Inside this library, the history of Los Angeles is retold through a mural.

This bank is widely believed to be the inspiration for the offices of Philip Marlowe, the hardboiled detective featured in a number of Raymond Chandler's stories.

Built for an exposition in 1915, these horticultural displays have stood the test of time.

Inspiration struck on this seat outside the Griffith Park merry-go-round.

This Alamo Square mansion is rumored to have hosted satanic rituals and other occult practices.

A family agreed to sell their property to Disney on the condition that this tree, planted as a wedding gift, would not be removed.

This bronze statue commemorates the strange and beloved mascot of UC Irvine—the only university to be represented by a giant anteater.

Colorful sedimentary rock layers provide opportunities both for hiking and photography.

Home to a forest of whimsical pygmy Coast live oak.

The design of this ornately decorated place of worship closely mirrors a church in Vietnam.

Try the frozen treat that inspired Arrested Development's famous banana stand.

Someone really, really wanted to save this fast-food icon from demolition.

A statue of one of Mexico's founding fathers, located... not in Mexico

This quiet park's strange sedimentary spires were named after Kodak's color film.

A storybook European village in Berkeley.

This shop and studio is dedicated to the art of the book, from letterpress to bookbinding.

Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.

The site of murders and Satanic cult gatherings.

The final resting place of a space program monolith.

A hospital closed seemingly in the middle of operations, leaving behind fodder for horror films and ghost hunters.

A museum befitting the city responsible for supplying the majority of the world's LSD.

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

The world's largest carnivore sanctuary is home to over 450 meat-eating rescues.

Giant, natural amphitheaters made of delicate geological formations called "hoodoos."