Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations
What's near me?

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Happening This Week
Join these experiences from your computer or phone.
Online
Experience

Accidental Discoveries

Fri, May 14
$10 per device
Join Dr. Kelly Reidy as she digs into history's most surprising (and oddly productive) mishaps, accidents, and blunders.
Online
Experience

Atlas Obscura Trivia Night

Fri, May 14
$7 per person
Gather your team and compete in a weekly contest of wits and educated-guessing.
+ 6 more dates
Online
Experience

Dino 101

Fri, May 14
$10 per device
Who says dinosaurs are just for kids?
+ 2 more dates
Online
Online Course

Writing the Historical Essay With Hadley Meares

Starts Sat, May 15
$175 per person
+ 1 more date
Online
Experience

Sunday Sabor: Springtime Tapas Party

Sun, May 16
$25 per device
Online
Experience

Weird Homes Tour: Ghosts in the Machines

Tue, May 18
$12 per device
Step inside Brandon Hodge's home and Mysterious Planchette archive.
Online
Experience

Monster of the Month with Colin Dickey: Lake Monsters

Thu, May 20
$12 per device
Explore the world's greatest monsters, myths, and legends with paranormal author and cultural historian, Colin Dickey!
Online
Online Course

Depicting Lockpicking in Popular Media With Schuyler Towne

Starts Thu, May 20
$65 per person
See All Experiences
Featured Trips
Our newest and most incredible trips.
wildlife & nature

Rewilding: Tracking Wolves in the Forests of Sweden

Sweden
Jul 5–11, 2021
From $3,100 USD
Explore Sweden’s boreal forests by day and hear the howling of wild wolves by night.
+ 2 more dates
wildlife & nature

Walking & Wine in Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park

Australia
Sep 28–30, 2021
From $1,730 USD
Wind your way through Freycinet National Park and Maria Island, experiencing the wildlife, locally sourced foods, and the breathtaking beauty of Wineglass Bay.
hidden cities

City of Blooms: Floriculture in Paris

Paris
Oct 6–8, 2021
From $1,230 USD
Join Atlas Obscura and Tastemade for a journey through the botanical side of Paris, from hidden flower farms to one of France's oldest fragrance houses.
history

Turkmenistan and the Gates of Hell

Turkmenistan
Apr 8–17, 2022
From $3,475 USD
On this sweeping, eclectic adventure through Turkmenistan, marvel at the towering white-marble structures of Ashgabat, roam through barren deserts and a world-class canyon, and spend the night camped out beside the flaming Gates of Hell.
+ 1 more date
See All Trips
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
More Stories
science

For Sale: A $1 Million Bottle of Bordeaux Aged in Space

After 14 months on the ISS, the vintage Petrus could be yours.
Luke Fater May 10, 2021
science

Can Wonky Cell Signals Help Track Wildfire Smoke?

A hazy atmosphere makes data ricochet all over the place. Now scientists think they can use that signal to better predict dangerously smoky air.
Matt Simon May 10, 2021
music

118 Years Later, Japan's Earliest Sound Recordings Still Resonate

Sessions in a Tokyo hotel room with a sound engineering pioneer captured a nation in transition.
Anton Spice May 10, 2021
animals

Podcast: Puffin Patrol

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team May 10, 2021
video games

The Indie Video Games Bringing South and Southeast Asian Food to Your Screen

Cook for vampires or restore lost recipes with these diverse games.
Samantha Chong May 7, 2021
science

A Mexican Nature Reserve Hopes to Get Sea Cucumbers Out of a Pickle

Poaching puts local fishers at risk, and two scientists are helping to brainstorm solutions.
Ellen Airhart May 7, 2021
List

18 Trails That Traverse History

Go on a journey through time.
Jonathan Carey May 7, 2021
pandemic

In Japan, Combating the Coronavirus Calls for a Big Pink Cat

Meet Koronon—cute, cuddly, and a big fan of masks.
Bailey Berg May 7, 2021
List

23 Places to Relive the Cold War

Tunnels, towers, and control rooms preserve an era of tension and paranoia.
Gemma Tarlach May 6, 2021
science

Is the Red Sea Really the Red Ocean?

It's complicated.
Gemma Tarlach May 6, 2021
maps

Podcast: Pics or It Didn't Happen

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team May 6, 2021
science

Walden Pond Is Full of Jellyfish, But Don't Panic

Meet the generally harmless translucent residents of Thoreau's favorite giant puddle.
Jessica Leigh Hester May 5, 2021
Read All Stories