The Most Visited City Parks in the United States

Most of the major cities in the United States have their great tourist attraction buildings like museums and zoos located in city parks. These are the most visited city parks in the United States on a yearly basis.

Listed is every city park in the United States that receives at least 10 million visits by tourists and people each year. All these city parks are great tourist attractions loaded with museums, zoos, and hiking paths, and all are located near the major hotels in each city, and most are within easy walking distance of the hotels.

So these popular city parks are visited by many tourists, as well as locals who all enjoy the visitor attractions offered in these most visited city parks in the United States.

The Most Visited City Parks in the United States

1. Central Park - 42 million annual visitors

Central Park in New York City is the most visited city park in the United States by a large margin attracting some 42 million visitors per year. Central Park was opened in 1857, and contains 857 acres of land.

Visitor attractions in Central Park include a zoo, a conservatory garden, walking and running paths, a reservoir, a lake and pond with boating offered, the Belvedere Castle, sculptures and fountains, concerts and plays, 21 playgrounds, woods and large rock outcroppings, two skating rinks, and a swimming pool. Central Park is within easy walking distance of most of the major hotels in Manhattan.

2. The National Mall in Washington, DC - 33.5 million annual visitors

The National Mall in Washington, DC receives some 33.5 million tourists a year who come to see the great visitor attractions in Washington. Sites generally included in the National Mall are the Smithsonian and all its included museums, like the Museum of Natural History and the National Art Galleries, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Grant Memorial, many statues, and memorials.

Protests are often held at the National Mall as well as concerts and the annual 4th of July concert, and fireworks celebrations. Most of the major hotels in Washington, DC are within easy walking distance of the National Mall.

3. Lincoln Park in Chicago - 20 million annual visitors

Some 20 million people a year visit Lincoln Park in Chicago, which is 1,208 acres, located along the Lake Michigan shoreline and within easy walking distance of many Chicago hotels. Visitor attractions in Lincoln Park include the Lincoln Park Zoo; Lincoln Park Conservatory; the Chicago History Museum; a nature museum, 15 baseball fields; six basketball courts; 35 tennis courts; 160 volleyball courts; a driving range and golf course; walking, hiking and biking paths; and beaches and harbors along Lake Michigan.

4. Mission Bay Park in San Diego - 17 million annual visitors

Some 17 million tourists a year visit Mission Bay Park which is a 4,235 acre man-made aquatic park consisting of about 50 percent land and 50 percent water.

Popular tourist activities in Mission Bay Park include sailing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, boating, sunbathing on the beaches, biking, skating, walking, running, beach volleyball, wind surfing, water skiing, and camping. Popular tourist attractions in Mission Bay Park include Sea World, Mission Bay Aquatic Center, and the Belmont Park amusement park with roller coasters.

5. Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri - 15 million annual visitors

Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri is 1,293 acres large, and receives around 15 million visits a year from tourists. Visitor attractions in the St. Louis park include the Missouri History Museum, the St. Louis Art Museum, the McDonnell Planetarium, the St. Louis Zoo, the Jewel Box greenhouse, a field-house, a boathouse, a skating rink, a tennis center, and the World's Fair Pavilion. Located near many St. Louis hotels, this park also offers walking paths past a 75-foot waterfall, and an annual balloon race.

6. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco - 14.5 million annual visitors

Over 14.5 million people and tourists a year visit beautiful Golden Gate Park in San Francisco which is 1,017 acres large. Tourist attractions in Golden Gate Park include the California Academy of Sciences natural history museum, the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden with pagoda, a fine arts museum, the Conservatory of Flowers, the Kezar Stadium, the Music Concourse where concerts are held, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Stow and Spreckels Lakes, Golden Gate Park Stadium, the Bison Paddock, a couple windmills, a beach chalet, and of course many walking, hiking, biking, and skating paths.

7. Griffith Park in Los Angeles - 12 million annual visitors

Some 12 million people a year visit the 4,210 acre Griffith Park in Los Angeles, which is famous for being seen in any number of Hollywood movies. Visitor attractions in Griffith Park include the famous Griffith Observatory and planetarium, the Greek Theatre where concerts are held, the Los Angeles Zoo, the famous Hollywood Sign, museums, two golf courses, athletic fields, and many hiking trails up in the mountains above LA.

8. Bryant Park in New York - 12 million annual visitors

Bryant Park is located in Midtown Manhattan.

9. Balboa Park in San Diego - 10 million annual visitors

Balboa Park in San Diego is 1,200 acres large, and visited by 10 million people a year. Tourists visit Balboa Park to see the beautiful gardens and Spanish Architecture in the park, as well as visitor attractions including most of the main museums in San Diego, a golf course, a tennis center, a swimming pool, and great walking and biking paths.

9. Prospect Park in Brooklyn - 10 million annual visitors

Prospect Park in Brooklyn is the fourth most visited park in New York City and tenth most in the nation, with some 10 million visitors per year.

10 Amazing Natural Wonders in North Carolina

North Carolina is the 28th largest state in the United States and has a beautiful landscape that varies from the Outer Banks beaches along the Atlantic Ocean to Mount Mitchell, which is the highest mountain east of the Rocky Mountains in the western part of the state.

Throughout the state there are many natural wonders in North Carolina, and these are ten of the most amazing that visitors, vacationers and tourists love to visit every year.

Hope you enjoy the list and hope you can visit all 10 of these amazing natural wonders located in the Tar Heel state of North Carolina.

Pilot Mountain

Pilot Mountain is a distinctive landmark and natural wonder in northwestern North Carolina that is known for having a cool looking 200-foot high bare rock walled Big Pinnacle on top of it. On top of the Big Pinnacle itself is vegetation, creating a unique look of bare exposed rock sandwiched between thick vegetation on top of a mountain.

Pilot Mountain is located in Pilot Mountain State Park just south of the town of Pilot Mountain and a little further south from Mount Airy, North Carolina, which is famous as the home of Andy Griffith. Both Mount Airy and Pilot Mountain were the basis for the fictional towns of Mayberry and Mount Pilot from the TV classic The Andy Griffith Show.

Outer Banks

Located along the North Carolina coast on the Atlantic Ocean is the 200-mile-long string of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. Due to the open expanse of beaches available here, the Outer Banks is a major tourist destination in North Carolina as well as a great natural scenic wonder.

At Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in the Outer Banks, the Wright Brothers made aviation history with the first sustained, powered flight, and located on Cape Hatteras is the tallest lighthouse in the United States the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at 208 feet. At Jockey's Ridge along the Outer Banks is the largest sand dune on the east coast. The are plenty of places to camp and also seaside resort towns full of hotels and motels along the Outer Banks.

Stone Mountain

Located in northwestern North Carolina is the distinctive landmark natural wonder Stone Mountain. This huge dome of exposed granite rises some 600 feet above the forest below and can be seen for miles, and it is a popular place to hike and rock climb in North Carolina. Stone Mountain is located in Stone Mountain State Park in Traphill, North Carolina.

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock is 315-foot high rock granite monolith that is a great natural wonder and huge tourist attraction located in western North Carolina about 30 miles southeast of Asheville. Tourists and visitors can ride to the top of Chimney Rock by elevator for fantastic views of the surrounding countryside and also to view the 404-foot high Hickory Nut Falls.

Chimney Rock is located in Chimney Rock State Park in the town of Chimney Rock, and the park offers great hiking trails and camping, or visitors can stay in the many hotels and motels located in the area. Scenes from The Last of the Mohicans movie were filmed at Chimney Rock.

Dry Falls

Dry Falls is a beautiful 65-foot high waterfall located along Cullasaja River along US Highway 64 north of Highlands, North Carolina. What's cool about Dry Falls is that you can walk right underneath the falls and not get wet unless the flow is heavy.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain is a 5,946-foot high peak located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Near the top is a cool mile-high swinging bridge that is a very popular tourist attraction.

Linville Gorge the Grand Canyon of North Carolina

Located in the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina is the natural wonder Linville Gorge, which is often called the Grand Canyon of North Carolina. The gorge was carved out by the Linville River and the area offers great hiking, camping, hunting and fishing opportunities to outdoor enthusiasts and vacationers and mountain and rock climbing opportunities for more adventurous vacationers.

Located inside the Linville Gorge is the beautiful Linville Falls, which drops over a series of falls culminating in a spectacular 45-foot drop into the gorge. There are plenty of rustic motels, hotels, cabins and lodges in the area to accommodate tourists and vacationers.

Hanging Rock

Located in northern North Carolina about 30 miles north of Winston-Salem is the beautiful high rock outcropping natural wonder Hanging Rock. With an elevation of around 2,500 feet, Hanging Rock offers fantastic views of the surrounding North Carolina countryside to visitors and vacationers who hike the trails to the outcropping. Hanging Rock is located in Hanging Rock State Park, which offers camping, and there are also plenty of motels in the area to accommodate tourists and vacationers.

Mount Mitchell

Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the eastern United States at an elevation of 6,684 feet, and this natural wonder is located in western North Carolina just south of Burnsville and about 40 miles northeast of Asheville. Mount Mitchell is named for Professor Elisha Mitchell, who correctly measured the height of the mountain in 1835.

In 1857, one of Mitchell's students challenged his measurement of the mountain and Mitchell fell to his death on the mountain while trying to verify his earlier measurements, which were later verified by the United States Geological Survey. Mount Mitchell is located in Mount Mitchell State Park, which offers hiking and camping, and there are plenty of motels and cabins in the area for visitors, tourists and vacationers.

Looking Glass Falls

Looking Glass Falls is a beautiful, 60-foot high single plunge waterfall that is located off Highway 276 north of Brevard in Pisgah National Forest, not far from Sliding Rock in southwestern North Carolina. Looking Glass Falls is one of the best known and most visited waterfalls in the state and is a great natural wonder in North Carolina.

The 10 Tallest Monuments in the United States (Photos)

These are the tallest monuments in the United States many of which are famous and all of which are great tourist attractions. 

The list does not include statues or lighthouses. This list is only for monuments, the majority of which are obelisks.

All of these ten tallest monuments in the United States have observation decks which are all open to the public. Some have elevators to the top while others just have stairs but all have great views from the top.

10 Tallest Monuments in the United States

1. Gateway Arch in St. Louis—630 feet high

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri is one of the most recognizable monuments in the United States and in the world as it is 630 feet tall and also 630 wide from base to base. Built from 1963-1965 and opened to the public in 1967, the Gateway Arch is a beautiful structure and huge tourist attraction in St. Louis that allows tourists to ride to the top to an observation area for fantastic views where visitors can see as far as 30 miles on a clear day. The Gateway Arch is the symbol for the city of St. Louis, Missouri.

2. San Jacinto Monument in Texas—570 feet

The San Jacinto Monument is located in San Jacinto State Park in La Porte, Texas, just east of Houston. The monument is dedicated to the "Heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto and all others who contributed to the independence of Texas." The San Jacinto Monument is 570 feet tall and weighs over 70 million pounds, is 125 square feet at the base and tapers up to 30 square feet at the top where there sits a 34 foot high lone star. There is an elevator to the observation deck at the top.

3. Washington Monument in Washington DC—555 feet

The Washington Monument is located on the west end of the National Mall in Washington DC and stands 555 feet high. Though only the third tallest monument in the United States, the Washington Monument is the tallest structure or building in the capital city and when it was completed in 1884 it was the tallest structure in the world until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was completed. The Washington Monument is a very popular tourist attraction in Washington and visitors can ride an elevator to the top for great views of the capital.

4. Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in Ohio—352 feet

The Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is located in the town of Put-in-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island in Lake Erie north of Sandusky near where the Battle of Lake Erie was fought. In the Battle of Lake Erie Oliver Hazard Perry commanding a United States Navy fleet of nine vessels defeated and captured six Royal Navy Vessels in 1813 during the War of 1812. Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial was built from 1912 to 1915 to commemorate the victory and the lasting peace since between the USA and Great Britain. Visitors to the memorial can climb to an observation deck for amazing views of Lake Erie.

5. Jefferson Davis Memorial in Kentucky—351 feet

The Jefferson Davis Memorial is located in the Jefferson Davis State Historic Site in Fairview, Kentucky off US Highway 68. Built from 1917 to 1924, the monument is 351 feet high and has an elevator to take visitors to the observation platform at the top.

6. Bennington Battle Monument in Vermont —306 feet

The Bennington Battle Monument was built from 1887 to 1889 to commemorate the Revolutionary War battle in which the American Colonists defeated two British detachments from General Burgoyne's invading army. There is an elevator to the observation deck where you can great views of Vermont and New York State, where the battle actually took place.

7. Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis—284.5 feet

Completed in 1902, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis has an elevator that takes visitors to the observation deck for great views.

8. Pilgrim Monument—252 and 7 1/2" feet high

Located in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts is the Pilgrim Monument which was built from 1907 to 1910. This is the tallest all granite structure in the United States. It's 116 steps and 60 ramps to the top, which takes about 10 minutes.

9. Bunker Hill Monument—221 feet high

There are 294 steps to the observation deck at the 221 foot high Bunker Hill Monument located in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

10. High Point Monument in New Jersey—220 feet high

The High Point Monument marks the highest point in New Jersey and was built in 1930 as a war memorial. It is located in High Point State Park in extreme northwest New Jersey. There are 291 steps to the highest observation platform near the top.

The 10 Tallest Lighthouses in the United States (Photos)

 These are the ten tallest lighthouses in the United States that were built to be lighthouses. 

Other buildings and structures like the Statue of Liberty (302 feet), the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial (352 feet) and the steeple of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston (200 feet) have been used as lighthouses and are tall enough to be on this list but were not built as lighthouses.

All of the tallest lighthouses in the United States are magnificent structures to see and visit and most are open to the public and allow visitors to climb to the top where fantastic views can be seen. Any visitor who does climb to the top along the tall spiral staircases will certainly feel it in the legs and lungs as one must climb over 200 steps to get to the top of these giants, but the stunning views that await are well worth it.

The 10 Tallest Lighthouses in the United States

1. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina—208 feet

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks group of islands on the North Carolina coast. Cape Hatteras Light stands 208 feet tall from the foundation footer to the top of the roof spire which makes it the tallest lighthouse in the United States. Made of brick, the current tower was built in 1870 by the US Army Corps of Engineers and due to the erosion of the beach moved to its present location in 2000. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is run by the National Park Service and is open to the public and visitors can climb the 268 steps to the top for fantastic views.

2. Cape Charles Lighthouse in Virginia—191 feet

Cape Charles Lighthouse is located on Smith Island at the northern entrance of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. This skeleton tower lighthouse was built in 1895 and stands 191 feet tall and is made of cast iron. It is owned by the Coast Guard and the tower is not open to the public. Visiting the outside of Cape Charles Lighthouse can be hazardous as visitors must watch the tides and moving sandbars and the ground in the area is marshy.

3. Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse in Florida—175 feet

Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is located in northern Florida at the Ponce de Leon Inlet about 10 miles south of Daytona Beach. At 175 feet in height Ponce de Leon Light is the third tallest lighthouse in the United States. It is made of brick and was completed and lit in 1887. Stephen Crane and the shipwrecked crew he shared a boat with used the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse to guide them to shore in 1897 after the boat they were on sank off the Florida coast. Crane wrote his famous short story The Open Boat about the experience. Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse today is open to the public and there is also a museum nearby.

T-4. Barnegat Lighthouse in New Jersey—171 feet

Affectionately known as Old Barney, the Barnegat Lighthouse is located at the northern end of Long Beach Island along the New Jersey Coast. At 171 feet in height Old Barney is the fourth tallest lighthouse in the USA and tallest in New Jersey. Built in 1857 under the direction of then Lt. George Meade, who would go on to defeat Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg as head of the Union Army, Barnegat Lighthouse is made of brick and iron. Barnegat Light is open to the public today and for a modest $1 fee visitors can climb the 217 steps to the top for marvelous views of the surrounding area including the casinos in Atlantic City to the south.

T-4. Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City, New Jersey—171 feet

Absecon Lighthouse is located at the north end of Atlantic City a few blocks away from the old Showboat casino and the new Ocean Resort Casino, which are the two northern most of the casinos in Atlantic City. At 171 feet, Absecon Light is tied for the fourth tallest lighthouse in the US and the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey. Absecon Lighthouse was designed by George Meade and is constructed of brick and iron. A replica lighthouse keeper's home serves as a museum at the base and the Absecon Lighthouse is open to the public and for a fee visitors can climb the 228 steps to the top for great views of Atlantic City, the casinos and the Atlantic Ocean.

6. Fire Island Lighthouse in New York—168 feet

Fire Island Lighthouse is located on the western end of Fire Island along the southern coast of Long Island, New York right next to Robert Moses State Park. Fire Island Lighthouse was built in 1858 of brick encased in cement and at 168 feet in height is the sixth tallest lighthouse in the United States and tallest in New York if we don't count the Statue of Liberty. Today the lighthouse is operated by the Fire Island Preservation Society and is open to the public.

7. St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida—165 feet

St. Augustine Lighthouse is located at 81 Lighthouse Avenue on the north end of Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, Florida. Built in 1874 of brick, the St. Augustine Lighthouse is 165 feet high making it the seventh tallest lighthouse in the USA. The lighthouse is supposedly haunted and episodes of the TV show "Ghost Hunters" have been filmed here and supposedly captured paranormal activity occurring in the lighthouse and surrounding area and workers at the lighthouse have reported hearing strange sounds and often see shadowy figures. Today, St. Augustine Lighthouse is run by the non-profit St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Inc and is open to the public and visitors can climb the 219 steps to the top for great views.

T-8. Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia—163 feet

Cape Henry Lighthouse is located on the military base Fort Story at 583 Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Standing 163 feet tall it is the eighth tallest lighthouse in the US. It was built in 1881 and replaced an older 90 foot high 1792 lighthouse with the same name that still stands nearby. Today the old Cape Henry Lighthouse is owned by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and is open to the public and visitors can climb to the top for fantastic views of Virginia Beach and the Atlantic Ocean plus visitors can also see the new Cape Henry Lighthouse nearby. If you love lighthouses it's hard to beat that deal.

T-8. Cape Lookout Lighthouse in North Carolina—163 feet

Cape Lookout Lighthouse is located on Harkers Island along the southern outer bank group of islands along the North Carolina coast. It was built in 1859 using brick and has a diamond pattern paint job to distinguish it from other lighthouses in the area for daytime use. At 163 feet the Cape Lookout Lighthouse is tied with Cape Henry Lighthouse as the eighth tallest lighthouse in the United States. Today the Cape Lookout Lighthouse is run by the National Park Service and is open to the public.

10. Navassa Island Lighthouse—162 feet

Navassa Island Lighthouse is the 10th tallest lighthouse in the United States if you count it. It lies on Navassa Island in the Caribbean. The island is claimed by both the United States and Haiti.

11. Morris Island Lighthouse—161 feet

If you do not want to count Navassa Island Lighthouse, than Morris Island Lighthouse is the 10th tallest lighthouse in the United States at 161 feet. Morris Island Light is located on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. Morris Island Light stands several hundred feet offshore in the harbor.

10 Tallest Churches in the World

These are the 10 tallest churches in the world today. 

Some churches such as Lincoln Cathedral in England and St. Olaf in Estonia were tall enough at one time to make this list, but both suffered damage which has lowered their heights.

This list is for churches only, so mosques and other religious buildings are not included. I'm also leaving out the Chicago Temple building, which is 568 feet high, but many floors in the building are used for office space.

10 Tallest Churches in the World

1. Ulm Minster in Germany—530 feet in height

The Ulm Minster is a Lutheran church located in Ulm, Germany that has a total height of 530 feet, which makes it the tallest church in the world. The Ulm Minster was started in 1377 and not completed until 1890. Today the tallest church in the world, the Ulm Minster, is a big tourist attraction in Germany. From the top, one can view the Alps in the distance.

2. Our Lady of Peace Basilica in the Ivory Coast in Africa—518 feet

Our Lady of Peace Basilica is a Roman Catholic Church located in the city of Yamoussoukro in the Ivory Coast in Africa. Our Lady of Peace Basilica was built from 1985 to 1989. The top spire on top of the dome of the church is 518 feet high, which makes Our Lady of Peace Basilica the second tallest church in the world today.

3. Cologne Cathedral in Germany—516 feet

The Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church located in Cologne, Germany is the third tallest church in the world at 516 feet high. Built from 1248 to completion in 1880, Cologne Cathedral was the tallest building in the world from 1880 to 1884. Cologne Cathedral is another big tourist attraction in Germany visited by some ten million visitors a year.

4. Rouen Cathedral in France—495 feet

At 495 feet in height, Rouen Cathedral is the fourth tallest church in the world. Rouen Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church located in Rouen, France that was built from 1202 to 1880. Rouen Cathedral was the tallest building in the world from 1876 to 1880, when Cologne Cathedral surpassed it. Rouen Cathedral is a popular tourist attraction in France.

5. St. Nicholas' Church in Germany—483 feet

St. Nichols' Church in Hamburg, Germany is 483 feet high. Built as a Lutheran Church, most of St. Nicholas' Church was destroyed in a bombing run during WW II in 1943, but the tower remains standing. St. Nicholas' Church was built from 1846 to 1872, and was the tallest building in the world from 1874 to 1876 when Rouen Cathedral surpassed it.

St. Nicholas' Church is a popular tourist attraction in Hamburg, Germany. Visitors can take an elevator to a platform some 250 feet up the spire in St. Nicholas' for great views of Hamburg.

6. Strasbourg Cathedral in France—466 feet

The Strasbourg Cathedral in Strasbourg, France is 466 feet high, which makes it the sixth tallest church in the world. Built from 1015 to 1439, Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874. Millions of people visit Strasbourg Cathedral every year in France.

7. Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen in Poland—464 feet

The Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen is a 464 foot tall Roman Catholic Church located in Lichen Stary in central Poland. Built from 1994 to 2004, Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen was designed by architect Barbara Bielecka. Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen is a big pilgrimage site in Poland that attracts millions of visitors and tourists a year to Poland.

8. St. Peter's Basilica in Rome—448 feet

Probably the most famous church in the world, the Roman Catholic Church St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City in Rome, Italy is the eighth tallest church in the world at 448 feet in height. St. Peter's Basilica is one of the most visited tourist sites in Rome, Italy, and in the world today.

9. St. Stephen's Cathedral in Austria—445 feet

St. Stephen's Cathedral is a Catholic Church located in Vienna, Austria. Built beginning in 1147, St. Stephen's Cathedral's south tower stands 445 feet high, which makes St. Stephen's the ninth tallest church in the world.

10. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Austria—440 feet

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the New Cathedral in Linz, Austria stands 440 feet high, making it the 10th tallest church in the world. New Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church that was built beginning in 1862. There are 20,000 seats inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception which makes it the largest church in Austria.