Places Calmmseas Wants to Go

Explore the wide world of desert plants at this unique Palm Springs botanical garden.

Elephant seals and sea lions have turned the abandoned buildings on this island into their endangered love shack.

Massive prehistoric mammals used these stones as oversized scratching posts.

Built for an exposition in 1915, these horticultural displays have stood the test of time.

Each winter this underground cave forms a dazzling ice palace.

A natural dome made of volcanic glass in Inyo National Forest.

The decaying adobe remains of an old homestead are just off the beaten path in Joshua Tree National Park.

This rock formation named for its unique shape is one of many that call the Alabama Hills home.

Centuries of crashing waves carved out this small hole in the rock, which lights up at certain parts of the year.

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

The oldest continuously operating church in California.

This dormant volcanic crater has been converted from a roiling pit of magma to a pleasant hiking spot.

A glittering South Asian anomaly in a wealthy Los Angeles suburb.

Haunting and beautiful trees, doomed to die.

A restored 1920s cascade stairway provides one of the best views of Oakland's Lake Merritt.

Abortion, prohibition, religion, war, and fear all play a part in the history of this idiosyncratic Pacifica castle.

Traversing these canyons, visitors can take in stunning views and glimpses of the region's history.

This giant spider sculpture made from the iconic car is one giant visual pun.

This former stomping grounds of the most eminent astronomers of the early 20th century.

Hike amid the palm trees that thrive among Southern California's Indio Hills.

This lesser known Hearst estate is a fairytale village built from the stolen bones of historic European buildings.

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

Gold Rush ship-turned-hotel buried underneath San Francisco's financial district.

A "haunted" landmark on the coast of Southern California.