A 19th-century subterranean reservoir repurposed as a contemporary art cave.

An old-timey wax exhibition campily depicting New Orleans legends and scandals.

A typical "Old South" manor, once owned by author Anne Rice, served as the setting for several of her witchcraft sagas.

After the parade, students throw their beads on the tree hoping for good luck on exams.

Introducing the Green Fairy to her fawning masses.

This macabre shop, filled with art, oddities, and taxidermy is hidden in the heart of the French Quarter.

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

A calm and comfortable place to hang out with cats and kittens up for adoption.

A private museum dedicated to preserving the heritage of Mardi Gras' most beloved underdog parades, open by appointment.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

This bar named after the world's first mixed cocktail was home to one of New Orleans' most notorious politicians.

An impressive collection of dollhouses and an homage to the frog-leg canning industry.

The greatest collection of New Orleans masking and processional traditions covering everything from Baby Dolls to Skull and Bone gangs.

Tiny historical streetcars wind through a small scale version of Crescent City in this whimsical train garden.

Formerly known as National D-Day Museum, this collection commemorates the battles of Normandy and WWII.

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.

This home is decked out like a psychedelic explosion of colors and bowling balls.

An oddities shop that dabbles in the deathly and beautiful.

In Florida, these naughty monkeys live on their own mini-monkey Alcatraz.

A gleaming white tower in ornate Indian style soars above the low-slung bungalows of north Tampa.

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

In the depths of the Everglades, one man has dedicated his life to studying the elusive Skunk Ape.

This 38-year old fish became a casualty of changing trends.

A strange house built only at night, with rumored mystic inspiration.