These elusive, isolated rodents evolved into a distinct, locally iconic subspecies.

The graffiti-covered ruins of an abandoned trading post in the middle of the Navajo Nation.

Hidden inside this Arizona fast food franchise is an in-depth exhibit on the famed WWII counterintelligence program.

One of the ghostly stops along Route 66.

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

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

A memorial to the firefighters who died in an industrial disaster is housed in a small public park.

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

The "Fun Spot of the Desert" is now a haunting ruin, and a reminder that putting a water park in a desert is a bad idea.

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

In a city filled with Frank Gehry buildings, one stands out as one of the architect's weirder works.

An increasingly eccentric apartment building, topped with winged beasties.

A Looff creation in Santa Monica best described as “a California-Byzantine-Moorish-style fantasy.”

Hidden in the Santa Ynez Mountains off Highway 154, this tiny restaurant once served as a stagecoach stop.

Colorful Native American paintings are hidden within this small cavern.

This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.

The home of one of California's most important horticulturalists wilts amidst a lovely park.

This house is a mosaic of tiled artwork sourced from local artists.

For over 20 years, Lil Toot has delighted guests with narrated boat rides between Stearns Wharf and Santa Barbara Harbor, becoming a beloved local legend and top-rated experience for visitors.

Honoring the famed folktale author, this California museum looks like it belongs in the Black Forest.

The beautiful behemoth is one of the largest trees of its kind in the United States.

This little gem of Spanish Colonial architecture has been abandoned since the 1950s.

The first attack on the continental U.S. during WWII occurred off the coast of a quiet California golf course.

Inky sludge oozes to the surface of this beach thanks to a rare natural tar seep.