USA Archives

Old Mission Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, California.

Visiting Old Mission Santa Barbara, California: practical guide for first-timers

Old Mission Santa Barbara is a working Franciscan mission and museum in Santa Barbara, California, set on 15 acres in the hills above the city. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, public transport, accessibility, and practical visitor tips. Last updated: June 2026. An…

Visiting Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, Santa Barbara: practical guide for first-timers

Arroyo Burro Beach County Park — also widely known as Hendry's Beach — is a 13.8-acre public beach and park in Santa Barbara, California. This guide covers opening hours, admission, parking, public transport, accessibility, and practical visitor tips. Last updated: June 2026. A key detail…

United States Botanic Garden guide: Free entry, hours, parking and tips

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a free, federally funded living plant museum located at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington DC, adjacent to the US Capitol, with a collection of more than 44,000 plants and over 200 years of history. This guide covers opening…

Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Maryland.

Visiting Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore: practical guide for first-timers

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is a 43-acre National Park Service site in the Locust Point neighbourhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It's where the 1814 Battle of Baltimore inspired the writing of the US national anthem. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport…

Visiting Felicity Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana: practical guide for first-time visitors

Felicity Plantation is a working sugarcane plantation and historic house museum in Vacherie, Louisiana, on the west bank of the Mississippi River. A sister property to St. Joseph Plantation — both owned by the Waguespack family — Felicity offers a distinct guided house tour in…

Visiting Laura Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana: practical guide for first-time visitors

Laura Plantation is a Creole heritage site in Vacherie, Louisiana. It's on the west bank of the Mississippi River, approximately 60 miles west of New Orleans. It is built around four generations of documented first-person accounts from the Duparc-Locoul family — owners and enslaved alike…

Old Ursuline Convent Museum, New Orleans: complete guide for first-time visitors

The Old Ursuline Convent Museum is a historic museum occupying the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley. It's located at 1100 Chartres Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Built between 1745 and 1752 under French colonial authority, the convent has served…

Visiting St. Joseph Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana: practical guide for first-time visitors

St. Joseph Plantation is a working sugarcane plantation and living history museum in Vacherie, Louisiana. It's located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, approximately 50 miles west of New Orleans. It is one of the few fully intact antebellum sugarcane plantations in Louisiana…

Visiting the Virginia Living Museum, Newport News: practical guide for first-time visitors

The Virginia Living Museum is a wildlife attraction and botanical garden in Newport News, Virginia. More than 250 living species native to Virginia are displayed across indoor and outdoor habitats spanning the state's ecosystems from the mountains to the sea. This guide covers opening hours,…

Museum of the Bible, Washington DC: Ticket prices, hours & visitor tips

The Museum of the Bible is a museum located at 400 4th Street SW, Washington DC, covering the history, narrative, and global impact of the Bible through six floors of exhibitions, immersive experiences, and rare artefacts. This guide covers opening hours, admission, transport, parking, accessibility,…