A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

The quiet canyon has a tumultuous history involving a doomsday cult.

A still functioning vaudeville carousel that has operated for over a century boasts a colorful menagerie and past.

San Francisco Bay's ghost town.

Fourteen curious and controversial white bunnies sit in a circle near Newport Beach City Hall.

One of the last free public hot springs is decorated with hippie art.

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

The largest drain hole in the world.

Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

Abandoned bridge hidden deep in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The lowest point in North America is home to an undrinkable pool surrounded by fields of geometric salt flats.

An unfortunate geological resemblance to Satan has labeled this Pasadena gorge as a passage to the underworld.

This abandoned Navy base was transformed into an off-grid alternative living community for thousands of people.

Explore 10 acres of environmental sculptures.

This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.

An extraordinarily ornate museum in San Diego holds wondrous anthropological treasures.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

An outdoor sculpture park of giant pink robots and post-apocalyptic Christmas scenes.

Visible below the waves are memorials to the city's Gold Rush dead.

The now-abandoned tunnels were built for the transcontinental railroad on the route where the first wagon train entered California.

Eons old volcanic activity created one of the most stunning rock formations in the United States.

Trails through lava-carved tube-caves display sparkling bacteria and a rich history.

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

An inconspicuous footbridge beloved by San Diego locals.