One of the world's longest murals depicts the history of diversity in Los Angeles.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

A giant chess set, minus the psychedelic drug trip.

What began with a single, 357-pound chunk of the Canyon Diablo meteorite grew to be an impressive collection. 

27-room home built with the fortune of a sugar magnate.

A B&B on a Victorian lighthouse station in San Francisco Bay.

The sun acts as a key that only fits this giant keyhole twice a year.

A famous alternative culture epicenter and where Joplin serenaded young hippies.

A watering hole where the options for seating include a bar, patio, or subterranean cave.

A pier that used to act as a busy ferry dock is now a decaying favorite of local fisherman and urban artists.

This mysterious petroglyph evokes the ancient swastika symbol but was later vandalized with the more troublesome Nazi one.

Hidden in the hills of Hollywood, this secluded Oz-themed garden is dotted with dozens of thrones.

Location of the most powerful laser in the world, and the potential birthplace of tiny stars.

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.

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

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

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

Former 1954 Del Mar Train Station now serves signature cocktails and delightful culinary treats, and still operates as a Metro stop.

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.

"Prepare yourself! You are to become the voice of Interplanetary Parliament."

The tragedy of the Japanese internment camps is remembered here by a stark "Soul Consoling Tower."

Somewhere between an art studio and a print shop, this artists storefront is a house of worship devoted to type.

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

A promotional sun clock on the site of San Francisco's great raceway.