bykerme2's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
San Francisco, California

Murphy Windmill

Once the largest windmill outside of Holland, with enormous 114 foot sails.
Berkeley, California

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Where the alchemists dream of transmuting base metal into gold was actually achieved.
Castroville, California

World's Largest Artichoke Statue

It should come as no surprise that the world's largest artichoke lies in the town that calls itself the "Artichoke Center of the World."
San Francisco, California

Battery Chamberlin

Guns that have been defending San Francisco since 1904.
Las Vegas, Nevada

'Bliss Dance'

An enormous illuminated figure dances on the Las Vegas strip.
Shandon, California

James Dean Memorial Junction

A remote crossroads honoring a fallen talent.
San Francisco, California

Dutch Windmill

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.
Oakland, California

Cathedral of Christ the Light

A massive ultra-modern church presents a science-fiction view of Catholicism's inclusive future.
Folsom, California

Mormon Island

This former boomtown "island" is now submerged below Folsom Lake.
Walnut Creek, California

The Eye of Diablo

This mountaintop beacon is only lit three times a year but shines like some kind of all-seeing eye.
Sausalito, California

Marin Headlands

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.
San Simeon, California

Hearst Castle

The unbelievably opulent home built for an infamous newspaperman.
San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo's Bubblegum Alley

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.
Klamath, California

Trees of Mystery

Two mammoth statues inspired by equally tall tales lure tourists to this roadside attraction.
Yosemite National Park, California

The Ahwahnee Hotel

The interior of the Overlook Hotel in "The Shining" was based on this Yosemite original.
Mountain View, California

Hangar One

One of the largest free-standing structures ever built, this dirigible hangar is now simply a giant skeleton.
Solvang, California

Solvang Wind Harp

California's oldest wind harp represents a historic piece of America's Danish history.
Santa Monica, California

Church of Type

Somewhere between an art studio and a print shop, this artists storefront is a house of worship devoted to type.
Oakland, California

Mountain View Cemetery

Oakland's beautiful monumental cemetery.
Pescadero, California

Elephant Seals of Año Nuevo State Park

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.
San Francisco, California

Treasure Island

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.
Oakland, California

Children's Fairyland

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

Solar One and Solar Two

Decommissioned experimental solar facilities that pioneered solar energy technology.
San Francisco, California

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.