Trails through lava-carved tube-caves display sparkling bacteria and a rich history.

Two mammoth statues inspired by equally tall tales lure tourists to this roadside attraction.

Once thought to be the oldest living tree in the world, Methuselah was germinated before the Egyptian pyramids were built.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

This massive redwood tree has a hole in the base big enough to drive through.

Bits and pieces from the ill-fated Donner Party's winter cabins.

Every year, over 25,000 monarchs overwinter in Pacific Grove.

A tribute to the life and work of the beloved "Peanuts" cartoonist.

An extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies.

The haunting ruins of Jack London's dream house.

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

The former Naval shipyard is open for exploring - mostly.

This infamous prison has a store where you can buy goods crafted by incarcerated people.

Where the alchemists dream of transmuting base metal into gold was actually achieved.

A living time capsule of the 1960s Richardson Bay water-front.

Antiques by the Bay.

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.

A working model of the entire San Francisco Bay and much of the Sacramento River Delta, complete with regular tides that change every 14 minutes.

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

San Francisco's urban bison herd has persisted in the face of extinction, development, and disease.

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

A monument to the love people have for their pets.