Places Awaters83 Wants to Go

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.

Imagine playing a version of Legends of the Hidden Temple, but with a distinctly Southern Gothic flare.

This macabre shop, filled with art, oddities, and taxidermy is hidden in the heart of the French Quarter.

Thousands of jack o'lanterns light up Halloween at this historic West Virginia home.

Daily jousts and dancing barrel makers in Munich's mechanical clock.

Skeletons dressed in extravagant 18th century royal costumes cavort in the aisles of this German basilica.

The patron saint of spinsters grasps a container of dried blood.

Gardens representing parts of Asia, Europe, and the Mid East are tucked away among the Soviet-style buildings in East Berlin.

Ruins of a German castle on top of a towering stone pillar.

A wunderkammer of mysterious objects and stories.

This medieval castle overlooking the Elzbach river looks just like it did hundreds of years ago.

A museum dedicated to the history of a terrifying secret police is now held in their former headquarters.

A narrow passage next to a cafe leads to a courtyard exploding with murals, tags, and paste-ups.

The birthplace of an eccentric alchemist and possible inspiration for the fictional reanimator of monsters.

A surreal museum of extraordinary industrial objects.

The fairy tale castle of the “fairy-tale king,” this was also the inspiration for Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.”

A whimsical and twisted animatronic monster tour beneath the streets of Berlin.

A monument in Washington D.C. marks the spot from which all other roads were supposed to stem.

With over 100 jam-packed rooms to explore plus elaborate tea services and events, the Mansion on O Street is a hidden treasure.

The Corinthian columns that towered over Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration stand proud.

A hidden courtyard houses early 20th-century plaster masterpieces.

This historic Chinese church was relocated and revived as a museum that preserves and celebrates Chinese art, history, and culture.

Built for an exposition in 1915, these horticultural displays have stood the test of time.