Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama

At the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a manmade causeway jutting into the sea, constructed with material excavated from the Canal. Originally built as a fortification, today it is a park, the headquarters of the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research, and landing area for ships anchored off the Canal, with shops and restaurants. With views of the skyline of Panama City, it serves as a staging area for excursions to nearby attractions in the city and the surrounding countryside. Panama City is a modern metropolis that has grown up around its Spanish colonial center, the Casco Viejo. A tour of the historic center and its impressive Gold Museum is one popular option. Other possibilities are sightseeing tours of the canal locks, the Canal expansion projects, a visit to an authentic Embera indian village, or aerial tours of the forest canopy and wildlife by tram.