exhibits; 202 San Felipe Street NW
• Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge—the Southwest’s first urban refuge that is situated on a former dairy farm that has diverse native habitats and visitor amenities; 7851 2^nd Street SW
• UNM Art Museum—an art museum that has 20^th and 21^st century prints, photos, and paintings with rotating exhibits of its 30,000 archived pieces with major works by modernist icons, shows, lectures, and gallery talks; 1 University of New Mexico
• Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum—a museum that celebrates the city’s legacy as the hot-air ballooning capital of the world with displays of several fully inflated historic balloons and large- and small-scale replicas of gas balloons and zeppelins and interactive stations where children can design their own balloons; 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE
• Downtown Growers’ Market—a farmers’ market held every Saturday morning from April to mid-November that has fresh produce, live music, and handmade goods; Central Avenue at 8^th Street NW
• Special Collections Library and Center for the Book—an old library that served as the main city library for 50 years before being repurposed as the Special Collections division in 1975 that houses a significant genealogy center and a small museum featuring historic printing presses and related items with rotating exhibits in the main reading room; 423 Central Avenue NE
• Tamarind Institute—a world-renowned institution that helped revive the art of lithographic printing which involves working with plates of traditional stone and modern metal that also has a small gallery featuring prints and lithographs by expert and emerging printers; 2500 Central Avenue SE
• Turquoise Museum—a museum that showcases turquoise through a guided tour that takes visitors through a simulated mine shaft and then displays showpieces and examples from more than 65 mines on four continents, information on how turquoise is formed, and how it was used in prehistoric times; 2107 Central Avenue NW
• Unser Racing Museum—a museum dedicated to car racing and the Unser family whose four generations of racers have been icons in the sport since the early 20^th century and the museum has exhibits on the places where the Unsers got serious about racing, a study of their legacy at the Indianapolis 500, and some virtual racers; 1776 Montano Road NW
• Albuquerque Aquarium—an aquarium that is home to ocean and marine life and has a shark tank, reef exhibits, sea turtles, and other attractions; 2601 Central Avenue NW
• Cliff’s Amusement Park—an amusement park known for its carnival-style rides, a water adventure ride, water-based children’s play, boardwalk games, and snacks; 4800 Osuna Road NE