San Francisco's first World's Fair, dedicated to the wonders of California.

Alleyway plaque commemorating the death of a fictional character in The Maltese Falcon, not far from the author's home.

At the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, a small sign basically begs for a high-five.

An elaborate gift from Claus Spreckels is now a piece of San Francisco history.

A masterpiece in Golden Gate Park by virtue of the artist’s debt.

One of the oldest producers of hand-folded fortune cookies still uses its original secret recipe.

Faceless white figures loom over the city from the rooftop.

Visible below the waves are memorials to the city's Gold Rush dead.

The disdain for this dysfunctional dam is reflected in a giant pair of scissors painted on the concrete face.

An extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies.

The headquarters of a secretive order is also a beautifully-designed park.

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

Not merely a museum – but a whirring powerhouse that offers a subterranean peek into the heart and soul of cable car operations.

A collection of 20th-century automata, penny arcade games, and musical contraptions.

Thousands of migrating monarchs overwinter clustered amongst the eucalyptus trees.

At this California chicken ranch, four bucks will get you 18 eggs and a chorus of dancing animatronic poultry.

Bug-devouring flora are the stars of a special wing of the glass conservatory.

Her final resting place was intended to be modest and private, but the power of her popularity continues to draw visitors.

This “living museum” at UCLA exhibits thousands of plant species from all over the world.

In the "Danish Capital of America," a replica of one of Copenhagen's most iconic buildings.

A colorful square marks the heart of the city's LGBTQ community.

A grassroots community effort in the 1970s led to the creation of this beautiful garden full of delightfully whimsical exhibits.

This angular brutalist playground turns playtime into modern art time.

The tragedy of the Japanese internment camps is remembered here by a stark "Soul Consoling Tower."