OT: Best American Tourist Attraction visited

[alexd]

The world's second largest ball of twine (Cawker City, Kansas)

 

[usedtoberats]

All of Hawaii really, but "tourist attraction," USS Missouri in my book. Highly underrated by most guides. Take a guided tour.

Other touristy Hawai-lites

Halawa Bay, Molokai
Kalaupapa, Molokai
Road to Hana, Maui
Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tour, Maui
Makena Beach, Maui
Honolua Bay, Maui
Sunset at Kee Beach, Kauai
JoJo's Shave Ice, Kauai
Surf Lessons at Poipu Beach, Lunch at Brennecke's Grill, Kauai
Zodiac Tour to Captain Cook's Monument, Big Island
Volcano's National Park, Big Island
Sunset Dinner at Duke's on Waikiki (Ultimate tourist activity, but worth it for the Hula Pie)

dont forget Lahaina Civic Center

 

[auror]

Driving through Southern Nevada into Utah - absolutely ridiculous mountains and canyons.

Similarly, drove from Northern Arizona into Utah through Monument Valley past midnight in the pitch black. One of the most terrifying (but in an exhilarating way) experiences of my life. It's a route you can take from Grand Canyon to Moab. Highly recommended, but prepare yourself if at night.

 

[Doginaus]

I have a few;
* The Panama Canal (has to be one of the modern wonders of the world) the sheer magnitude of the work needed to complete this project was absolutely amazing! This has to be one of the most amazing feats ever.
* going up to the head of the Statue of Liberty (what a view, and that spiral staircase inside is crazy!)
* sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Franfreako
* visiting the Alamo in San Antonio (standing in awe inside and learning that there was one person from the state of Connecticut who fought and died at the Alamo)
* sailing the inside passage in SE Alaska (beautiful)
* last but not least; watching a game at Fenway Park in 1973-74 with Luis Tiant, Carl Yastrezmsk, Carlton Fisk, etc...playing (shivers!)

 

[8893]

* visiting the Alamo in San Antonio (standing in awe inside and learning that there was one person from the state of Connecticut who fought and died at the Alamo)

This was one of the most underwhelming to me. Hindsight is 20/20 of course, but I was shocked that they considered it a good design for a fortress.

 

[Vancat]

Yellowstone

 

[RichZ]

Fort Ticonderoga...

It's not an awe inspiring natural phenomenon like the Grand Canyon that will stay with you the rest of your life, but when we visited the fort years ago, it was a wonderful experience, due more than anything to the tour guide we happened to get by luck. She was a local grammar school history teacher, and was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about the history of the place. She made us appreciate the hardship and the sacrifice that went into that history. The fort was great, but she was amazing!

Still the Grand Canyon... There's not a picture or film in the world that can prepare you for its majesty.

 

[joober jones]

My favorites so far have been the Great Salt Lake and the Gateway Arch.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think we can safely remove Tahoe from the list.

Plague detected at Lake Tahoe-area campground


RENO — A flea from a yellow chipmunk in the Lake Tahoe area tested positive for plague, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

On Tuesday, the Lake Tahoe Basin Unit of the Forest Service, El Dorado County, Calif., officials and the California Department of Public Health reported they confirmed the presence of plague in the flea taken from Fallen Leaf Campground. The campground is about a quarter mile north of Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe.

 

[Kitaman]

This was one of the most underwhelming to me. Hindsight is 20/20 of course, but I was shocked that they considered it a good design for a fortress.

I was in San Antonio on business 20+ years ago and decided to go outside of the hotel for a walk. Around 5 minutes later I see people going in and out of a sizable hut. When I approached I was shocked to learn it was the Alamo. After all the Alamo movies I was expecting something grand but it was sadly disappointing (for me). Although I knew the Alamo was in San Antonio I would never have thought it would be right near a hotel downtown.

Somehow I think I might have enjoyed it more if I didn't bump into it and it wasn't so empty (albeit it was a weekday around 5pm).

 

[Jerry1714]

Ocean Course at Kiawah
Pebble Beach
Bandon Dunes

 

[storrsroars]

I have a few;
* The Panama Canal (has to be one of the modern wonders of the world) the sheer magnitude of the work needed to complete this project was absolutely amazing! This has to be one of the most amazing feats ever.

My colleague and I had half a day to kill in Panama City back in 1994, so we hired a cab to take us to the Canal. So we see the visitor's center and a working lock and it's impressive and all. But the best part of the trip was on the way back when the cabbie took us on a tour of all the buildings the US shot up looking for Noriega. The play-by-play commentary was priceless.

 

[8893]

I was in San Antonio on business 20+ years ago and decided to go outside of the hotel for a walk. Around 5 minutes later I see people going in and out of a sizable hut. When I approached I was shocked to learn it was the Alamo. After all the Alamo movies I was expecting something grand but it was sadly disappointing (for me). Although I knew the Alamo was in San Antonio I would never have thought it would be right near a hotel downtown.

Somehow I think I might have enjoyed it more if I didn't bump into it and it wasn't so empty (albeit it was a weekday around 5pm).

I visited in very early April 2004, so it was a pretty great and very memorable trip nonetheless...

 

[uconnfan68]

Best man-made tourist attraction: It’s a toss-up between Disneyland and Disney World.

If you’re looking for natural beauty, the Grand Canyon can’t be beat, especially when viewed from the south rim. It is literally impossible to take a bad photograph there. Just lean over the railing as far as you can, point, and “click”.

I thought the North Rim was nicer, but maybe just not as touristy.

 

[mauconnfan]

Live Duval Street Web Cam in Key West, Florida :: Sloppy Joe's Bar ::

 

[huskypantz]

I have plenty of stuff still on the list, but Mt Rushmore/Custer, driving down the PCH from San Fran to LA, Hoover Dam and the enormity of NYC are among my favorites.

For global greats, Angkor Wat in Cambodia was easily the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Visited Yosemite for the first time a few weeks ago -- the view from Glacier Point was absolutely stunning. The hike up from the valley floor is totally rewarding, don't just wuss out and drive to the top.

I also have to second the Na Pali coast on Kauai, or really just about anywhere on Kauai.

I've been itching to do the Utah parks and Yellowstone for a while.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

the area around yosemite is incredible, the tetons are pretty great too, but u need to hike into the canyons. And yes Grand Canyon is like nothing else

 

[WillB4]

Horsepacking into Teton National Forest outside of Jackson Hole. End of July, camped at 7,000 feet, frost every morning. Night sky was a sight to behold and a passing rain shower coming through the forest sounded like a freight train.

 

[ConnZag3]

Must not be too many midwesterners on this board because this certainly has to be right up there

Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota

 

[Chin Diesel]

Live Duval Street Web Cam in Key West, Florida :: Sloppy Joe's Bar ::

I've done Duval St. many times. Fantasy Fest in October has to be seen to be believed.

 

[tdrink]

I've seen nearly everything mentioned here except for Alaska which is high on my bucket list.

Hard to pick favorites but Yosemite would be up there with Na Pali and the Utah parks. I'd include the outer Cape and Maine coast as well. San Francisco is easily my favorite city, I could walk around for days there just looking at the architecture.

Glacier NP in Montana has some of the nicest scenery, but I saw so many bears I didn't do much hiking there.

 

[jibsey]

Cooperstown NY

 

[Bliss]

Wife and I drove old Route 66 from Chi to Santa Monica in a very cool '87 Monte Carlo with t-tops and duel glass-paks twenty years ago. Loved it all, especially; all of NM, Grand Canyon, petrified forest, mountain 66 from Seligman, AZ to Oatman, Mojave, and the conclusion at Santa Monica pier. Then we headed north up the PCH to SF and were just blown away with the road and its scenery. Great times.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

8 mile in Detroit is really something to behold