This wilderness hike to a waterfall has an unlikely beginning in suburban Reno.

An eccentric millionaire's personal curio collection includes at least one shrunken head.

This mother-daughter run curiosities shop is a beautifully odd mix of taxidermy and exotic plants.

Three generations of intrepid collectors display their curious artifacts in a homemade museum right next to the caves they discovered.

Home to the deepest rift anywhere on Earth.

This arts and culture cultural center explores the diverse cultural heritage of the American West.

The world's largest dead polar bear, immortalized by taxidermy and Hunter S. Thompson.

The self-made house sculpture of an outsider artist who named himself "Chief Rolling Thunder."

An abandoned Cold War missile radar site.

Travelers exchange letters with woodland creatures at this mini post office.

Discover for yourself what Herb Caen referred to as "the best kept secret in the Bay Area."

This mysterious series of teeny guerrilla installations sheds a whimsical light on street art in Oakland.

Handmade treasures from around the world.

Of all the origin stories for weed's secret code, this one likely has the goods.

The century-old bell and clock tower at UC Berkeley is the third-tallest in the world, and has fossils.

A celebration of once forgotten materials.

A 140-year-old castle with underground caves hidden in San Francisco.

Forgotten and then destroyed by fire, this was once one of the largest saltwater swimming pools in the world.

A promotional sun clock on the site of San Francisco's great raceway.

A pair of slides and a tree-lined stair corridor have been an urban oasis for nearly 40 years.

Since 1973, this block has been home to the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco.

A tiny theater hidden in an alley plays a constant stream of short silent films for anyone willing to peer through the peephole.

A museum befitting the city responsible for supplying the majority of the world's LSD.

A whimsical antique shop with a strong air of mystery, filled with items from ages, and what feels like worlds, past.