The Gulf city of Mobile hit the headlines in 2019, when the Clotilda – the last known slave ship to enter the USA – was discovered at the bottom of the Mobile River. Set for a 2023 opening, the new Africatown Heritage House will tell the story of this schooner and the rich community that its descendants went on to develop. Displays will include West African art objects and pieces of the ship itself.
The purpose of the Sealaska Heritage Institute's Arts Campus is to immerse visitors in the arts and cultures of Indigenous peoples, including the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. It opened in June 2022, and includes a performance area, plus space for markets selling Native arts and crafts from textiles to prints. There's also the chance to get involved in workshops teaching traditional skills like basketry.
The kids will love this brand new theme park from Mattel, the toy company behind household names such as Barbie and Thomas the Tank Engine. They'll be able to hang out with the famous blonde doll at her beach house, or climb aboard a gentle Thomas the Tank Engine ride, which beats a mellow route through the park. For thrill-seekers and older kids, the whizzing Hot Wheel-inspired roller coaster shouldn't disappoint. The park is tipped for a 2023 opening.
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, which began extensive renovations back in 2016, is poised for reopening in 2023. The building, with its bold zig-zagging roof and floor-to-ceiling glass, now has 127,000 square feet (11,799sqm) of extra space – plenty of room to showcase its 14,000-strong collection, which includes a fine store of sketches and watercolours on paper. A favourite is Andrew Wyeth’s 'Snowflakes', an early acquisition.
The waters of the Agua Caliente hot springs have long been sacred to the Native peoples in the area – and a brand new spa, fed by these very waters, is set to open this year. The large complex will also include a museum dedicated to the culture and history of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, plus a planted garden and trail with native plants.
Rocky Mountaineer, which already had a string of gorgeous rail routes through Canada, recently made its debut in the US. It chose the southwest for its premiere American venture, with its first full season in 2022. The journey chugs from the Rockies to the Red Rocks – that is, from the breathtaking landscapes of the Rocky Mountains to the equally impressive red rocks of Moab, Utah. Glass-domed trains mean passengers can gawp at views en route to Colorado's capital Denver.
Martin Luther King Jr. worked in Simsbury as a young student and this monument is a testament to his legacy and the impact spending time in the had on him. A series of five glass panels represent aspects of King’s life, from his childhood to his time here before returning to the segregated South, with the etched words appearing to float in mid-air. A bench, made of Georgia granite, invites visitors to stay and reflect.
Wilmington foodies unite: the Chancery Market food hall is the latest gourmet attraction in town, opening at the end of 2022. Feast on fried chicken from New York City transplant Fuku; Indian street food from Katiroll Walla; towering sandwiches from Market Street Burger and Dog; and well-made pies at Toscana Pizza E Panini. It's open all day and the space is suitably sleek too.
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Fans of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie series should beeline for this head-spinning indoor roller coaster, which debuted at Epcot in 2022. You'll be launched through a star-sewn galaxy to a rocking 1980s soundtrack, after braving a stomach-dropping backwards launch. Look out for cameos from Chris Pratt too.
This behemoth of a resort is set to be the largest spa in North America when it eventually opens in autumn 2023. It's going to have a world focus, too, with themed pavilions showcasing the food and architecture from international destinations such as Japan and Costa Rica. Expect lush environs filled with tropical trees and hot springs, plus a Roman-style courtyard.
Set to open in February 2023, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay offers a lesson in tropical luxury. Guests can expect a keen focus on wellness, with everything from yoga sessions and indulgent spa treatments, to 'fitness excursions' that strike out into the Hawaiian wilderness. Then there's the food: there'll be six different eateries including 1 Kitchen, the signature restaurant, which champions local produce. It's carbon neutral, with plenty of reclaimed materials used in its construction too.
The views from One Lakeside, a new lakeside hotel in Coeur d’Alene, northwest Idaho, could only be closer if they were actually in the rooms. Each of the 29 luxurious suites has floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies so the dreamy surroundings are right there, beckoning guests out to mess about on the water or follow forest and mountain trails. The interior is pretty lovely too, with plush textures and natural tones that reflect the outdoors.
There are plenty of family-friendly attractions at Grafton's Aerie’s Resort in western Illinois and a new one has just arrived. Opened in September 2022, and joining the site's aerial lift and zip line, is the Alpine Coaster, tipped as the first of its kind in the state. Passengers are whisked across a forested hillside on 3,000 feet (914m) of wiggling track. You'll reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40km/h).
A former Coca-Cola factory has had a major overhaul in Indianapolis. The Art Deco plant has been filled with a chic boutique hotel – the aptly named Bottleworks Hotel – featuring super-sleek rooms with industrial touches and a cocktail bar. Also in the Bottleworks District, you'll find The Garage Food Hall packed full of local vendors, a movie theatre and a bar for ping-pong and duck-pin bowling.
Joining the existing Lost Island Water Park, the Polynesian-themed Lost Island Theme Park opened to visitors in summer 2022. Five 'realms' (Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Spirit) are packed full of attractions, from a giant pendulum ride to a green viper-themed roller coaster (pictured). Visitors can also expect a host of characters to interact with and some family-friendly food options.
Muriel is the main attraction at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, located at the Amelia Earhart Airport. The last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E airplane (pictured) is identical to the one Amelia Earhart flew during her famous world flight in 1937. Named after Amelia’s sister and housed in a 1930s hangar, Muriel and other fascinating exhibits relating to the pilot’s life and career can currently be viewed on "beta visits" to the site. The museum is due to open fully in April 2023.
Determined to shake up the bourbon scene in Kentucky, husband and wife duo Tia and Sean Edwards opened the Fresh Bourbon tasting room in downtown Lexington in September 2022. Theirs is a different approach to bourbon with a blend that's heavy on the honey malt and a tasting room that glitters with rose gold and marble. There's a 34,000-square-foot (3,159sqm) Fresh distillery planned for the area too.
NOLA's National World War II Museum debuted a very special exhibition on Veterans Day weekend in 2022. Moving Expressions of America uses striking and immersive projections, combined with letters and oral tales, to piece together wartime histories and present them in a dazzling display.
Maine is famed for its breathtaking scenic byways and three more have been designated in recent years. The 89-mile (143km) Katahdin Woods & Waters route slices and, in places, squiggles through the thinly forested inland with views of Katahdin, the state’s tallest mountain and the northern end of the Appalachian Trail. The route runs from the southern entrance to Baxter State Park, following parts of the Penobscot River and ending at the park’s northern entrance, at Grand Lake Matagamon.
Lexington Market – tipped as the oldest public market in the States – has been given a major facelift. Having reopened its doors in 2022, the market's upper and lower floors were completely revamped, though they're still crammed full of vendors doling out world food, from Chinese dishes to Cajun delights. There's also a new outdoor plaza for alfresco events and live music.
This state-of-the-art venue, opened in autumn 2022, is shaking up Boston's live music scene. The MGM Music Hall occupies what was once a paved lot used by broadcast trucks for parking and as a service yard for Fenway Park. With four floors covering around 91,500 square feet (8,500sqm) and space for around 5,000 people, its design combines hi-tech visuals and sophisticated acoustics. Bruno Mars was the first to perform here in September 2022.
Detroit is a treat for music lovers – and no genre screams 'Motor City' more than Motown, named for the record label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in the 1950s. The beloved Motown Museum has long been on the city's attraction hit list, but now it's undergoing a major overhaul. It's now in the final phase of a mammoth expansion, which'll see the addition of a 40,000 square foot (3,716sqm) theatre and exhibit space. It's thought that it'll be completed by 2024.
As if the gargantuan Mall of America didn't already have enough attractions (there's already an indoor theme park, an escape game and some 520 stores), they're adding another to the roster. The Museum of Illusions – which is spreading itself across the States and the world – will open in early 2023. You can expect more of the mind-bending, eye-popping optical illusions that the museum chain has become famous for.
The state capital has a solid roster of museums and among them is the popular Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. You can typically peruse displays celebrating Mississippi greats, with exhibits featuring jerseys, trophies, balls and black and white photographs from the state's sporting history. And it's now undergoing a $3.5 million (£2.9m) renovation, including updates to the gift shop and the lobby.
You'll certainly not get bored at this giant new entertainment complex in St Louis, opened in December 2022. Armory STL features an enormous TV screen – the largest in the state – plus wholesome attractions like cornhole and arcade games. There are also mammoth seesaws and slides made especially for adults, plus plenty of bar space too. What's not to love?
This new resort is located on the grounds of Big Sky’s Spanish Peaks Mountain Club and has already become a destination hotel for the area. Montage Big Sky has more than a hundred plush guest rooms and suites and is one of just a few 5-star properties in the state. With several restaurants, a huge spa and outdoor pools surrounded by forest and mountain scenery, it's an ultra-luxurious base for winter sports enthusiasts, who have direct access to the area’s trails in winter.
Opening on 1 April 2023, Vegas's Punk Rock Museum is set to be a triumphant celebration of the irreverent genre, featuring a bounty of musical instruments, set lists and clothing from bands such as Pennywise and Rise Against. The best thing? This isn't a look-but-don't-touch kind of place – there's a room where you can actually play guitars owned by heavyweights of the anti-establishment movement. You'll find a tattoo parlour, a dive bar and a wedding chapel too.
The long-running Hobo & Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad has added an exciting new option for people who want to be even more immersed in the scenery of the Lakes Region: guided Rail Bike Adventures. The tours launched with state-of-the-art rail bikes that participants pedal along the 19th-century line, crossing the Winnipesaukee River and Durkee Brook before reaching the shore of Lake Winnisquam.
There's already plenty that draws visitors to New Jersey's American Dream Mall (pictured), from a Nickelodeon theme park and a DreamWorks water park to light-up mini golf and oodles of shops. And now there's also a giant observation wheel. Dream Wheel promises soaring views across the Manhattan skyline and New Jersey as it whisks visitors up 300 feet (91m).
On the edge of the Santa Fe National Forest and a few miles from downtown, this Auberge Resorts Collection property has garnered attention and praise for its sensitive restoration of a historic landmark. Bishop’s Lodge was settled more than 150 years ago by Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy and became a private residence for the Pulitzer family. Now, luxury suites and casitas have heritage touches like stucco walls, Navajo-style rugs and traditional kiva fireplaces.
It's hard to believe that the Big Apple hasn't always had a museum dedicated to its famous theatre district – but the Museum of Broadway, opened in summer 2022, is the first of its kind. Through video projections, detailed timelines and plenty of theatre-land relics, the museum tells the story of Broadway, from its 18th-century roots to bright modern-day productions like Hamilton and Hair.
Only a small handful of North Carolina properties listed in the Green Book – a guide for Black travellers passing through the Jim Crow-era South – remain in operation. The Historic Magnolia House, an elegant 1914 building that hosted Jackie Robinson, Gladys Knight and James Brown, is among them. The motel, which shuttered in the 1970s, underwent restorations and recently reopened. The North Carolina Civil Rights Trail also launched in 2021, with site markers being placed now and up until 2023.
The International Peace Garden is a special place. This sprawling site represents the unique and peaceful relationship between the USA and neighbouring Canada and visitors come to enjoy the waterfalls, lakes and trails, plus native flowers and wildlife. Now one of the most popular spaces here is getting an upgrade: the Conservatory is being expanded, and will include a verdant 18,000 square foot (1,672sqm) succulent garden.
You'll feel like you're on an old-school seaside holiday with Cedar Point's brand new boardwalk. The area is intended to evoke the vacations of yesteryear, with its giant wheel and dodgems – but it's got plenty of modern trappings too. Little ones will love the family-friendly Wild Mouse roller coaster and the whole clan can get dinner at the Grand Pavilion.
Bob Dylan fans should head straight to Tulsa's Arts District. In May 2022, a new museum dedicated to the world-famous singer-songwriter opened, and it chronicles his life and legacy through a collection of more than 100,000 relics. There are also additional temporary exhibits, plus live performances and talks on a range of creative topics.
An otherworldly new attraction opened in Pittsburgh in October 2022. The brainchild of space robotics company Astrobotic, Moonshot Museum is dedicated to all things outer space, featuring interactive educational displays. Best of all, though, you'll get to watch real lunar rovers being built before your eyes. A giant window will allow visitors to look onto the action.
Oregon's Willamette Valley is a wine-lover's dream, with more than 27,000 planted acres – and it's home to some seriously forward-thinking wine-makers too. Among them is Remy Drabkin, owner of popular regional brand Remy Wines. Drabkin's brand new winery is made mainly from salvaged wood and metal, and also includes what's being tipped as the world’s first carbon-neutral concrete floor. Guests can visit the Farmhouse Tasting Room to swill a delicious glass of Pinot Noir.
Old Slater Mill, considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in America, recently became part of Blackstone Valley National Park. The 1793 building was owned by Samuel Slater, who ran a cotton factory powered by the Blackstone River, and has been reopened as a museum with textile machines from the late 1700s onwards. It makes up the Slater Mill Historic Site with the 1810 Wilkinson Mill and the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House.
The location of this new museum is poignant – it's set to open on Charleston's Gadsden’s Wharf, where it's thought that nearly half of all enslaved Africans arrived during the slave trade. Displays will lay bare the horrors of the institution and South Carolina's role in it, and also celebrate African American culture and its impact around the globe. The African Ancestors Memorial Garden will be a peaceful place to reflect.
Oglala Lakota Living History Village is a space for Lakota voices, stories and culture. The outdoor attraction in Cactus Flats, Jackson County has interactive exhibits and areas where visitors can listen to Lakota people share their stories and see displays of their heritage. It's designed to take visitors on a journey through Lakota Country, past and present.
Big thrills are combined with a wholesome storyline as passengers hop aboard Big Bear Mountain on a rollicking quest to find the ride's namesake – a giant black bear that's rumoured to roam the Wildwood Grove area of the park. You'll shoot along 4,000 feet (1,216m) of track, wiggling through forest and stealing behind a waterfall, on the park's biggest roller coaster to date. It's geared up for a spring 2023 opening.
This old Spanish mission – famous for the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 – has long been San Antonio's headline site. And now history buffs will have even more reason to visit, as the site readies itself to cut the ribbon on a brand new exhibitions hall. Due to open in spring 2023, the space will contain an impressive store of artefacts collected by English singer and Genesis frontman Phil Collins. There's a new visitor's centre in the works too.
Glamping is big news in the Beehive State and there are plenty of swish places you can rest your head while being enveloped within the wilderness. Among them is brand new concept ULUM, from the brains behind glamping heavyweights Under Canvas. You'll be swaddled by nature at this Moab site, hemmed in among giant cliffs and acres of desert, plus a landmark natural rock arch. You can also expect plenty of creature comforts, from a king-sized bed and a wood stove to communal pools and a yoga deck.
Vermont is very much an outdoorsy state so this new glamping option, with boutique bedroom tents dotted around a farm grazed by alpacas, fits in perfectly. The safari-style tents have king or queen beds and are hooked up to electricity and Wi-Fi with mini-kitchens and en suite bathrooms – so this isn’t exactly roughing it. The covered decks, with Adirondack chairs, lanterns and smokeless fire pits, are made for sitting out late, listening to the sounds of the farm and watching for passing camelids.
The Virginia Museum of History and Culture, in the historic city of Richmond, reopened in 2022 after a £24-million ($30m) renovation project. The major overhaul has added extra family-friendly spaces, an immersive theatre and a series of new exhibition areas. Things kicked off with a brand new exhibition called Our Commonwealth, which explores the state's five regions.
Dubbed the first of its kind in the world, this new museum in Seattle is dedicated to blockchain art and crypto artists. Opened in 2022, it's got a futuristic feel, with large screens displaying works by big names in the field such as Blake Kathryn and Seattle's own Charles Peterson. There are pioneering exhibitions centred on climate change and female creators too.
New River Gorge is still the USA's newest national park and the most exciting attraction in West Virginia. The area has long been a favourite with those in the know for rock climbing and hiking up to incredible views over the bend in the New River, flanked by thickly forested hills. It’s also a popular whitewater rafting destination, with the river flowing in parts through canyons. There are also activities and tours led by park rangers, from guided hikes to nature walks.
America's Black Holocasut Museum was closed for 14 years, but finally reopened in 2022. Museum operators describe the centre's four themes as Remembrance, Resistance, Redemption and Reconciliation – and poignant displays cover some 4,500 of history, from African life before slavery right up to African-American culture and experiences in the modern day. You can expect videos, powerful photography and interactive displays.
The Cloudveil brings a new level of style and luxury to exploring two of the USA’s most beguiling national parks, Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Located in Jackson Hole’s Town Square, the Western-inspired hotel features 100 rustically elegant rooms and a terrace with heated pool and hot tub. The decor, from sleek wooden pieces to marshmallow-soft beds and artwork reflecting the mountain scenery, is as impeccable and inspiring as the natural surroundings.