Places emajohn Wants to Go

The oldest church in Iceland is one of the few to feature ornate decoration.

This hobbit-y little hot spring may be the oldest spring used by humans in all of Iceland.

These ominous lava formations were said to be an entrance to the netherworld so of course they inspired a famous metal band.

A trio of hidden hot tubs takes advantage of Iceland's natural geothermal vents.

If a glacial river suddenly diving into a sheer chasm via a dramatic, multi-stage waterfall isn't peak Iceland, it's certainly close.

This valley of hot springs and boiling mud pots is home to the record-holding "Geysir," which originated the English word.

A winding, blood-red tunnel of hardened lava navigable by foot.

This modern monument to pagan belief looks like it was transported straight from ancient times.

The most powerful waterfall in all of Europe.

Climb right into the heart of this colorful Iceland volcano.

Learn about Iceland's hidden folk at this school dedicated to the study of elves.

Iceland's "Smoky Valley" is a beautiful river that is shrouded in a constant cover of steam clouds.

This lonely metal cross may hint at the true location of a medieval showdown between Christian and Pagan kingdoms.

A mysterious echo seems to defy the laws of acoustics.

The world's largest wooden trestle stretches across this desert canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.

This desert oddity hides in plain sight thanks to a cartographic error and a desert explorer with a punny sense of humor.

The ruins of an 11th-century Norman castle with a rare, perfectly circular shape.

Steepest flood safety railway in the entire world.

A 300-yard long natural tunnel runs through a ridge deep in the Appalachian Mountains.

A former mental hospital founded in the 1930s by a eugenicist who advocated for the forced sterilization of patients.

‘Bush the old fire dog died of poison July 5th, 1869. RIP.’

The little-known, 300-year history of the area includes former lives as a bustling tobacco port, parking lot, and industrial dump.

The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.