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A lot has changed since these four mental hospitals were first opened back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. During those times the mentally ill were often treated with disregard, disrespect and neglect. Many of the treatments that were used in these facilities to attempt to “cure” mental illness are things we consider incredibly inhumane practices today. But back then, it was standard operating procedure. If you have a fascination with the past then take a look at the history of these four Southern California mental institutions as they all have quite an interesting story....

Let’s face it, Austin only has two seasons. While the rest of the world gears up for pumpkin spice lattes and golden leaves, Austin joyfully basks in summertime bliss. Even as the calendar approaches the end of the year, Austinites find ways to prolong those luxuriously lazy days. These seven little-known beaches near Austin will make your summer (no matter how long it is) unforgettable. San Gabriel Park Vicki Lackey/Flickr Austin-area beaches may not be full of salt water and sand castles, but they do have one thing that coastal beaches don’t: shady oak trees....

Just because Portland is has a thriving international food scene doesn’t mean it skimps on the classic Italian fare of pasta. We have plenty of great pasta in town, and here are some of the best places to enjoy it. JustaPasta JustaPasta / Facebook JustaPasta / Facebook Classic homemade recipes like alfredo, pesto, marinara and puttanesca make JustaPasta great. Their homemade pasta is some of the best in town, and you are able to select your noodles and sauce, making it easy to customize your meal to your tastes....

Washington has some stunning historic homes, and many of them have been beautifully preserved. In a state with such rich history, it’s no surprise that some of these houses come with interesting back stories. Here are a few of our old houses that would be amazing to visit now, not to mention many years ago. Carbonneau Mansion, Yakima Wikipedia This beautiful mansion is now Findery Floral and Gift in Yakima, but it used to belong to a woman named Belinda Carbonneau....

Detroit is undoubtedly one of the most unique cities in the world. Our fascinating history, unbeatable spirit, and plethora of awesome attractions make our town an incredibly special place to visit. Here are nine spots in the Motor City that are absolutely one-of-a-kind, and you’ll want to see them for yourself. The Masonic Temple (500 Temple Street) Flickr/Scott Shields Constructed in 1926, Detroit’s Masonic Temple is the largest of its kind in the world....

The few, the proud, the ones who were lucky enough to attend a small high school in South Dakota. You know I’m talking about you if you can relate to these nine things: Your teacher was your coach. Chris Warren / Flickr Your history teacher was also your track coach. And they were probably also your volleyball coach as well as your gym teacher. Everyone carries a little extra weight in a small school....

Bethany Beach is a small Delaware beach town, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Year-round, it’s home to just over 1,000 residents, and in the summer, the population swells to around 15,000. That’s still a lot less than Rehoboth Beach, or even Dewey Beach, sees in the peak tourism months. This is one of the quieter beach towns in the area, but it’s certainly not one where you’ll lack things to do!...

Vermont is a unique and quirky state, but sometimes even the best of us gets thrown for a loop. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, one of these bizarre things happens. You’ve experienced a green Christmas. Flickr/Rich Bah Humbug! It doesn’t feel like the holidays without a blanket of snow. Instead of stopping at a train crossing, you’ve stopped for cows. Flickr/fritzmb They moooooove at their own pace....

That crunch of leaves below your feet. Picking up the most perfect, red leaf to put in a scrapbook. Seeing treetops in all different colors. This is fall in Wisconsin. Fall is probably the most beautiful time of year to see our state. And if you’re looking for beautiful foliage, you have a great chance of getting some breathtaking views at these 9 state parks: Wyalusing State Park Anne Marie Peterson/Flickr Located in Bagley, this state park is beautiful anytime of year, with gorgeous views of the Mississippi....

New Jersey has some lovely places with lovely names – Cape May, Stone Harbor, Spring Lake, to name a few. We also have some lovely places with names that are a bit strange, and even spooky. Only in New Jersey can you drive down Shades Of Death Road, get off at Jenny Jump State Forest and head to Ghost Lake for boating and fishing. While this may sound like a perilous journey, it’s actually quite spectacular....

The middle of January is usually when winter starts to hit us hard. Who knows, it could even snow in May again! This means it’s almost sledding season, and you should have your prime sledding spots picked out. Here are 8 spots I found to start off with. Sledding Hill in Olathe GoogleEarth This may not be a hill made just for sledding, but you won’t tell the locals that! It’s a pretty good slope at 119th and KC Road....

Every day, we bring you another article about something amazing in South Dakota. Many of those places are so beautiful, that we encourage you to make plans to visit as soon as you can. Today, we’ve compiled a list of some our articles that feature stunning places you shouldn’t miss – a sort of bucket list to help you plan your spring and summer in the beautiful Mount Rushmore state....

Growing up in West Virginia is special. You learn a lot of things about life growing up in state that honors its culture, heritage and traditions. Let’s take a look at 13 life lessons you learned if you grew up in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Always put family first. Flickr Kat Grigg Never put anyone or anything before your family. Always remember that at the end of the day, it is your family that has your back, believes in you, and loves you unconditionally....

What’s the attraction to food on a stick? Well, if your lunch (or dessert) is on a stick, you can walk, people watch, and eat while meandering around your local county or state fair. The Iowa State Fair published a list of 50 food-on-a-stick items. Here are 10 we think you need to try. Twinkie Log (frozen Twinkie dipped in white chocolate and rolled in cashews) on a stick Iowa State Fair Website Some of us aren’t over the terrifying Twinkie shortage of 2012....

Florida doesn’t exactly have a reputation for being the safest state in the country, and last year it was reported that more of our cities than any other state’s were on the list of the 100 most dangerous ones in the U.S. Always curious, we used the website www.areavibes.com to find the 10 cities with the lowest crime rates in Florida. This being Florida, it probably won’t surprise you that most of these cities are pretty wealthy....

Summer is just around the corner. Do you know how you’ll be spending it? Ohio is a gold mine for water parks, both large and small. From massive indoor water parks to little-known lakes with water slides and splash pads, there’s likely a water park a short drive from your hometown. The following are 14 of our favorite water parks in Ohio—and you’ll want to visit each one this summer....

Idaho does a lot of things right. Mountains, fishing, community… But the Gem State has never been known by the rest of the country as a barbecue mecca. That being said, Idahoans do know their meat, and determined carnivores that we are, we’ve learned the best ways to smoke it, rub it, sauce it, and still get that crispy-heavenly char that makes your eyes roll back in your head with happiness....

Iowa is famous for one specific and timeless type of candy. It hasn’t changed much in nearly 100 years, and you can visit the place where it’s still made one batch at a time. This is the oldest company of its size under continued family ownership in the United States. Palmer’s Candies is proud of its history, and loves to welcome visitors so they can share their story. Palmer Candy Company/Facebook It’s one of the country’s oldest and most respected chocolate factories and this candy company has a delicious story to tell....

Few places in the country have the feel of the Old West quite like Wyoming. With rugged mountains, foothills, and prairies, the terrain lends itself to visions of saloons, trail rides, and a feeling of isolation that is both beautiful and chilling. It comes as no surprise, then, that one of the most haunted places in the state is a hotel visited by the likes of Buffalo Bill Cody and Butch Cassidy....

New York City is full of unbelievable attractions that will give you a lifetime’s worth of memories, but there’s one place in the Big Apple that everyone should make a point to see. A significant piece of our city skyline, the One World Observatory rivals any other attraction in the world: Open 7 days a week, you can take an unforgettable elevator ride up in one of the tallest buildings in the Western Hemisphere....