An inconspicuous footbridge beloved by San Diego locals.

The legendary building that needed ghostly approval before being built.

A common entry point to the Griffith Observatory trail holds its own wonders.

After starting as a whimsical tourist attraction that eventually found its way to ruin, these renovated canals offer a lush and exotic locale on the Pacific Coast.

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

It should come as no surprise that the best view of the Hollywood sign is from Batman's lair.

A dilapidated dock tells the story of Titanic’s missed arrival.

Under a glass sidewalk lie the remains of some of Manhattan's oldest buildings.

A semi-scholarly approach to sex.

Elevated freight railway turned wildly successful urban park.

Manhattan’s Battery Park has a whimsical carousel full of spinning, glowing fish.

A bit of retro transportation flair preserved in the world's largest department store.

Harlem park dedicated to compulsive hoarders killed by their own junk.

Sniff the Titan Arum's rotting flesh.

Spike Lee's provocative film is officially honored right where it was made, the first time a work of art was used as a secondary street name.

Historic funicular railway, believed to be the shortest railroad in the world.

This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.

3/4-scale model of the White House in Atlanta, Georgia.

An underground magnet for ever-changing street art.

Suspended above the ground in a thicket of towering Georgia trees is a modern architectural wonder.

This centuries-old tree tells an unusual tale of vegetation and fertility in the desert.

Skyscraper powered by wind turbines attached between its towers.

This Art Deco fortress in upstate New York gives Manhattan's vaunted examples of the style a run for their money.