Things to Do in North America

New York City is known for its arts and culture and Midtown Manhattan is recognized as the hub for theatergoers who want to catch live performances of some of Broadway’s biggest shows. With 1417 seats the Imperial Theatre has been welcoming theatergoers since 1923. Since its doors first opened, the Imperial has provided the stage for hit shows like Annie Get Your Gun, Fiddler on the Roof and the Broadway icon, Les Miserables. 

Although travelers will need tickets to a show to actually check out the theater’s interior, visitors can still step inside the lobby and admire this Broadway gem from outside during a tour of Times Square.

Fanning out from the Independence Visitor Center at the corner of Sixth & Market streets, Independence Mall is a three-block stretch of the Independence National Historical Park that includes several of Philadelphia's most visited historic attractions: the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, and the President's House. Only the National Constitution Center charges admission ($8–$14.50); all other mall attractions are free.

Independence Hall, however, one of the area's most popular sites, does require timed tickets during its busiest season, from March to December. Be aware that the only place to pick up these free tickets is at the next-door Visitors Center.

Insider's Tip: Free twilight tours of the park and its historical landmarks are offered from mid-June to early September by the nonprofit Friends of Independence. These tours meet at the Visitor Center and run from 6 to 7:15pm.

With sheer cliffs carved by glaciers, dozens of waterfalls and creeks, and thick, old-growth forests, this fjord is one of southern British Columbia’s wildest back-to-nature escapes. Though it’s only about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Vancouver, its limited road access keeps it remote and unspoiled. 

There are several ways to explore Indian Arm, whose shores are part of the protected Say Nuth Khaw Yum Provincial Park—Indian Arm Park, as it’s also known. Launch a kayak or canoe from Deep Cove in North Vancouver or from Belcarra Regional Park on the eastern edge of Indian Arm and paddle north into the fjord. Boat tours also venture into the fjord, allowing passengers to admire the scenery and look for local wildlife like bald eagles, seals, and black bears. 

Indian Arm fjord extends north from the Burrard Inlet. Paved road access is limited, so the best way to get to the fjord is by boat. Some sightseeing boats depart from downtown Vancouver, while kayaks and canoes can be launched from Deep Cove in North Vancouver, about a 30-minute drive from downtown.

Arrange paddling trips for between April and October, when conditions are calmest. This is also the best time for wildlife-viewing, with bald eagles and bears occasionally visible.

Among the scenic highlights of Indian Arm are the two waterfalls that crash down from the cliffs on either side of the fjord. On the eastern shore of the waterway, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Deep Cove, is the impressive Granite Falls, which tumbles down from a height of 150 feet (46 meters). Silver Falls, meanwhile, is hidden away in a steep-sided recess on the west shore, about a 7.5-mile (12-kilometer) paddle from Deep Cove. 

If you’ve ever wanted to skydive, you may have this image of jumping out of a plane with a parachute strapped to your back. iFLY takes the experience indoors, allowing for the adrenaline rush and sensation of flying in a controlled, safe environment. The indoor wind tunnel is controlled by professional operators, who create a current of 150 mph using fans at the top of the flight chamber. It is the only wind tunnel in Los Angeles, and no experience is necessary to jump in and enjoy the thrill.

Lasting just over a minute, it is a realistic simulation of the free fall feeling one gets while skydiving. Flyers are horizontal for the duration of the flight, and with additional training can learn to do turns and other maneuvers. Each person is outfitted with a flight suit and helmet and given professional instruction. It’s also fun just to watch as others float suspended in the air current.

It is hard not to love historic Inman Park. Often called Atlanta’s oldest neighborhood, it was established in 1890 and named after Samuel Inman, a prominent Atlanta businessman in the late 1800s. The picturesque area features several parks with abundant green spaces, wide lawns, stately Victorian-era homes and a plethora of independent boutiques and restaurants. Winding, narrow streets make strolling through the neighborhood an appealing option, and on any given day, residents enjoy tea and lemonade on sweeping front porches flanked by azalea bushes, giving the area a charming, homey feel.

Inman Park is a celebration of historic Atlanta residential architecture from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in addition to Victorian-style mansions, influences range from Romanesque to Queen Anne. The neighborhood is comprised of two parts–the Inman Park historic district and the Inman Park-Moreland Historic District. The area has undergone extensive restoration and renovation in the last decade, and the priceless real estate, combined with the area’s accessibility to the rest of Atlanta, makes Inman Park one of Atlanta’s most coveted neighborhoods.

Featuring bays, beaches, peninsulas, fjords, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, rivers, coastal towns and over 1,000 islands, the passage is a photographer’s heaven, as well as a supremely scenic playground for adventure travelers, culture cravers and outdoor enthusiasts. There are a variety of experiences to be had along the way: visiting Native Alaskan heritage attractions; exploring Gold Rush history; glacier trekking; dog-sledding; spotting wildlife such as bald eagles, whales and bears; rainforest cycling and more. Kayaking through Glacier Bay National Park, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of glaciers, is an extremely popular activity in the passage, which also resides in the center of the United States’ largest forest – the 17-million-acreTongass National Forest. You’ll be privy to the offerings of this natural attraction as well.

The city of Ketchikan is located along the Inside Passage on its southern tip, which means it often serves as the first stop for people visiting Alaska. Here it’s possible to visit the famous Misty Fjords National Monument, take part in traditional arts and crafts courses at the Saxman Native Village, view historic totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center, go salmon fishing and much more.

This celebration of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley’s roles in early American maritime trade was originally called the Philadelphia Maritime Museum, built around the extensive personal collection of J. Welles Henderson, a local lawyer and enthusiast of seafaring memorabilia who died in 2007. 

Renovated extensively in the mid-1990s and now set in a large, modern space on historic Penn’s Landing, the Independence Seaport Museum houses several exhibition spaces, a wide array of model ships, historical documents, navigation devices and shipbuilding tools, and a comprehensive maritime library. The museum is affiliated with two National Historic Landmark crafts, both docked nearby on the Delaware River: the Olympia, the late 19th-century flagship of U.S. Navy Admiral George Dewey, and a World War II submarine called Becuna.

In the middle of San Diego’s most beautiful park lies what may be its most beautiful patch of land — a three-acre world renowned rose garden with over 180 varieties of the flower. Gardeners introduce new varieties each year, with 2,400 roses in bloom for most of the year.

The rose garden is a lovely place to take a stroll, and is meant to be enjoyed at a relaxed pace. Paths wind throughout the various plants, with a variety of colors and sizes of roses is remarkable to see. Fountains, gazebos, tiles, and columns act as backdrops for the colorful flowers.

The number of roses also creates a wonderfully scented experience. Maintained by volunteers, it has a community feel while still being one of the most elegant places in San Diego. The garden has won multiple awards for excellence, including being named an Outstanding Rose Garden in the USA.

Spanning 55 acres and bridging two neighborhoods—Old City and Society Hill—this national park is often called "America's most historic square mile" for encompassing many of Philadelphia’s famous historical landmarks. These include the UNESCO-listed Independence Hall; the Liberty Bell Center; Franklin Court; the First and Second Banks of the United States; and the National Constitution Center, among many others. Visitors should plan to spend one to two days in the park in order to visit several of these sites and explore the extensive grounds.

The Independence Visitor Center, set at the corner of Sixth and Market streets, is the nerve center of the park. Tourists can pick up area maps; get free, timed tickets to Independence Hall (required from March to December); and find bathrooms, WiFi, and snacks.

Stretching for 17 miles (27 kilometers) between the Orlando Premium Outlets to Walt Disney World, Orlando’s International Drive (I-Drive for short) serves as the city’s tourist hub. Six of Orlando’s top theme parks—SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Wet ’n’ Wild, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Aquatica—are located along this stretch.

 

I-Drive is where you’ll find one the heaviest concentrations of restaurants, hotels, shopping, and entertainment options in Orlando. In addition to the nearby theme parks, this resort area is also home to popular attractions, such as Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, and the ICON Orlando observation wheel—travelers can visit all three with a combo ticket.

 

 

I-Drive parallels I-4 to its east. If you’re sightseeing around I-Drive, you can use the I-RIDE Trolley, which runs two routes every 20 or 30 minutes.

 

International Drive is accessible all the time, but individual businesses have their own operating hours. Show up first thing in the morning for sparser crowds at I-Drive’s popular attractions, or in the evening hours to grab dinner or enjoy the district’s nightlife and entertainment offerings.

 

If you’re looking for a family-friendly way to spend an evening in Orlando, head to one of the many dinner shows situated along International Drive. This stretch of road is home to the Orlando Improv Comedy Club, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Titanic Dinner Event, and the Vegas-style Rock Dinner Show at Orlando Forum.

Give enough time between visits to Philadelphia's Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), and no two will be the same. The edgy and contemplative museum located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania is one of the few in the country without permanent collections. Rotating installations of everything from improvisational performance art to experimental music to miniatures have recently populated its cavernous blank space.

Visiting and local art-lovers will appreciate the museum's reputation as a magnet for the creative and its ability to identify emerging artists. Home to Andy Warhol's first solo showing in 1965, the museum continues to house popular installations, and can be easily visited on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour around the city.

Inbursa Aquarium (Acuario Inbursa) opened its doors in June 2014 and is not only the largest aquarium in Mexico, but one of the largest in the world. With 11,500 square feet, the aquarium houses more than 5,000 marine mammals in a multi-level complex that is mostly underground and cost a reported $19 million to complete. The nearly 230 species of animals include piranhas, sharks, turtles, jellyfish and crocodiles. 

Visitors to Inbursa enter at street level and then descend several floors underground to moody lit tanks designed to mimic the varying ocean depths. There are five fish tanks with a total volume of 1.6 million gallons of water, all brought in from the Mexican state of Veracruz, while the sand was brought in from Florida. 

Exhibits are themed and based on various ecosystems and ocean depths. The lowest level has brightly colored fish swimming with rays and sharks, while the Sunken Ship exhibit contains black tip sharks that circle the structure’s giant concrete pillars. One of the more creative exhibits is the Jellyfish Labyrinth, with its backlit gallery that makes the jellyfish look like they are pulsating to music. Be sure to check out the cool glass tunnel where you can stop for a selfie with a manta ray. 

There are plans for expansion and additional exhibits, including one with penguins. Don’t skip the already open educational exhibits: Ice Land, Coral Kingdom, Forest of the Kelps, Black Mangrove, Calypso Beach, the Lost Waterfall, Touch Pool and Sea Bed. 

I-Drive 360 is a new entertainment complex on one of Orlando's main drags, International Drive, commonly known as I-Drive. Opened in May 2015, I-Drive 360 includes a variety of restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions – including an aquarium, a Madame Tussaud's, and the 400-foot observation wheel called the Orlando Eye. You'll find popular eateries like Shake Shack and Outback as well as hopping nightlife at Cowgirls Rockbar, with the only mechanical bull in the city.

The centerpiece is the massive observation wheel. It has 30 passenger compartments, each one air-conditioned, and each one can carry up to 15 people. Your ticket to the Orlando Eye includes a 4D movie experience and a ride around the wheel.

Part of San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, the Hyde Street Pier introduces visitors to San Francisco’s maritime heritage as a busy Pacific port with its collection of ships from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Jutting out into San Francisco Bay, the pier also offers scenic views of the waterfront.

 

Hyde Street Pier is located on the western edge of the tourist-centered Fisherman’s Wharf. From the wooden pier you can tour historic ships. Check out the Balclutha, a 3-masted square-rigger that rounded the horn 17 times, or learn how Hercules, a steam tugboat, towed another ship from New Jersey around the tip of South America to San Francisco. Guided walks and Segway tours of the waterfront are available.

 

 

For a quintessentially San Francisco experience, take the Powell–Hyde cable car line, which runs north from Union Square to the cable car turnaround at Hyde and Beach streets. Alternatively, take the F line streetcar along the Embarcadero.

 

Go in the evening to enjoy the sunset light, which is perfect for photos, or go in the morning to beat the crowds that descend on Fisherman’s Wharf every day. Fleet Week (early October), and July 4 (when the city puts on a fireworks display) are great times to be on the waterfront.

 

Head just down Beach Street to Aquatic Park to visit the art-deco Maritime Museum and learn more about San Francisco’s maritime history. You’ll also see bold locals—members of the historic South End and Dolphin swimming and rowing clubs—swimming in the frigid bay waters. Just above the park is Ghirardelli Square, where you can treat yourself to some chocolate or an ice cream sundae.

Located in Boston, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is an art museum and exhibition space that has seen a number of changes over the years. It was founded in 1936 as the Boston Museum of Modern Art and has undergone both name and location changes since. It currently sits in the South Boston Seaport District, where it was built in 2006 and designed with the idea of “from the sky down,” with contemplative space for viewing contemporary art, and “from the ground up,” with areas for public enjoyment.

The ICA is 65,000 square feet, and its design resembles a dramatic folding ribbon with a cantilever that reaches to the water’s edge. Galleries have movable walls and ceilings with adjustable skylights. The Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater seats 325 people and is located on the second and third floors. The Charles and Fran Rodgers Education Center is a two-story education center, which includes Bank of America Art Lab.

The ICA exhibits include the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. The permanent collection of works by contemporary artists began in 2000 and features their work at seminal moments in their careers. Works from the permanent collection rotate approximately every 12 months. The ICA also features three other galleries of temporary exhibits, usually including at least one featured artist quarterly in the West Gallery. 

Located in the Independence National Historical Park beside Independence Hall, the 50,000-square-foot Independence Visitor Center welcomes travelers to the city of Philadelphia. Here guests can pick up various area maps and brochures; get free, timed tickets to Independence Hall (required from March to December); find public bathrooms and a variety of snacks; and connect to free WiFi. 

The center is staffed by reps from the National Park Service, some of whom lead free tours of the Historical Park and Old City—these begin in the lobby. Short historical films are also shown at the center: Independence, a 30-minute film made by director John Huston in 1976 that illuminates Philadelphia's place in history during the 25 years following the American Revolution and the 15-minute Choosing Sides, which features modern-day teens reading letters written by post-Revolution-era teens.

Beautifully landscaped and cared for, Huntington Park is one of San Francisco’s most beloved neighborhood parks. It was formerly the site of a mansion destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. After the land was donated to the city by the widow of rail tycoon Collis P. Huntington, the park has become a favorite area of the Nob Hill area. 

With beautiful landscaping surrounding the historic Flood Fountain, there is also a playground area for children. The park sits in front of the landmark Grace Cathedral, and with its wide lawn and many benches is great for picnicking and relaxing outdoors. The Roman “Fountain of Tortoises” at the park’s center is its most famous structure, often beautifully lit at night. The bronze sculpture is a copy of a 400 year old original in Rome.