#365 Hotel Del Coronado

The Hotel Del Coronado has been the place to be and be seen since opening in 1888. It was the first beach resort on the west coast and was the largest hotel in the world at the time. This National Register of Historic Places property preserves stunning Victorian & Queen Anne architecture and is the second largest wooden structure in the United States. 

Hollywood royalty have used this as their playground since the 1920's including Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Rudolph Valentino. The Del became even more famous from the 1959 film 'Some Like It Hot' starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Enjoy exploring this stunning landmark with some of the finest sand on Earth.

 

#361 Los Angeles Central Library

The Los Angeles Central Library was built in 1926 in the Art Deco architectural style with Mediterranean Revival and Egyptian influences. The crown jewel is the rotunda with its 4 massive murals, each 40 feet wide, created by artist Dean Cornwell. Each one depicts an important piece of California history: the Era of Discovery, the Building of the Missions, Founding of the Pueblo of Los Angeles and the Americanization of California. 

 

#357 Museum of Man

The San Diego Museum of Man is Balboa Park's premier anthropological museum. Housed in the historic California Building, the museum originated from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition when Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett of the School of American Archaeology created the exhibits with his travels from the American Southwest to Guatemala.

After the Fair, a group of residents helped create a permanent museum to house the collections. Famous exhibits include Mayan History with original casts from Quiriguá, Footsteps Through Time which includes 65 million years of human evolution with more than 100 touchable replicas, Kumeyaay Native American history and the Ancient Egyptian Collection, one of only a few in the world.

 

#353 Union Station

Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles is the largest railroad terminal in the West serving more than 100,000 passengers each day. Opening in 1939, this was the last great railway station built during the Golden Age of train travel. Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne are its architectural styles making it timeless and iconic.

 

#339 Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is the former estate of famous newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Julia Morgan designed it between 1919-47 and is known for designing more than 700 landmark California buildings. She was the first woman admitted to the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Mediterranean Revival is the main architectural style with influences of Spanish Colonial, Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance and Gothic.

Hearst called his ranch 'La Cuesta Encantada' (The Enchanted Hill) with its dramatic mountain to ocean vistas. He entertained Hollywood & Political elite including Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The castle has been open to the public for tours since 1958 where visitors can tour a small selection of the 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms and 127 acres of landscaped gardens and pools making it one of the busiest destinations in the state. 

 

#329 Heritage Park

Heritage County Park in Old Town was created to preserve San Diego's Victorian Architecture. Italianate, Stick-Eastlake and Queen Anne styles are all represented through six historic homes and the Temple Beth Israel Synagogue. This uncrowded park is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll. A short trail above the Christian House take you to an overlook with great views of the city.

 

#321 William S Hart Ranch

The William S. Hart Ranch & Museum preserves the beloved home of silent film star, William S. Hart. Hart acted, directed, wrote and produced more than 75 westerns and was one of the all time great actors. He loved the Spirit of the West and built a ranch, 'La Loma de los Vientos' or 'The Hill of the Winds', to house his authentic collection. Wyatt Earp, Amelia Earhart, Mary Pickford and Barbara Stanwyck were among his famous friends that visited him often.

Upon passing, Hart donated his ranch to the city with the stipulation that it would remain free:

“When I was making pictures, the people gave me their nickels, dimes, and quarters. When I am gone, I want them to have my home.” -William S. Hart

His 22-room Spanish Colonial Revival mansion with original furnishings and outfits is run by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and even has a pack of American bison. Hart was an animal lover and celebrated the legacy of Native Americans. Enjoy a rare glimpse into the Golden Age of Hollywood with a visit to this spectacularly preserved ranch.

 

#307 Queen Anne Cottage

The Queen Anne Cottage is the crown jewel of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The Cottage was built in 1885 using the Queen Anne Victorian Architectural Style by Elias Jackson 'Lucky' Baldwin. Lucky was a very fortunate California pioneer, investor and real estate tycoon. He moved to San Francisco in 1853 during the Gold Rush and decided the real money was not in gold itself but in food, supplies and lodging for gold diggers.

Lucky used his fortune to purchase a tract of land outside of Los Angeles he divided into lots in the 1880's for the towns of Arcadia and Monrovia. He was considered one of the first equal employers hiring African-American, Native American, Mexican and Chinese workers when most were jobless: though, he paid them considerably less. Lucky built this cottage for entertaining purposes only and can be enjoyed today with a visit to the Arboretum.

 

#302 Mission San Buenaventura

Mission San Buenaventura or 'Mission by the Sea' is the 9th California Mission founded on Easter Sunday: March 31, 1782. It was the last Mission under the vision of Padre Serra. The current church was built between 1792 and 1809 making it one of the oldest surviving buildings in California. Native Chumash created an aqueduct with a steady water supply allowing the mission to flourish and create beautiful gardens which can still be enjoyed to this day. 

 

#301 Scotty's Castle

Scotty's Castle is a Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival architectural wonder in Death Valley National Park. It was created with the vision of Walter E. Scott, famous gold mine con man. Walter convinced Chicago investor Albert Mussey Johnson to invest in his fake mine. The investment turned out to be a fraud but Albert enjoyed Scott's enthusiasm and constructed the property anyway. The National Park Service purchased the property in 1970 and has led tours of the interior ever since which contains all original furnishings.

*Due to a 2015 flood, the castle is currently closed and estimated to reopen in 2019