The Southern California pop sounds of surf and sand were born right here.

This midcentury LA bar was the birthplace of tiki culture.

The former home of silent film star Harry Carry.

An entertaining journey through the odd and strange awaits visitors to this shop.

The Yiddish language stages a renaissance in a shtetl-inspired cultural center on the San Diego coast.

Grab a latte at the birthplace of modern American skateboarding.

The oldest home in Huntington Beach, the farmhouse is a monument to the region's pioneer past.

This monster board rode a monster wave to break two world records.

A cow in the road might subvert the flow of traffic but this one's above it all, quite literally.

Gouged in the mountain to make stage coach access easier through the Fremont Pass.

According to legend it was a nap taken under this tree that kicked off the California Gold Rush.

Exotic feline breeding compound and conservation center.

Finale of "William Tell Overture" can be heard as drivers pass over grooves in the road.

Named after a bandit and the star of several Hollywood prehistoric landscapes, these sandstone formations are a historical part of the Los Angeles natural landscape.

The final resting place of one of Hollywood’s most prolific and talented actors is on the grounds of a California Mission.

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

Shop selling 500 flavors of soda has something for everyone.

World-famous, Pink's still manages to keep its prized cult fetish status.

A free library to stumble across, one of many placed worldwide if you know where to look.

On a quiet suburban street stands a peculiarly decorated house covered in mosaics.

Perhaps the most unique of any Frank Gehry design for one simple reason: Gehry himself actually lives here.

Giant origami crease patterns engraved in Santa Monica intersections may even be visible from space.

One of the first skyscrapers in Santa Monica, and a famous getaway for the Hollywood elite of then and now.

In one Santa Monica parking lot a mushroom cloud made of chains heralds a message of peace.