If drivers cross the rumble strip on this stretch of Route 66 at just the right speed it plays "America the Beautiful."

An immersive environment that is part haunted house, part choose-your-own-adventure, and part jungle gym.

The "3rd largest" city in California is an empty mirage of suburbia in the middle of nowhere.

Thousands of turbines whir at at the origin of North American wind power.

This mother-daughter run curiosities shop is a beautifully odd mix of taxidermy and exotic plants.

It is locally loved and ridiculed for literally looking like poop.

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

The headquarters of a secretive order is also a beautifully-designed park.

An extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies.

One of the largest Marian shrines on the West Coast stands rather unexpectedly in Silicon Valley.

Back in the day everyone who was anyone played this historic western theater.

Eastern zen meets Western grit in these four little trees growing out of a rock on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada shore.

The best Tiki bar in Las Vegas.

This massive crater in the middle of nowhere was used to train astronauts for moon landings.

The smallest country in the world.

Race through the maze, get your name on the sign.

This ancient Hawaiian henge may have been an early star chart.

A land of debatable treasure.

This crumbling Death Valley mining complex was known for its use of giant, 20-mule team wagons.

This sculpture garden in Death Valley makes you feel like you've slipped into some alternate reality.

This old mining town, deep in the California desert, has a year-round population of one.

One of the most unusual geological features, recognizable from a dozen hit movies.

This sun-scorched lakebed contains samples of half the natural elements known to humankind.

Hidden above a drug store on a nondescript corner of Lincoln Heights is a private clubhouse for intrepid explorers.