Places MatthewSperling Wants to Go

Feast on cuttlefish ink-stained paella by the beach.

Construction of Barcelona’s iconic (but controversial) church was finally completed in 2026—a century after the death of its architect.

This charming candle shop has been in business since 1789.

Feast on buckets of garlicky snails.

One of Hollywood's most iconic actresses was born in an upscale Brussels neighborhood in 1929.

One man's attempt to create an artistic wonder on a run-down block in Detroit.

Thousands of migrating monarchs overwinter clustered amongst the eucalyptus trees.

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.

A hotel and restaurant serving as the mecca of kitsch.

One of the largest free-standing structures ever built, this dirigible hangar is now simply a giant skeleton.

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.

When California condors were hovering on the brink of extinction, this recovery program was charged with helping the birds thrive again.

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

Centuries of crashing waves carved out this small hole in the rock, which lights up at certain parts of the year.

Elephant seals and sea lions have turned the abandoned buildings on this island into their endangered love shack.

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

The largest permanent Monopoly board makes one of the longest games even bigger.

Life in this isolated, hilltop lighthouse was lonely, but it sure was lovely.

Housed in a memorial lighthouse, this museum relays the history of surfing, beginning with the antics of royal Hawaiian teenagers.

Every year, over 25,000 monarchs overwinter in Pacific Grove.

It should come as no surprise that the world's largest artichoke lies in the town that calls itself the "Artichoke Center of the World."

Here, visitors can swing with the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

A "gravitational anomaly" located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California.

The vaulted ceiling is home to a scurry of “squirrelgoyles.”