Shh, it's a secret! (Your city's hidden gems)

[hauntedheadnc]

I was inspired to start this thread after learning about this thing right here:

Airside Garden

That's the Airside Garden at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, smack by the runway. Feel free to walk around and explore it, because Google was nice enough to put the whole thing on Streetview. Meanwhile, here's a view from above in which you can see this lovely little oasis tucked in there snug between the terminal and the runway, which means it's a good place to hang out and watch the planes come and go.

I had no idea this thing existed until I flew to Florida and back earlier this month and saw signs in the terminal about it. It's worth noting that the terminal itself also features fountains and statues, which are kind of a trend all across Greenville and Spartanburg, if you think about it... These are a pair of cities that adore a good fountain, statue, or both, and both cities are littered with them both.

However, discovering this little garden makes me wonder what sort of exquisite, charming, weird, or interesting things are tucked away off the beaten path in your city.

Let's discuss!

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc

I was inspired to start this thread after learning about this thing right here:

Airside Garden

That's the Airside Garden at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, smack by the runway. Feel free to walk around and explore it, because Google was nice enough to put the whole thing on Streetview. Meanwhile, here's a view from above in which you can see this lovely little oasis tucked in there snug between the terminal and the runway, which means it's a good place to hang out and watch the planes come and go.

I had no idea this thing existed until I flew to Florida and back earlier this month and saw signs in the terminal about it. It's worth noting that the terminal itself also features fountains and statues, which are kind of a trend all across Greenville and Spartanburg, if you think about it... These are a pair of cities that adore a good fountain, statue, or both, and both cities are littered with them both.

However, discovering this little garden makes me wonder what sort of exquisite, charming, weird, or interesting things are tucked away off the beaten path in your city.

Let's discuss!

Is this inside the secured area of the airport? As someone who has spent an obscene amount of time stuck in airport terminals, I would love it if more of them had outdoor access from inside the airport's secured area.

The Delta Sky Club in JFK's Terminal 4 has an outdoor patio, but it's only accessible to people with access to the club. Per Delta's website there is also one in ATL, but I haven't personally used that one.

[hauntedheadnc]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Is this inside the secured area of the airport? As someone who has spent an obscene amount of time stuck in airport terminals, I would love it if more of them had outdoor access from inside the airport's secured area.

The Delta Sky Club in JFK's Terminal 4 has an outdoor patio, but it's only accessible to people with access to the club. Per Delta's website there is also one in ATL, but I haven't used that one personally.

Yeah, it's past security. When I was trying to find out more information about it, one article said it's one of just a handful of outdoor spaces to be found at any American airport past the security checkpoints.

[IluvATX]

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc

Yeah, it's past security. When I was trying to find out more information about it, one article said it's one of just a handful of outdoor spaces to be found at any American airport past the security checkpoints.

LAX has an outdoor patio/smoking area past security.

[SIGSEGV]

The North Kenwood historic district is something largely unknown to most people:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8144...7i16384!8i8192

A lovely street to walk down.

[C.]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

The North Kenwood historic district is something largely unknown to most people:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8144...7i16384!8i8192

A lovely street to walk down.

WOW! Beautiful!!

[Hudson11]

Elevated Acre at 55 Water Street. Kind of a poorly kept secret.

https://untappedcities.com/2020/09/2...-secret-plaza/

[Cirrus]

Well there are tons, but in the interest of keeping the thread manageable I'll pick just one.

In 1958 the US Capitol was renovated. Several of the original columns and other stonework were replaced. Some of the original pieces are prominently displayed in the National Arboretum, and well-known to locals if not to every out-of-town tourist. But others... were simply dumped in a quiet corner of the Rock Creek Park forest, and mostly forgotten. But if you know just where to look, you can find them:

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Well there are tons, but in the interest of keeping the thread manageable I'll pick just one.

In 1958 the US Capitol was renovated. Several of the original columns and other stonework were replaced. Some of the original pieces are prominently displayed in the National Arboretum, and well-known to locals if not to every out-of-town tourist. But others... were simply dumped in a quiet corner of the Rock Creek Park forest, and mostly forgotten. But if you know just where to look, you can find them:

Whoa thats bad ass. You would think people would have hauled that stuff away and sold it.

[KevinFromTexas]

One of my favorite spots is the Zilker Clubhouse in Austin. Once you click on the link below you'll see why. Even if the gate is closed to the driveway, there's a pedestrian walk around letting you in.

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1...px8wEnoECCIQCA

[Chef]

The best secret in the Twin Cities is in downtown St Paul - the spectacular art deco interior of the Ramsey County courthouse. A lot of locals don't even know about it:

[muppet]

Royal Holloway College 1881, London outskirts. Most Londoners have never heard of nor seen this place.



Juliet McKee, www.julietmckeephotography.co.uk, www.fmj.co.uk







https://su.royalholloway.ac.uk


www.liftec.co.uk




It sits by 40 sq miles of royal parkland that is Windsor Great Park and Windsor Forest, notoriously hard to get to/ find, with lengthy and confusing public transport access.
The grounds by the Virginia Water lake include Roman ruins, waterfalls, cenotaphs and rhododendron forests. The Valley Garden in May, when it becomes ahuge wonderland of blossoms,
is literally one of the world's most beautiful places imaginable:




https://www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk/e...valley-gardens


https://cdn.theatlantic.com

Sarah Fripp, www.sarahfrippmorrisphotography.com, Paul Bonnington, http://www.bonnington.org/photograph...nia-water.html







www.virginiawater.org.uk





One edge stops at Windsor Castle, the Queen's 1,000+ room holiday home






It ends (the 3 mile haunted Long Walk) at a ginormous statue of George III -the sculptor hanged himself of it after he forgot the stirrups

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by muppet

Royal Holloway College, London outskirts

ummm... this is the opposite of secretive or hidden away. It's the loudest, most obnoxiously garish building I've ever seen.

[Rywiga]

Originally Posted by muppet

Royal Holloway College 1881, London outskirts. Most Londoners have never heard of nor seen this place.

Juliet McKee, www.julietmckeephotography.co.uk, www.fmj.co.uk







https://su.royalholloway.ac.uk


www.liftec.co.uk




It sits by 40 sq miles of royal parkland that is Windsor Great Park and Windsor Forest, notoriously hard to get to/ find, with lengthy and confusing public transport access.
The grounds by the Virginia Water lake include Roman ruins, waterfalls, cenotaphs and rhododendron forests. The Valley Garden in May, when it becomes ahuge wonderland of blossoms,
is literally one of the world's most beautiful places imaginable:




https://www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk/e...valley-gardens


https://cdn.theatlantic.com

Sarah Fripp, www.sarahfrippmorrisphotography.com, Paul Bonnington, http://www.bonnington.org/photograph...nia-water.html







www.virginiawater.org.uk





One edge stops at Windsor Castle, the Queen's 1,000+ room holiday home






It ends (the 3 mile haunted Long Walk) at a ginormous statue of George III -the sculptor hanged himself of it after he forgot the stirrups

Oh that would make a great second home.

[JManc]

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

BAPS_001 by jmancuso, on Flickr

[Double L]

Houston's Underground Cistern

The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern was an underground reservoir built in 1926. When they were building Buffalo Bayou park, they discovered the cistern. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership bought the cistern and decided to use it to display various public art exhibitions.


https://buffalobayou.org/visit/destination/the-cistern/


https://buffalobayou.org/visit/destination/the-cistern/


https://www.interiordesign.net/proje...de-resistance/


https://www.interiordesign.net/proje...de-resistance/


https://www.interiordesign.net/proje...de-resistance/

[(four 0 four)]

Originally Posted by Double L

Houston's Underground Cistern

The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern was an underground reservoir built in 1926. When they were building Buffalo Bayou park, they discovered the cistern. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership bought the cistern and decided to use it to display various public art exhibitions.

That looks amazing! It appears there have been some interesting exhibits...the one that opens this month sounds intriguing.

Copenhagen has a similar cistern gallery that features some pretty impressive exhibits and music events.
https://cisternerne.dk/en/

[hauntedheadnc]

Originally Posted by Double L

Houston's Underground Cistern

The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern was an underground reservoir built in 1926. When they were building Buffalo Bayou park, they discovered the cistern. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership bought the cistern and decided to use it to display various public art exhibitions.

Psh... An underground cistern is nice and all, but what can you tell me about the... red button?

There is an unmarked red button hidden over Houston's Buffalo Bayou that is just begging to pushed...

Press the red button!

[benp]

Originally Posted by hauntedheadnc

Psh... An underground cistern is nice and all, but what can you tell me about the... red button?

There is an unmarked red button hidden over Houston's Buffalo Bayou that is just begging to pushed...

Press the red button!

Also, underneath the Franklin Street bridge over Buffalo Bayou there is a small opening in the brick, which is actually the entrance to the Donallen family burial crypt, which dates back to the 1850s. At one time this area was the location of the city cemetery, and although most of the remains were moved as the city grew the crypt has remained in place beneath the bridge.

https://goo.gl/maps/auKj3rrq6aUhSkTFA

Burial crypt in downtown Houston tells part of Houston's history

[Will O' Wisp]

Junipero Serra Museum





A lot gets made of made of the gorgeous Spanish Revival architecture in Balboa Park, but this equally amazing example just a few miles away on Presidio Hill is much less well appreciated. A shame too, it's one of the nicest places in San Diego to watch the sunset (and around here, that's really saying something!)