Deanna McDougall's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rome, Italy

Via Appia

2300-year-old Roman road connecting the empire.
Rome, Italy

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.
Alghero, Italy

Neptune's Grotto

Stalactites and stalagmites in a beautifully lit cave.
Rome, Italy

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."
Sorrento, Italy

Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills)

An Italian crevasse filled with abandoned buildings gives visitors a look at the world without humans.
Ercolano, Italy

Herculaneum

Pompeii's less famous neighbor is still revealing her secrets.
Ravello, Italy

Terrace of Infinity at Villa Cimbrone

Beautiful views and Roman-style statues on the Italian coast.
Anacapri, Italy

Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto)

The glowing blue Nymphaeum of Emperor Tiberius.
Belpasso, Italy

Mount Etna

The world's most active stratovolcano is almost always erupting.
Syracuse, Italy

Ear of Dionysius

Italian cave with exceptional acoustics and an unsavory history.
Santa Ynez, California

Neverland Ranch

The abandoned personal amusement park of the King of Pop.
Big Sur, California

Nepenthe

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.
Big Sur, California

The Henry Miller Memorial Library

It's not your typical library, memorial, or book store.
Big Sur, California

McWay Falls and Waterfall House Ruins

This Big Sur waterfall drops 80 feet directly into the Pacific Ocean, and inspired the hillside house up top.
San Luis Obispo, California

The Bells of El Camino Real

A chain of bells connect the California Missions and honor the legend of the "King’s Highway."
Morro Bay, California

Morro Rock

A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.
San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo's Bubblegum Alley

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.
San Luis Obispo, California

Poly Canyon - Experimental Structures Lab

A deserted hodgepodge of experimental structures designed by nearby university students.
San Luis Obispo, California

The Dorn Pyramid

A Mysterious Masonic tomb in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo, California

Madonna Inn

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.
San Francisco, California

V. C. Morris Gift Shop

Early prototype for Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim.
San Francisco, California

Forbes Island

Floating man-made island and upscale restaurant.
San Francisco, California

Hoppers Hands

At the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, a small sign basically begs for a high-five.
San Francisco, California

Gjoa Monument

Standing in for the first ship to navigate the Northwest Passage.