Washington, D.C.
Fort Reno Park
The only Civil War battle in Washington D.C. took place near this highest natural point in the city.
Places deichsel Wants to Go
228
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Washington, D.C.
Ruins of the Columbian Cannon Foundry
These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.
Washington, D.C.
Ruins of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site at Reservoir Park
An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand.
Washington, D.C.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Largest Roman Catholic church in North America.
Washington, D.C.
Inside the Capitol Dome
The walls of the iconic dome are hollow and have a secret stairway.
Washington, D.C.
Titanic Memorial
This lonely waterfront memorial to the men of the Titanic was erected by the "Women of America."
Washington, D.C.
East Potomac Park Mini Golf
The country's oldest continually-operated mini golf course lies hidden in plain sight, eclipsed by one of D.C.'s most popular tourist attractions.
Washington, D.C.
Tudor Place
A historic estate packed with George Washington's heirlooms, and its own nuclear bunker.
Washington, D.C.
Foundry Branch Trolley Trestle Ruins
A derelict bit of transportation infrastructure hidden in the woods.
Washington, D.C.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
A lovely aquatic park built by a one-armed Civil War veteran who made a fortune from lotuses.
Washington, D.C.
Summerhouse
A hidden gem on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Memorial Undercroft
A cavernous three-story, 43,800-square-foot basement that was forgotten about for 60 years.
Washington, D.C.
FBI Spy House
A painfully obvious spy house sits right across the street from the Russian Embassy.
Washington, D.C.
Zero Milestone
A monument in Washington D.C. marks the spot from which all other roads were supposed to stem.
Washington, D.C.
Riggs Library
A wondrous old library overlooking the nation's capital.
Washington, D.C.
The Mansion on O Street
With over 100 jam-packed rooms to explore plus elaborate tea services and events, the Mansion on O Street is a hidden treasure.
Berkeley, California
Takara Sake Museum
The only museum of sake in the United States is nestled in an unlikely California college town.
Berkeley, California
East Bay Vivarium
An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects.
Oakland, California
Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts
A 1914 beaux arts auditorium that sat shuttered for 20 years, restored and reopened in 2026
Oakland, California
Cathedral Building
The Flatiron Building's storied West Coast cousin is a lot more into religion.
Oakland, California
Kaiser Quarry Ruins
An abandoned car and strange wooden debris are among the scattered remains of the old sand and gravel quarry.
Oakland, California
Cathedral of Christ the Light
A massive ultra-modern church presents a science-fiction view of Catholicism's inclusive future.
London, England
Crossness Pumping Station
This beautiful Victorian ironwork masterpiece was built to keep London from smelling like poop.
Cabezón de la Sal, Spain
Bosque De Secuoyas (Redwood Forest)
An out-of-place grove of sequoias thrives in northern Spain.
