Built by the inventor of the radio, this abandoned hotel has housed early radio employees, military men, and a dangerous cult.

California's own majestic geyser is powered by a subterranean volcano.

Where a staggering 747 ships were constructed during World War II.

This museum looks at the history of one of America's most famous prisons and most beloved albums.

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

These delicate buggers are some of the rarest fossils that have bubbled up from the Tar Pits.

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

This infamous prison has a store where you can buy goods crafted by incarcerated people.

This lesser known Hearst estate is a fairytale village built from the stolen bones of historic European buildings.

A tribute to the life and work of the beloved "Peanuts" cartoonist.

One woman's Viking Castle on Lake Tahoe.

This grand mansion has starred in everything from Bones to Buffy.

Bits and pieces from the ill-fated Donner Party's winter cabins.

This glamorous old building is said to have inspired the Tower of Terror.

This corn maze so big you may want to pack a lunch, and possibly a flaregun.

A giant donut stands as a popular symbol of Los Angeles iconography.

A hidden world of exotic succulents and cacti.

A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

This brightly made over hotel hides decades of suicide, serial killers, and mysterious deaths.

This unlicensed collection of fast-food memorabilia sits on the site of the first ever McDonald's restaurant.

A ghost town at the airport is now a refuge for blue butterflies.

A sign at the end of the Santa Monica Pier marks the traditional end of the legendary American highway.

A working model of the entire San Francisco Bay and much of the Sacramento River Delta, complete with regular tides that change every 14 minutes.

Law-protected wreckage serves as a peculiar memorial for an almost forgotten World War II tragedy.