See America

Carhenge

In Wiltshire, England sits a prehistoric monument of epic proportions. Featuring a ring of standing stones each around 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weighing about 25 tons, Stonehenge is a household name shrouded in folklore and fame. Constructed between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC it has been legally protected since 1882 and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. It’s an awe-inspiring and curious site for sure, and if we ever do a See the World Podcast, Stonehenge will be on the shortlist. But what if you can’t make the road trip to England to take in these stone wonders for yourself? Well, don’t worry, because here in the states we have our very own tribute to this magnificent monument, one that only dates back 33 years, and has replaced 25-ton stones with cars—and you only have to go as far as Nebraska to see it.

This week, Carhenge, the 38 car tribute to England’s Stonehenge in Alliance, Nebraska. 

The Library of Congress

America is home to lots of things that we get to claim are the biggest and greatest, but there’s one facility in the U.S. that probably deserves more bragging rights than any other, and it’s not one that’s often talked about. It’s the biggest library in the world, and It also just happens to be one incredible display of American architecture. 

This week, the Library of Congress. 

Graceland

Last week we talked about Elvis’s major failure at the Grand Ole Opry, and this week, we thought it would be a good idea to let him redeem himself. The Opry might be the mother church of country music, but Graceland is the palace of rock & roll.

The Grand Ole Opry

This week, we take you behind the scenes of the world's longest-running radio show and country music's pinnacle of achievement, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Grant's Farm

St. Louis, Missouri. Along the mighty Mississippi. Home of the Arch, the Cardinals, and Budweiser beer. Whatever you feel about a “Bud,” the Anheuser-Busch Family revolutionized the brewing industry and distribution of beer to America and the world. And they made a fortune doing it. Here, in the Gateway to the West, you can visit the fruits of their labor, at the estate that is featured in dedicates of Budweiser imagery, with a team of massive clydesdales hitched to that red Budweiser wagon. This week, Grant’s Farm

The TCL Chinese Theatre

Hollywood, California. Land of make-believe. If you’ve ever been, you know that a lot of what is glitters, isn’t actually gold. A trip down Hollywood Boulevard these days is chock full of cheap costumed look-sort-of-alikes. The Hollywood walk-of-fame has somehow become the major symbol of this once harrowed place, and it’s a giant pay-to-pay scam. Does anyone really need to get their picture taken with David Spade’s star? Thankfully, Hollywood Boulevard isn’t all urine stench and phony idols. There’s one place where you can still, instantly be whisked back in time. 

This week, Hollywood’s Chinese Theater. 

The American Banjo Museum

Bricktown. Oklahoma city. A museum in this vibrant city tells the story of the only real, truly American musical instrument. It wasn’t just developed in America, it was borne through the struggle for freedom, and tells the story of our country through its percussive draw, its rapid-fire playing style, and it’s expressive and exquisite construction.

Pikes Peak

As anyone who’s visited Colorado Springs can tell you, it sits in the shadow of an ominous mountain - it’s is an amazing sight to behold. The 14,115-foot summit rises over the plains with a sort of ancient majesty. It predates humanity by millions of years and was here long before anyone first settled the region. For centuries and even millennia, it’s been recognized by people of all cultures as one of the most striking landmarks in Colorado. Everyone has had their own name for it, each trying to capture the beauty and splendor of the peak.

 

This week, Pikes Peak.

The Mars Cheese Castle

A glowing white stone castle shines like a beacon of hope to weary travelers in the southeast corner of Wisconsin...but no knights in armor or kings and queens live here. This is a castle of another type, one that enshrines Wisconsin’s most prized product. Cheese. This Week, Kenosha Wisconsin’s Mars Cheese Castle

Central Park

Amidst the hustle and bustle of America’s largest city sits an incredible greenspace that just happens to be one of the most filmed locations in the world, appearing in over 350 films and counting over the years. It’s been home to dozens of iconic concerts and is the second most visited tourist destination in America. Yet it’s so big, it never really feels too crowded. It also happens to be America’s first landscaped public park: New York’s Central Park.