The unusual patterns in this rock formation result from two distinct modes of weathering.

A tunnel with windows, so you don't miss out on the impressive views.

Settled by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1859, this abandoned frontier town has appeared in several films.

Colorful sand dunes create a unique attraction in this part of Utah's red-rock country.

Now famous as the "Harry Potter bridge," this impressive concrete viaduct has long been an icon in its own right.

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

Dyed by iron oxide over centuries, these sandstone rocks rise thousands of feet into the sky.

Brightly colored 30-foot-tall totems light up the desert sky just outside Las Vegas.

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

An improbable set of attractive limestone caverns forms the centerpiece of Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, in the heart of the Mojave Desert.

The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.

The largest dune field in the Mojave offers a chance of hearing the 'singing sands.'

In one of the hottest parts of the Mojave Desert, shallow bedrock forces the typically dry Mojave River to the surface in this canyon, providing a vital oasis for humans and wildlife.

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.

Millions of years of oxidation make a drive down this winding Death Valley road surprisingly colorful.

Ten 25-foot-tall, beehive-shaped kilns, abandoned in Death Valley.

One of the most unusual geological features, recognizable from a dozen hit movies.

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

The set location for a 1987 cult classic draws international film buffs to the middle of the Mojave Desert.

One of the ghostly stops along Route 66.

This tiny little island has, as the name says, just enough room for its single house.

Stroll the grounds built by murder, suicide, and dirty oil money at one of Hollywood's most filmed mansions.

High atop the Eiffel Tower is a small apartment built exclusively to entertain the science elite and make the rest of Paris jealous.

This one has sailed five times as far as Sir Francis Drake's famous ship.