The Us Department of Justice used the island that Alcatraz is located on as a military prison from 1868-1933.  Then it became a federal prison for dangerous criminals. Alcatraz was closed in 1963. In 1971, the Native Americans that occupied the island were forced off. Alcatraz became part of the Golden Gate National Park Recreation Area and is now open to the public. The prison is a fun, yet educational, place to learn. Posted in the building are the names of some prisoners and the reason they were sentenced to time in Alcatraz. Tours of the prison are offered. You can also get an audio tour of Alcatraz.

Mall of America

    In August of 1992, The Mall of America opened its doors to Bloomington, Minnesota - and to the rest of the world. It is the largest enclosed mall in the nation. The mall offers over 520 stores, 14 theaters, 8 nightclubs, an amusement park, LEGO castles, and more. But don't worry, there's plenty of room in this 4-story, 4.2 million square foot building. The cost to build the Mall of America was 650 million dollars. There is also an aquarium below the mall.

    As everyone knows, Las Vegas is one of the most popular vacation spots in the United States. Believe it or not, there is fun for everyone in the family at Las Vegas. There are a ton of things, mostly for adults, to do on the strip such as Big Shot, circus acts, Eiffel Tower, Madame Tussauds Interactive Wax Attraction, and the monorail to name a few. There's not quite as much for kids, but everything that is there will keep kids occupied for hours. There's the Adventuredome ( which is an amusement park), game works, circuses for kids, and a few other things. There are also thrill rides like the High Roller and the Manhattan Express Roller Coaster.

    San Francisco is famous for its beautiful setting. The city used to be the most major seaport of the United States. But now it's just an important part of finance, technology, tourism, and culture! Popular things to see in San Francisco are Chinatown, which is close to the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia, Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, and more.

    The builder of the Saint Louis Gateway Arch was Eero Saarinen. The memorial's construction took place from 1961-1966. A 630 foot high graceful, sweeping. tapered, curve of stainless steel, the Saint Louis Gateway Arch is the tallest memorial in America.

    This bridge is probably the most popular and famous landmark in the US. The bridge is hard to miss at its 8,981 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 887,000 tons. The Golden gate Bridge has been in almost every movie or show that has ever taken place in San Francisco, including "Full House".

    The West Coast is a great place to vacation because of its natural beauty. The coast is unique as well. The beaches are not covered in seashells like the East Coast, but smooth stones instead. The weather isn’t warm like the East Coast in June and early July. And make sure you wear a wetsuit if you plan on going swimming because the water can drop below 50 degrees…even in the summer!

    The Hoover Dam is 726 feet tall and, at its base, as wide as two-football fields measured end to end. There is a road that runs on top the dam that over 20,000 vehicles drive on in a single day. There is enough concrete in the Hoover Dam to build a sidewalk that is 4 feet wide around the earth at the equator. Each of the 17 generators in the dam can supply electricity to 100,000 households. The Hoover Dam is an amazing attraction.

    Mt. Rushmore is carved into the mountainside looking over the site of one of America’s bloodiest battles. It serves as a reminder of the men lost and, for once and for all, lay claim to the area. In the 1930’s, suffragists wanted Susan B. Anthony’s face added to the mountain depicting our forefathers. Obviously, the request was declined. Even to this day, the sculpture is only about 60% completed. The sculptor ran out of funds and support during the depression.

Crazy Horse

    Crazy Horse was born on Rapid Creek in the Black Hills of South Dakota around 1842. He died at age 35 from being stabbed from behind by an American soldier while under a flag of truce.

    Although the monument is not yet complete, you can still sort of tell what it will look like.  Crazy Horse’s face alone is 87.5 feet tall. The horse’s head will be 22 stories high. Work on the memorial began in 1948 by Sitting Bull, and is now being completed by Crazy Horse’s son.