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Passions and Places

A travel + outdoors blog

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Bisbee, Arizona: The Funkiest Town You’ve Never Heard Of

January 3, 2020 By Ryan Victor 107 Comments

White brick exterior wall with tan mural reading “Historic Bisbee Est. 1880. Shoppes, Restaurants, Galleries, Museums, Lodging, RV Park, Queen Mine Underground Tour.”

Love funky artistic communities, laid-back hippie vibes, and lots of interesting history? Believe us when we say – Bisbee, AZ, is the town for you!

Filed Under: Arizona, North America, Off the Beaten Path, U.S. Tagged With: abandoned places, ghost towns

Exploring the Best and Quirkiest Attractions in Jerome, AZ

July 19, 2019 By Ryan Victor 10 Comments

If you like offbeat towns, you’ll love Jerome, AZ. It’s home to a Claymation-esque museum and a massive stockpile of rusted out cars, among other unusual things – oh, and the town is purported to be haunted. It’s a quintessential road trip stop and an easy day trip from Phoenix, too.

Filed Under: Arizona, North America, Road Trips, U.S. Tagged With: abandoned places, ghost towns

Anaconda, MT: An Offbeat Stop on a Montana Road Trip

April 11, 2019 By Ryan Victor 13 Comments

An outdoor mural of buildings and the text “Historic Anaconda. Where Main Street Meets the Mountains.”

When we planned a road trip starting in Montana, we knew the little town of Anaconda would be one of our first stops. With some offbeat attractions and almost no other visitors, it was exactly the type of place we wanted to explore.

Filed Under: Montana, North America, Off the Beaten Path, Road Trips, U.S. Tagged With: abandoned places, ghost towns

A Motorcycle Adventure to Cambodia’s Bokor Hill Station

July 7, 2017 By Ryan Victor 12 Comments

Cambodia is ripe with opportunities for adventure travel, and Kampot is no exception. Just 20 miles away is the Bokor Hill Station, a now-abandoned hill station developed by French colonists in the 1920s. Today, it’s a renowned spot for urban exploration, and it makes a great day trip from Kampot. There are plenty of organized tours to Bokor, but you can also rent a motorcycle in town and ride up independently for more adventure. Either way, you’ll enjoy the refreshing cooler temperatures and stunning views of southern Cambodia.

Bokor Hill Staton in Cambodia had been on my radar as a top urban exploration site for a while before we visited. It’s full of interesting abandoned old buildings, including what used to be a luxurious French hotel, and it makes a great motorcycle trip from Kampot.

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Motorcycling, Nature and Outdoors Tagged With: abandoned places, Kampot, Southeast Asia, urban exploration

The Ghost Town of Rodney, MS: A Photo Essay of Stories in Ruins

April 28, 2017 By Ryan Victor 10 Comments

What’s a road trip through the American South without a stop at a ghost town? This photo essay tells the story of Rodney, Mississippi, a formerly important port town with some interesting Civil War history. Today, it offers a unique and quiet beauty to the few visitors who head that way. But at only an hour from Natchez, a visit to Rodney is a fun thing to do if you’re in the area.

The ruins of Rodney, Mississippi, tell the story of a thriving Southern town decimated by the Civil War and the changing course of a nearby river. The churches and houses are abandoned now, and we loved experiencing their quiet beauty.

Filed Under: Mississippi, North America, Off the Beaten Path, U.S. Tagged With: abandoned places, American South, ghost towns, photo essay

Ghosts of the Wild West: A Photo Essay from Montana

December 23, 2016 By Ryan Victor 17 Comments

Montana has a number of ghost towns, several of which are popular travel destinations. This photo essay tells the history of Elkhorn, one that’s further off the beaten path.

Why spend Black Friday shopping when you could spend it exploring an old ghost town in Montana? Ryan’s photo essay depicts what we found in Elkhorn and tells some of its history, from silver mining to town dances to a tragic diphtheria outbreak.

Filed Under: Montana, North America, Off the Beaten Path, U.S. Tagged With: abandoned places, ghost towns, photo essay

Abandoned Views: A Photo Essay from the Azores

January 9, 2016 By Ryan Victor 2 Comments

We didn’t expect to find an abandoned luxury hotel during our hike in the Azores, or to be able to explore it freely. This photo essay on urban exploration tells the story of the hotel, the implications of its abandonment, and the lessons it can teach us.

Filed Under: Europe, Portugal Tagged With: abandoned places, Azores, photo essay, urban exploration

Close-up of a white man and woman both wearing black with trees in the background, and an overlaying green banner that says "Welcome!"

Hi! We’re Jen and Ryan, an American couple on a journey to travel the world while working from the road. We’re passionate about outdoor adventure, responsible travel, and getting off the beaten path. Passions and Places is a space for us to share our stories and tips with you, but most importantly, we hope to inspire you to seek your own adventure.

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