Things to Do in North America

Yoho is the Cree Nation’s expression for awe and wonder, which makes it a very fitting name for Yoho National Park, home of jaw-dropping natural wonders like Lake O’Hara, Emerald Lake and the Kicking Horse River. Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors, Jasper and Banff, Yoho National Park is situated in British Columbia, on the western slopes of the Canadian Rockies. 

Surrounded by the Presidents Range, Emerald Lake is Yoho’s most famous attraction, and its 10-kilometer access road passes some of the most spectacular settings in the entire park. The Kicking Horse River carves a natural bridge through ancient stone; a five-kilometer walking trail circumnavigates the lake; hiking trails sprout off in all directions; and the Emerald Lake Lodge provides a luxurious mountain getaway.

Higher up, between Wapta Mountain and Mount Field is the 505-million-year-old Burgess Shale sea floor. Known as one of the world’s most significant animal fossil discoveries, the Burgess Shale is exceptional for its surprising age, diversity, and preservation. It’s possible to visit the site, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Both the Walcott Quarry and Mount Stephen Fossil Bed hikes take seven to 10 hours, and all hikers must be accompanied by a Parks Canada interpretive guide. Spots are limited, but it’s possible to make reservations in advance or join in on a first-come first-serve basis. 

Lake O’Hara is another popular hiking destination, although access is limited. A public bus, which runs four times daily between June and October, is the only way to access the area and reservations can be made three months in advance.

Yorkville, situated northeast of the University of Toronto, has transformed into a chic, high-end shopping district lined with luxury stores, art galleries, restaurants, and historic homes. Known in the 1960s as the "hippie capital of Canada," Yorkville was once home to cultural personalities, including Joni Mitchell and Margaret Atwood.

 

As one of Toronto’s historic neighborhoods, Yorkville is a stop on most hop-on hop-off bus tours, a convenient way for visitors to explore without the hassle of navigating on their own. Others opt for private tours, tacking a meal or visit to the high-end “Mink Mile” shopping strip onto their customized itineraries. A private guide provides context about historic landmarks that visitors often miss when exploring alone.

 

 

Located northeast of the University of Toronto, Yorkville is easily accessible via Toronto’s comprehensive public transit system. The nearest Metro stops are Museum Station on the line 1 and Bay Station on the line 2, or take bus 300 or 6 to Bloor Street West and Bay Street. Alternatively, Toronto’s bike-share program offers a more scenic route. A bike dock is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Bloor and Bay streets.

 

As an upscale shopping and dining hub, Yorkville is busiest at dinnertime and on weekends. Visit during these hours to get a feel for the bustle and atmosphere of the neighborhood. For a quieter experience, go just as the shops open around 10am. Yorkville also hosts an annual summer car show, where locals and visitors flock to pedestrian-only streets for luxury car displays, as well as a winter ice festival that showcases elaborate sculptures.

 

After 18 years of lobbying for public green space, residents convinced the city in 1992 to build Yorkville Park on top of a former parking lot. The park is divided into 11 sections that represent Canada’s distinct landscapes, from forests to prairies, and features a 1-billion-year-old rock from the Canadian Shield. Sandwiched between historic homes and upscale boutiques, Yorkville Park is an ideal spot to relax, eat lunch, or people-watch.

Though the sprawling Zion National Park covers 229 square miles, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the most popular section of the park. In fact, this winding drive up Zion Canyon is so popular that from March 15 until mid-October, the nine-mile drive is only accessible by riding the Zion Park Shuttle. Along the way, there are stopping points for major sights—from Zion Lodge and the Court of the Patriarchs to the trailhead for Emerald Pools—and the scenic drive reaches its terminus at the Temple of Sinawava. While visitors must ride the shuttle in summer, the road is open to private vehicles during the late-fall and winter. There is a decent amount of parking at most of the stops, although during the holiday visiting season the road can be congested and parking can be a bit tough. Nevertheless, this is the main vein that leads through canyon and offers accessible day hiking and views, and takes an entire day to explore properly from the south end of the canyon to the top.

With two blocks of public green space in downtown San Francisco, Yerba Buena Gardens offers a refuge in the middle of one of the city’s busiest areas. Located next to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the gardens include public art, waterfalls, and landscaped lawns for relaxing and people-watching.

 

There’s no need to make a special trip to Yerba Buena Gardens. It’s within a few blocks of some of the city’s top museums, shopping centers, and entertainment venues, including San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the Museum of the African Diaspora, the California Historical Society, the Children’s Creativity Museum, Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center, Westfield Shopping Centre, and the Metreon complex with restaurants and movie theaters.

 

In addition to pairing a visit to Yerba Buena Gardens with a museum visit or other amusements, tourists can enjoy the gardens as part of a guided walking tour, or an independent excursion via Segway or a classic VW Bug.

 

 

The Yerba Buena Gardens are bordered by Mission, Howard, 3rd, and 4th streets in the city’s South of Market (SOMA) district. It’s a short walk to the gardens from the BART and MUNI train stations on Powell and Montgomery streets. By city bus, take the 14, 15, 30, or 45 route. Metered street parking is available around the gardens, but check posted signs for limits.

 

The gardens are open daily from 6am until 10pm. Special events, such as an Easter egg hunt and Halloween Hoopla, and the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, showcase musical and cultural programs throughout the year.

 

This cultural center, spread across two buildings—the YBCA Theater and the Gallery & Forum Building—features music and dance performances, contemporary art exhibits, art installations, and film screenings. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Created by two aerospace engineers who turned their interest to wine making, ZD Wines has a family history three generations strong in Napa Valley. The deLeuze family offers a number of ways for visitors to add ZD Wines to their Napa itinerary. Along with tasting, guests have the opportunity to learn about farming and the art of wine making. A variety of tours are offered by appointment.

The Eco Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting offers an education about organic farming and includes a walk through the organically certified Estate Cabernet Vineyard. It also includes a wine tasting paired with a selection of artisan cheeses. If you’re more interested in what’s happening inside winery walls, the Cellar Tour includes a private tour of the cellar and barrel tastings.

Experience one of the most iconic views in California's Death Valley National Park from the overlook at Zabriskie Point. Located in the Amargosa Range on the east side of Death Valley, Zabriskie Point is surrounded by an otherworldly, maze-like landscape formed by the erosion of long-arid sediments in the Furnace Creek Lake area.

This view, often coveted on day trips to Death Valley from cities like Las Vegas, is best seen at sunrise or sunset when the sunlight paints beautiful colors across the crags and canyons of the badlands.

Both the stadium’s interior and exterior were meant to mimic the design of the original site, and the new one features a Yankees Museum with a “ball wall” exhibit, which is simply hundreds of baseballs autographed by famous players, including Babe Ruth. The ballpark can hold more than 50,000 fans and also serves as the venue for occasional concerts and for the home games of Major League Soccer's New York Redbulls.

At the Grand Canyon's Yavapai Point, travelers can experience what many consider the best views along the South Rim, with unobstructed landscapes seen in both directions along the river gorge. From Yavapai Point, you can catch sight of Arizona's Colorado River, Plateau Point and Bright Angel Canyon.

The nearby visitor center here is also home to the Yavapai Museum of Geology, which features exhibits covering the canyon's history and how the various formations were shaped. The museum also has panoramic windows that provide another spot with spectacular views where visitors can enjoy the scenery in air-conditioned comfort. Yavapai Point is often included in day trips to the Grand Canyon from other Arizona cities like Sedona and Flagstaff.

Located a quick and easy 15 minutes north of Napa, Yountville is a fun addition to any wine country vacation must-do list. It’s the type of place where you don’t necessarily need to have a plan. Park the car when you arrive and wander down Washington Street. There are numerous tasting rooms to choose from including Jessup Cellars and Girard Napa Valley. 

If only bubbly will do, it’s just a quick ride to Domain Chandon. Tours and tastings are offered regularly. Yountville is also a tasty place to be when hunger strikes. The list of gourmet restaurants is long; Ad Hoc Restaurant, Bistro Jeanty, Bouchon Bistro, and Bouchon Bakery. Then there’s The French Laundry, known around the world for its amazing food and hard-to-get reservations.

The Town of Yountville gets its name from founding father George C. Yount, the first person to plant grapes in the area.

One of the United States’ most popular national parks, Yosemite is packed with natural beauty and views that never cease to amaze. From the majestic mountain peaks to the green meadows on the valley floor (plus all the waterfalls and groves of tall Sequoia trees in between), there’s no shortage of outdoor and leisure activities set against the park’s epic views. And whether you spend a single day or stay for a multi-day camping trip, you’ll feel a deeper appreciation for the nature at this national treasure.

Yosemite is one of the most popular day trip destinations from San Francisco, often visited on full-day and multi-day excursions from the city. Visit with roundtrip transportation to explore the park independently, or choose a guided experience to see much of the park in a short amount of time. Sightseeing bus tours, valley floor tours, and Glacier Point tours are available, while small-group and private options are offered.

Yosemite National Park is best accessed via car ($20 fee per vehicle). From San Francisco, it’s about a four-hour drive—you’ll cross the Bay Bridge and travel through the Great Central Valley into the Sierra foothills. Following the beautiful Merced River to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you'll enter Yosemite Valley. Most tours from the Bay Area include roundtrip transportation.

Yosemite is accessible year-round, though snow chains may be required in winter. The park is beautiful in every season, but be aware that access to some hiking trails is weather-permitting. Many consider spring the best time to visit—expect crowds in summer and snow activities such as snowshoeing and skiing in winter.

It’s hard to go too wrong, but where to start? The majestic profile of Half Dome is perhaps the most iconic sight in the park. You can also view the mighty mecca that is El Capitan, or hike into Tuolumne Meadows, where giant sequoias surround you. As for waterfalls, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, and Vernal Falls are all must-sees, and when it comes to viewpoints, be sure to check out Glacier Point and Tunnel View.

With a population that’s 99.1 percent Tzotzil Maya, Zinacantan is a destination for travelers who want to witness and explore the lifestyle and history of Mexico’s indigenous people. Visitors can learn about animist traditions and Catholic influence on a visit to one of the town’s churches or visit local artisans creating traditional clothing. A small market selling handmade Mayan goods proves a perfect place to purchase souvenirs or sample local fare. And while this village is worth a visit any time of year, visitors say a guide can help ease the feeling of being an outsider during non-festival seasons when travelers are few and far between. 

The unique wildlife is often a highlight for visitors to the Canadian wilderness. While sightings are far from guaranteed, an afternoon at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve allows for ten of the area’s mammals to be viewed in relatively close proximity. The animals, which include elk, woodland caribou, lynx, moose, bison, mountain goats, and more, are particularly active during feeding times. Spread across more than twelve acres, the animals roam free in their natural habitat.

The trails running through the reserve total around 5 kilometers, and make for excellent hiking, biking, or walking with views of the Canadian countryside. Open fields scenically framed by mountains allow ample space for wildlife to roam and wander. Seasonally there are also often local birds sitting amongst the marshes. No matter the sightings, it’s always a great opportunity to view the animals in natural surroundings and makes for great photography opportunities.

Like a well-irrigated oasis in a dusty sandstone desert, Zion Canyon holds the treasures that make Zion park so famous. Carved by the waters of the Virgin River, this canyon plunges over 2,000 feet from rim to valley floor, where the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive forms a conduit for awestruck travelers. Here in the stunning Zion Canyon, famous sights such as The Great White Throne literally spring up towards the sky. The drive up the canyon is so wildly popular that shuttles are used in summer, but private vehicles are allowed in the canyon during the slower months of winter. For most visitors, the canyon “begins” at the northern end by the Temple of Sinawava, and runs south to the town of Springdale nearly 10 miles away. North of the Temple of Sinawava, the canyon narrows to only 20 feet and is filled by the Virgin River. This part of the canyon forms “The Narrows” trail that’s popular with hikers and visitors, although regardless of where in the canyon you visit, the vertical spires, painted cliffs, and green of the valley floor create a mesmerizing amphitheater in the Utah desert that’s as magical as it is famous.

Calling all thrill seekers! The Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park in Dallas is the only amusement park in the US exclusively dedicated to extreme thrills. With five different adrenaline-pumping adventures, the park offers free falls, high-speed drops, and spinning at four g-force for those who dare.

The Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park includes a good old-fashioned bungee jump; Nothin’ but Net, a 16-story free fall into a net; and Texas Blast Off, which sends riders 150 feet up in the air and from 0 to 70 miles (112 kilometers) per hour in 1.2 seconds. Skycoaster swings you through the air from a height of 110 feet (33 meters), and windmill-style Skyscraper spins you 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour.

The Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park is located on Malibu Drive, 10 miles north of downtown Dallas near the Malibu Speed Zone. Take Interstate 35 East to the Walnut Hill exit, then turn west to Malibu Drive and head north. The amusement park is on your left. Free parking is available on-site.

Zero Gravity is open 4pm to 10pm Monday through Thursday, 4pm to midnight on Friday, noon to midnight on Saturday, and noon to 10pm on Sunday. Call before you arrive to ensure operating hours are correct. No reservations are necessary unless you are with a large group. The park closes in the event of lightning, heavy rain, or extreme cold, so you may want to call ahead in inclement weather.

Bungee jumping is named for the stretchable shock cord typically used to strap various things down or together. The bungee tower at Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park is seven stories, or about 100 feet (30.5 meters). For comparison, according to Guinness World Records, the highest bungee jump you can currently take is off the Macau Tower in China, a height of 764 feet (233 meters).

The flashy urban scene of Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square is reminiscent of New York City’s Times Square. More than 56 million people visit this iconic spot every year, making it one of the busiest intersections in Canada. This is where you find glowing billboards, Eaton Centre, Ed Mirvish Theatre, and great spots to people-watch.

Yonge-Dundas Square is a one-acre (half-hectare)outdoor space centered around the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets. There is always something going on, from free concerts to cultural celebrations to yoga and more. Dancing fountains and giant digital signs draw visitors, as do Toronto’s famous shopping mall, Eaton Centre, and several other leading Ontario businesses. Visit Yonge-Dundas as part of a hop-on-hop-off bus tour or as part of a group tour of the city.

Yonge-Dundas Square is at the center of downtown Toronto. By car, take the Gardiner Expressway to Yonge Street, and head north until you reach Dundas. There are some paid parking lots, but they can be difficult to find and pricy. Walking or taking public transit is recommended. By public transportation, take the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line to Dundas Station.

Spring and fall are great seasons for visiting Toronto and taking advantage of the mild weather. Kids and adults splash around in the square’s iconic fountains, turned on from mid-April to mid-October. Check city event listings for upcoming programming at Yonge-Dundas, such as free concerts, yoga classes, and films.

One of the signature entertainment options in this area is the buskers and street performers that crowd Yonge-Dundas Square, showing off their talents in return for tips. Street performers have a long tradition in Toronto, and they participate in the annual Toronto International Buskerfest happening on Labor Day weekend each year.

The highest measured waterfall in North America and the sixth-highest in the world, Yosemite Falls is the superstar attraction in Yosemite National Park. With a cumulative drop of 2,425 feet (739 meters), Yosemite Falls comprises three falls and is especially stunning in late spring when the snow melts and water flow is at its peak.

You can spot the iconic waterfall from various vantage points within the park, including Yosemite Village and Yosemite Valley Lodge (formerly Yosemite Lodge at the Falls). For active viewers, a 1-mile loop trail leads to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall, or a strenuous (and usually crowded) 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) hike with 2,700 feet (823 meters) elevation gain beginning near Camp 4 hike takes you to the top of Yosemite Falls.

Due to the incredibly popularity of this natural attraction, Yosemite Falls is included in most park tours. You can see the falls, along with other park attractions—El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Vernal Falls, Half Dome, the Chapel, and the Cathedral Spires—on a day tour from San Francisco or Fresno.

Access Lower Yosemite Fall near the Yosemite Valley Lodge; the top of the upper fall is accessed via a steep hiking trail. For a great (and underrated) view of the falls, consider hiking to the summit of Sentinel Dome.

Yosemite Falls is at its most spectacular in the spring, with peak runoff occurring in May or June. The falls tend to dry to a trickle by late summer, but autumn rainfall rejuvenates it beginning in November.

On a clear night with plenty of moonlight and enough water to create mist, see if you can spot a “moonbow.” During the winter, an ice cone tends to form at the base of the upper fall, while frost accumulates along the edges of the falls.

An important Mayan city between 681 and 800 AD, Yaxchilán is an impressive site, with more than 120 structures dotted around the sprawling plot. The ruins are grouped into three main areas—the Great Plaza, the Grand Acropolis and the Small Acropolis—and are renowned for their unique architectural design, featuring monolithic limestone columns, elaborate stucco facades, decorative lintels and ornamental roof combs.