What to do and see in United States, United States: The Best Hidden Gems Things to do

November 16, 2021 Jeremy Dunfee

Spanning 2,800 miles (4,506 kilometers) from east to west, the US is a vast patchwork of landscapes and metropolises. From Arizona’s red-rocked canyons and California’s coastal beaches to New York’s big city and Virginia’s storied past, it covers any topic any traveler could want or need.
Restaurants in United States

1. Kalalau Trail

Kauai, HI +1 808-587-0400 [email protected] http://www.gohawaii.com/
Excellent
83%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,655 reviews

Kalalau Trail

This place is temporarily closed. Kauai's hiking trail along the Na Pali coast.

Reviewed By wolverineJACK21 - Midland, United States

My family just got back from Kauai. We stayed near the NaPali coast. We had anyone from age 29-64 with us. There is a new rule now where you MUST have a park pass weeks ahead of time before being able to hike the Kalalau trail. We made this mistake and got sent away the first time. If you can’t get a pass, the best way to get access to the park is via the shuttle. The shuttle pass comes with entry to the park which is nice. The shuttle system is actually pretty efficient too. We took our shuttle from Princeville. After arriving, you have a 0.5 mile easy hike to the trailhead. There are bathrooms and a beach with a lifeguard here. If you want to hike, the trail itself is well marked and reasonably safe for the first two miles. It is mainly rocks but is wide and easily hike-able for people of all ages. There are tiny streams that you may have to step over but nothing too crazy. At the end, you hike down to a river. We went during the winter and the river was too high and too fast to cross. I recommend bring water shoes in a backpack to cross the river so that your hiking shoes aren’t soaked. It was at least waist high when we went. There is a small beach that you can hike down to which is nice. Overall, this trail is beautiful. I’m bummed we couldn’t make it to the waterfall on the other side of the river but highly recommend this.

2. Canaveral National Seashore

+1 321-267-1110 http://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm
Excellent
81%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
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Terrible
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5.0 based on 894 reviews

Canaveral National Seashore

Reviewed By Sunseekergirl77 - Moorhead, United States

We were traveling with a group (staying in Orlando - 1.5 hr away), many of whom had never seen the Atlantic before, so we chose this beach to take them to, to see the Atlantic side of Florida. It was near the time a hurricane was heading toward Bermuda, etc. so the seas were really rough, but everyone had a great time running in the surf, playing in the sand and even swimming a little. We have visited this beach a few times while staying in Orlando and have enjoyed walking the beach, looking for shells, watching the fishermen on the bay side and frequently see dolphins and manatees over by the visitor center - which was true for this visit as well. Disappointed they close the bathrooms up at the visitor center so early!

3. Colorado National Monument

+1 970-858-3617 http://www.nps.gov/colm/index.htm
Excellent
84%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
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5.0 based on 1,724 reviews

Colorado National Monument

This monument, 23,000 acres of canyons, plateaus and massive towers of naturally sculpted monoliths, includes Balance Rock, a 600-ton boulder perched on a rock pedestal. Two entrances are located outside the cities of Fruita and Grand Junction, Colorado.

Reviewed By NyonyaLady - Albuquerque, United States

My hubby grew up here and it is my third visit to the national monument. So when we were visiting our friend in Fruita, we thought it would be a great idea to take a leisure drive to enjoy the stunning views. We were glad that we did cos on this trip we had an incredible experience witnessing a herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, ewes and rams resting on a flat rock surface before the Independence Monument. It was just amazing! The historic and scenic Rim Rock Drive covers twenty-three unforgettable miles of the monument as you journey through a winding a twisting adventure of spectacular red rock canyons, sleek drop offs and colorful panoramic views of majestic landscapes and unrefined beauty. Massive and intimidating, yet striking and colorful formations of natural red rock seem to close in on you during many of the twists and turns along the way until suddenly it opens up to fascinating scenes that overlook the distant and wide-open plains of Colorado. The road itself can seem a bit intimidating, several narrow tunnels and sections like Dead Man's Curve certainly require your attention, and when the weather permits you'll find yourself sharing the limited space with daring cyclists who come here seeking the extremely difficult and tenacious climb. Numerous overlooks along the way offer areas to pull over and take in the magnificent views of some of the more well-known landmarks such as Balanced Rock, Monument Canyon, Grand View or even Coke Ovens Overlook and in the middle of all of this stands alone, Independence Monument. It's a flat top peak and if you look closely you might recognize it as the rock from the Chevy commercials. There's a visitors center closer to the western edge near Fruita and it offers restrooms along the way, but more importantly it provided us a deeper look into this truly incredible phenomenon and the fascinating evolution it has endured. So, if you're ever driving through this part of Colorado and you have some extra time, I highly recommend getting to know this powerful and great natural beauty of the Amercan West.

4. National Automobile Museum

10 S Lake St, Reno, NV 89501-1558 +1 775-333-9300 [email protected] http://www.automuseum.org/
Excellent
79%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
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Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,760 reviews

National Automobile Museum

Offering more than 224 vehicles on display, this museum contains one of the greatest car collections anywhere.

Reviewed By charlesdenises2015

Amazing to see old autos in such great shape. This was the largest auto collection that I have seen. I saw a couple of "firsts" like a gold plated Delorean, Elvis owned Cadillac, cars used in movies.. Allow about 2 hours to walk thru and see it all, so many, and some are one of a kind, signed, or other special detail.

5. Billy Graham Library

4330 Westmont Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217-1001 +1 704-401-3200 [email protected] http://billygrahamlibrary.org/
Excellent
84%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
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Poor
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5.0 based on 2,409 reviews

Billy Graham Library

Journey through history with one of the most influential voices of the 20th century. Learn more about Billy Graham and his message of God’s love. Through multimedia exhibits, films, and memorabilia, you'll relive the historic moments of his life. Tour the restored Graham family home, shop in Ruth’s Attic, and enjoy lunch in the Dairy Bar. The Billy Graham Library will leave you inspired by this amazing man and his message of hope.

Reviewed By SilverStar092

This site is a wonderful experience as it includes the Graham homestead, a building housing displays of key events in Rev. Graham's life and a good dairy bar that is perfect for lunch. The grounds offer some nice walking paths as well. Amazingly there is no charge to visit and this is a great place to spend a couple hours.

6. Allagash Brewery

50 Industrial Way, Portland, ME 04103-1042 +1 207-878-5385 [email protected] http://www.allagash.com
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
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5.0 based on 1,137 reviews

Allagash Brewery

We are currently open for tastings and sell plenty of year-round and brewery-only beer to go. We are not currently booking brewery tours, but we have a food truck onsite featuring lobster rolls and other tasty treats for you to make a day of it. So if you're in the area, stop by and say hello! Allagash Brewing Company strives to make the best Belgian-inspired beer in the world. Founded in Portland, Maine, the brewery loves giving back to the community—and state—that has supported it since 1995. In 2019 the brewery became a Certified B Corp and Allagash founder Rob Tod won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. Allagash currently stands as one of the 50 largest craft breweries in the U.S. (by sales volume) and has earned a spot on Maine’s Best Places to Work list for seven years running. Allagash is distributed in: CA, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL (Chicagoland only), MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT, and WI.

Reviewed By PowPow29 - West Hartford, United States

My friends and I booked the Saturday 1:00pm tour. (Book your tickets ahead of time; they fill up!) We had a great time sampling different beers and learning about the history of the brewery. We stayed afterwards to enjoy the beautiful weather, our favorite beers, and a quick bite at the food truck (Bite into Maine) that parks right outside. They have an outstanding lobster grilled cheese.

7. Musical Instrument Museum

4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050-6920 +1 480-478-6000 [email protected] http://www.mim.org/
Excellent
90%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
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5.0 based on 6,330 reviews

Musical Instrument Museum

The World's Only Global Musical Instrument Museum. Home of the MIM Music Theater--a 300-seat acoustically superb performance space--as well as the award-winning Café Allegro (open 11 am - 2 pm daily) and the MIM Museum Store. The average guest spends nearly four hours at MIM. Please allow plenty of time to fully enjoy MIM's galleries and exhibits. Open daily, 9 am - 5 pm; Closed Thanksgiving; Open Christmas, 11 am - 5 pm. General Admission: $20; Teens (ages 13-19): $15; Children (ages 4-12): $10; Children 3 and under: Free. Hours and prices are subject to change.

Reviewed By P1520TPandrewk

1. Expect to spend at least five hours or more! 2. Wear comfortable shoes! 3. Take your camera, phone charger etc.. 4. For Musicians, music lovers etc... 5. Bucket List Item 6. All styles of music represented 7. 777 Jackpot Rating! Go and see this place!

8. McCarthy's Wildlife

12943 61st St N, West Palm Beach, FL 33412-2017 +1 561-790-2116 [email protected] http://www.mccarthyswildlife.com
Excellent
96%
Good
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5.0 based on 3,118 reviews

McCarthy's Wildlife

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! : Eight lush acres of endangered wildlife surrounded by a botanical garden situated in the palmetto and pine forest of West Palm Beach! Over 200 animals from White Tigers to African Lions, Black Leopards, Ligers, Lynx and Amur Leopards seen from just four feet away. You can't get any closer than this by law! Hands on experiences with alligators, snakes, tarantulas, and who knows what else. You will have to come by and experience it for yourself! We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit wildlife rescue facility that take in injured native wildlife, orphaned babies, and unwanted exotic pets! Your experience here helps us with the tremendous expense of caring for our animals. Price is $35.00 for adults and $25.00 for children (ages 5yrs.-15yrs).

Reviewed By ehmegee

This was our second trip to McCarthy but definitely won’t be our last. Here are a few of the things that make McCarthy a must-see (in our humble opinions). STAFF: Our tour guide, Lisa, was superb. She knew the history of the animals, answered all questions asked by our group throughout the tour, and provided detailed information on each of the animals; both in terms of the species and individual creatures’ lives. The tours are well organized and they do an excellent job of keeping everything on track and groups together, without rushing everyone. We had several mobility impaired individuals in our tour group and the presence of many chairs/benches along the way offers respite to those who need it as we stop at each creature. RESPECT: There is a clear culture of mutual respect cultivated at McCarthy’s: the animals are all clearly content and enjoy their lives, and cared for by total professionals. The keepers all clearly care about the animals and speak to them like old friends, but respect their autonomy and power (big cats in particular) and treat them accordingly. There are tons of lovely animals to fall a little bit in love with, and the accompanying talks about them, occasionally delving into what makes them unsuitable as domestic pets, are as timely as they are educational. INTERACTION: We did get to interact with Snowball the boa constrictor and a little baby alligator, which was fun. These interactions were well-structured and for those who opted to participate in the interactive portion, they were given clear instructions for how and when to handle them, always under direct supervision. EXPERIENCE: In my view, the best way to approach this experience is as a privilege: it is an opportunity to come alongside & learn from a great organization. This facility is doing incredible rehabilitation & education work, and there is always something new to learn and see, as well as some long-term residents to check in with. For animal lovers, it is especially exciting to see these wonderful creatures up close and to be certain that they are being well cared for and that their quality of life is excellent (or as good as it can possibly be for some of the rescued/rehabilitated creatures - the one-winged turkey vulture that they nursed back to health after being hit by a truck is living the best life he could, even though he would be unsuitable for the wild with only one wing). My husband and I were here a year and a half ago, again today, and now intend to visit every time we’re in the area. This incredible nonprofit deserves all the support it can get.

9. Dry Tortugas National Park

Key West, FL 33040-6932 +1 305-294-7009 http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm
Excellent
83%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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5.0 based on 5,302 reviews

Dry Tortugas National Park

Reviewed By Vacation736046 - Boynton Beach, United States

We are so grateful we got to do this before the coronavirus shut everything down. Fabulous history and fabulous birds ( magnificent frigate birds, sooty terns, etc)..The boat ride over is pleasant with breakfast and lunch provided and info from a guide...This was a bucket list item and it exceeded all expectations!

10. St. Augustine Distillery

112 Riberia St, St. Augustine, FL 32084-4351 +1 904-825-4962 [email protected] http://www.staugustinedistillery.com
Excellent
82%
Good
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Satisfactory
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5.0 based on 8,108 reviews

St. Augustine Distillery

St. Augustine Distillery is a locally owned and operated, artisanal spirits distillery in historic, downtown St. Augustine. Located within a beautifully restored ice plant from the turn-of-the-century, our mission is simple: Educate and inspire our guests about our handcrafted, award-winning rum, bourbon whiskey, gin, and vodka. All of our spirits are made from local and regional agricultural products. The result is undeniable; world-class spirits that create the best local cocktails imaginable. Come taste for yourself. St. Augustine Distillery offers free tours and tastings seven days a week.

Reviewed By kristincW3725BV - Sarasota, United States

The St. Augustine Distillery tour is a must-do! It’s a free tour and Nick is a great tour guide/bartender.The samples are excellent, especially the Florida Mule and Rum Tiki. You won’t regret this off-the-beaten path stop.

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