Places Edited by Sam O'Brien

Dozens of giant mermaids are hidden across Florida’s coast in parks, yards, and beaches.

A live oak beside a Florida bike trail has become a shimmering, musical memorial.

Deep in the Richloam wilderness, a century-old country store is stocked with plenty of stories.

A 110-foot concrete dinosaur once sold fossil fuel from its belly.

This Victorian mansion is part heritage museum, part architectural oddity, and part ghost story.

A tiny kissaten coffeeshop with expertly crafted coffee in an antique setting.

At 216 feet in length, this ornamental allium string is a feat to behold.

A storied British pub where customers leave messages in the walls.

As Ernest Hemingway scribbled notes for stories, he left a lasting impression on this bar: a charred hole where he extinguished his cigars.

Sip whiskey in a powerhouse that once belonged to a storied hydroelectric dam.

This concert venue and educational trailblazer transforms kids through music.

This unique park is dedicated to a favorite locally born snack line.

This beloved American snack was conceived by a hungry coal miner.

Stroll among more than 50 large-scale sculptures created by world-class artists.

In the shadow of the Sydney Opera House, Indigenous ingredients shine.

Inventive brewers use NSW ingredients to dream up flavorful beers made with local honey, native raspberries, and Mariposa plums.

This supper club is a slice of old Las Vegas.

Keen eyes can find the Disney influences throughout this treasure trove of a tiki bar.

The Lobotesis family has been baking some of the best savory pies in Athens since 1910.

Look no further than this local institution for the best East Texas–style barbecue.

Houston’s oldest continuously-operating Tex-Mex restaurant has been a community hub since 1941.

Originally brought to Texas by Czech settlers, these sweet and savory pastries are an essential local breakfast staple.

Viet-Cajun is a true hybrid cuisine that evolved in Houston and at this Asiatown mainstay, there’s more to it than just crawfish.

Some of the best Chinese-Vietnamese fusion can be found at outposts of this homegrown empire.