This small monument to the great inventor contains a time capsule and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Fake rail crossings mark the site of an influential doctor's demise.

A chain of bells connect the California Missions and honor the legend of the "King’s Highway."

A pair of pure white felines guard the entrance to a spot of California real estate established as an artist's haven.

The taxidermied remains of the "last wild grizzly bear in California" and of the symbol of the state of California.

The only visible piece of San Francisco's most famous shipwreck.

A library built during San Francisco's pioneer times is a student's retreat, bibliophile's sanctuary, and chess player's delight.

San Francisco's oldest surviving monument and meeting place for 1906 survivors.

The remains of a chapel created for convenience.

Granite outcropping that the state's tourism bureau doesn't promote because of its delicate ecosystem.

One of the largest Marian shrines on the West Coast stands rather unexpectedly in Silicon Valley.

Hidden in one of New York's oldest subway stations is the final remnant of the site of the bizarre Shakespeare Riots.

This roadside attraction has been serving out its fair share of hearty folklore and chaos since 1858.

This shifting North Carolina sand dune is an odd little desert surrounded by oceanic forest life.

Who needs fancy modern water slides when this giant North Carolina rock works just as well?

Creating this diorama spurred naturalist Carl Akeley to begin advocating to protect the apes.

It turns out that a hurricane-prone beach is probably not the best place to house wild animals.

Found: Garden of Eden in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Outstanding taxidermy dioramas showcase the grandeur of the continent's wildlife with spooky realism.

Here be dragons.

This sweet Southern elixir comes from what may be the oldest grape vine in North America.

A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.

A historic blockhouse and trading post give a glimpse into the early colonial history of South Carolina.

Paths are maintained, but trees have taken over plots.