Hidden in the Santa Ynez Mountains off Highway 154, this tiny restaurant once served as a stagecoach stop.

A monumental cross hides in the trees in Golden Gate Park.

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

The southernmost outpost of the Russian Empire in colonial America.

Despite being a perfectly pleasant place to be, Loyalton can't seem to attract any visitors.

A statue commemorate Tommie Smith and John Carlos's brave protest at the 1968 Olympics, a watershed moment for civil rights.

A stellar example of Art & Crafts architecture, and a movie set to boot.

The blinking light atop the iconic landmark has been sending secret messages for decades.

Oakland's beautiful monumental cemetery.

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

Two mammoth statues inspired by equally tall tales lure tourists to this roadside attraction.

An old-timey medicine shop that once served Chinese laborers during the Gold Rush is still open for business to this day.

The artwork that Italians felt California didn't deserve.

"The greatest unknown literary treasure in Los Angeles."

Every weekend, the parking lot of this Buddhist temple turns into a Thai street-food paradise.

Hand-crafted tributes to a stray cat named "Room 8" now cover this LA elementary school.

The hundreds of movies and television shows shot in this high desert town are commemorated in a unique museum.

A working miniature city designed to teach kids about safety and presumably city planning.

The only thing stranger than stumbling onto these philosophical musings is the story of the homesteader who created them.

A watering hole where the options for seating include a bar, patio, or subterranean cave.

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

The longest burning light bulb in the world.

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.

The peaceful gravesite of a rugged wild west gunman echoes the touching story of his last days.