Tired of the usual treks to amusement parks, resorts, and fishing holes? Here's a collection of places to visit, both traditional and offbeat, at which big events in legal history took place.

U.S. Supreme Court–Washington, DC

The U.S. Supreme Court has the last word on matters of U.S. constitutional, federal, and international law–and you can watch it in action. Picture yourself in the shoes of the attorneys presenting oral arguments. It's probably the fulfillment of their lifetime dream. Look closer and you might see their adrenalin-pumped hearts trying to pound through their chest walls.

The court is in session between the first Monday in October until late April; check the “Oral Arguments” link on its website for the exact calendar. Even when the court is not in session, you can visit the building, constructed in 1935.

For more information, see www.supremecourtus.gov.

Inns of Court–London, England

From medieval times onward, the Inns of Court and Chancery have been the sole place where British barristers (lawyers who can practice in court) receive their training. They can also live, dine, and keep offices there. Back in the 1300s, their training included not only law, but history, music, and dancing.

Nearby are the Royal Courts of Justice and the Old Bailey, where cases are tried to this day. Keep an eye out for barristers clad in gowns and the traditional white wigs (made of horsehair).

For more information, see www.fodors.com/world/europe/england/london and click “Bloomsbury and Legal London” and www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation (on the A-Z list, choose “Central Criminal Court”).

The Forum–Rome, Italy

Though mostly containing white-marble ruins now, this area was once the center of Rome's legal, religious, social, and commercial activities. In 450 BC, the Romans inscribed their first written laws on the “Twelve Tables,” and displayed them in the Forum for all to see. (Unfortunately these were on bronze or wood, and have since been destroyed.)

Roman law is considered the basis for European and, by extension American law. Of course, we've dropped or altered a lot of it; like this bit from the Twelve Tables: “He whose witness has failed to appear may summon him by loud calls before his house every third day.”

For more information, see www.britannica.com and search for “Roman law;” and www.lonelyplanet.com (search for “Rome”).

Salem Village and witch trials site–Massachusetts

In one of the creepiest reminders of how the law can be misused, the sites of the late-1600s witch trials in historic Salem and Danvers, Massachusetts, have become popular tourist spots, especially around Halloween. Favorite places to visit include:

• The Jonathan Corwin House, also known as the Witch House, where one of the judges lived and interrogated some of the accused. (See www.salemweb.com/witchhouse.)
• The Witch Dungeon Museum, containing a replica of the dungeons in which accused people were held before trial, and a live re-enactment of the trials adapted from actual transcripts. ( See www.witchdungeon.com.)
• The Salem Witch Museum, with tours and historical exhibits. ( See www.salemwitchmuseum.com.)
• Gallow's Hill, a public park where the “guilty” were publicly hung. You might gather your own evidence that it's haunted.

Alcatraz Island and historic penitentiary–San Francisco, California

Located right in the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz is such a popular tourist attraction that it's easy to overlook. The prison was in operation from 1934 to 1963 and housed notorious inmates like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman,” Robert Stroud. Cruise tours (run by a private company) let you visit the now-uninhabited prison, view historical exhibits, and enjoy the natural surroundings and views of the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond.

For more information, see www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm and www.alcatrazcruises.com.