The Atlas Obscura Guide To The United States
11,717 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in the United States
Updated June 3, 2025
America is ancient and new, constantly remade and reimagined, and there are unsung, overlooked treasures everywhere, From natural wonders that boggle the mind, to visionary art projects in the middle of nowhere, to historical gems nestled in urban areas, Atlas Obscura can help you plan your next road trip or visit to a city. You might even find something surprising right around the corner.
States & Territories
Top States
All States & Territories
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York State
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Unusual Attractions in United States
Cool Places to Eat & Drink in United States
Plan Your Trip
Unforgettable Experiences Nearby
Atlas Obscura Itineraries
The Explorer’s Guide to Road Tripping Around Appalachia
The world still doesn’t quite know what to make of Appalachia. The mountainous, multi-state region has long been defined both by mystery and misconceptions. In many ways, it’s been America’s shadow since the nation’s birth. Early settlers fretted about American Indian tribes, dark hollows, and looming wilderness in the 1600s and 1700s, while modern folks tend to worry more about the environmental degradation and concentration of Trump voters. Yet, Appalachia is much like America as a whole—it sprawls from south to north across several states, spawning local cultures marked as much by their diversity and differences than what they have in common. And these mountains are old. Rocks formed during the Precambrian era have been found in some places. Parts of the Appalachian Mountains are thought to be even older than Saturn’s rings, and millennia of erosion have given rise to one of the richest temperate ecosystems in the world. This diverse bioregion has become home to a melting pot of culture. Archaeological findings indicate that American Indian tribes inhabited the region 20,000 years ago. The first Europeans arrived in the 1500s, when Spanish conquistadors ventured up from what is now Florida. English and French settlers followed, establishing a general pattern that continues into the present: Newcomers bring their cultural traditions into the region, where they are absorbed into the greater whole.

Explore the United States




The United States Leaderboard
Places Added
Places Edited
Places Visited
Recent United States Activity
-
wants to go to Paulding Light
-
has been to The Doug Sanders Golf Museum
-
has been to Ray Charles Memorial
-
has been to Bell Mountain
-
has been to James Brown Plaza