Places JLowdown Wants to Go

A gorgeous gilded tower houses what may be the world's largest collection of gin.

This once sprawling resort now sits abandoned, filled with graffiti and vibrant colors from an era long passed.

Qatar's oldest market can trace its origins back more than a century.

Drink among marionettes at this pub inside a historic puppet theater.

Some of Arizona's best spit-roasted tacos al pastor can be found here.

Abandoned figurines adorn a small plot on the side of a craft market's entrance.

An old curiosity shop holds on to a centuries-old tradition of manually-distilled rose water.

This tiny stone in a children's park is what remains of an ancient, once-worshipped object.

The colorful array of art leads to a small Aztec pyramid.

Camels and crocodiles share the black waters of this stunning Saharan oasis.

The world's last remaining store of its kind.

Stocking up on the world's best beer requires a pilgrimage to a monastery drive-through.

To enter this cluttered-yet-cozy sanctum of Belgian brews, ring the bell and tell the gatekeepers you've come “to taste beer.”

This mom-and-pop Japanese sweets shop has been serving cloud-light mochi for almost a century.

An everyday Jackson Heights bodega conceals a Mexican seafood paradise.

This bar is home to what's likely the oldest living jazz band in the world.

Founded in 1880, this humble brewery still practices a disappearing technique of sake-making.

Enter the deli, walk until you hit the taxidermy, then order some hot, homey guisado.

The train engine is tucked under an apartment building on a quiet Tokyo street.

On a river island north of Bangkok, a small bar helped lead a home-brewing rebellion.

Walk through a clothing store, across a courtyard, and up several flights of stairs for delicious coffee with a side of beautiful views.

A museum in the building where Nazi Germany signed its surrender tells the story of World War II from the Soviet perspective.

This community-driven organization uses education and eco-friendly technology to protect the environment.

At a Bangkok bistro, one pot of beef stew has been cooking non-stop for more than 45 years.