Thursday, June 7, 2012

Most Awe-Inspiring American Monuments

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Once the world’s longest suspension bridge, the 1.7-mile Golden Gate has
since been surpassed in size-but not in beauty. Hundreds of people
walk the span from San Francisco to Sausalito each day, so you’ll want
to plan wisely. Bypass the two-hour meters at the overcrowded main lot
off S.F.’s Merchant Road in favor of ample free parking at Crissy Field
Center (crissyfield.org). There, fair-trade coffee awaits at the
Warming Hut Café & Bookstore, a whitewashed shed near the shore
that’s the perfect place to fuel up for the gentle, half-mile Bay Trail
to the bridge. The Golden Gate’s best-kept secret: Although it’s
closed to pedestrians after sunset, gates are opened for star-gazing
cyclists. We wouldn’t dare rank nation’s natural assets—who could choose
between Yosemite and Yellowstone? But the man-made attractions? You
bet. Behold, our picks for the country’s most epic buildings,
monuments, and engineering feats, with advice for navigating them
smarter, better, and with fewer crowds.

2. Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV

It’s
never been easier to visit this 75-year-old colossus, which provides
20 million residents of California, Nevada, and Arizona with water and
1.3 million with hydroelectricity. Some new engineering is now helping
the flow of the near-million annual visitors: a four-lane,
1,900-foot-long Hoover Dam bypass
bridge. This bridge is the second-highest in the nation, perched at
almost 900 feet above the rushing Colorado River. Avoid the intense
summer heat (as high as 110 degrees) by planning your visit during
January or February, when temperatures
hover in the low 60s. But be sure to arrive by 3 p.m. to tour the dam
itself; visitors aren’t allowed to the top of the facility after dark,
which comes as early as 4:30 p.m. during that time of year.

3. Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, CA

Each
year, another 20 to 30 luminaries are added to the more than 2,400
celebrities already immortalized in pink terrazzo along Hollywood
Boulevard and Vine Street. The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame iPhone
app tells you exactly where to find Bette Davis, the Beatles,
and both Harrison Fords (the other one was a silent film star).
Parking in Hollywood is notoriously challenging, so this is a rare
moment when L.A.’s subway comes in handy: The Red Line, which runs
between NorthHollywood and Down-town, stops at Hollywood and Vine;
riders can leave their cars at one of the 1,500-plus free parking spots
available at the North Hollywood and Universal City stops at the line’s
western end.

4. Mount Rushmore, Keystone, SD

You
can’t actually clamber over the presidents’ heads like Cary Grant in
North by Northwest. But the 500-foot-tall Mount Rushmore and the
surrounding national forest still pack plenty of cinematic punch,
thanks to the spiraling bridges, rock
tunnels, and pinnacles of granite that line scenic Highway 89 north of
Custer. There’s no fee to see the busts (sculpted by 400 men), other
than an $11 parking permit that,
once paid, is good for the calendar year. Don’t miss the equally epic
Crazy Horse Memorial, slated to be the world’s largest cliff carving,
just 15 miles away.

5. French Quarter, New Orleans, LA

Everyone
knows about the delights of New Orleans in the spring, when Mardi Gras
and Jazz Fest turn the 70-block antebellum French Quarter into a
rollicking 24-hour party, but an off-season visit delivers far more
value. Hotels are a particular bargain during the summer months, when
venerable institutions such as the 125-year-old Hotel Monteleone, a
favorite haunt of Tennessee Williams, slashes its rates from the Mardi
Gras high of $179 down to just $129. The deals don’t stop there: The
city was named the country’s most affordable dining destination last
November by Zagat Survey. And as part of an initiative by Coolinary New
Orleans, more than 30 ritzy Quarter restaurants such as Antoine’s
offer three-course lunches for $20 during August and September.

6. Las Vegas Strp, Las Vegas, NV

Where
else in the world can you find a permanent circus, an indoor sky, and a
slice of the Roman Empire? Truth is, Vegas is famous for taking
thrills to new heights-more so now than ever. Last April, the
Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower at the Strip’s north end debuted
its SkyJump attraction, the highest “controlled free fall” in the
world. (Think skydiving with a cable instead of a parachute.) Brave
souls, who pay $100 for the privilege, can make the 108-story leap as
late as 2 a.m. on weekends, when all the glittering lights amp up the
drama.

8. Grand Canyon Skywalk, Tusayan, AZ

This gravity-defying glass bridge, perched 4,000 feet above the floor of the Grand Canyon,
on its western rim, has hosted more than 250,000 visitors a year since
it opened four years ago-and the knee-buckling privilege doesn’t come
cheap. The only way to access the Skywalk is via Grand Canyon West, a
tourist area run by the Hualapai tribe on land located outside the Grand Canyon National Park. The most affordable ticket
option is the Legacy Gold package, an all-day pass that includes a
meal, a tour, and tribal demonstrations along with the Skywalk ticket.

9. Millennium Park, Chicago, IL

This
24.5-acre park in the heart of downtown Chicago opened in 2004, and is
a wonderland of cutting-edge architecture and design. Playful,
family-friendly, and free attractions include the Cloud
Gate sculpture, which reflects the downtown skyline and visitors’
faces like a series of fun-house mirrors, and Crown Fountain, a
multimedia installation that pairs splash-worthy sprays of water with
50-foot-tall video portraits.

10. Statue of Liberty, New York, NY

Lady
Liberty’s crown, which reopened after an eight-year hiatus in 2009, is
scheduled to close again in November (along with the rest of the
statue) for at least a year’s worth of safety upgrades, so act fast to
see the famous 125-year-old French gift from the inside. As you exit
the ferry at Liberty Island, you’ll need to purchase a Crown Visit wristband
at the information center. The only thing you’re allowed to take
inside is a camera. Even cell phones and wallets are no-gos, so travel
light and bring two singles to feed the three-hour lockers where you’ll
stash your goods. (There’s no change machine, and to complicate the
matter further, only singles and dollar coins are accepted). One
wardrobe must: shoes with good grip. Descending the crown’s 354 steps
can be a slippery affair.

11. Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO Some Americans might be surprised to discover that the
country’s tallest man-made monument isn’t the Statue of Liberty (305
feet) or the Washington Monument (555 feet)-it’s St. Louis’s Gateway
Arch, a 630-foot wonder with vertigo-inducing views of paddle-wheel
boats steaming down the Mississippi. Two tram services carry the 4
million annual visitors on four-minute rides to the top. Architecture
buffs opt for the north leg, which features an exhibit on the arch’s
construction, while armchair historians make for the south leg, which
focuses on 19th-century life along the St. Louis waterfront. Either
way, you’ll want to avoid gusty days, as the arch’s apex can sway up to
18 inches.