Places Maggie Mason Wants to Go

This 40-foot fowl marks the so-called "wild goose capital of the world."

This wooded grove of beautiful hand-built stone grottos is a hidden gem within a shuttered Franciscan monastery.

The first rural cemetery west of the Mississippi is home to the elaborate tombs of St. Louis' local beer barons.

Speak to a companion on the other side of the room loud and clear through this architectural anomaly.

Like Stonehenge, but with boats and oodles more charm.

The world's largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and one the nation's largest collections of antique toys.

The show pony of cave systems, Fantastic Caverns manages to live up to its name.

400 million-year old limestone caverns nestled in the Ozarks served as shelter and a hideout for cultures throughout North American history.

Erosion and time have created a naturally-formed water park.

The "World's Largest Underground Business Complex," a 55,000,000-square-foot city underneath Missouri.

The world's largest man-made underground caverns offer unparalleled underwater wonders.

Less a museum than a bizarre fantasy world created by artists and engineers.

Two hula hoops appeared on the tree after a storm, and the collection kept growing.

This 16-foot-diameter wooden coin has been standing in Iowa City since 2006.

This hand-carved wooden carousel in the Story City North Park was built in 1913.

Hidden in the grounds of the Fort Dodge Museum is a "real" and terrifying petrified giant.

Remnants of a quarry company town still stand on the banks of the Wapsipinicon River.

Chilly air billows out from the entrance of an abandoned mine on a steep hillside, providing a refuge for Ice Age fauna and flora.

An unlikely Transcendental Meditation haven in the American Heartland built around the ancient Vedic principles of balance and harmony.

The oldest university museum west of the Mississippi retains its 19th century feel.

Piled high inside this warehouse and coffee shop are salvaged goods that span every corner of the globe.

The magazine keeps a perfectly groomed display garden for its photo shoots.

The Iowa state contender for largest pan in the world oddly only comes in second or so.

Eight feet in diameter and more than 24 feet around.