This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.

9,000 square feet of vintage and modern mechanical toys, dioramas & sideshow curiosities.

An enormous artwork that colorfully celebrates over 150 years of US military achievements.

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.

San Francisco's newly reopened hands-on science museum.

This concrete tangle of square pipes has stood as a proud thorn in the city's side since the '70s.

Located on 420 acres in the high desert, this spiritual center is dedicated to the "science of the future."

Experience a quartz crystal sound bath inside a storied, all-wood sound-chamber.

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.

The most magnificent bottle house in a town strangely full of them.

Quite simply the largest tree in the world (by volume).

This crumbling Death Valley mining complex was known for its use of giant, 20-mule team wagons.

The rocks in this arid basin leave trails of movement behind them.

An abandoned Jazz Age dream home and con man's hideout in Death Valley.

Odd outsider art installations surround a Gold Rush-era ghost town.

The lowest point in North America is home to an undrinkable pool surrounded by fields of geometric salt flats.

"Only the devil could play golf here."

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

A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

A former utopian healing center created by a huckster and built by derelicts.

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.

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

Version of the French Riviera destroyed by the sea.