The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Kelly and Zach Weinersmith walk Dylan through the practicalities of making a home on the red planet.  Check out their book A City on Mars  everywhere books are sold. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Outside the French Quarter lies Hidden South , an antique shop like any other. And hidden amongst the oddities is a bathroom full of secrets . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Producer Alexa Lim visits a collection of natural aromas in Berkeley, California. She gets a whiff of some of the world’s lesser known smells, and stumbles down the rabbit hole of the hidden world of scents. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1930s and 1940s, a young Black woman named Bessie Stringfield decided she’d strike out on her own and hit the road – and ended up crisscrossing the United States eight times, and becoming the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle through each of the lower 48 states. If she ran out of money, she’d join a circus. If she couldn’t find a place to stay, she’d sleep out under the stars. Read mor...

For a brief period the small frontier city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota drew in socialites and celebrities who were desperate to end their marriages. For more stories from the Divorce Colony, check out April White's book: The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information ab...

Reporter Diana Hubbell brings us to an island off the coast of Georgia, and tells Dylan the story of ​​an eccentric heiress, a daring mission, and the fight for North America’s most unusual pig. Read Diana’s James Beard Award-winning article called “Saving the Hogs of Ossabaw Island.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...

Producer Talon Stradley takes us on a tour of three skinny houses – each with a big story inside. Do these skinny houses have you curious about spite houses?  Check out that episode here .  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Comedian, actor, and podcaster Jacob Wysocki takes Dylan on a tour of a very special expo: The Reptile Super Show!  Listen to Jacob’s full experience at the Reptile Super Show (and his journey to other expos) here . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’re bringing you stories about places that you can no longer visit – this time we have stories about a hometown hangout spot, a beloved amusement park, a mural building in Queens, and a disappearing natural wonder.  Plus: We want to know about places that give you the creeps. Places that get under your skin and give you that eerie feeling. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telli...

We go inside a place that some paranormal investigators call the most active haunted location in the world. Before it was known as the inspiration for Stephen King...the Stanley Hotel had a reputation -- and ghosts --  of its own.  Find more information about the Stanley Hotel and its events online. This episode was produced with Visit Colorado. From culinary delights at world-class restaurants to...

The City Hall in Lincoln, Illinois has an unusual architectural appendage with a curious history.  Read more about it here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Traveling as a wheelchair user comes with some unique accessibility challenges, but Cory Lee has managed to visit 48 countries and all 7 continents. Cory is a travel blogger who shares his stories and tips for disabled travelers. He shares some of the most (and least) accessible destinations, hurdles he has encountered, and a few of his favorite memories from around the world. You can find Cory’s...

The small mountain town of Spruce Pine provides nearly all of the ultra-pure quartz used to make the world’s semiconductors. When Hurricane Helene nearly wiped out the mines, it provided a stark wake-up call. Journalist Ed Conway joins Dylan to discuss what we can learn from this near-miss.  Check out more of Ed Conway’s reporting and subscribe to his Substack here . To support disaster relief eff...

A group of seagull lovers in Belgium wants you to sympathize with these birds… by sounding just like them.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After experiencing burn out, South Korean artist WoopsYang decides to take a rest and create an environment for others to space out… by having a competition.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We want to know about places that give you the creeps. Places that get under your skin, give you that eerie feeling. And why? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call back in  if you get disconnected. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com...

In Myrtle Beach, mini-golf is not so mini. They’re hosting the Mini-Golf Masters, where titans of the tiny game will compete to see who rises to the top.  This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach. Whether you’re a golfer or just looking to relax, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is 60 miles where you belong. Learn more at VisitMyrtleBeach.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz c...

We head to the cliffs of Balneario El Condor in Argentina to visit a parrot city… and the parrot suburbs. And we meet the biologist who risks his life to study them.  Learn more about the parrot colony and Juan Masello’s work.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How 78 toilets exposed a Cold War secret in Carp, Ontario. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the late 1980s, a goose named Andy was born without webbed feet. A local Nebraskan inventor made him a pair of customized baby shoes and grew to care for the goose. But then – Andy was murdered. Twenty years later, the inventor's granddaughter picks up the pieces. To learn more information about Andy the Goose, check out Jessica’s website. You can also find information about attending Jessica’s...

This summer we learned about a 15,000-year-old oak tree in California that was facing a potential housing development. Today, we learn its fate. Listen to our original episode about the Jurupa Oak here . Read Shannon Osaka’s article about the recent decision here . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...

This experimental automotive replica of Stonehenge has become a symbol of the town of Alliance, Nebraska. But residents haven’t always been fans. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carhenge Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every summer, more than 10,000 people flock to this Pennsylvania town for two weeks for the largest gathering of medieval arts and culture anywhere in the world. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see this massive battle for yourself, check out our video about Slippery Rock.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

We go to a central Wyoming town, just a couple hours from Yellowstone, that's appropriately named Thermopolis. City of Heat. It’s home to one of the largest mineral hot springs in the world. But it turns out this town of less than 3,000 is also home to so much more. It’s a literal melting pot — of boiling water, rich rock formations, bath robes and dinosaur bones. This episode was produced in part...

We’re visiting a town 150 miles west of New Orleans in the absolute heart of Cajun country, where every year, thousands of people come from across the country to march through the streets, play music, celebrate French culture, and cook up an absolutely enormous omelet. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see...