This dark, quiet forest on the outskirts of San Diego is dense with rumor and lore.

A large sculptural artwork and garden in Escondido, California.

Stripes of flowers bloom each spring in a 50 acre rainbow of color.

A world-class observatory in the California desert.

Oldest building in California still in use.

Museum dedicated to the preservation of surf culture.

This quirky UFO-shaped curiosity is often mistaken for the airport’s control tower.

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

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

Honoring the famed folktale author, this California museum looks like it belongs in the Black Forest.

California's oldest wind harp represents a historic piece of America's Danish history.

Get up close to emus and ostriches, or buy their tasty meat.

Coastal dunes, site of buried Egyptian movie set and former utopian colony.

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.

A chain of bells connect the California Missions and honor the legend of the "King’s Highway."

A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.

This stretch of beach along California's central coast is a busy highway for the largest seal in the northern hemisphere.

The unbelievably opulent home built for an infamous newspaperman.

This tiny cluster of abandoned buildings looks like the future of the ghost town - today!

In the middle of a remote desert town is a surprisingly opulent hotel.

Singing sand that stands as the final remains of an ancient lake.

This railroad magnate's 19th century tower is more than a little bit out of place in the Nevada desert.

Officially named the "Loneliest Road in America," this barren stretch of Nevada road offers almost nothing but sky and open fields.

The current Eureka County Courthouse replaced an all-wooden structure that had previously been an ice-skating rink.