San Francisco was already a stellar arts destination, home to the long-standing de Younge Museum (for fine arts) and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But the Institute of Contemporary Art, opened in October 2022, is another feather in the city's artistic cap. Cutting-edge installations explore topics such as climate change, identity politics and creativity – pictured is an installation from Resting Our Eyes, an exhibition that focuses on "the liberation and celebration of Black women". 

If you've ever wished you could shrink down and join your favourite video game characters in their adventures, then you'll love this new offering from Universal Studios Hollywood. Opened in February 2023, Super Nintendo World includes Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, a dark ride that whips visitors underwater and then into the clouds. Fill up at the cute Toadstool Cafe and look out for beloved characters including Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach as you make your way around the park. 

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You'd think it would be hard to find a connection between British singer-songwriter Phil Collins and San Antonio's iconic Spanish mission (famous for the Battle of the Alamo). But, as it goes, the Genesis frontman has a fascination with this slice of Texan history and recently donated a huge store of related artefacts, from a bronze cannon to early battle orders, to the Alamo. The Phil Collins-donated items are housed alongside relics from the existing collection in an all-new Exhibition Hall and Collections Building on the site, opened in March 2023.

Step back in time at the Palm Springs Modernism Museum, opened in October 2022, where a tangle of themed rooms (or "vignettes") whisk travellers through the decades. You'll explore a 1970s-style living room in eye-popping yellow, a bubblegum pink bedroom with a ball pit and fur walls and a dazzling skating area. Stop by the museum gift shop for funky clothing, souvenirs and books about vintage fashion. 

Step back in time at the new Modernism Museum in Palm Springs

After more than 20 years of anticipation, the International African American Museum is set to open its doors on June 27, 2023. The museum site is poignant: it's located on Gadsden's Wharf, where an estimated 100,000 enslaved Africans arrived during the height of the slave trade. Inside, multimedia displays will guide visitors through topics from slavery and the Civil Rights movement to modern-day inequality and injustices, while, at the Center for Family History, guests can explore their genealogy with the help of experts.

You'll take a deep-dive into the world of Broadway at this new museum, just off Times Square. Detailed timeline exhibits, filled with photos and playbills, take you through theatreland history while original costumes hang on mannequins and classic Broadway tunes play from speakers. 'The Makings of a Broadway Show' exhibit is a highlight, with displays on sound, light, writing and other areas of theatre production. 

You'll never be short of things to do in Vegas – the mushrooming Strip with its endless casinos and swish hotels will see to that. But if you fancy going off-piste, the city's new Punk Rock Museum, opened in April 2023, offers respite from the slots. Pore over relics of the genre, from T-shirts worn by punk rock icons to musical instruments used by legendary bands. If you want a permanent souvenir, head to the tattoo parlour – or be content to sink a few beers at the onsite dive bar. Pictured is Bryan Ray Turcotte, one of the museum's co-founders.

Toy giant Mattel – the company behind Barbie, Hot Wheels and Thomas & Friends – is bringing its first ever theme park to Glendale, Arizona in 2024. Those with a need for speed should beeline for the Hot Wheels-inspired roller coaster, while the Thomas the Tank Engine train offers a slower pace for little ones. You can also hang out in Barbie's Beach House, where the doll is brought to life with holograms.

The desert city of Palm Springs heaves with attractions, and its latest offering (opened in April 2023) celebrates both the region's native peoples and the natural world. Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza has an art gallery and museum with displays on the culture and traditions of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. There's also a spa fed by the waters of the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring, revered for its healing properties. 

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is a beacon of female creativity in the nation's capital – in fact, it's dubbed the first museum in the world that's completely dedicated to women in the arts. You'll admire more than 5,500 works by both national and international artists once the museum reopens, fresh from extensive renovations, in autumn 2023. This rendering shows the revamped exhibition space. 

Thrill-seekers will love this brand new ride at Dollywood. Opened in May 2023, the exhilarating Big Bear Mountain is now the longest roller coaster at the park, which is the brainchild of legendary country songstress Dolly Parton. It wiggles out on 3,990 feet (1,216m) of track, and whisks passengers off on a swirling adventure to find the ride's protagonist, Big Bear. 

Disney favourite The Princess and the Frog will be brought to life in this new log ride, which will reimagine the well-loved and long-standing Splash Mountain. Riders will move through a glittering bayou scene, with characters such as Prince Naveen, Louis the Alligator and Princess Tiana herself leading Mardi Gras celebrations. There'll also be original music. It's tipped to open in 2024. 

Theme park attractions we can't wait to try

Opened in October 2022, the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is designed to immerse visitors into Chicano culture with colourful exhibitions, interactive classes and art workshops. Come by for the centre's very first exhibition – PILLARS: Stories Of Resilience And Self-Determination – which tells the story of Chicano Park, with its huge concentration of kaleidoscopic Chicano murals. It's located in San Diego's Barrio Logan, in Logan Heights, known as the city's oldest Mexican-American neighbourhood.

Occupying the fourth floor of the New York Historical Society Library and Museum building, the American LGBTQ+ Museum is hailed as the first of its kind in the United States. Art installations and informative displays will celebrate and explore cultures, stories and histories from the LGBTQ+ community, and the grand opening is planned for 2026, in the Big Apple's Upper West Side. 

Do you dream of exploring a galaxy far, far away? Then Disney's Galactic Starcruiser – a bonanza of a hotel – is for you. The immersive two-night experience here includes themed cabin accommodation (pictured), live performances and plenty of character appearances, plus views of the star-filled galaxy floating by the window. The 'voyages' began in March 2022. 

Discover the most unique hotel in every state

Importing enslaved people to the US was outlawed in 1808, yet the last known slave ship, Clotilda, sailed as late as 1860. That very schooner was discovered in the Mobile River in 2019. The brand new Africatown Heritage House (gearing up for a July 2023 opening) will tell the story of the ship, the perilous journeys to and from Africa that enslaved people endured, plus the birth of historical Africatown. Eventually, water tours will commence too: visitors will sail on the Mobile River and hear more poignant stories about the captive Africans brought here and the community they eventually formed.

Seattle's waterfront is getting a major facelift, set to continue until 2025. The area hugging the Puget Sound is being primped and preened with new walkways, art installations, bike lanes, parks and more. Some areas, like the super sleek Pier 62 (with its cool industrial-style sound installation by Stephen Vitiello) are already finished. Other projects, like the Overlook Walk – an elevated public park akin to New York City's High Line – are still under construction. 

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. And the Historic Magnolia House, an elegant 1914 building that once hosted the likes of James Baldwin and Gladys Knight, is now among them. The motel shuttered in the 1970s, but reopened after restorations. The North Carolina Civil Rights Trail also launched in early 2021, with site markers being placed now and up until 2024. 

The pretty city of Gatlinburg is folded into the Smokies and the Gatlinburg Skylift Park milks the mountain vistas for all they're worth. The park includes its namesake, a soaring chairlift reaching the peak of Crockett Mountain, and the SkyBridge (pictured), a suspension bridge with a hair-raising string of glass panels. The latest addition is the SkyTrail, an elevated boardwalk that joins up either end of the SkyBridge, hugging the steep ravine that unfolds beneath it. 

Colorado is a beacon for outdoor adventurers, and mountain bikers travel from across the States to pound its world-class trails. The new kid on the block is Palisade Plunge, one of the longest single-track, downhill bike trails in the country. It wiggles over 32 glorious miles (51km), passing through aspen forest and desert, and whipping up incredible mountain views along the way. The route connects Palisade town to the top of the soaring Grand Mesa.

Rocky Mountaineer, which already has a string of gorgeous rail routes through Canada, debuted a new US route in 2021, with the first full operational season in 2022. It chose the southwest for its first American venture, with a journey that chugs from the 'Rockies to the Red Rocks': that is, the red rocks of Moab, Utah and the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. Glass-domed trains mean passengers can drink in the views as they flash past like images on a TV screen, on the way to Colorado capital Denver.

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience delves into the lives of Jews in the South, retelling centuries' worth of their stories. Its 4,000-item-strong collection holds letters, photos, religious relics and more, and touches on passages of history from the Second World War to the Civil Rights Movement. There's also a gift shop selling products by Southern Jewish makers. 

Fascinating new museums to visit this year and beyond 

The Appalachian Trail is one of the most famous hiking routes in the USA, striking out across 14 states and more than 2,000 miles (3,219km). There are already three visitor centres along the way, and a fourth, state-of-the-art hub joined them in Damascus, Virginia (nicknamed Trail Town, USA) in 2022. Visitors will learn more about the route (from its conservation to the best viewpoints) and have a friendly place to rest up before hitting the trails once more. 

Yes, you read that correctly. Key West is already home to Florida's only presidential museum – now there's the chance to take a spin in Truman's limo too. The Little White House was the 33rd president's vacation home and he used this 1950s Lincoln Cosmopolitan Limousine to get around the city. Guests can take a ride to the Truman Waterfront as part of the site's VIP White Glove Tour, which offers other behind-the-scenes peeks at the property too. 

The Chicago History Museum is a favourite attraction in the Windy City, and a new attraction now brings its well-loved exhibits outside. The Jaffee History Trail spools out through the museum's grounds, studded by markers relating to major historical events like the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. There's also a garden blooming with native species and cool sculptures designed by the local community. 

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City just gained an ultra-modern new addition. The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation, opened in May 2023, is an entirely new wing that focuses on fascinating scientific discoveries and the secrets of the natural world. It adds 190,000 square feet (17,652sqm) to the existing museum, featuring an insectarium and a public library. Pictured here is Invisible Worlds Immersive Experience, where human movement alters the projection on spellbinding touch-sensitive displays.

Now discover some exciting US days out for 2023