Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

Frank Lloyd Wright died a year before construction on his largest public project even began.

George Lucas donated this park to honor the birthplace of his two biggest movie franchises.

This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.

A temple devoted to inner esoteric mysteries located in a California commercial strip.

A private home built to resemble the shape of a microscopic creature.

Forgotten and then destroyed by fire, this was once one of the largest saltwater swimming pools in the world.

An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects.

Tenacious mummies survived dental problems, eternal entombment, and more than their fair share of devastating fires.

A playground built by the kids that is a child's wonderland, and a helicopter parent's nightmare.

Over a century old, this restored Victorian building is surrounded by a lush garden filled with rare palms.

San Francisco's urban bison herd has persisted in the face of extinction, development, and disease.

Sitting atop San Francisco's tallest hill, a cross honors the victims of the Armenian genocide.

Social saloon from a scrapped trans-Pacific 19th century steamer.

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

The remains of a ruined mansion memorialize the 1906 earthquake.

A pair of slides and a tree-lined stair corridor have been an urban oasis for nearly 40 years.

Barely visible foundations remain where Stow Lake’s “observatory” once welcomed visitors.

Under the shadow of its towering parent tree, a rare specimen of sequoia produces ghostly white leaves.

Olfactory delights in San Francisco's Botanical Gardens.

San Franciscans leave gifts and messages for the magical beings that live behind the tiny, mysterious door installed on a tree in Golden Gate Park.

Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.

A garden oasis filled with flowers mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare.

Over 315,000 preserved amphibians and reptiles in jars.