Author: Erika Berlin

As the temperature drops, the thought of staying inside with a good book becomes more and more appealing. With that in mind, we’re happy to suggest a few titles, including a holiday-themed book of essays, a classic adventure novel, and an in-depth look at processed food.

1. BLUE HIGHWAYS, BY WILLIAM LEAST-HEAT MOON

After his marriage crumbled and he lost his job, William Least-Heat Moon embarked on an ambling 10,000-mile journey around the U.S. using only the lesser-traveled highways and byways that appeared in blue on his old Rand McNally map. His account of the journey is filled with colorful characters—including a couple building a houseboat together, and a former Brooklyn police officer turned rural monk—who altogether paint an odd and wondrous picture that is unmistakably American. A deeply personal work, Blue Highways is also about Least-Heat Moon’s search for all things good and essential. “A man who couldn’t make things go right could at least go,” the author writes. Anyone feeling a sense of wanderlust can take refuge in this book.

2. HOLIDAYS ON ICE, BY DAVID SEDARIS

Amidst all the schmaltz and consumerism of the holidays, it’s refreshing to read about a disgruntled department store elf. That saga, one of several in this collection of personal essays that gleefully hacks away at the magic of the season, tells of Sedaris’ brief stint at Macy’s. It’s a classic for the author’s fans, and full of the dry, cutting humor that’s made him so popular. Also included in the collection: A pointed critique of an elementary school pageant, and a story about rescuing a prostitute on Christmas Day. Happy holidays, everybody!

3. THE LATHE OF HEAVEN, BY URSULA K. LEGUIN

George Orr is a very ordinary man with a very powerful ability: His dreams can alter reality. Rather than embrace his gift, though, Orr self-medicates to keep the dreams at bay. A sleep researcher named William Haber offers to help, but ends up harnessing George’s ability to dramatically change the world while enriching himself at the same time. LeGuin’s depiction of shifting realities, including unsettling visions of world peace and a world without racism, are thought-provoking, while the tȇte-à-tȇte between Orr and Haber keeps the plot tight, the pages turning.

4. THE TRIAL, BY FRANZ KAFKA

Two agents arrest a man on his birthday and take him to a makeshift courtroom to stand trial. Who are the agents? What are the charges? Don’t expect a resolution from Kafka, who’s more interested in the tension that comes from trying to make sense of the senseless. David Lynch fans will revel in the book’s many unsettling, dreamlike sequences, like when the protagonist, K., stumbles upon a side room where the two agents are being punished for soliciting bribes. It’s all very strange, which is entirely the point. Like any vivid dream, you just need to go with it.

5. RAGTIME, BY E.L. DOCTOROW

Doctorow reimagines 20th-century iconoclasts Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford in this raucous and moving page-turner. The author, who passed away last year, took a lot of criticism from history buffs, who objected to Houdini having an Oedipus complex and J.P. Morgan’s twisted obsession with immortality, among other revisions. But while he may have fudged the details, Doctorow captured the spirit of a diverse, rapidly industrializing nation speeding towards the future. The lengthy set piece that ends the book, inspired by the early 19th-century work Michael Kohlhaas, feels especially timely in light of police protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.

6. SALT, SUGAR, FAT, BY MICHAEL MOSS

Don’t let the upbeat name and cheerful mascot fool you: Behind that box of breakfast cereal, a political and marketing war rages. Moss, an investigative reporter with The New York Times, examines the inner workings of the processed food industry, focusing on three key ingredients that make these wonders of technology so appealing—and in many cases, so unhealthy. Highlights in this impressively researched book include a history of Lunchables, the wildly popular kids’ meal developed as a way to sell more Oscar Mayer bologna, and a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s largest salt provider.

7. A PROBLEM FROM HELL: AMERICA AND THE AGE OF GENOCIDE, BY SAMANTHA POWER

Power, who serves as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, believes that the U.S. could have—and should have—done more to condemn and prevent genocide in countries around the world. After reading her detailed accounting of mass killings in Cambodia, Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia, among other places, it’s hard to disagree. Military intervention isn’t always the answer, as Power points out. Even deeming these atrocities “genocide”—something the U.S. has failed to do in the past—has a significant impact. Whether you agree with her or not, A Problem From Hell is worth reading as a history lesson on how countries can slip into chaos.

8. WHITE TEETH, BY ZADIE SMITH

Insanely ambitious is one way to describe the debut novel from British author Smith, who zips through time and an array of different character perspectives in her examination of immigration and identity. The book centers on two aging war buddies living in London, Archie Jones and Samal Iqbal, whose lives have turned out to be less than they’d hoped. Smith examines these men, their wives and children, and throws in a third family, the Chalfens, for good measure. The diversity of voices is wildly entertaining but also very focused. And the way Smith draws together the seemingly disparate plot strands speaks to her immense talent.

9. THE DOOR, BY MAGDA SZABO

First published in Hungary in 1987, this novel endured a long road to its eventual translation and publication for American audiences. The wait was definitely worthwhile. The story centers on a writer, also named Magda, who recounts her relationship with her enigmatic housekeeper, Emerence, many years in the past. Separated by class, age, and education, the women develop a complicated relationship that brings them—and the reader—closer to Emerence’s secrets. Szabo, who died in 2007 and wrote this book at the height of her literary powers, crafted something subtle and haunting that plot summary alone can’t convey. It’s a book that explores hidden lives and a country’s troubling past.

10. GHOST IN THE WIRES, BY KEVIN MITNICK

These days, Mitnick lives a comfortable existence as a digital security consultant. But before that, he was one of the world’s most wanted hackers. Mitnick revisits his heyday in the ’80s and early ’90s, when he regularly infiltrated corporations like Novell and Sun Microsystems, and the ensuing cat-and-mouse game he played with authorities leading up to his arrest in 1995. That his adventures unfolded in the days of dial-up internet and even before make Mitnick’s story all the more suspenseful, since securing sensitive information often required social savvy and a flair for the theatrical in addition to all those deft key strokes.

11. SALVAGE THE BONES, BY JESMYN WARD

In the wake of a tragedy like Hurricane Katrina, it’s easy to reduce the lives of those affected to symbols of love, faith, endurance, and so on. Ward’s luminous novel reminds us of the full, beating hearts that existed before and during the storm. The book follows 14-year-old Esch, a budding lover of literature, and her family in the days leading up to the hurricane. Confounding stereotypes at every turn, and fully rooted in Esch’s earnest voice, Salvage the Bones unfolds as a series of vignettes that are raw and surprising, and that carry the weight of contemporary myth. When the storm finally hits, it hits with a fury that could only come from one who was there, as Ward was.

12. THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, BY JULES VERNE

After escaping a Confederate prison via makeshift hot-air balloon, five men and a dog named Top end up stranded on an island in the South Pacific (don’t think too hard about the logistics). Verne, who published his book in 1874, weaves a compelling story of survival as the characters learn to scrape by and eventually thrive in their new habitat. There’s a mystery afoot, too, as the title indicates, and a battle with bloodthirsty pirates—all the hallmarks of a great adventure yarn, in other words.

Though cities like New York and Chicago are most renowned for their pizza, every state in the U.S. has their own standout favorite. Whether it is a slice for the road, a piping hot pie, or a creative concoction of rare ingredients, there’s a reason pizza is universally loved. Check out our list of must-try pizza in all 50 states.

1. ALABAMA // MATER’S PIZZA AND PASTA EMPORIUM

Location: Gadsden and Albertville, Alabama

Since 1978, Gadsden’s Mater’s Pizza has been serving their “world famous” pasta and pizza. Using fresh, homemade dough and a signature blend of cheeses, Mater’s is a family favorite in the town’s historic district. They expanded the original location to include the Oyster Bar, and have a game room and TVs throughout the restaurant. A second location in Albertville opened in 2013.

2. ALASKA // MOOSE’S TOOTH PUB AND PIZZERIA

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

If you find your stomach rumbling while you’re driving along Seward Highway in Anchorage, stop in Moose’s Tooth for breadsticks, oven-baked sandwiches, salad, and of course, gourmet pizza. Meat lovers will enjoy The Classic, which comes with heaping piles of pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella, provolone and marinara sauce. Be sure to also try one of the 40 beers (or two sodas) crafted by their own Broken Tooth Brewing.

3. ARIZONA // PIZZERIA BIANCO

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

When you think of great pizza, Arizona may not immediately come to mind, but James Beard-awarded chef Chris Bianco changed that when Food & Wine called his first restaurant “arguably the best pizza in America” in 2009. A former New Yorker who headed west to work with farm-to-table champion Alice Waters, Bianco opened his own shop in 1988 and later expanded Pizzeria Bianco in downtown Phoenix. His simple and delicious pies, like the Biancoverde, use fresh, homegrown ingredients like fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, ricotta, and arugula. For $3 more, add some wood roasted mushrooms for a slice of heaven in the desert.

4. ARKANSAS // VINO’S

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

There may be no greater combination than a slice of pizza with an ice cold beer. At Vino’s pub and brewery, you can grab hand-tossed slices combined with a long list of toppings from ham and extra cheese to chopped garlic and fresh meatballs, all served on a hot and crispy New York-style thin crust. Enjoy your slice with a medium-bodied Firehouse Pale Ale, or a house-brewed Razor Bock.

5. CALIFORNIA // BARONE’S PIZZERIA

Location: Woodland Hills, California

For three generations, Barone’s has been serving piping hot, rectangular pizzas (tagline: “We don’t cut corners”) to Southern California. Started by a few siblings in 1945 and using their grandparents’ recipes from Sicily and Naples, Barone’s combines fresh dough, homemade Italian sauce, and a secret cheese blend into their delicious pizzas—which once brought legends like Frank Sinatra and John Wayne to eat regularly. Start off with some fried zucchini or meatball sliders and then dig in to their specialty House Marguerite pizza (available at their Westlake Hills location). They have a list of ingredients to make your own pie, and also offer pizzas that are gluten-free.

6. COLORADO // DOWNSTAIRS AT ERIC’S

Location: Breckenridge, Colorado

If you happen to find yourself in the beautiful mountain town of Breckenridge, follow the locals’ advice and grab some grub at a family-friendly sports bar (and arcade) that has been serving Coloradans since 1989. At Downstairs At Eric’s, start off with some sweet chili wings, potato skins, or fried jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese. Take a chance on the Garbage Pizza, the house favorite which has a little bit of everything.

7. CONNECTICUT // FRANK PEPE PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA

Location: Various locations, Connecticut

If you are craving the variety of crispy, thin crust pizza referred to as New Haven-style thanks to Frank Pepe’s original location, make sure to try the tomato pie at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana. Since 1925, Pepe has been using coal-fired ovens to create a “crisp, charred, chewy crust” on pizza pies. The original tomato pie is made using simple ingredients—just tomatoes, grated Pecorino Romano, garlic, oregano, and olive oil—and is still available on the menu. (With or without anchovies.) Try the white clam pie, which over the years has become the most famous, with its flaky crust covered in olive oil, oregano, garlic, grated cheese and fresh littleneck clams.

8. DELAWARE // MARGHERITA’S PIZZA

Location: Newark, Delaware

On any given night, you’ll find college kids swarming this pizza joint, which is conveniently located on Main Street at the heart of the University of Delaware. It’s not just the location that makes this cheesy oasis so popular: The college staple churns out some of the best pizza in the state. You can find a wide variety of specialty slices behind the counter, but if you want something really special, order a pie of the White Buffy: a white pizza covered in buffalo chicken and slathered in blue cheese dressing.

9. FLORIDA // ANDIAMO! BRICK OVEN PIZZA

Location: Miami, Florida

Nestled in an enclosed glass building, a Historical Landmark building in Miami has been the home of award-winning brick oven pizza since it opened in 2001. Andiamo! offers many specialty pies using fresh and inventive ingredients. The Sunday pie includes meatballs, tomato sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, pepperoncini, parmesan, and basil. If you are feeling bold, choose Frankie Five’s Special, which is topped with chicken, broccoli rabe, roasted potatoes and garlic, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and red pepper flakes.

10. GEORGIA // ANTICO PIZZA NAPOLETANA

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Just steps away from Georgia Tech’s campus on Atlanta’s Westside is Antico Pizza, home to some of the best food in Atlanta. The open kitchen and communal seating make for a vibrant atmosphere, but the pizza here is the main attraction. If you enjoy something rich and decadent, try the house specialty—creamy buffalo mozzarella, Cipollini onions, roasted mushrooms, and white truffle oil served well done with a charred crust.

11. HAWAII // KULA LODGE AND RESTAURANT

Location: Maui, Hawaii

Even those in paradise crave pizza for dinner sometimes. If you’re spending time on Maui visit Kula Lodge and Restaurant. Ask for seating in the Garden Terrace, where the wood-burning oven resides, and take in a sunset dinner with an open view of Maui’s Western side. Try the No Ka Oi, a crispy pizza with Portuguese sausage, Poblano peppers, sweet onion, and—of course—fresh pineapple.

12. IDAHO // ENOTECA

Location: Ketchum, Idaho

Enoteca Restaurant and Wine Bar in Ketchum has starters like house-cured meats and artisanal cheeses, but the wood-fired pizza is what you come for. They have various specialty pizzas for you to choose from, like the Wine Auction, which features gorgonzola and grapes, or the Strega, with homemade pesto and prosciutto.

13. ILLINOIS // VITO AND NICK’S

Location: Chicago, Illinois

When you think Chicago pizza, a deep dish pan pizza may be what comes to mind. The best pizza in the Windy City, though, is the cheese pizza at Vito & Nick’s. The cash-only South Side pizza spot was established in 1932, and serves the best thin crust, cut in square slices, and was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

14. INDIANA // MOTHER BEAR’S PIZZA

Location: Bloomington, Illinois

Mother Bear’s has been serving Bloomington’s best pizzas since 1973. At Mother Bear’s choice is the key. Dine in or takeout, choose from 6-, 10-, or 14-inch pies made with a selection of cheeses and sauces, and even select from three types of pie: traditional pan, deep dish, or thin crust. If that is too many decisions to make on an empty stomach, just go for the “Paulie Pine Nuts” Pesto Pie with fresh pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella, and spinach.

15. IOWA // PAGLIAI’S PIZZA

Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Iowa City has been enjoying the family-run Pagliai’s Pizza since they first opened in 1957. The pizzeria serves beer as well as soft drinks, and a number of toppings are available on their pies. For the works, order the Palace Special (a cheese pizza with sausage, beef, pepperoni, mushroom, and onion), or select your own toppings like black olives, peppers, and Canadian bacon—or the less traditional sauerkraut or broccoli.

16. KANSAS // TOPP’D PIZZA

Location: Kansas City, Kansas

Topp’d Pizza is a Kansas newcomer that aims to serve pizza fresh and fast. This fast casual pizza joint serves 9-inch personal pizzas in less than five minutes, without skimping on ingredients. All their meats are grilled on location, and everything from dough to sauce to dressings are house-made. Enjoy a personal or large 13-inch pie with your choice of original, garlic and herb, honey wheat or gluten-free crust and choose from a wide variety of toppings (including vegan options), or try one of many signature pies offering unique flavors like peanut sauce or slow-roasted pulled pork. 

17. KENTUCKY // BOOMBOZZ CRAFT PIZZA

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

BoomBozz now has several locations, but was welcomed with excitement in Louisville in 1998. Since then, they’ve been named one of the best of Louisville. Of the many gourmet pizzas to choose from, the Tony’s Supremo, Fire Roasted Fajita, and Smokehouse Brisket are standouts. Or opt for a classic like their 17-inch New York-style cheese pie.

18. LOUISIANA // CASCIO’S MARKET BISTRO

Location: Bossier City, Louisiana

The best pizza in Louisiana might also be the best culinary invention in the state, too. Cascio’s started out as a father-daughter run grocery and produce stand in 1945. Known for homemade sausages, they make thin crust pizzas three ways: Pies come in either 10- or 16-inch with your choice of classic Margherita, or sausage or pepperoni. But try the Pizzaletta, their own creation inspired by the state’s famous muffuletta sandwich. They fill the pizza crust with salami, ham, olive salad, sliced provolone, and top it with another pizza crust that is covered in mozzarella cheese!

19. MAINE // OTTO PIZZA

Location: Portland, Maine

Portland’s Otto Pizza has been using high-quality local ingredients and an out-of-the-box approach for their pizzas since 2009. One of their most popular pies, The Masher, is a pizza with mashed potatoes, scallions, and bacon. If you are vegetarian, try their mushroom and roasted cauliflower pizza, or opt for the four cheese concoction that combines ricotta, fontina, asiago, and mozzarella.

20. MARYLAND // MATTHEW’S PIZZA

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Matthew’s is proud of their distinction as being “Baltimore’s first pizzeria,” and has been a local institution since opening in 1943. They’ve racked up 76 awards for their amazing pizza pies in the past 30 or so years, and were included in Business Insider’s Best Pizza in Every State. They use traditional and regional ingredients like Maryland crab to enhance their pizzas and appetizers. Give the 4 Seasons Pie a try—it uses hand-grated mozzarella, artichoke hearts, black olives, anchovies, mushrooms, and prosciuttini.

21. MASSACHUSETTS // EMMA’S PIZZA

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge’s Emma’s Pizza specializes in cracker-thin-crust pizza and has been doing so since the ’60s. They offer two dozen different pizza combinations, or you can choose to create your own using one of their 30 toppings and three sauces. Start with the Kendall, named for their Kendall Square location: it combines roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, rosemary sauce, and mozzarella.

22. MICHIGAN // BUDDY’S PIZZA

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Buddy’s Pizza introduced their square pizzas to Detroit in 1946, and now have 11 locations in the metro area, serving some of the Motor City’s best pies. They’ve grown a lot in the last 70 years, and now offer gluten-free and multi-grain crust. For a classic though, order their award-winning Sicilian-style pepperoni pizza, where the meat is layered beneath Wisconsin cheese.

23. MINNESOTA // BLACK SHEEP PIZZA

Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

A full dining experience can be had at Black Sheep Pizza—they serve up wine, beer, draft root beer, and fresh squeezed lemonade, salads, and of course, plenty of pizza. Their pies come in 12- and 16-inch sizes, or order the Sicilian, which is essentially a Grandma: a square pizza with mozzarella, sauce, and extra virgin olive oil.

24. MISSISSIPPI // PIZZA SHACK

Location: Jackson, Mississippi

Pizza Shack has collected dozens of awards since opening in 2005, when three lifelong friends opened the pizza parlor of their dreams. Start off with an antipasta salad or Buffalo wings, and since you’re in Mississippi, opt for the Cajun Joe for the main event: spicy marinara and andouille sausage, chicken, peppers, and onions.

25. MISSOURI // PI PIZZERIA

Location: Various locations, Missouri

Pi Pizzeria has multiple restaurants across St. Louis (as well as in Cincinnati and D.C.), and it specializes in craft beer, deep dish, and cornmeal crust pizzas. Next time you’re in the Lou, start with a Bada Bing salad (which includes walnuts, gorgonzola, and the namesake dried bing cherries), and take a bite out of a slice of Bucktown, which is covered in mozzarella, roasted chicken, artichokes, peppers, green olives, red onion, feta, and sundried tomatoes.

26. MONTANA // EUGENE’S PIZZA

Location: Glasgow, Montana

The pride of Glasgow, Montana may be Eugene’s Pizza a family business that has been feeding locals for over 40 years. Purchased in 1967, the pizzeria was passed to the owner’s children in 1992. Choose one of their popular suggestions like pepperoni, tomato, and garlic or mushroom and black olives, or select your own. If you’re in the mood for something on the sweeter side try the BBQ Chicken pizza. It’s made with spicy chicken, a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and then topped with a swirl of homemade BBQ sauce. Yum.

27. NEBRASKA // LA CASA PIZZARIA

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

La Casa Pizzaria has been proudly advertising their “legendary pizza and pasta” dishes for over 60 years. Enjoy beer and wine tastings in the lounge, order some fried ravioli or eggplant parmesan, but don’t forget to try some thin crust Neapolitan pizza. For a taste of an Omaha classic, get the hamburger pizza. With ground beef, onions, seasoning and mozzarella and Romano cheese, this pie is a must.

28. NEVADA // SOUTH CREEK PIZZA COMPANY

Location: Reno, Nevada

Start off with fire roasted mortadella, garlic shrimp, and a wedge salad and move on to the aptly named Afterburner pizza at South Creek Pizza Company. This pizza special has Mama’s meatballs, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, red onions, basil, and is topped with sea salt and SarVecchio parmesan cheese. Hot chopped cherry peppers come on the side.

29. NEW HAMPSHIRE // PIGTALE

Location: Nashua, New Hampshire

Farm to table is the draw at Nashua, New Hampshire’s PigTale. They use ingredients sourced locally whenever possible to create the small plates, salads, pizza, and delicious craft cocktails they serve. Their namesake pizza is a creative crispy pie loaded up with bacon, smoked pork, sausage, pickled onion and fontina cheese. For pescetarians, try the shrimp scampi pie which has Gulf shrimp, garlic, baby heirloom tomatoes, and fresh basil.

30. NEW JERSEY // RAZZA

Location: Jersey City, New Jersey

Razza is an upscale pizza joint in the heart of Jersey City, intent on serving you food with the utmost care. The bread—and the butter even—is homemade and all the ingredients they use are hand selected. Try the Project Hazelnut that combines fresh mozzarella, locally grown hazelnuts (care of Rutgers University), ricotta and local honey.

31. NEW MEXICO // BACK ROAD PIZZA

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Back Road has remained a local favorite in Santa Fe since it opened in 1997. Everything you eat—from the pizza dough, roasted meats, and sauces to dressings—are freshly made in house each day. You can order a basic cheese pizza, one with your favorite topping, or choose from 11 Primo toppings they offer like Kalamata olives or Chevre. They also offer piping hot calzones, classic subs, and appetizers, depending on how hungry you feel.

32. NEW YORK // JOE’S PIZZA

Location: New York, New York

New York is a pizza town, so choosing the best is hard. New Yorkers are diehard about who makes the best pie and can argue the merits of Totonno’s, Di Fara’s, or Patsy’s with passion. But, if you want a classic New York slice you should have it with a classic New York experience, so grab a cheese or pepperoni from Joe’s Pizza in Greenwich village. Fold it and eat it while walking down the street. You might drip a little grease down your chin, and you’ll definitely burn your tongue, but the combination of perfectly melted cheese and crispy bottom crust is the very best.

33. NORTH CAROLINA // PURE PIZZA

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Pure Pizza’s philosophy is to provide healthier pizza by using fresh high-quality ingredients, to stay committed to the environment, and to provide fair wages to their employees. All in all, a positive atmosphere and mission. Stop in and have a She-Rex which is mozzarella, mushroom, onion, pepper, and topped with greens tossed in lemon vinaigrette.

34. NORTH DAKOTA // BLACKBIRD WOODFIRE

Location: Fargo, North Dakota

Truck Pizza was a mobile wood-fired oven that served pizza every summer at events and festivals and, finally, opened a brick and mortar restaurant, Blackbird Woodfire, in 2014. They serve tapas, salads, and a bunch of specialty pies like the Sausage Apple that is made with house-made sausage, Granny Smith apple, Béchamel cream sauce, fresh sage, parmesan cheese, and micro greens.

35. OHIO // BAR CENTO

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Bar Cento is full-fledged Italian eatery with house made pasta dishes and house specials and sides, but their pizza was rated the best in Ohio by both Zagat and Food Network. The Sunnyside has pancetta (made in house) and provolone, and is topped with a fried egg and black pepper so it works for brunch or dinner.

36. OKLAHOMA // ANDOLINI’S PIZZERIA

Location: Multiple Locations, Oklahoma

Tulsa’s Andolini’s Pizza was established in 2005, and has since expanded to another two locations across Oklahoma, as well as in the form of a food truck doling out slices around Tulsa. If you feel like keeping it simple, go for the Marzano pesto pie. Pistachio pesto, mozzarella, and San Marzano tomatoes are cooked together to gooey perfection.

37. OREGON // APIZZA SCHOLLS

Location: Portland, Oregon

At Apizza Scholls picking up pies can take over an hour on busy nights. Luckily, they have an arcade with DigDug, Ms. Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong to play while you wait. Once you are seated there are tons of pizzas to choose from, and all of them are 18 inches of amazing. The Diablo Blanca has tomato pesto, mozzarella, ricotta, herbs, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh jalapeño.

38. PENNSYLVANIA // PIZZERIA BEDDIA

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

At 4:00pm most afternoons, lines start forming in anticipation of Philadelphia’s Pizzeria Beddia’s 5:30 p.m. opening. This place is cash only, has no seating, and rotates pies seasonally, but once 40 pies have gone out—they’re out. You can try the chewy, crispy cheese pie, or go with a special like a recent pie with asparagus, fresh cream, oyster mushroom, and ramps.

39. RHODE ISLAND // FRANK AND JOHN FROM ITALY

Location: East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Independently owned and operated by the same family for over 40 years, Frank and John’s is where you go for authentic Italian pie in East Greenwich. This is a no frills pizza joint that offers casual dining and top notch Italian food.

40. SOUTH CAROLINA // REBEL PIE

Location: Florence, South Carolina

Though they have many great items to choose from on their menu, Rebel Pie is all about pizza. They have white pies, pesto pies, build your own pies, and even dessert pies. You can’t go wrong here, no matter what you order, but take a chance on their rotating Rebel Pie of the month for a unique creation!

41. SOUTH DAKOTA // FIERO PIZZA

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Fiero Pizza has a number of specialty pies for you to choose from if you don’t feel like building your own pizza. I’d go with the Fresh Farmer. It has a spicy tomato sauce base and mozzarella, hot sausage, spinach, egg, parmesan cheese, and roasted pepper chili oil. Sounds like you’ll need to wash it down with a cold drink.

42. TENNESSEE // PIZZA PERFECT

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

With a name like Pizza Perfect, you better nail a plain cheese pizza. Though they have many creative pies (like the Dante’s Chicken Pie) you may be just as happy with a pitcher and a large thick Sicilian cheese pie, thick and gooey and baked fresh to order.

43. TEXAS // ANTONIO’S FLYING PIZZA

Location: Houston, Texas

For over 40 years the Rosa family has been making hand-tossed pizzas, pasta dishes, and desserts for Houston’s residents. Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional or deep dish Sicilian pie, you won’t leave hungry after visiting Antonio’s Flying Pizza.

44. UTAH // NICOLITALIA

Location: Provo, Utah

They call it Boston Italian style pizza here, and it is crazy good. Their specialty pies include the Italian Stallion and Eye of the Tiger, but if you really want to try something special, order the Queen Margotte which is topped with alfredo sauce, fresh tomato, chopped spinach, dry basil, parmesan cheese and Nicolitalia’s secret spice.

45. VERMONT // FOLINO’S

Location: Shelburne, Vermont

Folino’s is BYOB, but luckily they are housed in the same building as Fiddlehead Brewing Company, so you can pop next door and grab a few beers before heading over for a Margherita pie, Folino’s specialty. The Green Mountain setting and delicious New Haven-style pie provides a beautiful evening.

46. VIRGINIA // PUPATELLA

Location: Arlington, Virginia

Pupatella’s website proudly announces itself “Best Pizza in Virginia.” The fried arancini (rice balls) and fresh mozzarella, as well as their pizzas, are authentic Neopolitan cuisine. They offer red (sausage and onion with smoked mozzarella) or white (creamy burrata with cherry tomato, pine nuts and basil) pizzas, and will make you feel like you’re in Naples.

47. WASHINGTON // SERIOUS PIE

Location: Seattle, Washington

Serious Pie bakes their pizza in a 600-degree, stone-encased, wood-fired oven, so we get why they’re so serious about their pizza. They have three locations across Seattle and also boast artisan cheeses from around the world.

48. WEST VIRGINIA // LOLA’S PIZZA

Location: Charleston, West Virginia

Lola’s offers brunch, lunch, and dinner and a wide array of sandwiches, salads, and, of course, pizzas. Their simple and tasty pies are available for dine-in or carryout and cooked to bubbly perfection in a stone hearth. Some intriguing options include bacon and white cheddar, spinach and feta, and spicy shrimp and sausage.

49. WISCONSIN // PIZZA BRUTTA

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Pizza Brutta uses freshly made Fior di latte, tomato sauce, and dough for their Neopolitan style pizzas. They have over 20 combinations to choose from as well as salads and sandwiches (lunch only). Plus, they partner with organic suppliers, and you won’t find fresher Wisconsin cheese anywhere else.

50. WYOMING // ROXIE’S ON GRAND

Location: Laramie, Wyoming

This American bistro is a warm and inviting restaurant in Laramie. In addition to full dinners and appetizers, they make brick oven-fired pizzas in classic combinations like tomato and mozzarella, spicy meatball, or the decadent Lobster supreme.

This story was updated in November 2016.

Have your nerves of steel inoculated you against scary movies? Friends leaping out of the shadows getting boring? If you feel like having a more immersive experience, you might want to head to a local haunt instead. Take a look at some of the scariest destinations in all 50 states that guarantee a night of frights.

1. ALABAMA // BASS CEMETERY

Location: Irondale, Alabama

It doesn’t get much creepier than Bass Cemetery. Drive down the dirt road at twilight, turn off into the woods, and keep your eyes and ears open. The Civil War-era cemetery was the final resting place for both soldiers and slaves, many of whom reportedly return to walk the grounds at night. Visitors report seeing ghostly figures and hearing spooky voices, and at least one tomb has been visibly vacated.

2. ALASKA // RED ONION SALOON

Location: Skagway, Alaska

In its heyday, the Red Onion Saloon offered a slice of the Old West in the Last Frontier. Built in 1897, the upscale saloon and brothel was one of the hottest spots in Skagway, Alaska, during the Klondike Gold Rush. Today, the establishment functions as a museum and, according to their blog, it’s “home to more than one spirit.” Accounts of footsteps, cold spots, apparitions, and a strong perfume smell have all been reported on the upper floors that once served as the bordello. Most disturbances have been attributed to one spirit in particular: a former prostitute named Lydia. Thankfully she seems to be friendly, even going so far as to water the plants for the homeowners. Visitors can hope to catch a glimpse of her on the museum’s Ghosts & Goodtime Girls Walking Tour.

3. ARIZONA // VULTURE MINE

Location: Wickenburg, Arizona

The Vulture Mine, located just outside of Phoenix, was once Arizona’s most successful gold mine, and the surrounding settlement, established in 1866, was a boomtown home to 5000 residents. The mine was closed down in the 1940s and Vulture City became a ghost town, but some of the spirits of those who died at the mine may still remain. The mine was plagued by theft, and 18 high graders—miners who pocketed their discoveries—were put to death at the Vulture hanging tree. In 1923, due to lack of support structures, seven miners died in a cave-in, and their bodies are still trapped within the mine. The ghostly location was featured on the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures in 2010, and the hosts claim that spirits threw rocks at them.

4. ARKANSAS // 1886 CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA

Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Looming high over the town of Eureka Springs, this stately hotel is supposedly home to a colorful cast of spirits. There’s Michael, the stonecutter who fell to his death during the building’s construction, and Dr. John Freemont Ellis, the former hotel physician whose pipe smoke some guests claim they can smell. The Crescent has embraced its haunted reputation, offering ghost tours for visitors and ESP packages for diehard spook hunters.

5. CALIFORNIA // ALCATRAZ

Location: San Francisco, California

For decades, the concrete island of Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals—murderers, thieves, and public enemies like Al Capone. That concentrated selection of bad vibes is said to remain, even though the prison has long since closed. While the National Park Service runs no official ghost tours of the grounds, visitors hoping for paranormal activity can book an evening ferry ride and guided tour of the cell blocks that have been known to harbor unexplained events like eerie moaning and strange apparitions; some guests have even claimed they could hear a faint banjo, an instrument Capone picked up to pass the time inside.

6. COLORADO // THE STANLEY HOTEL

Location: Estes Park, Colorado

If roaming a murder hotel is your idea of a good time, The Stanley is the place for you. Horror buffs will recognize the haunted hotel as the inspiration for The Shining (1980)—a fact not lost on its owners, who offer regular ghost tours for a small fee. The original owners? Well, they’re supposedly still roaming the halls, with Flora Stanley’s piano being heard playing in the middle of the night, and her husband, F.O. Stanley, reportedly showing up in the background of billiard room photos.

7. CONNECTICUT // THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED

Location: Dudleytown, Connecticut

You can’t enter Dudleytown, a.k.a. the Village of the Damned, but you probably don’t want to. Legend says the settlement was founded in 1740 by the aristocratic Dudley family, whose reputation of treachery and scandal preceded them into the New World. Over the next six decades, the little town reportedly saw its share of horrors—people going insane, children disappearing—before being abandoned in the 1800s. The settlement itself has vanished; today, the site is private property, lost to an overgrown dark forest. Those who have ventured close speak of a suspicious silence in the woods and bright orbs in the air.

8. DELAWARE // FORT DELAWARE

Location: Pea Patch Island, Delaware

Take the ferry from Delaware City and make a day of it at Fort Delaware State Park, which offers picnic areas, wildlife, and, of course, ghosts. The spooky, pentagonal fort itself was built in 1859 and is so famously haunted that it was featured on a 2008 episode of Ghost Hunters. The show’s hosts recorded eerie noises like cannon fire and movement in the fort’s tunnels. But for the amateur paranormal investigators out there, you will love the night-time ghost tours.

9. FLORIDA // MAY-STRINGER HOUSE

Location: Brooksville, Florida

You want it, the May-Stringer House has it: footsteps, creepy dolls, weird mists, sudden drops in temperature, even children’s laughter. The Victorian-era mansion has seen more than its share of death, from childbirth and smallpox to suicide, and is known as one of the most haunted buildings in Florida. Ghost hunters with a little extra cash will want in on the late-night investigations package, which allows visitors free rein to roam the building with their ghost-sensing equipment until 2 a.m.

10. GEORGIA // BONAVENTURE CEMETERY

Location: Savannah, Georgia

Heading to Savannah? Be sure to bring a stuffed animal for Little Gracie, the resident ghost-ambassador of Bonaventure Cemetery. The little girl was the sweetheart of Savannah in her day and was known for entertaining guests with songs in the lobby of the luxury hotel her father managed. When she succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 6 in 1889, her grave became a shrine. It’s said her ghost still plays in the square where she used to live, and that her cries can be heard when the toys left for her are removed. The cemetery also has numerous other statues and figures, many of whose faces are said to change shape when in the presence of visitors they like or dislike.

11. HAWAII // MORGAN’S CORNER

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Several urban legends surround this sharp curve of Nuuanu Pali Drive in Honolulu. The true origins of its ghastly reputation trace back to the murder of a 68-year-old widow that took place nearby in 1948. Since then, the spot has been connected to tales of paranormal activity, and today it’s a stop on the “Orbs of Oahu” ghost tour held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights.

12. IDAHO // IDAHO PENITENTIARY

Location: Boise, Idaho

The Idaho Penitentiary housed over 13,000 inmates when it was a functional prison. Not all the residents served their time peacefully: The building was the site of many violent riots, culminating in the fire that shut it down for good in 1973. According to some accounts, the spirits of former prisoners still roam the halls. Visitors have reported overwhelming feelings of anxiety and dread upon entering the place and some even claimed to have heard unexplained whispers and screams. Anyone looking to experience the eerie atmosphere can attend one of the historical site’s various tours, including investigations led by the “International Paranormal Reporting Group.”

13. ILLINOIS // CONGRESS PLAZA HOTEL

Location: Chicago, Illinois

The Congress Plaza Hotel is rumored to be one of the most haunted hotels in the Windy City. It was built to house the influx of visitors coming into Chicago for the 1893 World’s Fair (an event with a seedy history of its own). Several ghosts—including those of a Czech boy who jumped from a window with his mother and a Spanish American war veteran who shot himself before his wedding—are now said to haunt the building. And that’s not all: Unplugged kitchen appliances suddenly turn on; pianos play spontaneously; and visitors hear disembodied humming and whispers—and phantom gunshots that come from out of nowhere. Chicago Ghost Tours makes the hotel their first stop—tours begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Fridays.

14. INDIANA // STEPP CEMETERY

Location: Martinsville, Indiana

A typical visit to Morgan-Monroe State Forest might include a hike, a picnic, and a leisurely stroll through an abandoned cemetery. Stepp Cemetery was opened in the 1800s and is home to less than three dozen gravestones. Visitors to the site—which, according to urban legend, was founded an orgy-loving, snake handling cult called the Crabbites—report strange sounds in the graveyard and sightings of a ghostly woman dressed in black who is said to be watching over the graves of her family members.

15. IOWA // VILLISCA AX MURDER HOUSE

Location: Villisca, Iowa

The Villisca Ax Murder House appears relatively unchanged from how it looked on the night of the violent crimes that took place there over a century ago. On June 10, 1912, J.B. Moore, his wife Sarah, their four children, and two visiting children were killed in their beds by an axe-wielding intruder. There were several suspects—including a state senator—but no one was ever convicted of the crime. The building is now open to brave members of the public wishing to learn about this gruesome chapter in Iowa history. According to the house’s official website, tours have been interrupted by “children’s voices, falling lamps, moving ladders, and flying objects.” Walk-in tours are given during the day for $10 per person, and visitors feeling especially gutsy can reserve an overnight stay for $428 for groups of one to six.

16. KANSAS // SALLIE HOUSE

Location: Atchison, Kansas

Whatever paranormal experiences interest you, you can probably find them at Sallie House: Visitors to the home have experienced apparitions, strange smells, objects flying through the air, and disembodied voices. Though the residence is named after a little girl who allegedly died of appendicitis there at the turn of the century, according to some mediums, “Sallie” is just one of the many spirits stuck in the house.

If you find yourself in Atchison, you may as well take a look around—the entire town, besides being the birthplace of Amelia Earhart, is said to be the most haunted in Kansas and is full of spooky stories and strange happenings.

17. KENTUCKY // WAVERLY HILLS SANITORIUM

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

From 1911 through 1961, Waverly Hills was a tuberculosis hospital, able to house 50-60 patients trying to recover from the disease at any given time. Unfortunately, many of those patients didn’t recover: Thousands succumbed to the illness before an effective treatment was introduced in 1943, and apparently, many of them are still there. Room 502 is a particularly popular spot for ghost sightings, with reports of a ghostly nurse still making her rounds there.

In addition to hosting tours from March through August, the current owners convert the place to a haunted house attraction every fall. They plan to use proceeds to renovate the hospital into a legit hotel—presumably one where no one gets any sleep.

18. LOUISIANA // THE LALAURIE MANSION

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

On April 11, 1834, a fire broke out at 1140 Royal Street in New Orleans. When neighbors rushed to help the residents escape, they discovered something even worse than the flames: a veritable house of horrors. The New Orleans Bee reported that “Seven slaves more or less horribly mutilated were suspended by the neck, which their limbs apparently stretched and torn from one extremity to the other,” and compared the mistress of the house, Delphine LaLaurie, to Caligula.

The house has since been renovated and sold many times, including once to actor Nicolas Cage. But it’s no surprise that owners and visitors alike report ghostly goings-on, from hearing chains in the attic to strange phone calls coming from the house. The LaLaurie House is a highlight on most of the innumerable New Orleans ghost tours.

19. MAINE // WOOD ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

Location: Biddeford Pool, Maine

In 1896, a terrible tragedy took place on Wood Island, Maine—during an argument about an overdue rent payment, local fisherman Howard Hobbs shot game warden Fred Milliken, who died 45 minutes later. Distraught about what he had done, Hobbs shot himself with the same gun. People, including the wife of one of the lighthouse keepers, believe their shell-shocked spirits are still there. You can visit the lighthouse during the day, if you prefer, or take a haunted lighthouse tour to hear more about the various hauntings that happen in these isolated spaces.

20. MARYLAND // ANTIETAM

Location: Washington County, Maryland

More than 23,000 people lost their lives at the battle of Antietam during the Civil War, so it’s not surprising that a few of them may still be hanging around. One location in particular, deemed “Bloody Lane” after 5000 soldiers died there, is especially known for ghost sightings—people reportedly think they’re seeing Civil War reenactors, until the “reenactors” disappear into thin air.

Other visitors to the national park have reported seeing balls of blue light, hearing drums playing, and hearing soldiers chanting. Legend has it that there’s a house nearby where the wounded were taken, and after even after centuries and countless attempts to sand and refinish the floors, there are blood stains that refuse to disappear.

21. MASSACHUSETTS // DOGTOWN

Location: Gloucester, Massachusetts

This once-bustling settlement was founded by colonists around 1693, but after decades of fruitless farming efforts, many residents abandoned the town after the War of 1812. The few people who stayed—mostly widows who couldn’t afford to leave—were deemed witches, especially after one of the women found a source of income by threatening to curse people unless they paid her. Other local lore involved werewolves and ghost dogs.

Though history is on the side of the “witches” these days, there’s no doubt that some disturbing activity has taken place in those woods, which still bear remnants of the cellars built by the original colonists. A woman was killed there in 1984, and it’s said to have been the scene of several suicides.

22. MICHIGAN // THE GRAND HOTEL

Location: Mackinac Island, Michigan

That old “Native American burial ground” horror movie trope is absolutely true on Mackinac Island, which was once, indeed, a burial ground called Michilimackinac. In fact, more remains were discovered during a construction project just a few years ago.

That might set the stage for paranormal incidents on the tiny island: it is also home to a ghost named “Harvey,” thought to have been a student at the Mackinac College in the 1960s, and soldiers from the War of 1812 who are occasionally spotted on the golf course of the hotel. You’re sure to hear their stories, and more, on any number of Haunted Mackinac tours.

23. MINNESOTA // PALMER HOUSE HOTEL

Location: Sauk Centre, Minnesota

Feeling brave? Book a room at the Palmer House Hotel in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Rooms 11 and 17 are particularly active with spirits, with guests reporting people in 1920s clothing showing up in their rooms at the middle of the night. And if you’re in the market for a famous ghost, you might be in luck—it’s thought that writer Sinclair Lewis, whose childhood home was nearby, is still wandering the halls.

24. MISSISSIPPI // MCRAVEN

Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi

Known as the most haunted house in Mississippi, McRaven has been called a “time capsule of the south.” It was used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War, and of course, not all of the soldiers made it. “We do have 11 unknown bodies buried on the property,” the house manager has said.

In addition to Confederate soldier ghost sightings, there’s also a young mother named Mary Elizabeth Howard who died in the house shortly after childbirth, and a robber named Andrew Glass who used McRaven as a hideout. Both haunted tours and regular history tours are offered at McRaven.

25. MISSOURI // THE LEMP MANSION

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Built in 1868, this historical home was once owned by William J. Lemp, the owner of what would eventually become Falstaff beer. Sadly, the Lemp family was plagued by tragedy—four family members, including the patriarch, committed suicide; three of them in the house. And according to visitors to the old residence, which is now an inn, most of them are still there. If you don’t want to risk an overnight stay at Lemp Mansion, you can also opt for one of their mystery dinners instead.

26. MONTANA // MONTANA TERRITORIAL PRISON

Location: Deer Lodge, Montana

In 1959, the Montana State Prison experienced the darkest moment in its history: a 36-hour prison riot that resulted in the deaths of several people, including the murder-suicide of two of the ringleaders when the Montana National Guard came in to end the uproar. The damage they did—machine guns and bazookas were fired into the cellblock—can still be seen on various historical or ghost prison tours today. People touring the prison have reported hearing strange things and feeling like they’re being touched. Cell No. 1 is especially active with what some believe is the spirit of Paul Eitner, an inmate who spent 49 years at the prison.

27. NEBRASKA // HUMMEL PARK

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

At the entrance to Hummel Park in Omaha, Nebraska, there are a set of trees that bend eerily and unnaturally in one direction. Local legend holds that the trees were used for hangings—so many hangings, in fact, that the branches are permanently bowed from the weight of the bodies. The deaths may explain the strange things said to happen in the park now: howling wolves, people who live in the trees, animal sacrifices, and a creepy set of stairs that seem to change in number for each person who attempts to count the steps. Though there’s no evidence to back up the rumor of hangings, there is evidence to support another theory: that the area was once a Native American burial ground. In fact, in 1945, Boy Scouts used a skull found in the park to decorate a totem pole.

28. NEVADA // THE MIZPAH HOTEL

Location: Tonapah, Nevada

Built in 1907 to accommodate folks hoping to strike it rich with the recent silver discovery, the Mizpah is said to host several ghosts, including at least a couple of miners and some impish children. But the Mizpah’s most famous revenant resident is the Lady in Red, a woman who was killed on the fifth floor by a jealous husband or ex-boyfriend. It’s said that she’s particularly fond of whispering “Hey you” in the ears of men who are in the elevator alone.

The hotel closed its doors in 1999 and remained shuttered for more than a decade. It reopened under new management in 2011, so you can have a close encounter with the Lady in Red if you’re so inclined. They even have a suite themed after her.

29. NEW HAMPSHIRE // BLOOD CEMETERY

Location: Hollis, New Hampshire

Pine Hill Cemetery’s ominous “Blood Cemetery” nickname doesn’t come from blood spilled within the grounds, but from a permanent resident there named Abel Blood. Blood’s 1867 tombstone featured an engraving of a hand, which people swear pointed skyward during the day, but gestured down at night. The stone was broken and removed at some point, but that hasn’t stopped the spirits—there are still sightings of shadowy figures and fog that seems to appear out of nowhere. The public cemetery is open from dawn until dusk.

30. NEW JERSEY // PINE BARRENS

Location: southern New Jersey

The Pine Barrens, a stretch of coastal plain that spans seven counties in New Jersey, is home to a lot of urban legends, from phantom dogs to the ghost of Captain Kidd. But its most famous denizen is, without a doubt, the Jersey Devil. Though there are many versions of its origins, in one popular telling the creature was born in the 1730s when “Mother Leeds'” cursed 13th child came into the world with hooves, wings, a goat’s head, and a forked tail. After killing its mother, it escaped into the Barrens—and there have been sightings ever since. Even Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, had an encounter with the beast during his years at Point Breeze. If you visit the Pine Barrens for its trails, wineries, canoeing, or duck hunting, keep one ear cocked for strange noises.

31. NEW MEXICO // SANTA FE STATE PENITENTIARY

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

On February 2 and 3, 1980, the Santa Fe State Penitentiary was the site of one of the worst prison riots the country has ever seen: 33 inmates died, more than 200 were treated for injuries, and seven officers were severely beaten or sexually assaulted. The deaths were horrifically violent; even today, hatchet marks said to mark the site of a beheading are still visible in the concrete floor. Since then, visitors have reported cell doors slamming shut of their own accord, a “winged demonic specter,” and other phenomena. Though the prison opens for visitors only rarely, after a five-year revitalization is complete, it will have a museum and regular tours.

32. NEW YORK // THE KREISCHER MANSION

Location: Staten Island, New York

Any old Victorian house lends itself to an aura of spookiness, but this estate has real horrors to back up the vibe. A brick magnate named Balthasar Kreischer built the mansion for one of his sons in the 1885. When family fortunes fell, that son, Edward Kreischer, committed suicide in 1894. Afterward, locals began to talk about odd happenings at the house, including strange lights and voices. Rumored ghosts include Edward, his brother Charles, a German cook, and a couple of children. A century later, in 2005, the home was the site of another incident: a Mafia hit carried out by the property caretaker, who stabbed, drowned, dismembered, and finally incinerated his Mob victim in the estate furnace. The mansion opens for events from time to time, including yoga retreats and Halloween parties—and, if you’re so inclined, you can probably purchase the house soon if you’ve got a couple of million burning a hole in your pocket. It seems to go on the market every few years.

33. NORTH CAROLINA // THE BILTMORE ESTATE

Location: Asheville, North Carolina

With 250 rooms, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville is the largest privately owned house in North America. The man who constructed it, George Vanderbilt, is allegedly still there. Keeping him company is his wife, Edith, who can be heard calling his name down the corridors. But don’t just rely on secondhand ghost stories—book a tour and see for yourself.

34. NORTH DAKOTA // FORT ABRAHAM LINCOLN – CUSTER HOUSE

Location: Morton County, North Dakota

Though General George Custer died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, legend has it that his widow, Libbie, is still waiting for him to come home. According to tour guides and workers at the Custer House, the general himself also makes appearances from time to time, moving objects and wiping his hands on the linens—perhaps lamenting that he only spent a couple of years in the home before his death. In addition to being open for historical tours year-round, the house also hosts special Halloween events.

35. OHIO // THE RIDGES ASYLUM

Location: Athens, Ohio

Once called the Athens Lunatic Asylum, the Ridges accepted its first patients in 1874. It eventually developed a reputation for experimentation with shock therapy, lobotomies, and transorbital lobotomies. The facility closed in 1993, but spirits of the thousands of patients that suffered there over the years still linger, according to some. One is said to be Margaret Schilling, a patient who disappeared in the hospital in December 1978 and wasn’t found for more than a month. Her body was so badly decomposed that fluids had seeped into the concrete floor, leaving a stain that remains there to this day. The Ridges is now owned by Ohio University, which uses the old administration building to house the Kennedy Museum of Art. The school demolished the dangerous, decaying, “haunted” part of the facility in 2013 because it drew too many trespassers and vandals, but a local history center gives outdoor tours of the grounds throughout the year.

36. OKLAHOMA // CONSTANTINE THEATER

Location: Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Originally built in the 1880s as a hotel, the Constantine Theater was turned into a performance space in the early 1900s. Ghost investigators who recorded 40 hours of video and audio on the stage and throughout the theater heard mysterious footsteps and knocking; they also captured a couple of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs). The ghost in question, some say, is Sappho Constantine Brown, the daughter of the theater’s owner. It’s not clear why her spirit has decided to stick around the place, but we’d like to believe she’s still waiting for her chance at the stage. You’ll have to buy a ticket to a show to find out.

37. OREGON // HOT LAKE SPRINGS

Location: La Grande, Oregon

Once a popular resort for people seeking healing waters to treat what ailed them, the bed and breakfast at Hot Lake Springs is only the latest iteration of the area’s hospitality options. The original Hot Lake Hotel operated from 1864 to 1934, when part of the building burned down. It later served as a nurses’ school, an insane asylum, and to store dead bodies during a typhoid epidemic, among other things. With a history like that, it’s no wonder that there are a number of restless spirits wandering around. In 2001, the property was featured on the show Scariest Place on Earth; two years later, it was purchased by the Manuel Family, who renovated and restored the property. Current visitors report spooky sounds in their lodgings, especially on the third floor, which once housed a hospital.

38. PENNSYLVANIA // GETTYSBURG

Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

There were some 51,000 casualties (men who were killed, wounded, captured or missing) during three-day battle at Gettysburg in 1863, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Naturally, there are some ghosts said to lurk in the area. From phantom smells linked to the stench of bodies left rotting in the heat after the battle, to strange sounds and sightings of soldiers in local buildings used as field hospitals and shelters, there’s a ghost story for just about any location in the Gettysburg area. Visitors to Devil’s Den—an area where some of the fiercest fighting took place and where many bodies were left to rot in a ravine—report apparitions of sharpshooters and malfunctioning camera equipment.

39. RHODE ISLAND // PROVIDENCE BILTMORE HOTEL

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Originally opened in 1922, the Biltmore Hotel in Providence was a popular party spot during Prohibition—but spending time there wasn’t always something to celebrate. The hotel’s wild parties reportedly often turned violent, leading to several murders. And in 1929, a stockbroker reportedly jumped out a 16th floor window, falling to his death. Visitors report seeing the stockbroker’s ghost falling past their window as well as other apparitions during their time there.

The hotel also has an infamous former employee. The patriarch of the Patriarca crime family, Raymond Patriarca, got his first job as a bellboy at the hotel, and it’s likely that he killed at least one person there. But its history of horrors hasn’t stopped guests from enjoying their stay. A recent visitor still gave the hotel four stars, despite having a terrible paranormal experience in the middle of the night.

40. SOUTH CAROLINA // SUMMERVILLE LIGHT

Location: Summerville, South Carolina

According to legend, a woman used to walk her husband home from the train after work every single night along a certain stretch of dirt road here, carrying a lantern. When he died in an accident, she kept coming, walking up and down the road waiting for him. When she died, a mysterious light began appearing in the same area she used to walk, just around midnight every night. Ghost hunters say to go past where the pavement ends on Sheep Island Road and keep a look out for a single orb of light in the distance.

41. SOUTH DAKOTA // THE BULLOCK HOTEL

Location: Deadwood, South Dakota

Seth Bullock, the first sheriff in the gold-mining town of Deadwood, helped corral the lawless locals into something approaching civility. In addition to his policing, Bullock constructed an ornate hotel in the heart of the area, before dying in room 211 in 1919. Newly restored, the hotel is open for guests, dining, and tours, where many say you can still feel Bullock patrolling the grounds. Visitors can even make note of unexplained phenomena in the hotel’s guestbook.

42. TENNESSEE // THE SENSABAUGH TUNNEL

Location: Church Hill, Tennessee

You won’t have to endure long lines to experience the reputed gloom of this traffic tunnel in East Tennessee: Locals avoid it and advise others to do the same. Although no one knows how the tunnel got its reputation, several anecdotes have sprung up over the years relating to murder. Supposedly, driving through could mean a dead engine, or worse: Strange figures and noises have been said to appear. Defaced with graffiti and worn to cracks, it’s not a place for the faint of heart.

43. TEXAS // USS LEXINGTON

Location: Corpus Christi, Texas

A World War II-era battleship that’s now open for tours, the USS Lexington saw fierce combat in her day. It’s said that the spirits of departed soldiers still patrol the vessel. For additional scares, there’s an annual haunted attraction onboard the ship.

44. UTAH // OGDEN CITY CEMETERY

Location: Ogden, Utah

The grounds of the Ogden City Cemetery have more than their fair share of spooky stories. Legend has it that a statue of a World War I soldier has trouble in mind for anyone who drives or walks around his monument three times, while the headstone of Florence “Flo” Grange is said to be the haunted home of a young woman killed by a car while waiting for a date. If you flash your headlights at her tombstone three times, her ghost might materialize.

45. VERMONT // EMILY’S BRIDGE

Location: Stowe, Vermont

Locals in the small town of Stowe call this quaint structure “Emily’s Bridge,” named for a woman who was said to have committed suicide after being stood up by her groom. Strange noises, lights, and apparitions reportedly greet those who visit after daylight hours.

46. VIRGINIA // SAINT ALBANS SANITORIUM

Location: Radford, Virginia

This establishment has an uncomfortable history. It’s a former boys’ school that became a mental hospital known for experimental treatments. It’s also located on ground that was once the site of a Civil War battle as well as a number of skirmishes between colonists and Native Americans. Those who dare to visit won’t want to miss the “Suicide Bathroom” and the “Electroshock Therapy Room.” And if you need a more traditional place to rest up after your visit, there’s a not-so-haunted hotel just down the road.

47. WASHINGTON // MOUNT BAKER THEATRE

Location: Bellingham, Washington

A playful spirit named Judy supposedly haunts this historic theater. For decades, projectionists and ushers have told of sudden breezes and eerie bursts of cold, or being tapped on the shoulder and hearing a ghostly voice whisper their name. While renovating the theater 20 years ago, a worker snapped a picture of a hallway filled with white mist. Some say it was a hoax, while others claim it’s Judy making an appearance.

48. WEST VIRGINIA // LAKE SHAWNEE AMUSEMENT PARK

Location: Rock, West Virginia

There’s nothing creepy about an abandoned amusement park set back in the woods, right? Six children perished on the park’s swings and rides before owners shut it down in 1966. Rust and vines have overtaken most of the structures, but locals and paranormal investigators claim the children, including a little girl in a bloodstained dress, still come out to play.

49. WISCONSIN // PFISTER HOTEL

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The ghost of Charles Pfister, who built this historic hotel in 1893, supposedly haunts its rooms and corridors, but enough activity has been noted by guests that he can’t possibly be the only spirit up to no good. Not convinced? Check out a few testimonies from numerous Major League Baseball players who have stayed there. Their stories include rearranged furniture, flickering lights, radios turning off and on, and even ghosts climbing into bed with them.

50. WYOMING // THE OCCIDENTAL HOTEL

Location: Buffalo, Wyoming

The Occidental has all the ambience of an Old West hotel—including an unwanted guest straight out of that era. According to legend, when the building housed a brothel, the young daughter of prostitute died in a second-story room, and has haunted the hotel ever since. Guests have reported moving furniture, mysterious lights and the sound of children giggling.

By Stacy Conradt, Michele Debczak, Shaunacy Ferro, Kate Horowitz, Jake Rossen, and Jeff Wells.

In the first episode of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, four boys—Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike—are sitting around a basement table playing a spirited game of Dungeons & Dragons. It’s nighttime, and a sense of foreboding hangs over the scene, established by the show’s opening just seconds before when a lab worker fell victim to an unseen creature chasing him down the corridors of a mysterious government facility.

Suddenly, Mike, the Dungeon Master, reveals the mother of all D&D monsters—the one most feared by the other players.

“The Demogorgon!” Mike yells as he slams the game piece down.

As fans of the show well know, the Demogorgon is more than just a formidable foe from a popular role-playing game. It’s also the name the boys give the creature that breaks out of the Upside Down realm, abducts Will, and terrorizes the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. Moreover, it’s a symbol of unspeakable evil, a shorthand for the chaos that visits the otherwise predictable lives of this Anywhereville, USA.

That evil has a long history behind it. Indeed, Stranger Things is only the latest in a collection of novels, epic poems, and other works stretching back centuries that reference the terrifying name.

Beginning in the Middle Ages, the Demogorgon was characterized as a powerful, primordial demon. In Paradise Lost, John Milton’s 1667 epic poem about the fall of man, Demogorgon is “the dreaded name,” and in Milton’s earlier Prolusion 1, Demogorgon is explained as the ancestor of all the gods in ancient mythology. In Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, written circa 1590, the title character invokes the name of Demogorgon while calling upon the demon Mephistopheles. Edmund Spenser, in his allegorical poem The Faerie Queene, describes Demogorgon as one of the rulers of hell, residing “Downe in the bottome of the deepe Abysse … Farre from the view of the Gods and heauens blis,” while in Moby-Dick, Starbuck refers to the white whale as “demigorgon” to the Pequod’s heathen crew. Fast forward more than 100 years, and Hunter S. Thompson is name-checking the Demogorgon in The Rum Diary.

But the Demogorgon’s starring role came in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound, published in 1820, in which it overthrows Jupiter, king of the Gods, and frees the title character from 3000 years of torture. The Romantic poet imagined the Demogorgon not as a creature, but as a dark, shapeless god residing in a cave deep in the underworld.

I see a mighty darkness
Filling the seat of power, and rays of gloom
Dart round, as light from the meridian sun,
Ungazed upon and shapeless; neither limb,
Nor form, nor outline; yet we feel it is
A living Spirit.

So powerful was the Demogorgon that it transcended physical form and, like a Medieval Voldemort, was too terrible a name to say or spell out.

With Dungeons & Dragons, the monster finally took shape: Standing 18 feet tall, it had a scaly, reptilian body, tentacle arms, and two giant baboon heads. It could charm, hypnotize, drain away life force, or make you deadly ill. It was called “The Prince of Demons.” Truly, chaos was its calling card.

In Stranger Things, the Demogorgon became something different—a dark, twisted creature resembling a cross between a werewolf and a Venus flytrap. A general of hell? Lord of the underworld? Maybe not. But with its otherworldly menace and point of origin—a dusky, alternate plane where tiny particles swirl about like falling snow—the creature is every bit vintage Demogorgon.

So who created the Demogorgon? The oldest known mention comes from, of all things, an ancient typo. In a 5th century commentary on an epic by the Roman poet Statius, the Christian scholar Lactantius Placidus referenced “Demogorgon, the supreme god, whose name it is not permitted to know.” Sounds scary, but scholars today believe Placidus’s “Demogorgon” was a misconstruction of the Greek word for “demiurge,” the creator of the physical world. The name conjured up the Gorgons of Greek mythology—the three sisters with snakes for hair, Medusa being the most famous—and stoked the imaginations of future writers. In the 14th century, the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio included the Demogorgon in his genealogy of mythical creatures, the Genealogia deorum gentilium, thus securing its place in the cultural lexicon.

A name, of course, is just that. What’s more important is what a name signifies, which in this case seems to be a fear of the unknown, a fascination with realms beyond. Stranger Things may be a love letter to the ’80s, but its marauding demon carries on a timeless tradition. Long live the Demogorgon.

If you think that haunted houses and cemeteries are the only places spirits reside, get ready to call your local Ghostbusters. All across America, rumors swirl surrounding weird experiences at some of the most trafficked places in the country—retail stores! Want to make your shopping experience just a little bit creepier? Check out any of these locales below.

1. PIKE PLACE MARKET // SEATTLE

As one of the most famous public markets in the country, Pike Place Market is known for a lot of things: fresh coffee, fresher fish, and paranormal activity. The Seattle Times reported on a number of figures who supposedly walk through walls or vanish into thin air—one older gentleman named Frank apparently likes to introduce himself to the living outside of a restroom at the Alibi Room. Various other spirits also have names, like Princess Angeline, Madame Nora, and the “Fat Lady Barber.”

At one point in the early 1900s, one section of the market was home to a mortuary. Currently operating in the basement of that space is Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub. Its manager, Patrick McAleese, recalled some eerie instances to the Times, such as a wall mirror inexplicably shattering, only to have the shards fall into a neat pile. “You think someone must be pulling your leg,” he said. “But then you don’t see anyone.”

2. COS // NEW YORK CITY

New Yorkers can brush elbows with a ghost while doing some light shopping in Soho. The legend dates back to 1799, when Gulielma Elmore Sands tried to elope with her fellow boardinghouse tenant, Levi Weeks. Eleven days later, her body was found at the bottom of the well in Lispenard’s Meadow—which is now 129 Spring Street. Since 2014, it’s been the site of a COS retail store.

Levi was arrested, tried, and acquitted in the first major murder trial in America that was fully recorded by a court stenographer. His attorneys? Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr! But Sands’s ghost is said to roam the area, a warning to other girls who might try to run off with their lovers. Curious shoppers can still see the well in COS—just head to the back of the men’s department in the basement.

3. CHERRYVALE MALL // ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS

Since its opening in 1973, the CherryVale Mall in Rockford, Illinois has been the site of some spooky vibes. The Rock River Times noted that mall employees reported feeling watched or followed after the venue closed at night. Others have reported that certain stores would be a mess in the morning, with clothing scattered or displays knocked over, even if the space was cleaned before being locked up. And, on an even more unsettling note, some even claimed that bathroom doors were held shut by an unknown force.

4. KMART // COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO

OK, technically the Kmart in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho isn’t haunted—but one of its cash registers reportedly is! Employee Tamara Dobbs told the Coeur d’Alene Press that from her very first day at the store, she noticed register No. 2 was strange. Specifically, that it was haunted by a male presence and, she claims, “He monkeys with all the sales.”

The store’s manager, Lauren Larson, noted that employees “just don’t like to be assigned to work on it” because it frequently freezes, clears its memory, and transactions are lost. In his words, the register is “an independent thinker” that “loses its mind,” though technicians can’t seem to find a specific problem with the machine.

5. BROWSE AWHILE BOOKS // TIPP CITY, OHIO

Browse Awhile Books, which specializes in rare and out-of-print books, is rumored to be home to as many as 13 ghosts. Paranormal sightings reportedly include books randomly falling off shelves, voices being heard, footsteps in areas without customers, and, yes, actual ghost sightings. Brian Stephenson, director of the Valley View Paranormal Society, experienced a couple of particularly unsettling incidents, according to the Tipp News Daily. In one, he was scratched a number of times in the basement, and in another, he claimed to have been partially possessed and to have blacked out momentarily while in the sci-fi room.

6. JOHN K. KING USED & RARE BOOKS // DETROIT

Owner John K. King told the Detroit Free Press that strange occurrences had been happening in his store for decades. He dates it back to when items belonging to a woman who committed suicide were brought into the space. Soon after, employees reported hearing footsteps and doors slamming, but when the woman’s things were moved out, King said everything went back to normal. “Nothing happened ever again that was weird,” he said. “It doesn’t mean she’s not there, but I just haven’t noticed her.” A local psychic claims the bookstore may still be active though, based on a late, former employee who may be keeping tabs on his basement office.

7. TOYS “R” US // SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA

A haunted toy store sounds like a solid horror movie plot, but it’s rumored to be a reality in Sunnyvale, California. According to Stranger Dimensions, the legend goes as such: The store was built on property that was formerly a plantation. The plantation’s owner, Martin Murphy, hired a preacher named Johnny Johnson. “Crazy Johnny,” as the preacher was nicknamed, was in love with Murphy’s daughter, Elizabeth. Unfortunately, Elizabeth was planning on marrying a lawyer, and, as the story has it, Johnny was angrily chopping wood one day and fatally wounded himself by accident. His ghost reportedly wanders the land—now home to the Toys “R” Us—looking for Elizabeth. The usual objects coming off of shelves and footsteps have been reported, but the best anecdote (i.e. the one most becoming of a religious apparition) was of employees once hearing a voice whisper “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away” over the intercom system.

8. DIMOND CENTER // ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

The Dimond Center shopping mall in Anchorage, Alaska was reportedly built above an ancient burial ground of Native Alaskans. People have claimed to hear drum and flute music and to have seen various ghosts in native dress wandering the hallways. But most spooky are the claims that transparent wolves are also prowling the mall!

With October 31 fast approaching, you’re probably busy planning costumes, carving jack-o’-lanterns, and stocking up on candy. But it’s also a good idea, among all those preparations, to put some precautions in place to ensure your Halloween will be as safe as it is spooky. Below are seven rules for safe trick-or-treating.

1. MAKE SURE YOUR KID’S COSTUME FITS WELL—AND WON’T CAUSE INJURIES.

Your child will be spending the entire evening in his costume, so make sure it actually fits. Hem dresses and pants that are too long so that your child won’t trip. Outfit your trick-or-treaters in comfortable walking shoes, and make sure laces are double-knotted. And if a costume requires a weapon (sword, lightsaber, etc.), make sure it’s flexible and made from plastic.

Masks are often made with ill-fitting eye slits and next-to-nonexistent holes through which to breathe, so opt instead for non-toxic face paint and makeup. The CDC recommends testing the paint or makeup on a small area of your child’s face ahead of time in order to check for allergic reactions, and then washing everything off before bedtime that night. Be sure to check that the costume is flame resistant as well.

2. MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD WILL BE PROPERLY SUPERVISED.

Per Kids Health, children under 12 should not trick-or-treat without an adult. If your kid is old enough to knock on doors alone, make sure she does so with a group of friends. And whether you’re going out with your child or not, plan their route in advance. It will help ensure no one ends up in unfamiliar areas, and that family members always know where everyone is.

3. MAKE SURE YOUR KID CAN SEE—AND BE SEEN—IN THE DARK.

Equip your child with glow sticks or flashlights stocked with fresh batteries so that he can find his way on unlit sidewalks. The Red Cross also suggests adorning his costume and trick-or-treat bag with reflective tape, so that he can be easily spotted on dark streets.

4. USE STREET SMARTS.

When out trick-or-treating, be sure to cross the street at crosswalks and with the light. When it’s not possible to travel on sidewalks, the CDC recommends walking on the edge of the road facing oncoming traffic to be safest.

Teach your child to be aware of cars backing up and pulling out of parking spots, and to never dart out from between parked cars. Safe Kids Worldwide also advises instructing your child to make eye contact with drivers, to ensure they’ve actually seen her before she crosses in front of their car.

5. BE CAREFUL WHERE—AND WHO—YOU TRICK-OR-TREAT.

The safest trick-or-treating happens in familiar, well-lit areas, says the National Safety Council. Plan to trick-or-treat in your own neighborhood, where there’s a good chance you’ll know the people whose doors you’ll be knocking on. If your child is venturing farther from home, caution her against visiting homes without their lights on. Only take treats at the doorway; make sure your child understands he should never enter someone’s home.

6. CHECK YOUR CHILD’S CANDY TO MAKE SURE IT IS SAFE TO EAT.

Although tampering with candy is rare these days, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should still check your child’s loot for items that are unwrapped or aren’t packaged in their original wrapping. If you have a young child at home, throw out any very small or hard candies that could cause choking. Similar caution should be used if your child has food allergies.

7. PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH IDENTIFICATION.

Despite all your best planning, it is still possible you will get separated from your child. To ensure his safety, the MayoClinic suggests pinning a piece of paper with your child’s name, address, and your phone number to an inside coat pocket, to aid in a quick and easy reunion.

All images via iStock.

Poliomyelitis, an infectious, potentially fatal disease that permanently paralyzed both children and adults, was once a serious problem in the United States. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was paralyzed due to polio, and almost 60,000 Americans were infected with polio in 1952. The disease inspired fear because there was no obvious way to prevent it, and it struck thousands of children. In 1955, though, virologist Jonas Salk became a worldwide hero when he developed the first effective polio vaccine. Here are a dozen facts about Salk, the Father of Biophilosophy, who was born on this day in 1914.

1. HIS FATHER WAS A CLOTHING DESIGNER WITH LIMITED EDUCATION.

Salk’s father, Daniel, was the son of Jewish immigrants who came to America from Eastern Europe. Daniel graduated from elementary school but not high school, and he worked in the garment industry as a designer of women’s blouses. Salk’s mother, Dora, left Russia for the U.S. in 1901 and had no education. Because of their limited instruction, Salk’s parents encouraged him and his two younger brothers to further their schooling and advance in the world.

2. HE PLANNED TO BE A LAWYER AND SERVE IN CONGRESS.

In a 1991 interview with the Academy of Achievement, Salk revealed that he was not interested in science as a child. He entered college as a pre-law student, hoping to be elected to Congress one day. The reason he switched from pre-law to pre-med? “My mother didn’t think I’d make a very good lawyer. And I believe that her reasons were that I couldn’t really win an argument with her,” he explained.

3. HE WAS REJECTED FROM MULTIPLE LABS AFTER MEDICAL SCHOOL.

After graduating from medical school at New York University and completing his residency training, Salk applied to laboratories to work in medical research. Rather than treat patients as a practicing physician, Salk hoped to work on the influenza vaccine, a research area he began studying in medical school. Although he was rejected from multiple labs, perhaps due to quotas that discriminated against Jewish people, he didn’t get discouraged. “My attitude was always to keep open, to keep scanning. I think that’s how things work in nature. Many people are close-minded, rigid, and that’s not my inclination,” he revealed in his Academy of Achievement interview.

4. THE MARCH OF DIMES FOUNDATION FUNDED HIS RESEARCH.

Salk worked on the influenza vaccine at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health until 1947, when he began running a lab at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The next year, he started working on a project for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (later renamed the March of Dimes Foundation) to research the different types of polio. Roosevelt created the foundation in 1938 to help other Americans suffering from polio, and the foundation funded many polio research and vaccine trials, including Salk’s.

5. HE TESTED THE POLIO VACCINE ON HIS OWN FAMILY.

In the early 1950s, Salk tested the polio vaccine he developed on monkeys, children in Pittsburgh, and himself. Strongly believing in the safety and efficacy of his vaccine, Salk also injected his wife, Donna, and their three sons [PDF] in the family’s kitchen, using syringes he had boiled on the stove. In 1953, Salk published the preliminary results of his human testing in the Journal of the American Medical Association. By June 1954, 1.8 million children and adults, dubbed polio pioneers, had volunteered to be injected with Salk’s vaccine (or a placebo) in a double-blind trial, sponsored by the March of Dimes. And on April 12, 1955, Salk’s vaccine was licensed. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the media reported that Salk’s national trial was a success, and crowds of ecstatic people celebrated the news.

6. OTHER SCIENTISTS CRITICIZED HIS NOVEL APPROACH TO VACCINES.

Although Salk was lauded as a savior and international hero, some of his fellow scientists didn’t feel the love. Polish-American scientist Albert Sabin loudly criticized Salk, calling him a kitchen chemist and trying to discredit his choice to use a killed polio virus (rather than a live or weakened one) in his vaccine. Sabin, as well as many of Salk’s contemporaries, incorrectly believed that a killed virus wouldn’t adequately immunize the patient. Additionally, a vaccine using a weakened polio virus might actually infect the patient with polio, and Salk didn’t want to take that risk. Other scientists resented Salk for succeeding outside the medical establishment and for getting all the accolades when he was just one of many researchers working on polio.

In 1962, Sabin introduced an oral (sugar cube) polio vaccine that contained a live (rather than killed) virus, and the U.S. government began using Sabin’s vaccine instead of Salk’s because it was cheaper and still effective. Today, a reformulated version of Salk’s vaccine is used in most parts of the world (except for parts of Africa and the Middle East where polio is still a problem, and where Sabin’s vaccine is used).

7. HE DIDN’T WANT TO FILE A PATENT FOR THE POLIO VACCINE.

Salk didn’t directly profit from his polio vaccine because he didn’t file a patent for it. When a journalist asked him who owned the patent, Salk responded: “The people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?” Salk reportedly objected to owning the patent because millions of Americans had donated money to the March of Dimes, hoping to help eradicate polio. But according to U.S. patent law, the vaccine wasn’t novel enough to be patentable, so some scholars criticize Salk for presenting himself as an altruistic person when he was probably aware that the vaccine couldn’t be patented. Forbes estimates that had he owned the patent, Salk could have earned $7 billion.

8. HE DISLIKED BEING A PUBLIC FIGURE.

Although Salk quickly became a world hero, he didn’t enjoy losing his anonymity and gaining the responsibilities that came with being a public figure. “I felt myself very much like someone in the eye of a hurricane because all this swirling was going on around me. It was at that moment that everything changed,” Salk recalled of becoming an overnight celebrity. Some scientists criticized him for hogging the international media spotlight, and the National Academy of Sciences and Nobel Prize Committee ignored him, perhaps because he had achieved success while working outside the scientific establishment.

9. HE WAS THE STEPFATHER OF PABLO PICASSO’S CHILDREN.

In 1970, Salk married Françoise Gilot, a French artist who had two children, Claude and Paloma, with Pablo Picasso. In an interview in 1980, Paloma remembered the fear people had of polio, and that as a child, she didn’t visit her father’s house in the South of France due to a polio outbreak. She also revealed that she got along well with her stepfather: “He’s very cute. He’s a wonderful person,” she said. After his death in 1995, Gilot continued her late husband’s legacy by working at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

10. HE TRIED TO DEVELOP CURES FOR CANCER AND AIDS.

After Salk developed the polio vaccine, he tried to develop vaccines for cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. Although he wasn’t ultimately successful, he did patent Remune, a vaccine for AIDS to delay the progression of HIV into AIDS. In 2001, six years after Salk died, Pfizer stopped funding clinical trials for Remune due to a lack of evidence that it worked.

11. HE WROTE A HANDFUL OF BOOKS ABOUT SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY.

Throughout the 1970s and ’80s, Salk wrote books about science, philosophy, and mankind. In The Survival of the Wisest, Salk applied Charles Darwin’s ideas on survival of the fittest to the need for humankind to be educated and have knowledge. And in World Population and Human Values: A New Reality, he and his psychiatrist son, Dr. Jonathan Salk, discussed the interplay between world population growth and human values.

12. THE SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES CONTINUES HIS WORK.

In 1963, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies opened in La Jolla, California. Although Salk reportedly struggled with running the business side of the institute, he got funding from the March of Dimes Foundation and recruited Nobel Prize-winning scientists to investigate the biological aspects of cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Designed by architect Louis Kahn, the institute continues to serve as a research center for immunology, neuroscience, and genetics.

There’s no such thing as bad chocolate, but some companies certainly go above and beyond. Worldwide, we consume a staggering 7.3 million tons of chocolate, but today there’s far more to chocolate than just dark, white, or milk. And thankfully, there is no limit to the creativity these 15 companies put into their chocolaty confections.

1. CHUAO CHOCOLATIER

Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW) is a master of textural wonderment, known for their diverse range of unique chocolate bars including the Firecracker—a dark bar infused with sea salt, chipotle, and popping candy that explodes in your mouth. Founded in 2002 by Master Chef Michael Antonorsi, the company is named after Venezuela’s legendary cacao-producing region of Chuao and recognized as the first Venezuelan chocolatier based in the United States. Since introducing their original signature flavor, Spicy Maya, the company’s one-of-a-kind menu has expanded to include chocolate bars, bonbons, truffles, and drinking chocolate in extraordinary flavor combinations like coconut hibiscus, raspberry rose, caramel apple, and cinnamon cereal. They have two chocolate cafes in San Diego County, California and can be found in specialty retailers such as Whole Foods, Dean and Deluca, and Crate & Barrel.

2. ASKINOSIE CHOCOLATE

Named one of Forbes‘ 25 Best Small Companies in America and Oprah Magazine’s “15 Guys Who Are Saving the World,” former criminal defense lawyer Shawn Askinosie started Askinosie Chocolate with his wife in 2005 from their Springfield, Missouri home. Using a 6000-pound antique granite melangeur from Europe (fancy phrasing for tabletop grinder) to whip up their first batches, Askinosie Chocolate took off and the owners have never looked back. Their cocoa is sourced direct from farmers in Honduras, Ecuador, Philippines, and Tanzania. Askinosie features a CollaBARation™ line of bars made possible through partnerships with complementary businesses to produce flavors like Dark Chocolate + Intelligentsia Coffee and Dark Chocolate + Crunchy Sugar Crystals.

3. THE CHOCOLATE SMITHS

The confectionery offerings at The Chocolate Smiths are as entertaining as they are unusual—perhaps summed up by the name of their signature line, appropriately called Bizarre Bars. The company specializes in “luxury chocolates with the fun left in.” From Scorpion Chili (made with the world’s second hottest pepper) to Bubblegum (mixed with creamy white chocolate and vanilla), the chocolatier uses only high-quality Belgian couverture chocolate to deliver a unique candy experience. Located in Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK, The Chocolate Smiths ship worldwide and can be found in independent delicatessens, department stores, and major tourist attractions across the globe.

4. VOSGES HAUT-CHOCOLAT

Take a walk on the wild side with Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Their use of exotic ingredients like Hungarian paprika, Indian curry, and Chinese star anise makes them a chocolate lover’s paradise with a twist. Founder Katrina Markoff’s love of travel is reflected in the company’s premium chocolate that nurtures awareness of and appreciation for the world’s diverse cultures. Vosges has retail locations in New York, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

5. CHOCOLATES EL REY

Award-winning Chocolates El Rey, one of the oldest chocolate manufacturers in Venezuela, has been making premium-grade chocolates since 1929. A socially responsible and eco-friendly company, El Rey offers consumers gourmet chocolate made with fairly traded cacao beans direct from small- and large-scale Venezuelan growers. Their products, which include the Carenero Superior, Rio Caribe, and Special Reserves lines, are crafted with specialty beans from various regions of this breathtaking South American country.

6. MAST BROTHERS

Artistic elegance describes brothers Rick and Michael Mast’s product line, who name collections of their bean-to-bar chocolate after their flagship locations in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and London. They’re the only ones in the world offering bars like Rhubarb and Custard, Black Treacle, Tea and Milk, and Tahitian Vanilla, made with ingredients sourced from some of the most beautiful places on the planet. Sea salt from Iceland? Delicious. Founded in 2007, Mast Brothers wraps all their confections in ornamental wrappers almost too pretty to open. Almost.

7. CACAO ART CHOCOLATES

This Florida treasure features some of the most artistic chocolates ever. Case in point: their decadent Anís y Papelón truffle (an International Chocolate Awards winner), made from sweet anise and raw cane sugar and inspired by the traditional Venezuelan pastry. Sisters Susana and Isabel Garcia started the business in Venezuela but later relocated to Miami. Their goal is to recreate the flavors of their childhood while capturing the growing arts scene in South Florida.

8. MOONSTRUCK CHOCOLATE COMPANY

Master Chocolatier Chef Julian Rose was named one of the best chocolatiers in North America for a reason: He creates chocolate of a near-addictive quality. Much like the Apollo moon landing, Moonstruck is exploring new ground—they just do it by introducing the world to unknown chocolate varieties. Their signature bar, Fortunato No. 4, is made from a Peruvian cacao bean once thought to be extinct. In addition to their four cafes in the Pacific Northwest, Moonstruck Chocolate is sold at specialty retailers and gift shops across the United States.

9. FRENCH BROAD CHOCOLATES

French Broad Chocolates, owned by husband and wife team Dan and Jael Rattigan, is named after North Carolina’s French Broad River—which happens to be the third oldest river in the world. Their truffles—packaged in fanciful collections featuring flavors like cider, beet, ginger, bourbon, lavender, grapefruit, and more—are of colossal proportions. Both the French Broad Lounge and French Broad Factory & Tasting Room are located in Asheville, North Carolina.

10. 2 CHICKS WITH CHOCOLATE

After a life-altering car accident prevented Barbara Wassung from commuting to work, she and her daughter, Elyissia, got serious about launching their chocolate company from their home kitchen in Queens, New York. What started as a home-grown, door-to-door small business has now blossomed into a fledgling chocolatier specializing in hand-crafted chocolates. Their 12-piece signature collection includes a designer box and mouthwatering flavors like passion fruit caramel, raspberry ganache, champagne ganache, and marshmallow fluff. Find their goodies online and at their stores in New Jersey towns like East Brunswick, Metuchen, and Middletown.

11. NORMAN LOVE CONFECTIONS

Based out of Fort Myers, Florida and founded by Norman Love and his wife, Mary, in 2001, Norman Love Confections offers unique, vibrantly colored chocolates that often incorporate fruit—like tart raspberry and passion fruit. Each piece resembles a shining bit of finished marble—exquisite, yet edible. Their recently launched Norman Love Confections BLACK collection combines chocolate from five different regions including Maracaibo (Venezuela), Peru, Ghana, Tanzania, and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). Find their delightful treats at one of their store-owned “salons” or at hotels, florists, and fine restaurants in the United States.

12. GAIL AMBROSIUS CHOCOLATIER

Shiitake mushroom is just one example of the many adventurous flavors found in Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier chocolate bars and truffles. After a school trip to Paris when she was 17, Ambrosius fell in love with dark chocolate and knew she had to start her own company. She finally had the opportunity to make a fresh start when, more than two decades later, she found herself suddenly laid off. Try the company’s Beerific Taster’s Box, which can be found online, at the store in Wisconsin, or other retailers in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area.

13. CHOCOLATE FOR THE SPIRIT

Does the Midwest have spirit? You bet it does! Enriching lives through thoughtfully created confections is the name of the game at Chocolate for the Spirit in Carmel, Indiana. Their Tall, Dark & Handsome bar is a Grand Cru single-origin bar with licorice notes, hints of coffee, and blended-in Swiss milk to create a memorable experience for chocolate connoisseurs.

14. COMPARTÉS

A favorite among Hollywood celebs—including the late Marilyn Monroe—and supplier to major events such as the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, Compartés has been putting a hip spin on chocolate from their Los Angeles location since 1950. Recently taken over by chocolate prodigy Jonathan Grahm, the chocolatier uses only chocolate sourced from South America, along with local ingredients found at California farmers’ markets. Try Jonathan’s Signature Truffles, which come in various prints and designs and are filled with a rich chocolate ganache.

15. DIVINE CHOCOLATE

Divine Chocolate is, unusually, a farmer-owned chocolate company. Co-owned by the 85,000 farmer members of Kuapa Kokoo, the cooperative in Ghana that supplies the cocoa for each bar of Divine, the chocolatier got its start in the UK before relaunching in the United States in 2007. Each wrapper includes a variety of Adinkra symbols which date back hundreds of years and convey traditional Ghanaian values and wisdom. Check out their popular Dark Chocolate with Pink Himalayan Salt.

For hundreds of years, black cats in many countries have been given a bad rap due to the suspicion that they work with witches. But while we know now these dark-haired felines aren’t bad omens, it sometimes feels that way. Throw superstition to the wind in time for National Black Cat Day on October 27 with these tales of unlucky but endearing black cats.

1. FRIGHTENED FELINES DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

Unlike the internet’s modern love for cats, felines haven’t always been revered as cuddly pets worth worshipping. During the Middle Ages, cats were regularly victims of cruelty, often in the form of beatings and burnings as a way to rid evil from communities. Black cats were heavily targeted since their dark coats were considered symbols of their allegiance to witches, demons, and the devil. Many towns created annual holidays to cleanse the streets of cats—in Ypres, Belgium, cats were thrown from church bell towers and set on fire each May 2 until 1817. It wasn’t uncommon for French courimauds—cat chasers—to set cats ablaze before chasing them through the street and distributing the ashy remains to townsfolk for good luck.

2. TRIXIE, THE TOWER OF LONDON PRISONER

Trixie wasn’t sentenced to the Tower of London’s horrors, but she did do time with a purpose: keeping a friend-turned-owner alive. Henry Wriothesley, the Third Earl of Southampton, had been imprisoned in 1601 after supporting a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. His time in the tower was spent with little food and taxing surroundings, but somehow Trixie, the cat supposedly painted into his portrait, developed a skill for smuggling Henry food, wiggling down a chimney to deliver scraps. The two became companions, spending two years in confinement together until they were released in 1603. While the tale of Trixie is well known, historians aren’t quite sure it’s true, and instead believe the cat featured in Henry’s portrait is a symbol with an unknown meaning.

3. MISLEADING, THIEVING BLACK CATS

Scientist Gustavus Katterfelto was considered by many to be a quack during the mid-1700s, and his trickery involving black cats might have had something to do with it. Katterfelto often drew viewers to his lectures and performances by advertising his “Famous Moroccan Black Cat,” only to reveal to the crowds that his cat was not evil at all. He took to using magic tricks and deception to hide the cat or a slew of black kittens into audience members’ pockets, snatching watches and money as he placed the kittens, or playing other pranks.

4. THE CAT WHO INSPIRED A MURDER TALE

Edgar Allan Poe is known for his macabre tales, but his muse—a black cat—was supposedly the inspiration for one famous tale. “The Black Cat” tells the story of a drunkard who abuses a pet cat and kills his wife. While Poe adored cats throughout his life, his most famous being a tortoiseshell named Catarina, Poe knew that the strange activities of black cats were symbols of something much deeper: “the boundary between instinct and reason is of a very shadowy nature.”

5. TRIM, THE NAVIGATING FELINE

Trim was a black cat best known for circumnavigating Australia with his companion Captain Matthew Flinders between 1801 and 1803. Flinders is credited with charting the southern continent, but in 1804 he was taken prisoner by the French in Mauritius. During that time, Trim went missing, and Flinders believed he suffered a horrible fate not worthy of a seafaring cat: being caught and eaten by hungry slaves. In a poem, Flinders memorialized Trim as “the best and most illustrious of his race, the most affectionate of friends, faithful of servants, and best of creatures,” and at least two different statues stand as tribute to the noble cat.

6. UNSINKABLE SAM, WHO SURVIVED MULTIPLE NAVAL DISASTERS

Most cats don’t like water. Unfortunately for Unsinkable Sam, he faced three separate instances where swimming was his only option. Sam was originally a German pet named Oscar who spent time aboard the Axis battleship Bismarck. But in May 1941, the ship sank and poor Oscar, floating on a plank, was rescued by the HMS Cossack. Along with his new allegiance, Oscar got a new name—Sam—and boosted ship morale until October of that same year, when the Cossack was torpedoed. Sam’s next assignment on the HMS Ark Royal ended within a month when the aircraft carrier was also torpedoed. After surviving all three attacks, Sam retired his sea legs for life on dry land before dying of natural causes in 1955.

7. BLACKIE, THE TALKING CAT WHO WENT TO COURT

In 1982, Blackie the Talking Cat was a bit of a sideshow act in Augusta, Georgia. His owners, Carl and Elaine Miles, reportedly trained the cat to meow phrases such as “l love you” and “I want my mama.” The couple charged “donations” for the curious act, but after weeks of moneymaking, their gig came to a halt when they were told a business license was required to continue profiting from Blackie’s talents. Despite purchasing a license, the Mileses sued the city of Augusta claiming free speech rights—and they lost, with a judge determining that Blackie wasn’t a person and therefore didn’t have his rights violated. Though, the judge did concede that Blackie was a pretty convincing oddity.

8. OSCAR, THE BIONIC CAT

One British kitty learned how dangerous farm equipment can be when he lost his two rear legs to a combine harvester in 2009. Poor Oscar had a turn of luck when a veterinarian considered him a candidate for prosthetic legs. At first, Oscar’s owners felt odd about trying out the experiment (which cost at least £20,000), but were advised that it was the cat’s best chance for survival. Now deemed the “bionic cat” since adapting to his new legs, Oscar has become the star of a book and documentary exploring his near-death experience.

9. LEWIS, WHO WAS SENTENCED TO HOUSE ARREST

A Connecticut cat was the first feline to be placed on house arrest in 2006 after neighbors accused him of continued stalking and attacks. After multiple complaints, animal control personnel issued a restraining order against Lewis, requiring him to remain indoors or within a cage if outdoors. But after an escape and another attack, Lewis’s owner was arrested and charged with failure to comply with a restraining order and reckless endangerment. A court determined that Lewis could avoid euthanasia and keep his claws if he remained indoors, though his owner was required to perform 50 hours of community service.

10. BART, THE ZOMBIE CAT

In 2015, a black and white cat by the name of Bart was deemed the “Zombie Cat” (and also the “Miracle Cat”) after emerging from his shallow grave. After being hit by a car, Bart was believed dead and buried by a friend of his owner. But five days later, severely injured and dehydrated, Bart clawed his way out of the grave and was discovered by a neighbor who sought help. But poor Bart’s bad luck didn’t end there—he became the center of a well-publicized legal battle between the animal shelter where he received care and the family he belonged to. In September 2016, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay won the right to ownership, and Bart was quickly transfered to a new forever home.

11. HUMPHREY, THE SCANDALOUS POLITICAT

It’s hard work being the UK’s Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, but some cat has got to do it. Humphrey was one of four cats given the honorary title (and duties) at the office of the Prime Minister. The large black and white feline—who was noted in one 1992 memo as being “a workaholic who spends nearly all his time at the office, has no criminal record, does not socialise a great deal or go to many parties and has not been involved in any sex or drugs scandals that we know of”—served between 1989 and 1997 during the Thatcher and Blair administrations. However, in 1994, a journalist visiting 10 Downing Street hinted that Humphrey killed a nest of robins. Humphrey’s representatives denied requests for interviews, stating “Unfortunately as Humphrey is a civil servant, he is bound by civil service rules and cannot talk to the press about his position.” It wasn’t until 2006 that a reporter fully explained the dead robin situation and called for a posthumous pardon for Humphrey.

12. BLACK CATS IN ANIMAL SHELTERS

Despite the perception that black cats are less likely to be adopted (studies by the ASPCA have shown that more black cats are adopted than any other color), it is true that more black cats are euthanized than other colors of cats. It’s mostly a numbers game: black fur is a common genetic trait for cats, meaning there are simply more black cats coming into shelters—possibly more than twice as many black cats are in the system than other lighter colors. Additionally animal organizations in the UK believe that in the age of internet sharing, black pets tend not to photograph well, and may therefore have a more difficult time being placed in homes. Blame it on selfies.

Fall is the perfect time for a small-town festival: the summer heat has cooled and harvests are abundant, creating ideal conditions to get outside, mingle with your neighbors, and snack on local treats. Although many small-town festivals center around food, our favorites approached their culinary selections in a unique, unexpected way. And there were a few non-food-related standouts that we couldn’t resist including as well. Herewith are 12 offbeat, small-town fall festivals worth checking out.

1. GIANT OMELETTE CELEBRATION // NOVEMBER 5—6, 2016

According to legend, Napoleon and his traveling army once stopped for the night near the town of Bessières in the South of France. A local innkeeper fed Napoleon an omelet that was so good, the French leader ordered the village to round up all its eggs to serve the same dish, on an extremely large scale, to his men the following morning. From this story has grown the French tradition of cooking a massive omelet to feed the poor at Easter—a tradition the Louisiana town of Abbeville has taken for its own omelet celebration, in a move to reconnect the town with its French heritage. For this annual festival, started in 1984, 5000 eggs are paraded through the town to a 12-foot skillet, where chefs whip them up into a Giant Cajun Omelette. The festival also features an egg toss, an egg-cracking contest, and a charity walk, among other family-friendly activities.

2. HARRY POTTER FESTIVAL // OCTOBER 21—23, 2016

As its name attests, this Edgerton, Wisconsin, festival celebrates the wizards brought to life by J.K. Rowling and the magical world in which they live. The festival goes to great lengths to recreate Potter World, offering its own Diagon Alley, Tri Wizard Maze, fully animated patronuses, and mugs of butterbeer. Visiting muggles can ride a broomstick, go on a horcrux hunt, try on a sorting hat, or any number of other activities clearly laid out on the fest’s own Marauder’s Map.

3. CIRCLEVILLE PUMPKIN SHOW // OCTOBER 19—22, 2016

Held annually since 1903, this four-day homage to the pumpkin has grown into the country’s sixth-largest festival, attracting more than 400,000 attendees every year. Highlights include the Giant Pumpkin Contest (last year’s winner weighed 1666 pounds) and the equally gigantic pumpkin pie (six feet in diameter), baked every year by local pie-makers from Lindsey’s Bakery. Other attractions include a pumpkin pie-eating contest, seven parades (including one for pets), and pageants to crown Little Miss Pumpkin and Miss Pumpkin Queen. And as promised by the festival’s slogan—”The Greatest Free Show on Earth”—you can enjoy all the festivities sans entry fee.

4. ENNIS HUNTERS FEED // OCTOBER 21, 2016

What started, 30 years ago, as a way for the townspeople of Ennis, Montana, to clear out their freezers, has turned into an annual competition to create the most interesting dishes out of last season’s wild game. Held each year right before the start of rifle season, the cook-off sees home chefs competing in the categories of Best Chili, Best Non-Chili, Most Unusual, and Judge’s Choice. Past entries have included moose chili, elk fajitas, and—in the category of Most Unusual—deer fudge and bear pizza.

5. THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHUCKIN FEST // OCTOBER 22, 2016

Just like Circleville, Wisconsin’s Union Grove hosts a pumpkin festival at this time every year. Its fest, however, has a much different draw: a pumpkin chucking contest. Teams compete in the categories of Trebuchet, Slingshot, and Catapult, in which they attempt to chuck an 8- to 10-pound pumpkin using one of these contraptions that they built themselves. While they’re waiting to find out who won—trophies are given out for Machine Design, Team Presentation, Distance and Accuracy, and Good Sportsmanship—they can sample fare from the festival’s Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off, which awards prizes in the categories of best chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket.

6. THE INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL // OCTOBER 20—23, 2016

Also held in honor of one of its state’s largest crops, this fest has been hosted by the town of Crowley, Louisiana, since 1937 (not including a four-year hiatus during World War II) and now ranks as one of the state’s largest agricultural festivals. The three-day festivities include the Rice Creole and Cookery Contest, a 5K Rice Festival run/walk, and the crowning of the Rice Festival Queen, as well as live music and arts and crafts.

7. THE NATIONAL PEANUT FESTIVAL // NOVEMBER 4—13, 2016

Seeing as a quarter of the nation’s peanuts are grown within a 100-mile radius of this Alabama town, it’s no wonder Dothan, which calls itself the Peanut Capital of the World, hosts this peanut festival every year. The inaugural festival, held in 1938, was a three-day event that featured a pageant, parade, and Dr. George Washington Carver as guest speaker. In the years since, the fest has grown into a 10-day extravaganza that includes live music, livestock shows, amusement rides, a parade, and a cheerleading contest. The pageant remains part of the festivities, as young women from peanut-producing counties in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia compete for the title of Miss National Peanut Festival.

8. TEXAS MUSHROOM FESTIVAL // OCTOBER 22, 2016

Nicknamed the Mushroom Capital of Texas, Madisonville has been hosting this mushroom-centric festival for the past 15 years. Highlights of this year’s fest include a gala dinner—whose menu, of course, features mushrooms in each of its four courses—and cooking demos of mushroom-centric recipes. The festival also offers tastings of Texas wines and craft beers in its biergarten, as well as an annual competitive grape stomp.

9. OZARKS BACON FEST // OCTOBER 29, 2016

Bacon lovers, this one’s just the thing for you. This Springfield, Missouri, fest, now in its fourth year, devotes an entire day to celebrating the increasingly gourmet meat, with the region’s artisan bacon makers and chefs offering attendees tastes of bacon-infused treats. The festival also features a bacon-eating contest, crowning whoever can pack away the most meat in two minutes. Since the fest is billed as “a salute to bacon, bourbon and beer,” it’s no surprise that craft beer and spirits will be on hand to sample as well—or that festivalgoers must be at least 21 years old to attend.

10. BOGGY BAYOU MULLET FESTIVAL // OCTOBER 21—23, 2016

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, this Niceville, Florida, festival—called Boggy Bayou after the town’s original name—honors the mullet fish that gave the town’s first inhabitants their main source of sustenance and trade. The weekend-long fest offers attendees plenty of opportunities to sample its namesake food as well as other regional culinary treats like crawfish, shrimp, and, for the truly adventurous, alligator on a stick. The festival is also known for the country music stars who grace its stage; this year’s big names include Confederate Railroad and Chase Bryant.

11. WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP DUCK CALLING CONTEST & WINGS OVER THE PRAIRIE FESTIVAL // NOVEMBER 19—26, 2016

The longest-running duck calling competition, this Stuttgart, Arkansas, contest—the highlight of the city’s Wings Over the Prairie Festival—is now in its 81st year. (Flossy facts: The first-ever champion, Thomas E. Walsh of Greenville, Mississippi, won with calls he produced not with a duck call but in his own throat; only one woman has ever been champion—Stuttgart’s own Pat Peacock, who won in 1955 and 1956.) The contest attracts callers from all over the country and is so competitive that contestants must have won preliminary contests sanctioned by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce to even enter. The rest of the Wings Over the Prairie festival includes a children’s duck-calling contest, a duck gumbo cook-off, and the Queen Mallard Pageant.

12. CAROLINA BALLOONFEST // OCTOBER 21—23, 2016

North Carolina’s Iredell County has a long history with hot air balloons, having manufactured them since the early 1970s. This annual festival, held in the town of Statesville, has been celebrating that relationship for more than 40 years, making it the second-longest running ballooning event in the country. Twice a day, attendees are treated to the sight of more than 50 hot air balloons rising into the sky; as darkness falls on Saturday night, they can also enjoy the Balloon Glow, as the balloons, lit up from within, shine like lanterns in the sky. As if the festival isn’t lovely enough, a percentage of its proceeds are donated to local nonprofits.