Dive bar built out of the remains of a whaling ship.

The century-old bell and clock tower at UC Berkeley is the third-tallest in the world, and has fossils.

This subtle Berkeley paving stone actually marks off a lawless tube of air that extends into space.

Where the polar bear watches over everything, and every drink is a double.

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

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

The rusting remains of the largest assembled WWII fleet on the West Coast.

Spiral labyrinth hidden in the hills above Oakland, CA.

Every year, over 25,000 monarchs overwinter in Pacific Grove.

A pair of pure white felines guard the entrance to a spot of California real estate established as an artist's haven.

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.

An extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies.

A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.

A house built from trash known as the poor man's Hearst Castle.

Home to the "Circus" trees created by Axel Erlandson.

One woman's Viking Castle on Lake Tahoe.

The lowest point in North America is home to an undrinkable pool surrounded by fields of geometric salt flats.

Odd outsider art installations surround a Gold Rush-era ghost town.

A land of debatable treasure.

This crumbling Death Valley mining complex was known for its use of giant, 20-mule team wagons.

An abandoned Jazz Age dream home and con man's hideout in Death Valley.

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

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