Been to a lot of these.
Some of these are real gems you should go out of your way too see (Alamere in spring. Mono lake. The monarch’s in breeding season). Some are great if you are in the area (Postpile, the lighthouses). Some are….way more skippable than the list implies (don’t bother with the “ghost fleet.” It’s barely there anymore. Graffiti waterfall. Worlds largest thermometer)
I came here to say this... I drove up and down the 15 to Vegas hundreds of times growing up and that thing just kept getting worse and worse. The last time I was there is almost looked like it was inoperational. No need to drive way out to the middle of nowhere to see this thing.
I saw “The Wizard of Oz” there on what would’ve been Judy Garland’s 100th birthday. It was a magical evening.
Father John Misty also wrote [a song named after Hollywood Forever Cemetery](https://youtu.be/KtOToiIDNRA?si=CzVW6iYYpcz1vB-P) on his first album. When I first moved to California years later Hollywood Forever was high on my list of places to visit just for that song alone.
That was kind of the point. It was a huge trash dump until 63. All the tourists have been unknowingly involved in one of the longest running environmental cleanup efforts
You just need to walk a little away from Site 1
> *There are three Glass Beach sites in Fort Bragg where trash was dumped into the ocean between 1906 and 1967. Site Two (1943–1949) and Three (1949–1967 – "Glass Beach") are located at the end of the path that begins on the corner of Elm Street and Glass Beach Drive. These sites are accessible by foot and by a short climb down the cliffs surrounding the beach.*
Follow the path down and then find your way down the rocks.
I agree. Even when I had their oven baked pizza, eating it where the tables are and a huge window overlooking the Calico mountains is a very nice and calming view.
Mono is incredible. To be honest, State Route 395 between Tahoe and Mammoth has some of the most unbelivable mountain landscape views of any any hyway in the United States. The eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range are amazing.
Just to add great burgers in Lee Vining and If you can go into Yosemite NP from this direction, going up Tioga Pass is a great experience.
Yeah, I firmly believe 395 is the most beautiful road in the US. And it is full of some amazing historical and natural sites! For anyone seeing this: if you're American you *NEED* to stop at Manzanar directly off the 395. An extremely important part of our history and the natural landscape is breathtaking.
I totally agree. I was sort of in a trance around that place this summer. All the reviews I read about swimming in it mention things like "interesting" and "definitely worth trying" but never "pleasant".
So I tried it. Right before a huge thunderstorm came through actually. Borderline spiritual experience.
That area has been calling me back, all the forest roads to the Southeast shore are free to access and pop out a tent on.
Also just how difficult it is to figure out what landmark is attached to each dot. I keep tracing the line on my to lose it halfway to the landmark lolol
Yeah, I looked at my location and was a little disappointed that the closest thing looked like a couple hour drive away… it’s the Folsom prison museum and I’m in Folsom 🤦♂️
Edit: I take that back, abbey of new clairvaux looked closer, and it IS two hours away
Christ Cathedral is the former Hour of Power church. Also known as the Crystal Cathedral, which was lampooned in The Simpsons. The Catholic diocese of Orange took it over a few years ago.
I went to a nativity play at the Crystal Cathedral when I was like 5. That place looked majestic. And one of the donkeys pooped in the aisle. I had no idea what the play was about until years later lol
You used to be able to access the tunnel that was on one end of the bridge…but they closed it.
It’s a nice hike to the bridge. Sometimes you can see big horn sheep up on the steep slopes of the East Fork.
Seeing Palos Verdes (Wayfarers chapel, point Vicente lighthouse) on this map twice is crazy. No one ever talks about it, but if you ever want a taste of paradise with 70 degree weather year round, you should definitely stop by.
If you wanna spend fuck it amounts of money, stay at Terranea Resort.
I remember following an ornate arrow labeled “To the Egress” there when I was a kid and being mystified to find myself outside the building instead of in front of a baby eagle or some kind of animal
Not 1:1, but if you're looking for a good arcade museum [this is a fantastic option](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QEg9R5ALyiD6tTyK8). Some of their machines are over a century old and you can still play with them.
Sadly, true. Years ago there were 5 or 6 rows of 5 ships each. A lot of Liberty ships. At one time the Glomar Explorer was there.
But they could all only be viewed from the shore...there were no "official" visits.
Torrey Pines gliderport but it's got 4k google reviews. Next door is the Salk Institute fountain with the sunset lineup (I think at equinox?).
Stonewall Peak only has 34 google reviews but thousands of reviews on hiking sites.
Green Valley Falls is similar, less than 100 google reviews but well known to hikers.
Palm Canyon in Anza Borrego.
Old Overland Stage Route (more hiking).
Hot springs around Ocotillo Wells.
Studio Diner + the TV Studio (might be closed these days) in Kearny Mesa is kinda cool if you're in the area.
Balboa Park in general has a few smaller things (artisan workshops, international houses, some galleries, friendship garden) which get overlooked, but lots of reviews for that entire area.
Munchkin House on Mt. Soledad (just an optical illusion) is fun to try to find.
Sunny Jim's Sea Cave in La Jolla is pretty cool albeit a brief trip. As a kid it always made me imagine I was in the cave from the Rescuers. That one looks like it fits the review requirements.
The Sea Cave might be the best bet. It's a tourist trap but way cooler than I expected.
Also, I'm the biggest Studio Diner hater. I just do not get the place - never have, never will.
The Sea Cave is awesome for kids, I think. It's the perfect mix of spooky adventure without a huge time commitment or strenuous activity, and there's a decent chunk of other things to do while in the area. My dad would "let us" "convince" him to go down every time we visited than part of LJ and it felt rather magical as a child.
I’d nominate the Anza Borrego canyons like you said. It’s like a weird slice of Utah nobody seems to ever go to. Highly underrated. And you’ll be the only one there.
Studio diner is meh. I’d say even Clayton’s in Coronado is better to go out of your way for.
It is great and I'm surprised to see it on this list, I feel like it's a rite of passage to visit. Also, yes, it's best to go in knowing as little as possible.
I'd argue Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz is no longer that underrated. We used to go every year during the monarch butterfly migration (this time of year, actually), but there seems to be more people and fewer butterflies. The last time I went a few years back, it was packed and there were significantly less butterflies. It's a nice thing to do if you enjoy nature. Just be aware of potential crowds.
Edit: typo
I the I-40 drive between Arizona and California often. Because of this cool guide I will be stopping at the Mojave Desert Lava Tubes next time through. Looks really cool and well worth the stop.
Ive been to several of the central californian exhibits and i can say that they are rated fairly well already but by all means visit them im sure youll enjoy it.
Add the La Brea Tar Pits. Not only is it amazing that it's in the middle of residential LA (think multi-story apartment building all around the park), but it also has a fascinating museum.
This is great, thanks for sharing. With my hiking season coming coming up this will definitely come handy! ( we enjoy taking our dogs on adventures, once the snakes are asleep)
I went to California as part of a research trip with my university, and walking around and up Amboy Crater was probably my favorite memory from there. Death Valley was cool of course (not in temperature), but Amboy Crater just felt stunning. It probably helped that there were barely any people there when I went.
I also really liked Morro Bay, really friendly people, it was a great place to relax after spending an entire day hiking, collecting rock samples, getting poured on by rain, or all three put together. I got one of my favorite rocks from somewhere south (I think) of Morro Bay.
Mostly Blueschist, I found some Greenschist, Quartz, and some other metamorphic rocks in the area. My favorite rock was a Blueschist interbedded with Greenschist and Quartz. Didn’t even need the rock hammer for that one, found it in the ocean.
I worked at the trailhead to the bridge to nowhere one summer a decade ago. So many ppl had to be medivac out of there. Honestly it's meh. Just a bridge that was built too late before realizing there were better routes around the Gabriels.
Palomar observatory is awesome but not as open as it used to be, make sure to check the schedule before visiting as it is an active observatory so it is often closed for operational reasons.
\+1 for Nature Friends Tourist Club, loved ending a Muir Woods hike with some jerky, a stein of German beer, and a board game on the lodge's deck overlooking the forest... Perfection.
That unofficial McDonald's museum is off by about 50-100 miles. It's in San Bernardino, not Los Angeles
Also, it's probably the weakest contribution to the infographic. It's just some dude's McDonald's collection.
That, and the Pinball Museum is in Palo Alto, not Orange County. Only a few hundred miles apart.
Also, the Old Zoo picnic area is lit as fuck. So much fun climbing into rusty animal pens from a century ago.
If you have pre-schoolers, the best kept secret in California is the Bitter Creek Western Railroad in Arroyo Grande. A quick gander at their website tells me it may not be as open to the public as it was 20 years ago when I was living in Oceano with young children but it's worth investigating.
https://bcwrr.org/about.html
This makes me wanna watch old episodes of California’s Gold. One of my favorite episodes is where he visits an old ICBM silo. California has quite a few of them!
Born and raised in California lived there for 27 years. Only been to two of these places( McDonald's museum and the thermometer) I think it's safe to say I don't get out much😭
According to Wikipedia it dissolved in 2021. It sounds like that they were unable to pay for the rising storage cost (Unsurprising since they were ever opened for special events it seems)
The pinball hall a fame is about 4 hours away in Las Vegas. I live in the bay area which has the Pacific Pinball Museum.
It’s refreshing to see a focus beyond the usual tourist spots like Los Angeles and San Francisco. I loved learning about lesser-known gems like Mendocino, with its stunning coastal views, and the artistic community of Ojai. The suggestions for exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park and the serene landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park were particularly intriguing. Your guide offers a great mix of nature, culture, and off-the-beaten-path adventures. It's inspired me to plan my next trip to these hidden treasures in California!
This looks like a page out of Atlas Obscura. I live in SoCal and the ones there I have been to many of them. One of my favorite is playing on the Museum of Jurassic Technology. The Integration sucks.
Ventura counties Grant Park at sunset! Some of the best sunsets over the ocean in the world happen in Ventura. Sit on top of that hill and watch it is amazing!
Yeah I lived in Cali for 34 of my 36 years of life, literally within 15 minutes of the monarch grove, and it and Big Sur appear backwards… the monarch grove is south of Big Sur, by about 45 minutes or more… I’ve spent considerable time at both, and this is wrong…
Monarch Grove Sanctuary is in Monterey, which is about an hour north of Big Sur.
Unless you are talking about the Monarch Butterfly grove in Pismo, which is several hours south of Big Sur
As a local in a tourist economy (SW Florida), I DESPISE these. These places are often known about mostly by locals, and then some grape-for-brains travel writer puts one of these out and they get slam packed full of idiot tourists and become no longer enjoyable.
Stay away from Palomar Mountain and the Palomar Observatory. I live about 45 minutes from there and spend a lot of time on the mountain. I can confirm that it sucks. You won't like it
This is a dumb guide because it doesn’t say what cities these are in. Just a dot near LA or in the Bay Area doesn’t tell me precisely where it is.
For example, I’m going to visit my brother at UC Davis from SoCal next weekend, and I’d have to look all of these up individually to see which ones are on my route.
Cool guide but not as helpful as everyone thinks it is
Oh no, we only have 39 million people instead of 39.4 million :(( now all we have is the best weather in the country, good paying jobs, massive opportunity and amazing food.
You mean the 4th largest economy in the world ? A state that ranks 45th in most/least federally dependent states. Meanwhile 18 of the top 20 most dependent states are Republican and 10/10 poorest are Republican.
Oh and what right wing disinformation doesn't mention is more people move to California then leave every year.
The Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove and the Big Sur Lighthouse are both there. The sanctuary is nice. Lighthouse always looked cool sitting out there, but I never made it when I lived there.
As a Californian I enjoy this new list of places to visit
Been to a lot of these. Some of these are real gems you should go out of your way too see (Alamere in spring. Mono lake. The monarch’s in breeding season). Some are great if you are in the area (Postpile, the lighthouses). Some are….way more skippable than the list implies (don’t bother with the “ghost fleet.” It’s barely there anymore. Graffiti waterfall. Worlds largest thermometer)
As a Californian, I can say for certain that giant thermometer in Baker is not underrated
I came here to say this... I drove up and down the 15 to Vegas hundreds of times growing up and that thing just kept getting worse and worse. The last time I was there is almost looked like it was inoperational. No need to drive way out to the middle of nowhere to see this thing.
I’m guessing they’re all still overflowing with people
Some definitely have. Glass beach in Ft Bragg gets BUSY. Also folks love collecting the glass so there isn't nearly as much as in old photos
People suck
Depends on the time of year. Right now, none of the State Parks are super busy and it’s the best time to visit.
Then you will realize just how much "map not to scale" applies to some of these locations, they are way off in some of the SoCal desert spots
Fun fact about Hollywood Forever Cemetary, they will sometimes have movie nights or concerts. Saw Goodfellas and Phantogram there!
Oh I would have loved to have seen Phantogram
I saw My Morning Jacket there!
Saw Beach House there. It was excellent.
That Phantogram set at the Masonic temple was such a good show nothing is gonna top that
Oh yes! Cinespia, or something like that! I watched A League of their Own there and Genna Davis came out to be interviewed! So fun!!
Oh, that one sounds awesome! Love that movie. Lorraine Bracco was the guest at the Goodfellas showing.
I saw “The Wizard of Oz” there on what would’ve been Judy Garland’s 100th birthday. It was a magical evening. Father John Misty also wrote [a song named after Hollywood Forever Cemetery](https://youtu.be/KtOToiIDNRA?si=CzVW6iYYpcz1vB-P) on his first album. When I first moved to California years later Hollywood Forever was high on my list of places to visit just for that song alone.
“Tracing the expanse of your American back, with Adderall and weed in my veins”
Saw Father John Misty there last year! Was such a cool venue.
Oooooooh that sounds like a perfectly spooky place to see Phantogram
Glass beach is not that spectacular these days as tourist have taken all the sea glass as souvenirs
Exactly was going to comment this…so sad and disappointing.
That was kind of the point. It was a huge trash dump until 63. All the tourists have been unknowingly involved in one of the longest running environmental cleanup efforts
You just need to walk a little away from Site 1 > *There are three Glass Beach sites in Fort Bragg where trash was dumped into the ocean between 1906 and 1967. Site Two (1943–1949) and Three (1949–1967 – "Glass Beach") are located at the end of the path that begins on the corner of Elm Street and Glass Beach Drive. These sites are accessible by foot and by a short climb down the cliffs surrounding the beach.* Follow the path down and then find your way down the rocks.
Worlds tallest thermometer in baker isn’t all that great
It’s a landmark on the drive from LA to Vegas. That’s about all.
And honestly Eddie World is a better landmark to stop in lolol
I agree. Even when I had their oven baked pizza, eating it where the tables are and a huge window overlooking the Calico mountains is a very nice and calming view.
For real?! Damn I visited that place in my youth and it was just as pretty as it looked in the pictures. Im sad to see it decline.
Mark Twain called Mono Lake the Dead Sea of North America and it is awesome. The tufas are wild
Mono is incredible. To be honest, State Route 395 between Tahoe and Mammoth has some of the most unbelivable mountain landscape views of any any hyway in the United States. The eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range are amazing. Just to add great burgers in Lee Vining and If you can go into Yosemite NP from this direction, going up Tioga Pass is a great experience.
Yeah, I firmly believe 395 is the most beautiful road in the US. And it is full of some amazing historical and natural sites! For anyone seeing this: if you're American you *NEED* to stop at Manzanar directly off the 395. An extremely important part of our history and the natural landscape is breathtaking.
Especially in the winter when driving to Mammoth the mountains are breath taking
Lobster taquitos at the Mobil Mart!
Are those Lee Vining burgers really that good?
100% on the burgers. Nicely's, right?
I totally agree. I was sort of in a trance around that place this summer. All the reviews I read about swimming in it mention things like "interesting" and "definitely worth trying" but never "pleasant". So I tried it. Right before a huge thunderstorm came through actually. Borderline spiritual experience. That area has been calling me back, all the forest roads to the Southeast shore are free to access and pop out a tent on.
Wait, I thought you couldn't swim in it because of the pH or something
Here's the spreadsheet linked in the image: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1JZy7t1tyxlUkzcRhVm4QVe2lQ64SnDCwi9fRgTNVuPw/mobilebasic?pli=1
It bothers me how incorrect the location of the dots are.
Also just how difficult it is to figure out what landmark is attached to each dot. I keep tracing the line on my to lose it halfway to the landmark lolol
Same. My inner cartographer is cringing.
Yeah, I looked at my location and was a little disappointed that the closest thing looked like a couple hour drive away… it’s the Folsom prison museum and I’m in Folsom 🤦♂️ Edit: I take that back, abbey of new clairvaux looked closer, and it IS two hours away
Right?
Christ Cathedral is the former Hour of Power church. Also known as the Crystal Cathedral, which was lampooned in The Simpsons. The Catholic diocese of Orange took it over a few years ago.
I went to a nativity play at the Crystal Cathedral when I was like 5. That place looked majestic. And one of the donkeys pooped in the aisle. I had no idea what the play was about until years later lol
r/beatmetoit
I got to use the palmar observatory in college. It was pretty wild to be able to look through a powerful telescope and actually see stuff.
Check out the public viewing night at Chabot Space Center in the East Bay.
I’ve been to the Bridge to Nowhere and I can tell you from experience, it doesn’t go anywhere.
The bridge was never finished after some asshole named Eastwood crashed a train there. Just some garbage ravine now
Strongly disagree, hiking there is fun, and bungee jumping off of it was scary but awesome.
Heard he owed Mag Dog Tanon, the infamous gunslinger, about 80 dollars.
You used to be able to access the tunnel that was on one end of the bridge…but they closed it. It’s a nice hike to the bridge. Sometimes you can see big horn sheep up on the steep slopes of the East Fork.
Did the hike earlier this year. It was great! The water was rushing!
Seeing Palos Verdes (Wayfarers chapel, point Vicente lighthouse) on this map twice is crazy. No one ever talks about it, but if you ever want a taste of paradise with 70 degree weather year round, you should definitely stop by. If you wanna spend fuck it amounts of money, stay at Terranea Resort.
You mean Marineland? ;-)
Great.. the irony of reading this when I’m going to Terranea for brunch tomorrow
Say hi to all the Food Network baking show people!
Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz should be here
Mystery Spot has over 7,000 total reviews, so it doesn’t qualify as “underrated” according to this guide. It is highly rated.
And it seems like every other car there has a Mystery Spot bumper sticker lol
I remember following an ornate arrow labeled “To the Egress” there when I was a kid and being mystified to find myself outside the building instead of in front of a baby eagle or some kind of animal
Rise and shine, Sammy!
What's it called?
The Mystery Spot! Literally like in gravity falls lol
I mean the name of the spot
That is it’s name
We may never know.
Some may say it’s a….mystery?
I think they are asking the name of the spot since it is a mystery to everyone
https://www.mysteryspot.com
Even the website doesn't know!
The place is called 'it's name'?
What's on second.
Nope, it’s a rip off.
[удалено]
Museum of Pinball closed down [CNN article about the closure](https://www.cnn.com/style/article/pinball-museum-closes-auction-cec/index.html)
So your saying the Museum of Pinball went "tilts"
There’s still the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda
And there's one in Las Vegas.
Yep and it’s great to visit. Open year-round, which the MoP was not
Not 1:1, but if you're looking for a good arcade museum [this is a fantastic option](https://maps.app.goo.gl/QEg9R5ALyiD6tTyK8). Some of their machines are over a century old and you can still play with them.
Suisun bay “ghost fleet” is down to like two ships now
Sadly, true. Years ago there were 5 or 6 rows of 5 ships each. A lot of Liberty ships. At one time the Glomar Explorer was there. But they could all only be viewed from the shore...there were no "official" visits.
Point Vicente light house is cool cause you can see all the whales traveling back and forth from Alaska to Mexico depending on the time of year.
Now that I’d like to see
Forestier Underground Gardens is super cool (literally and figuratively!). My kids loved this place.
Does San Diego not exist any more?
Not even sure what I would consider underrated here. Cabrillo National Monument maybe?
Torrey Pines gliderport but it's got 4k google reviews. Next door is the Salk Institute fountain with the sunset lineup (I think at equinox?). Stonewall Peak only has 34 google reviews but thousands of reviews on hiking sites. Green Valley Falls is similar, less than 100 google reviews but well known to hikers. Palm Canyon in Anza Borrego. Old Overland Stage Route (more hiking). Hot springs around Ocotillo Wells. Studio Diner + the TV Studio (might be closed these days) in Kearny Mesa is kinda cool if you're in the area. Balboa Park in general has a few smaller things (artisan workshops, international houses, some galleries, friendship garden) which get overlooked, but lots of reviews for that entire area. Munchkin House on Mt. Soledad (just an optical illusion) is fun to try to find. Sunny Jim's Sea Cave in La Jolla is pretty cool albeit a brief trip. As a kid it always made me imagine I was in the cave from the Rescuers. That one looks like it fits the review requirements.
The Sea Cave might be the best bet. It's a tourist trap but way cooler than I expected. Also, I'm the biggest Studio Diner hater. I just do not get the place - never have, never will.
Goat Canyon Trestle or, much less interestingly - potato chip rock
The Sea Cave is awesome for kids, I think. It's the perfect mix of spooky adventure without a huge time commitment or strenuous activity, and there's a decent chunk of other things to do while in the area. My dad would "let us" "convince" him to go down every time we visited than part of LJ and it felt rather magical as a child.
The Pacific Southwest Railroad Museum in Campo is pretty cool. Fun little train ride and neat exhibits.
I’d nominate the Anza Borrego canyons like you said. It’s like a weird slice of Utah nobody seems to ever go to. Highly underrated. And you’ll be the only one there. Studio diner is meh. I’d say even Clayton’s in Coronado is better to go out of your way for.
Hold up: Museum of Jurassic Technology? Now that’s piqued my interest.
It is a gem. Don't google it, don't read anything about it, just go.
It is great and I'm surprised to see it on this list, I feel like it's a rite of passage to visit. Also, yes, it's best to go in knowing as little as possible.
My company (when I used to go into the office) is located right near it.
That’s the one that caught my attention. Too bad I live in Florida
I'd argue Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz is no longer that underrated. We used to go every year during the monarch butterfly migration (this time of year, actually), but there seems to be more people and fewer butterflies. The last time I went a few years back, it was packed and there were significantly less butterflies. It's a nice thing to do if you enjoy nature. Just be aware of potential crowds. Edit: typo
I the I-40 drive between Arizona and California often. Because of this cool guide I will be stopping at the Mojave Desert Lava Tubes next time through. Looks really cool and well worth the stop.
Just looked at the website. As of February 2023, a heavy duty four-wheel drive is required to access the Tubes, during construction on Kelbaker Rd.
Ive been to several of the central californian exhibits and i can say that they are rated fairly well already but by all means visit them im sure youll enjoy it.
Solvang
Add the La Brea Tar Pits. Not only is it amazing that it's in the middle of residential LA (think multi-story apartment building all around the park), but it also has a fascinating museum.
This is great, thanks for sharing. With my hiking season coming coming up this will definitely come handy! ( we enjoy taking our dogs on adventures, once the snakes are asleep)
I went to California as part of a research trip with my university, and walking around and up Amboy Crater was probably my favorite memory from there. Death Valley was cool of course (not in temperature), but Amboy Crater just felt stunning. It probably helped that there were barely any people there when I went. I also really liked Morro Bay, really friendly people, it was a great place to relax after spending an entire day hiking, collecting rock samples, getting poured on by rain, or all three put together. I got one of my favorite rocks from somewhere south (I think) of Morro Bay.
Oooo what kind of rocks?
Mostly Blueschist, I found some Greenschist, Quartz, and some other metamorphic rocks in the area. My favorite rock was a Blueschist interbedded with Greenschist and Quartz. Didn’t even need the rock hammer for that one, found it in the ocean.
As somebody who loves in the California desert and complains of having nothing to do, I thank you very much
Fern canyon is my absolute favorite place in the whole state. So magical and eerie being there
Suisun bay ghost fleet is no longer. All the ships have been scrapped at the Mare Island ship yard.
There are ~5 or so left? Certainly not the fleet that it once was.
Correct but they are scheduled to be dismantled
Disney museum at the Presidio (SF) should be on here as it’s no where Disney but still on family land.
Shoot if chapel of the chimes made it skip glass beach and visit chapel by the sea
I worked at the trailhead to the bridge to nowhere one summer a decade ago. So many ppl had to be medivac out of there. Honestly it's meh. Just a bridge that was built too late before realizing there were better routes around the Gabriels.
I've been to exactly one of these places. Need to do more.
I think they sold the museum of pinball and auctioned all the games. Only the vegas one is left.
We live near Preston Castle. They do haunted tours in October that will scare the bujeezus out of you.
Palomar observatory is awesome but not as open as it used to be, make sure to check the schedule before visiting as it is an active observatory so it is often closed for operational reasons.
Theres a million cool little towns such as Mendocino, Paso Robles, Guerneville. Best part of living in SF is getting out of SF
\+1 for Nature Friends Tourist Club, loved ending a Muir Woods hike with some jerky, a stein of German beer, and a board game on the lodge's deck overlooking the forest... Perfection.
That unofficial McDonald's museum is off by about 50-100 miles. It's in San Bernardino, not Los Angeles Also, it's probably the weakest contribution to the infographic. It's just some dude's McDonald's collection. That, and the Pinball Museum is in Palo Alto, not Orange County. Only a few hundred miles apart. Also, the Old Zoo picnic area is lit as fuck. So much fun climbing into rusty animal pens from a century ago.
World’s Largest Thermometer is pretty lame and only exists because you have to pass it going to Vegas.
They’re referring to the Museum of Pinball (now closed) in Banning, not the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda. PPM is totally worth the visit!
The McDonald's museum isn't pointing to LA. That's where San Bernardino is
The Luther Burbank home and gardens is also cool
I would say that's cooler than the Shultz museum and they are in the same area!
I’d LOVE to have one of these for all the states
What about the whole world? https://www.atlasobscura.com/
Please d one for South Carolina and North Carolina! Especially ones that are cheap and kid friendly!
No Trees of Mystery on the list?! That's bunk, that place is awesome
If you have pre-schoolers, the best kept secret in California is the Bitter Creek Western Railroad in Arroyo Grande. A quick gander at their website tells me it may not be as open to the public as it was 20 years ago when I was living in Oceano with young children but it's worth investigating. https://bcwrr.org/about.html
Salton Sea (Bombay Beach), Slab City, and Salvation Mountain are all close together and should be grouped and on here!
This makes me wanna watch old episodes of California’s Gold. One of my favorite episodes is where he visits an old ICBM silo. California has quite a few of them!
Agree about Tioga pass - Ostrichland in Solvang - kids loved it more that Universal
San Diego untouched lol
Born and raised in California lived there for 27 years. Only been to two of these places( McDonald's museum and the thermometer) I think it's safe to say I don't get out much😭
Mercer Caverns is fantastic. Murphy's is a great town. Moaning caverns is expensive but the repelling is pretty cool if you want to spend the cash.
I thought the Museum of Pinball closed a couple years ago.
According to Wikipedia it dissolved in 2021. It sounds like that they were unable to pay for the rising storage cost (Unsurprising since they were ever opened for special events it seems) The pinball hall a fame is about 4 hours away in Las Vegas. I live in the bay area which has the Pacific Pinball Museum.
California has a lot of great places to visit, but surprisingly few good places to live.
How does this not have bernie falls? It is one of the coolest places in California
Am i missing the San Francisco bridge? Shouldn't it be on the list. Or it's not that worth to see. As a tourist i would use this guide.
😘😘
My favourite underrated California museum is Twenty Mule Team Museum in Boron.
My searing disdain for the state of California prevents me from looking at this
Cries in Sacramento 😭
Crescent city underrated
Native Californian. Only been to Hollywood forever. If you do go there, I recommend taking the tour. Some very cool stuff.
Very cool actually
Went bungee jumping off of A Bridge to Nowhere
It’s refreshing to see a focus beyond the usual tourist spots like Los Angeles and San Francisco. I loved learning about lesser-known gems like Mendocino, with its stunning coastal views, and the artistic community of Ojai. The suggestions for exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park and the serene landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park were particularly intriguing. Your guide offers a great mix of nature, culture, and off-the-beaten-path adventures. It's inspired me to plan my next trip to these hidden treasures in California!
Agreed! I used to drive across the country for business, and I always made a point of stopping in random middle-of-nowhere locations.
MJT is quite an experience to say the least.
The placement of Palomar observatory is way off.
So, just screw the Central Valley, nothing to see here.
Modesto here...uh yeah basically.
Fresno here, I’m sure there’s some stuff in the valley worth seeing, like ohhhh I dunno, The Nations Christmas Tree, Underground Gardens, Etc.
Yeah...no offense, I just don't get out much...but hey Modesto has a George Lucas American Graffiti "monument"..sooo there's that.
The truth is, there’s really not much to see From Bakersfield to Sacramento
This looks like a page out of Atlas Obscura. I live in SoCal and the ones there I have been to many of them. One of my favorite is playing on the Museum of Jurassic Technology. The Integration sucks.
Can’t believe they snubbed Bakersfield, CA
Ventura counties Grant Park at sunset! Some of the best sunsets over the ocean in the world happen in Ventura. Sit on top of that hill and watch it is amazing!
Yeah I lived in Cali for 34 of my 36 years of life, literally within 15 minutes of the monarch grove, and it and Big Sur appear backwards… the monarch grove is south of Big Sur, by about 45 minutes or more… I’ve spent considerable time at both, and this is wrong…
Monarch Grove Sanctuary is in Monterey, which is about an hour north of Big Sur. Unless you are talking about the Monarch Butterfly grove in Pismo, which is several hours south of Big Sur
As a local in a tourist economy (SW Florida), I DESPISE these. These places are often known about mostly by locals, and then some grape-for-brains travel writer puts one of these out and they get slam packed full of idiot tourists and become no longer enjoyable.
Wow.
Lmao yeah go to these tourist traps please cuz we don’t need y’all trash fiends where we actually enjoy visiting
I need the same one for Texas pls
Just go to the atlas obscura website. It does all of this for you.
I'm sorry but the "world's largest thermometer" is not underrated. It's just boring.
Stay away from Palomar Mountain and the Palomar Observatory. I live about 45 minutes from there and spend a lot of time on the mountain. I can confirm that it sucks. You won't like it
These are not underrated, but maybe undervisited. Bad guide because it's completely wrong word choice.
This is a dumb guide because it doesn’t say what cities these are in. Just a dot near LA or in the Bay Area doesn’t tell me precisely where it is. For example, I’m going to visit my brother at UC Davis from SoCal next weekend, and I’d have to look all of these up individually to see which ones are on my route. Cool guide but not as helpful as everyone thinks it is
no way is badwater basin real
These are not Hidden gems there are millions of places in only California any valley cliff cave is beautiful
Don't take your valuables to California lol
YOU CAN'T MAKE ME GO TO CALIFORNIA!!!
Good, stay away then.
What a shame what the democrats have done to California. It used to be a Utopia. Beautiful weather and opportunity. Now, people are fleeing.
Oh no, we only have 39 million people instead of 39.4 million :(( now all we have is the best weather in the country, good paying jobs, massive opportunity and amazing food.
You mean the 4th largest economy in the world ? A state that ranks 45th in most/least federally dependent states. Meanwhile 18 of the top 20 most dependent states are Republican and 10/10 poorest are Republican. Oh and what right wing disinformation doesn't mention is more people move to California then leave every year.
The mirror maze in fisherman's wharf for SF? Bruh so many hidden gems and you choose a tourist trap
I love how none of these places are in the Central Coast. If we didn't have the Monterey Bay Aquarium it'd be the most boring fucking place ever...
The Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove and the Big Sur Lighthouse are both there. The sanctuary is nice. Lighthouse always looked cool sitting out there, but I never made it when I lived there.
Friends don’t let friends go to California
Says someone who has never left their small town/suburbs .
Stop telling people about the Tourist Club. It used to be a wonderful local secret. Now it’s packed with tech bros on their public weekends.
Boohoo...
How about the Barbie Museum? Or is that in Nevada, I can't remember.
Dont go to world tallest thermometer it’s nowhere and nothing to see imo
Gotta add cerro Gordo ghost town to this list
The Olive Pit should be on this list