A breathtaking 19th-century trail overlooks Lake Tahoe.

Eastern zen meets Western grit in these four little trees growing out of a rock on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada shore.

This historic estate on the east shore of Lake Tahoe was home to an eccentric millionaire (and his pet elephant, Mingo).

This eagle-topped spire remembers the military commander who snatched up California for the United States.

Mineral springs believed to hold therapeutic properties draw in visitors from all over.

These egg-shaped buildings constructed by Jesuits house a quaint museum in the Andes.

A cemetery dedicated to the mountaineers who perished climbing Mount Aconcagua.

A brightly colored natural bridge formed by mineral-rich hot springs high up in the Andes.

A toxic lake near a volcanic caldera that is home to flamingos and other life.

This mountainside open-air museum was built from the ashes left behind by a devastating fire.

Are they the remains of a fallen hotel, or the final stronghold for escaped Nazis?

One of South America's most exclusive resorts has a storied history dating back to World War II.

The island houses the ruins of a secret nuclear fusion lab that once employed high-profile Nazi scientists

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.

Steinbeck's old stomping grounds, immortalized in Cannery Row.

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

The oldest continuously operating church in California.

This municipal playground was co-created by the father of one of the most playful characters ever.

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 U.S. Government building in California, and it's State Historic Landmark #1.

The stately birthplace of California's statehood.

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

This remarkably simple jail went over a century without an escape.

Two rocks in a perpetual kiss and one of "the most romantic spot in America."