In a grove of fast growing walnut trees outside Paris, Illinois, a marker shares the story of a fictional road building culture.

A mythical bird etched into the face of a rock doubles as the mascot for a nearby school.

A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.

A 30-foot man on a penny-farthing bicycle rides along the banks of the Mississippi.

The original vault that held the president's remains still stands, empty, not far from where he was finally buried.

Where dioramas can follow you home.

More than 8,000 drinking jugs say “Cheers!” to a guy named Toby.

The first and only museum dedicated to stained glass and horology opened outside of Chicago in 2017.

Man-made geyser that rises to the exact height of the Gateway Arch.

The hometown of Popeye's creator is littered with a growing collection of granite cartoon characters.

In the Shawnee National Forest, amazing rock formations peer through the treeline.

A curious collection of miniatures in a quiet corner of the Chicago Children's Museum.

Oversized statues are just the tip of this nostalgic Americana roadside attraction.

Quirky water tower advertises the long-gone Brooks Tomato Products Co.

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

Eclectic collection of rare and beautiful stones in a historic home.

You have to love a museum with a truly dedicated focus. A focus on Superman, for example.

A small abandoned and abused cemetery that has become a magnet for ghost hunters.

Where old school Polish Chicago and young hipster Chicago live side by side.

This overgrown Illinois water park offers a whole new type of adventure.

A little-known subterranean street runs under some of the best-known buildings in Chicago's River North.

Recognized the world over as the home of the McCallisters in the 1990 movie "Home Alone."

River pirates, murderous bandits, and serial killers used this Illinois cave as their debauched hideout.

Each of these gorgeous, intricately decorated rooms is painstakingly crafted to the scale of 1 inch: 1 foot.