The first lookout in Yosemite.

The last remnant of a tree that helped prove to the world that sequoias are real—and they’re spectacular.

The second-largest giant sequoia in the world.

Four hundred granite steps were built into this massive rock by the National Park Service.

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

This massive statue of John Muir on the side of a California highway was carved from a redwood tree.

A garden oasis filled with flowers mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare.

The remains of a 12th-century chapter house in Golden Gate Park.

Relics of the 1894 Midwinter Exposition continue to delight visitors today.

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

Golden Gate Park's historic collection of plants.

Olfactory delights in San Francisco's Botanical Gardens.

This private residence was the template for one of the most beloved television homes of all time.

The last used bookstore in Downtown San Francisco is one of the smallest bookstores just about anywhere.

A shining, cold, black organ lies in San Francisco's financial district.

Faceless white figures loom over the city from the rooftop.

With the touch of a button, you can read a randomly selected short story.

Wander down a side street dedicated to one of the members of the Beat Generation.

The second building of its name to occupy this location might be the finest flatiron building in San Francisco.

One of the last remnants of the city's Chinese nightclub scene is now a dive bar selling killer mai tais.

One of the oldest producers of hand-folded fortune cookies still uses its original secret recipe.

Gold Rush ship-turned-hotel buried underneath San Francisco's financial district.

The oldest alley in San Francisco is paved with a reminder of the city's original shoreline.

A Barbary Coast watering hole built into a Gold Rush shipwreck.