Winners of the 2014 National Geographic Photo Conest have been announced. More than 9,000 entries were submitted from 150 countries. The grand prize, which went to Ben Yen for his photo depicting a commuter consumed by her smartphone, was $10,000 and a trip to the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National Geographic Photography Seminar in January 2015. (MORE:) Other winning images showcase the beauty, diversity and unpredictability of the world—from waves crashing into a...

From the shadows of Mount Rushmore to the crack in the Liberty Bell, there are certain icons of the American landscape that have become embedded in our culture. There are other landmarks around the country, though -- recognized as roadside attractions -- that haven’t quite gained national recognition. These lesser-known attractions can be found in every state. In fact, each state has its ownfascinating roadside attractions, some of which hold the title, “World’s Largest.” Florida, for one, is home to...

With their grand architecture, castles are some of the world's most scenic, postcard-worthy sights. But these already-majestic structures are elevated to "fairy tale" status when perched on mountaintops or cliff edges. Although these castles set on precarious sites offer spectacular views, their locations were crucial for castle builders for another reason. "Castles were planted in the best place to control road and river routes," Marc Morris, a historian and presenter of the UK television series Castle, told weather.com. "Sometimes this...

If you think your travel bucket list is long, prepare for it to get even longer. During the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee, that ended on July 8 and was held in Bonn, Germany, UNESCO named, and approved extensions to three other sites. The newly added global treasures, which includes one in the United States—the San Antonio Missions in Texas—were deemed as having "outstanding universal value." Since 1975, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has named...

Serving as temporary shelters to mountaineers, hikers and alpinists, mountain huts range from basic, rustic lodges in Alaska to high-tech, high-altitude havens in the Swiss Alps. Many of them, however, are also notable for being precarioulsy perched on vertigo-inducing locations. Here, we look at 20 of the most incredible mountain huts and refuges in spectacular settings. (MORE: ) France's , a mountain refuge for climbers summiting Mont Blanc, is a pioneering hut in approach and design.The four-story, all-wooden, steel-encased, egg-shaped...

Disneyland, Disneyland Paris. (Marcos Veiga / Alamy) Jurassic World opens in theaters on June 12th. Although we can’t currently experience the wonderment of living amongst dinosaurs, we can take advantage of some pretty amazing parks this summer. From Paris to Tokyo, millions of visitors to the world's most popular theme parks agree: these rides, shows, and costumed characters are worth the waits. Four decades after opening, Magic Kingdom is still working its pixie-dust charm on more than 18.6 million annual...

Deep in the woods near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border lies what seems to be an apocalyptic trainwreck that has been decaying on the site for decades. Some of the trolley cars in the train cemetery date back to the 1930s, while more modern models sit, just as abandoned, beside them. Photographer likes to find the less-known abandoned sites, finding places by word of mouth. A local told Lawless that many of these trains were involved in a tragic trainwreck in 1957,...

Photographer Jeffrey Milstein has been fascinated by planes since childhood. His earliest aerial photographs were taken flying a rented Cessna 150 around Los Angeles as a teenager. "I was fascinated by how everything looked from above," Milstein said. Fifty years later, Milstein took to the air again to photograph Los Angeles and New York City, inspired by his years working as an architect. The 71-year-old used high resolution camera equipment to snap images out of the open door of a...

Thai children sled at Snow Town Bangkok on July 28, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. Over the last year, two new indoor cold weather venues, Snow Town and Harbin Ice Wonderland, have opened in Bangkok offering many Thais their first opportunity to visit a frozen, wintry landscape. (Taylor Weidman/Getty Images) Heavy rains during monsoon season are usually the most precipitation Thailand will see. Now, though, the tropical Southeast Asian country can enjoy “snow” all-year round. , a new Japanese-style snow theme...

Amateur Grand Prize Winner - Conceptual - 1st Place - Jason McGroarty Thousands of photographers from all over the globe entered the Fine Art Photography Awards for their chance at winning international esteem. The winners of this year’s competition were announced Friday, July 31. With over 20 categories divided for professional and amateur levels of expertise, the contest allowed photographers in a range of skill sets with the chance to win the grand prize of $3,000 (professional) and $2,000 (amateur)....

1. Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa, Spain Built on a cliff overlooking the fishing village of Port Soller and surrounded by the Tramuntana mountain range, the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa in Mallorca, Spain has 121 sea- or mountain-facing rooms and suites, spread across 11 buildings. (Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts) There's nothing like waking up to spectacular views, especially from hundreds (and even thousands) of feet above sea level. It may take longer and more effort to reach...

Grand Prize: Whale Whisperers 'Diving with a humpback whale and her newborn calf while they cruise around Roca Partida … in the Revillagigedo [Islands], Mexico. This is an outstanding and unique place full of pelagic life, so we need to accelerate the incorporation of the islands into UNESCO as [a] natural heritage site in order to increase the protection of the islands against the prevailing illegal fishing corporations and big-game fishing.' - Anuar Patjane Floriuk (Anuar Patjane Floriuk / National...

Africa is world’s second-biggest continent, and it is full of incredibly varied, beautiful places to visit, from expansive landscapes to ancient cities to beautiful beaches and surfing spots, like Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa, and this , there is no better place to explore. In the northern part of the continent, there are numerous cities and landmarks brimming with history and unforgettable architecture, such as Morocco’s of Taroudant, Tunisia’s roman ruins of the , which date back to the third...