Each winter this underground cave forms a dazzling ice palace.

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

A massive hydrovolcanic explosion left a half-mile wide crater in Death Valley.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

An ode to the friendship between four Pacific Rim countries.

A grove of "candelabra redwoods" deep in California's Lost Coast.

A natural dome made of volcanic glass in Inyo National Forest.

The beauty and the beast of hydraulic mining is on full display at this California Historic State Park.

Hike amid the palm trees that thrive among Southern California's Indio Hills.

This futuristic bridge is one of the longest self-anchored pedestrian bridges in the world.

A herd of 150 bison live on California's Santa Catalina Island and are at the heart of an ongoing debate between environmental protection and economic expansion.

Massive prehistoric mammals used these stones as oversized scratching posts.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

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

The space-age building is home to one of the few remaining rotating restaurants in America, and the only one that inspired a 1980s sitcom.

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

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.

Once close to extinction, there is no shortage of elephant seals on the beaches of Año Nuevo State Park.

This dormant volcanic crater has been converted from a roiling pit of magma to a pleasant hiking spot.

Semi-recognized center of the world, with many oddities.

A glittering South Asian anomaly in a wealthy Los Angeles suburb.

Happy harbor seals frolic and snooze on this warm, sandy stretch of coast.

Every year, over 25,000 monarchs overwinter in Pacific Grove.

An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects.