Dive bar built out of the remains of a whaling ship.

An abandoned, unfinished mansion on grounds strewn with lava rocks.

The newsstand that never closes its doors—well, almost never.

Julia Morgan's Moorish-Gothic labyrinth of fountains, trees, natural light and Oakland's notable dead.

9,000 square feet of vintage and modern mechanical toys, dioramas & sideshow curiosities.

A store that sells all manner of bones, insects, and animal curiosities.

An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects.

Handmade treasures from around the world.

A storybook European village in Berkeley.

A collision of human error and natural geothermal pressure created this rainbow-colored geologic wonder.

One of the most scenic stretches of road in America winds between some of the country's oldest trees.

Trails through lava-carved tube-caves display sparkling bacteria and a rich history.

This massive redwood tree has a hole in the base big enough to drive through.

The smallest country in the world.

California's own medieval Italian castle, authentic down to the 300-year-old iron maiden in the dungeon.

The largest drain hole in the world.

This lesser known Hearst estate is a fairytale village built from the stolen bones of historic European buildings.

California's oldest existing theater building hosted an impressive cast of celebrities, including hosting Mark Twain's first lecture.

Private collection of art inspired by cabinets of curiosity.

This museum boasts the ninth-largest collection of insects in North America.

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

Four miles of pipelines form the model of still-functioning retro-tech efficiency.

A sudden forest of traditional Papua New Guinean art works is hidden in a corner of Stanford University.

Rodin's famous depiction of Dante's 'Inferno', amidst a sculpture garden of many of his other works.