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

This stretch of beach along California's central coast is a busy highway for the largest seal in the northern hemisphere.

A poignant memorial to a young boy whose death spurred a dramatic increase in organ donations in Italy—dubbed the "Nicholas Effect."

This whimsical seashell-shaped place of worship was designed to blend into its surroundings.

One of the only known surviving coconut palm trees in the entire state.

The beauty and the beast of hydraulic mining is on full display at this California Historic State Park.

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.

The remnants of a failed socialist commune can still be found just off a California highway.

This little museum has an exhibit devoted to the elusive forest denizens.

Burping, gurgling geothermal mud pots by the Salton Sea.

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

The hundreds of movies and television shows shot in this high desert town are commemorated in a unique museum.

A glimpse into the lives of the the Miwok and Paiute people in Yosemite National Park.

This historic tower in the California desert promises visitors a "vortex of good vibes".

The sea once considered an ecological wasteland is now called "crown jewel of avian biodiversity" by scientists.

This historic California cemetery holds the bodies of veterans of both the Civil War and the Donner Party.

This abandoned boat was left in place thanks to its rotting beauty.

Huge otherworldly domed rocks on the shore of a deadly lake.

The Empire Mine is "one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California."

Finally the worlds of UFO enthusiasts and beef jerky lovers have come together in this roadside shop.

The tragedy of the Japanese internment camps is remembered here by a stark "Soul Consoling Tower."

340 bicycles, 65 feet high.

The unedited photograph called "Bliss" has graced the screens of over a billion computers.