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Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
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Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
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You don’t need to go to Turkey to see hundreds of hot air balloons rising.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
about 17 hours ago
Located in Indianola, Mississippi, Club Ebony hosted performances by blues legends like B.B. King.
How Club Ebony Helped Keep the Blues Alive in the Jim Crow South
about 17 hours ago
Spot Gentoos and other species of penguins waddling, swimming, and diving from icebergs.
Adventure at Sea: An Explorer’s Guide to Antarctica
1 day ago
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
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All the United States

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.

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States & Territories

Top States
California
New York State
Massachusetts
Fort Jefferson, moat and wall
Florida
Pennsylvania
Texas
All States & Territories
  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. California
  6. Colorado
  7. Connecticut
  8. Delaware
  9. Florida
  10. Georgia
  11. Guam
  12. Hawaii
  13. Idaho
  14. Illinois
  15. Indiana
  16. Iowa
  17. Kansas
  18. Kentucky
  19. Louisiana
  20. Maine
  21. Maryland
  22. Massachusetts
  23. Michigan
  24. Minnesota
  25. Mississippi
  26. Missouri
  27. Montana
  28. Nebraska
  29. Nevada
  30. New Hampshire
  31. New Jersey
  32. New Mexico
  33. New York State
  34. North Carolina
  35. North Dakota
  36. Northern Mariana Islands
  37. Ohio
  38. Oklahoma
  39. Oregon
  40. Pennsylvania
  41. Puerto Rico
  42. Rhode Island
  43. South Carolina
  44. South Dakota
  45. Tennessee
  46. Texas
  47. The U.S. Virgin Islands
  48. Utah
  49. Vermont
  50. Virginia
  51. Washington
  52. Washington, D.C.
  53. West Virginia
  54. Wisconsin
  55. Wyoming
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories
Lists

Unusual Attractions in United States

City Hall Station

New York, New York

Old City Hall Station

A beautiful and abandoned New York subway station from 1904, complete with chandelier.
The Wave Organ, San Francisco Bay

San Francisco, California

The Wave Organ

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.
Taxidermy and insect displays

New York, New York

The Evolution Store

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

San Francisco, California

Secret Tiled Staircase

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.
Interior of the Dream House

New York, New York

Dream House

La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela's "Dream House" will immerse you in an ever changing world of sound and light.
Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

Los Angeles, California

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart

Non-profit time travel mart sells goods you would need for a trip through the fourth dimension.
Portal of books.

Los Angeles, California

The Last Bookstore

This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.
See All 11,717 Things To Do in United States

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in United States

Lexington Candy Shop

New York, New York

Lexington Candy Shop

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.
Entering the vault!

New York, New York

Trinity Place Bank Vault Bar

This lower Manhattan bar is set up in an old bank vault that rests beneath a skyscraper that hides even more historic splendor.
The bar still stands.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House

A 200-year-old bar in the historic French Quarter refuses to give up its place in history, nor its role in securing ours.

Los Angeles, California

Galco's Soda Pop Stop

Shop selling 500 flavors of soda has something for everyone.
See all 789 Places to Eat in United States
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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.

View Itinerary
Although much of Appalachia’s old-growth forests have been destroyed, those that survive are glorious.

Explore the United States

Map marker
14
Map marker
4391
2227
2438
689
694
989
80
66
31
60
20
3
3
3
Map marker
Map marker
Museums 1,152
Architecture 1,144
History 975
Art 696
History & Culture 678
Architectural Oddities 665
Collections 575
Animals 539
Statues 530
Monuments 508
Nature 496
Abandoned 496
Unique Restaurants & Bars 233
Places To Stay 149

The United States Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. blimpcaptain
    218
  2. slgwv
    195
  3. Elliot Carter
    168
  4. thomasharper
    142
  5. ianlefk
    134

Places Edited

  1. Rachel
    1,278
  2. Collector of Experiences
    1,089
  3. Martin
    900
  4. blimpcaptain
    754
  5. Avoiding Regret
    593

Places Visited

  1. fnc122431
    3,672
  2. kevbot
    2,281
  3. Collector of Experiences
    2,250
  4. Edward Denny
    2,203
  5. back2silver
    2,155

Recent United States Activity

  • idiotDoomSpiral

    wants to go to Paulding Light

    about 6 hours ago
  • pamelaburke6389

    has been to The Doug Sanders Golf Museum

    about 6 hours ago
  • pamelaburke6389

    has been to Ray Charles Memorial

    about 6 hours ago
  • pamelaburke6389

    has been to Bell Mountain

    about 6 hours ago
  • pamelaburke6389

    has been to James Brown Plaza

    about 6 hours ago

Stories About the United States

How a Newspaper Revolution Led to the 'Wide Awakes'—and the Civil War

In the mid-1800s, a boom in media outlets created a massive political movement—and plenty of disinformation.
by Jon Grinspan
October 28, 2024
Vanishing hitchhiker legends are just the latest version of a folktale that may go back millennia—and continues to spread and evolve.

The Vanishing Hitchhiker Legend Is an Ancient Tale That Keeps Evolving

The classic creepy story—a driver offers a lift to a stranger who is not of this world—has deep roots and a long reach.
by Mark Hay
October 10, 2024
‘The Travellers’ Tour Through the United States’ is the earliest known board game to depict a map of the U.S.

America's First Board Game Was an Idealized 'Travellers' Tour' Through a Young Nation

The 1822 board game, the first to feature a map of the United States, was forgotten for nearly a century.
by Matthew Wynn Sivils
July 29, 2024
Boats and other river traffic follow the Mississippi’s curves near New Orleans; the mighty river is part of The Great Loop, a 6,000-mile circle around the Eastern United States.

'Loopers' Say the Great Loop Is Their Appalachian Trail

Every year, scores of boaters travel the 6,000-mile route around the Eastern United States. Why do they do it?
by Shoshi Parks
July 18, 2024
Parking lots eat U.S. cities.

These U.S. Cities Have More Parking Lots Than Housing

They paved paradise again and again and again.
by Frank Jacobs
May 17, 2024
Is your state in danger of an earthquake? Well, yes.

Not Even Minnesota Is Safe From Earthquakes

Was the recent New York quake really all that uncommon? Here's a state-by-state map.
by Frank Jacobs
April 12, 2024
Retro, poppy posters capture the feel of America under the shadow of the moon.

NASA Artists Are Creating Eye-Popping Posters for the Eclipse

They’re continuing a long, prehistoric tradition of science art.
by Colleen Kelly
March 28, 2024

Which States in America Have the Oldest and Youngest People?

Either way, everywhere in the U.S. is seeing a common trend.
by Frank Jacobs
March 22, 2024

Lists Featuring the United States

The Capitol Records building.
The newly named alleyway.
Cahuenga Building
Museum of Death

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Curious Travelers

11

Including Capitol Records Building Morse Code, Chaplin Keaton Lloyd Alley, and Cahuenga Building

World Famous Giant Shoe Museum
Gum Wall window ledge
The giant sequoia.

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near Pike Place for Curious Travelers

11

Including World Famous Giant Shoe Museum, Psychic Chicken of Seattle , and Gum Wall

The AHAC is the oldest military company in the western hemisphere, and celebrates that heritage proudly
View to Marshall Street from Creek Square.

The 11 Most Interesting Places to Visit Near Faneuil Hall

11

Including AHAC Headquarters, Faneuil Hall Weathervane, and Creek Square

Courtyard monument.
Flamingos on Flamingo Island
The High Roller

The 11 Most Unusual Places to Visit Near the Las Vegas Strip

11

Including Bugsy Siegel Monument , Flamingo Habitat, and High Roller

Book Corner.
Edward Dean Adams Power Station
Clifton Hill

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near Niagara Falls for Curious Travelers

11

Including Book Corner, Prophet Isaiah's Second Coming House, and Edward Dean Adams Power Plant

The rare book reading room.
Keen’s Steakhouse
The New York Herald Monument.

The 11 Best Things to do Near the Empire State Building for Curious Travelers

11

Including Tannen's Magic Shop, The Conjuring Arts Research Center, and Keen's Steakhouse

A standard photo op involves thrusting your candy into the snow.

Ski or Hike Your Way to These 6 Adventurous Treats

Dry martinis are best served in the middle of a snowy forest.

6

Including Ski-Slope Tree Martinis, Bilberry Soup, and Flämmli

Thor’s Well.
Paint Mines Interpretive Park
The lake (2)
Horsetail Falls.

Jessica Mendoza's 16 Watery Wonders of the Western United States

Sponsored by Land Rover
16

Including Thor's Well, Paint Mines Interpretive Park, and Hanging Lake

Ice cream cone from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.
Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum
A perfect place for cocktails.

Tim Howard's 11 Music and Food Destinations to Fuel the Soul

Sponsored by Land Rover
11

Including Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum, and Radio City Music Hall's Secret Apartment

The “pet ham” is 119 years old.

Bog Butter, Ancient Beef, and Other Remarkably Old Foods on Display in Museums

Some of these foods are centuries past their expiration dates.

6

Including Ancient Bog Butter, Preserved Victorian Wedding Cake, and World’s Oldest Edible Ham

9 Places to Pay Homage to the All-American Hot Dog

Float to a riverside stand for a frank or visit a Coney Island trailblazer's tomb.

9

Including The Famous River Hot Dog Man, Jimmy Carter's Hot Dog Bun, and Charles Feltman's Tomb

The orange roof is still shining, with the iconic weathervane standing tall.
1950s Brown Derby on Wilshire Boulevard.

6 Relics of Forgotten Fast-Food Dynasties

These retro remnants are the last of their kind.

6

Including The Last Howard Johnson's, The Last Yogi Bear Honey Fried Chicken Restaurant, and Brown Derby

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