NPR staffers get around — both for fun and to report on stories from across the U.S.
This year, we made our way to famous landmarks, but also saw off-the-beaten-path towns, quirky events and stunning natural landscapes. You might be familiar with some of these, but chances are you'll discover something new in this eclectic mix.
We broke it down into rough categories: museums and other landmarks, places for outdoor activities, checking out a whole town, and events to put on your calendar.
So if you're up for adventure, here's a list of where we went and why we think these places are worth a visit.
LANDMARKS, MUSEUMS AND ODDITIES
Mardi Gras World, New Orleans
This working warehouse is where Kern Studios produces its mammoth floats for Mardi Gras and other major events like the Super Bowl. Don a string of beads and take a tour — complete with a sweet slice of king cake. You'll walk past a giant bust of William Shakespeare, the tentacles of an octopus, and a full-sized float crowned by a sculpture of musician Trombone Shorty. Guides go through the company's history (the founder made his first float on the back of a mule cart in 1932) and give detailed explanations of how pieces are made. Plus, you can marvel at employees painting and carving, turning plastic foam and papier-mâché into a rainbow of whimsical characters. — Jennifer Vanasco, senior editor, Culture Desk
Bodie State Historic Park, Calif.
A real life ghost town in the Wild West! It's a part of American culture I only saw in movies. What remains of Bodie, a once-bustling gold-mining town in the late 1800s, are about 200 structures left in "arrested decay." That means that you walk through Bodie as it appeared in 1962, when California designated it a state park. We got to peek through the windows of buildings and see artifacts left behind by the town's residents, the last of whom left more than 50 years ago. It's so well preserved that you feel like you've gone back in time. — Anne Li, senior product manager
International UFO Museum and Research Center, Roswell, N.M.
This is a museum dedicated to the 1947 Roswell crash and other alleged UFO incidents. In one of the immersive exhibits, you're on an alien spacecraft and watch on the spaceship's console as it crashes into Roswell. One of my favorite parts of the museum is all the newspaper clippings from alien encounters across the U.S. Plus you can watch an alien "abduction" and see a prop alien used in a movie about Roswell. The town really embraces its status as an alien hub: There were even alien statues at the gas station. — Ava Pukatch, production assistant, Morning Edition
World's Largest Chest of Drawers, High Point, N.C.
I was in High Point, N.C., reporting on the science of red autumn leaves and drove by a chest of drawers standing nearly 40 feet tall. Inside is a building designed to look like a bedroom bureau, which was built on the site to celebrate the local furniture industry in 1926. When this bureau got old and needed a refresher, the larger chest of drawers was built around it. A couple of huge socks dangle out of one drawer.
When I stopped by, it was surrounded by a chain link fence with a sign that said it was being repaired. It reminded me that we can't have our fun local oddities unless someone does the hard work of keeping them going, despite time and the elements. I salute my fellow Americans who do that work, bringing joy to strangers. — Nell Greenfieldboyce, correspondent, Science Desk
Free Flight Exotic Bird Sanctuary, Del Mar, Calif.
Many of the birds here have trauma and pluck their feathers or have permanent injuries. Some birds sat on branch-like perches scattered throughout the space, while others were in cages. We were able to feed them, and one of them talked! We saw macaws, cockatoos, African grey parrots, cockatiels and more. It was wild being able to walk among them and interact with them, and see the loving care these animals get here. — Amy Sokolow, WBUR associate producer, All Things Considered
Shigeko Kubota Video Art Foundation, New York City
Shigeko Kubota was an innovator in video arts, along with her husband Nam June Paik. The two were part of the international Fluxus movement of the 1960s and '70s, which favored experimentation and performance.
The loft space is preserved from when Kubota lived there. You can see her and Paik's art and equipment, along with some large pieces from her collection: robots with TVs for stomachs, a play on the Duchamp wheel, and also her cookware and diaries and (first ever!) home-built video synthesizer. — Lucas Chen, development writer
Boardmanville Trading Post, Glamis, Calif.
In the middle of the Imperial Sand Dunes is Glamis, Calif. — an off-grid paradise for ATV riders. From there, if you cross the train tracks and head east toward Black Mountain, you'll see a wood sign for "Boardmanville." Steel yourself and follow the washboard dust road until you see a bombed-out Cessna, and you will be rewarded with a cold beer and a Totino's pizza. Open when they wanna be and only seasonally, the Boardmanville Trading Post is a log cabin, built in the 1970s by a local miner. — Becky Meiers, technician, Network Operations Center
Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minn.
The combined workplace and playground Prince built for his musical life sits just outside Minneapolis. You can walk through multiple studios, stand in his office, and see the vending machine where Prince liked to get a Snickers. The guide was amazing, so generous with stories and answering questions.
We stared at the zany outfits, the shoes, the guitars, handwritten notes. We imagined late-night parties, with Prince at the center, jamming. And yes, we got to sit on the motorcycle from Purple Rain.
Even though Prince wasn't there, he was everywhere — in the fans' storytelling, remembering, listening to his music. — Justine Kenin, editor, All Things Considered
Experience the blues, Clarksdale, Miss.
No one knows exactly where or when the blues began, but you could make a convincing case that Clarksdale, Miss., is the home of one of America's most enduring musical genres. The Delta Blues Museum celebrates Mississippi's role in the birth of the blues, with artifacts including a reconstruction of the sharecropper's shack that Muddy Waters lived in on the Stovall Plantation. Since the blues can't fully be appreciated in a museum, drop by Red's on a night when there's someone playing — the historic juke joint keeps the spirit of the Delta blues alive. — Chris Bentley, producer, Here & Now
Thorne Miniature Rooms, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
On a recommendation from a colleague, we wandered the halls and stairs of the museum until we finally found, on the bottom floor, a dark little cavern full of — indeed — a series of mini rooms (1:12 scale). Behind glass, they're full of tiny housewares and furniture in period styles from France, England and the U.S. The rooms are lit realistically, so it feels like you're peering into someone's Parisian flat in mid-morning, for example. They could not be more charming! The Thorne Miniature Rooms, constructed in the 1930s, are a "don't miss." — Amy Morgan, senior editor, Homepage Team
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia
West Virginia's Dolly Sods Wilderness, in the Monongahela National Forest, is the highest plateau in the Appalachian Mountains. The winds are often so strong that trees grow in peculiar and beautiful shapes. You'll find open, rocky plains, unique rock formations (also shaped by the winds), grassy fields, forests of red spruce trees and evergreens, scenic overlooks and waterfalls, and extensive hiking trails. At times you feel as if you're walking on the moon, other times you feel a calmness and strong connection to nature as you walk through an evergreen area. Simply magical. — Marisa Peñaloza, senior producer, National Desk
Road to Hāna, Maui, Hawaii
Looping around the eastern part of Maui, the nearly 65-mile road is the best way to see the diversity of landscapes Pacific islands have to offer. The Road to Hāna (or the Hāna Highway, as it's also known) takes you through moist rainforests with hidden waterfalls and arid hills that slope into the ocean, past black sand beaches and ancient lava flows. Known for its hundreds of hairpin turns, you will travel across gravel — and sometimes dirt! — roads, cling to cliffsides and cross narrow one-lane bridges.
While there are many places to pause and take stock of the beautiful surroundings, I highly suggest making time to take a hike in Haleakalā National Park, grab a coffee at Ono Organic Farms, visit the gravesite of Charles Lindbergh and dig your toes into the black sand at Waiʻānapanapa State Park. The journey can be done in a day, but definitely start early. — Ashley Westerman, supervising editor and producer, Morning Edition
Evel Knievel Jump Site, Twin Falls, Idaho
This is where daredevil Evel Knievel attempted to jump over the Snake River Canyon in a "skycycle" — or steam-powered rocket — in 1974. The jump failed when Knievel's parachute deployed too early. A large dirt mound is all that remains of the platform built for the attempt. It's a wonderful piece of Americana located along a scenic area of the Snake River Canyon. — Shawn MacDonnell, operations manager, Network Operations Center
Isle au Haut, Maine
One of the larger islands located off the Maine coast, Isle au Haut is home to a less-visited part of Acadia National Park and also a small year-round community.
Accessible via the mail boat, the middle and southern portion of the island are available for day-trippers and campers to explore. I grew up camping on Isle au Haut every summer, and I was happy to find this year that the island has changed very little since my childhood. The harsh Atlantic winds are constantly reshaping the forest landscape. The island's abundant pine and oak trees, the many varieties of moss and lichen, and prolific blueberry and blackberry bushes, give it a gentle mythical quality that makes me feel like I can gaze at the landscape indefinitely. — Katie Sypher, assistant producer, How I Built This
The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah
The Narrows, an epic gorge bordered by craggy, dizzyingly high cliffs, is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon in Utah's Zion National Park. The best thing about it is that a little way in, the walk becomes a wade — or a swim — through the river that runs through the canyon. Many people rent special rubber waders and a long steadying pole to do this hike. But you don't need to. My partner and I just went for it in our shorts and sneakers. It was one of the most beautiful, interesting and adventurous of the many hikes I did in 2025. — Chloe Veltman, correspondent, Culture Desk
Nolichucky River Gorge, Cherokee National Forest, North Carolina/Tennessee
Hurricane Helene's catastrophic floods destroyed just about everything in its path. To grasp the scale of the destruction in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, I joined a cleanup crew on the Nolichucky River. Then I kayaked the Nolichucky River Gorge, one of the steepest gorges in the eastern U.S., to see a stunning, scoured landscape and a few raging rapids. Rebuilding and debris cleanup are nearly done. The U.S. Forest Service expects to reopen river access in the spring, a time for a rebirth of this sacred public land for visitors to enjoy outdoor activities such as kayaking, rafting, fishing and hiking. — Rolando Arrieta, director of content production & operations
Barton Springs Pool, Austin, Texas
I was not prepared for how large nor how busy this 3-acre natural swimming pool would be when I visited in April. It is staffed with lifeguards and has a deck built around it, but the pool itself is wild. The depth varies — one end is a kiddie splash pool while part of the middle is roped off for a diving board. Lap swimmers risk running into aquatic plants growing on the other end. It's fed by natural springs, leaving my skin feeling silky with minerals, but not without a sulfuric aroma. — Greta Pittenger, information specialist, Research, Archives & Data Strategy
Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, Calif.
This is a special spot since it's the town's former dump site. But what once was trash has been turned into treasure. The glass tumbles day and night in the waves against the pebbles and sand. After decades, it becomes smooth, frosty and beautiful. — Chad Campbell, senior producer, Morning Edition
Wallace Falls, Wallace Falls State Park, Wash.
My family and I kicked off 2025 with a hike to Wallace Falls. Despite living only an hour away, we had never visited before. The rain picked up as we arrived, but the weather proved to be quintessential Washington in the best way. As we made our way along the trail, the rain lifted and the sun broke through. I'll never forget that contrast: The sheer power of the roaring water, set against a backdrop of incredibly lush, vibrant green moss with a spattering of blue sky. It turned a reluctant trek into a beautiful, memorable start to the year. — Libby Ziemelis, senior Salesforce administrator
Geode Hill, Payson, Ariz.
Some are as small as marbles. Others are as big as mangoes. And they all eventually cede to a hammer's whack with a satisfying crack. Much better therapy than any rage room, Geode Hill in the pine tree studded landscape of Payson, Ariz., allows you to unleash your most destructive geological forces. And it's free.
The hill sits off a dirt road and takes a bit of trudging up before the dimpled geodes start appearing in earnest. At the peak, they're everywhere, nudging their way to the surface of the soft earth. You'll want to bring along a hammer, because once you crack them open, they reveal frosty crystals, some seamed with mineral deposits. And more important, they provide souvenirs of that time you got to trek up a hill and smash a bunch of rocks. — Alina Hartounian, supervising editor, General Assignment Desk
TAKE THE WHOLE TOWN IN
Flint, Mich.
You can drink the water now in Flint, Mich. In the fascinating city with a storied labor history, I visited the Flint Institute of Arts, the second-largest art museum in the state, partly to see a terrific exhibition about tattoos, but also to check out the extraordinary glass collection and work by contemporary Detroit artists such as Mario Moore and Carole Harris.
Pro tip: If you visit, hit the sprawling century-old Flint Farmer's Market for everything from fresh local cheese and apples to BBQ empanadas to Lebanese groceries, and the city's small but mighty independent bookstores, Totem Books and Comma Bookstore & Social Hub. — Neda Ulaby, correspondent, Culture Desk
Tangier Island, Va.
Tangier is one of the last inhabited islands in the Chesapeake Bay, and it's quickly disappearing. Since 1850, it's lost two-thirds of its landmass to erosion and sea level rise. The island is home to between 200-300 people, many of whom still make a living crabbing and fishing the way their ancestors once did. Tangier is small, easily explorable by foot or by bike (which you can rent for the day). I highly recommend a golf cart tour from one of the locals to really get a grasp of the island and its history. Then grab lunch at Lorraine's! Cameron Evans (who has a dockside photography shop) offers boat tours around the island, along with sea glass and artifact hunting.
The soft-shell crabs and the sunsets alone make Tangier well worth a visit. — Julie Depenbrock, assistant producer, Morning Edition
Cozad, Neb.
If you look at a map of the continental U.S., Cozad is right smack dab in the middle. It's a small town of about 4,000 people. I visited to learn how they are recovering from a major hailstorm, but everyone in town said the local art gallery was not to be missed. They weren't wrong. The Robert Henri Museum is incredible. Henri was an influential teacher to other painters and worked in multiple styles. His paintings are arresting. And the staff at the museum is extremely knowledgeable and welcoming. — Rebecca Hersher, correspondent, Climate Desk
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Mothman Festival, Point Pleasant, W.Va.
This tiny town hosts a big annual festival devoted to a local legend: the Mothman. The first sightings in 1966 of a mysterious, towering winged humanoid creature made international news; years later, The Mothman Prophecies book and film sparked new interest. Today, visitors to Point Pleasant can also dive into the once-secretive history of a sprawling TNT facility that operated there during World War II, and the lore of the "Men in Black" seen nearby. Mothman is driving an impressive economic rebirth for this town on the Ohio River. — Bill Chappell, correspondent, General Assignment Desk
New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, Rhinebeck, N.Y.
The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival started around 1980 as a bred ewe sale by the local shepherds. Now, it's a perfect fall weekend in the leafy, beautiful Hudson Valley town of Rhinebeck: Take a basket-weaving workshop, buy alllll the wool, watch llama leaping competitions, and pet angora goats. Or you could spend a whole day admiring the other fiber enthusiasts' knitted outfits. Also they have the best apple cider doughnuts. — Samantha Balaban, senior producer, Weekend Edition
City of Halloween, Conway, S.C.
Every October, downtown Conway, S.C., transforms into the "City of Halloween" — literally the town renames itself Halloween, S.C., for the season.
Thousands of jack-o'-lanterns and cobwebs hang from every tree and bush lining Conway's main road. Businesses, city buildings and other public spaces are decked out in elaborate, thematic displays. This year there was an animated skeleton band in an ode to the recently deceased Ozzy Osbourne.
Walking through downtown is an event in itself as each corner reveals some new, intricate display dedicated to the spooky season — and it's completely free. And it made this millennial Halloween lover feel like a kid again. — Jaclyn Diaz, correspondent, General Assignment Desk
Pawpaw Festival, York, Penn.
This annual event in mid-September focuses solely on North America's only native tropical fruit. The pawpaw is notoriously pungent and famously hard to cultivate; foragers across the Northeast keep the location of their favorite trees secret, so this is your best chance to sample the "Susquehanna banana" without starting a turf war. You can try it raw, in ice cream form, or in lemonade. — Devin Mellor, operations manager
Edited by James Doubek and Maureen Pao.
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