This grinning pup statue is all that's left of what was once a ubiquitous Bay Area diner chain.

Once the largest windmill outside of Holland, with enormous 114 foot sails.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

A famous alternative culture epicenter and where Joplin serenaded young hippies.

The stones that traveled from Spain to eventually become a holy place for San Francisco's nature worshippers.

A monument to the love people have for their pets.

This private residence was the template for one of the most beloved television homes of all time.

The only home of the famous French impressionist painter open to the public is now a museum and bed and breakfast.

Once the site of a Native American harvest festival, this humble clearing later played an invaluable role in the birth of jazz.

The world-record holder for the longest bridge stretching continuously over water.

This colorful New Orleans bookstore features rare and used titles, with a specialty in Cajun fare.

A private museum dedicated to preserving the heritage of Mardi Gras' most beloved underdog parades, open by appointment.

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

A small park on Bourbon Street features life-size bronze statues of New Orleans musicians.

The second oldest continuously operating bar in Louisiana.

This knobby, drooping New Orleans oak is a favorite place both for climbing and for meeting giraffes.

This historic "City of the Dead" lies prominently in the center of New Orleans' famous Garden District.

The oldest cemetery in New Orleans, resting peacefully for over 200 years now.

This New Orleans tree is filled with hidden chimes that produce a carefully tuned melody.

The final resting place of New Orleans' most famous voodoo priestess.

A snapshot of the city's fascinating voodoo culture.

There is a strange little carving of a person seemingly crushed by a pillar behind the remains of St. Thomas Aquinas.

This medieval tower is all that remains of the castle where Joan of Arc was held before being burned at the stake.

Miles of man-made caves and tunnels are currently used for cultivating mushrooms.