The rustic cabin-like decor of this Arts and Crafts-style church reflects the love of nature central to its little-known theology.

A miniature view of the park, caught in time.

Guns that have been defending San Francisco since 1904.

An elaborate gift from Claus Spreckels is now a piece of San Francisco history.

The first AIDS memorial chapel in San Francisco and one of only a few in the U.S.

A mysterious painting of the self-declared Emperor of the United States watches over a local hof-brau.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

Recovered from the brink of extinction, at home in the Financial District.

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

One of few lasting examples of the brief octagon craze that developed into folly.

Alleyway plaque commemorating the death of a fictional character in The Maltese Falcon, not far from the author's home.

Radioactivity still cause for concern at this urban explorer's paradise.

A pair of mutilated bronze octopuses slump at the base of the monument honoring California's admission to the U.S.

A library built during San Francisco's pioneer times is a student's retreat, bibliophile's sanctuary, and chess player's delight.

Over 315,000 preserved amphibians and reptiles in jars.

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

Early prototype for Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim.

San Francisco's most expensive hotel suite includes a secret passageway rumored to have been used by JFK.

A speck of nature and art in one of San Francisco’s most notorious neighborhoods.

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.

The miraculous hydrant that saved the Mission District in 1906.

Not merely a museum – but a whirring powerhouse that offers a subterranean peek into the heart and soul of cable car operations.

A monument to the love people have for their pets.

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