Things to Do in North America

There’s a certain thrill when a wild animal suddenly appears on a road trip. In most cases you see it, you reach for the camera, and before you know it, it’s gone. At the Bearizona Wildlife Park, however, outside Williams, Arizona, driving the compound is like experiencing that thrill on repeat every couple of minutes, as bears, wolves, Dall’s sheep, and mule deer appear out the window of your car. On the three mile long, self drive adventure, visitors will experience numerous encounters you would never expect up close—so much so that it’s required you keep the windows up at all times. Watch as a black bear lumbers through the forest or a wolf sneaks slowly through the grass, or Bighorn sheep, bison, and burros graze in the forested setting. In winter, many of the animals are covered in snow and the forest is a whitewashed wonderland, and you can get to experience an American safari and still use the heater in your car. After making a lap through the wilderness enclosure, head inside for the raptor show and exhibit on birds of prey, or walk through the trails at Fort Bearizona to see baby animals up close. Throughout the day, there are educational talks and shows such as feeding the otters and bobcats, as well as tips on how to safely share the wilderness with bears.

Stunning scenery, epic red rock landscapes and wide-open skies are just part of what makes a trip to Sedona’s Bell Rock a memorable travel experience. Visitors can navigate the destination’s five trails, which range from an easy hike between the Courthouse Vista Parking Lot and the Base of Bell Rock, to more challenging routes, like the moderate climb to Upper Bell Rock Trail or the most strenuous option, known as The Ascent. Travelers will catch incredible views of Chicken Point, Submarine Rock and Chapel of the Holy Cross—true icons of Arizona’s famed Red Rock State Park—from various lookouts along Bell Rock’s multiple trails.

A popular gathering spot for locals and visitors alike, Beaver Street Brewery is an easy-going bar and restaurant like you hope to find in any town that prides itself on the adventurous nature of its surroundings. During the summers, it’s a hub of river guides, mountain bikers, and road trippers cruising Route 66. Under the warm sunshine, crowds gather in the outdoor beer garden to eat and drink against a great view of the San Francisco Peaks. Come winter, the ski crowd piles inside for burgers, pizzas and fondue alongside bold, award-winning beers like Big Rapid Red and Hopshot IPA.

The final resting place of American founding father Benjamin Franklin can be found in the northwest corner of the Christ Church Burial Ground, which houses the graves of many other prominent Philadelphians and founding fathers, including four other signatories to the Declaration of Independence. Franklin’s grave is shared with his wife Deborah, and the simple stone merely says their names and the year 1790, the date of his death. The actual Christ Church is about three blocks to the east, a five-minute walk, and it’s also an important piece of American history, as the first Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S., and the worshipping place of many people who help establish the nation.

Bear Mountain State Park is a popular outdoor recreation area in New York, with year-round outdoor sports as well as attractions to visit.

Located on the western side of the Hudson River, Bear Mountain State Park covers more than 5,000 acres of land. There are mountains – including the 1,300-foot-peak from which the park takes its name – along with vast forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries. Recreational activities include fishing, boating, hiking, trail running, and even ski jumping, sledding, and ice skating in the winter.

The Bear Mountain Inn, built in 1915, sits atop Bear Mountain, and the Trailside Museums and Zoo occupy what was once a fort used during the American Revolution.

The Appalachian Trail runs through part of Bear Mountain State Park.

Located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Beauregard-Keyes House is an historic residence and museum dedicated to the home’s famous residents—Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard and American author Frances Parkinson Keyes—who lived at the house almost a hundred years apart.

 

Originally built in 1826 for auctioneer Joseph LeCarpentier, Beauregard-Keyes House was built in grand Federal style, with a raised main floor. Inside, note both Creole and American influences along with period furniture and decorative touches. Outside, there’s a formal garden with box hedges. The house is a regular stop on walking tours of New Orleans and the French Quarter.

 

General Beauregard moved into the property in 1866 while working as president of the New Orleans Railroad. The Beauregard Chamber in the house displays some original furnishings from this era. In 1950, 85 years later, renowned author Frances Keyes purchased the home and spent the next 20 years using it as her winter residence. She wrote several of her best-loved works at the home, including The Chess Players, Blue Camellia, and Dinner at Antoine’s. Keyes’ collection of antique dolls and teapots are displayed at the house.

 

 

The house is located in the French Quarter, at 1113 Chartres Street. The Ursulines stop on the Riverfront Streetcar Line is a short walk away, and the house is easily accessible on foot from other locations in the French Quarter and via walking tours of the city. There is free street parking nearby.

 

Beauregard-Keyes House is open Monday–Saturday from 10am–3pm. The final tour of the day starts at 3pm. Afternoons are the busiest time, so consider planning your visit before lunch.

 

Just five minutes’ walk away from Frances Keyes’ house is the former home of another literary great, William Faulkner. Tucked away in Pirate’s Alley, down the side of St. Louis Cathedral off Jackson Square, you’ll find William Faulkner House, where the author lived in 1924. The ground floor is now a bookshop selling works by Faulkner and other authors.

From 1920 to 1940, artists descended on Beale Street to collaborate, creating a new music style that blended smooth jazz with hard-charging rock 'n' roll. This mix eventually gave birth to the blues, a new and distinctly American genre of music that gradually made its way into the United States' pop culture mainstream. A visit to Beale Street today allows travelers to check out the blues clubs that served as the launching sites for some of the most famous American blues musicians of all time.

Music lovers—as well as those just looking for a fun night out in downtown Memphis—will not want to pass up an opportunity to visit the "Home of the Blues." Nearly every sightseeing tour in Memphis makes a stop on this iconic stretch of road, and those who really want to dig into the history can take a walking tour of the street to learn about its musical haunts and legendary performers. After a day spent exploring Memphis, Beale Street sets the scene for a lively, music-fueled night on the town to eat, drink, and dance in the footsteps of legendary greats such as BB King, Louis Armstrong, and WC Handy.

The most convenient way to reach Beale Street is by road, and there are several parking garages within walking distance. Several Memphis hotels offer free shuttle services to the district, and it’s also accessible via the Main Street Trolley or on a tour that includes roundtrip transport to and from area hotels.

The best time to visit Beale Street depends on what you want out of the experience. By day, the entertainment district has few crowds and is more kid-friendly, ideal for visiting the specialty shops and restaurants. Those expecting Beale Street's legendary party atmosphere should wait until the sun goes down and the neon lights go on. As a top hot spot in one of America’s most musically rich cities, Beale Street features live music and jam sessions pretty much every night of the week. Unlike in the rest of Memphis, some bars here stay open until 5am. Expect the biggest crowds during the Beale Street Music Festival in May.

All sorts of styles of musical acts take to the stages of Beale Street. To feast your ears on authentic blues played by great musicians, head to establishments such as BB King's Blues Club, Rum Boogie Cafe, Mr. Handy's Blues Hall, or Handy Park, where a local rag-tag band sometimes plays in the afternoons.

The Fountains of Bellagio in front of the Bellagio Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip are like many Sin City attractions: an over-the-top spectacle, but in a good way. The waterworks are synchronized with a changing playlist and light show, so visitors will never see the same show twice.

 

Set inside a man-made lake that is modeled after Italy’s Lake Como, the Fountains of Bellagio are perhaps the best free show in Las Vegas, attracting daytime and nighttime tour groups. The water can shoot as high as 460 feet (140 meters), and the fountain uses 1,200 nozzles to spray the water in different directions.

 

Each show incorporates colorful lighting and music from artists ranging from Andrea Bocelli to Madonna.  For a unique view of the fountains and all the lights of the Las Vegas strip, join an evening helicopter tour.

 

 

The elevated ARIA Express Tram connects the Bellagio to the ARIA, Vdara, and Park MGM resorts, as well as The Shops at Crystals. Taxis and ride-sharing services pick up and drop off visitors in designated areas, and self and valet parking are available for a fee.

 

The Fountains of Bellagio can be seen daily. Monday to Friday, the show takes place every 30 minutes from 3pm to 8pm, and every 15 minutes from 8pm to midnight. On Sundays, the show happens every 30 minutes from 11am to 7pm, and then every 15 minutes until midnight. On Saturdays and holidays, the shows start at noon and run every 30 minutes until 8pm, and then every 15 minutes until midnight.

 

At the hotel, guests and visitors can enjoy this aquatic-themed, surreal production that features acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers, and costumed characters who perform in, on, and above water. Cirque du Soleil performs inside an elegant theater that’s similar to a European opera house. V.I.P. packages and pre-theater dinner menus are available.

Inspired by the beauty of Lake Como and Bellagio, Italy, this Sin City icon is known for putting guests in the lap of luxury. From dancing water fountains to a 2,000 glass flower display by artist Dale Chihuly, this five-star wonder is a picture of elegance in a city that’s known for always being a little over the top. With more than 3,000 rooms, 36 floors, a famed poker room and even a private botanical garden, the Bellagio is more than just a place to lay your head after a long day on the slots.

Travelers love the comfortable rooms with incredible views, pleasant staff and world-class cuisine. They say the Bellagio is a must-see stop for visitors looking to relax, unwind and be truly pampered in the heart of the Las Vegas strip. In a city built on sin, the Bellagio is a little slice of Heaven. 

This ocean front amusement park offers thrills for kids and kids at heart. For adrenaline-lovers, there’s the Giant Dipper roller coaster and rock climbing, and if you’re looking for fun at a bit of a slower speed, there’s mini-golf and the arcade.

There’s no cost for admission. You pay as you go, buying tickets or unlimited ride wrist bands. Along with rides and attractions expect beach boardwalk style grub like ice cream, burgers and pizza.

If your visit to Belmont Park includes some time at the beach, you can rent everything you’ll need, from surfboards and wetsuits to beach chairs and umbrellas. Belmont Park is also home to a FlowRider® wave machine and the onlyFlowBarrel® in the United States. Pumping 100,000 gallons of water per minute, the FlowBarrel® wave machine creates an endless 10 foot wave.

At the Belle Meade Plantation, step back into the Old South and get a feel for what it might have been like to live on a plantation in the 1800s. Located just west of Nashville, Tennessee, the historic plantation mansion’s grounds now function as a museum. A visit to the plantation tells the story of the Old South from the slavery era to the Civil War.

First bought in 1806 and continually expanded throughout the 19th century, the Belle Meade Plantation became world renowned as a first-rate thoroughbred horse-breeding establishment. Visiting the Greek Revival mansion reveals Belle Meade’s rich history and offers insight into the distinct Southern culture of the Antebellum and Reconstruction eras. Guided tours cover the mansion’s first and second floors, which are filled with original furnishings and period antiques. Book your visit online in advance to guarantee entry or visit as part of a southern plantations tour from Nashville.

The Belle Meade Plantation is located about nine miles west of Nashville, about 15 to 20 minutes by car. The No. 5 bus runs from downtown Nashville to the plantation, stopping just a short walk from the grounds.

The Belle Meade Plantation is open year-round, but feels particularly festive when its halls are decked with Christmas decorations beginning in early November. If you do not purchase tickets online in advance, arrive first thing in the morning—on-site tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis.

Your ticket to Belle Meade Plantation includes access to the plantation’s gardens and other historic buildings, including a dairy, horse stable, log cabin, carriage house, and mausoleum. There is also a winery where you can enjoy a complimentary wine tasting before sitting down to dinner at the Harding House restaurant.

Benito Juarez Market takes up two blocks in central Oaxaca, Mexico, and is located a short walk from Zocalo, Oaxaca’s main plaza. The market offers a variety of food and handicrafts.  

You’ll encounter many different types of food when walking through Benito Juarez Market. Dine on the Oaxaca delicacy, Chapulines while you’re at the market…a fancy way of saying you’ll be eating grasshoppers. There is also fresh seafood and hanging cuts of meat you can purchase to prepare back at your accommodations if you have a kitchen or grill. Get some fresh tortillas from the market as well and turn your dinner into tacos. 

In addition to heaping baskets of grasshoppers and produce, you can also find artisan products ranging from weaved purses to clothing to ceramics. You may find similar products at each stall, so don’t be afraid to browse first and then barter. 

Not far from the town of Seward, there are nearly 40 glaciers making up an icefield that spans more than 300 square miles, all contained within Kenai Fjords National Park. The largest of these is Bear Glacier.

It's not far from Seward to Exit Glacier, the most easily accessible glacier in the park, but it's also possible to reach Bear Glacier from Seward – if you head out on the water. You can go on cruises that visit the many fjords in the park, and you can even go sea kayaking through the fjords.

Sea kayaking up to Bear Glacier gives you a chance to see the glacier and its iceberg-filled lagoon up close. You can also choose an overnight adventure, camping near the glacier. Even if you opt for a day cruise, you'll be treated to incomparable glacier views, plus the chance to see puffins, whales, and sea otters.

Philadelphia’s larger-than-life memorial to Benjamin Franklin sits on a white marble pedestal in the rotunda of The Franklin Institute. Crafted between 1906 and 1911, the 20-foot-high (6-meter-high) statue is the centerpiece of the famed Memorial Hall. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about Philadelphia’s favorite founding father. 

  

Modeled after the pantheon in Rome, The Franklin Institute’s rotunda measures 82 feet (25 meters) in length, width, and height. The statue of Benjamin Franklin sits in the center, under a self-supporting domed ceiling and surrounded by decorative marble columns and pilasters. It was designated the official national memorial to Benjamin Franklin in 1972.   

Visit the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial independently or as part of a Philadelphia sightseeing tour. Guests can enjoy a short multimedia show about Franklin’s role as a statesman, civic leader, writer, inventor, and scientist.

There are several ways to reach the Franklin Institute, located at the intersection of 20th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Most visitors arrive as part of a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour or by public transport—SEPTA bus routes 32, 33, 38, and the Philly Phlash stop within easy walking distance of the memorial.

The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial is open at all times during The Franklin Institute’s general museum hours, and there isn’t really a bad time to visit. The memorial is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.

At The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, visitors can learn about Benjamin Franklin’s life and see his most significant scientific discoveries. This kid-friendly interactive science museum has exhibits on virtual reality, augmented reality, climate change, outer space, the human brain, and more. There’s also a planetarium, an IMAX theater, and escape-room games.  

Just north of downtown and packed with boutiques, restaurants, and bars, the vibrant Seattle neighborhood of Belltown bustles with activity day and night. The densely populated area is considered one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the United States, making it an ideal place to explore on foot.

Belltown is home to some of the best retail and dining options in the city, and shops and restaurants anchor its high-end residential skyscrapers. At night the streets come alive with extracurricular activity. 

Head to the Olympic Sculpture Park to view massive art installations with a waterfront view or take a mixology class with some of the neighborhood’s top cocktail minds. Belltown is an easy stroll from Pike Place Market and downtown, so those on a hop-on hop-off tour can explore the neighborhood from there.

Belltown is located along the waterfront north of downtown. The neighborhood is accessible on foot from downtown, by car, or by Seattle city bus. Dozens of bus routes serve the neighborhood.

Belltown is a busy neighborhood, though its sidewalks are less crowded on weekend mornings. The neighborhood hosts several fun local festivals, including the Belltown Chalk Art Festival and the Belltown Crush Block Party, both typically held in August.

When the sun goes down, Belltown heats up. Bars and nightclubs abound, so if you’re looking for a place to blow off some steam, the options are plentiful. Catch a concert at the Crocodile, try tiki drinks at Navy Strength, tuck in to a cocktail at dimly lit Mr. Darcy’s, play pinball under neon lights at Shorty’s, or dance to EDM at Foundation Nightclub. 

In an era when wineries are fast becoming the sole dominion of large corporations, Benziger Family Winery has distinguished itself by going against the grain and sticking to its familial roots.

Known for being something of a maverick in the Napa wine region, Benziger has strengthened its roots by focusing on quality wines that are organically grown using sustainable farming practices. Family-owned for more than thirty years, Benziger took to sustainable and “green” farming practices back in the 1990’s. Almost as famous for their effective farming methods as for their delicious wines, Benziger offers tours of their “Biodynamic” vineyards via tram – thus offering more, in many ways, than other more traditional wine tours. 

To visit Benziger Family Winery is to peek into the unique family approach to the craft of winemaking; something that has earned them the lauded title of the 2012 Winery of the Year by Wine and Spirits Magazine.