Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

A pair of slides and a tree-lined stair corridor have been an urban oasis for nearly 40 years.

A favorite haunt of dinosaur loving children and hallucinogen loving hippies alike.

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

Bring your own cardboard to the slippery slopes of concrete hidden in a neighborhood park.

This 19th-century church is now a popular roller rink.

The oldest alley in San Francisco is paved with a reminder of the city's original shoreline.

One of the oldest producers of hand-folded fortune cookies still uses its original secret recipe.

Not merely a museum – but a whirring powerhouse that offers a subterranean peek into the heart and soul of cable car operations.

Tiki luxury on Nob Hill.

San Francisco's oldest surviving monument and meeting place for 1906 survivors.

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

A collection of 20th-century automata, penny arcade games, and musical contraptions.

A free, public museum dedicated to the fascinating science of sight.

This residential door allows San Francisco muggles a glimpse at the wizarding world.

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

A 300-ship graveyard, with a few still visible at low tide.

This partially buried wreck is one of the most complete of its kind but is only revealed when the sea allows.

The oldest tofu shop in the United States is a firm favorite with locals.

Their motto is, "We've been bonkers for hats even longer than you have!"

Tiny horses tethered to antique rings are scattered around the city.

The seamy, underground secrets of Portland's criminal past.

The magic's in the hole!