25 Underrated Landmarks Worthy of Your Bucket List

Oak Alley Plantation

1/25
Located on the Mississippi River a little more than an hour west of New Orleans, this historic plantation stands out for its roughly 800-foot-long alley of southern oak trees that lead to the mansion's entrance.

Today, the plantation features a restaurant, cafe, gift shop and overnight cottages.

The Great Buddha

2/25
The Kotoku-in Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan is home to the Great Buddha, a nearly 44-foot-tall bronze statue of Amida Buddha that dates back to the mid-13th century.

The iconic hollow monument has been through a lot over the years but remains a Japanese National Treasure.

Buckingham Fountain

3/25
One of the world's largest fountains can be found in Chicago's Grant Park. Buckingham Fountain is closing in on the century mark but has undergone restoration efforts in recent years that have helped it maintain its allure.

Blue Mosque

4/25
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque-more commonly known as the Blue Mosque for its hand-painted blue tiles and blue lighting at night-is a 400-year-old historic place of worship located in Istanbul, Turkey that still functions today.

Penobscot Narrows Bridge

5/25
Maine's Penobscot Narrows Bridge features the first bridge observation tower in the U.S. The 420-foot-tall structure boasts views of the Penobscot River, the nearby Fort Knox State Historic Site and the bridge itself.

The bridge is open to traffic year-round while the observatory is open May through October.

Angel Falls

6/25
Angel Falls in Venezuela holds the distinction of being the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, stretching more than 3,200 feet into the sky.

Seeing the landmark up close is no easy task given the jungle that surrounds it, but determined tourists can plan a river trip after the dry season concludes mid-year.

Bryce Canyon Amphitheater

7/25
Southern Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park is a stunning sight thanks to its crimson hoodoos. Also referred to as earth pyramids, the spire-shaped rock formations appear to go on forever at the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, which is easily accessible for visitors.

Oude Kerk

8/25
Amsterdam's oldest building, Oude Kerk, dates back to the early 13th century. Located in the main red-light district, the Calvinist church covers a remarkable 36,000 square feet and its roof features the largest medieval wooden vault on the continent.

Eastern State Penitentiary

9/25
Considered the world's first prison as we know them today, Eastern State Penitentiary is no longer operational and currently functions as a U.S. National Historic Landmark, museum and haunted house around Halloween.

Visitors can tour the former penitentiary in Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood to see where legendary mobster Al Capone was once incarcerated.

Church of Saint-Sulpice

10/25
Another European church with tremendous history, the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris is often overshadowed by the City of Lights' many other iconic landmarks. Nonetheless, it's the second-largest church in Paris behind only Notre-Dame.

Wave Rock

11/25
Australia's Wave Rock gets its name from its unique shape, which resembles an ocean wave about to crash. It stands about 50 feet tall and measures 360 feet in length.

The natural rock formation is located more than 1,200 miles from the more recognizable Uluru but less than 200 miles east-southeast of Perth.

Elk Rock Gardens

12/25
Overlooking the Willamette River just south of Portland, Oregon, the Elk Rock Gardens of the Bishop's Close opened in 1916. The gardens' robust collection of plants span a whopping 13 acres and is open to the public daily.

Plan a spring visit to see this landmark at its very best.

Plain of Jars

13/25
The Plain of Jars in Laos dates all the way back to the Iron Age (500 BC to AD 500). The thousands of stone jars are thought to be tied to prehistoric burial practices in Southeast Asia.

A visitor center was recently opened at the Plain of Jars Site 1, so tourists can learn about the expansive landmark's history.

Table Mountain

14/25
Table Mountain is one of Cape Town, South Africa's biggest draws. The mountain's level plateau stretches two miles from side to side, and visitors can scale the landmark a variety of ways, including hiking and cable car rides (which only take about five minutes).

Fathom Five National Park

15/25
Fathom Five National Marine Park in Ontario protects more than 20 historic shipwrecks, including that of the coal-carrying Sweepstakes. The ship sunk during the late 19th century after sustaining significant damage but remains intact under the surface of Lake Huron's Georgian Bay.

Chimney Rock

16/25
This eye-catching landmark in western Nebraska literally sticks out like a sore thumb as it rises almost 300 feet out of the surrounding North Platte River Valley.

What was once used to guide American settlers along the Oregon Trail is now a National Historic Site and National Park Service designated area.

Sossusvlei

17/25
Namibia's marquee attraction is the Sossusvlei. Located in Namib-Naukluft National Park, (Africa's largest conservation area), the salt and clay pan is also known as "dead-end marsh" and is surrounded by large red dunes that are among the highest on the planet.

Neuschwanstein

18/25
Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle opened to the public following the death of Bavaria's King Ludwig II in the 1880s and served as the inspiration behind the famous Disney castle.

Despite the maintenance challenges posed by both its location and climate, the castle is a hit with tourists, drawing approximately 1.4 million annually, including as many as 6,000 per day in the summer.

Mackinac Bridge

19/25
This nearly five-mile-long suspension bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas has the distinction of being the longest such bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

Be sure to bring along toll money if you're planning to drive over. Otherwise, schedule a Labor Day visit to participate in the Mackinac Bridge Walk.

Airplane Boneyard

20/25
The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside of Tucson, Arizona is home to the largest aircraft boneyard in the world.

The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) has been collecting old military planes since 1946. The region's climate is conducive to natural preservation so the decommissioned aircraft can be recycled for future use.

Benagil Caves

21/25
The Benagil sea caves on Portugal's southern coast are among the most photogenic natural landmarks in the world. Travelers can get up close and personal with the caves any time they like as safe boat tours depart year-round.

Cesky Krumlov Castle

22/25
The Czech Republic's Cesky Krumlov Castle is the centerpiece of a town that shares its name.

Currently listed as a national heritage site, the castle dates way back to the year 1240 and still houses one of the world's most completely preserved Baroque theaters.

Seattle Underground

23/25
The Seattle Underground is not for the faint of heart. The network of dark basements and passageways in the city's Pioneer Square neighborhood were originally located on the ground level prior to the Great Seattle Fire in 1889, which resulted in raised streets.

It has since become an unusual attraction that visitors can tour on their next trip to the Emerald City.

Popeye Village

24/25
Malta's Popeye Village began as a movie set for the 1980 film "Popeye" but has since been transformed into a theme park. Highlights include a waterpark and a Christmas village.

The landmark is open to the public and can be photographed in its entirety from a boat in Anchor Bay.

Shoshone Falls

25/25
Believe it or not, Idaho's Shoshone Falls is higher than its more celebrated counterpart in Niagara, measuring 212 feet. Visitors to this natural attraction can take advantage of a scenic overlook as well as hiking trails, swimming areas, playgrounds and picnic areas.

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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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Helping leisure selling travel agents successfully manage their at-home business.

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Laurence Pinckney

Laurence Pinckney

CEO of Zenbiz Travel, LLC

About Me