In summer 1950, polio hit tiny Wytheville, Virginia with brutal force. The first case struck 20-month-old Johnny Seccafico in late June. Soon after, the town of just 5,500 people had 184 cases—one in ...

1. It’s Illegal to Tap Your Foot to Music in a Tavern Yes, really. A long-standing law bans patrons from keeping time to music in restaurants and bars—so don’t even think about bobbing your head to ...

Wolf Island Road stands out among these haunted thoroughfares. Travelers have reported sightings of ghostly figures and eerie sounds, such as those of a phantom procession. The road itself seems to ...

Spouses of U.S. citizens are facing tougher challenges than ever in the green card process. Longer wait times, stricter document reviews, and more interviews are becoming the new normal. Many couples ...

Oklahoma: where the wind comes sweeping down the plain—and so do some absolutely bizarre laws. Known for its cowboy culture, tornado drills, and more roadside pecan stands than you can count, the ...

That heart-stopping trail has nearly 4,000 metal steps climbing straight up a mountain ridge in Oahu. Built in 1942 after Pearl Harbor, the Haiku Stairs weren’t meant for hikers at all. What started ...

Tennessee: where the barbecue is smoky, the music never stops, and the laws? Let’s just say some of them could use a remix. While the Volunteer State gave us Elvis, Dollywood, and the Grand Ole Opry, ...

The SPAM Museum in downtown Austin, Minnesota takes up 14,000 square feet of canned meat. The museum first opened its doors in 1991 and moved to 3rd Avenue NE after major renovations in 2016. The ...

New Mexico: land of enchantment, alien sightings, green chile worship, and— believe it or not—laws that are just as offbeat as a Roswell souvenir shop. From camel restrictions to courtroom footwear ...

New York: where the pizza’s legendary, the people are bold, and the laws… well, some of them seem like they were drafted during a 3 a.m. subway ride. From no- masking rules in bowling alleys to ...

In 1975, a retired military man named Peter Jefferds changed American food history on a small cove in Washington. After living abroad and falling for mussels, he picked Penn Cove on Whidbey Island to ...

Reshaping travel along Michigan’s lakeshore Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline is buzzing again, with small towns and coastal cities seeing a wave of renewed energy. From lively festivals to charming ...