Atlas Obscura - Latest Articles and Places

Most burger spots settle for a nice view. Twin Peaks Drive-In has two volcanos and an air show.This gloriously unassuming wood shack sits at the end of the Hood River Airport runway, close enough that diners on the outdoor patio regularly pause mid-bite to watch gliders, biplanes, and small aircraft clear the treeline just overhead. Mount Hood looms to the south. Mount Adams holds down the north.…

In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is the small town of Oakhurst, California.  Once a cattle stop and logging town, Oakhurst became known in more recent times as the home of Sierra On-Line, a pioneer in the computer gaming industry.  Oakhurst is also a gateway to the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park and calls itself the “Carved Bear Capital of the World." Most of Oakhurst'…

Yarm Castle was built from grey stone in the 1880's by a local David Doughty who once lived in the adjoining house, many years later his son added to it by building Yarm town hall. It has turrets, ramparts and coloured glazed windows which were once illuminated by gas light. Don't go expecting drawbridges and moats and you might have to search a bit to find what is probably best described as a fo…

Scattered throughout Hernando County, the Mermaid Tale Trail is a sprawling scavenger hunt made up of mermaid statues painted by local artists. The project was created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, the famous Florida attraction where performers have staged underwater mermaid shows since 1947. The trail began with 26 statues unveiled in 2022 and has since ex…

Just off a bicycle trail near Spring Hill, Florida, a live oak sings when the wind moves through it. The Wind Chime Tree stands near the Suncoast Trail right by Anderson Snow Park, with branches that have been decorated with a growing collection of wind chimes. Local school board member and businessman Gus Guadagnino first added chimes in memory of his mother in 1998, and others later added their…

This weathered wooden building sits at a rural crossroads near the Richloam Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest, surrounded by long stretches of scrub, pine flatwoods, and backroads. Entering the store feels like stepping back in time to the early 20th century. Antique signs, instruments, housewares, and other memorabilia hang from nearly every wall, while an array of nostalgic candies are displa…

On U.S. 19 in Spring Hill, Florida, a giant concrete dinosaur looms over the roadside. The former Sinclair Service Station was built in 1964, when Sinclair’s dinosaur logo was already a familiar green mascot for American motorists. Here, the branding escaped the sign and became the building itself. The creature is usually described as an Apatosaurus or Brontosaurus-like dinosaur, and it is hard t…

Founded in 987 AD by the Anglo-Saxon nobleman Æthelmær and dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539, the abbey was converted into a private manor house and has remained in private hands ever since. Unlike the dramatic ruins found at Fountains or Rievaulx, Cerne Abbey is a working estate, lived in, cared for and quietly extraordinary. Two medieval buildings survive in remarkable condition. The Abbot's Porc…

The Boboli Gardens in Florence are certainly not lacking in sculptures. There are no fewer than 288 pieces here, mostly created between the 16th and 18th centuries. The park is part of the Italian World Heritage Site ("Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany") and a major attraction for the roughly 4 million tourists who visit the city every year. Most of these statues showcase ideal figures in line…

In a small cemetery beside a Baptist church in Florida, Massachusetts, a lone parking meter stands among the rows of stones and flowers. This parking meter marks the final resting place of Gordon “Gordy” Burdick, who passed away in January 2003. The unconventional headstone was chosen by Gordy before his death. His wife, Joyce Burdick (d. 2011), is also buried there and commemorated by the meter.…

Ioannina is a beautiful Greek city located on the shores of Lake Pamvotis. The history of Ioannina begins in pre-historic times and continues to this day. Inside the lake is an island, the largest lake island in Greece and one of the few inhabited in Europe. The island has no-name, simply called the Island (=Nissaki in Greek). From the 13 th to the 15 th century, prominent Byzantine families foun…

The statue of Skuli Magnusson was erected in 1954 to mark a century of free trade in Iceland. Skuli Magnusson was born in the remote village of Keldunes in the north east of the country.  He moved to Húsavik with his family before joining a Danish merchant's company as a teenager.  Upon joining the company he was told by the merchant to "weigh it right", meaning to cheat customers.  This made Mag…

The Corstorphine Dovecot, located in Edinburgh's suburb of Corstorphine, is a well-preserved example of 16th-century Scottish dovecot architecture. Originally part of the Corstorphine Castle estate, it stands as the sole surviving structure from the castle grounds, which were established by Sir Adam Forrester between 1375 and 1405. The castle itself was largely demolished around 1797, leaving the…

The Australian Pinball Museum, located in Nhill, Victoria, offers visitors an interactive journey through the history of pinball, showcasing a diverse collection of machines from various eras. As Australia's only pinball museum, it features the largest public selection of playable pinball machines in the country, with exhibits ranging from a 1931 machine to contemporary models. Established as a n…

In 1805, Lt. Col. Timothy Dix of Amherst, New Hampshire was granted a parcel of land deep within the imposing mountains of the Great North Woods. The land came with just one stipulation: Dix had five years to have the land settled by at least thirty residents. Dix named the town Dixville (fittingly enough) but didn't have too much time to make good on his promise, as he would become involved in f…

Loch Doon Castle was built by the Earls of Carrick at some point during the late 1200s. It is said that the castle may have been built by Robert the Bruce, however it’s more likely that his father (also called Robert) was the one who actually had the castle constructed. The castle has not always been so easily accessible, having once stood on Castle Island out in the middle of Loch Doon.  The isl…

The Ministry of Awe is a wacky, wonderous vault of secrets, questions and forged checks. It's a collective that has no point of origin. It's an experience with no right or wrong directions. It's a bank with many currencies, but no money. It's an invitation to ask questions, to experiment and let your curiosity lead you. The Ministry is the brainchild of world renowned muralist Meg Saligman and th…

Once the largest linen thread mill in the world, Hilden Mill stands on the edge of Lisburn as one of Northern Ireland’s most haunting industrial ruins from Victorian times. Established in the 19th century by the Barbour family (not connected to the modern clothing brand), the vast complex exported thread across the British Empire and beyond. At its height, thousands of workers passed daily throug…

This is the location of the former U.S. Radium Corporation where many women, known now as "The Radium Girls,"worked painting luminescent paint on watch dials during WWII. It was a lucrative job for women at the time so many were reluctant to give it up even as information about the radiation poisoning began to surface. When a woman became ill, corporation doctors routinely diagnosed them with syp…

Berlin is in a state of constant change; some streets are barely recognizable from one year to the next. Every gap is being filled, scaffolding and cranes stretch into the air, construction activity is everywhere. Yet, there are places in Berlin where time stands still—likely because building regulations prohibit or complicate new developments. One such place is Lübars, that West Berlin topograph…