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

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

Canyon walls shrouded in ferns.

Staircase winds down the side of Telegraph Hill through gardens, wild parrots flying overhead.

One of the most scenic stretches of road in America winds between some of the country's oldest trees.

Quite simply the largest tree in the world (by volume).

A trash dump made beautiful by nature's power.

Carnivorous plants, medieval aphrodisiacs, and the largest original wood structure glass conservatory in the western hemisphere.

Get lost in this haunting fairytale art walk through a man-made eucalyptus grove.

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

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

This secluded date farm can be reached only by following a bumpy, single-lane desert road.