An abandoned quicksilver mining town surrounded by the Big Bend parks.

The saga of the massive nut begins and ends in Texas.

For 150 years one family has been producing the iconic hot sauce on a bayou island made of salt.

A miscalculation turns a very shallow freshwater lake into a very deep saltwater lake.

Religion and personal struggle gave birth to this collection of concrete angels.

Built following the War of 1812, this fort has withstood hurricanes for centuries.

This strange, small castle on the bayou has withstood the test of time and weather.

This 19th-century benevolent society and jazz hall was rescued from abandonment to again host live music.

The LSU mascot lived on the college campus in one of the most impressive tiger habitats in the country.

A 19th-century Gothic, castle-like statehouse by the Mississippi River.

A swamp and garden tour featuring local wildlife and exotic botanical specimens from around the world.

Colorful, cheeky signs spill out of legendary New Orleans folk artist Dr. Bob's Bywater studio warning you to "Be Nice—Or Leave."

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

A prime example of New Orleans' unique architecture these early 20th century homes were built to look like steamboats.

This cathedral dedicated to Louis IX, sainted King of France, holds many secrets.

A museum and shop on Bourbon Street located in the French Quarter.

A treasure trove of rare and exquisitely detailed antiques

A 200-year-old building in the French Quarter that was to be Napoleon's home in the New World.

A collection of oddities including Dr. Kevorkian's suicide device, the Thanatron.

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

After the oysters have been shucked, and the restaurant's been shuttered, the terrazzo sidewalk from the 1940s is all that remains.

This bar named after the world's first mixed cocktail was home to one of New Orleans' most notorious politicians.

A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.

This museum chronicles the history of a leprosy quarantine hospital that then became a refuge.