This year had a lot of ups and downs, but one thing that stayed consistent is that I visited some really cool places throughout the year! So far, I have visited 10 US states and 4 countries in 2025, and just like the past few years, I kept a ranking of every site visited throughout the year. (I’m actually going to add a couple more states before 2026, but those will get added onto next year’s ranking). I don’t really know how this keeps happening, but with 174 sites, this year’s ranking is the largest yet, and each year since 2020 has surpassed the prior year! Because of this, I’ll never be completely satisfied with the final ranking as my opinions change daily. But I wanted to try to put some sort of ranking together as this is fun to do every year, so with that said, here are a few rules for my ranking:
Every place I visit throughout the year is included, unless
1) It is included in McDonough, Georgia, or the immediate surrounding area where I live;
2) It has been included on a previous year’s ranking;
3) It is some place in Northwest Florida that I have visited before.
No restaurants, airports, businesses, or hotels are included unless they themselves could be considered a tourist site. I’ll also point out that there is one place on here with [2024] next to its name. That place barely missed out on last year’s ranking as I visited it in the final few days of December 2024. I didn’t want it to get left out, so it’s here. If you want to see my rankings from the last few years, you can see them here: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. Now finally, here’s the ranking:
174. Murder Kroger
This Kroger in Atlanta became known as the “Murder Kroger” following several shootings and the discovery of a body. While the old building has been demolished, and with the new building being marketed as the “Beltline Kroger,” the old nickname just continues to stick. I actually debated where to put this. It’s here in last place because it’s easy to place it here, but it’s actually a really nice area to visit, and I like this part of the Beltline. If this were to include the Beltline section, it’d be much higher, but I finally decided to limit this placement to just the Kroger, and ultimately, that’s all it is – a Kroger.
173. Old Car City USA
This is the world’s largest known junkyard. The guy at the front desk wouldn’t let me in because they were closing in 20 minutes… That would’ve been plenty of time for me, but instead I had to just take a picture from the parking lot.
172. Tyler Perry Studios
I technically visited Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, though I didn’t make it very far before being kicked out. I had tickets to attend the filming of a Family Feud episode, but somehow my name was not on their list, so I was turned away.
171. Juliette Park on the Ocmulgee River
Don’t drive out of your way to get here. There’s not much here. But the reflection on the water was neat!
170. North Avenue Station
This underground MARTA station in Midtown Atlanta was kinda sketchy. I wouldn’t recommend hanging around here for too long.
169. Briarpatch Trail Park
This is a tiny park in Eatonton, Georgia, named after the briarpatch that Br’er Rabbit came from. It’s neat to see when in the area, but don’t come to this area for this.
168. Cornelia Depot Railroad Museum
I’m sorry – I wasn’t impressed with this museum at all. I’m glad it was free…
167. Story Walk
This is a riverside trail beside Indian Springs State Park in Georgia. It’s called the Story Walk because there is a children’s story that you can read by stopping at each sign spread periodically along the trail.
166. Ashford Forest Preserve
This park in Chamblee, Georgia, was incredibly small.
165. Downtown Dillard
Dillard, Georgia is a small town in the extreme north east of the state. There’s not much there, and the one lady I asked about the town had nothing but complaints about it 😂
164. Lake Hartwell State Park
Lake Hartwell State Park in Fair Play, South Carolina, was a nice stop, but I didn’t spend much time there at all. There really isn’t much to do unless you have a boat.
163. Rocky Point Recreational Area
There’s not much to this park. It’s located on West Point Lake in LaGrange, Georgia, and you have to drive into Alabama then back into Georgia to reach it. There’s no reason to visit unless you’re going to be fishing.
162. Pierce’s Corner
Pierce’s Corner is the name given to a popular part of the old downtown portion of Suwanee, Georgia. There are some historic buildings and a caboose here, but besides that, there isn’t much.
161. Monroe Downtown
Monroe is a small town near Athens, Georgia, that has a more modern vibe to it. The downtown area is really nice and has a lot of local places to check out.
160. Shady Dale City Hall
Shady Dale might be the smallest town I’ve been to. And this city hall is a perfect illustration of that! It’s a city hall and library all in one, and if they don’t recognize you as you walk in, you’ll be asked to sign the guest log. This tiny city hall, plus the neighboring Dollar General, make up Downtown Shady Dale.
159. Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange, Georgia, is a nice place to walk around. There was a breast cancer awareness festival going on when I visited, so I couldn’t really walk around the way you normally could as certain sections were not accessible.
158. Downtown Ellijay
Ellijay, Georgia, is known for its apple farms. The downtown area is small but fine. It’s not really a place I feel the need to return to. (In the city’s defense, I wasn’t having a great day when I came here).
157. Brushy Creek Greenway
Brushy Creek Greenway is a walking path in Suwanee, Georgia, that connects local parks and residential areas. It’s nice, but it was also smaller than I expected.
156. BabyLand General Hospital
Gainesville, Georgia, is where Cabbage Patch Kids originated, and the BabyLand General Hospital, where the babies are delivered (by storks, of course) is located there. Let’s be real- this isn’t my thing. This place is kinda creepy. I only visited because of someone else who was with me.
155. Butts County Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center
I’ve seen this building many times before as it’s featured in the Netflix series Stranger Things. I think it’s even been pictured in one of these rankings before. But I had never been inside it before! There’s not much to see…
154. Downtown Cornelia
This is a very small town where the only interesting story I found revolved around some graffiti on the bridge that says “Tim Loves Tink.” It’s a mystery as no one knows who wrote it, but it’s become an iconic landmark in the town.
153. Schoolbus Graveyard
This place near Cornelia, Georgia, kinda creeped me out a little. It was neat to say I saw it, but I don’t need to go back.
152. Downtown Montezuma
Montezuma, Georgia, is a small town with not much going on. It’s pretty run down with really the only place of note being a burger place that everyone seems to go to for lunch.
151. Madison Square (Georgia)
This is a more historic part of Madison, Georgia. It’s a nice area, and there are a lot of antique shops and restaurants around.
150. Georgia International Convention Center
This convention center is located in College Park near the Atlanta Airport. It’s a nice building, but there’s not much more to say about it.
149. Yellow River Wildlife Management Area
My dad and I drove around this area in Milton, Florida, looking for a hike. We found it, but then we remembered it was the first weekend of hunting season, so we didn’t hike it. Fun drive though!
148. Downtown Cartersville
Cartersville, Georgia, is a nice city to explore for its many museums. The downtown portion is nice, but that’s not exactly what you visit for.
147. Atlanta State Farmers Market
This farmers market in Forest Park, Georgia, is kinda cool to visit. It reminds me of markets I’ve visited in Central America and does not feel like Atlanta at all. As you wander down this market, you’re dodging personal vehicles, semi-trucks, cats, and pigeons, all while looking at many types of exotic fruits and vegetables along both sides.
146. Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site
This is a plantation that you can tour near Juliette, Georgia. There are several preserved (and restored) buildings to see, and it contains some interesting history.
145. Forests of Ganghwado
I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was looking for the Ganghwa Sanseong West Gate, and after asking directions from a guy on the side of the road, he directed me to a random trail through the woods. The gate I was looking for was a couple minutes down the road, so I wasted an hour lost in the woods in South Korea.
144. Nickajack Lake
Nickajack Lake is a lake fed by the Tennessee River, located in “Occupied Georgia.” While technically part of Tennessee, this is the central location of a heated border dispute between Georgia and Tennessee. It’s a calm and peaceful place to visit and seems popular with fishermen.
143. Tri-State Corner
The Tri-State Corner is where Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee all meet. It’s located in a forest beside a cemetery and is kinda hard to find. It’s also potentially located on private property as there’s a sign for a resort on the Alabama side that says “No Trespassing.” There’s no reason to come here unless you like unique borders like I do.
142. Eatonton Square
Eatonton is an odd town because there are references to Br’er Rabbit and the Uncle Remus stories everywhere you turn. The downtown square is no exception! There’s not a ton here, but it’s definitely unique.
141. Ebright Azimuth
This is the highest point in Delaware. There is no reason to come here unless you’re trying to visit every state high point. There’s literally nothing to do here.
140. Lake Blue Ridge Day Use Area
This is a small park along Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, Georgia. There are a few picnic benches and seating areas, though they’re not the greatest condition. There is a trail system here as well, but my favorite part was just walking along the lakeshore.
139. Bagdad Mill Site Park
I was impressed with this park in Bagdad, Florida! I had surprisingly never visited it before until this year, even though I lived just 15 minutes away for several years before moving to Georgia.
138. Italian Market
The Italian Market is a section of town in Philadelphia that originally had a high Italian population. It has expanded over the years and incorporated a few other cultures as well… the section I visited was very Hispanic, so calling it “Italian Market” can be kinda confusing. Let me know if there’s a better name for it – This is all I could find from Google.
137. Waffle House Museum
Add this to this list of places I didn’t fully get to visit. This is the first ever Waffle House location, found in Atlanta. It has been turned into a museum, but tours are only offered on Tuesdays in the middle of the day, so unless you’re retired or in elementary school, good luck visiting it!
136. Downtown Juliette
Juliette, Georgia, is an extremely small town where everyone knows each other. The downtown area especially feels tiny. This is where the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed, and everything is themed around that.
135. Hanjaedang Shrine
This is a random shrine on the side of the road in a very rural area of South Korea, near the border. There’s not much significance to it. When I visited, I was on the phone with my girlfriend at the time, showing her around while waiting for the Aegibong Peace Eco Park to open.
134. Gyodong Observatory
This is a hill in Gyodong where you can see North Korea in the distance, but there’s not much there currently. There was an observation tower under construction, so maybe in a year or two, this will be worth the visit.
133. Ganghwa Hyanggyo
This is another random shrine I came across in South Korea, on the island of Ganghwa. I didn’t spend a ton of time there, but it was cool to see.
132. Madison Town Park
Madison Town Park is a park in the town of Madison, Georgia. It’s an area with a lawn where locals can hang out. No one was there when I went, so I’m not sure how often it’s actually used, but it’s nice.
131. Hawkins Headquarters
This is a Stranger Things-themed gift shop and arcade in Jackson, Georgia. It’s fun to visit and contains many references to the show.
130. The Village at Indian Springs
I had driven through this area before (and have visited the adjacent park twice over the past few years) but this was my first time visiting the village properly. It’s a very small town, but the people are nice, and there is some interesting history to learn about. When they found out I have a travel blog, I was given free tickets to a Christmas celebration here, but I unfortunately wasn’t able to make it.
129. Rock Garden
This garden of rocks is located behind a church in Calhoun, Georgia. It looks small from the outside, feels slightly larger once inside, and was nicer than I thought it’d be.
128. Kensington Avenue
Kensington Avenue is basically the drug capital of Philadelphia. It’s one of the most notorious streets in the country, and just driving down it is very depressing seeing all those who are trapped in this drug culture with seemingly no way out. This is not a tourist site! If you visit, please be careful and respectful. (I have it ranked higher than you’d probably expect because I was genuinely curious to see this area).
127. Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park is a large park in Philadelphia that I rode a bike around in. It’s nice, but to be honest, I wasn’t really impressed with it.
126. Beachy Amish Areas of Montezuma
The Montezuma area in Georgia is home to a large Amish population, and it’s kinda neat to drive around looking at everything. The Amish here aren’t as traditional as you’d expect elsewhere, but it’s still a unique culture to learn about.
125. Red Apple Barn
This is a farm in Ellijay, Georgia, that becomes popular in the fall during apple season. I didn’t spend a ton of time here because there was a different farm I wanted to prioritize, but it was nice from what I saw.
124. Monroe Cotton Mills
Monroe, Georgia, is the antique capital of Georgia, and this old cotton mill from 1895 has been turned into a giant antique store. The building itself is pretty cool to see, whether you like antique stores or not. I personally found the antique store on the second floor to be much more enjoyable than the ones on the ground floor.
123. Atlantic Station
Atlantic Station is a nice area of downtown Atlanta with different shopping and dining options as well as some nice walking trails and parks. I’m surprised I had never been here before this year.
122. Anna C. Verna Playground
This is a cool playground in Philadelphia. I obviously didn’t use it, but Knox did. He seemed to like it!
121. Allatoona Pass Battlefield
This battlefield, located on Lake Allatoona in Cartersville, Georgia, was the location of an important battle during the Civil War. And General Sherman’s message to the Union Army to “Hold the fort, for I am coming” during this battle led to the writing of an iconic hymn that would be sung for generations to follow. It was more interesting than I expected, but it realistically can’t get placed too highly on this list.
120. Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
This is the smallest national park site in the country, which is really the only reason I came here. It’s the house where Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko once lived, but I couldn’t go inside due to renovations at the time.
119. Rhododendron Trail
This is a trail in Mount Airy, Georgia, that is known for its rhododendrons. You need to visit during the spring to see them, but I came in the fall. I also didn’t make it very far into the hike due to poor lighting on the day I visited.
118. DeSoto Falls
I wanted to like this more than I did. First of all, it’s more impressive than pictures make it look. But I also visited at the wrong time since the water flow was very weak. I can see this being a much better place when the timing is right.
117. Devils Fork State Park
Devils Fork State Park in Salem, South Carolina, is a nice park along Lake Jocassee. It has a small beach and a relaxing vibe. Though I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to visit it.
116. Hard Labor Creek State Park
This Georgia state park has some hiking trails along a creek and lake, as well as a beach. It seems to be pretty popular during the summer. I didn’t use the beach part, but I did hike some of the trails, and it was so hot I couldn’t stay out there for too long.
115. Hogpen Gap
Hogpen Gap is an overlook in the North Georgia Mountains, not too far from Helen. It’s definitely a nice overlook and was a great stop to make while driving along these mountain roads.
114. Jackson Lake
I’ve been to Jackson Lake before, so I hesitated to include it here. But I had never been to this part of Jackson Lake, so I thought I’d include it. I then hesitated again because the part I stayed at was someone’s personal property, which makes me think it shouldn’t be here. But this is where we held our MMO staff retreat, so it’s important enough that I felt it needed to at least be represented. I don’t know… Here’s where I’ll put it. (Note: the pictured house is not where I stayed, though this picture was taken from the property I stayed at).
113. Murphey Candler Park
This is a nice, scenic park in Chamblee, Georgia. It’s nothing too special, but there are pretty views.
112. Vogel State Park
Vogel State Park, in Blairsville, Georgia, is a nice park with a beautiful lake and waterfall. There was a lot of construction going on when I visited, which definitely affected the overall experience. I hate that that will affect its position on this ranking, but that’s how it will have to be.
111. Centennial Park
There are a ton of Centennial Parks out there, so this is referring to the one in Ybor City, Florida. This is a nice peaceful place to spend time. Chickens are everywhere, like the rest of Ybor City. There’s not a ton here, but it was nice!
110. Chenocetah Lookout Tower
This lookout tower near Cornelia, Georgia, is cool. You can’t go up it though, and there’s nowhere to park anywhere near it, so you have to hike there if you want to legally see it.
109. Madison-Morgan Cultural Center
This is a museum inside an old school from the 1800s in Madison, Georgia. The school part is neat; the museum part is just okay.
108. Mercier Orchards
Mercier Orchards is an apple orchard in Blue Ridge, Georgia. I didn’t visit during the peak visiting season when you can pick apples, but it was still a pleasant place. Their store has all kinds of apple products, so it can be fun to walk around it too.
107. LaGrange College
This is a college campus in LaGrange, Georgia. I walked around for a little bit, and it’s nice, but it’s not something I’d go out of my way to see again.
106. The River’s Ranch
This was the venue for a church Christmas party in Jackson, Georgia. I thought it was really nice!
105. Mercer University Atlanta Campus
I wasn’t going to include this, but then I added Georgia Tech on here, so it’s only fair I include both. My ex girlfriend lived on this campus, so I went there frequently over the summer. This is the only picture I have from the campus. It’s nice, but there are better college campuses.
104. Toomer’s Corner
Toomer’s Corner is an iconic location in Auburn, Alabama. While I felt out of place here, I do have to admit that it’s a nice place to walk around. Thankfully it was not covered in toilet paper after the Iron Bowl this year!
103. Ybor City Museum State Park
This museum about Ybor City was nice. It’s found inside a historic bakery that is no longer in operation. I actually got to visit for free! (It normally costs $4, so it’s not like I saved a ton of money). It’s a nice museum, but it’s very small, which I expected.
102. Hills & Dales Estate
This is a mansion and garden owned by Fuller Earle Callaway in LaGrange, Georgia. The more famous Callaway Gardens was named after his son. This is nice, though it was smaller than I expected. I’m not a huge garden person either (unless it’s covered in Christmas lights).
101. Ybor Square
I want to place this higher than I did. This is the location of an old historic cigar factory in Ybor City, Florida. The building itself has so much history surrounding it, and it’s a cool building to explore (or at least, it should be). It’s now owned by the Church of Scientology, and my historic tour of the building was much more about scientology than it was about the history of the building.
100. Manatee Viewing Center
The Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach, Florida, is a cool place to come to see manatees during the winter months. There’s a power plant nearby which warms the water up, and this warm water attracts the manatees during cooler times of the year.
99. Parkway Central Library
This large library in Philadelphia has impressive architecture! I expected more from it as far as libraries go, but the building itself is cool to see.
98. Haeanbuk-ro
This is a stretch of road that follows the Korean border that I drove. The border wall dominates your view on one side, and the road contains military checkpoints. It’s an interesting road trip for sure!
97. New Castle Pier
This pier in New Castle, Delaware, sits right on the Delaware River and offers views of New Jersey in the distance. This place was freezing cold though!
96. EB Town Center
EB Town Center is the name of the mall that my hotel was attached to in San Jose del Monte, Philippines. It’s alright, but it’s really small compared to the others in the city.
95. Rockefeller Park
Yeah, this park is nice. It’s on the water in Manhattan. I don’t remember much about it other than there’s a cool playground there for kids, and a lot of greenspace/walking trails. I didn’t have much time there, so I didn’t get to fully explore it.
94. Star Mall San Jose del Monte
This is one of several malls you’ll see on here from the Philippines. They all kinda run together after a while.
93. Halidom Eatery
This is a nice food hall in Atlanta, and it has a lot of cool options. It has a unique atmosphere compared to Ponce City Market and Krog Market and is less crowded, which I like.
92. Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge in LaGrange, Georgia, is a resort that contains a large indoor waterpark. While I didn’t pay to enter the waterpark, I saw it from a distance, and it looked smaller than advertised. I didn’t have much time to explore the resort because I technically wasn’t supposed to park where I did. It’s difficult for someone to pop in and check it out without staying or paying for an expensive day pass.
91. Seoul Metropolitan Subway
The subway is an efficient way of getting around Seoul. It works very similarly to the one in New York City, but having visited both within a few months of each other, the New York one is easier to figure out. (Probably because there’s no English at all in the Seoul subway).
90. Pike County Courthouse
The Pike County Courthouse is located in Zebulon, Georgia. The only reason I came here was to be an extra in a movie. This was an interesting experience for sure!
89. K☆Star Road
I’m not a k-pop fan at all, but when in Korea… This road in Gangnam is basically Seoul’s Hollywood Walk of Fame for k-pop stars. It’s neat to see, but I don’t really know any k-pop groups, so I couldn’t really appreciate it as much as others would.
88. Pass-a-Grille Beach
Pass-a-Grille Beach is a small section of St. Pete Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s a quieter section than other parts of the beach, which is why a lot of people like it. It was somewhat hard to enjoy though because it hurt to walk anywhere due to the millions of shells covering the sand.
87. Treasure Island Beach
This is another section of St. Pete Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s nice, but it’s hard for me to rank beaches highly when I compare them to the beaches along the Florida Panhandle, which are so much better.
86. Copper Basin
The Copper Basin is the name given to the twin cities of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. Together, they very much feel like one small town separated by a blue line on the ground. It’s nice to walk around this area, but the gimmick of it being two separate towns wears off pretty quickly. It’s more interesting to me because of the border dispute between the two states. There’s really not a ton to do here, so the blue line is carrying it in this ranking.
85. Museum of Aviation
The Museum of Aviation, in Warner Robins, Georgia, is the second largest aviation museum in the US. It was cool, but this isn’t really my thing. I’m not much of a museum person… or an aviation person. If you like museums or planes, then you’d probably like this.
84. Callaway Memorial Tower
This tower in LaGrange, Georgia, is a nice area to check out when in the city. It’s a memorial to Fuller Earle Callaway who turned LaGrange into what it is today. There’s plenty of picnic space, and the tower itself is cool to see.
83. Logan Square
Logan Square is a square in Philadelphia with a cool fountain and a ton of flags from around the world. It’s definitely a nice area to walk around.
82. Big Bus Philadelphia
This hop on-hop off bus service around Philadelphia was nice. It wasn’t always on time though, so trying to plan our next stop was a little difficult.
81. Krog Street Tunnel
The Krog Street Tunnel is a well-known spot in Atlanta that I actually hadn’t visited until this year. It’s covered in graffiti, which is what draws most visitors to it. I would’ve liked it more, but the layout made it difficult to get the pictures I wanted.
80. Booth Western Art Museum
I’ve mentioned I’m not a big museum person, but I’m also not a huge art person. With that said, I thought this was a decent museum in Georgia’s Museum City!
79. EXPEDITION: BIGFOOT! The Sasquatch Museum
I actually saw a sign advertising this place in Tampa, which is crazy to me. This is one of the weirdest places in Georgia. I don’t really know what I was expecting from it. I expected to hear about alleged Bigfoot sightings, but I wasn’t prepared for the museum to literally try to act as “proof” that Bigfoot exists. It’s a very strange place, but if you’re interested in that topic, it may be a place for you… or if you want to see Bigfoot’s butt print.
78. Ganghwa Pungmul
Ganghwa Pungmul is a market on Ganghwa Island, South Korea, that likely sees very few tourists. It’s a local market where many farmers and fisherman from the region come to sell their food/fish. It was definitely a unique cultural experience!
77. Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards is home to The Edge, a platform on the 100th floor of a skyscraper overlooking Manhattan. I REALLY wanted to like this place, but as you can see from the picture above, my timing wasn’t very great… The reason this isn’t ranked any lower is because Hudson Yards is more than just The Edge. The rest of it was nice, but I didn’t spend much time there as I was in a hurry to get back to my family on the other side of the city.
76. Jaemor Farms
This farm near Cornelia, Georgia, is really popular during the fall when they offer many typical fall activities. I didn’t spend much time there, but I liked what I did see.
75. Rosie Mae’s Alpaca Farm and Boutique
This is a nice coffee shop in Wildwood, Georgia that has an alpaca farm in the back. The alpacas were fun, but they were more interested in the little kids with alpaca food their parents bought them, so they ignored me.
74. Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary
Noah’s Ark is found in Locust Grove, Georgia. It’s an animal sanctuary that cares for injured, abused, and orphaned animals that are unfit to be released into the wild. I was pleasantly surprised with it and really enjoyed my time. It’s nothing too crazy, but it’s worth the $5 entry price.
73. Iglesia Ni Cristo
Iglesia Ni Cristo is the third most popular religion in the Philippines, and it’s really interesting to read about because it’s basically a cult! After hearing about it, I made it a point to visit the nearest one to me, and it was just cool getting to see it in person. Their beliefs are pretty wild!
72. Wilder Tower
This tower is located within Chickamauga Battlefield in North Georgia. I really wanted to climb it, but I happened to visit it the day before it opened for the year.
71. The Amish Village
The Amish Village is in Ronks, Pennsylvania. It is a touristy site, but it teaches you about Amish culture. While I prefer not to take organized tours, this one was a good decision because I learned things about the Amish I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.
70. Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail is a trail in Philadelphia that follows the river. It’s a very nice place to come for a walk or run, and it can become very popular on weekends.
69. Tellus Science Museum
The Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, was really impressive. I’m not much of a museum person in general, but I enjoyed this one. I was surprised by how many things they allow you to touch too, so that was interesting.
68. Boathouse Row
Boathouse Row is a nice area to walk around in Philadelphia where there are old boathouses lining the river. People still use these as boathouses today, and many come here to learn rowing, etc.
67. BJ Reese Orchards
Please ignore the number. BJ Reese Orchards is a very popular farm in Ellijay. It’s known for its apple orchards, and during the fall, there are a ton of activities to do here. It was expensive to enter in my opinion, and the massive crowds made it difficult to enjoy my time there, but I can appreciate it for what it is.
66. Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza
This walk-through Christmas light display is found in the middle of downtown Macon, Georgia. The entire display contains over 1,000,000 lights and is synchronized to Christmas music. I was really impressed with it!
65. SM City San Jose Del Monte
Malls are very popular in the Philippines, and this one is a perfect example of that. It’s a large mall with many shops and restaurants throughout, and there’s a cool overlook area to check out too.
64. Love Park
Love Park is kinda iconic in Philadelphia, but there’s not a ton to do there. You really just come here to get a picture in front of the LOVE sign. There’s a fun water fountain for kids to play in too.
63. Jackson Escape Games
Jackson, Georgia, is where Stranger Things is filmed, so it’s fitting that their most popular escape room would be Stranger Things themed. I had a lot of fun here!
62. Exithis Pensacola [2024]
Exithis Pensacola is an escape room in Pensacola, Florida. We did this just a few days before 2025, which is why it got stuck on this ranking. I always enjoy these, and this one was no exception.
61. Biblical History Center
The Biblical History Center in LaGrange, Georgia, is a park illustrating what Israel would have looked like during Jesus’ time on earth. While it felt somewhat fake to me (after actually visiting the real Israel), I still thought it was an interesting place to check out. The best part was the artifact room, though I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside.
60. Atlanta Night Market
The Atlanta Night Market was named the third best night maket in America. It moves around the Atlanta area, and I visited it while on a date in Chamblee. It was definitely enjoyable, though it was smaller than I would’ve expected.
59. South and North Korea 1.8 Peace Center
This is a building adjacent to the Ganghwa Peace Observatory where you can see North Korea from the roof. It was a random, unplanned stop, but I really enjoyed it!
58. World of Illumination – Marietta
World of Illumination claims to be the largest drive-through Christmas light display in the country. Do I believe them? Not really… But it’s still very nice! I’d recommend checking it out when in the area!
57. Ganghwa Sanseong West Gate
This gate is part of the old walled city on Ganghwa Island in South Korea. It was cool to see, but all I did was stop and take this picture because I was exhausted/in a hurry at the time.
56. Yonah Mountain
Yonah Mountain is located between Helen and Cleveland, Georgia. The hike to the top is one of the most popular in Georgia. The views from the top are incredible, making this difficult hike worth the effort!
55. Greenhills
Greenhills is a massive mall in Manila, Philippines. I legitimately got lost in here because it’s so big! But one of the coolest parts was finding my way up to the roof, with views overlooking the city.
54. Youngcheon Market
I wanted to come to a market in Seoul that wasn’t touristy, so I found myself here. This was a unique experience where English was not understood anywhere.
53. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
This is a traveling exhibit that has been all over the world that focuses on the art of Vincent van Gogh. It’s a pretty cool experience with the most impressive part being a 360° room with animated projections of his art, allowing you to feel like you’re inside his paintings.
52. Piedmont Park Trail
I had been to Piedmont Park several times, and I had been to the Beltline several times, but I explored this part of the Beltline for the first time this year. I had been pretty harsh toward the Beltline in my 2022 ranking due to a bad experience there, but the more I have gotten to explore it, the better my opinion of it has become.
51. Parque Amigos de José Martí
This is a small park in Ybor City, the Cuban neighborhood of Tampa. Admittedly, this park should never be ranked this highly on its own. It’s nothing too special without context. The reason I have it ranked this highly is because it’s a park that belongs to Cuba, which means when visiting it, you’re “technically” visiting Cuban territory. While I don’t consider this an official visit to Cuba, I can still claim to have stepped foot on Cuban soil, which was shipped in to fill the park.
50. Pirate’s Cove Gwinnett County
This is a pretty basic pirate mini golf course in Duluth, Georgia. I’ve been to much better, but I’ve also been to much worse. This one was just nice!
49. Puttshack Atlanta Midtown
Speaking of better mini golf courses, Puttshack is a cool place to visit in Atlanta with several mini golf courses that incorporate technology into the sport. It’s definitely a party atmosphere, but it’s really fun!
48. Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain is the highest point on Georgia’s section of the Appalachian Trail. It’s also considered one of the most strenuous hikes in Georgia. I really liked it! Yes, it was strenuous at times, but it’s an enjoyable hike.
47. St. Pete Pier
St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a really nice place to explore. The pier itself is very scenic, and there are some great views of the city from the restaurant at the end of it. The area immediately surrounding the pier also contains many nice shops and restaurants to check out.
46. Rock City
Rock City, located on Lookout Mountain, is one of the most touristy places in Georgia. While I had visited it as a kid, this was my first time visiting since moving to Georgia. It’s cool to see, but the over-tourism here takes away from the experience in my opinion.
45. Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech, located in Midtown, Atlanta, is probably my favorite college campus in the state. It actually feels like a community, and everything is so modern, as opposed to UGA (which I also revisited for the 3rd time this year), and I really enjoyed walking around it! Just look out for all the pedestrian robots moving around if you visit.
44. Plaza Roma
Plaza Roma is a random park in Manila, Philippines. At the center of it is the Metropolitan Cathedral, which is very impressive. I would’ve liked to go inside, but the view from outside is cool too.
43. Chinatown/Little Italy
Little Italy & Chinatown are neighboring areas of Manhattan. I visited both together, so I’m including them as one location. It’s a nice area to walk around, and Ferrara’s Bakery is awesome!
42. Philadelphia City Hall
This is a really cool building to take pictures of! I didn’t go inside, but I had to include it anyway.
41. NY Waterway
NY Waterway is a ferry we took from Paulus Hook in Jersey City to Bookerfield Place in Manhattan. The views here are pretty cool, and you get a view of the Statue of Liberty in the distance. The best photo opportunities are on the Jersey City side where you have Manhattan’s skyline as your backdrop.
40. Pat’s & Geno’s
Pat’s & Geno’s are the iconic rival cheesesteak shops at the same corner in Philadelphia. I didn’t try either of them due to time constraints, but I did explore the area immediately surrounding them, and there’s a lot going on here! It’s definitely a place to visit while in Philly.
39. Downtown Busan
I walked around Downtown Busan for a little bit while looking for a place to eat. This didn’t really fit in with anything else I’m sharing from Busan, so I decided it needed its own spot on the list. It’s a nice city!
38. Hersheypark
Hersheypark is an amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the Hershey chocolate company was born. The park itself was much nicer than I had expected. Though I did learn that I can’t handle roller coasters as much at 30 as I could at 20…
37. Plaza Salvador del Mundo
This park in San Salvador, El Salvador, is a nice area with a fountain show and large statue of Jesus standing on the world. It is also a skate park that has become popular with kids.
36. Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant
This is a cool restaurant in Manila, Philippines. There’s a buffet of all kinds of Filipino food, and while you eat, there are performers dancing to cultural music. It’s a fun atmosphere. Usually I wouldn’t include restaurants on these lists, but because this one definitely counts as a tourist site, I had to include it here.
35. Amish Country
You’ve probably heard a lot about the Amish, but one thing I was mistaken on is the fact that they don’t all live in one community isolated from modern civilization… They’re actually part of the community along with everyone else, making visiting it a different experience than you’d probably expect.
34. San Jose del Monte Weekend Market
This street market is found in San Jose del Monte, Philippines, and it’s very busy around sunrise on the weekends! I returned a few days later to find the same streets completely empty.
33. Mystic Acres
Mystic Acres is the venue in Griffin, Georgia, where we held our annual MMO gala. I thought it was a great venue that worked perfectly for what we needed, and the night went really well!
32. Suwanee Town Center
Suwanee Town Center is a cool local park in Suwanee, Georgia. There are a lot of art exhibits on display, including debris from the World Trade Center and a piece of the Berlin Wall. This is also a popular event space with different events constantly taking place.
31. Town Center on Main
Town Center on Main is a public park in Suwanee, Georgia. It’s a really cool spot to hang out, and there are some fun elevated walkways as well as many unique art exhibits.
30. Sassafras Mountain
Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in South Carolina. It sits on the border between the two Carolinas and offers some pretty cool views of the surrounding mountains. Getting here is kinda exciting as you drive straight up the mountain.
29. Myeongdong Night Market
This was a cool night market to explore in Seoul! I tried a ton of different street foods, and it was an enjoyable way to end my time in Korea.
28. Gwanghwamun Square
This is a cool area of Seoul to check out! There are a couple large statues here that are very impressive, and then there are plenty of nice shops and restaurants to check out. This area reminds me of Seoul’s version of Times Square, which I visited only a couple months before this.
27. Amatecampo
The town of Amatecampo, El Salvador, is a rural area along the beach. I explored it on foot after being dropped off in the middle of town by an Uber driver. Everyone here was very nice, though there’s no English in this area!
26. Daeryong Market
Daeryong Market is a market founded by North Koreans that got trapped on Gyodong Island, South Korea, following the end of the Korean War. It feels like taking a step back in time to the Korean War era, and I was the only English speaker there at the time. This was a cool experience!
25. Bahay Sibol
Bahay Sibol is an orphanage in San Jose del Monte, Philippines, that we partnered with while in the country. I feel weird ranking this as it’s definitely not a tourist site, but it was one of our clinic locations, so for that reason, I’m including it here.
24. Philadelphia Zoo
I love animals, but I’m not a huge zoo person as I prefer to see them in the wild. With that said, this is an impressive zoo! What I found most interesting were the raised tunnels spread all over the zoo that allow animals to roam around.
23. Calvary Baptist Church
Calvary Baptist Church was the main site of our clinic in San Jose del Monte, Philippines. This was an awesome location to hold the clinic because there was plenty of space for us to spread out. And if you climb to the roof of the school building, there are some really cool views! I never know what to do with these clinic sites in my ranking. On one hand, it’s not a tourist site, but on the other, I’d be lying if I called this a ranking of EVERYWHERE visited while leaving something off: especially a place where I spent this much time!
22. 7th Avenue
7th Avenue is a popular street in Ybor City, Florida. It’s a brick street lined with many historic buildings housing cigar shops and restaurants. There’s a very heavy Cuban culture here, and it’s a very interesting place to visit. Chickens roam freely, adding to its fun atmosphere. This is definitely a place to check out if you’re in Tampa!
21. Reading Terminal Market
Reading Terminal Market is a large market in Philadelphia that has many different restaurants inside. You can find pretty much anything you want to eat here, from Philly cheesesteaks, to Central American food, to great donuts and ice cream. This is a must visit place when in Philly!
20. Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most infamous prisons in the US and even held Al Capone for a time. It’s located in Philadelphia, and at the time of its construction was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country. Its design is very castle-like, and it has been abandoned since 1971, leading to many areas being in ruin.
19. Bukchon Hanok Village
Bukchon Hanok Village is a cool place to visit in Seoul that has traditional Korean architecture. It’s a quiet and peaceful area to walk around, but it’s also residential, so you have to be respectful when you come.
18. Atlanta History Center
The Atlanta History Center is a museum about Atlanta’s history which contains a couple impressive things. One is the largest oil painting in the world, the Battle of Atlanta, which is a cyclorama, where you stand in the center and view the painting surrounding you. The other impressive site here is the Swan House, which was used as President Snow’s mansion in the Hunger Games series.
17. Independence Hall
Visiting the room where the Declaration of Independence was signed was a cool experience! The lead-up to it was not. We waited over an hour in the rain to get in, when we had a reserved ticket already. The way everything was handled was very unprofessional. I’m trying not to hold that against it too much because I’m happy I went.
16. Plaza Libertad
Plaza Libertad is a park in downtown San Salvador that honors El Salvador’s independence. It’s a popular hangout spot, and the famous Iglesia El Rosario is here too.
15. Rabun Bald
Rabun Bald is the second highest peak in Georgia. It’s located in the far northeast corner of the state where you have to drive into North Carolina and then back into Georgia to reach it. The hike up the mountain is almost entirely in the shade, but then the view from the top is incredible, especially during the fall!
14. Mirador Turístico Playa La Zunganera
This is a beach in a rural part of El Salvador. I actually didn’t realize how rural the area would be until I got there, but I really enjoyed it!
13. Rocky Steps
The Rocky Steps in Philadelphia are right in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but they’re well-known for being featured in the Rocky movies. I really enjoyed stopping here, even if it is very touristy!
12. Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach is possibly the most popular beach in all of South Korea. It’s located in Busan, and it’s definitely a beautiful place to spend time in. It reminded me somewhat of South Beach in Miami.
11. George L. Smith State Park
George L. Smith State Park is located in Twin City, Georgia, in the middle of nowhere. It contains a 412-acre lake with many cypress trees throughout. The park was just alright until I decided to rent a kayak. That made the park one of my favorites in Georgia as the views from the water were 10x better than the views from land!
10. Intramuros
Intramuros is the old historic part of Manila in the Philippines. It has some colonial architecture and cobblestone streets as well as old walls and forts to explore. I took a bike tour of this area, and it was really enjoyable!
9. First State National Historical Park
Delaware was the first state in the United States, and this is where they signed their declaration of independence to make that happen. I actually really enjoyed visiting this area as it almost felt like stepping back in time to colonial America. It was much better than I expected!
8. Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Shrine
This Catholic church/shrine in San Jose del Monte, Philippines, is a very important site for local Catholics. Every year, many people come here for a pilgrimage, and the building/campus is very impressive.
7. Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States, so of course it’s cool to see it! The security to get in was a bit excessive though… It reminded me of the security I went through to visit the prime minister’s office in Israel! Except this is just a bell… Maybe they’re afraid Nicholas Cage will be coming after it whenever National Treasure finally gets another sequel?
6. Aegibong Peace Eco Park
The Aegibong Peace Eco Park is an observation deck on the border between North and South Korea. It’s pretty remote and requires passing through military checkpoints to reach it. The unique feature here is a Starbucks which offers a very clear view of North Korea.
5. Ganghwa Peace Observatory
The Ganghwa Peace Observatory is technically a South Korean military structure on the border with North Korea. There are certain areas off-limits to tourists because they’re used by the military. The parts you can visit include observation decks and a small museum calling for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. There are some tanks on display here and some cool memorials. This is an awesome place to visit!
4. Centro Histórico de San Salvador
The historic center of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, is an awesome place to hang out around sunset! It becomes crowded with locals, and the energy in this area is so contagious! I loved exploring this area on foot.
3. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
This Buddhist temple is one of the most impressive religious structures I’ve visited in a long time. There was a very quiet and unique atmosphere here as I visited during a prayer service. While I don’t support Buddhist beliefs, this was still very cool to see!
2. Gyeongbokgung Palace
This is an iconic symbol of Seoul and South Korea as a whole. This palace is a must-see when visiting Seoul, and it’s very impressive to explore in person! You can actually visit it for free if you’re wearing hanbok, but they wouldn’t let me where my Alabama hat with the hanbok, so I didn’t do it.
1. Gamcheon Culture Village
Gamcheon Culture Village is an incredible place to visit in Busan, South Korea. There are many colorful houses with maze-like alleys to explore, all along the side of a hill. You can’t come to Busan without visiting Gamcheon!
Tyler's Travels 