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

These former Cold War launch sites have been preserved for tourists to see where the button might have been pushed.

An underground mansion with fruit-bearing trees and grapes growing beneath the surface of central California.

Where monkeys run wild and the humans are caged.

The sign that drew attention to a young boy's cucumber stand is now the name of his fruit superstore.

800 apricot trees honor Silicon Valley's agricultural history.

For roadside fast food, pull over at the giant orange.

Drive past the giant fruit sculptures and up to the window for a menu of fruity treats.

This unlicensed collection of fast-food memorabilia sits on the site of the first ever McDonald's restaurant.

The Route 66 institution that inspired Taco Bell also served as an important headquarters for Mexican-American social movements.

Final resting place of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.

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

A lawless town deep in Death Valley was famous for its riches and death rate turned YouTube famous.

This ramshackle ghost town is comprised of mining-era buildings collected from around the region.

The eerie remnants of an ancient forest were hidden under the sand for centuries.

An antique store houses the last operational diner from the defunct department store chain.

The "Kill Bill Church" was transformed into a place of worship after a long Hollywood history.

Famed for its pie, this eatery has a hidden tunnel that allowed Catholics to secretly walk to church during the Reformation.

A former utopian healing center created by a huckster and built by derelicts.

The neon signs from Las Vegas' past find their final resting place at this unusual graveyard.

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

This house turned museum chronicles the life and work of Richard Neutra.

One of Los Angeles's first murals once vibrantly depicted the dangers of United States imperialism.

Founded by a high school teacher, this poetry magazine became a center for all things literary.