A working model of the entire San Francisco Bay and much of the Sacramento River Delta, complete with regular tides that change every 14 minutes.

A lawless town deep in Death Valley was famous for its riches and death rate.

The dramatic upward-curving roof is one of the most iconic examples of Googie architecture that still stands today.

An ultra-modern vista that has been featured in so many films the house is a celebrity in its own right.

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.

This dark, quiet forest on the outskirts of San Diego is dense with rumor and lore.

An optical illusion found amid a logged redwood forest.

San Francisco Bay's ghost town.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

A world-class observatory in the California desert.

Where there's quartz, there must be gold. Thus is the story of the mines of Julian, and the titillating times of the Gold Rush.

Take a leisurely ride on a 1906 cable car or a 1907 steam locomotive.

Perhaps the most unique of any Frank Gehry design for one simple reason: Gehry himself actually lives here.

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.

A magnificent, reportedly haunted mansion built for a composer by Spiritualists.

Not truly a ship nor a building, the Navy's first and last "landship" is now abandoned due to clerical issues.

L. Frank Baum wrote part of the "Wizard of Oz" series in this wooden Victorian beach resort.

San Diego's most historic and haunted home.

An inconspicuous footbridge beloved by San Diego locals.

Behind this beachfront shop lies a spectacular, colorful sea cave with an equally colorful past.

This quirky UFO-shaped curiosity is often mistaken for the airport’s control tower.

This forgotten Frank Lloyd Wright house is an architectural marvel at the end of a sleepy residential street.

A beloved carnival gets a modern makeover in Los Angeles.

L.A.'s oldest operating bowling alley is a beautifully restored homage to its speakeasy days.