Atlas Obscura - Places Newsletter

Here’s how to survive without a cell phone signal

07-11-2024

Plus: A frog circus frozen in time.
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	July 11, 2024

How to Survive Without a Cell Phone Signal

If you’re heading out anywhere into nature, or along remote roads, for safety and comfort’s sake assume that you will lose cell service. Tip #1: Pack a paper road atlas and trail map, preferably one with topographic lines to help you locate helpful landmarks like mountains and streams.

More Tips Inside →

Inside the International Astronomical Youth Camp

One of the world’s most unusual summer camps is devoted to studying the cosmos in constant motion overhead, as the camp itself travels around the globe. Welcome to the International Astronomical Youth Camp, an annual three-week program for 16- to 24-year-old lovers of astronomy that’s held at a different location each year. It’s been running since 1969, and has visited 15 different countries so far.

Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke’s Frog Circus

Tucked away in the back of the Wistariahurst Museum’s visitor center is a surprise indeed—taxidermy frogs trapezing, playing band instruments, riding turtles, and performing wild circus stunts. Come on in, it’s a croaking good time.

Sponsored by The Illinois Office of Tourism

In the Middle of Cityscapes & Forestscapes

Discover a one-of-a-kind adventure in Illinois. Kayak between skyscrapers on the Chicago River or bike a 28-mile trail along the Chicago Lakefront. Just beyond the city, treat yourself to a luxurious stay under starlit skies at Camp Aramoni or hit the hiking trails at Starved Rock State Park. Explore all this and more in the Middle of Everything.

The Survival of the World’s Rarest Raptor

In 1974, the Mauritius kestrel had edged frighteningly close to extinction, with only four individuals remaining. Their population climbed to 1,000 birds, thanks to decades of captive breeding, but the numbers still don’t look great. These charismatic raptors, however, are hanging on by a thread, thanks to an invasive species known as the traveler’s tree. How do you remove the trees, without harming the kestrels?

Phoenix, Arizona

Relics of the USS Arizona

Launched in 1915, in honor of Arizona, which had attained statehood three years earlier, the USS Arizona was a battleship in the US Navy. Twenty-seven years later, the ship was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i, during World War II. Despite its relatively short career, the Arizona was present for several notable events and today the battleship is memorialized within the Capitol building of its namesake.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Immerse Yourself In a Mongolian Summer Festival

From the thundering spectacle of the annual Danshig Naadam religious festival to encountering the last remaining wild horses on Earth, this adventure will sweep you into a world where nomadic culture still thrives. Join us for an exploration of Mongolia's storied past and vibrant present, sure to enthrall you at every turn.

Book Your Spot Now →

Hawai‘i’s Breeziest Shirt History

Who among us hasn’t owned a Hawaiian shirt? It’s an effortless style of ‘cool’, a summer staple that offers the air of someone who’s impossibly cool. But though it may be the chillest shirt style in the world, it has a murky, hotly contested provenance. No one knows, really, who invented the aloha shirt. Here are our likely suspects.

Glasgow, Scotland

Bella the Beithir

The Beithir is a Celtic dragon that lacks wings or fiery breath, but is described as “the largest and most deadly kind of serpent.” This one, which is named Bella, carries a world egg inside her mouth as a symbol of hope, and stands guard over a historic canal junction.

Sponsored by Cayman Jack

Your Most Epic Summer Getaway is Just a Click Away

Stunning sights and ancient history in Peru. Indigenous culture and cuisine in Mexico. Modern cities and vast deserts in Turkmenistan. These summer adventures and so much more are waiting for you; enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to one of these destinations, in thanks to the legendary taste of Cayman Jack Margaritas.

NO PURCH NEC. U.S., 21+ ONLY. Ends 11:59 pm ET August 31, 2024. Official Rules here. Sponsored by Mark Anthony Brands Inc., Chicago, IL. AVB Co., CHI, IL.

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