This historic estate on the east shore of Lake Tahoe was home to an eccentric millionaire (and his pet elephant, Mingo).

A breathtaking 19th-century trail overlooks Lake Tahoe.

Bits and pieces from the ill-fated Donner Party's winter cabins.

One woman's Viking Castle on Lake Tahoe.

This 19th century hydroelectric powerhouse was the first of its kind.

The southernmost outpost of the Russian Empire in colonial America.

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.

A modest reminder of treacherous waters at the Golden Gate.

Radioactivity still cause for concern at this urban explorer's paradise.

A 1920s speakeasy that had rum runners racing up and down the shores of California.

Historical trolley restoration and operation at History San Jose, Kelly Park.

A statue commemorate Tommie Smith and John Carlos's brave protest at the 1968 Olympics, a watershed moment for civil rights.

It took years to decode its mysterious messages.

A life-sized mammoth sculpture marks the spot where the remains of a Columbian mammoth were discovered in 2005.

One of the largest Marian shrines on the West Coast stands rather unexpectedly in Silicon Valley.

From the Difference Engine to the Cray-1, all under one roof.

One of the largest free-standing structures ever built, this dirigible hangar is now simply a giant skeleton.

Rodin's famous depiction of Dante's 'Inferno', amidst a sculpture garden of many of his other works.

This controversial depiction of the "Founder of California" looks as though it was sculpted from mashed potatoes.

A burnt orange monolithic dome structure perched on a hillside near Interstate 280.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

This old-world mansion with lush gardens is a gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.

A New England-style lighthouse along California's beautiful Highway 1 gets a re-do.

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