Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.

An elaborate gift from Claus Spreckels is now a piece of San Francisco history.

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

Home to one of the world’s largest collections of model yachts.

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

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

Once the largest windmill outside of Holland, with enormous 114 foot sails.

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

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

Housed in a memorial lighthouse, this museum relays the history of surfing, beginning with the antics of royal Hawaiian teenagers.

More than 700 species live within this murky marvel of a swamp on California's coast.

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.

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

Haunting and beautiful trees, doomed to die.

Life in this isolated, hilltop lighthouse was lonely, but it sure was lovely.

Centuries of crashing waves carved out this small hole in the rock, which lights up at certain parts of the year.

This Big Sur waterfall drops 80 feet directly into the Pacific Ocean, and inspired the hillside house up top.

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.

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

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.

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

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

Acres of natural wonders left behind by a socialite-turned-gardener.