Places cosmiccowboy Wants to Go

World's largest precision optical instrument used to detect Einstein's elusive gravity waves.

An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.

The shelves at this Chattanooga bar are stocked with used books, and buying one sends money back to the library.

The oldest family-run restaurant in the United States is a living museum of New Orleans dining history.

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

This "second" cemetery represents New Orleans' attempt to keep cholera at bay.

Since 1929, this institution has been serving one of the most celebrated po’ boys in New Orleans.

A small town museum honors local WWII veterans and the queen of pop who put it on the map.

A swamp and garden tour featuring local wildlife and exotic botanical specimens from around the world.

A seven-ton black granite monument dedicated to the memory of those who died and those who lived through the 1977 crash of the popular Southern rock band.

There's no booze at this juke joint—just some of the best blues in Baton Rouge.

A herd of half-sized cow sculptures has stood in this part for nearly 50 years.

This museum chronicles the history of a leprosy quarantine hospital that then became a refuge.

An impressive collection of dollhouses and an homage to the frog-leg canning industry.

One of the last remaining venues on the Old Chitlin’ Circuit is a kaleidoscopic music hall at the end of a dirt road.

Mile-long cave system near Great Smoky Mountains.

This red-eyed chrome beast pays homage to the popular modern myth of West Virginia's insectoid monster.

A mega theme park-wax museum mélange containing all things biblical.

A Texas museum filled with Broncos and Betties.

One person’s lost luggage is another person’s treasure.

This two-room shotgun shack in Tupelo is the birthplace of a King.

A Muppet museum in small-town Mississippi honors the roots of Jim Henson's most beloved creation.

A registered historic landmark shrouded in unsettling local legends.

Fantastic collection celebrating the final send-off.