Places alisonhballard Wants to Go

Sojourn to the past at this residence teeming with 1950s memorabilia.

This hidden amusement park is a magical escape for kids and kids-at-heart.

Peek inside this sandy mailbox and you'll spot kids' letters to Santa.

One of the largest Buddhist communities in the West sits on the site of an old hospital.

Come for the records, stay for the retro pinball machines.

This 75-year-old Shakespearean sculpture is painted by a local artist for every season.

A replica of the first public theater built in California.

What began as an illegal art installation has become a symbol for unity, ocean awareness, and coastline preservation.

This restaurant's marvelous musical machines include a self-playing violin.

The first privately-owned space capsule to orbit and land carried a secret payload: a wheel of Le Brouère.

This large pile of traveler-curated rocks by the dry lakebed is a longstanding tradition on the Old Mojave Road.

A gap in the concrete has been transformed into a miniature playground for the mind.

From sax to spuds, get 'em all at this landmark music establishment.

A trail weaves through the verses of a poem illustrated by stone sculptures inspired by Native American pictographs.

This small oasis of flora and art was created in remembrance of a local auto business owner.

Mid-Century Modern Meets Millionaire’s Row.

An abandoned 1930s gas station turned bustling neighborhood park.

In the country around Buttonwillow, California, a marker commemorates a revealing moment in the story of a water colony from the fictional Kcymaerxthaere that sought independence.

The mall's looks were inspired by the cowboy extras who used to meet up—and cause real trouble—at this Hollywood hub.

This Taoist temple is the oldest continuously used Chinese temple in California.

Colorful Native American paintings are hidden within this small cavern.

One of only five observatories in the world built to measure the Earth's wobble.

This peaceful garden is hidden on the grounds of a spiritual organization founded by a pioneer yogi.

This giant shopping mall still holds signs of its automotive past.