The Best Places in the United States

Sea turtles the size of coffee tables, otters doing their otter thing, rays gliding overhead in a walk-through tunnel. OdySea is a full-scale aquarium in Scottsdale, with touch tanks, penguin encounters, and a Starbucks that quietly serves cocktails, which is either inspired or deeply on-brand for the desert. Tickets run around $50, though evening hours drop the price and some nights go adults-only for anyone who finds the school-group energy a bit much.

The glass cases at this Gainey Village jewelry boutique hold Cartier and Rolex alongside less-obvious names like Panerai and Blancpain, plus pre-owned Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet for anyone who prefers their splurge slightly seasoned. The in-house design team also produces original pieces, from bridal sets to statement jewelry. A service department handles repairs or ships the watch off to someone who can. An old-school institution in Scottsdale that has been dressing wrists for a very long time.

The entrance looks like a Blockbuster that somehow survived, right down to the patterned carpet and VHS shelves. This Tempe escape room complex uses a fake video rental store called Quest Video as its lobby, where a clerk greets you, hands you a brief intro challenge, and sends you into one of three themed rooms: an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt, a prison break, or a zombie apocalypse. Six thousand square feet of nostalgia-flavored puzzles, no late fees.

A 20-acre rewilding project deep in Miami-Dade's Redland, Patch of Heaven Sanctuary is a nature preserve with a Zen garden, koi pond, giant Buddha statue, and a furnished joglo for sitting quietly while the city does whatever the city does. It regularly hosts retreats and forest bathing events. For Miami, where the default setting is "pave it," the existence of this much intentional stillness is its own kind of plot twist.

Walking tours built around Phoenix's haunted history, from festive phantoms to an after-dark crawl through the city's stranger corners. You don't need to believe in anything supernatural to enjoy them; the tours work just as well as oddball local history with better lighting decisions. A good way to see parts of the city that the cactus-and-sunshine brochure quietly skips over.

A cutlery shop for people who find Shun a little pedestrian, Phoenix Knife House stocks premium Japanese brands serious enough that you may not recognize the names until you're already pulling out your wallet. Beyond the blades, you'll find sharpening stones, knife rolls, and chef jackets, and the staff will talk you through all of it without making you feel like a tourist. Bring a dull knife for sharpening and leave with something embarrassingly sharp.

A strip-mall shop in Scottsdale where the glass cases hold digital recorders, door alarms, throwing stars, and bulletproof backpack inserts, all arranged with the cheerful practicality of a hardware store. It's the kind of place that makes you feel both safer and slightly paranoid in the same visit. They also handle fingerprint clearance cards, which is either very convenient or a little on-the-nose depending on why you're there.

A streetcar museum tucked on Grand Ave that most Phoenicians walk past without a second glance. Inside, a collection of restored cars, old uniforms, and memorabilia traces the mule-drawn and electric lines that literally plotted the city's street grid. It's a small place, but spending an hour here reframes every wide boulevard you've ever complained about. The Phoenix New Times named it the museum you probably haven't visited, which is both accurate and a little embarrassing.

A Korean skincare shop tucked into a Mesa strip mall, Populus Beauty stocks face masks, eye creams, and serums, most of them labeled entirely in Korean, which is where the staff earns their keep. The selection runs deeper than what the usual online algorithm surfaces, and the team can point you toward what you need. The return policy is strict, so asking before buying is the move.

A blowout bar that will take your hair wet, dry, or fresh from the shampoo bowl, which removes at least one reason to cancel. Primp and Blow runs through blowouts, braids, up-dos, and extensions across a string of Valley locations, with stylists who move fast enough to have you looking camera-ready in under 40 minutes. Makeup appointments are available too, if you'd like to commit fully to the bit.

A wicker basket a few hundred feet over the Sonoran Desert has a way of reordering your priorities. Rainbow Ryders runs hot air balloon flights over Phoenix, and the combination of cityscape and open desert below does something to your sense of scale that ground level simply cannot. They carry a serious safety record, which matters more than usual when the floor is a woven basket. Go at dawn; the math on summer afternoon heat in a balloon is not in your favor.

Geodes the size of ottomans, fossil slabs, and crystals that look like they were staged by a very ambitious set designer share the floor here with pieces scaled for a backyard or a corporate lobby. Rare Earth Gallery sits in Cave Creek and reads more like a natural history museum than a shop, which is either a sales strategy or a genuine obsession, possibly both. Either way, it's a strange and surprisingly absorbing afternoon.

A living-history Western town where you can catch a stunt show, ride a train, eat a steak, and watch a parade, all set in a lovingly hokey version of 1889 Arizona. It's unapologetically touristy, which is almost the point. Bring out-of-town visitors who need context for all the cowboy mythology, or return after years away and find it exactly as you left it. The duster is optional but spiritually required.

A stretch of the Salt River that spent decades as an open-air dumping ground for tires and appliances is now a riparian corridor drawing more than 200 bird species through central Phoenix. Six flat, easy trailheads make it approachable for casual walkers who happen to spot a kestrel, and serious birders show up with spotting scopes and the quiet intensity of people on a mission. Migration season in spring and fall brings the biggest variety.

A 140-acre outdoor shooting facility east of Mesa, Rio Salado Sportsman's Club runs one of Arizona's more serious junior marksmanship programs, with .22-caliber rifle training for ages 10 to 20 and coaches certified through the NRA who point to a spotless safety record. The grounds include covered benches, a pistol range, silhouette ranges, and an indoor rifle range, so there's room to progress well past the basics.

Signed albums and framed lyrics line the walls of this Scottsdale gallery, which sits somewhere between a serious auction house and a very good argument for obsession. Original paintings by Paul McCartney and Ronnie Wood hang alongside a Stratocaster signed by all three members of Nirvana during an SNL taping. Gold records and signed drum heads fill the gaps. Most people leave empty-handed and perfectly happy about it.

A men's clothing shop in downtown Scottsdale where the vibe is rustic and unhurried and the music is actually good. Rooster Bus stocks brands like Faherty, Howler, and Goorin Bros., the kind of labels that read as put-together without announcing it. The edit skews versatile, covering a backyard cookout as easily as a night out. For anyone who finds clothes shopping a quiet ordeal, this place has a way of making it something closer to an afternoon off.

A flower shop and coffee shop sharing a roof, which is either a stroke of genius or proof that someone ran out of square footage and improvised beautifully. Rowan Tree handles custom arrangements, wedding bouquets, and same-day delivery across the Valley (order before noon), while the adjoining Jasmine Jo Coffee Shop ensures you never have to choose between flowers and a latte. You can browse fresh blooms in person or order from home.

A nonprofit bike collective where you don't just drop off the bike and wait. Rusty Spoke, run by volunteer mechanics on Grand Avenue, puts you to work alongside them, teaching you to diagnose, adjust, and fix your own ride with parts sold at cost. It rewards curiosity over helplessness, which makes it either charming or humbling depending on how you handle a hex key. The Grand Avenue bike lanes make the whole trip feel intentional.

Wild horses actually wander the Salt River banks here, which tends to catch first-timers mid-float. This is classic Phoenix summer activity: rent an inner tube, pick either a two-hour run or a longer five-to-six-hour drift, and let moving water do the work while the desert bakes around you. Otters show up too, unbothered. The shorter route draws a crowd; the longer one is quieter. Sunscreen is non-negotiable, and the rapids prefer a rigid body over a relaxed one.

A public tennis facility where the courts were recently resurfaced and reservations happen with a single phone call. Drop-in doubles, leagues, lessons, and ball machine time are all on the menu, and the lights stay on until 10:30 p.m. Court fees are a few dollars a session, which makes the regulars here less precious about their backhands than at most places. Phoenix New Times named it the best tennis courts in Phoenix in 2025.

Motorcycle jackets share rails with lacy tops and Y2K graphic tees at this Tempe thrift shop, where the owners' fashion backgrounds show in every rack. Prices run with cut-rate thrift stores, but the edit is far tighter, and upcycled denim gets the kind of rework you'd actually want. Inventory turns over daily, so there's always a reason to stop back in.

A rage room where you suit up in white protective gear, pick your targets (a computer, colorful bottles, assorted trinkets), and smash things to a playlist of your choosing. The vibe is deliberately inclusive, with a Pride flag at the front desk and signage whose language suggests the staff's commitment to welcoming everyone runs pretty hot. Adult nights add drinks to the destruction, and a neon paint room exists for those who'd rather make a mess than settle a score.

A Czech-owned sports bar on Broadway where the roast duck shares menu space with chicken wings and the back bar stocks Becherovka alongside the usual domestic taps. Pool tables, a Pac-Man cabinet, karaoke nights, and Avalanche games on the screens make it a full-service neighborhood hangout. Westword named it Denver's top bar for Avalanche games in 2025, which feels right for a place this cheerfully, improbably itself.

Hot pink walls and poster collages that look borrowed from a college dorm set the tone at this maximalist charm shop and trinket store in Scottsdale. The charm bar is the main event, with gold-plated options running from tiny martini glasses to handmade tomato seed charms, because a butter stick on your wrist is a personality statement. Clothing and a house swimwear line round things out. Groups can book time to browse together, which is the intended vibe.

The DJs here spin actual vinyl, which means you hear the crackle before the beat drops. Spin Room is a music-driven cocktail lounge tucked into the CityScape complex downtown, built around a proper turntable setup and a crowd that came to dance. Sets run heavy on R&B, hip-hop, funk, and soul with a nostalgic lean. The full bar keeps things accessible, with cheap beers alongside named cocktails that match the throwback energy.

Floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with over 50,000 DVDs, Blu-rays, and games make this a video rental shop that has, against all odds, continued to exist. Superstar Video carries the latest releases alongside out-of-print rarities you won't find on any streaming service, and if they don't have it, the owner will track it down. New releases rent for a couple of dollars, which says everything about why people keep coming back.

A dedicated saltwater taffy department is either a sign of a candy superstore done right or a sign your dentist is about to buy a boat. Sweeties is a sprawling bulk-candy shop where nearly everything sells individually or by the pound, the shelves run floor to ceiling, and the childhood nostalgia is stacked as deep as the gumdrops. The staff is genuinely warm, which softens the blow of the inevitable sugar spiral on the drive home.

Parking near a college football stadium ranks among life's reliable miseries, and Tempe's solution is a boat. On ASU game days, a water taxi runs across Tempe Town Lake, dropping fans at the stadium after a $5 park-and-walk at the Watermark garage and a $10 ride over. Hundred Mile Brewing is a partner, which explains the general good cheer on deck. Maroon and gold optional, but everyone seems to wear it anyway.

Doug Robson built his name on Mexican food at Gallo Blanco and Otro Cafe, then opened Tesota and threw the rulebook out entirely. The menu roams from poke to pasta to Asian noodles to chicken wings without apology, and the sunny Camelback Road room, all natural light and colorful paintings, makes the whole thing feel coherent somehow. A comfortable, come-as-you-are restaurant where the logic is less "theme" and more "make it well."

The dim lighting is a design choice, not an accident, and the 24-hour hours mean the staff has seen everything without flinching. This adult shop covers the full range: lingerie, toys, accessories, and a 200-channel digital arcade with private viewing booths. The team is notably relaxed and helpful, which goes a long way in a category where shopping can feel awkward. Phoenix New Times named it Best Adult Shop in 2025.

An indoor climbing gym that's been beefing up forearms in West Kendall since before bouldering was a personality type. No sauna, no juice bar, no steep initiation theater, just reasonable day passes, a full upstairs gym, and walls that reward actual footwork. The community is the real draw: regulars here talk beta, not brunch. Miami New Times named it Best Rock Climbing in 2025.

Forty-three courts spread across ten lakeside acres make The FORT one of the larger pickleball complexes in South Florida, and it also serves as the official home of the Association of Pickleball Players. Open play, skill-rated matches, private rentals, and tournaments all run here, and the après-match bar and kitchen give everyone a reason to linger. The crowd runs from first-timers fumbling their dinks to people who travel for this.

A century-old shopping center two miles from the Arizona State Capitol, the Gold Spot's golden brick courtyard has become an unofficial annex for state legislators, lobbyists, and the occasional curious constituent. Pita Jungle, a coffee shop, a salon, and a sandwich counter share the space with enough elected officials that eavesdropping feels almost civic. Consider it democracy, but with better focaccia.

Five vintage signs from vanished Mesa businesses glow outside The Post, an open-air neon garden that doubles as a love letter to the city's midcentury Main Street. Watson's Flowers, a porcelain Dairy Queen cone, and a Bill Johnson's bull head share the garden with a 15-foot Diving Lady, a replica of the last animated neon sign in Arizona, restored by the local artist who fixed the original after a storm took it down.

A women's resale boutique tucked into a strip mall in Ahwatukee Foothills, where the racks are hand-curated and the smell is notably not thrift store. Think Anthropologie dresses beside Lululemon sets beside a Coach bag or a Louis Vuitton one, all priced for people who do math at the register. The team runs sip-and-shop events with wine and markdowns, which is a reasonable way to make decisions you'll stand behind later.

The Ra Ra Room is a supper club tucked inside PHX Arena where entry runs $15,000 a year in membership fees, which means most people get in by befriending someone richer than themselves. Major Food Group runs the room, and the menu leans heavily on steaks and Italian. The real closer is the candy alcove at the end of the night, a small room stocked with lollipops, peanut brittle, and jelly beans that guests take home freely.

Midcentury decor and nods to Mesa's past set the look, but the 400-capacity concert hall books metal, punk, hip-hop, and indie acts on a proper stage. Beyond shows, the room leans hard into being a genuine community space, with record swaps, DJ workshops, open-format dance nights, and yoga sessions on the calendar. It's the newest piece of a local empire that already runs a beloved theater, a basement venue, and a record store nearby.

A Birkenstock-forward shoe shop that has quietly become a fixture in downtown Tempe, drawing students, professors, and people who finally admit their feet deserve better. The selection runs from sandals and clogs to dressy leather styles, with brands like Dansko and Pikolinos filling out the racks alongside leather goods and accessories. The staff actually knows the inventory, which helps when you're deciding whether orthotics are a personality trait or just good sense.

A ten-mile linear park running beneath the Metrorail, The Underline has spent years converting concrete shadow into bike paths, basketball courts, fitness zones, art installations, and native-planted trails. The Brickell Backyard section is the busiest stretch, while the Hammock Trail pushes north into something that feels genuinely wilder. The whole thing is still expanding toward completion, which means returning visitors keep finding something new to argue about.

Pinball leagues run here most weeks, which tells you something about how seriously Tilt Studio takes its arcade. Tucked inside Arizona Mills mall, it's a full family entertainment center with laser tag, a snack bar, and a long row of Street Basketball machines that actually work, a small mercy in a genre plagued by stuck balls and swallowed credits. The hoops even feature a moving basket for anyone who finds a stationary target too easy.

The wedding-cake silhouette rising from a hill ringed with cactus is visible from the freeway, which is how most people know Tovrea Castle before they know anything about it. Built by an Italian entrepreneur dreaming of a resort, inherited by an Arizona cattle baron, and left to crumble before Phoenix restored it, the place has a strange, layered history. Tours happen twice a year by lottery, which somehow makes it more compelling.

Two separate gated fields, one for big dogs and one for small, sit inside this sprawling Doral dog park where weekends bring a genuinely chaotic mix of zoomies and sniffing diplomacy. A wash station handles the muddy aftermath, and there's outdoor fitness equipment plus a kids' playground, so the humans aren't just standing around looking grateful. The nearby Starbucks is two minutes away, which your dog has already calculated.

The collard green melt on toasted rye with Russian dressing and pickled cherry peppers is the sandwich this kitschy Nashville counter built its reputation on, and that reputation has held. It's a casual, cash-friendly sandwich spot where nothing is light and the salad is buried under fried garlic and crispy pig ears. The Michelin Guide gave it a Bib Gourmand, which tracks for a place where the portions are architectural and the flavors are loud.

A record shop sprawling across the old Lowenstein Center on East Colfax, Twist & Shout stocks vinyl, CDs, DVDs, books, and decades of rock-era paraphernalia in a space big enough to lose an afternoon in. Touring acts play occasional in-store shows, and a rotating Local Listening Post keeps tabs on Denver's own scene. Westword named it the city's best record store in 2025, which will surprise nobody who has spent an hour here and left with six things they didn't plan to buy.

A butcher shop that actually explains itself, which turns out to be the hard part. Underbelly carries grass-fed, locally sourced cuts in a clean, curated case that rewards the curious and doesn't punish the clueless, because whoever's behind the counter will walk you through the difference between a skirt steak and a bavette without making you feel bad about it. The rotating sandwich menu is a quiet bonus from a team that clearly has more to say.

Urban Cowboy Bar is a cocktail bar on the second floor of downtown's Arcade, where the taxidermy, neon, and leaded glass have clearly been arranged by someone who owns a good lamp. The drinks are carefully made, and the pizza comes by the slice, which keeps the evening from getting too serious. Looking down over the Arcade gives the room a big-city feel, and Nashville Scene named it Best Bar Spinoff in 2025.