Places Ruben Stemple Wants to Go

The centuries-old obelisk may have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien.

The beloved fantasy novelist is buried near a church containing a whimsical etched glass window full of Narnia favorites.

This whimsical campus lawn is dotted with large sculpted numbers and hidden mathematical formulas.

The 32nd president's sprawling cottage sits on an island enclave jointly managed by the U.S. and Canada.

The gorgeous entrances into the city's underbelly look more like grand halls than subway stops.

A quiet, gothic haven nestled between Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze neighborhoods.

This waterfront museum in Maine is dedicated to the history of the smoked-herring trade.

This whimsical statue dumps water on its head to symbolize knowledge flowing into his brain. Or maybe booze.

This narrow coastline trail through the dense Kauai wilderness is among the most beautiful and dangerous in the world.

A midcentury ranch house hides a literal treasure trove of unique rocks and minerals.

The morbid items in this small and hidden museum are not for the weak stomached.

Its vintage camera collection gives a snapshot of the past as viewed through a photographic lens.

This tiny hotel perched atop a 50-foot tower really puts things into perspective.

A rare wooden coffin set vertically into the Gothic arch of an ruined church.

These red marks, seemingly placed at random, are in fact not.

After serving in Vietnam, Korea, and even a stint in the Turkish navy, the unique ship is now open as a museum.

A mysterious demonic figure peers down from its perch within the gorgeous Chester Cathedral.

A walkable map of the world, made from soil and stone by one man.

The world's largest pineapple building honors Bathurst's favorite fruit.

Western Europe's only representation of a Roman goddess still in its original location sits in an unassuming park.

Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood.

It's hard to believe the dizzying patterns covering this abandoned mine are completely natural.

The “City of Stairs” sits high in the Andes, above the world’s largest underground copper mine.

A prized globe signed by Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh sits in the Brooklyn office of the American Geographical Society.