The rocks in this arid basin leave trails of movement behind them.

Towering basalt columns, a creation of fire and ice.

World-famous, Pink's still manages to keep its prized cult fetish status.

Olfactory delights in San Francisco's Botanical Gardens.

These delicate buggers are some of the rarest fossils that have bubbled up from the Tar Pits.

A pair of slides and a tree-lined stair corridor have been an urban oasis for nearly 40 years.

A trash dump made beautiful by nature's power.

Its buzzing collection honors vibrator history.

Carnivorous plants, medieval aphrodisiacs, and the largest original wood structure glass conservatory in the western hemisphere.

Relics of the 1894 Midwinter Exposition continue to delight visitors today.

Get lost in this haunting fairytale art walk through a man-made eucalyptus grove.

Shop selling 500 flavors of soda has something for everyone.

Under the right circumstances, this waterfall in Yosemite briefly turns a luminescent fiery orange.

The abandoned zoo enclosures offer a perfect place to experience the other side of the bars.

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

Bring your own cardboard to the slippery slopes of concrete hidden in a neighborhood park.

This iconic L.A. bookshop is housed in an abandoned bank—both symbolic and chic.

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

You can dig up your own crystals in the quartz capital of the world.

Two gushing waterfalls of hot spring water within a block of each other.

This mountaintop refuge rehabilitates tigers, lions, bears, and more from illicit wildlife trade—and offers overnight lodging.

The seventh largest spring in the world.

These waterfalls can be twins or triplets, depending on how much it's rained recently.

This restaurant serves wood-fired fare served in a natural cave with a live spring.