christalley's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Sausalito, California

Marin Headlands

Concrete strongholds stand guard over the Golden Gate.
Palm Desert, California

Smiler's Point

This simple highway curve has become a comedic pilgrimage site.
Riverside, California

The Ark of Citrus

The Citrus Variety Collection at UC Riverside contains two trees of each of the 1,000+ varieties of citrus.
Morro Bay, California

Morro Rock

A massive volcanic plug is now a protected area that hosts a number of bird species.
Baker, California

World's Largest Thermometer

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.
Hemet, California

Hemet Maze Stone

This mysterious petroglyph evokes the ancient swastika symbol but was later vandalized with the more troublesome Nazi one.
Indio, California

Shields Date Garden

A giant knight, sex education, date shakes, and Jesus coexist happily in this Coachella Valley desert oasis.
Los Gatos, California

Mt. Umunhum Cube

An ominous concrete cube cuts a dystopian silhouette atop this California mountain.
Castroville, California

World's Largest Artichoke Statue

It should come as no surprise that the world's largest artichoke lies in the town that calls itself the "Artichoke Center of the World."
Mountain View, California

Hangar One

One of the largest free-standing structures ever built, this dirigible hangar is now simply a giant skeleton.
San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo's Bubblegum Alley

An alley covered with 20 years of bubble gum.
San Juan Capistrano, California

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Oldest building in California still in use.
San Francisco, California

Stern of the Niantic

The only visible piece of San Francisco's most famous shipwreck.
Salinas, California

Fort Ord

Once America’s most beautiful army base, this abandoned military fort on the coast of Monterey Bay has been left to the elements.
Long Beach, California

RMS Queen Mary

The awe-inspiring ship from the golden era of cruising has an incomparable history and a reputation as one of the world’s most haunted places.
California City, California

California City: The Unbuilt Suburb

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

Disneyland's Club 33

The hidden jewel of Disneyland: a members only playground for the Disney elite.
San Diego, California

1895 Looff Carousel

One of the few remaining carousels built by master amusement park carver Charles I.D. Looff.
Hillsborough, California

The Flintstone House

A burnt orange monolithic dome structure perched on a hillside near Interstate 280.
Pacific Grove, California

Kissing Rock

Two rocks in a perpetual kiss and one of "the most romantic spot in America."
San Bernardino County, California

Kelso Ghost Town

The abandoned train depot now doubles as a well-placed rest stop for those who take the road less traveled.
Gilroy, California

Gilroy Gardens

Home to the "Circus" trees created by Axel Erlandson.
Los Angeles, California

Candy Cane Lane

Come crisp December nights, this fairly plain neighborhood becomes a holiday dream world.
Los Angeles, California

Korean Bell of Friendship

This symbol of peace is appropriately positioned overlooking the Pacific Ocean.