Places alessandralee Wants to Go

A classic roadside attraction on Vermont's historic Route 5.

Inside this casino, visitors are treated to slot machines and a rare German Christmas pyramid.

The holiday spirit lingers year-round in the "Christmas City of the High Plains."

This hidden labyrinth offers walkers some brief peace of mind.

Spiral labyrinth hidden in the hills above Oakland, CA.

A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.

A spiritual retreat in the heart of Los Angeles offers stunning gardens and a labyrinth to lose yourself in.

This magnificent Japanese garden provides a moment of Zen in rural Vermont.

These museum grounds are a Dalai Lama-declared peace oasis.

This peaceful garden is hidden on the grounds of a spiritual organization founded by a pioneer yogi.

A delightful architectural wonder awaits on a lake island in Kuala Lumpur’s oldest park.

A Ukrainian church canteen doles out hearty fare in an East Village basement.

This annual harvest parade features intricate floats covered with fruits, vegetables, and seeds.

Twelve sweet, nutty, life-sized statues are housed in this second-story shrine to almond paste.

Gaze upon chocolate sculptures depicting everything from chariot races to Gaudí's famous church at this shrine to sweets.

Every year, the town of Menton, France, turns lemons and oranges into giant sculptures depicting windmills, dragons, and more.

A tea party concludes each visit to this Russian spice cookie sanctum.

Every Easter, a small Sicilian town builds a stunning cathedral out of bread.

Everything from miniature biblical scenes to life-sized statues are almond-based at this sweet and nutty gallery.

At this Oaxaca contest, artists turn purple produce into stunning depictions of saints, buildings, and La Pietà.

A wealth of local folk art, antiques, and curios, without ever leaving your car.

“It's the quality” (but probably also the drive-through donut tunnel) that has attracted diners since 1968.

Drive past the giant fruit sculptures and up to the window for a menu of fruity treats.

This surreal-looking tree pruned more than 1,000 years ago is still producing olives for oil.