Places ciffergan Wants to Go

Nose around a unique collection of more than 300 natural aromas used to craft fragrances.

An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects.

A private home built to resemble the shape of a microscopic creature.

A playground built by the kids that is a child's wonderland, and a helicopter parent's nightmare.

A storybook European village in Berkeley.

A series of vibrant murals celebrate the culture and community of Oakland.

The newsstand that never closes its doors—well, almost never.

The first mural ever dedicated to the women of the Black Panther Party.

The Flatiron Building's storied West Coast cousin is a lot more into religion.

This bakery sits on the site of the Black Panther Party's first headquarters.

An art collective teaching the more fiery, metal-y art forms.

A massive ultra-modern church presents a science-fiction view of Catholicism's inclusive future.

A hardware store Buddha statue installed to deter vandalism wound up attracting Vietnamese immigrants who came to pray.

A unique piece of graffiti offers a little slice of local history and mystery.

This mysterious series of teeny guerrilla installations sheds a whimsical light on street art in Oakland.

This restaurant features Native American foods from across the country.

Collective dedicated to restoring steam engines.

A creepy steel gremlin has protected the Bay Bridge since 1989.

International delicatessen has been owned and operated by the same family for more than 110 years.

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

A temple devoted to inner esoteric mysteries located in a California commercial strip.

Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

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

The memorial to the victims of the Jonestown Massacre carries the names of 918 lost, including one name people wish wasn't there.