Places Cactam Wants to Go

The lobby of this hotel near the U.S.-Mexico border features a stained-glass mural that measures 42 feet long and 6 feet tall.

An out of this world experience.

Originally conceived as part of a proposed Arizona State Capitol building in the 1950s, this structure built in 2004 stands as a monument to the architect's legacy.

Red sandstone structures dominate this landscape, which has been inhabited for some 5,000 years.

This quiet chapel was central to a community of settlers who reclaimed an abandoned fort.

This collection of vintage signs reflects the long and colorful history of this Arizona town.

One of the largest private collections of cars manufactured by the short-lived Franklin Automobile Company.

Hidden on a cattle ranch in Arizona, this bookstore has been celebrating Southwest literature for more than 40 years.

This bomb shelter-themed bar has barely changed since it opened.

Once a year, at exactly 11:11 a.m., this monument comes to life.

Religious statues built because of one man's bargain with God fill this peaceful sculpture garden.

The massive, incredibly rare instrument is over 11 feet tall with a range so deep it goes lower than humans can hear.

A former department store turned into a quirky restaurant.

One of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the United States air-dries its trademark beef in a dangling outdoor cage.

This small, unassuming street is now a canvas for color and creativity.

This collection of neon icons is preserving Arizona's history, one sign at a time.

This rustic cabin, outfitted with gun slits, was once home to John D. Tewksbury, patriarch of the bloodiest family feud in American history.

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

Walk through the actual strap iron cells and solitary chambers of Arizona Territory’s first prison.

A mysterious "wedding cake" castle in the middle of the urban desert.

Limestone caves with spectacular showcase chambers.

In this small Phoenix taxidermy emporium, you can find everything from a squid in a jar to a freeze-dried toad.

Thousands of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats soar around an abandoned storm drain at sunset each summer.

The artist James Turrell is repurposing an extinct volcano crater as an observatory to experience the cosmos.