Top 12 Unusual Destinations to Visit in the Southeast

The Southeast
United States attracts visitors from all over the world thanks to its
incredibly diverse terrain, friendly people, and fascinating history. Each
state offers something unique, from the incredible beaches of Florida to the
lush forests of Georgia. You can learn more about the events that founded
this country on battlefields in South Carolina, and see the buildings that
work towards our nations future in Washington D.C., Virginia. There are so
many incredible things to see in this region, including some strange
attractions you may have never heard of. Here are the top 12 unusual
destinations in the Southeast United States. 

West
Virginia:

1.) The Congressional
Bunker– The Greenbrier Hotel and Resort may seem
like a perfectly normal hotel from the outside, but underneath the walls lies
one of the greatest American secrets of the 20th century. During the Cold
War, the government built a secret bomb shelter meant to hold all 535 members
of Congress should nuclear war break out. In 1992, the secret got out and has
since become a tourist attraction. Visitors can walk through the massive
bunker and learn more about the Cold War and our preparations for a nuclear
armageddon. The Hotel is located in White Sulphur Springs, southern West
Virginia. 

2.) The Mystery Hole–
The name of this attraction does not exactly give a clear picture of what it
is. The “hole” is actually a metal hut owned and operated by Will
and Sandra Morrison. Much like the “mystery spot” in Santa Cruz,
California, this attraction is an area that seems to defy gravity. Inside the
hut you will see balls rolling uphill and chairs balancing at impossible
angles. Visitors to the attraction have claimed, “it’s an experience
that will intrigue you for the rest of your life.” The mystery spot it
located in Ansted, about an hour west of Charleston. 

 (Train
at the Chestnut Hollow Bend, WV. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dbnunley/)

Virginia:

3.) Foamhenge– Sculptor
and visionary Mark Cline has gained a reputation for creating unique
attractions in the State of Virginia, his most celebrated creation being
Foamhenge. Cline went to great lengths to make the Stonehenge replica almost
exactly identical to the England original, shaping each stone individually
and even placing them in the correct astronomical positions. Foamhenge is
located in Natural Bridge, Virginia, about an hour west of
Lynchburg. 

4.) Tank Museum– The first
tanks built for combat were made in 1915 for World War One. Since that time,
there have been incredible advancements in armored tanks. The AAF Tank Museum
in Danville, southern Virginia, is one of the best places in the country to
learn about the evolution of tank warfare, and the many conflicts they were
used in. 

 (Foamhenge,
Natural Bridge, VA. https://www.flickr.com/photos/akahige/) 

Alabama:

5.) U.S. Space and Rocket
Center– The Kennedy Space Center in Florida gained
notoriety as one of the best space museums in the country, but the U.S. Space
and Rocket Center in Huntsville, northern Alabama has been attracting many
visitors thanks to the incredible displays and much less crowded atmosphere.
Some of the most interesting things to see are the 363 foot tall Saturn V
Moon Rocket replica, and the Apollo Command Module
Simulator. 

6.) Unclaimed Baggage Center–
Forget the classic thrift shops, for true bargain prices head to the
Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, northeast Alabama. The store collects
baggage that was never claimed at the airport, and sells the goods for cheap
prices. You can find everything from sports equipment to
electronics. 

 (U.S. Space and Rocket Center,
Huntsville, AL. https://www.flickr.com/photos/hotmeteor/) 

Florida:

7.) Tallahassee Automobile
Museum– Any automobile aficionado’s traveling
through Florida should check out the Tallahassee Automobile Museum in
Tallahassee, northern Florida. The museum contains hundreds of classic cars,
as well as a strange assortment of old memorabilia, from vampire killing
tools to old typewriters. 

8.) Monkey Jungle– “Where humans are
caged and monkeys run wild.” The Monkey Jungle in Miama, south Florida,
is one of the best places in the state to bring children. The attraction was
opened by Joseph DuMond in 1933, and now has over 133 primates, including
orangutans, gibbons, and spider monkeys. 

 (Monkey Jungle, Miami,
FL. https://www.flickr.com/photos/azuquin/) 

Georgia:

9.) Tank Town
USA– For 500 dollars, you can smash vehicles while
driving an armored tank. Yes, you read that correctly. Tank Town USA, in
Morganton, northern Georgia, allows visitors to drive massive armored
personal carriers around their five acre course. The instructors teach
visitors how to operate the machines safely, and then hand you the
controls. 

10.) National
Civil War Museum– The American Civil War was the
deadliest conflict in our nations history. One of the best places to learn
more about what caused it, and the weapons that were used is in Colombus,
western Georgia. The museum contains many historical artifacts from the war,
including the hulk of the CSS Jackson, the infamous gunboat torched by Yankee
Raiders to avoid being captured. 

 (Recreated Civil War Field
Hospital, Fort Oglethorp, GA. https://www.flickr.com/photos/somegeekintn/)

South Carolina

11.) Miniature Golf Capital of the
World– Myrtle Beach, on the East Coast of South
Carolina holds perhaps the most impressive collection of miniature golf
courses in the world. Amply named the “miniature golf capital of the
world,” Myrtle Beach contains over 50 courses, from pirate ship themes
to volcanos. 

12.) Atom Bomb Site– Have
you ever wondered what the site of an atomic bomb looks like? Head to Mars
Bluff, in northeast South Carolina to find out. Visitors here can see the
effects of a 26-Kiloton bomb, more powerful than the bomb dropped on
Nagasaki. 

 (14th Street
Pier, Myrtle Beach, SC. https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan2/)