Ways to explore
Free things to do
Great experiences that cost nothing. 429 picks across 54 destinations.
The best of the best
AshevilleBlue Ridge Parkway
"America's Favorite Drive" — a stunning scenic parkway winding along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains right past Asheville, with endless overlooks, hiking trails, waterfalls, and jaw-dropping fall foliage.
ChicagoMillennium Park & Cloud Gate
Chicago's signature public space — home to "The Bean" (Cloud Gate), the Crown Fountain, and Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion.
DenverRocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Free-roaming bison, deer, raptors and prairie dogs on fifteen thousand acres of restored prairie, twenty minutes from downtown: a former wartime manufacturing site turned into one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the country.
Egmont KeySt. Pete Pier
A 26-acre public park built out over Tampa Bay — splash pad, beach, fishing deck, a marine discovery center, rooftop drinks and sunset over the city — and free to walk from dawn to late evening.
Fort LauderdaleHollywood Beach Broadwalk
Two and a half miles of brick promenade on the sand, twenty minutes south — cafes, bike lanes, a dog beach and old-Florida charm, with Margaritaville's sunset bar at the centre.
HawaiiWaikiki Beach
Two miles of the most famous sand in the Pacific — Diamond Head on the horizon, the Duke on his pedestal, gentle rollers built for a first surf lesson, and sunset that belongs to everyone for free.
Key WestKey West Historic Seaport and Harborwalk
The old Key West Bight, where turtlers, spongers and shrimpers once unloaded — now a free mile-long harborwalk of schooners, raw bars and dockside music, and the departure point for half the island's boat trips.
Los AngelesThe Getty Center
A spectacular hilltop art museum above Brentwood — European paintings (including Van Gogh's "Irises"), gardens, and Richard Meier's gleaming travertine architecture, reached by a tram with sweeping city views.