Under the right circumstances, this waterfall in Yosemite briefly turns a luminescent fiery orange.

An old whaling station now serves to give the public a look at the commercial whaling industry, no longer a part of Monterey's economy.

The oldest continuously operating church in California.

Life in this isolated, hilltop lighthouse was lonely, but it sure was lovely.

A massive ultra-modern church presents a science-fiction view of Catholicism's inclusive future.

Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

A monumental cross hides in the trees in Golden Gate Park.

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

A masterpiece in Golden Gate Park by virtue of the artist’s debt.

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

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

Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.

The one-time watch house for incoming ships at the Golden Gate now stands abandoned and hidden in trees.

A collection of 20th-century automata, penny arcade games, and musical contraptions.

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

A winding path built in secret on the edge of the continent.

San Francisco's urban bison herd has persisted in the face of extinction, development, and disease.

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.

Olfactory delights in San Francisco's Botanical Gardens.

The giant pair of sexy legs sticking out the window of this costume store have become its main draw.

Get lost in this haunting fairytale art walk through a man-made eucalyptus grove.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

Prone to disastrous fires, the city of San Francisco has the Guardian, a fireboat gifted by residents, to watch over them from the bay.