Things to Do in North America

A multi-tiered waterfall of fast-flowing waters tumbling down a series of natural limestone steps, the Agua Azul (Blue Water) waterfall stands in striking contrast to the lone cascade of the nearby Misol Ha Waterfall and is often combined with a tour of Palenque. Named for its startling turquoise-blue waters created by minerals in the limestone bed, the waterfalls make a popular photo spot, but be aware that if you visit during the rainy season (June through October) the excess flow and silt can result in a rather less-appealing murky-brown shade.

Every museum has a mission, and the African-American Civil War Museum makes the point that for some, the Civil War was about secession versus union, but for others, it was a matter of breaking human bondage.

The museum illustrates their message through a stunning permanent collection of photographs, documents, and some audiovisual programs, which follows African American history from the Civil War through the Civil Rights movement. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Project allows visitor to search for ancestors in databases of black troops, regiments, and battles.

Nearby is the African-American Civil War Memorial. At the center of a granite plaza, the bronze statue of rifle-bearing troops is surrounded on three sides by the Wall of Honor, listing the names of 209,145 black troops who fought in the Union Army, as well as the 7,000 white soldiers who served alongside them. Use the directory to locate individual names within the regiments.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center serves as a welcome wagon for all visitors to Alaska’s rich and diverse history. Here you’ll be able to experience and interact with Native people and their traditions first-hand. Native storytelling, artist demonstrations, Native dance and game performances allow visitors to feel as if they’re living an authentic experience. This is not just a museum - audience participation is encouraged!

In “The Hall of Cultures” you can contemplate over artifacts, manuscripts and images of frontier days in Alaska. You’ll learn what rugged mountains and wildlife helped to make the Yukon great, and what traditional people did to stave off the cold winters and feast in the bright summers. You’ll see how earthen buildings were constructed to be structurally sound and thermally efficient, as well as have the opportunity to buy a traditional Native artifact for a loved one.

Here, at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visitors get a chance to learn about the great traditions of those native to the land, and see just how amazing life can be in the great outdoors.

This iconic upstate mountain range is contained within a 6.1 million-acre state park and includes two peaks that reach more than 5,000 feet. An impressive network of scenic trails attracts nature-loving travelers to this popular park, and calm, beautiful rivers are ideal for canoeing and kayaking.

The first planetarium built in the western hemisphere, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum still captures intergalactic imaginations. From the entrance, visitors descend below the building, which has 12 sides, one for each sign of the zodiac. In the newest wing, a digital sky show recreates such cataclysmic phenomena as supernovas. Interactive exhibits allow you to simulate cosmic events such as a meteor hitting the earth (this one is especially cool).

Inside, the main attraction is the StarRider Theater, where you’ll take a 30 minute virtual reality trip through deep space, with eye-popping 3-D graphics. You’ll literally feel like you’re floating in space. The planetarium's exhibition galleries are equally engaging, with myriad displays and interactive activities. A must-see exhibit is “Shoot For The Moon,” an interactive exhibit on lunar exploration. Other exhibits include “From the Night Sky to the Big Bang,” which highlights the planetarium's extensive collection of astronomical artifacts.

Near the entrance to the Adler is a 12 foot (4 meter) sundial dedicated to the golden years of astronomy. West of the sundial, in the median, a bronze statue of Copernicus shows the 16th century Polish astronomer holding a compass and a model of the solar system.

Encompassing 4.9 million acres (20,000 square kilometers), the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is America’s largest marine refuge, spread out along most of Alaska’s 47,300 miles (76,122 kilometers) of coastline.

It is home to a range of ecosystems, wildlife species and experiences as well as a wide range of contrasting landscapes, some of which include beaches, tundra, mountains, rainforests, valleys, cliffs, lakes and volcanoes. It’s also a bird-watchers paradise, known for its 40 million seabirds representing 30 species. The Pribilof Islands are said to be the best place to see birdlife, although the wildlife refuge encompasses over 2,500 islands, rocks, reefs, spires, islets, waters and headlands.

Visitors to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge can explore the volcanic islands of the Aleutian chain, the tiny islands, rainforests and and majestic fjords of the Gulf of Alaska, and various destinations near the Alaska Peninsula and Bering Sea. In total, there are 10 distinct congressionally-designated Wilderness areas in the refuge. While it’s difficult to truly grasp just how large this attraction is, traveling between its two farthest points would be similar to driving across the United States. The best way to begin exploring the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is to head to the their headquarters at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center located in Homer, Alaska.