The highest point in North Carolina and the United States east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell is named after argumentative explorer Elisha Mitchell.

Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.

A wonderful display of arts and crafts handmade by local artisans in the Southern Appalachians.

Inside this old train depot resides a multi-line model train covering western North Carolina.

A rapidly disappearing authentic bit of the old south.

According to local lore, this narrow passageway through two large rocks was accidentally created by the devil himself.

This granite rock face is named for the magnificent reflection that occurs when the sun hits it just right.

This vast kitty-themed collection illustrates the history of human-cat interaction.

Hidden amid a collection of trails is the site of a tragic crash.

While knives are the main feature in this store, visitors will also find dinosaur bones and meteorites.

An abandoned town is hidden in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A Rodeo for Prisoners.

One of the few existing, fully functional Showbiz Pizza animatronic shows.

The LSU mascot lived on the college campus in one of the most impressive tiger habitats in the country.

A 19th-century Gothic, castle-like statehouse by the Mississippi River.

This museum chronicles the history of a leprosy quarantine hospital that then became a refuge.

For 150 years one family has been producing the iconic hot sauce on a bayou island made of salt.

Religion and personal struggle gave birth to this collection of concrete angels.

A Cajun-style Christmas on the river also involves sky-high pyres and explosives.

The stone labyrinth in this New Orleans city park was laid to symbolize healing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

This knobby, drooping New Orleans oak is a favorite place both for climbing and for meeting giraffes.

After the parade, students throw their beads on the tree hoping for good luck on exams.

The first patented shaved-ice machine heralded a snowy wonderland of iced treats at a favorite New Orleans summer shack.

This historic "City of the Dead" lies prominently in the center of New Orleans' famous Garden District.