Places benihoopla Wants to Go

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

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

Where there's quartz, there must be gold. Thus is the story of the mines of Julian, and the titillating times of the Gold Rush.

Along a California highway is a kind of Jurassic Park made of metal.

The ghostly remains of an accidental sea.

An airy would-be solution to a housing shortage.

This serene oasis in an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood holds some of Gandhi's ashes and got Elvis into Eastern Philosophy.

An academy where anyone can train in the exciting acrobatic sports of parkour and freerunning.

A performance hall at the American Jewish University moonlights as a sci-fi film location set.

The site of a classic series of Laurel and Hardy pratfalls.

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

California's own majestic geyser is powered by a subterranean volcano.

This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.

This naturally heated mountainous creek has created a group of neon blue pools of potentially deadly boiling water.

This odd California folly seems like it was almost designed to accumulate urban legends.

No matter what it might seem like on film, most scenes filmed on a plane are filmed at this LA studio.

Life in this isolated, hilltop lighthouse was lonely, but it sure was lovely.

The largest permanent Monopoly board makes one of the longest games even bigger.

This simple highway curve has become a comedic pilgrimage site.

An old California photo stand has been turned into a shrine to the cozy art of crochet.

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

The sun acts as a key that only fits this giant keyhole twice a year.

This concrete ship has had four careers - World War I tanker, floating amusement park, fishing pier, and artificial reef.

Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.