Curious places to see whilst visiting the US

The US is a top destination for many travellers. From the skyline of New York to the sprawling Grand Canyon, it’s undisputably an iconic location. But there’s so much more to this immense country than what you see on TV and in the brochures. You’ve heard of the Museum of Natural History, but have you heard of the International Banana Museum? Here are some other sites you might not be familiar with that just might appeal to your curiosity.

Fun with food

The USA is not known for holding back when it comes to food. For some reason, they actually have a Heart Attack restaurant which has an 8,000-calorie burger. We certainly don’t recommend that if you want to live a long life, but as an indulgent treat you could try Max Brenner, a chocolate bar fit for Willie Wonka. It this venue it’s about experiencing chocolate with all your senses, be it through their chocolate syringes, chocolate pizza or their warming Hug Mug. 

In Waterbury Vermont, food lovers can even visit Ben and Jerry’s flavour Graveyard, a hallowed site where funerals are held as discontinued ice creams are laid to rest with their own granite headstone and epitaph. That’s not even the best bit, though: visitors can also request online to resurrect their favourite failures from the grave. That’s a form of communing with the dead that we can get on board with.

Offbeat entertainment

To combine food and entertainment, there’s no place quirkier than Ninja New York, where the whole restaurant has been fashioned into an ancient Japanese village, where ninjas serve you and enact fights while you enjoy sophisticated fusion food. 

Normally, we wouldn’t advise taking your kid to The World’s Largest Toilet, but at this roadside attraction in Columbus, Indiana, the aim – somewhat counter-intuitively – is to fall into the bowl. Don’t worry, it’s not as disgusting as it sounds: this is a playground, and the toilet leads straight into a slide that takes you through the pipes of a giant house. It’s not exactly the conventional way of learning about plumbing, but it does sound more fun.

A touch of mystery

If you want the atmosphere without the people, you can avoid the bustle by checking out some of the spooky abandoned attractions in the United States. Deserted and hurricane-ravaged theme parks will be sure to send a chill down your spine, with rumours of ghosts transporting you into a live horror experience. For those who prefer Westerns, the ghost towns of Nevada will give you a good glimpse into that glorified, gun-toting world.

If that’s not mysterious enough for you, you can go and visit the tomb of Nicolas Cage, arguably the world’s most eccentric actor. Located in New Orleans’ oldest graveyard, this bizarre pyramid structure is inscribed with the word “omnia ab uno,” meaning “Everything from One.” Much like the notoriously cryptic actor, the tomb is inexplicable and yet somehow glorious in equal measure.

The editorial unit