Twelve plaster figures inspired by da Vinci's famed painting haunt the desert landscape above a real-life ghost town.

A black and white painted wall creates an optical illusion in the California desert.

Marta Becket's hand-painted theater in the desert.

An outdoor sculpture park of giant pink robots and post-apocalyptic Christmas scenes.

The so-called "Bridge of Thighs" in Palm Springs allows nudists to discreetly cross the road.

The Hopi-style structure was built by the man who discovered Desert Hot Springs' famous mineral water.

A former utopian healing center created by a huckster and built by derelicts.

One of the ghostly stops along Route 66.

A meditative space out of a fantasy story.

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.

The "world's biggest dinosaur" once housed a creationist museum in its abdomen.

Famous and forgotten figures lie beneath the faded headstones and decaying planks of wood.

A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

Decommissioned experimental solar facilities that pioneered solar energy technology.

Like a kitschy mirage in the Mojave, this eatery serves up classic 50s-style diner meals and a dinosaur sculpture garden.

This unique bed and breakfast was first constructed during the 1800s by a Russian immigrant family.

Get up close to emus and ostriches, or buy their tasty meat.

Honoring the famed folktale author, this California museum looks like it belongs in the Black Forest.

Hundreds of trees made from glass bottles make up this forest on Route 66.

The ruins of the castle that chemicals built.

The awe-inspiring ship from the golden era of cruising has an incomparable history and a reputation as one of the world’s most haunted places.

Graffiti-covered ruins that were once part of a farm owned by a mental hospital.

An Airy Would-Be Solution to a Housing Shortage.