Places lepainperdu Wants to Go

The most popular attraction in Southern California was once a flock of ornery bipedal birds that pulled carts.

This rare tortoise skeleton has been hanging around the downtown Los Angeles museum for over a century.

"The greatest unknown literary treasure in Los Angeles."

Hidden above a drug store on a nondescript corner of Lincoln Heights is a private clubhouse for intrepid explorers.

A castle that was built stone by stone by an eccentric journalist.

A master of deception, Harry Houdini's greatest trick may have been living in two places at once.

One of Los Angeles's first murals once vibrantly depicted the dangers of United States imperialism.

Hidden in one of the skyscrapers on Bunker Hill, this museum features an 1895 stagecoach and peers into California’s gold-lined history.

This peaceful garden is hidden on the grounds of a spiritual organization founded by a pioneer yogi.

This historic aviation building is now a museum owned and operated by Disney.

The decor of this Hollywood movie palace just barely predated the opening of King Tut's tomb.

This Hollywood dive houses a mural painted by the artists who animated its namesake film.

This forgotten Frank Lloyd Wright house is an architectural marvel at the end of a sleepy residential street.

An abandoned 1930s gas station turned bustling neighborhood park.

Don't bother sending any mail to this ghost town.

This collector's home is a constant work in progress.

A Saint Nicholas-themed ghost town in the Mojave desert.

Marta Becket's hand-painted theater in the desert.

A picture-perfect town, perfect for blowing up.

The contents of this safe survived a 37-kiloton nuclear bomb.

The lost ruins of the forgotten ferry lie hidden beneath the silt.

Preserving the remains of Native American cultures which otherwise would have been submerged behind Hoover Dam.

Nearly 300,000 acres of wildlife, natural splendor, and a hidden ghost town have been designated a national monument.

This former Mormon settlement is reemerging from the receding waters of Lake Mead.