A fire lookout atop a glacial pinnacle is reached by climbing three vertiginous flights of stairs.

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

A breathtaking 19th-century trail overlooks Lake Tahoe.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

This little valley along Highway 1 is engulfed by thousands of lilies during the spring season.

Its dark depths conceal millions of rare, delicate crystal formations.

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

A popular tourist cave with a dark past.

One poet's handmade, anachronistic home.

Named for a self-taught botanist who cataloged hundreds of native plants, this garden continues her work of preserving California plant life.

This corn maze so big you may want to pack a lunch, and possibly a flaregun.

The largest drain hole in the world.

Here, visitors can swing with the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

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

A giant can of fruit cocktail is all that remains of what was once the world's largest cannery.

From the sky, a kaleidoscope of color brightens the grey landscape of the San Francisco Bay.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

The graffiti-covered remnants of a former triangulation station are balanced precariously on this California peak.

Abortion, prohibition, religion, war, and fear all play a part in the history of this idiosyncratic Pacifica castle.

Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

A tiny theater hidden in an alley plays a constant stream of short silent films for anyone willing to peer through the peephole.

A walk-in working camera obscura produces 360-degree live images of the San Francisco coast.

This 19th-century church is now a popular roller rink.

One of the last remaining Carpenter Gothic churches is situated on a wildflower conservatory overlooking the bay.