Places mizmandi84 Wants to Go

The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.

A 30-foot man on a penny-farthing bicycle rides along the banks of the Mississippi.

A chance to follow in the footsteps of the word's most legendary animator.

This family driveway also serves as the highest point in Illinois.

The original vault that held the president's remains still stands, empty, not far from where he was finally buried.

Its eclectic exhibits range from the world’s first motorcycle to Luke Skywalker’s Land Speeder.

The world's third-largest scale model of the planets.

Today this bizarre rooftop phone booth seems like a piece of kitsch but it was once used to spot disastrous storms.

This lagomorph-obsessed Route 66 emporium is home to a giant jackrabbit that sits in a bunny graveyard.

A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.

Man-made geyser that rises to the exact height of the Gateway Arch.

The hometown of Popeye's creator is littered with a growing collection of granite cartoon characters.

This life-size bronze statue remembers the tallest recorded human in his Illinois hometown.

While he no longer has an eatery to give him context, this off-brand Paul Bunyan still holds his giant hot dog with pride.

In the Shawnee National Forest, amazing rock formations peer through the treeline.

This awkward aquarium sculpture is one of the strangest statues in Chicago.

A sprawling outdoor museum filled with larger-than-life works of art.

Assemble a masterpiece at the first and only North American school exclusively dedicated to mosaic art.

Buy a token from the liquor store and you can make this beast spew flames on command.

A plaque marks a former safe house on the secret route, now hidden next to a McDonald's.

The multinational Burger King chain is banned from operating within 20 miles of a family restaurant filed under the same name.

Arguably the best example of an authentic Dutch windmill in the United States, rivaling its counterparts in the Netherlands.

Quirky water tower advertises the long-gone Brooks Tomato Products Co.

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.