The real faces of Venice beach captured on Romanesque columns.

The words of the neighborhood's most famous poets adorn four concrete walls.

An iconic location along the Los Angeles River where countless movie scenes are filmed.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

Hollywood's oldest hotel is the site of the first Academy Awards, the birthplace of Marilyn Monroe's career, and the home of Montgomery Clift's ghost.

Magical-looking cottages that inspired one of the most famous animated films ever.

This brightly made over hotel hides decades of suicide, serial killers, and mysterious deaths.

This glamorous old building is said to have inspired the Tower of Terror.

Historic funicular railway, believed to be the shortest railroad in the world.

Hollywood's most famous landmark, the "temporary" sign that has stood for decades longer than intended.

This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.

After the parade, students throw their beads on the tree hoping for good luck on exams.

Taxidermied cartoon heads, unseen illustrations, and famous characters all reside in this small gallery space.

An artist weaves "wooden quilts" with scraps salvaged from his Katrina-damaged home in Tremé.

This distinctive Crescent City tradition dates back to the days of horse-drawn carriages.

One of the oldest continuously-operated gay bars in the United States is allegedly haunted by Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams.

A calm and comfortable place to hang out with cats and kittens up for adoption.

A hurricane-stricken oak tree has been reborn as a beautiful chainsaw artwork.

This unique shop is full of memento mori art, antique medical equipment, secret society paraphernalia, and historical relics.

The oldest family-run restaurant in the United States is a living museum of New Orleans dining history.

A pink cottage covered in hearts served as a haven and a resting place for LGBTQ activists.

A house of courtship where the Jazz Age's most storied lovers got their start.

This "second" cemetery represents New Orleans' attempt to keep cholera at bay.

Made of giant chains and hung with shackles, this iron cross honors those unknowns who perished under American slavery.