Places rkurchak Wants to Go

If you want to take a peek at Area 51, this is legally as close as you're going to get.

A river runs through this remote valley in a very unexpected way.

Hub of Scandinavian culture in a Minneapolis deli.

The highest point in Arizona is an oddly snow-topped peak within the otherwise arid state.

An extensive, if one-sided, history of U.S. law enforcement's war on drugs.

Literally a million fascinating cartographic artifacts are held in this sprawling university collection.

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

A fine, large-aperture telescope available for public use.

Thousands of unique minerals, including some of the most impressive fluorite crystals in the world.

Natural catch-basin rocks covered in thousands of drawings spanning many millennia.

This little valley along Highway 1 is engulfed by thousands of lilies during the spring season.

A staggering collection of photographs depicting medical, social, and historical change.

Happy harbor seals frolic and snooze on this warm, sandy stretch of coast.

A monument to a Native American leader who was known for never breaking a promise and met his end after signing a deal with white settlers.

This hot dog-shaped diner has moved all around Colorado, but has never been to New York.

One man’s hobby is another man’s world of metal wonders.

A research lab and hands-on museum where visitors can experiment with retro technology.

Ancient human, animal, and geometric figures drawn in the earth.

When you visit his grave, be sure to rub the Great Emancipator's nose for good luck.

One of the few surviving examples of the first lock and dam system built on the Ohio River.

Scary metal statues adorn some of the signature buildings of Burlington, Vermont.

A walk down memory lane in the heart of one of San Francisco's most notorious neighborhoods.

This volcano rises like a giant anthill from the plains below, with a road spiraling up to the rim.

There is beauty and history in the ruins of this former company town.