One of the best absinthe distilleries in the United States.

A storybook European village in Berkeley.

A nondescript building that's been functioning as a speakeasy for nearly a century and a half.

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

A tree grown from astronaut seeds which were exposed to cosmic rays.

The oldest orange tree in California spawned a generation of citrus farmers.

The contents of this safe survived a 37-kiloton nuclear bomb.

This 19th century train workshop is a treasure trove of railroad history.

A playground built by the kids that is a child's wonderland, and a helicopter parent's nightmare.

The grand, column-fronted, sculpture-adorned home of the ambitious digital library.

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

Carnivorous plants, medieval aphrodisiacs, and the largest original wood structure glass conservatory in the western hemisphere.

A favorite haunt of dinosaur loving children and hallucinogen loving hippies alike.

An enormous artwork that colorfully celebrates over 150 years of US military achievements.

A speck of nature and art in one of San Francisco’s most notorious neighborhoods.

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

Successful artist residence program has filled this ranch with dozens of sculptures over the years.

The diverse and sometimes odd cultural heritage of the Golden State is collected, examined, and displayed in this proud museum.

In a city filled with Frank Gehry buildings, one stands out as one of the architect's weirder works.

This rare tortoise skeleton has been hanging around the downtown Los Angeles museum for over a century.

An abandoned boat that's been stranded mysteriously for decades.

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

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

Where a staggering 747 ships were constructed during World War II.