First planned industrial community in the United States.

This old steel industry company town has a tradition of parking cars on the sidewalk so people can walk in the narrow streets.

This cheerfully-named branch of the Chicago River is the fetid result of years of blood, entrails, and meatpacking waste.

One of Chicago's last seafood smokehouses perfects a dying breed of fishcraft.

Former meatpacking facility turned vertical farm and sustainable business complex.

A hollow cement depiction of time's inexorable effect on the human body.

This bronze sculpture on a former squash court marks the secret origins of the Atomic Age.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

This $3 million model train takes you through Chicago, Seattle, and the thousands of miles in between.

Hot Doug's "Hot Dog" Stand.

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

All of Chicago's wood-paved streets are long gone but two alleys remain.

These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

Stripes of flowers bloom each spring in a 50 acre rainbow of color.

This large collection of tiny things revels in the art of fine machinery well made.

An off-grid art installation that encourages its visitors to imagine a world without waste.

A hand-built folk art installation covered with messages of God's love.

Burping, gurgling geothermal mud pots by the Salton Sea.

Version of the French Riviera destroyed by the sea.

The ghostly remains of an accidental sea.

A giant desert bird that once swung music fans at Coachella now has a home in a nearby traffic circle.

A museum dedicated to a sea that should have never been.

This simple highway curve has become a comedic pilgrimage site.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.