Like a kitschy mirage in the Mojave, this eatery serves up classic 50s-style diner meals and a dinosaur sculpture garden.

This mostly abandoned shopping outlet is now adorned with beautiful graffiti and murals.

The oldest standing structure in downtown San Diego.

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

A tribute to the disposable cups that were once manufactured here, this 68-foot-tall statue would be difficult to throw away.

A small, peaceful sculpture garden with a grim memorial to a disaster that took place a few blocks away.

The 10-foot-wide Long Beach home was built on a dare.

A surreal, Gaudi-inspired play space near an Anaheim community center.

One of the largest trees of its kind in California.

North America's largest accredited model railroad museum.

A hidden courtyard houses early 20th-century plaster masterpieces.

Built for an exposition in 1915, these horticultural displays have stood the test of time.

These two K-9 memorials commemorate the sister cities of Edinburgh and San Diego.

L. Frank Baum wrote part of the "Wizard of Oz" series in this wooden Victorian beach resort.

San Diego's most historic and haunted home.

Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.

The helicopter that "Tricky Dick" absconded from the White House in on his last day in office.

This set of three large, volcanic hot springs is a favorite haunt for intrepid divers.

In 1952, this restaurant began selling the Colonel's “secret” recipe.

This former wildlife sanctuary is being transformed into an art park.

This mural changes every few years.

An enormous image of Utah's salt flats made entirely from tape.

This museum remembers the tough Mormon trek across America through an intriguing array of artifacts.

This granite monument at the site of an ill-conceived tourist attraction is built from the same stone as the Mormon Temple.