Carnivorous plants, medieval aphrodisiacs, and the largest original wood structure glass conservatory in the western hemisphere.

Relics of the 1894 Midwinter Exposition continue to delight visitors today.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

A monument to the love people have for their pets.

Antiques by the Bay.

An "anarchical" no man's land, complete with garbage sculptures and a hobo-run "Landfillian Library."

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

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

Guarded by the Angel of Grief, the Stanford family tomb attracts an odd mix of halloween revelry and somber contemplation.

A Roman-inspired temple once controlled half of San Francisco's waters.

Spiral labyrinth hidden in the hills above Oakland, CA.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.