Magic Castle

Speak the secret phrase to the owl scultpure in the lobby of this private club, and the rest—well, we don't want to ruin the surprises in store for visitors at this magical institution. The mansion is over a century old, but since 1963 it's been the home of the Academy of Magical Arts, an exclusive organization made up of roughly 2,500 American magicians. If you can't find a member to tag along with, stay at the adjacent Magic Castle Hotel for access.