San Francisco's oldest operating hotel, with a Victorian atmosphere and a "haunted" fourth floor.

A nursery specializing in strange and beautiful succulents and cacti.

The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.

The lighthouse central to the 1980s horror classic "The Fog" is, in fact, located in one of the foggiest areas of the Pacific Coast.

A cozy bookstore is tucked within an old gold mine shaft beneath the cafe and ice cream shop.

A world-class observatory in the California desert.

This symbol of peace is appropriately positioned overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

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

Bonsai garden in Oakland is curated by the first non-Japanese female bonsai master in the United States.

The fossilized remains of ancient California redwoods.

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

The liveliest ghost town in the state.

A former utopian healing center created by a huckster and built by derelicts.

This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.

A bigger-than-life pun that has become a beacon of altruism.

A fashion designer's dazzling world of Japanese collectibles is hidden in a warehouse downtown.

An eclectic trailer park retreat in the middle of the California desert.

Commonly referred to as the most photographed Victorian home in the United States.

Though tiki culture has gone in and out of fashion, the Tonga Hut has always been flying the flag in Los Angeles.

Life in this isolated, hilltop lighthouse was lonely, but it sure was lovely.

The abandoned personal amusement park of the King of Pop.

A still functioning vaudeville carousel that has operated for over a century boasts a colorful menagerie and past.

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

The restored and active Victorian-era final resting place of San Francisco.