A crumbling wizard is one of the final reminders of a roadside Middle Earth.

This old mining town, deep in the California desert, has a year-round population of one.

This print shop boasts one of the largest pinball arcades in San Francisco.

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

A nursery specializing in strange and beautiful succulents and cacti.

World's largest collection devoted to one fruit.

An expansive book store, art gallery, and curio shop with wares ranging from tarot cards to novelty socks.

Come crisp December nights, this fairly plain neighborhood becomes a holiday dream world.

A pair of large white marble lions guard this stretch of the Mojave Desert, and it is utterly mysterious how they got there.

A carousel trades in its classic horses and calliope for endangered species, native flora and fauna, and a modern soundtrack.

Since 1973, this block has been home to the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco.

This impressive tunnel was dug entirely by hand over the course of 36 years.

This “living museum” at UCLA exhibits thousands of plant species from all over the world.

This Pringle-shaped ledge makes for the perfect photo op.

This collector's home is a constant work in progress.

A hard-to-reach oasis in a desolate corner of Death Valley National Park.

A house built from trash known as the poor man's Hearst Castle.

Inside an old airplane hangar, friends and strangers alike play on a massive trampoline.

The haunting ruins of Jack London's dream house.

A popular tourist cave with a dark past.

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

This dark, quiet forest on the outskirts of San Diego is dense with rumor and lore.

The fossilized remains of ancient California redwoods.

L.A.'s oldest operating bowling alley is a beautifully restored homage to its speakeasy days.