Choose from 2,596 Fun Things to Do in North America
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
- San Diego’s Birch Aquarium is a must-do for families with kids.
- Buy your tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line at the ticket booth.
- Expect to spend about two to three hours exploring the exhibits.
- The aquarium is wheelchair accessible and offers 3-hour free parking.
Bird Kingdom Niagara Falls
- Bird Kingdom is ideal for bird enthusiasts and families.
- Allow around one to two hours to properly explore Bird Kingdom.
- Bird-watching enthusiasts may want to bring binoculars to get a closer look.
- Most of Bird Kingdom, except for the Javanese House, is accessible to wheelchair users.
Big Island of Hawaii Cruise Port
If you don’t want to take an organized tour, a rental car is the best way to get around, as the island’s most popular features lie outside the villages and there is little in the way of public transport.
How to get to the Big Island
Cruises dock in either Kailua-Kona, on the west side of the island, or Hilo, on the east side. If you pull into Kailua-Kona, ships anchor in Kailua Bay and you’ll be tendered to Kailua village. In Hilo, ships dock in the cargo port a couple of miles from downtown. Taxis, a bus and rental car shuttles pick up at the port for trips to downtown Hilo or the airport to pick up rental cars (reserve your rental car in advance – they book up fast).
One day in Hilo
Downtown Hilo is a walkable historic area, and there are several museums and cultural sites. Start at the Pacific Tsunami Museum, a memorial to the 1946 and 1960 tsunamis that destroyed parts of the town and killed many residents. Located in an old bank, the museum includes a wave simulator that allows you to experience the feeling of moving water. Don’t be afraid to get chatty with volunteers – you may meet one who is a tsunami survivor.
Next, check out another Hilo museum, the Lyman House Museum, whose exhibits detail Hawaii’s missionary history. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Then enjoy a stroll around town, checking out historical Hawaiian landmarks like the King Kamehameha statue and the Naha Stone.
Make your way to Lili'uokalani Gardens, Japanese gardens built on the waterfront to honor Hawaii’s Japanese immigrants. Have a bite of sushi here or just soak up the serene environment.
Port Information
Africam Safari
Practical Info
Biltmore Estate
- The number of visitors allowed inside the Biltmore House is controlled, so it is best to buy tickets in advance to guarantee entry. Advance reservations are required on certain days.
- The self-guided tour along a marked route through the home takes at least two hours. Guided, 90-minute tours are available for an additional fee.
- You need a car to travel between locations on the Biltmore Estate. A shuttle is available between the Biltmore House parking lot and the front door.
- Only the first and second floors of the Biltmore House are wheelchair accessible.
Black Hills
Practical Info
Billy Bob's Texas Honky Tonk
- Billy Bob’s Texas Honky Tonk is a must-visit for families and first-time Texas visitors.
- Guests over 18 might be asked to present a valid government issued ID to enter.
- Billy Bob’s is wheelchair accessible, and handicapped parking is available.
African American Museum in Philadelphia
Practical Info
Agua Azul
Practical Info
Biograph Theater
Practical Info
Blenheim Vineyards
- Blenheim Vineyards is a lovely spot for wine aficionados visiting the area.
- There is a small fee for wine tastings and a slightly higher fee to sample the reserve wines.
- Due to the size of the tasting room, groups larger than eight cannot be accommodated from November to March.
- For groups between eight and 15 guests, you must reserve in advance.
Biscayne National Park
- There is no fee to access the park.
- Boca Chita Key and Elliot Key are open year-round for boat-in camping on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Most snorkel and scuba tours include the use of equipment, but you can bring your own if you like.
- Nature lovers can combine a stop here with visits to nearby Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum
The first planetarium built in the western hemisphere, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum still captures intergalactic imaginations. From the entrance, visitors descend below the building, which has 12 sides, one for each sign of the zodiac. In the newest wing, a digital sky show recreates such cataclysmic phenomena as supernovas. Interactive exhibits allow you to simulate cosmic events such as a meteor hitting the earth (this one is especially cool).
Inside, the main attraction is the StarRider Theater, where you’ll take a 30 minute virtual reality trip through deep space, with eye-popping 3-D graphics. You’ll literally feel like you’re floating in space. The planetarium's exhibition galleries are equally engaging, with myriad displays and interactive activities. A must-see exhibit is “Shoot For The Moon,” an interactive exhibit on lunar exploration. Other exhibits include “From the Night Sky to the Big Bang,” which highlights the planetarium's extensive collection of astronomical artifacts.
Near the entrance to the Adler is a 12 foot (4 meter) sundial dedicated to the golden years of astronomy. West of the sundial, in the median, a bronze statue of Copernicus shows the 16th century Polish astronomer holding a compass and a model of the solar system.
Practical Info
Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum is located on the Museum Campus in the South Loop, just off Lakeshore Drive. Both buses and El lines get you here. Nearby attractions include the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History, which are all within walking distance. The whole place can be easily covered in less than two hours.
The sky show programs last about 50 minutes. On the first Friday night of every month - aka Far Out Fridays - the Adler's astronomers bring out their telescopes and let you view the skies along with them. The museum café has great views of the lakefront and skyline.
Adirondacks
Practical Info
Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site
Practical Info
Admiralty Island
Practical Info
African-American Civil War Museum
Every museum has a mission, and the African-American Civil War Museum makes the point that for some, the Civil War was about secession versus union, but for others, it was a matter of breaking human bondage.
The museum illustrates their message through a stunning permanent collection of photographs, documents, and some audiovisual programs, which follows African American history from the Civil War through the Civil Rights movement. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Project allows visitor to search for ancestors in databases of black troops, regiments, and battles.
Nearby is the African-American Civil War Memorial. At the center of a granite plaza, the bronze statue of rifle-bearing troops is surrounded on three sides by the Wall of Honor, listing the names of 209,145 black troops who fought in the Union Army, as well as the 7,000 white soldiers who served alongside them. Use the directory to locate individual names within the regiments.
Practical Info
The African-American Civil War Museum is located on U Street, in Columbia Heights, which is northeast from downtown. The neighborhood is accessible via metro and bus, and also is a hub for restaurants and nightlife.
Black Canyon
One of the best ways to experience the Black Canyon and the Colorado River is to take a guided rafting tours led by experienced professionals versed in the local geology, flora, fauna, and folklore.
Many tours offer a full day of sightseeing along the calm waters of Lake Mead and the Colorado River, complete with complimentary box lunches and transportation to and from the area.
Another popular way to take in the area is via helicopter tours operating out of Las Vegas. Beginning with a ride to McCarran Airport in a limousine, select tours ferry you to the canyon in cutting-edge six-passenger A-Star jet helicopters, where you'll embark on a mellow rafting trip from the base of the damn downriver to vans or buses waiting to return you to your hotel. The trip out includes beautiful views of the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, and the surrounding country.
Travelers bent on treating themselves to a first rate trip can also opt for a variation on the helicopter tour that involves a touch down in the Grand Canyon, where you'll indulge in a champagne breakfast before flying to historic Boulder City and proceeding with the rafting trip.
Bloedel Floral Conservatory
- The Bloedel Conservatory is an ideal rainy- or cold-day destination for families.
- Pick up a bird-watching checklist from the front desk to help you identify the various species you see.
- The conservatory is wheelchair accessible.
Bishop Museum
For the lowdown on Polynesian lore, legend, history and anthropology, drop into the Bishop Museum. Far from dry, displays range from woven hats, sculptures and scientific exhibits to planetarium shows and historical artifacts.