This giant head is all that remains of a once proud statue that survived an earthquake but not a fall off of a wagon.

Alleyway plaque commemorating the death of a fictional character in The Maltese Falcon, not far from the author's home.

Longtime headquarters of controversial boys' club for the world's wealthiest and most powerful.

A collection of memorabilia from the Beat era in the back of a San Francisco bookstore.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

San Francisco's newly reopened hands-on science museum.

Its buzzing collection honors vibrator history.

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

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

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

An immersive environment that is part haunted house, part choose-your-own-adventure, and part jungle gym.

With its vaulted ceiling and gilded details, this University of Washington library would feel right at home inside an old palace.

Statue of Lenin, from Cold War era Czechoslovakia, now in a neighborhood of Seattle.

Now abandoned, this East Austin school for the disabled began as the "State Colony for the Feeble-minded."

This small stone building, the final work of a renowned artist, offers a peaceful environment with radiant, colorful glass windows .

This failed condo development was reborn as a street art hub.

Locals dubbed it the "Owl Building" because of its bird-like appearance.

This massive oak tree has ties to the first native tribes of the region and the founders of Texas.

A free, canine-friendly alternative watering hole near the more famous Barton Springs.

Home to an endangered salamander, a full moon celebration, and a large spring-fed outdoor swimming pool.

The upstairs reading room is packed with millions of rare books, literary manuscripts, and historical treasures.

This eclectic Austin curiosity shop is home to all things strange and unusual.

Life's work of sculptor Elisabet Ney remains preserved in her last studio.

This simple frog painting created by musician Daniel Johnston embodies the spirit of Austin.