Most historians agree that the so-called "Gentleman Pirate" wasn't much of either of those things.

Thirteen pastel palaces in downtown Charleston add a gorgeous splash of color to the city.

The oldest liquor store in the country is a model of resilience and mischief.

This bar hosts an ever-evolving napkin art installation devoted to an American president.

The first patented shaved-ice machine heralded a snowy wonderland of iced treats at a favorite New Orleans summer shack.

In 1810, free people of color made up more of New Orleans's population than any other Southern city.

A bookstore with an entire room dedicated to damaged and forlorn comic books.

A colorful architectural gem in Seattle's uniquely modern Central Library.

A glorious pub known for a spiteful printing feud and its famous typeface lost—then found—at the bottom of the Thames.

A taste of Middle Earth, in the middle of the Bayou City.

At the "Garage Mahal" in Houston, car culture is about more than just driving.

The peaceful space is adorned by paintings by the famed abstract artist Mark Rothko.

A collection of Witchcraft artifacts and occult paraphernalia started by the leader of the Long Island Coven.

This spectacular public market has got meat, fish, vegetables, baked goods, and enough kielbasa for a lifetime.

This Kansas City studio was home to Walt Disney's first animation business.

The world's largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and one the nation's largest collections of antique toys.

Less a museum than a bizarre fantasy world created by artists and engineers.

This collection started by a Cornell professor once held more than 600 human brain specimens, including the one that belonged to its founder.

The library of every book lover's dreams.

An ancient city exhumed from the depths of the ocean.

Nature took her revenge on the "Wickedest City in the World."

Everyone from Alan Ginsberg to The Rolling Stones has stopped by this classic dive bar.

The bat-covered home of one of the world's most popular brands of rum is located on a tropical Art Deco campus.

Old neon signs from the City of Brotherly Love provide a snapshot of the city’s evolution.