Places ashleymlawrence Wants to Go

A river with some unusual, and occasionally dangerous, habits.

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

To find the "unicorns of the deep" you've got to go downstairs.

A small Chicago museum filled with thousands of preserved butterflies, beetles, and more.

The mysterious white squirrels of this Illinois city are treated like sacred cows.

This awkward aquarium sculpture is one of the strangest statues in Chicago.

The final resting place of the world's first nuclear reactor.

A notorious Route 66 eatery once frequented by Al Capone.

River pirates, murderous bandits, and serial killers used this Illinois cave as their debauched hideout.

This museum celebrating the almighty dollar lets visitors literally stand in the shadow of a million bucks.

A once-booming Mississippi River town with a history of racial violence is now eerie and mostly abandoned.

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

This morbid, delightful curiosity shop offers everything from animal bones to human teeth.

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

A blufftop prairie and limestone cliff with 30-mile views across two great rivers and prime bald eagle territory.

A century-old wooden walkway where artists and free spirits have built a funky, countercultural main street.

An Illinois prairie preserve where the real show begins after sunset.

Center filled with hands-on displays served as a tribute to several astronauts with connections to the state.

Michigan's oldest operating hotel predates the state itself.

Indiana's shrine to the sport that has become a hallmark of their culture.

More than 100 years after his death, the world's largest steer is still attracting crowds.

The final resting place of the most famous sharpshooter.

Ride an over one hundred year old carrousel, one of the few original Dentzel Carrousels remaining in the country.

Along this stretch of Indiana roadway resides a giant insect composed entirely of scrap metal.