Locals dubbed it the "Owl Building" because of its bird-like appearance.

Turning night into day in Victorian-era Austin to thwart a serial killer.

Austin’s local mountain isn’t really a mountain at all.

Free public park and gardens filled with peacocks and peahens.

This underwater old Texas hill town only resurfaces during harsh drought.

Civil War dumping ground for the bodies of terrorized Union sympathizers.

A store full of vintage and indie toys designed to bring out the kid in even the crustiest of adults.

Roadside Americana, fairy tale characters, and Austin quirkiness come together at this magical course in the heart of Texas' capital city.

This eclectic Austin curiosity shop is home to all things strange and unusual.

An entire subdivision was accidentally built on a flood plain, resulting in its eventual demolition—but the streets are still there.

A free, canine-friendly alternative watering hole near the more famous Barton Springs.

Home to an endangered salamander, a full moon celebration, and a large spring-fed outdoor swimming pool.

Home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, estimated at 1.5 million bats.

A small island hides in plain sight on Austin's Lady Bird Lake.

A dismembered holy head stares out from her beautiful reliquary at the St. Dominic Basilica.

The most beautiful Taco Bell in the world even has surfboard parking.

This redwood is a historic landmark, a town’s namesake, and the dancing sideline symbol of Stanford University.

An old whaling station now serves to give the public a look at the commercial whaling industry, no longer a part of Monterey's economy.

The stately birthplace of California's statehood.

A tree grown from astronaut seeds which were exposed to cosmic rays.

This remarkably simple jail went over a century without an escape.

This lonesome Monterey cypress has survived centuries of wind, salt, and at least one attempt at arson.

Here, visitors can swing with the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

A volcanic cone that formed over 600 years ago.