Atlas Obscura has long been one of my go-to resources for travel planning. If you’re not familiar with it, the site is a treasure trove of weird and unusual places to explore. Both users and editors contribute entries, and you can create lists of places you’ve visited, plan to visit, or dream about seeing someday. Over the years, I’ve visited nearly 200 locations featured on Atlas Obscura and even contributed a few of my own.
When we hit the road full-time, I couldn’t wait to check out even more spots from the site. 2024 turned out to be a record-breaking year for us—we visited 60 different Atlas Obscura locations! With such a big year behind us, I thought it would be fun to share a “2024 Atlas Obscura Wrapped.” If you’ve never used the site before, I highly recommend it for discovering unique, off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Washington DC Atlas Obscura Sites
Chinatown Barnes Dance
The Chinatown Barnes Dance in Washington, D.C., is a cool pedestrian traffic pattern where all the crosswalks stop cars at once, so people can walk in any direction—even diagonally—without worrying about traffic. We walked past this unique traffic pattern in DC’s Chinatown on our way to the National Postal Museum.
The Mary Surratt Boarding House
We also visited Mary Surratt’s tavern in Clinton, Maryland, so had to make the quick stop to see her DC boarding house, now a restaurant in Chinatown, too. Mary Surratt was one of John Wilkes Booth’s co-conspirators and was the first woman executed by the US government.
Holodomor Memorial
The Holodomor Memorial is near the National Postal Museum and was created to memorialize the millions of Ukrainians who died in the man-made famine of 1932–1933.
Owney the Postal Dog
I’m a huge mail fan, so of course we had to visit Owney at the National Postal Museum. Owney traveled on mail trains in the late 1800s and collected tags from the different post offices he visited.
International Spy Museum
The International Spy Museum in D.C. dives into the world of espionage with interactive exhibits and real spy gadgets—perfect for uncovering your inner secret agent.
National Bonsai Museum
The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is found inside the United States Arboretum. They have a large collection of miniature trees, including some that have been taken care of since the 1600s.
National Capitol Columns
Also at the United States Arboretum, these columns were part of the US capitol building from 1828-1958 when they were replaced and eventually moved here.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are a collection of lily ponds that’s now a National Park Service site. It’s a bit outside of the main DC tourist area, but definitely worth a visit- plus it’s very close to the US Arboretum.
Japanese Stone Lantern
This stone lantern was given to the US by Japan in 1954 and along the tidal basin. We walked past it on our way from the MLK Jr Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial.
‘Ginevra de’ Benci’ Portrait
Ginevera is the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Western hemisphere and is located in the National Gallery of Art. I visited the museum solo on an weekday morning, while Josh was at a conference, and ended up being the only one in the room with Ginevra- a moment I’ll never forget.
Washington Monument Marble Stripe
If you look close at the Washington Monument, you’ll notice that about a third of the way up the marble changes color. This is because 6 years into starting construction, the project was halted and sat dormant for 20 years. When they resumed work, they tried to match the original color but weren’t quite able to. Once you notice the stripe, you can’t unsee it.
The Lockkeeper’s House
The Lockkeeper’s House is small and easy to overlook. It remains from when the Washington Branch of the C&O Canal once ran through DC.
DC War Memorial
The DC War Memorial honors Washington DC residents who served in WWI and is the only memorial on the National Mall that’s dedicated to DC residents specifically.
The K-9 of the Korean War Veterans Memorial
Now obviously the Korean War Veterans Memorial itself isn’t obscure, but if you look closely at the wall behind the statues you can find a small etching of a German Shepard with one of the soldiers.
Sergeant Stubby
Sergeant Stubby is found in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Sgt. Stubby was the most decorated dog of WWI and was awarded many medals.
Bare-Chested George Washington
Now housed in the National Museum of American History, this statue of George Washington with a ripped chest scandalized people when it was unveiled in the late 1800s.
Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
Mitsitam is inside the National Museum of the American Indiana and features indigenous inspired food from across the country. We ended up eating here a bunch of times while exploring DC.
White House Helipad
We got really good at spotting Marine One, and even started looking up President Biden’s schedule ahead of time when we knew we’d be in the city so we could try to catch a closer look.
More about some of the Washington DC sites we visited are in our post Our 2-Week Maryland Itinerary: Exploring Washington, D.C. and Beyond
Illinois Atlas Obscura Sites
Buckminster Fuller Dome Home– Carbondale, IL
The Bucky Dome Home in Carbondale is the only dome that Buckminster Fuller actually lived in himself. We have a whole post about our visit: Visiting the Bucky Dome Home Museum: A Geodesic Wonder
Popeye Museum and Spinach Can Collectibles– Chester, IL
Chester is the home of Popeye creator E.C. Segar and one of the main attractions is the Popeye Museum. It’s a small museum in the back of a shop, but definitely a fun place to visit.
Popeye Character Trail– Chester, IL
The other big Popeye thing to do in Chester is the Popeye Character Trail. Statues of different characters from the cartoon are all around town to find.
We shared lots more about the Popeye Museum and Character Trail, as well as other things to do in Chester in our post Popeye’s Playground: The Best Things to Do in Chester, Illinois
Fort Defiance Park– Cairo, IL
Fort Defiance State Park sits right on the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and is also the lowest point in the state.
Abandoned Town of Cairo, Illinois
Atlas Obscura calls Cairo an abandoned town, but we don’t actually agree with that. We shared a lot of thoughts about our visit to Cairo in our post A City at a Confluence: Visiting Cairo, Illinois
Liberty Bell of the West– Kaskaskia, IL
Kaskaskia was the first capitol of Illinois and one of the few remaining things to see is the Liberty Bell of the West. The bell was a gift from King Louis XV to the catholic church. To see the bell, you push a doorbell on the outside of its building and the doors automatically open.
We also have a post all about Kaskaskia, including the Liberty Bell of the West and Fort Kaskaskia: Fort Kaskaskia and More: Historic Sites and Campground Guide
Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park– Carbondale, IL
Also known as Boo Castle Park, this Dungeons and Dragons themed park was built as a memorial by Jeremy’s parents after he passed away in a car accident. It’s open to the public as a tribute to Jeremy and his love of tabletop games. More photos from our visit can be found at Quest Accepted: Discover the Magic of Boo Castle Park
Paul Bunyan– Atlanta, IL
We saw a handful of muffler men during the year, but Atlanta’s Paul Bunyan has its own entry because of its location on historic Route 66.
American Giants Museum– Atlanta, IL
Continuing the muffler man theme, the American Giants Museum not only has a large collection- but also does repairs and restorations. More on the museum and other sights in Atlanta are in our post Small Town, Big History: Exploring Route 66, Atlanta, IL
Pink Elephant Antique Mall– Livingston, IL
We finally drove by the iconic pink elephant while traveling to southern Illinois this year.
Narwhals at the Field Museum– Chicago, IL
There’s nothing obscure about the Field Museum itself, but a lot of people miss the narwhals because they’re tucked away in a basement dining room. We’ve seen them together before, but this year during a Field Museum visit I got in a quick peek while Josh was in a meeting.
The Super Museum– Metropolis, IL
Metropolis has fully embraced being Superman’s hometown and there is Superman stuff all over the town. I visited here as a teenager, but only had vague memories- and it was Josh’s first time, so it was fun to explore together.
We share all the best Metropolis Superman sites in our post Meeting the Man of Steel in Metropolis, Illinois
Fabyan Windmill– Geneva, IL
The Fabyan Windmill was a repeat visit for both us- and is pretty local to us! We revisited while hiking at Fabyan Forest Preserve with the Forest Preserve naturalist, which is also home to the Fabyan Villa that’s on Atlas Obscura too.
Croatia Atlas Obscura Sites
Pelješac Bridge– Duboka, Croatia
When we got ready to cross the Pelješac Bridge, we stopped at a nearby rest stop with an overlook to get a better look at. This bridge is significant because it connected parts of the country that previously you had to go through Bosnia Herzegovina to travel between. This was one of the last major steps for gaining EU entry.
Diocletian Aqueduct– Split, Croatia
On our way into Split we travelled alongside the Roman aqueduct that used to bring water to Diocletian’s palace. We love visiting historic places, but visiting Roman sites in Croatia is a whole other level of history than we’re used to in the US.
Zrinjevac Meteorological Column– Zagreb, Croatia
A group of us went out at night with our Croatian guide Nino to explore Zagreb, but I think we were the only two nerding out about the meteorological column. It was built in 1884 and for many years provided the official measurements for Zagreb. Even though it’s not official anymore, it’s still accurate.
Pillar of Shame– Zadar, Croatia
Zadar’s Pillar of Shame dates back to the Middle Ages and was used for punishments. People were chained to the pole, which is in the town square, and humiliated and whipped.
Dubrovnik Maskeron– Dubrovnik, Croatia
This gargoyle-looking head is actually the end of a pipe that was used to drain rainwater from the top of the building. It’s easy to miss, but a fun easter egg to look for.
Sea Organ– Zadar, Croatia
The Zadar Sea Organ is an architectural and musical marvel located in Zadar, Croatia. It consists of a series of underwater pipes and chambers embedded in a stone staircase by the sea, producing harmonious sounds when waves and wind push air through the pipes. The music is so hauntingly beautiful and was one of the coolest things we experienced.
Orlando’s Column– Dubrovnik, Croatia
Orlando’s Column in Dubrovnik is a stone pillar in the city’s main square featuring a statue of a medieval knight. It’s been a symbol of freedom and independence since the 15th century. This was a repeat visit for me and a first for Josh (because all of Croatia was a first for Josh).
Gregory of Nin’s Big Toe– Split, Croatia
This was another repeat for me, but first for Josh. It’s said that if you rub Gregory’s big toe you’ll have good luck. We also got to rub the toe of another Gregory statue in Nin itself.
We spent two weeks in Croatia while I performed traditional music & dance. Our whole trip is on the blog- you can find it all at Croatia
Virginia Atlas Obscura Sites
Nike Missile Launch Site W-83– Herndon, VA
Great Falls Nike Park is one of two Nike missile related sites we visited in Fairfax County. This site was where the actual missile was kept, but now just has an Air Force radar dome.
Great Falls Nike Fire Control Site W-83-Great Falls, VA
Now Turner Farm Park, this site was park of the Nike missile site from above. It was also instrumental in the creation of GPS.
Miniature Graceland– Roanoke, VA
In a Roanoke front yard there’s a miniature Graceland, as well as other mini buildings. We were able to see it all from the road while driving by.
Roanoke Star– Roanoke, VA
The number one thing people from Roanoke asked us if we had done yet was visit and take a picture with the star. It’s on top of Mill Mountain and you can either hike or drive up to it. We caught it in the evening right as the lights turned on for the night.
The Graves of Robert E. Lee’s Garden– Arlington, VA
There are a handful of Atlas Obscura entries for Arlington National Cemetery and we didn’t have time to get to them all. But we did visit Arlington House, including the gardens. The property was taken over by the US government and after the war they worried that Lee would try to reclaim it, even though they had already been using it as a national cemetery. Their solution was to bury soldiers as close to the house as they could.
Mary Randolph Gravesite– Arlington, VA
Another Arlington National Cemetery entry on Atlas Obscura is the grave of Mary Randolph. This was recorded as the first burial in the cemetery.
DEA Museum– Arlington, VA
We went to a few museums in government agency headquarters. The DEA’s is small, but very well done. Part of the museum is about the history of the agency and other parts are about drugs themselves.
Tennessee Atlas Obscura Sites
Oak Ridge “The Secret City”
Oak Ridge has been on my bucket list for a long time and we finally made it there this year. The whole town was a secret government town that was part of the Manhattan Project in WW2.
Alexander Inn– Oak Ridge, TN
The Alexander Inn, now a senior living facility, was used to house visitors during the Manhattan Project era of Oak Ridge. Honestly, I’m not quite sure why it has its own entry when other Oak Ridge buildings don’t.
Roadside Signs of Harrison Mayes– Clinton, TN
These signs are part of the Museum of Appalachia, which is a huge museum full of weird and interesting stuff- it probably deserves an entry of its own. Mayes called himself God’s Advertiser and put up over 1,600 signs around the US in the 1940s.
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary– Petros, TN
Brushy Mountain was absolutely a highlight of our time in Tennessee. It was founded in 1896 and operated until 2009. We took a self-guided tour of a handful of the buildings and learned about the history of the prison and some of its more famous inmates- like James Earl Ray. There’s also an on-site distillery and restaurant!
Wisconsin Atlas Obscura Sites
This Big One– Kaukauna, WI
This Big One is a cutting from a Douglas fir that was 586 years old when it was cut down. It’s not worth a visit on its own, but is across the street from the Charles Grignon Mansion, which does house tours and special events.
World’s Largest Six Pack- La Crosse, WI
There’s actually some truth to this six pack- the cylinders are actually beer tanks from the brewery. This is an easy site for a drive-by viewing.
House on the Rock– Spring Green, WI
House on the Rock was a repeat visit for both of us, but it’s probably one of Wisconsin’s weirdest attractions. It’s absolutely massive and full of tons of weird and wonderful items- giant carousels, music machines, a two-story whale, all kinds of collections, and so much more.
Pennsylvania Atlas Obscura Sites
Morris Arboretum– Flourtown, PA
Morris Arboretum is near Philadelphia and is a great arboretum with tons of cool exhibits. The main reason its on Atlas Obscurity is its Victorian fernery. This is considering the only surviving free-standing Victorian fernery in North America. It is so cool inside, I wish I could live in it.
Fort Mifflin– Philadelphia, PA
This Revolutionary War fort is said to be one of the most haunted places in America. We visited it for a candlelit tour at night, but would definitely like to go back someday in the light to see it better.
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site– Pine Swamp, PA
Hopewell was a large iron production site that had not only the industrial buildings, but also a whole village built around it. We have more from our visit in our post How We Spent 10 Days in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Maryland Atlas Obscura Sites
Brookside Gardens Reflection Terrace– Wheaton, MD
Brookside Gardens is a free botanic garden with lots to explore. The spot on Atlas Obscura is a memorial for the victims of a 3 week killing spree in 2002 that affected Washingt DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Dr. Samuel Mudd House Museum– Waldorf, MD
Dr. Mudd was another conspirator of John Wilkes Booth and we visited his house for their Victorian Halloween event. We shared more about that in our post Our 2-Week Maryland Itinerary: Exploring Washington, D.C. and Beyond
Delaware Atlas Obscura Sites
Bunkers of Cape Henlopen State Park– Lewes, DE
We spent one night in Delaware, just to say we visited Delaware. Our activity for the day was driving down to Cape Henlopen so we could visit the Atlantic Ocean. If you look closely, you can see some of the WWII era bunkers around the park.
Indiana Atlas Obscura Sites
City West Ghost Town– Chesterton, IN
City West was supposed to be a town in what is now Indiana Dunes State Park, but it never took off. I’ve been to Indiana Dunes before, but this was a new visit for Josh. We’ve got a few posts about the Indiana Dunes area if you’re looking to visit there: 5 Unforgettable Experiences You’ll Love at Indiana Dunes National Park and Explore More: 10 Hidden Gems Near Indiana Dunes National Park
