Places sophiew Wants to Go

A labor of love built by local hang-gliding enthusiasts, this ideal launch spot was outlawed by the authorities and has since been largely abandoned.

The Pennsylvania landscape depicted by a quarter mile of mosaics made from used road signs.

This abandoned amusement park was built on a site with a dark history.

Giant busts of 42 U.S. presidents sit, crumbling in a field in Virginia.

An ultra-modern diversity park in Denmark has turned an entire city block electric pink.

Architecturally stunning library serves as the hub of Finnish scholarly life and culture.

An abandoned NSA listening post on Berlin's "Devil's Mountain."

"I did this all while you were watching TV."

Once the scene of a young boy's home in revolt, this Norwegian island is now home to the world's first "ecological" prison.

This Budapest bar allows drinkers to leave their mark on the walls, floor, and even ceiling.

Pennsylvania's highest point is spotted with boulders which were pushed to the surface by nothing but cold.

An abandoned stretch of highway, deteriorating next to the operational one.

Antiques shop filled with all manner of curious collectibles.

This Elizabethan hedge maze is one of only six in North America.

The stunning remnants of this wreck emerge from an otherworldly backdrop of rainforests.

This ghostly Alaska village still clings to a steep cliffside despite having been abandoned for over 50 years.

One woman's dream became a train hotel in her backyard.

An exotic jungle hideaway run entirely by indigenous Kichwa women.

This small uninhabited island offers Galapagos-like biodiversity.

Since the 1700s, this old barrel has acted as a post box that relies on the kindness of travelers.

Underwater art project will double as a massive artificial coral reef to help regenerate the damaged ecosystem.

One person’s lost luggage is another person’s treasure.

This Berlin island is home to a flock of free-roaming peacocks, as well as a historic ivory folly.

A narrow passage next to a cafe leads to a courtyard exploding with murals, tags, and paste-ups.