Atlas Obscura - Places Newsletter

Trapped in an airport this summer?

07-16-2024

Plus: A beloved library cat.
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	July 16, 2024

21 Airport Attractions For Your Next Layover

A couple extra hours in an airport can be surprisingly fun if you find yourself in the right place and know where to go. From a miniature movie theater to a butterfly garden, here are a few fascinating fixtures that you can find in airports around the world.

The World’s First ‘Cold-Storage Banquet’

At the turn of the 20th century, the concept of a refrigerated feast was terrifying. But cold-storage radically overhauled everything from our fundamental concept of flavors to the structures of our cities. And it all started with the most strange and controversial of feasts.

Auckland, New Zealand

Benjamin the Library Cat

Devonport is a quaint community at the southernmost point of Auckland’s north shore. As you step off the ferry, among the shops, cafes, and restaurants, you’ll find the Devonport Library, which was once home to Benjamin, a beloved library cat. He once survived being hit by a car and a broken sternum and was featured in Benjamin’s Book of Library Fun, by comic artist Arthur Whelan. The purrfect cat is now enshrined in bronze to commemorate him.

Join Us For a FEAST Around the World

Craving gastronomic inspiration? Dig into FEAST, a nine-course extravaganza featuring our favorite dining destinations of 2024, from off-beat edible offerings in Las Vegas (yes, really!) to the geothermal-powered cuisine of São Miguel, Portugal. It’s a veritable menu of culinary delights, ready to be devoured and added to your go-to travel list today.

Explore All Destinations →

The American West’s Disappearing Arborglyphs

Throughout the mountains of the American West, carvings hidden on the trunks of aspen trees tell the stories of the sheepherders who made them as they passed through with their flocks. Most of the men who etched these arborglyphs into the living trees were Basques who, starting with the Gold Rush of the 1840s, had immigrated from the Basque Country that straddles the Pyrenees Mountains.

The Carousel of Love

This 1937 urinal is referred to not only as “the Carousel of Love” (or Kjærlighetskarusellen in Norwegian) but also as “the Wheel of Fortune,” “the Round Barrel,” “the Mushroom,” and “the Umbrella.” The Carousel of Love served as an important meeting place for gay men during a time when homosexuality was taboo in Norway, and sex between men was illegal until 1972.

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9 Music Venues in Austin to Live Out Your Music Dreams

Historic honky tonks, indie spots with up-and-coming acts, classic jazz nightclubs, and world-famous venues with A-list lineups—Austin’s live music scene has something for everyone. Should you find yourself in the Live Music Capital of the World®, here are some venues that you simply can’t skip.

Explore now →

The Secret Past of Highway 42

An unusually twisty stretch of Wisconsin’s Highway 42, built in the early 1930s, has baffled visitors for decades. Who designed this surreal stretch of road? All clues would seem to point to a well-known Danish-American landscape architect Jens Jensen…but it turns out the story of Highway 42 is as full of twists as the road itself.

Ichikawa, Japan

Guhō-ji is an old temple in Ichikawa City, Chiba, originally founded in 737 though the complex has been rebuilt numerous times, most recently in 1972. Its main approach is a steep stone-step path, consisting of over a thousand blocks, one of which is always moist and mossy while all the other steps are crisp-cornered. This particular block is known as Namida-ishi, which means “tear-stone.”

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Surf's Up in Texas

With over 350 miles of coastline and a laid-back surf culture, Texas is prime for water sports and beach fun. In a new episode of All Roads Lead to Texas, watch host Dylan Thuras try his hand at surfing in South Padre Island, where instructor Gene Gore teaches newbies how to surf and appreciate the beaches of the Lone Star State.

The definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders.

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