South East Express Team 
Flickr/5chw4r7z The Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky William Shakespeare Berger (1878-1972), a Cincinnati businessman and amateur ventriloquist, founded the museum that opened in 1973. And yes, Shakespeare was his actual middle name, not a nickname. Beyond collecting dummies, Berger ran the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists and put out a magazine called The Oracle. … Read more
Shutterstock The Time Travel Mart in Los Angeles Opened in 2008, this is one of the storefronts for 826LA, a nonprofit founded in 2005 that helps kids ages 6-18 with writing skills. The small shop sells things like mammoth chunks, robot milk, and Viking odorant, all while the back of the store hosts 20-30 students … Read more
Shutterstock Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven), Hawaii That heart-stopping trail has nearly 4,000 metal steps climbing straight up a mountain ridge in Oahu. Built in 1942 after Pearl Harbor, the Haiku Stairs weren’t meant for hikers at all. What started as a wartime rush job became one of Hawaii’s most breathtaking paths that’s now illegal … Read more
Shutterstock Christ of the Ozarks, Eureka Springs Standing seven stories tall on Magnetic Mountain, Arkansas’s 67-foot-tall giant Jesus has been watching over Eureka Springs since 1966. The stark white concrete statue is as polarizing as it is massive. Some call it majestic, others say it looks like a milk carton with a head. Love it … Read more
Shutterstock Ruidiso, New Mexico Ruidoso is New Mexico’s sneaky-good mountain town, where ski slopes meet Southwest culture and nobody’s in a hurry. This pine-covered escape serves up year-round mountain vibes, serious hiking trails, and a surprisingly solid food scene. Plus there’s a racetrack, because why not? Shutterstock The Town’s Name The name “Ruidoso” comes from … Read more
Shutterstock Crestone, Colorado Welcome to Crestone, where Tibetan prayer flags flutter next to Colorado ranch fences. This tiny mountain town at the foot of 14,000-foot peaks has somehow become America’s unexpected spiritual capital, with the highest concentration of religious centers per capita. But don’t expect some new-age tourist trap. It’s still a raw, real mountain … Read more
Shutterstock Newport, Oregon Newport’s got the full package. One minute you’re watching fishing boats unload at Pacific Wharf, the next you’re sampling small-batch whiskey or checking out cutting-edge ocean research. With two lighthouses, a killer aquarium, and more fresh seafood than you can handle, it’s the rare beach town that actually lives up to the … Read more
Shutterstock Ohio’s Roadside Gems Between Cleveland and Cincinnati, past all those highway exits you usually blow by, some weird stuff is waiting to be found. We’re talking a three-story basket building, the world’s largest rubber stamp, and a field of giant concrete corn. Here are 11 roadside spots that’ll make you do a double-take and … Read more
Shutterstock Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania Most botanical gardens give you some flowers and a gift shop. Longwood Gardens is 1,100 acres of perfectly manicured gardens, a massive conservatory packed with rare species, and fountains that would make Vegas jealous. And the real magic is how it keeps evolving – seasonal displays mean you could visit four … Read more
Shutterstock Angels Flight Railway, Los Angeles Downtown LA’s got the shortest, steepest, and most charming railway you’ll ever ride. Angels Flight has been hauling locals up Bunker Hill since 1901, one 298-foot trip at a time. The two vintage orange cars still click-clack their way up tracks that once connected Victorian mansions to the city’s … Read more