Places Rick Brown Wants to Go

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

A hidden barn-sized rendition of Grant Wood's most famous, and most parodied, painting.

Rather than a run-of-the-mill franchise hotel, this lodging has been decked out in dinosaur decor.

A futuristic temple of light uses prisms and rainbows to create an atmosphere of peace.

Seemingly grown on some other world, these New Mexico rock formations look like a disused science fiction set.

This innocuous New Mexico storefront was once the secret jump-off spot for Manhattan Project scientists.

This national park on the shore of Lake Michigan features remarkable dunes that lie at the heart of a Chippewa legend.

The city is full of whimsical portals to another world.

Colorful collection of antique musical oddities.

A small metropolis of Pueblo cave dwellings have been carved right into the hillside of this national monument.

One of the largest private collections of cars manufactured by the short-lived Franklin Automobile Company.

Despite a recent paint job, the factory still sits empty.

The official atomic museum of the United States explores the explosive and productive history of a much maligned energy source.

The fictional star of "Breaking Bad" is memorialized with a real-life gravestone in his hometown.

A sculpture of a flying hawk made from colorful car doors.

Partially submerged Buddha heads freckle Chicago’s neighborhoods.

A Japanese temple, old German townhouses, and public chess tables offer a peaceful escape from the bustle of the North Side.

A 400-foot-tall tall map of Chicago makes this once-ignored building stand out.

One of the world’s largest collections of petroglyphs records 2,000 years of human activity.

Learn about the history and craftsmanship of carousels inside this museum located in a former post office.

First planned industrial community in the United States.

A European-style bath house in Chicago.

This museum celebrating the almighty dollar lets visitors literally stand in the shadow of a million bucks.