Places westcoastspirit Wants to Go

This modernist cinema has survived war and reconstruction to become a symbol of Lebanon’s revolutionary spirit.

The impeccably spiced roast pork buns at this bakery are worth the wait.

An open-air, roadside eatery celebrating a historic indigenous cuisine of complicated significance.

A living museum of curated gardens honors 4,000 years of agriculture in the Santa Cruz River basin.

It may appear to be a fancy junk yard, but each item has a story to tell and a lesson to impart.

The remains of this rugged homestead ranch offer a brief glimpse into a bygone era.

During World War II this was the site of an "honor camp" used as a prison for draft dodgers, Native American conscientious objectors, and Japanese-Americans—including a man who brought his case against the camp to the Supreme Court.

One of the largest open-pit copper mining operations in the entire country.

This southwestern historic site was designed and built by an artist who wanted his work to "feel at home."

Visitors to this public park will also find the ruins of an old western fort.

An off-the-beaten path cave with an underground lake.

America's only nuclear missile silo open to the public.

The land is full of geologic eye candy, such as otherworldly spires, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and prehistoric fossils.

This abandoned lighthouse looks like a rusting oil rig, but has managed to survive a number of storms.

Mind-blowing carvings and fantasy ice scenes grace the largest year-round ice environment in the world.

The world's northernmost ice hotel.

These towering spires and glowing walls are carefully crafted from hundreds of thousands of icicles.

Each year, teams of the world's best snow sculptors have 65 hours to create frozen masterpieces.

The enormous 250-room Vanderbilt mansion conceals hidden doors and secret passageways.

This sword isn't waiting for a king to pull it out. It was placed there by a saint.

Proceeds from this colorful teahouse in a historic Atlanta neighborhood directly fund women’s education in northeast India.

This moving cemetery sphere is a slowly rolling stone.

Natural arch offers panoramic views of Yangshuo's karst hills.

Ancestral Puebloan ruins, natural arches, and box canyons abound in this seldom-visited corner of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.