This mansion on an island off the coast of Georgia once belonged to a 108-year-old heiress.

A statue honoring 44 continuous years of greeting passing ships.

From bench to vandalism to art, this silly prank seat was funny enough to become permanent.

This historic folk art garden contains a nightmare tower that claims to be the world's largest concrete totem pole.

Located in the remote Monitor Valley, this travertine bowl contains a scalding pool of water.

A land of debatable treasure.

Millions of years of oxidation make a drive down this winding Death Valley road surprisingly colorful.

Only recently added to the shrine, this googly-eyed snail demon of unknown origin is said to have eye-healing powers.

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.

Approximately 250,000 people left homeless by the great earthquake and fires found shelter in Golden Gate Park.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

Appropriation-friendly collection of books, periodicals, and more.

One of few lasting examples of the brief octagon craze that developed into folly.

A brooding mansion of clinker brick stands out among the Victorian houses of Pacific Heights.

Barely visible foundations remain where Stow Lake’s “observatory” once welcomed visitors.

Early prototype for Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim.

A nondescript building that's been functioning as a speakeasy for nearly a century and a half.

Relics of the 1894 Midwinter Exposition continue to delight visitors today.

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

The first fresco Diego Rivera painted in the United States can be found in the former San Francisco Stock Exchange.

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

The unique collection includes bronze cast handprints of some of America's most famous astronauts.

A swamp that was the site of prehistoric water burials also managed to preserve its corpses for millennia.