Places Christopher Johnston Wants to Go

One of the best absinthe distilleries in the United States.

Playable, historic pinball machines fill this Alameda museum.

After serving in World War II and picking up Apollo astronauts, this aircraft carrier has been turned into a museum overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

A strange mishmash of ruins and abandoned structures hint at the park's many lives.

The beloved dining spot stands at the cross-section of Hollywood and the Old West.

An eye-catching model town in a San Diego backyard.

Listen to the sounds of the Earth moving along the Rose Canyon Fault.

The world’s oldest active sailing ship.

A mosaic map made of over 100,000 tiles depicts the geological features and sea creatures that live along this San Diego beachside community.

The Gaslamp District's oldest bar sports a urinal marked with a golden plaque that was allegedly used by Mick Jagger.

These secluded and abandoned anti-aircraft defenses have become one the most scenic viewpoints in Barcelona.

At this local mall, visitors are ushered through a 1940s jail exhibit.

The oldest standing structure in downtown San Diego.

The freeway that never was.

One man's quest for the ultimate road trip vehicle.

Get fishing gear and craft beer at this restaurant on the pier.

The tiniest tiki room in San Diego.

This little blue house pokes out over the campus of UC San Diego, seven stories high.

Built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, this location was used as a resting place for his troops.

This macabre shop, filled with art, oddities, and taxidermy is hidden in the heart of the French Quarter.

Established in the '60s, a family-owned tropical drink bar founded by Ray Buhen, bartender to the stars.

A library of rare occult books in Los Angeles.

Olfactory delights in San Francisco's Botanical Gardens.

Despite a recent paint job, the factory still sits empty.