Sure, you could revel in the Redwoods up north, savor the swells off Huntington Beach, or venture the vast deserts of Death Valley, but what California won’t tell you is that there are just as many wondrous sights to see within its many urban jungles.

Even amidst mountains of concrete, there’s ample room for awe, though you might not find it on any old tourist map. There’s the fantastical—villages for gnomes, a post office for fairies, and a carousel lined with rare animals. The unthinkable—a six-story tower made of discarded bike parts, and a short-story vending machine. And of course, the superlative—the world’s largest outdoor bookstore, shortest railway, and largest permanent Monopoly board.

With such an incomparable range of natural beauty, it only makes sense that California’s urban offerings run the gamut as well. Whether it’s for the indoorsy or the outdoorsy, for action or reflection, the kid in you or the kid in your lap, the curious corners of the Golden State are sure to captivate.

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