Jules81's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Sacramento, California

Spirit of Sacramento

Before it was abandoned and left to rust alongside the road, this riverboat starred in a John Wayne movie.
Castroville, California

World's Largest Artichoke Statue

It should come as no surprise that the world's largest artichoke lies in the town that calls itself the "Artichoke Center of the World."
San Francisco, California

Vedanta Society's Old Temple

Built in 1906, this unique building was the first Hindu temple in the United States.
Stockton, California

Wat Dhammararam

Giant jewel-toned statues fill the grounds of this Cambodian Buddhist temple in California.
Santa Clara, California

Shrine of Our Lady of Peace

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

Santa Cruz Mystery Spot

A "gravitational anomaly" located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California.
San Jose, California

Show Your Stripes

Anyone can control this glittery light installation with just a phone call.
San Jose, California

Sonic Runway

At night, this glittering musical tunnel draws skaters and photographers.
San Jose, California

Olympic Black Power Statue

A statue commemorate Tommie Smith and John Carlos's brave protest at the 1968 Olympics, a watershed moment for civil rights.
San Jose, California

The San Carlos Street Lantern Relay

Eight huge lanterns lining a city street can change color on command.
Milpitas, California

Great Mall of Milpitas

This giant shopping mall still holds signs of its automotive past.
Sunol-Midtown, California

Sunol Water Temple

A Roman-inspired temple once controlled half of San Francisco's waters.
Fremont, California

Berkeley Mystery Walls

Neither Spanish settlers nor anyone since has been able to tell who built these strange California rock walls.
San Jose, California

Mark's Hot Dogs

For roadside fast food, pull over at the giant orange.
Mountain View, California

The Real Birthplace of Silicon Valley-The Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory

The first high-tech company in the valley that actually worked with silicon devices.
San Jose, California

IBM Building 025

A lonely monument to the original Silicon Valley tech campus.
Los Gatos, California

Mt. Umunhum Cube

An ominous concrete cube cuts a dystopian silhouette atop this California mountain.
San Jose, California

California Trolley and Railroad Corporation

Historical trolley restoration and operation at History San Jose, Kelly Park.
San Jose, California

Communications Hill Grand Staircase

This 252 step staircase offers stunning views of San Jose.
San Jose, California

The Center of Santa Clara Valley

A mysterious monument covered in a binary code marks the heart of tech.
Murphys, California

Mercer Caverns

A popular tourist cave with a dark past.
Lodi, California

The Original Home of A&W Root Beer

A plaque and memorabilia collection mark where A&W got its start.
Byron, California

Byron Hot Springs Hotel

A ruined hotel with an unlucky history and an eerie present.
Mount Hamilton, California

Lick Observatory

The world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory continues to report on the stars.