Places SoCal Creature Wants to Go

Acres of natural wonders left behind by a socialite-turned-gardener.

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

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

This massive blockhead sculpture hides an entire library.

The ruins of the castle that chemicals built.

A dwindling menagerie of anthropomorphic oil derrick animals still dot the barren California landscape.

Hidden in the back of a disused small town hotel is a dive bar shellacked with over a million pennies.

The unbelievably opulent home built for an infamous newspaperman.

A house built from trash known as the poor man's Hearst Castle.

Cambria's most unique B&B features creative surroundings and fantastic food.

Coastal dunes, site of buried Egyptian movie set and former utopian colony.

Machinery left over from California's once thriving mercury industry now attracts artists and explorers.

A simple statue outside a California Amtrak station honors the overlooked contributions of the "silent spikes."

A chain of bells connect the California Missions and honor the legend of the "King’s Highway."

These unusual houses look like giant boats that washed ashore on a residential street.

What began as an illegal art installation has become a symbol for unity, ocean awareness, and coastline preservation.

In this roadside "community for the small," abandoned toys gain new lives.

This dark, quiet forest on the outskirts of San Diego is dense with rumor and lore.

While exploring the desert, you can stop by the home of a fictional heretic from a parallel universe.

This outdoor observatory offers stellar views and a scale model of our solar system.

This Pringle-shaped ledge makes for the perfect photo op.

A UFO scrapyard in the California desert.

This historic tower in the California desert promises visitors a "vortex of good vibes".

Catch a glimpse of the elusive Peninsular bighorns right off of the desert freeway.