Places JohnVanDyke Wants to Go

This memorial commemorating fallen Swiss Guards of the French Revolution has been called the saddest stone in the world.

On this tiny spot of land in the middle of Lake Titicaca the only ones who do the knitting are the men.

This lovely little bridge hidden in a Switzerland gorge is essentially a fairytale.

This little gallery is devoted to one small town's passion for a very special cheese.

This beautiful eden was once the vacation home of Tahitian royals before Marlon Brando bought it.

The burning of this 12th-century church kicked off a campaign of Norwegian Black Metal terror.

No one knows who's responsible for decorating this tunnel with stuffed animals, but the people love it enough to protest their removal.

The famed architect designed this Minnesota gas station of the future with a lookout tower.

A desert island with both a buried treasure and a famous castaway.

An intricately carved Viking church overlooks a glistening fjord.

A no-frills, DIY nature preserve manned by a U.S. expat who has dedicated his life to turtle conservation.

A Black Forest cuckoo clock theme park features one timepiece big enough to walk inside.

The tallest outdoor elevator in Europe rockets passengers on a dizzyingly precarious ride to the top of a mountain.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

If you’ve ever seen a picture of Machu Picchu, then you’ve seen a picture of Huayna Picchu—you just didn’t realize it.

A small, but award-winning beach known for its literally spotless reputation.

A sprawling nature preserve harbors the world's only living dragons.

The birthplace of both the Atomic Age and Godzilla, and the namesake of the bathing suit.

The first declared National Monument in the United States.

Quite simply the largest tree in the world (by volume).

Watch the newest land on the planet form before your eyes.