The Atlas Obscura Guide To California

1,491 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in California

Updated March 3, 2025

From coastal road trips to wild natural adventures, from desert to mountains, from Hollywood to redwoods, the Golden State has it all. No trip there would be complete without some hidden wonder you werenʼt expecting, and weʼre going to help you find it.

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Unusual Attractions in California

The Wave Organ, San Francisco Bay

San Francisco, California

The Wave Organ

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

San Francisco, California

Secret Tiled Staircase

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

Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

Los Angeles, California

The Echo Park Time Travel Mart

Non-profit time travel mart sells goods you would need for a trip through the fourth dimension.

Portal of books.

Los Angeles, California

The Last Bookstore

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

Museum of Death

Los Angeles, California

The Museum of Death

World's largest collection of serial killer artwork and other macabre exhibits.

Winchester Mystery House, with some of its many doors and windows.

San Jose, California

The Winchester Mystery House

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

Seward Street Slides

San Francisco, California

Seward Street Slides

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

See All 1,491 Things To Do in California

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in California

Los Angeles, California

Galco's Soda Pop Stop

Shop selling 500 flavors of soda has something for everyone.

Behind the bar at Tiki Ti.

Los Angeles, California

Tiki-Ti

Established in the '60s, a family-owned tropical drink bar founded by Ray Buhen, bartender to the stars.

October 2022

Los Angeles, California

Pink's Hot Dogs

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

The Tonga Room’s pool.

San Francisco, California

The Tonga Room

Tiki luxury on Nob Hill.

See all 104 Places to Eat in California

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Discover the Surprising and Hidden History of Monterey County

Sponsored by See Monterey

Monterey County, nestled on California’s stunning Pacific Coast, is a treasure trove of lush landscapes and breathtaking ocean views. But beyond its natural beauty lies a rich tapestry of human history waiting to be explored. Hike a National Historic Trail while learning about the area's Indigenous communities; watch a thrilling race at the storied Laguna Seca Raceway; and get lunch at a restaurant that epitomizes the Oaxacan presence in Monterey. This itinerary will take you to museums and reserves across the county and its thousands of years of human history.

Explore California

Architecture 180

Architectural Oddities 122

Museums 107

Art 100

Collections 97

Plants 94

Homes 90

Statues 82

Shops 81

Animals 70

Nature 70

Eccentric Homes 67

Unique Restaurants & Bars 62

Places To Stay 30

California Leaderboard

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Recent California Activity

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wants to go to Secret Tiled Staircase
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wants to go to Peephole Cinema
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wants to go to Sunken City
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wants to go to The Last Bookstore
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has been to Richard Nixon's Resignation Helicopter

Stories About California

Northern elephant seals hunt nearly nonstop for more than half the year, with each seal making tens of thousands of dives in search of food.

Are There Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Ask an Elephant Seal.

In California, deep-diving marine mammals help scientists count how many fish live in the ocean's twilight zone.

by Atlas Obscura

February 24, 2025

The Coffee Center aims to demystify the craft of coffee.

How a UC Davis Research Center Is Changing the World of Coffee

That’s that UC espresso.

February 5, 2025

The square-shaped, blood-filled toe tips of a wandering salamander (Aneides vagrans) help them navigate their treetop habitat.

Blood-Powered Toes Give ‘Skydiving’ Salamanders a Boost

These amphibians evolved unique strategies to move around the canopies of the world's tallest trees.

by Michelle Cassidy

February 5, 2025

The lights of Los Angeles shine behind this mountain lion, photographed with a motion sensor camera. These big cats share the scrubby landscape with wealthy suburbs.

How Will California’s Wildfires Affect Wildlife?

From fleeing mountain lions to scorched soil, the aftermath of intense fires shows an ecosystem transformed.

by Atlas Obscura

January 21, 2025

Firefighters and natural resource specialists wrap the base of General Sherman, the largest tree in the world by volume, with fire-resistant material.

In the National Parks, Fire Crews Do More Than Fight Fires

Protecting sensitive habitats and cultural resources from the smoke and flames is part of the job too.

by Atlas Obscura

January 13, 2025

The Malki Museum’s annual Agave Roast Native Food Tasting keeps the culinary tradition alive.

The Indigenous Communities Preserving the Ancient Art of Roasting Agave

Now more famous as a distilling ingredient, agave has been a traditional food in Southern California for millennia.

by Sarah Lohman

Mastodons once roamed over much of North America. One of them died near the future site of San Diego, causing a scientific controversy 130,000 years later.

The Wild Tale of the Cerutti Mastodon, a Fossil That Could Rewrite the Human Story

The Cerutti Mastodon, found near San Diego, shows signs of being butchered 130,000 years ago—but by who? Or what?

by Gemma Tarlach

Octopuses investigate the skeleton of a whale at a whale fall site off the California coast.

There Are More Whale Falls Off Los Angeles Than the Rest of the World Combined

The surprising discovery reveals how much we don't know about the deep ocean and its residents.

by Douglas Main

Lists Featuring California

The Capitol Records building.

The newly named alleyway.

Cahuenga Building

Museum of Death

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Curious Travelers

Including Capitol Records Building Morse Code, Chaplin Keaton Lloyd Alley, and Cahuenga Building

The shiniest beach you’ll ever see.

Venice of America Canals

California Dream: Art Show Inspiration

Including Glass Beach, Devils Postpile National Monument, and Venice of America Canals

Western Pacific Railroad Museum

F14 Fighter Jet

19th century pump

9 Marvelous Museums in California for the Curious Kid

Including Western Pacific Railroad Museum, USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum, and Los Angeles Fire Department Museum

Portal of books.

Fairy Post Office

Exterior of Bart’s Books.

30 Curious Corners in California

Including The Last Bookstore, Secret Tiled Staircase, and Fairy Post Office

Lobby of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly known as the Ahwahnee.

The ivy covered hotel.

Staircase at Hotel Vertigo

Mid Eastern-themed billiards room

19 Unusual Hotels in California

Remarkable places to stay—or at least visit—in the Golden State.

Including The Ahwahnee Hotel, Venice Beach House, and Hotel Vertigo

Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.

A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet

Boontling word of the week in the tap room of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

12 places to marvel at the history of human language.

Including The Cairo Genizah , The Museum of the Alphabet , and Boontling Language of Boonville

Winter Solstice 2019

The Spiral Jetty

City: under construction - http://raisethestakeseditions.com/basin-and-range/

Double Negative’s north trench

A Tour of Spectacular 1970s Art Made From the Landscape Itself

Eight places to witness the incredible ambition of the Southwest land art movement.

Including Sun Tunnels, The Spiral Jetty, and Complex City

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