Would you spend your vacation in a concrete tepee?
Landmarks
Crazy check-ins
Would you spend your vacation in a concrete tepee?
Let’s be honest: most hotel rooms are just variations of the same beige box. But if you’re the kind of traveler who thinks a standard king-sized bed is a missed opportunity for adventure, we have some delightfully riveting options. From sleeping 21 feet underwater to hunkering down in a man-made cave 70 feet below the desert floor, here are the 10 craziest, most eccentric hotels in the U.S.
Jules' Undersea Lodge – Key Largo, Florida
If you want to stay at Jules' Undersea Lodge, you’d better be prepared to get wet. Originally a research laboratory, this is the only hotel in the world where you have to scuba dive to reach the front door.
First, you’ll submerge 21 feet beneath the surface of a mangrove lagoon. After entering through a moon pool in the floor, you’ll find a cozy, pressurized two-bedroom apartment. Worried about what you will eat during your stay? You can have a pizza delivery driver bring you a fresh pie from the surface. Don’t ask us how they do it!
Madonna Inn – San Luis Obispo, California
If minimalism is your thing, stay far away from the Madonna Inn. This is the world headquarters of maximalism. With 110 themed rooms, no two are alike, and subtle is not in the staff's vocabulary.
For example, you might stay in the "Caveman" room (entirely made of rock) or the "Pioneer" room (which features a literal wagon for a bed). Fun fact: Contrary to what you may think, this hotel is not named after the famous performer but rather after its designers, Alex and Phyllis Madonna.
Kokopelli's Cave B&B – Farmington, New Mexico
While most people try to avoid living in a hole in the ground, Kokopelli's makes it a luxury experience. This 1,700-square-foot man-made cave is blasted into the Tertiary Ojo Alamo sandstone cliffside.
To get in, you have to hike down a sloped path and enter through the cliff face. Once inside, you’re 70 feet below the surface. The craziest feature in this hotel is the waterfall shower. The bathroom is built into the rock, and the water flows over the stone as if you’re bathing in a natural grotto.
Bloomhouse by Lodgewell – Austin, Texas
Imagine if a giant marshmallow and a seashell had a baby—and that baby was raised by a psychedelic wizard. That’s Bloomhouse. This organic architecture masterpiece was built in the 1970s and looks like it belongs on another planet.
There are no straight lines or 90-degree angles in the entire house. It’s all flowing white curves and whimsical shapes. It was built to mimic the flow of nature, intended to provide a sensory vacation from the rigid world of rectangles.
The Hotel Chalet at the Choo Choo – Chattanooga, Tennessee
Formerly known as the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, this site is a repurposed 1909 terminal station. While you can stay in the main building, the real crazy draw is the fleet of restored Pullman train cars.
So, how would you feel about sleeping in a high-luxury, stationary 1940s train car? The recently renovated cars combine Gilded Age glamour with modern tech. You get the velvet and brass of the rail era with high-speed Wi-Fi and modern plumbing. Not bad, huh?
Featherbed Railroad Caboose B&B – Upper Lake, California
The Featherbed Railroad offers a more whimsical take on the railcar life. Located on the shores of Clear Lake, this B&B consists of nine individual themed cabooses.
Each caboose has a different personality, from the "Orient Express" to the "Casablanca." Most rooms feature an in-room Jacuzzi tub for two, packed into the surprisingly spacious interior of a vintage train car. Also, it’s a birdwatcher’s paradise. You can watch blue herons straight from the cupola of your caboose.
The Guest House at Graceland – Memphis, Tennessee
Here you don't just visit Elvis; you live like him. While you can't sleep inside the actual Graceland, this 450-room resort was designed with Elvis’s style in mind.
It’s "The King" meets "Las Vegas Luxury," a design personally supervised by Priscilla Presley. The "King’s Suites" are modeled after Elvis’s personal living quarters, featuring plenty of gold leaf, velvet, and mid-century swagger. You can even catch a nightly Elvis movie in the hotel's 464-seat theater!
River’s Edge Treehouse Resort – Robbinsville, North Carolina
Ever wanted to live like a very wealthy Ewok? This North Carolina gem takes the childhood dream of a treehouse and adds king-sized beds and satellite TV.
River’s Edge Treehouse Resort consists of elevated luxury cabins perched high in the canopy of the Smoky Mountains. You can even feel the gentle sway of the trees during a windy night, but don't worry, the engineering is rock solid. If you like fishing, this is the place. The resort is located right on the Cheoah River, famous for its trout.
The Vintages Trailer Resort – Dayton, Oregon
Located in the heart of Willamette Valley wine country, this resort offers a curated glamping experience using meticulously restored vintage trailers. Here, you aren't just camping; you’re staying in a 1947 Spartan Manor or a 1954 Anderson 315-TB.
The resort is designed with communal fire pits and a pool, making it feel like a very upscale 1950s summer camp for adults. Moreover, each trailer comes with two cruiser bikes for exploring the nearby vineyards and a pour-over coffee set for the perfect morning.
Wigwam Village Motel – San Bernardino, California
Get your kicks on Route 66, specifically in a concrete tepee. Yes, you read right. This is a surviving relic of 1950s roadside Americana, and it is as kitschy as it is iconic.
At this chain of motels in San Bernardino, California, and Holbrook, Arizona, you’ll stay in a private, individual wigwam made of concrete and wood. It’s like a time capsule. You’ll find vintage cars parked out front and a kidney-shaped pool that screams mid-century vacation.
Ten fall foliage drives outside of New England
Geography
Fall foliage road trips across America
Ten fall foliage drives outside of New England
Sure, Vermont's got game when it comes to autumn leaves. But guess what? The rest of America didn't get the memo that fall colors are a New England exclusive. Here are ten spectacular fall drives that prove Mother Nature has plenty of paint to go around.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina
Image: Karthik Sreenivas
This 469-mile ribbon of asphalt snaking through the Appalachians is basically autumn's greatest hits album. You'll wind past crimson oaks, golden hickories, and enough scenic overlooks to make your camera cry uncle. Peak season runs from late September through October, depending on elevation. Pack a picnic, crank up some classic rock, and pretend you're in a car commercial.
Million Dollar Highway, Colorado
Image: Carol Highsmith's America
This stretch of US Route 550 has aspen groves turning liquid gold against red rock cliffs and snow-dusted peaks. The road climbs over three mountain passes without guardrails in some spots, which adds a little spice to your leaf-peeping adventure. Visit in late September, when the aspens are showing off, and you'll understand why Coloradans get so smug about their fall colors.
Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina
Image: Jordan Whitt
The Smokies put on a color show that lasts from mid-September well into November, thanks to all those different elevations. Cades Cove Loop Road offers an easy 11-mile circuit where you might spot black bears fattening up for winter between the maples and dogwoods. The main drag—Newfound Gap Road—takes you from low-elevation hickories to high-altitude spruces, which means you're basically driving through three seasons in a single afternoon.
Kaibab Plateau, Arizona
Image: Omer Nezih Gerek
Who says fall colors need a freeze? The North Rim of the Grand Canyon serves up golden aspens and orange Gambel oaks, paired with jaw-dropping canyon views. State Route 67 runs through Kaibab National Forest, and by late September, the aspen groves look like they've been dipped in butter. The elevation keeps things cool while the rest of Arizona bakes, and you'll have the place mostly to yourself, since the North Rim closes for winter in mid-October.
Cascade Loop, Washington
Image: Getty Images
This 440-mile circuit through the Cascade Mountains combines fall foliage with apple orchards, Bavarian-themed towns, and enough mountain vistas to overload your Instagram feed. The North Cascades Highway portion delivers serious alpine drama, with larches turning gold and vine maples blazing orange. Bonus: you can buy fresh cider that tastes like actual apples, not corn syrup.
Upper Peninsula, Michigan
Image: Michaela Zuzula
US 2 along Lake Michigan's northern shore gives you sugar maples on one side and big blue water on the other. For maximum color impact, take M-28 through the Ottawa National Forest, where the hardwoods go absolutely nuts with reds, oranges, and yellows.
Ozark Highlands, Arkansas
Image: Spencer Imbrock
State Highway 7 from Harrison to Hot Springs cuts through the Ozark National Forest, where oak, hickory, and maple trees compete for attention. The road twists past limestone bluffs and through tiny towns where time seems to move at a different speed. Mid-October is prime time, and the lack of crowds means you can actually stop and take that perfect photo without someone's Winnebago in the frame.
Lake Tahoe Loop, California and Nevada
Image: Ken S
This 72-mile loop around America's most photographed lake combines cobalt water with autumn aspens in a way that'll make you question why you live anywhere else. The California side delivers more dramatic mountain scenery, while the Nevada side offers casinos if you need a break from nature. Late September through early October is the sweet spot before the first snow. Take the drive counterclockwise so you're on the lake side during the best light.
Scenic Byway 12, Utah
Image: Joshua Colah
This All-American Road lives up to its name, winding through red rock country where golden aspens pop against crimson cliffs like nature's own color wheel gone wild. The stretch between Torrey and Boulder crosses two mountain passes where the aspens cluster thickly in the high country. Late September brings peak color, and the absence of crowds makes it feel like a personal discovery.
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and Washington
Image: Elena Kuchko
Historic Highway 30 on the Oregon side takes you past moss-covered forests exploding with vine maple reds and bigleaf maple yellows. Stop at Multnomah Falls before continuing east, where the landscape turns golden brown and wine country beckons. The scenic highway portion is only about 70 miles, but you'll need all day because every curve demands a photo stop.
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