Since World War II people have been decorating this stretch of the Yuma desert with signatures arranged out of rocks.

Where the alchemists dream of transmuting base metal into gold was actually achieved.

This simple highway curve has become a comedic pilgrimage site.

Experience Larry Spring's self-taught "common sense" laws of physics.

Its dark depths conceal millions of rare, delicate crystal formations.

Humboldt's human-powered sculptures race across land and sea for days on end in a wacky quest for dominance.

Where a great scandal unfolded with a famous female revivalist at its center.

60 feet of towering steel balances gracefully.

An art collective teaching the more fiery, metal-y art forms.

The beloved dining spot stands at the cross-section of Hollywood and the Old West.

This subtle Berkeley paving stone actually marks off a lawless tube of air that extends into space.

A huge collection of rocks, gems, and crystals.

A poignant memorial to a young boy whose death spurred a dramatic increase in organ donations in Italy—dubbed the "Nicholas Effect."

Thousands of migrating monarchs overwinter clustered amongst the eucalyptus trees.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

A stranded woman lived alone on this remote island for 18 years, inspiring the great children's novel "Island of the Blue Dolphins."

This California tree is the single source of the state's entire orange industry.

Housed in a memorial lighthouse, this museum relays the history of surfing, beginning with the antics of royal Hawaiian teenagers.

One of the only known surviving coconut palm trees in the entire state.

A Masterpiece with a Tragic History.

A modest reminder of treacherous waters at the Golden Gate.

The Citrus Variety Collection at UC Riverside contains two trees of each of the 1,000+ varieties of citrus.

A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.

Santa Monica's oldest restaurant, decorated with set pieces from the Mutiny on the Bounty.