This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.

A gap in the concrete has been transformed into a miniature playground for the mind.

A restored 1920s cascade stairway provides one of the best views of Oakland's Lake Merritt.

Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

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

Spiral labyrinth hidden in the hills above Oakland, CA.

Bonsai garden in Oakland is curated by the first non-Japanese female bonsai master in the United States.

From sax to spuds, get 'em all at this landmark music establishment.

A macabre tour of Hollywood’s deadly history.

The quiet canyon has a tumultuous history involving a doomsday cult.

A common entry point to the Griffith Observatory trail holds its own wonders.

From pre-war whiskey cocktails to prohibition-era speakeasy secrecy, this bar has seen it all.

This brightly made over hotel hides decades of suicide, serial killers, and mysterious deaths.

This grand mansion has starred in everything from Bones to Buffy.

A faux European lane smack dab in downtown L.A.

Small museum packed with artifacts recovered by the man rumored to be the real-life inspiration for Indiana Jones.

The programmatic glory of LA's giant whiskey barrel building has become an upscale reminder of the city's kitschy roadside past.

Historic marionette theater features thousands of handmade puppets and free cups of ice cream.

"Looks so real, it's scary!"

A castle that was built stone by stone by an eccentric journalist.

Hidden in the hills of Hollywood, this secluded Oz-themed garden is dotted with dozens of thrones.

A hospital closed seemingly in the middle of operations, leaving behind fodder for horror films and ghost hunters.

Giant Redwood-themed cafeteria operates under the golden rule, "Dine Free Unless Delighted."

One man's homage to the sun continues to grow like a glass fractal.