Controversially claiming the title of world's biggest bass drum, UT's Big Bertha was once made radioactive by the Manhattan Project.

The former home of one of America's greatest short story writers is home to an annual pun competition.

Austin’s local mountain isn’t really a mountain at all.

This small stone building, the final work of a renowned artist, offers a peaceful environment with radiant, colorful glass windows .

A high-octane shrine to the greatest Texans who ever lived.

Locals dubbed it the "Owl Building" because of its bird-like appearance.

This massive oak tree has ties to the first native tribes of the region and the founders of Texas.

Just like the real 36th president of the United States, animatronic LBJ amuses visitors with jokes and stories.

A free, canine-friendly alternative watering hole near the more famous Barton Springs.

Some islands... they come, they go, especially on Lake Travis.

The upstairs reading room is packed with millions of rare books, literary manuscripts, and historical treasures.

Turning night into day in Victorian-era Austin to thwart a serial killer.

Home to an endangered salamander, a full moon celebration, and a large spring-fed outdoor swimming pool.

This simple frog painting created by musician Daniel Johnston embodies the spirit of Austin.

This convenience store-turned-brewpub serves up inventive Indian cuisine and a wide selection of beers.

Free public park and gardens filled with peacocks and peahens.

A store full of vintage and indie toys designed to bring out the kid in even the crustiest of adults.

Home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, estimated at 1.5 million bats.

One part antique store, one part curiosities hodge-podge.

High on a hill overlooking Los Angeles lives a world famous, high-power conical Tesla Coil.

In the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores in Lima, a pretty little park is home to dozens of cats.

The large collection of pre-Columbian pottery might make you blush.

Visiting dignitaries and Hollywood stars once stayed at this 1920s hotel, alongside ghosts that are said to haunt its corridors.

This stone complex marks the urban center of a lost civilization.