Places embeekrais Wants to Go

The Route 66 institution that inspired Taco Bell also served as an important headquarters for Mexican-American social movements.

Crumbling pink walls and murder memorials preserve the pioneer history of Joshua Tree.

A shape-shifting buy-sell-trade bookstore, born to Beatnik Era spirit.

Finally the worlds of UFO enthusiasts and beef jerky lovers have come together in this roadside shop.

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

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.

Here, visitors can swing with the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

"The greatest unknown literary treasure in Los Angeles."

The exterior of this home was used for the hit television show, The Brady Bunch.

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

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

The most isolated mailbox in America lets desert travelers record their passing.

An abandoned car and strange wooden debris are among the scattered remains of the old sand and gravel quarry.

The blinking light atop the iconic landmark has been sending secret messages for decades.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

A lawless town deep in Death Valley was famous for its riches and death rate turned YouTube famous.

This rare tortoise skeleton has been hanging around the downtown Los Angeles museum for over a century.

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

Amazing meticulous gardens of personal wood carvings, Hydrangea, Canna, and many other flowers.

This ramshackle ghost town is comprised of mining-era buildings collected from around the region.

From the sky, a kaleidoscope of color brightens the grey landscape of the San Francisco Bay.

A classically trained chef makes beloved burritos inside a gas station.

This desert oddity hides in plain sight thanks to a cartographic error and a desert explorer with a punny sense of humor.