This outdoor observatory offers stellar views and a scale model of our solar system.

Catch a glimpse of the elusive Peninsular bighorns right off of the desert freeway.

The neighborhood of Eagle Rock is named after a gigantic boulder with a shadowy surprise.

This large pile of traveler-curated rocks by the dry lakebed is a longstanding tradition on the Old Mojave Road.

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

A porcelain company's former dumping ground, completely covered in pieces of collectible ceramics.

This conservation area is also home to many of the region's desert tortoises.

Odd stone and concrete monuments in the "Poet of the Sierras" eclectic folly garden.

The original place where water met land in the City by the Bay is outlined in brass.

A second generation sun-powered marvel lights up the night.

The famous blue house from the classic horror film "Halloween" is now a local landmark.

This hidden fire lookout offers spectacular views of Sequoia National Park.

Traversing these canyons, visitors can take in stunning views and glimpses of the region's history.

More than 700 species live within this murky marvel of a swamp on California's coast.

A modest reminder of treacherous waters at the Golden Gate.

Across Ring Mountain is a vast collection of Native American petroglyphs unique to the region.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

At this 1940s-era neighborhood favorite, you can still drink a cherry phosphate.

Housed in a memorial lighthouse, this museum relays the history of surfing, beginning with the antics of royal Hawaiian teenagers.

A New England-style lighthouse along California's beautiful Highway 1 gets a re-do.

A rough granite monument marks the spot where Europeans first caught sight of the San Francisco Bay.

A massive hydrovolcanic explosion left a half-mile wide crater in Death Valley.

Thirteen trees representing the original thirteen colonies were planted with soil from historic Revolutionary battlefields.

Fans of the spicy bright-red sauce can tour where it's made.