Wacky and Otherworldly Wonders
San Luis Obispo’s Bubblegum Alley is a quirky hidden gem nestled into a 15-foot high and 70-foot-long alley downtown on Higuera Street. Locals and visitors alike have been “leaving their mark” as a sort of rite of passage for decades, adding to the rainbow of chewed gum colors on this growing mural to create some memories that really “stick” out.
Mono Lake, an ancient saline lake, feels like a different planet with its remarkable tufa towers and unique wildlife. It’s almost three times saltier than the ocean. The tufa (limestone) formations seemingly shoot out of the water, clustered along the shoreline – with the most distinctive formations located at South Tufa easily reached by boardwalk and walking path. NASA has used this spot as a test site for its equipment for years due to its unique terrain and close resemblance to Mars.
There are admittedly a couple unusual beaches in Northern California – such as Fort Bragg’s iconic Glass Beach – but perhaps the most bizarre beach is actually Bowling Ball Beach in Mendocino County. Located about 3 miles south of Point Arena on Highway One, this beach has “bowling balls” which are actually concretions far more resilient than the mudstone that once surrounded them. Over millions of years, the mudstone has eroded away, forming the cliffs that line the shore and leaving the tougher “bowling balls” behind. Be sure to check the tides before heading out to ensure you can see this phenomenon!
Haunted Houses, Hotels and Serious “Soul Searching” Spots
Discover the Ghosts of Tuolumne County, where a rich Gold Rush history has led to plenty of ghost sighting opportunities on an otherworldly self-guided tour. Start at the Victorian Era Fallon Hotel which is said to be haunted by a young lady lingering around the grounds. Next, room 15 at the Groveland Hotel is said to still host a ghost named Lyle, who has a reputation for dimming lights and moving items. There’s also the Royal Olive Manor in Sonora which is thought to still house a few visitors from its past.
Over in Gilroy on California's Central Coast, for almost 100 years guests have enjoyed cocktails and fine dining at The Milias Restaurant – but oftentimes encounter the company of some especially “spirited” guests while they’re there.
Pet Cemeteries in San Francisco’s Presidio and on Catalina Island serve as final “napping places” for hundreds of furry, scaly and feathered companions. At the Presidio, these animals faithfully served the military families who lived in the neighborhood back when it was an Army post. The Pet Cemetery is one of the quirky spots to be enjoyed in this national park site, with a newly restored white picket fence and grave markers. On Catalina Island 20 or so miles off the coast of California, the main city of Avalon is known for its upscale yachting scene, world-class golfing opportunities and – wild bison? Yes, there are real, live bison supposedly residing on the island left over from a (failed) Hollywood filming venture – but you won’t find bison buried in the pet cemetery tucked in a curve of Wrigley Road on the south side of Avalon, just Fido and friends.
Once a granary, the now-haunted Whaley House in San Diego officially became a “home” when Thomas Whaley designed and attached a two-story brick residence to the property in 1857. Rumors persist that one or more spirits haunt the Whaley House and the museum offers after-dark ghost-hunting tours for those who are up to taking on the paranormal challenge. Violet Whaley fatally shot herself after a man married her just for her dowry and then vanished – leaving her humiliated and shunned by her peers. Mr. and Mrs. Whaley also roam these halls, tortured by the tragic loss of their daughter.
Mt. Shasta in Northern California has long drawn spiritual seekers from around the world, known for its spiritual vortexes. Visitors can explore the metaphysical power of the mountain through guided vortex trips with Shasta Vortex Adventures. Billed as "soul searching on a sacred mountain,” there are also other local guide services that offer guided meditation and sacred site tours year-round (with snowshoes included in the winter months).
The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose was once the personal residence of Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, the widow of William Wirt Winchester and heiress to a large portion of the Winchester® Repeating Arms fortune. It’s an architectural wonder and historic landmark that never actually completed construction from 1886 to 1922 when this eight-room farmhouse grew into the world’s most bizarre and possibly haunted mansion, featuring 24,000 square feet, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors (some of which led to nothing), 160 rooms, 52 skylights and a price tag equivalent of $71 million today. No one knows why Sarah started – and kept building, but it’s said the building is haunted, like her tortured soul.
Truckee’s Redlight Historic Bunk Hotel & Speakeasy is a hostel-style hotel and speakeasy lounge in Historic Downtown Truckee where rumor has it, a python snake sometimes greets guests... Built in the 1880s, it's always served as some form of lodging with a saloon and is said to have once even been a brothel.
Strange Science
It turns out there are literal “hidden gems” in Carlsbad. The quaint coastal town of Carlsbad is home to so many hidden gems, including the stunning, but little known Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Just a few miles inland one can go digging for actual gems at Oceanview Mine, the only actively working underground mine in the world famous Pala Gem mining district!
Peculiar Places and Roadside Rarities
In Del Norte County, visitors can check out an authentic B-17 Radar Station west of Klamath – is it a barn, or is it a wartime radar operation building? This WWII radar station disguised as a farm was built in 1942 in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and contained some of the most sophisticated early warning radar defense technology available. Afterward, say hello (literally) to the 49-foot tall Paul Bunyan at Trees of Mystery. This fantastical talking lumberjack will actually answer you back.
The “Poor Man's Hearst Castle” in Cambria is officially a California Registered Historical Landmark (No. 939) – “Nitt Witt Ridge,” as it’s more formally named, is a multi-terraced home hand-built by the late Cambria pioneer Arthur Harold Beal. Beal began collecting the unusual "decor" for his house in 1928. It’s an imaginative hodgepodge of car rims, seashells, mismatched tiles, toilet seats, appliance parts, and beer cans. Today, this fascinating property is owned by Michael and Stacey O'Malley who will give those who request a guided tour the full in-house experience.
San Diego's Scripps Turd Sculpture is a true work of public art. Although public art is always subject to debate, in San Diego, the preference occasionally runs on the less-than-sophisticated side. Statues of dolphins and fishermen will barely cause a ripple – but this one sculpture caused befuddlement along with a high-level of embarrassed chuckles – because it’s exactly as it sounds like, and absolutely makes for a more than amusing photo op.
The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz is a gravitational anomaly – a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter where people’s perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are questioned. Here, visual illusions include balls rolling uphill and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down.
Movie fanatics can live out their wildest Indiana Jones fantasies by taking a walk across the bizarrely built Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in San Diego. This funky wooden structure was built in 1912 and stretches 375 feet (114 meters) across Kate Sessions Canyon. It can supposedly support 2,186 people (at an average of 150 pounds per person).
Leonard Knight’s man-made Salvation Mountain sits just east of the Salton Sea in the California Desert area of Imperial County, and about an hour and a half from Palm Springs. It’s 50 feet by 150 feet of pure local adobe clay covered in a colorful mural of donated paint, with a clear message; “spread love.”
OstrichLand USA is a must-stop along the road in Solvang, in the Santa Ynez Valley. This 33-acre ostrich breeding farm is home to more than 100 birds (including emus), right on-site. Visitors will find a small store that sells enormous farm fresh ostrich eggs, eggshell paintings and other quirky souvenirs.
California is Home to the Weird and Wonderful
It’s no secret that California (as well as its residents and visitors) are proud to embrace their unique individuality. Here’s a collection of truly bizarre museums, attractions, points of interest and events that represent the quintessential “outside the box” California experience!
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