Places alessandralee Wants to Go

A hidden paradise in one of Florida’s most unique rivers.

The mounds on this coastal archaeological site reveal the history of the land’s first inhabitants.

Hands-on activities, childbirth artifacts, and a library are all part of this tiny, one-room museum that examines motherhood and women’s roles throughout history.

A public, open-air art exhibit featuring world-renowned sculptures hides in plain sight on the outskirts of Orlando.

This collection features more than 240 antiquarian maps from around the world, in addition to historical views and plates focusing on North Florida.

An Orlando museum houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of work by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Nearly 200 prehistoric giants lurk among the trees at this theme park.

Brick walkways weave through more than 500 palms and cycads, representing 150 species from around the world.

This liminal destination combines creaky carnival rides, a classic car museum, and luck-of-the-draw flea market finds surrounded by dust and drive-in movie screens.

Some believe Ponce de León's mystical spring lurks right under a public drinking fountain.

A different kind of swan princess.

Play over 120 retro arcade games and pinball machines at this throwback museum.

Approximately 65,000 gallons of crystal clear water pour out of this headspring every minute.

Only through the lens of a microscope can visitors see the true treasures inside this museum.

Measuring approximately 200 feet long, Swampy is the world's largest alligator-shaped building.

This hauntingly beautiful stretch of Florida coastline is covered in sun-bleached trees.

No one knows how or why this painting appeared to produce crystallized tears.

A local road runs around a memorial to a teenager who died in 1860.

This Buddhist temple is home to a number of towering statues spread over a peaceful wooded park.

In this Florida couple's cottage, nearly every surface—inside and out—is covered in mosaic artwork.

This creative sculpture was a way to "recycle" an old tree.

View rare birds and interact with lemurs at this nonprofit run entirely by volunteers.

Opened in 1976, this monster-sized version of the fast-food franchise is sometimes called the Epic McD.

These simple structures are living monuments to the fishermen who built this community over a century ago.