Atlas Obscura

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. But in their heyday, “covered bridges” wasn’t the only term people used to identify the river-crossing spans. In popular parlance, “kissing bridges” became the go-

Santa Monica isn't just pretty, it's absurdly long — somewhere between 11 and 18 kilometers of white sand, depending who's doing the measuring. What makes it genuinely rare, though, is what's not there. One beach shack. One aborted hotel. That's it. The shack is real and it works, tucked at one end for a cold drink and some shade. The hotel is a different story. Back in 2015, developers broke ground on White Sands Hotel & Spa, the first of six planned resorts meant to turn this stretch into 835

Bray Road looks like just another unassuming stretch of concrete surrounded by farmland in rural Wisconsin, and to some people, it is. To others, it’s home to the most famous werewolf in the United States. The beast is described as having shaggy, black or greyish-brown fur with pointed ears, sharp claws, and a sloping weakness to its back legs. Witnesses report seeing it walk upright on two legs, reaching a height of seven or eight feet, as well as on all fours; though, it’s specified to look un

This Minnesota State Recreation Area is an island in Lake of the Woods. For most of the year, you can only get there by boat. In winter, snowmobiles and other vehicles safely traveling on the frozen lake will take you there. The island is uninhabited, and most people go there to fish, relax, or hike.  A picnic area is included, and a shelter with an emergency phone if you get caught in bad weather. Not sure if you can count on the emergency phone! Most visitors go for the scenery, the fishing, o

Saintes is a Belgian village located 30 minutes' drive southwest of Brussels. It lies between the towns of Enghien and Hal, home to the famous Blue Forest of Hal. Everything in this small village is connected in one way or another to Renelde of Saintes, a devout woman who lived there in the seventh century. She was elevated to the status of a saint, and the village church is dedicated to her. Her reliquary is paraded on a horse-drawn cart every year. The most unusual feature associated with her,

Deep in the spectacular Lake District National Park sits the tiny hamlet of Wasdale Head, located in the shadow of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and near the shores of England's deepest lake, Wastwater. Within the hamlet, the minute Saint Olaf's Church of England, at just 142 cubic meters, is England's smallest active parish church. Originally equipped with merely a few seats and an earth floor, the church now has enough pew seating to snuggly accommodate a maximum of 39 people.  Was

At the confluence of the Esopus Creek and the Hudson River in Saugerties, NY you will find the charming Saugerties Lighthouse. Built in 1869 it has guided ships away from the shallows and into the Esopus Creek for 157 years. Today the lighthouse is maintained by the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy and functions as a living museum and bed & breakfast. Visitors can access the lighthouse via a half mile walk through the Ruth Reynolds Clunt Nature Preserve. It is recommended that you check the Sau

A string of small islands stretch from the northern tip of Door County, where the warm waters of Green Bay meet the icy waves of Lake Michigan. The shoals surrounding these islands, combined with the unpredictable currents and weather patterns, have given this infamous passage the title of Death’s Door. While the origin of the title is shrouded in folklore and fish tales, the seriousness of the sobriquet is under no such dispute - hundreds of ships have succumbed to this passage over the centuri

The Sauratown Mountains are known as the “mountains away from the mountains”; separated from the nearby Blue Ridge and once as tall as the Rockies, over hundreds of millions of years they have eroded to their present state. Moore’s Knob is the highest point in this range at 2,579 feet above sea level. Hard quartzite rock protected the Sauras from eroding as much as the surrounding piedmont terrain, which averages 800-1,200 feet above sea level.  Much of the Sauratown Mountains are protected by P

The Champion Lodgepole Pine, located near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, is considered to be one of the largest of its kind in the world. Estimated to be over 440 years old, this massive, 110-foot-tall natural wonder is an incredibly rare survivor in Southern California. The U.S. Forest Service officially recognizes it as the largest recorded lodgepole pine in California, and its massive volume (9,300 board feet) and age (over 440 years) safely rank it among the top giants of its

If you’re looking to liven up your weekend plans, we’ve got you covered, with unique event listings around the world. Find exciting events in Amsterdam, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. In New York, you can dive into the world of thrift and vintage fashion at ThriftCon NYC, where hundreds of vendors bring together curated streetwear, designer pieces, and nostalgic collectibles waiting to be une

Via Vittorio Emanuele II is one of Catania's main thoroughfares, running east to west through the city center and several notable piazzas. Near the road's midpoint, through the front doors of a nondescript two storey building is the Teatro Romano di Catania, a Roman theater dating from the 1st century AE. The theatre was constructed over an old Greek theatre, that was likely the setting for Alcibiades’ speech to Catanaeans in 415 BC, persuading them to ally with Athens against Sparta and Syracus

Located between Worcester and Springfield, much of Central Massachusetts is marked by rolling hills, river valleys, and deep wilderness. Filled with farmland and small scenic towns, it’s a completely different atmosphere compared to the urban bustle of the eastern part of the state. Although quiet and peaceful today, over 350 years ago, the area around Brookfield was the site of a fierce battle. One of the earliest in a devastating conflict which would profoundly shape American history but has a

You can now find exciting and unique events around the world on Atlas Obscura in Amsterdam, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, and ​Washington, D.C.! From quirky festivals and behind the scenes museum tours to food experiences, performances, lectures, and seasonal celebrations, AO’s new Events listings help people find experiences that are as unexpected as the places themselves. The feature debuts in 14 cities, with p

If you’re looking to liven up your weekend plans, we’ve got you covered, with unique event listings around the world. Find more exciting events in Amsterdam, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. Flevopark becomes an unlikely stage for the unconventional when No Art Festival takes over the Amsterdam green space with a lineup of boundary-pushing performances and pioneering sounds. Hosted by the indep

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. Walk with me for a bit through the halls of the Hastings Museum in South Central Nebraska. You can see models of the dinosaurs that once roamed the Great Plains. There’s giant rocks and crystals that can be found in the area. And of course, there’s an endless collection of historical dioramas. But there’s one thing in this museum’s collection that really jumps out. It’s this big, round fiberglass mascot suit. Teresa K

The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this weekend, but there are loads more events to get excited about around the world this weekend. The International Festival of Life transforms Chicago into a living crossroads of Caribbean rhythms, African traditions, and global culture. Live performances fill the air while vendors offer a marketplace of crafts, goods, and stories from around the world. Jamaican heritage anchors the celebration, but the spirit here reaches far beyond any singl

Tucked away behind the bustling Grand Trunk Road and modern railway lines in Lahore lies the Tomb of Dai Anga, a brilliant but frequently overlooked piece of Mughal heritage. Built in 1671, this mausoleum belongs to Zeb-un-Nisa, popularly known as Dai Anga, who was the wet nurse of Emperor Shah Jahan and a woman of significant wealth and influence in the royal court. Architectural enthusiasts will marvel at the structure's brilliant, albeit fading, Kashi-kari (mosaic tile work) featuring intrica

Opened in 1971 on the site of a former Royal Air Force base, few places in Northern Ireland tell the story of the Troubles as powerfully as the former HM Prison. Referred to as 'Maze Prison', 'Long Kesh' or 'the H-Blocks', it became one of the most infamous prisons in Europe and worldwide, housing both republican and loyalist paramilitary prisoners during decades of conflict. The prison is best known for pivotal events that shaped modern Irish and British history, including the Blanket Protest,