A hard-to-reach oasis in a desolate corner of Death Valley National Park.

This Pringle-shaped ledge makes for the perfect photo op.

This 19th-century church is now a popular roller rink.

Sunset-colored dunes of volcanic ash make taking a poor photo impossible.

The "Fun Spot of the Desert" is now a haunting ruin, and a reminder that putting a water park in a desert is a bad idea.

An extraordinarily ornate museum in San Diego holds wondrous anthropological treasures.

A Swedenborgian glass church surrounded by redwoods sits perched atop a massive landslide area.

An inconspicuous footbridge beloved by San Diego locals.

Eons old volcanic activity created one of the most stunning rock formations in the United States.

Canyon walls shrouded in ferns.

Each year these high desert hills are absolutely covered with poppy flowers in a surreal show of nature.

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

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