Happy harbor seals frolic and snooze on this warm, sandy stretch of coast.

North America's largest accredited model railroad museum.

The second oldest continuously operating bar in Louisiana.

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

A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.

By day this New Orleans square is for pedestrians, but by night it is a kingdom of kittens.

The beautiful, fruit-covered facade hints at this building's former life.

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

A 200-year-old bar in the historic French Quarter refuses to give up its place in history, nor its role in securing ours.

A museum and shop on Bourbon Street located in the former home of the second Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

At 130 years old and 126 feet tall, it is the largest known example of the rare Torrey pine tree.

Inky sludge oozes to the surface of this beach thanks to a rare natural tar seep.

The short oil boom of Venice Beach, and its swift removal from the tourism-laden landscape.

After starting as a whimsical tourist attraction that eventually found its way to ruin, these renovated canals offer a lush and exotic locale on the Pacific Coast.

60 feet of towering steel balances gracefully.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

Two men, two visionaries of Venice Beach, one little hotel that smells like cookies.

Graffiti-covered ruins that were once part of a farm owned by a mental hospital.

Famous and forgotten figures lie beneath the faded headstones and decaying planks of wood.

A large sculptural artwork and garden in Escondido, California.

The classic Atari game's iconic aliens have invaded downtown San Diego.

A couple turned their front yard into an artistic masterpiece.