The California capital city once stood 10 feet lower than it does today.

One woman's Viking Castle on Lake Tahoe.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

A sculpture of the famous photograph stands on San Diego's "Greatest Generation Walk."

One of the largest trees of its kind in California.

Windswept and remote, this island was once the home of a rare mammoth and today is home to a rare tree.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

At the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, a small sign basically begs for a high-five.

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.

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.

Once America’s most beautiful army base, this abandoned military fort on the coast of Monterey Bay has been left to the elements.

This municipal playground was co-created by the father of one of the most playful characters ever.

An old whaling station now serves to give the public a look at the commercial whaling industry, no longer a part of Monterey's economy.

The oldest U.S. Government building in California, and it's State Historic Landmark #1.

The first safe in this California town had to hold all the gold.

This eagle-topped spire remembers the military commander who snatched up California for the United States.

Fake rail crossings mark the site of an influential doctor's demise.

Steinbeck's old stomping grounds, immortalized in Cannery Row.

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.

Every year, over 25,000 monarchs overwinter in Pacific Grove.

Two rocks in a perpetual kiss and one of "the most romantic spot in America."

The oldest lighthouse on America's west coast no longer needs keepers, yet they maintain the site anyhow.

One poet's handmade, anachronistic home.