Alleyway plaque commemorating the death of a fictional character in The Maltese Falcon, not far from the author's home.

Created in 1972, the famous sculptor's intricately detailed monument to San Francisco is overflowing with city landmarks.

Only hotel where you can legally launder money.

This old-world mansion with lush gardens is a gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Hidden in a hotel parking lot is a strange historical plaque erected by an obscure fraternal society.

Dentist's hated concrete colossi are now beloved icons of the community.

The drama of nature in full effect in this Nevada State Park.

The longest burning light bulb in the world.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

Coastal dunes, site of buried Egyptian movie set and former utopian colony.

This Big Sur waterfall drops 80 feet directly into the Pacific Ocean, and inspired the hillside house up top.

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.

It's not your typical library, memorial, or book store.

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

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

Visible below the waves are memorials to the city's Gold Rush dead.

Once the fastest ship from San Francisco to Tahiti, the Galilee now lays in pieces in three different cities.

A pair of mutilated bronze octopuses slump at the base of the monument honoring California's admission to the U.S.

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

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

Dublin's most modern, visually spectacular bridge is modeled after Ireland's national emblem.

The somber sculptures commemorating Irish Famine on the river Liffey in Dublin.

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

This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.