Although he donated over 3,000 acres to Los Angles, Griffith's life was marred by controversy.

This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.

The legendary building that needed ghostly approval before being built.

Historic funicular railway, believed to be the shortest railroad in the world.

This opulent hotel has been visited by Spider-Man, Charlie's Angels, and the Ghostbusters.

High on a hill overlooking Los Angeles lives a world famous, high-power conical Tesla Coil.

This glamorous old building is said to have inspired the Tower of Terror.

This hilltop park offers magnificent views and a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece.

Burial site more than 300 years old.

This hollow steel globe is the second-largest in the world.

A water pumping station disguised as a residential home to assuage concerned neighbors now tricks most passersby.

This research center for rare prosimians is studying how they sleep to help prolong human life.

Don't be surprised if you see a long-necked dinosaur peeking out from among the trees in Northgate Park.

This Transylvania County city is home to a rare white squirrel population that is descended from an escaped carnival animal.

This granite rock face is named for the magnificent reflection that occurs when the sun hits it just right.

Who needs fancy modern water slides when this giant North Carolina rock works just as well?

The highest point in North Carolina and the United States east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell is named after argumentative explorer Elisha Mitchell.

Practice your Dirty Dancing lifts in the manmade lake where Johnny Castle himself did.

A 315-foot spire jutting out from the Blue Ridge Mountains makes for breathtaking views.

Gnarled canopies of pink and purple wildflowers arch over the trail to the summit.

A wonderful display of arts and crafts handmade by local artisans in the Southern Appalachians.

The U.S. Supreme Court's secret Cold War relocation facility in the mountains of North Carolina.

A wedding chapel, vintage clothing shop, and bar all under one roof.

This rare basilica nestled right in downtown Asheville is an architectural marvel, inside and out.