Taihape's claim to fame is a fictional Kiwi farmer wearing gumboots.

The real place where the One Ring to rule them all was forged.

An artistic garden environment of tile mosaic sculptures.

Modern art meets modern convenience in possibly the world's most architecturally important public bathroom.

One of the world's steepest streets seems to have houses sliding down it.

Handcrafted thermal spa washes away each night with the tide.

A gigantic sculpture garden is packed with innovative oddities.

One man's dream has turned into this naturally growing chapel made of almost nothing but trees.

Known for the tunnel that leads visitors to the water.

A solitary tree has grown up all alone on Lake Wānaka, backdropped by the beautiful Southern Alps.

The Dalai Lama named this New Zealand landscape the "Spiritual Center of the Universe."

Formerly a lovely white sand beach this Hawaiian stretch is now a trap for countless tons of trash.

This industrial area was the dumping ground for massive amounts of trash, some of which washes up as tiny bits of sea glass.

Race through the maze, get your name on the sign.

A beach made of semi-precious green sand on the Big Island of Hawai'i.

A Hawaiian stairway to heaven—that you can't climb.

This naturally-sourced hot spring is now home to a clothing-optional resort.

The ancient dwellings of the Puebloans, located in the cliffs of majestic mesas.

One man's prolific, decade-long quest to turn trash into artistic treasure.

A private home built to resemble the shape of a microscopic creature.

This mysterious series of teeny guerrilla installations sheds a whimsical light on street art in Oakland.

A creepy steel gremlin has protected the Bay Bridge since 1989.

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

The first AIDS memorial chapel in San Francisco and one of only a few in the U.S.