Atlas Obscura
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The definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders.
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Burpee Covered Bridge in Gaspereau Forks, New Brunswick

Back when public displays of affection were more taboo, covered bridges popped up in every corner of the province of New Brunswick. Built mostly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the wooden, roofed structures helped farmers and travelers get safely from one side of a river to the other, even in the snowy, harsh winters of yesteryear.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/burpee-covered-bridge
Kawran Bazar in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Kawran Bazar is a massive wholesale market located in the center of Dhaka, and one of the largest wholesale markets in South Asia by some accounts. While it technically operates 24/7, some of the liveliest times are in the middle of the night and wee hours of the morning. 2 am fruit auction, anyone?

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kawran-bazar
8 Storybook Stays in West Virginia

With lush forests, dramatic waterfalls, and unparalleled mountain vistas, West Virginia rewards those who make the time to take in the views—with no shortage of accommodations designed to help visitors do just that. Across the state’s small towns and mountain valleys, these lodgings turn an overnight stop into the heart of the journey.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/8-storybook-stays-in-west-virginia
Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, West Virginia

After nearly 50 years, the Bavarian Inn has become a beloved fixture in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bavarian-inn-west-virginia
Fiesta Tableware Retail Outlet in Newell, West Virginia

Long before Fiesta became one of America’s most recognizable dinnerware brands, it was simply an ambitious idea from a pottery company determined to brighten the nation’s tables.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fiesta-tableware-company
Koolwink Motel in Romney, West Virginia

Long before boutique “retro” hotels became fashionable, the Koolwink Motel was serving up charming roadside Americana in small-town West Virginia.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/koolwink-motel
Bear Rocks Preserve in Davis, West Virginia

Perched more than 4,000 feet above sea level at the northern edge of Dolly Sods, Bear Rocks is one of the most unusual landscapes in the Appalachian Mountains. Its broad sandstone outcrops overlook the Allegheny Front, while stunted red spruce, blueberry and huckleberry heath, and open barrens create an ecosystem more commonly associated with Canada than West Virginia.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bear-rocks-preserve
Braun Collection in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany

If you like design museums and are a fan of industrial design, you must make a pilgrimage to the Braun Sammlung. This gem is hidden away on the second floor of what is essentially a German strip mall. It is managed by a dedicated non-profit association (Förderkreis BraunSammlung e.V.) in close collaboration with the Braun brand, headquartered around the corner.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/braun-collection
The Tiffany Dome at Chateau Big Bear Boutique Hotel in Big Bear Lake, California

In a ski town two hours from Los Angeles, in a bistro serving cocktails and bar snacks, hangs the largest Tiffany-style stained-glass dome west of Chicago — and it didn't start out anywhere near a mountain.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tiffany-dome-at-chateau-big-bear-boutique-hotel
Titanic Point Trail in Anguilla

Tucked away past Anguilla’s famous natural stone arch, this hidden coastal path was recently mapped and documented by local explorer Michael Enloe, bringing well-deserved attention to one of the island's most dramatic geographical features. The trail leads adventurous hikers across sharp limestone terrain and sea spray toward a sheer cliffside that thrusts abruptly over crashing turquoise waters.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/titanic-point-trail
Bob & Barbara's in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sitting at the intersection of Broad and Philadelphia’s iconic South Street (and West one block) is Bob & Barbara’s Lounge. Opened by the namesake couple in 1969, the lounge remains one of the gems of Philly’s nightlife. Featuring the city’s longest running drag show (every Thursday night with Miss Lisa Lisa), founders of Philadelphia’s infamous “Citywide” and standing host to Jazz trios every weekend, Bob & Barbara’s has been the place to be for over half a century.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bob-barbaras
Funatsu-Tainai Lava Tree Mold in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan

At the base of Japan’s Mount Fuji, there is a fascinating cave with several stories to tell. Located by the Kawaguchiko Field Center and part of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site, the Funatsu-Tainai lava tree mold is one of the smaller and quieter caves of the Kawaguchiko area. The straight and narrow shape of this cave is due to a process known as lava tree molding.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/funatsu-tainai-lava-tree-mould
Perrystead Dairy Cheese Vending Machine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In the East Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, the Perrystead Dairy Vending Machine looks like something fairies dropped in the middle of a magic garden—and to the cheese enthusiasts of the area it might as well have been. It’s surrounded by expertly cultivated native flora, bisected by a curving stone path. If it weren’t for the sound of the El train roaring by in the distance, you might think you were somehow transported far from the city limits.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/perrystead-dairy-cheese-vending-machine
Petty's Island in Camden, New Jersey

Off the coast of Philadelphia (or more accurately, Camden County, New Jersey), sitting in the Delaware river and heavily covered in trees and brush, is a deserted island. Once home to CITGO industrial operations, the island has been overgrown and uninhabited by human life for years.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pettys-island
"The Storm" Dallas Arts District Mural in Dallas, Texas

"The artist must be sacrificed to their art like the bees, they must put their lives into the sting they give"

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-storm-dallas-arts-district-mural
Denby Dale Railway Viaduct in Denby Dale, England

This impressive 21 arch viaduct is on a railway line currently called the "Penistone Line" and originally built in by the Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction Railway (later to become part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ).

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/denby-dale-railway-viaduct
Curiosity Shop in Berkeley, California

This shop might catch your eye driving along Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Berkeley, California with its bright turquoise exterior, pop of pink signage, and a front window absolutely filled to the brim with knickknacks.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/curiosity-shop
Atlas Obscura’s Guide to Unique Romantic Getaways

You’ve decided to go somewhere together. Maybe you just got married and you’re planning a honeymoon. Maybe you’re marking a decade together with an anniversary trip that actually means something. Maybe you don’t need an occasion at all, save for a wish to get out of ordinary life for a while and remember why you chose each other.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/guide-to-romantic-getaways
Puerta de los Osos in Madrid, Spain

For centuries, bears have been intertwined with the identity of Madrid. The city’s coat of arms famously depicts a bear reaching up toward a strawberry tree, an image that appears on everything from official seals to souvenirs. Historians debate the exact origins of the symbol, but it likely reflects a time when forests and wildlife surrounded the medieval settlement.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/puerta-de-los-osos
Cell of the Walled-In Women in Astorga, Spain

Squeezed between the Church of Santa Marta and the Chapel of San Esteban is an architectural secret you won’t find anywhere else in Spain: a tiny, irregular stone room known as the Celda de las Emparedadas (“The Cell of the Walled-In Women”).

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/celda-de-las-emparedadas-the-cell-of-the-walled-in-women